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In that time frame, you’ll find yourself immersed in a cornucopia of flavors and textures, starting with something like a rich, solid piece of sweet freshwater eel and a sashimi trio consisting of Japanese octopus, New Zealand shrimp and succulent bluefin tuna. These days, most of L.A.’s very best Edomae-style omakase meals require setting an alarm to snag a difficult Tock reservation, plus the willingness to dine early or on a random, often inconvenient weekday. Not so at Sushi Takeda, which, as of writing, remains surprisingly easy to walk into on any given day for an amazing nigiri-only omakase ($140 per head). Hidden away on the third floor of Little Tokyo’s Weller Court, Hideyuki Takeda’s tiny counter-and-table operation remains somewhat overlooked—even after a recent shout-out in the L.A. While L.A.’s devotion to sushi and ramen are so extreme you’d think they’re the only type of Japanese cuisine in town, the vast array of barbecue, shabu-shabu, soba and kaiseki are equally worth checking out the next time you’re in the mood for a taste of Japan. Taking into account both old favorites and newer hot spots, as well as price point, we’ve rounded up the city’s best Japanese restaurants.
Habachiana Grill
Plenty of other cheaper places around town might riff on the legacy of Matsuhisa’s signature yellowtail jalapeño sashimi, but none of them execute new-school sushi as well as this gloriously no-frills L.A. A slightly more elevated menu can also be found at the restaurant’s second location, which exclusively offers omakase from a little bleached wood hutch inside a Beverly Hills parking garage. This more minimalist offering includes miso soup, edamame, goma tofu, sashimi, a palate-cleansing sorbet, 12 pieces of nigiri and a yuzu gelato. Los Angeles has the most diverse, expansive and wide-reaching sushi scene in the country, so how does one even begin? In the process of scouting, I visited dozens of Valley strip malls, Little Tokyo shopping plazas and swanky counters in Beverly Hills in search of L.A.’s best sushi restaurants.
Ramen Nagi
In the high-end realm, I look for places that maximize overall wow factor; even within the upper echelons of L.A. Dining, I take price, atmosphere and booking convenience into consideration. After all, not all folks want to plan their dining schedules around Tock reservations going live. Note that this sushi list is numbered, but consider the ranking relative; it mixes everyday and special-occasion restaurants. When it comes to ultra-premium sushi, however, know that any one of these places will deliver an experience worthy of special occasions.
Izumi brings all-you-can-eat sushi, hibachi to downtown Cedar Rapids - The Gazette
Izumi brings all-you-can-eat sushi, hibachi to downtown Cedar Rapids.
Posted: Fri, 31 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Sushi Sonagi
That said, the most popular and iconic dish at RedRock is without a doubt the sliced roast beef don. This tower of meat is just as eye-catching as it is mouthwatering, and it's definitely not for the faint of heart. Though the regular size is plenty for one person, you can also order the large to share (or tackle on your own). If you're new to Japanese BBQ, Gyu-Kaku is a solid place to start. You definitely won't get the highest-quality cuts, but the experience is fun, consistent, flavorful, and filling. There are locations all throughout Los Angeles stretching from Santa Monica to Pasadena with several in between.
The Los Angeles location is in Pasadena, but even if you live on the other side of the city, it's well worth the drive across town. While you can always try walking in, reservations are definitely recommended, so do your best to plan ahead before visiting. Start off with a refreshing and smooth sake or opt for the sake sampler to get a true taste of what Shogun's selection has to offer.
The best Japanese restaurants in Los Angeles
The Wagyu beef sourced by Matū comes from First Light Farms in New Zealand, and the featured cuts range from center-cut filet to ribeye. Since the butchers prepare the steak every morning, availability differs from day to day. While you can request that your steak be cooked longer, the standard practice at Matū is for all meat to be warm red.
If you visit during happy hour, meats like the filet mignon and premium sirloin can be ordered at a discounted price. Gyu-Kaku also has a few poultry and pork options to choose from as well. It’s not often that a high-end omakase restaurant resides at the street level, but that’s the case with Sakurako, which comes from Sushi Enya founder Kimiyasu Enya. Enya brings on three talented chefs who trained in Japan, with head chef Akira Yoshida preparing the heart of Sakurako’s nigiri array. Master chef Tatsuki Kurugi composes kaiseki-style appetizers and sashimi courses while pastry chef Shota Takaki finishes the meal with a thoughtful, fine dining-level dessert. Los Angeles has a plethora of culinary strong suits, like regional Chinese and tacos of all stripes, but the city’s variety and quality of sushi are nearly as impressive.
The best sushi restaurants in Los Angeles
Sakura Japanese Steak & Seafood House is a bit off the beaten path but definitely worth the trek. This traditional teppanyaki dining experience is communal, meaning that all of your guests must be present in order to be seated at your table. When it comes to appetizers, kick things off with the kimchi starter before indulging in Tokyo Kalbi's beef tartare. Though you can definitely order all of your meats a la carte, the restaurant also offers set combo plates if you find that to be easier. Don't forget to order a side of rice to pair with your grilled meats.
In addition to standard filet mignon, New York steak, and ribeye, the absolute best cuts served at Wa Dining are without a doubt the Wagyu filet mignon and the Wagyu New York steak. Both are priced at $120, at the time of publication, so expect to spend a pretty penny ... In possibly a first for LA, an Austin-based Japanese restaurant splashes on the West Coast as a notable sushi opening. Inspired by LA’s own Nobu and Katsuya, among others, chef Tyson Cole opens a suave and already bustling lounge in the heart of West Hollywood serving a tightly edited array of Japanese dishes. Sushi remains an important part of Uchi, and the preparations offer a thoughtful departure from classic Edo-style sushi that still preserves the restaurant’s high-quality fish. Think strawberry XO-sauce and basil-bud olive oil over namahotate (day boat scallop) over rice.
There are also a couple of seafood options to choose as your entrée, but if you're coming to Wa Dining, you should come for the steak. This Glendale staple is open seven days a week, ensuring that you can get your fix Monday through Sunday. While you can opt for lighter proteins such as chicken, shrimp, salmon, or even lobster, the tender steaks are the highlight of the meats at Mori Teppan Grill. Regardless of if you prefer filet mignon or New York steak, you can't go wrong with either. Longtime West LA chef Shunji Nakao moved his upscale omakase restaurant to Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, with an intimate counter starting at $280 per person to sit in front of Shunji, and $250 to get one of seven seats in front of chef Takahiro Miki.
In order to get a reservation, you literally have to either know Chef Kaz Oyama or someone who knows him. Basically, having solid connections in the foodie world is pretty much the only way you'll get in. The ambiance is far from what you'd expect at such a renowned (and expensive) restaurant, but that also adds to the overall charm of the experience. There are four different coursed menus to choose from, with the first being a filet dinner that is three courses. The picanha diner and ribeye dinner are both courses, while the Matū dinner for two is $85 per person and five courses in total, at the time of the publication. You can also order different a la carte starters and sides such as steak tartare, shrimp cocktail, and creamed spinach.
The meal starts off with three different appetizers and is followed by six different cuts of meat along with your choice of a rice or noodle dish. Other more unique highlights include ram chop, beef cheek, and beef liver. Pair your meal with some seasonal sake and or a crisp Sapporo and dig in.
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