Bar Masa at Aria Hotel – Las Vegas, NV: The urban chic entrance to Bar Masa at Aria Hotel was really what drew us to the restaurant. Inside, however, was another story. It seemed like they took urbanity too far in their design and interiors, creating a restaurant that looked like a warehouse garage or airport hanger. There were more than 100 tables but there were only a few diners when we got there. The floors and walls were mostly built of concrete, with high vaulted ceilings that gave the place a cold and dreary feeling. We were expecting a warm and trendy ambiance, but we were way off. As if that wasn’t enough, cheesy Top 40s music played in the background.

Once seated, we were quickly given menus and offered cocktails. The staff was friendly and charming and we were off to a good start. Not for long. Once we looked at the menu, my dining partner and I were both shocked and disappointed. The prices were sky high, almost twice as costly as any upscale Las Vegas Japanese restaurant. The sashimi was priced by the piece instead of the usual two pieces per order. Furthermore, they were tiny pieces!

We ordered the Sashimi Tasting Platter with 21 pieces of fish and the cost tallied to $75.00. The slices were very, very thin. I really felt we were being ripped off, and so I had to complain to the manager, which I rarely do. She apologized and told us she would take the Edamame, which we also ordered, off our bill. I was complaining about my $75.00 Sashimi Platter and she offers to take $5.00 off our bill? Ridiculous!

The selection of rolls available was rather limited and we could only find two that sounded good and which we ordered: Unagi Roll with Avocado and a Shrimp Tempura Roll. In addition, we also ordered Unagi Sushi. The rolls were decent, but not exquisite enough to justify the price, while the Unagi was only adequate. Even before we were half done with the sashimi they already served the rolls , all within 20 minutes of ordering. This gave me the uneasy feeling that we were being raced out of there.

We also ordered Udon Soup with Kobe Beef and Noodles (another $28). Worried that the Udon would be served before we had a chance to finish the rolls, we asked the waiter to slow things down. When the Udon was finally served, we took a few bites and were puzzled because it had no flavor. We promptly sent the Udon back to the kitchen and asked for our check. We decided we have had enough and couldn’t wait to leave the place.

This is one Las Vegas sushi restaurant that I would never go to again and definitely could not recommend to anyone. The average fish, cold atmosphere, unimpressive menu and over-the-top (even for Las Vegas) prices make Bar Masa Not Bombastic.

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What I liked: Chic entrance, airy space

What I didn’t like: Food, interiors, limited menu, sky high prices

Rating: Not Bombastic
Address and Telephone Number:
Bar Masa
Address: Aria Hotel and Casino
3730 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Telephone: (877) 230-2742
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