The hostess keeps a very tight rein on the dining room and is not shy about giving preferential treatment to regulars. And I have never heard of an omakase that includes rolls. Meet the people who power the restaurants you love. The Best Omakase Sushi Meal in Newport Beach Kodos opening executive chef was veteran L.A. sushi master Yoya Takahashi (of Hamasaku fame), but today, youre more likely see the young head sushi chef, Alex Suzuki, behind the bar serving omakase. Freshness and quality: 10 The pace of the meal can make or break the experience. The whole note omakase runs a mere $115, with a wine pairing coming in a $75 that comes with six glasses. Cost: Omakase starts at $35. The order in which the fish are served, making sense of varying textures, pungencies and delicacies. The restaurant typically releases reservations at the start of each month, offering seatings for the following month. But they do offer a variety of authentic Japanese cooked dishes in addition to raw fish. Bring on the striped jack, the opal eye, the threadfin, the gizzard shad, the beltfish, the idiot fish . Timing and grace: 4 Californian Cambodian Campanian Cantonese Cantonese Roast Meats Caribbean Castilian Catalan Central Asian Chao Zhou Cheese, Fondue and Raclette Chicken Specialities Chinese Chinese Contemporary Chiu Chow Chueotang Classic Cuisine Classic French Colombian Congee Contemporary Corsican Country cooking Crab Specialities Creative Creative British The $75 wine pairing takes the omakase to the next level. Dining options: Reservations . Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Don't miss the ankimo (monkfish liver), and have fun exploring the deep-cuts sake list. When trusting the chef to create a tasting menu, it places diners into the hands of skilled personnel with carefully selected ingredients. Variety: 10 A post shared by Sushi Takeda (@sushi.takeda). Variety: 10 This counter-only restaurant in Little Tokyo costs a hefty $300 a person and serves a truly spectacular dinner comparable to the best around the world. What did people search for similar to omakase in Los Angeles, CA? Timing and grace: 5 Timing and grace: 6 How some fish are brushed with soy sauce while others are sprinkled with salt or lemon I trust you, I am in your hands. 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Nestled beyond the lush courtyard of the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica, this eight-seat sushi bar is hidden in a secluded corner of the first-floor lobby. We already have this email. Overview: Somewhat hidden and intimate, Ikko posts a sign outside its door warning customers that the chefs do not serve American-style rolls. A post shared by Matt Karikomi (@matt.s_electric_eye) on Mar 25, 2019 at 3:02pm PDT, The South Bays 18 Finest Japanese Restaurants, Where to Eat Sushi Omakase for Under $80 in Los Angeles, If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. Chef-owner David Schlosser changes the menu every three months to feature seasonal ingredients from near and far, but you can always count on him having a handful of rare Japanese sakes to dip into. Bottom line: The fish selection is very basic, but the omakase always involves little extras like black truffle or osetra caviar, to make it special. To be clear: Im not talking about sushi rolls, which are largely a California invention and can be enjoyable. Its no surprise, then, that today L.A. is home as it has been for years to some of the best omakase experiences in the country. Bottom line: High quality and a great bargain. Traveler. Very welcoming staff and customer service was second to none. Relatively new compared to other area sushi restaurants, most meals dont come cheap at Ootoro Sushi, which also has locations in the eastern San Gabriel Valley and Orange County. Plastered on the front door is a sign that lays out the ground rules: Only sushi and sashimi. Website / Address: 16601 S Western Ave, Gardena, California 90247, USA Trust us, then, with this list of the citys finest omakase, which includes a mix of more traditional and newfangled offerings, along with a guide to what to expect at kaiseki and kappo restaurants. The restaurant is a family passion project. Cost: Omakase starts at $45 Sugarfish might have made loosely packed warm rice a citywide phenomenon, but this L.A. omakase classic with locations in West L.A., Beverly Hills and Glendale first popularized warm rice sushi back in the '90sand still delivers the same quality and no-frills ambience today. The main draw? This upscale, 14-seat sushi spot from co-owners Kash Feng and chef Jackson Yu earned a Michelin star for its Edomae-style sushi and hushed, intimate experience. The $195 per person price is modest compared to the incredible quality here. Explore these guides for the latest intel on all hot openings plus old favorites newly live on Resy. Most chefs make rolls because they have to in order to survive, but when you ask for omakase, they get to do what they really want to do, which is not make rolls. At dinner, Soichi is head chef and entertainer hes known to grab his guitar off the wall and perform a song for a diners birthday, if its not too busy. $200 per person for dinner; $75 for lunch. 521 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles, 213-261-3479, qsushila.com The attention to detail. Ranked #16 of 184 Restaurants in Covina. My bad. Rating 15/20. Longtime West LA chef Shunji Nakao has moved his upscale omakase restaurant to Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, with an intimate new counter starting at $280 per person to sit in front of Shunji, and $250 to get one of the seven seats in front of chef Miki Takahiro. If only the variety here matched that of Shunka, Tsujita or Ohshima. I am bringing my family and friends to this hidden gem!! Chef-owner and San Gabriel Valley native Mark Okuda describes his omakase as California-Japanese, meaning he combines local ingredients with traditional techniques, in a minimalist, contemporary space (this aesthetic holds true across both locations, in the original Woodland Hills and newer Santa Monica outpost). As someone who eats a lot of sushi, I always appreciate a restaurant that serves more than the usual salmon, tuna, halibut, shrimp, scallop and sea urchin. Shin Sushi brings a refined omakase experience from chef Taketoshi Azumi, whom patrons refer to as Take-san. The meal starts with sashimi and light dishes, including a slow-cooked octopus so tender that diners often ask for seconds, before moving on to a sushi course that might include things like snow crab meat mixed with crab liver when in season, before ending with with a signature Tuna Three Ways. L.A. has the most diverse, expansive and wide-reaching sushi scene in the country, so how does one even start to begin? All seafood is fresh from fish markets in Tokyo, Norway, Scotland, Hawaii, New Zealand and sustainable local sources. Address: 1850 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, California 90247, USA Loaded Hashbrowns at The Pan Restaurant 2 eggs (any style), bacon, sausage, green onions jack and cheddar cheese over hash browns, topped with chili aioli and choice of toast. If only the variety here matched that of Shunka, Tsujita or Ohshima. Serving a mix of classic washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) and more modern Tokyo-style washoku, Gos four-hour dinners involve 14 courses, each painstakingly plated and explained by Go himself. 735 Baker Street, Costa Mesa, 714-556-7822 4. The sub-$40 lunch special comes with nine pieces of nigiri, a cut roll, miso soup, and a few small bites. The menu has multiple courses and offers mostly nigiri sushi, handrolls, and sashimi. It can be slightly intimidating for newbies herethe service isn't exactly warmbut order with confidence, always keep an eye on the specials board, take your time and enjoy the chefs' handiwork. The 19 Essential Sushi Restaurants in Los Angeles, 17 Gorgeous Bento Boxes to Savor Around Los Angeles. A nicely balanced experience. This is a review for sushi bars in Orange County, CA: "False advertising. Where else can you find a deep-fried tempura "seafood stick" served in a martini glass, a flaming conch filled with bubbling hot broth and pieces of tender A5 Wagyu and juicy red onion in sweet soy? Once you're seated, dive in and start ordering: Eel and Santa Barbara uni are two excellent choices, while the blue crab hand roll avoids some common pitfalls (too much mayonnaise, soggy seaweed) and is instead light, crisp and filling. This place is the best and will definitely be coming back!! Bottom line: Excellent, and huge portions for the price. The omakase service is $85 for 9 to 11 dishes plus ice cream. 3. Sushi chef Morihiro Onodera founded the celebrated Mori in West LA before helming the counters at Inn Ann and Shiki over the past few years. Freshness and quality: 9 Specialties include Japanese sardines, barracuda, engawa, clams, blood cockles and zenzai soup. With its relatively reasonable price point, the Michelin-starred Shibumi is one of the more unique omakases in town. Call 323-928-2177 for reservations. Ingredients here are sourced locally and from Japan, and the moody atmosphere provides a handsome backdrop for the meal. Overview: The decor at Noguchi is beautifully understated and minimal. His work has been honored by the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards, James Beard Awards, World Food Media Awards, Food Photographer of the Year Awards, Society of Features Journalism Awards and others. Bottom line: Pricey but outstanding all around, except for the raw octopus, which was so chewy I had to decide whether to swallow it whole or spit it out. r/FoodLosAngeles on Reddit: Omakase Recommendations? The staff is friendly and doting but nowhere near the level of grace as Q or Tsujita. I highly recommend the Grilled Salmon plate! The spirit of Nozawa lives on at this intimate sushi bar located behind the Sugarfish in Beverly Hills. Oops. Bottom line: Excellent, and huge portions for the price. This article originally appeared in the Orange County Register. Cost: Omakase starts at $75 for lunch; from $165 for dinner Im talking about omakase. r/orangecounty on Reddit: Best Omakase in OC? Dj vu! LA is blessed upon high with some of the freshest fish in the country, but that doesnt mean that all Japanese omakase serves nigiri. Timing and grace: 5 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nycole Hampton (@nycolehampton), A post shared by Nycole Hampton (@nycolehampton). We'll definitely be back when we're craving "top shelf" sushi. Freshness and quality: 10 Adding a business to Yelp is always free. A longtime fan of LAs sushi restaurants, chef Phillip Frankland Lee took his appreciation to the next level by creating his own style with Sushi by Scratch Restaurants (formerly known as Scratch Bar). Run by veteran sushi chef Yoshiyuki Inoue, Sushi Kaneyoshi tops out in luxury, refinement and overall wow factor. OmG Omakase by Gino. In Raleigh, the menu showcases an innovative, southern twist on traditional Japanese cuisine. The emphasis is on trust here, as exemplified by Nozawa's trademark omakase-style menus, of which there are four: Trust Me, Trust Me/Lite, Nozawa and the Don't Think Just Eat, ranging from $30 to $59aln absolute deal by sushi standards. Overview: What this place opened last year by the creator of Sushi Roku does better than anyone else is truly phenomenal new-style carpaccio, such as snapper with chili sauce and leeks, or halibut with pink peppercorn and yuzu, so make sure to ask for this in the omakase. The best sushi restaurants in Los Angeles 6. Easily the best quality to value ratio around. Freshness and quality: 10 reporter for the Southern California News Group. Call 323-484-8915 for reservations. Overview: The sushi counter is reserved exclusively for omakase. See our, By submitting your email, you agree to our, The 19 Essential Sushi Restaurants in Los Angeles, Sign up for the Oops. With numerous locations across Southern California, Sugarfish remains one of the most reliable sushi restaurants in Los Angeles with various fixed-price and takeout nigiri packages that cater to everyone. I want to discover something new each time. At Nozawa Bar, diners will enjoy a traditional and one of the best Omakase experiences in Los Angeles from a set menu which changes daily. Variety: 5 Please enter a valid email and try again. From upscale omakase menus to enduring mom-and-pop classics, here now are 19 of Los Angeless essential sushi restaurants. Sunset aerial view of historic downtown Riverside, California. Omakase - San Francisco - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant The place is always completely jammed, thus service can get bumpy. Irvine & Roberts is perched just off of the inopportunely named Dead . Michelin star Japanese restaurant by the legendary Chef Shunji Nakao.