Stuff Your Face with the Best Sushi in LA

Enjoy everything from omakase delicacies to conveyor belt mainstays.

Brother's Sushi
Photo courtesy of The Brothers Sushi
Photo courtesy of The Brothers Sushi

Sushi is a mainstay in LA, and it’s understood that we’re among the country’s most thrilling sushi destinations. Yet, no one can agree on the best place in town. Indeed, the mere discussion is as polarizing as politics nowadays. Los Angeles is swimming with options, including extravagant omakase experiences and wallet-friendly joints, swanky restaurants and spare spaces, menus designed to please sushi traditionalists and those that break all the rules. But don’t worry, the next time you’re craving immaculately prepared raw fish, we’ve got you covered with these 20 sensational sushi spots to visit across the city.

Leona’s Sushi House
Photo courtesy of Leona's Sushi House

The Valley has yet another standout sushi spot, and the rest of LA is rightfully jealous. Sushi aficionados might recognize chef Shigenori Fujimoto, who spent years at Matsuhisa before helping to launch celebrated restaurants like Irori and Asanebo, which scored two Michelin stars under his guidance. Now he’s teamed up with veteran restaurateur Frank Leon and actor and entrepreneur Evan Ross to open Leona’s, a handsome-looking space on Ventura composed of three distinct dining areas: a lush garden room, an inviting “living room,” and a sushi house. Accordingly, the restaurant offers different menus, with one serving fusion Japanese Peruvian fare and the other focusing on exceptional nigiri and rolls. You can order from either, however, no matter where you sit. For the authentic Shige experience, though, book a seat at the sushi counter for the omakase. For $160, you’ll get a parade of oysters; sunomono salad; halibut truffle; a blue crab handroll; and 12 pieces of fish, such as the Santa Barbara uni and sinfully buttery toro, which will remind you why the chef is one of the best in the game; and dessert.
How to book: Reservations are available online.

Available for Reservations
Koi Restaurant
Photo courtesy of Koi Restaurant

Koi Restaurant

West Hollywood

After getting a Tinseltown-worthy facelift, this 21-year-old restaurant on La Cienega recently debuted its gorgeous new space right next door to its original location. While sushi purists may turn up their noses at flavorful rolls decorated with gold leaf on the “She’s So LA” Roll bursting with soft shell crab or topped with crisp spinach chips on the spicy tuna and albacore Geleno Roll, Koi’s signature dishes are just a part of this flashy hotspot’s decidedly LA charm. Working with markets and suppliers worldwide, Koi sources most of its fish from Hawaii and Japan, bringing in yellowtail and snapper from Kyushu or scallops from Hokkaido. With its vibey ambiance, it’s the perfect place to bring a date, especially if they’re vegan, thanks to new vegan takes on several classic dishes; throw a raucous birthday dinner before hitting nearby nightlife venues; or impress out-of-towners who want the full La La Land experience, as celebrity sightings are par for the course here.
How to book: Reservations are available online.

Available for Reservations
Sushi Note
Photo courtesy of Sushi Note

Sushi Note

Sherman Oaks

Rarely does one visit a sushi bar for its wine selection, but the expert curation at this Sherman Oaks restaurant is quickly starting to change that. Founded by the team behind Augustine Wine Bar across the street and spearheaded by chef Kiminobu Saito, Sushi Note marries classically prepared sushi with an extensive global wine list, carefully chosen to pair with the entire menu. While everything is available à la carte, the $115 omakase and optional $75 wine pairing give you the most well-rounded experience, partnering scallop tartare with a zippy Riesling matured in stainless steel barrels; clean, light red snapper with a crisp Chablis; and rich, fatty oo-toro with a complex, tannic Nebbiolo. No matter what, don’t miss out on the outstanding torotaku handroll stuffed with chopped toro and pickled daikon radish for a soft-crunchy-fatty-umami symphony of texture and flavor you won’t find anywhere else.
How to book: Reservations are available via Tock.

Sushi Tama

Beverly Grove

Situated on a pleasant stretch of Robertson Blvd, Sushi Tama offers a diverse menu of fish prepared in every imaginable way, including sushi, sashimi, temaki, donburi bowls, nigiri, and more. Helmed by chef Hideyuki Yoshimoto, who spent over a decade at Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Fish Market, Tama focuses on freshly caught, impeccably prepared fish accompanied by flawless rice and nori. Even better, everything on the menu is more than reasonably priced, especially considering the premium quality of the seafood. While the counter omakase is priced at $180, lunch specials might be the most solid deal. A seven-piece nigiri set will set you back $23, while a premium tuna bowl, crowned with lush, marbled pieces of oo-toro and chu-toro, is an even $28. Grab one of the patio tables to dine in full view of the Chanel store and other upscale boutiques across the street.
How to book: Reservations are available online.

Available for Reservations
Sushi | Bar
Photo by Suzy Pratt, courtesy of Sushi by Scratch Restaurants

A word of advice if you plan to dine at Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Come hungry. This artisanal concept from husband-and-wife duo chef Phillip Frankland Lee and pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee offers a 17-course omakase worth every penny of the $165-per-person price tag. Stepping through an unmarked door, you’re transported to a sushi speakeasy with an intimate 10-seat counter and a highly curated tasting menu. The offering changes seasonally, and sports dishes that are often wildly creative, unexpected riffs on traditional counter classics. Eel is cooked right in front of you using bone marrow drippings heated by a blowtorch. Hamachi is brushed with sweet corn pudding and topped with sourdough breadcrumbs. Otoro is accompanied by caramelized pineapple before it’s hit with homemade soy sauce and freshly grated wasabi root. While Sushi by Scratch Restaurants's sister restaurant in Montecito was the one awarded a Michelin star, in our book, the Encino location may as well have been a recipient, too.
How to book: Reservations are available via Tock.

Brother Sushi
Photo courtesy of The Brothers Sushi

The Brothers Sushi

Woodland Hills

The Brothers Sushi experiments within the boundaries of the chef’s Japanese heritage while paying homage to California’s bounty, translating to fresh wasabi from Northern California to Santa Barbara sea urchin. That said, much of the seasonal fish is from Japan, such as the barracuda from Tokyo or Hokkaido-hailing cod milt or the sperm sac, which is a delicacy. Although this restaurant has a robust menu with dozens of delicious-sounding apps and desserts, the omakase will never lead you astray. Fingers crossed that the day’s menu includes some dry-aged pieces, like the Japanese-cherry-wood-smoked yellowtail.
How to book: Reservations are available via Tock.

Morihiro

Atwater Village

A legend of LA’s sushi scene, chef Morihiro Onodera’s Michelin-starred restaurant offers stellar omakase, ranging from $250 to $400, with optional sake pairings. Every element screams fine dining, albeit in a subtly sophisticated way. The perfectly textured house-made tofu; the sushi rice, milled by the chef and used within three days to maintain ultimate freshness; and the diverse assortment of fish, often served without added sauce, to let the clean, crisp flavors of the seafood speak for themselves. And the ceramic dishware, most of which the chef crafted himself, is quite the added touch. As if things couldn’t get any better, dessert is far from an afterthought, often incorporating the sweetest seasonal fruit to cap a truly extraordinary meal.
How to book: Reservations are available via Tock.
 

Sushi Ginza Onodera
Photo by Cole Saladino for Thrillist

Sushi Ginza Onodera

West Hollywood

At $400 per person, this West Hollywood restaurant’s omakase costs a pretty penny. But if you’re in the mood to splurge, do it at this high-end, double-Michelin-starred spot, which practices a style of sushi known as Edomae, a tradition dating back 200 years that employs aging and curing techniques to preserve the fish and develop its umami-rich flavors. Those age-old aging methods are still practiced here; fish is simmered in dashi, cured in salt, or aged in kombu sea kelp for hours to days. But beyond the 20+ courses of peak-season seafood, your meal is also a lesson in visual appreciation. The impressive sushi bar is constructed from a single 200-year-old Japanese hinoki cypress tree, and food comes on exquisite Japanese porcelain, all of which is instrumental in understanding the creative expression of this quintessential Japanese meal.
How to book: Reservations are available via Tock.

Sushi Kaneyoshi

Little Tokyo

Snagging a reservation at this 12-seat omakase restaurant is no easy feat, which typically releases bookings on the first of every month at 3 pm. But if you get one, you’re in for a treat. Stepping into this spot tucked inside an office building basement feels like you’ve stumbled upon a secret gem. With a 12-seat bar arranged so everyone can view the chef at work, the space is warm yet ascetic, like many of the old-school, high-end sushi bars in Tokyo. Chef Yoshiyuki Inoue has an all-star resume with stints at several acclaimed sushi restaurants, but for his first solo venture, he’s showcasing Edomae-style techniques, a hallmark of Sushi Ginza Onodera, where he once worked. There’s nothing quite like sitting down in this quiet, clean, and intimate space to enjoy his exquisitely prepared, well-paced omakase, which might include anything from hairy crab to monkfish liver.
How to book: Reservations are available via Tock.

Sushi Takeda

Little Tokyo

Another Little Tokyo gem, this sushi counter used to go by Sushi Hide but changed its name to avoid confusion with a similarly named restaurant on Sawtelle. What hasn’t changed is the impeccably prepared fish by chef Hide Takeda, who formerly led the team at Sushi Tsujita. Just like Ginza Onodera and Kaneyoshi, Sushi Takeda also employs Edomae-style methods, painstakingly sourcing top-notch seafood and individually aging, curing, and marinating each piece to bring out its optimal flavor. The experience promises a handful of genuinely unique dishes, such as the yari-ika, a piece of spear squid that demonstrates skillful knife work, and the iwashi maki, the chef’s signature sardine roll wrapped in pickled daikon. Omakase runs from $140 to $280, but if you’re seeking something more wallet-friendly, lunch includes 12 pieces of nigiri for $110 per person.
How to book: Reservations are available via Tock.

Sushi Park
Photo courtesy of Sushi Park

Sushi Park

West Hollywood

This sushi purist’s paradise has long been a celebrity favorite, although you wouldn’t guess it by its unassuming facade and strip mall location on Sunset. A sign on the front firmly announcing that the restaurant doesn’t offer spicy tuna rolls, California rolls, or trendy sushi sums up the experience. At Sushi Park, it’s all about authentically prepared sushi and the best place to get in on the action is the strictly-omakase bar. Prepare for a never-ending pageant of melt-in-your-mouth fish and, if you’re lucky, an A-list sighting or two.
How to book: Call 310-652-0523 for reservations.

Sushi Roku
Photo by Trox, courtesy of Sushi Roku

Sushi Roku

Multiple locations

This stylish restaurant with outposts in Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Manhattan Beach (where the Innovative Dining Group recently opened a location with an NFT art wall) isn’t made for sushi aesthetes, so if you’re a true connoisseur who looks down your nose at anything but the most authentic expression of uncooked fish, keep scrolling. However, if you’re intrigued by a contemporary vision of sushi that incorporates non-traditional ingredients from Latin America and Europe, consider checking out Sushi Roku. This spot was among the first to experiment with the idea of a trendy sushi restaurant, creating dimly lit interiors and cool cocktails with good music. While dozens of copycat concepts exist today, we like to return to the original for bold fusion dishes, which, while certainly not inexpensive, won’t set you back nearly as much as an omakase.
How to book: Reservations are available online.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Hama Sushi

Downtown

Sushi Gen usually gets all the Little Tokyo love, but we’re firm believers that time can play a factor in quality, and Sushi Gen takes an eternity thanks to that unrelenting line outside, which often forms before it’s even open. By comparison, you can usually grab a seat at Hama a lot quicker, and the traditional sushi and baked yellowtail collar are second to none. Just make sure you ask what’s off-menu because Hama’s most interesting seafood, such as halibut fin, red sea bream, or salmon belly, isn’t printed on the menu.
How to book: Dining is walk-in only.

Q Sushi
Photo by Jeff Miller for Thrillist

Q Sushi

Downtown

Yeah, it’s a wallet-buster. But it still may be dollar-for-dollar the best sushi in town. Master chef Hiro came to LA from Japan to recreate the high-quality experience he once delivered in Tokyo. His fish, from brilliantly briny mackerel to melt-in-your-mouth salmon, is exceptional and aged, cured, or temperature-adjusted to coax out its optimal flavor profile. Meanwhile, the rice, flavored with red vinegar brewed from aged sake cakes and sea salt, is no afterthought. Q’s daily omakase menu changes daily, so expect a parade of stunning sashimi and nigiri courses, each perfectly balanced for size, appearance, temperature, texture, and taste.
How to book: Reservations are available via Tock.

Available for Reservations

KazuNori

Multiple locations

Part of the same group as Sugarfish, KazuNori is a handroll-only concept famous for its passionate obsession with rice, which comes warm, loosely packed, fluffy, and flavorful. Not only does the team adjust the cooking water according to the varying humidity levels at their five locations, but they also go to extreme lengths to score restaurant certifications for their desired rice cookers and use high-tech devices that mix rice and vinegar in the exact way Nozawa’s process calls for. And don’t even get us started on their commitment to sourcing the best fish. This extremely efficient, affordable lunch, dinner, and takeout spot will set you back no more than $28 for six rolls and 20 minutes if the line’s short. They also have a hand roll kit with everything you need to make 20 hand rolls at home.
How to book: Dining is walk-in only.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Nozomi

Torrance

A local favorite in this part of town, Nozomi serves ultra-fresh, traditional seafood, including uni from Santa Barbara submerged in salt to maintain its flavor. Its $80 omakase, which includes 10 pieces and a roll, is a steal, boasting fresh, seasonal fish flown in from Tsukiji and Fukuoka in Japan and presented with unusual toppings, marinades, and infusions that take Nozomi from a neighborhood restaurant to one worth traveling for.
How to book: Call 310-320-5511 for reservations.

Hamasaku

Westwood

Tucked in the corner of a strip mall is this beloved Westside haven, noted for its insane quality of fish and elegant, understated ambiance. Executive chef Ei Hiroyoshi, who trained under the founder of Sushi Sasabune, delights in working with flavor profiles popularized in the US. The inventive rolls are over the top yet never too much, like the NFL, a soy-paper-wrapped spicy tuna delight accompanied by chili ponzu, or the Rick Castle. a yellowtail and seared tuna revelation enhanced with crispy onions. But don’t worry. There’s plenty of traditional sushi on offer, too, all of which is reasonably priced. Considering how much an omakase can set you back nowadays, Hamasaku’s $125 price tag gets you a ton of food, including crab sunomono salad, six pieces of chef’s choice sashimi, 11 seasonal nigiri, a hand roll, and dessert. Meanwhile, lunch-goers might want to opt for the Sushi Moriawase set, which ranges from $30 to $50 and will leave you full and happy.
How to book: Call 310-479-7636 for reservations.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Kura Revolving Sushi Bar

Multiple locations

Is this conveyor-belt sushi chain the absolute best in town? No, but it is by far the most fun, thanks to an interactive game wherein you get a prize every time you eat a certain number of plates. When you’re in search of a quick, affordable sushi fix, Kura does it best with its unbeatable price per plate starting at $3.50 and automated efficiency with a slower conveyor belt revolving around the restaurant with pre-made items and a high-speed belt delivering fresh, made-to-order dishes at approximately a billion miles per hour. If you come in without any Jiro Dreams of Sushi-expectations, we guarantee you’ll leave with a relatively full wallet and an even fuller belly of seared eel, salmon toro, and ponzu-oil-drizzled hamachi.
How to book: Dining is walk-in only.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

The celebrated chef at Shunji was one of the first three chefs at Matsuhisa, the LA game-changer that would be on this list if it wasn’t such a cliché for it to be on this list. He also helped open Studio City’s lauded Asanebo, which his brother now helms. That dedication to quality comes through in every bite of the omakase, a procession of mouth-watering cold and hot small dishes, sashimi, and a variety of nigiri that starts at $250. While the place's ambiance is nothing to write home about, Shunji’s authentically prepared fish is so superior that the restaurant was even awarded a Michelin star in 2019.
How to book: Reservations are available through Tock.

Chiba Japanese Restaurant
Photo by Wilder Shaw for Thrillist

Chiba Sushi

North Hollywood

A Valley mainstay for decades in both its old location and after its move to Lankershim, Chiba is the type of sushi place where, once you’ve come a few times, chef Shig will remember you and start digging deep into his fish for more and more exotic options. And while you’re becoming a regular, you’ll love standbys like albacore, scallops, and much more.
How to book: Call 818-765-9119 for reservations.

Tiffany Tse is a contributor for Thrillist. See what she’s eating lately by following her at @twinksy.

Jeff Miller probably-definitely has mercury poisoning. It was worth it. See more pics at @jeffmillerla on Instagram.