Those who know me, know I’m a huge foodie! You can find me trying new spots all over Los Angeles, from hole in the wall restaurants to the most “bougie” places. I don’t discriminate against any cuisine, but just like many Angelenos, sushi is on top of my list.
For several years, I’ve kept my favorite sushi spots a secret. Some might say, I’ve been a bit shellfish! Get it!? However, I think the time has come for me to reveal my 5 favorite sushi spots in Los Angeles (in no particular order). There are many spots I frequent often that didn’t make my top 5, but I will place them in the honorable mention section.
Here we go!
Hama Sushi
Hama Sushi is located in Little Tokyo at 347 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. With nearly 1,500 reviews on Yelp, it’s safe to say a lot of people agree with me on this. Hama is a hole-in-the-wall spot and the fish quality is “melt in your mouth” amazing. Some of my favorite items from here are albacore sushi, sweet shrimp, salmon belly sushi, spicy scallops hand roll, yellowtail sushi and of course, uni sushi.
Sasabune
Sasabune is top notch! This was an easy choice for one of my favorite sushi spots in LA. Sasabune has 3 locations: West LA, Beverly Hills and Glendale. As a resident of Glendale, I go to the Glendale location, located (not so ideally) on the 2nd level of the 101 North Brand Blvd. building, right next to CPK. Although the location in Glendale is a bit odd, the food is spectacular. At Sasabune, you know that you’re going to get the best fish, every time! Sasabune is all about serving the right fish, at the right time, to create a perfect moment.
Sushi Sasabune has an amazing Omakase. I know, I know… some of you are going to complain and say, “it’s not enough food” or “I want to choose what I want to eat, but TRUST ME – it is 10 courses and costs about $100 per person. It is worth every penny! The food comes out slowly, made to order, so that the rice is hot, the fish is cold, and the servers are very particular about whether and when you should use soy sauce (and especially when NOT to add any more sauce, because the highly skilled chefs already have sauced the fish appropriately!)! And of course, you have to get their award-winning Sasabune sake. #THANKMELATER!
Sushi Iki
Many of you probably haven’t heard of this spot, but don’t you worry – we’re going to change that! This place is unbelievable. Iki is located in Tarzana in a shopping center at 18663 Ventura Blvd, Ste 106. This place is beautifully decorated, has a fun vibe, and the food is spectacular. If I were asked, “What are 2 words starting with the letter ‘E’ that would describe Iki?” – I’d say Excellent & Expensive! Iki is very small and the chef, Chef Eddie is an incredible host who is constantly interacting with his clients. He serves omakase only and nigiri with huge pieces of fish. I go to Iki for the fish, as much as I do the environment.
Sushi Gen
Like Hama, Sushi Gen is located in Little Tokyo in DTLA… in fact, it’s walking distance from Hama! From my list of five, Sushi Gen is probably the most popular. With 3,600+ reviews on Yelp and counting, this is truly a hot spot! Like many other sushi spots, this is a small restaurant and can get very busy. There’s almost always a wait – but it’s 100% worth it. I’ve sat at the bar and ordered omakase, I’ve sat on a table and ordered whatever I wanted, including sashimi, nigiri and hand and cut rolls, I’ve had lunch there with only sashimi – and this place has never disappointed. Sushi Gen is simply WOW! It’s pricey, but not super pricey and the odds are you’re going to love it.
Osen Izakaya
If I had to pick one place from my favorite sushi restaurants, this would be it! Osen is in Silverlake, and it’s more than just a sushi bar. With an interior entirely covered in wood paneling and smoke from the yakitori grills permeating your clothes as the night wears on, Osen feels like a real Japanese tavern. They serve both raw and cooked food, and they are both phenomenal. Osen is a very “cute” restaurant with a tree of cherry blossoms with Polaroids hanging off the branches. Everything in this place is Instagram-worthy, including the food of course! Whether you’re looking to order omakase, customize your own mix of nigiri and sashimi and rolls, or even throwing in some cooked seafood and vegetables, Osen has it all. There’s not much more I can say about it, you MUST go experience it.
I also wanted to give some Honorable Mentions to Sushi Enya (Little Tokyo, Pasadena, Marina Del Rey), Iroha (Studio City), Sushi On Brand (Glendale) and Hamasaku (Los Angeles).
What are some of your favorite sushi spots in Los Angeles? I’d love to hear from you!
— Chef Posh
Contributor, designer & admin for JohnHart Gazette.
