Katsuya Restaurant

What Katsuya Restaurant does

Katsuya Restaurant is a privately-held Japanese sushi restaurant brand founded in 2007 and operated under sbe Licensing, LLC, the hospitality entity founded by Sam Nazarian. The brand fuses Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi's California-influenced Japanese cuisine with interiors designed exclusively by Philippe Starck under a 2005 design agreement with sbe. Katsuya operates 13+ dine-in locations across Los Angeles (Brentwood, Hollywood, L.A. Live, Glendale), Miami (South Beach, Brickell), Nassau, and the Middle East (Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar), with additional sites listed as coming soon. The core product is full-service dine-in supplemented by Social Hour programs, Katsuya2Go takeout and delivery (via DoorDash and direct online ordering), and private events and catering for parties of 12 to 400 guests.

The underlying operating technology combines traditional Japanese sushi preparation methods with California-style fusion cuisine, including signature dishes such as Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna and the Burning Mandarin cocktail. Digital infrastructure consists of integrations with OpenTable and SevenRooms for reservation management and DoorDash for last-mile delivery, with no proprietary technology platform disclosed. Revenue is generated through dine-in restaurant service, takeout and delivery, and private event and catering contracts, with the brand operated under a licensing model in which sbe controls international expansion and brand operations.

Katsuya's customer segments are horizontal: affluent consumers and celebrities seeking upscale Japanese dining, corporate clients hosting business entertainment, and buyers of private events and celebrations. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer across company-owned locations, with earned media and celebrity endorsement serving as primary marketing channels. The brand has accumulated recognition including Travel + Leisure's Best New Restaurants of 2007, LA Times Reader's Choice 2011 Best Sushi Restaurant, and Haute Living's L.A.'s #1 Sushi Spot in 2012, anchoring its positioning in the upscale celebrity-chef dining category.

Name

Katsuya Restaurant

Legal name

sbe Licensing, LLC

Website

https://katsuyarestaurant.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Katsuya Restaurant is a privately-held upscale Japanese sushi brand operating 13+ locations across the US, Middle East, and Bahamas, combining Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi's cuisine with Philippe Starck-designed interiors and serving affluent diners, celebrities, and corporate event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Upscale Japanese Restaurant / Sushi Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sushi/Sashimi-Grade & Raw Ready-to-Serve Seafood (Including Poke) (AFANALAI)

Keywords

• Upscale Japanese cuisine
• Sushi restaurant chain
• Celebrity chef dining
• Private event catering
• Fusion Japanese cuisine

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles (Brentwood)

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Service: Full-service Japanese restaurant dining with lunch, dinner, and happy hour service across all locations
2. Catering and Private Events: Off-site catering and full service event production for parties of 12 or more, accommodating up to 400 guests
3. Takeout and Delivery (Katsuya2Go): Takeout and delivery service via DoorDash and direct online ordering
4. Licensing Agreement with sbe: Brand operates under sbe Licensing, LLC with expansion through licensing partnerships in international markets

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Katsuya Restaurant operates a chain of upscale Japanese sushi restaurants founded in 2007, offering full-service dine-in, takeout and delivery (Katsuya2Go), private event catering for groups of 12 to 400 guests, and happy hour/Social Hour programs. The brand combines Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi's traditional Japanese cuisine with California-fusion influences, served in Philippe Starck-designed interiors across 13+ locations in the US and Middle East.

Product overview

Katsuya Restaurant is a Japanese sushi restaurant chain offering a unified dining experience centered on Chef Katsuya Uechi's traditional Japanese cuisine with Californian influences. The restaurant operates multiple U.S. and international locations, each featuring Philippe Starck's distinctive interior design. The core product is the dine-in restaurant service complemented by Katsuya2Go takeout delivery, Social Hour programs, and Private Events & Catering services. All locations share the same brand identity and menu philosophy while adapting to local markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Katsuya2Go: Takeout and delivery service offered by Katsuya locations, allowing customers to order food for home delivery.

Products and services

• Dine-In Restaurant Service Full-service Japanese sushi restaurant offering dine-in experiences at 13+ locations across the US and Middle East, featuring Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi's fresh takes on Japanese classics with California-fusion influences, served in Philippe Starck-designed interiors. Includes lunch, dinner, and happy hour service.
• Katsuya2Go Takeout and Delivery Takeout and delivery service allowing customers to order Katsuya's Japanese cuisine for pickup or home delivery. Available across multiple US locations via DoorDash and direct online ordering with dedicated curbside pickup menu.
• Private Events & Catering Off-site catering and full-service event production for parties of 12 or more, accommodating up to 400 guests with customizable event menus. Available for corporate events, weddings, and large group dining.
• Social Hour Program Happy hour and social hour programs at various locations featuring discounted drinks and appetizers, available daily at Brickell (4pm-6pm) and South Beach (6pm-8pm at Dragon Lounge).
• Katsuya Curbside Pick-Up Menu Curbside pickup menu launched in Los Angeles in response to COVID-19, offering contactless pickup options for Katsuya customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named LA's #1 sushi spot by Haute Living (January 2012)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Philippe StarckcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005World-renowned designer Philippe Starck signed exclusive agreement with sbe in 2005 for design of restaurants and lounges in North America, expanded in 2006 to include hotel properties. Starck's sleek, sultry interior design is a core differentiator for Katsuya restaurants.
• sbe (sbe Licensing, LLC)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partnersbe Founder Sam Nazarian partnered with Chef Katsuya Uechi to launch and expand the Katsuya brand globally. sbe handles licensing and brand expansion including international markets.
• DoorDashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership allowing customers to order Katsuya for delivery through DoorDash platform at US locations.
• Hyde Lounge/SLS HotelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Beach location operates adjacent to Hyde South Beach and SLS Hotel properties, part of sbe's integrated hospitality ecosystem.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Katana: Upscale Japanese robata and sushi restaurant in West Hollywood with celebrity following and design-driven ambiance. Direct competitor in the LA celebrity-sushi dining segment.
• Matsuhisa: Nobu Matsuhisa's original eponymous fine-dining sushi restaurants in Aspen, Beverly Hills, NYC, and Las Vegas. Operates in the same celebrity-chef Japanese fine-dining space serving affluent guests and entertainment industry clientele.
• Sugarfish: Kazunori Nozawa's traditional edomae sushi restaurant chain in Southern California, also extending to New York. Competes directly with Katsuya in the premium casual sushi segment with a multi-unit LA footprint.
• Nobu: Globally scaled celebrity-chef Japanese restaurant brand (Nobu Matsuhisa with Robert De Niro) operating full-service sushi concept with licensing/franchise model. Direct competitor in the upscale Japanese celebrity dining space across the US, Middle East, and beyond.
• Catch: Trend-driven, design-forward seafood restaurant brand with locations in NYC, LA (Catch LA), Las Vegas, and Miami. Comparable to Katsuya in celebrity appeal, Starck-style design, and affluent-celebrity client base.
• Sushi Katsu-Ya: Actually owned and operated by Chef Katsuya Uechi himself (Studio City, Encino locations). Most direct brand-level peer: shares the same founding chef, similar menu framework, and overlapping LA customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Hyde Lounge: sbe's nightlife and lounge brand co-located with Katsuya South Beach. Comparable in belonging to the same sbe luxury lifestyle portfolio, sharing customer base and brand-equity halo.
• The Bazaar by José Andrés: Adjacent sbe-owned/located restaurant brand by celebrity chef José Andrés. Comparable in being a celebrity-chef, design-forward restaurant within the sbe portfolio sharing distribution and marketing infrastructure with Katsuya.
• SLS Hotels: Parent sbe brand's luxury hotel collection. Comparable in operating model and shared real estate (e.g., Katsuya South Beach is adjacent to SLS South Beach), sharing the same Philippe Starck design DNA.

Emerging players

• Rokusho Restaurant: Premium omakase sushi concept in Los Angeles targeting a similar affluent clientele. Represents the newer generation of high-end sushi operators challenging legacy celebrity brands like Katsuya.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Katsuyabysbe
• Facebookfacebook.com/KatsuyaBySBE
• Instagraminstagram.com/katsuyabysbe
• Pinterestpinterest.com/sbecollection/katsuya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/katsuya-restaurant

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Katsuya Restaurant