The Four-Seat Counter: Why So Few Seats

Guests often ask, half surprised: "Only four seats?" Yes. And it is intentional. A sushi counter is not a row of stools to be filled, it is a narrow stage where the chef and a handful of guests share one moment. The more seats there are, the more that moment dilutes. Four is the number that keeps everything alive.

Why Only Four Seats

A nigiri is meant to be eaten within the minute. The rice is warm, the fish at temperature, the seasoning freshly placed. For each piece to arrive at its best, the chef has to follow the rhythm of every guest without ever rushing. At four, that is possible. At fourteen, pieces would have to be prepared in batches, and the magic of "just in time" disappears.

Proximity matters too. At the counter you are an arm's length from the chef. A question about where a fish comes from, about the season, about how a piece was aged is answered on the spot. It is an exchange, not a service delivered from a distance. A small counter makes that exchange natural rather than theatrical.

The Pace of a Small Counter

In a large room, service moves in waves: starters, then mains, then the rest. At a four-seat counter there are no waves. The meal unfolds like a conversation, piece after piece, at the tempo you set. You savour, the chef watches, the next piece arrives when you are ready.

That tempo changes how you eat. You do not rush, but you do not wait either. You taste a delicate sea bream, let your palate reset with a slice of gari, then move to tuna. Both the menu and the omakase follow this logic of progression, from the subtlest to the richest.

The Omakase at the Tables Too

Four seats also means they book up fast. So that no one is turned away at the door, we reinvented the omakase so it could also be served at the tables. The sequence of pieces, the chef's considered progression, the care in each seasoning: all of it follows you to your table.

What changes is the staging. At the counter you see every gesture, you hear the knife, you receive each piece directly from the chef's hand. At a table you gain intimacy and comfort, perfect for a conversation between two or a meal that stretches out. What is on the plate, though, stays the same.

Who It Is For, and When

The four-seat counter shines for date nights: two seats side by side, the chef's craft right in front of you, without the noise of a large room. It also shines for the curious who want to understand the gestures, ask questions, and learn while they eat.

For a small party of four, booking the entire counter creates an almost bespoke private moment. Beyond four, a table becomes the better choice, with the same omakase and more room for conversation among guests.

How to Book a Seat

The four counter seats often go several days ahead, especially on weekends. Book early and mention that you would like the counter: if it is fully booked, we will offer you a table with the same omakase rather than see you leave.

In the end, four seats is a promise: of a meal where you are never a number, where the chef cooks for you, and where every piece arrives at the right moment. Whether at the counter or at a table, it is that attention that makes Aji.