The first time I went to Yasuda I sat in the dining area. The friendly and attentive waiter constantly checked in to see if we were getting too full and if we wanted to continue with more pieces. The quality of the fish was excellent and each piece was delicious. I had about 10-12 pieces along with their delicious fried crab shell appetizer and green tea mochi ice cream. We had a combination of sashimi and sushi. The squid leg sashimi and scallop sushi were excellent pieces. It was fresh and minimalist. The atmosphere was very traditional and humble, and the service was great. Even though they have a 1.5-hour limit, I didn't feel rushed at all.
The second time I decided to try the sushi counter and was very much looking forward to trying the omakase. Thinking it would be similar service in terms of attention to detail, I was awfully disappointed. I expected the chef to check in with us and ask us how we were doing. Instead, he kept pushing more and more pieces on us without asking. Before we were even finished, he would serve another set of fish. The Chef also seemed to have been in a bad mood and was not friendly at all. Some pieces were not nearly as fresh as the first time I went. Although the uni and oysters were very good, my second experience was disappointing. Some pieces also smelled a bit. The tamago was also not nearly as fresh as the first time. In total, we had about 26 pieces of nigiri and was beyond bloated. We finished after only one hour.
Maybe it was luck of the draw with chefs, but I probably would avoid the sushi counter in the future. I think at this point, I know exactly what I want and would return to sit in the dining area. However, if you do decide to sit at the sushi counter be sure to tell the chef upfront how many pieces you want.
Given my disappointing second experience, it may be a while before I return, or ever return. I had such high hopes for Yasuda, but the lack of consistency and awful service pushed me away.
Price:
You should always communicate how much you want to spend so they don't over serve you, thus overcharge you. Around $120 per person is a reasonable range. Even though they don't accept tips, the Chefs get a cut of the total bill, so they have incentive to serve you more pieces.The second time when I sat at the sushi counter, I spent $200 per person for 26 pieces. It was WAY too much. I think $100-120 per person is a good range.