"Atlanta's only Michelin-starred sushi counter, eight seats and Hokkaido-cut nigiri — reserve it for a solo omakase."
Eight seats. $185. Two seatings a night, Tuesday through Friday. Chef Atsushi Hayakawa runs the only Michelin-starred sushi counter in Atlanta from the ground floor of the Star Metals building at 1055 Howell Mill Road on the Westside, and he has held the star every year since the Atlanta guide began in 2023. The 14-course omakase is built around nigiri cut in the generous Hokkaido style of his hometown.
Atsushi Hayakawa was a 2018 James Beard "Best Chef: Southeast" semifinalist before the Michelin Guide reached Atlanta, and his room has held one star in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The meal follows a kaiseki-style arc of small cooked courses before the nigiri, which is the signature: rice kept at body temperature, fish flown in and cut Hokkaido-large, brushed with nikiri rather than served with a dish of soy. The headline 14-course omakase is $185; shorter counter tastings run $95 and $135.
The fish rotates weekly with the seasons, so the lineup is never fixed, but the through-line is restraint: few garnishes, no spectacle, the cut and the rice doing the work. With eight seats and two seatings, the pace is set by the chef in front of you, and dietary swaps are possible when you call ahead rather than spring them at the counter.
The counter holds eight, carved out of a glassy office block on Howell Mill Road, and the setting is deliberately spare: blond wood, low light, the chef and one or two assistants working directly across from you. Sound is quiet enough to hear every word, so this is a place for focus rather than a loud night out. There is no dress code beyond neat, and most guests arrive smart-casual. Two seatings run nightly at 6:00 and 8:30, Tuesday through Friday.
Book Hayakawa for a solo omakase because a counter built for eight is made for one. You face the chef, the pace is yours to follow, and a 14-course meal at $185 fills an evening without needing a companion to carry it. It works equally well as a focused date for two who like talking to the chef. See our best restaurants for solo dining, the best sushi restaurants worldwide, and our Atlanta dining guide.
Not for a group or anyone wanting variety on demand. There are eight counter seats, one fixed omakase, and the chef sets the courses, so large parties and a la carte requests do not fit.
Yes — Hayakawa is the only Michelin-starred sushi restaurant in Atlanta, and the $185 omakase delivers on it with Hokkaido-cut nigiri and a quiet, focused counter. The value is strong for a one-star sushi room. Go if you care about the fish and the cut more than spectacle; it is a meal to give your full attention rather than a backdrop for conversation.
Very. With only eight seats across two nightly seatings, Tuesday through Friday, reservations open online and disappear quickly, especially weekends. Book the moment a window releases and keep a backup date. Solo diners sometimes slip into a single open seat on short notice, so it is worth checking for last-minute cancellations if you are flexible.
There is no formal dress code; smart-casual is the norm. The counter is intimate and the focus is the food, so guests tend to dress neatly without going formal. Strong scents are worth avoiding out of respect for the delicate fish and your neighbours just inches away. Comfortable, tidy attire is exactly right for the eight-seat room.
The flagship 14-course omakase is $185 per person before drinks, with shorter counter tastings at $95 and $135. Add a sake pairing or a few pours and a couple should plan for roughly $500 or more all in. The omakase is the reason to come; the shorter tastings are a lower-commitment way to try the kitchen.
Order the full $185 omakase — it is a set procession, so the choice is really how far to go. The Hokkaido-style nigiri is the headline, cut large and brushed with nikiri. Add the sake pairing if you drink; the list is chosen to match the fish. For more counters, see the best sushi restaurants worldwide.
Via hayakawaatl.com · 8 seats, books fast
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Hayakawa brings Hokkaido-cut nigiri to a Westside office block. See how it sits among the world's best sushi counters.
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