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The sub-$40 lunch special comes with nine pieces of nigiri, a cut roll, miso soup, and a few small bites. The price jumps up at dinner, where most opt for the more elaborate, Edomae-style omakase. Currently operating out of sister restaurant Inaba in Torrance, Yasuhiro Hirano’s intimate sushi counter offers an ultra-premium omakase ($280) that deftly incorporates dry-aged fish and exotic ingredients like mantis shrimp and plump Japanese oysters. This is the kind of place where you can expect a crash course in the art of sushi from the chef himself, plus the appropriate tuition and fees to match. If you’ve got a lighter appetite, ask Yasu-san to halve the amount of rice—of the 37 different L.A. Omakase options I’ve tried, the only place where I worried I’d have to stop the meal early is Inaba.
L.A.’s best Japanese restaurants, ranked
Steak courses include the Kobe filet, Kobe short rib, and more, and there are also some seafood courses featuring shrimp and scallops. The garlic fried rice is also a highlight that will definitely have you coming back for more. Located in downtown Los Angeles, Habachiana Grill is a fast-casual spot that is ideal for takeout. All Habachihana entrees and combo plates are served with grilled veggies and steamed rice, but you can always upgrade to fried rice (and it's well worth it).
Morihiro
The Korean American chef sources most of his fish from the same supplier used by the veterans at Morihiro and Shunji, yet Son fuses traditional technique with hints of bold Korean flavors and farmers’ market produce in a way that feels fresh and memorable. Despite its greenhorn status, I would already rank Son’s menu among my top five omakases in L.A. If that’s the case, just imagine the heights Sushi Sonagi could reach in a year or two.
The best Japanese restaurants in Los Angeles
Also, I definitely recommend reservations, since the restaurant is quite small. There are a half-dozen ways to cut a fine meal at Arcadia’s Sushi Kisen, including the extremely affordable omakase experience at the counter, where I’ve enjoyed a dinner that rivals Sushi Kaneyoshi or Morihiro for less than half the price of either. Chef Hiro Yamada also stocks an extensive selection of raw fish, so if you know exactly what you’re in the mood, you can also order a couple two-piece orders of those and call it a day. Either way, I recommend making a reservation for weekend evenings, though you can often call the day of and still find some availability at the bar.
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Expect near-perfect quality nigiri and Nakao’s careful construction and proper balance between fish and rice at these prices. Our pick for the best Japanese steakhouse in LA goes to none other than Niku X in DTLA. Whether you're celebrating a birthday or anniversary, everything from the service to the quality of the meats makes dining at Niku X a top-tier experience. While you can order a la carte, it's best to opt for one of the tasting menus. The interactive Yakiniku Tasting Menu is 14 courses of pure decadence, featuring some of the most luxe seafood and steak options available. The Hikari Omakase BBQ is priced at $90 per person, at the time of publication.
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The expansive selection of nigiri sushi and sashimi never fails to please. Awarded a Michelin star within a few months of opening, this rarefied omakase counter from chef Seigo Tamura is one of the top sushi restaurants to open in Los Angeles in the past few years. The 20-course tastings that cost $350 per person include a proper mix of prepared dishes, such as ankimo (monkfish liver) and Japanese hairy crab, and sushi, like umami-rich kohada (gizzard shad) and seared anago (sea eel).
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All of the meats are grilled over Binchotan charcoal, which is a special charcoal sourced from oak trees. Thanks to the fact that there are no flames or smoke, the meat remains tender and juicy. Though there are several different cuts to choose from, the best of the best is without a doubt the Kalbi gold. Once you are ready to eat, simply dip your steak in some spicy soy or shio and savor each bite.
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For a more personalized experience, take a seat at the bar and order the excellent L.A.-style omakase ($165), which makes fried shallots and ponzu sauce feel brand new again. Native who enjoyed my first set of tekka maki at Hide Sushi on Sawtelle (which is still around, by the way) and cycled through love affairs with unagi (freshwater eel), saba (mackerel) and SushiStop’s famous dynamite rolls in adolescence and college. Though it’s hard to turn down freshly pressed Edomae-style sushi, I’m still fond of a good spicy tuna crispy rice once in a while, and I’ve even sampled a few of the city’s vegan sushi options.
In fact, all of the cuts used at Yazawa Japanese BBQ are flown in from Japan, and since they are never frozen, the flavor and freshness are apparent in every bite. While you can order a la carte, there are also three different omakase menus to choose from. That said, if you love steak and seafood, the combo plates are where it's at. Enjoy a mix of lobster, filet mignon, and shrimp for some surf and turf, or get your protein fix with filet and chicken. There are also five different sauces to choose from such as diablo sauce, garlic butter, and yum yum teriyaki.
Silver Lake is now home to surprisingly great sushi, all thanks to this tiny Japanese strip mall joint and its sushi-focused sibling, Omakase by Osen, just down Sunset Boulevard. Both perpetually busy restaurants are led by seasoned chef Damon Cho, who's worked at Matsuhisa and Tao. If you're in the mood for actual nigiri and hand rolls, Izakaya Osen has those too—and while they're not the cheapest around, the fish quality and craftsmanship definitely make for tasty à la carte sushi that doesn't break the bank.
If you're looking to branch out and try a cut that you never have such as beef tongue or large intestines, Yamaya is ideal. The most luxe steak on the menu is definitely the A5 Miyazaki Wagyu steak cut, but if you're celebrating something special, it is a splurge that you won't soon forget. Though the meats are pretty pricey, the appetizers are all under $10 and range from edamame to soy-marinated cabbage. Leona’s Sushi House in Sherman Oaks goes into the former La Loggia space with proprietor Frank Leon and sushi pro Shigenori Fujimoto, previously of Asanebo and Shiki. Head to Michelin-starred counter Inaba for chef Yasuhiro Hirano’s impeccable array of sushi served at a six-seat counter within I-naba.
The plating is beautiful and the ambiance is relaxed while still being refined. If you're able to visit during lunch, there are a handful of specials to choose from that allow patrons to get a true taste of all that wa-dining has to offer. The lunch special is perhaps the best deal, as it includes five courses with the option for your entree being an eight-ounce filet or a 12-ounce ribeye.
Owned by the same group behind some of L.A.’s best ramen bowls, the restaurant was famous for its pre-pandemic lunch specials. The less expensive sets ($49 and $69 respectively) swap out premium ingredients like Wagyu and toro out for less pricey cuts, but you’ll still leave here feeling satisfied regardless of which set you order. Three decades in, Tetsuya Nakao’s strip mall sushi bar in the Valley—and its wonderfully nontraditional omakase—has stood the test of time and become veritable L.A. In a similar style as Nobu (and the chain’s original restaurant, Matsuhisa), Asanebo offers a selection of fusion-style seafood dishes, as well as traditional nigiri—but the right order here always leans towards the former. 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?
If you consider yourself to be true and tried carnivore, you'll love the endless array of quality cuts that Japanese BBQ and steakhouses offer. While some establishments allow you to have a more interactive yakiniku experience while you grill your own meats, more high-end Japanese steakhouses prepare everything for you, and sometimes, in front of you. Sushi Note in Sherman Oaks expanded to this underground location at the front of a valet stand, joining the ranks of unlikely but still terrific sushi destinations in Los Angeles. Helmed by Earl Aguilar, who trained under Note’s Kiminobu Saito, this $190 omakase meal is offered at a small bar or at a few small tables. Like with Note in the Valley, this omakase experience is best with the restaurant wine pairings, which puts terrific wine pours that amplify each piece’s flavor profile.
The Joint Seafood founder Liwei Liao opened this casual handroll counter modeled after Kazunori serving high-grade fish in a parade of seaweed-wrapped creations. Liao’s market in Sherman Oaks specializes in dry-aged fish, though the offerings at Uoichiba aren’t necessarily of that style. Instead, cuts like tuna, kanpachi, steelhead trout, and blue crab salad are served with seasoned rice either a la carte or as lunch-sized omakase meals. This unassuming spot in Arcadia has a versatile lunch sushi set from chef Hiro Yamada (Sushi Gen, Shiki).
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