First time checking out Azai Hand Roll, and it definitely won't be our last. We walked in a little after 5 p.m. on a weekday without a reservation and were seated right away, which was a great start. Everything tasted super fresh. The first thing I noticed was how fresh the ginger and wasabi were--it's a small detail, but it really makes a difference when you're eating sushi. We ordered the edamame, shrimp tempura roll, crispy rice, sashimi, and a crab hand roll. Everything was flavorful and nicely prepared. The sashimi was incredibly fresh, and the crab hand roll was simple, fresh, and delicious. The crispy rice had the perfect crunch and was one of my favorite bites of the meal. The 3rd Street location is easy to get to and has a nice vibe. Great service, fresh fish, and a solid first experience overall. Looking forward to coming back and trying more of the hand rolls next time! read more

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Anytime I'm craving quality sushi I make sure to either sit in at Azai or order for pick up! Azai is a very nice sushi bar that provides quality hand rolls for a standard price. I recently ordered sushi for them on a beautifully sunny day and it was the perfect meal. I'm super picky when it comes to quality sushi and Azai is p read more

Best hand rolls in LA and I don't think it's even close. Idgaf about an extra fee - I'll gladly pay it. If you're looking for an amazing meal or want to impress your friends, this is the spot. read more

BEWARE OF THE AZAI FEE. My friend and I stopped in for lunch on a Saturday. While the sushi is good - it's a decent sushi spot - chances are you, like us, will be the only people in the place. I was wondering how they stay in business. Well, since I eat out nearly every night, I know exactly when my bill feels a little too high. I paid it anyway thinking maybe I'm adding it up wrong and I also added the tip. I either hit the 20% or the 22% I can't remember but bare minimum I hit 20% cause that's the lowest I ever go thinking, hey something's off here. We'll come back to that. Your bill is presented on a Squareup POS machine but the screen only shows you the total. I had it email me an itemized receipt because the total seemed just a little high. Once we walked out of the restaurant, I waited and waited and waited. It took TWO hours for the receipt to show up in my inbox. Once you open the email, it still won't show you an itemized receipt because it says it's processing it. It is working to build you an itemized receipt to be viewable. I kept going back to the email over and over again throughout the day trying to get it to show me the receipt. It took until the next morning for the itemized receipt to finally show up and there it was just like I suspected a 16% "Azai fee" had been added onto the bill. It doesn't stop there. They TAX you on your total PLUS their fee! They're taxing you on the fee THEY added. Now if you want to add in your own gratuity for the server, absolutely fine, all day long, but you have to say that, show that, and print that. The fact that it is an "Azai fee" and not listed as a gratuity makes it shady like the owner is just pocketing this. Also if you look at the photo, it's not even calculating the tip percentage correctly. 20% minimum of that total should have been $21 and change. The two stars are for the woman who made our sushi. Won't be back. read more

Azai Hand Roll - The HIDDEN fee never mentioned or shown when you are paying your bill. Even the tip rounds wrong. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I ordered the 16-piece roll for pick up. The store itself is a bit small and is usually packed for dinner. Fish quality was top notch and portions were good. The salmon and spicy tuna are a must. I wasn't a fan of the yellow tail but might try the blue crab next time. Definitely my new fave hand roll place in LA. read more

Azai Hand Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This wonderful Amazon & healthy food Perfect Delicious healthy food and it tastes amazing so good read more

Fantastic and high quality fish. The flavor of each item was explosive. Prices were fair for each handroll, too. You can't complain given the quality. It's a super minimalistic spot with bar service only--similar to some other locales these days. The menu isn't extensive but what they do offer is top notch and makes it easy. Honestly, I'm into that. read more

Azai Hand Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This was a nice find as we were walking to neighborhood near our hotel. Service was attentive but better yet, the fish was as fresh as it gets! A bit expensive but otherwise definitely worth a try! The blue crab hand roll, mushroom hand roll, and albacore sashimi were my favorites. Ps they are pending their liquor license. read more

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This review is long overdue, but never forgotten. Pierre and his team took extremely care on my husbands' and I anniversary in August. Pierre and his other half were wonderful and caring. They made it special with their hospitality and a free mochi dessert. The best couple and sushi in town!! read more

Azai Hand Roll - Mochi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Vibe: super cute Service: owner is very friendly Food: get the tuna and yellowtail (has a lemon zing to it)! Really warm and the nori was crispy! Parking: classic meter street parking read more

Azai Hand Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I absolutely love this sushi spot hands down the best in the city, and honestly one of the best I've ever had in my life. The fish quality is incredible, so fresh and flavorful. The sake and Japanese beer are just perfect too... it really feels like being in Japan lol Love it read more

Expensive (so much rice but not enough fish in the rolls, especially certain more expensive rolls-- not worth it!!), very uncomfortable environment, unfriendly staff, our friends are all not fans and did not enjoy our experience-- it said 4.9 on Google but all 3 of us would give it a 2 or 3 out of 5, to be honest... and we will not be back. Please save your money and go to a real sushi restaurant!! read more

Found this Resturant while walking by and it did not disappoint. Bar seating with ~15 seats. Hand rolls were reasonably priced and delicious. Each roll was timed perfectly and attentively. read more

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Ordered salmon nigiri , yellowtail hand roll, yellowtail sashimi Shrimp tempura special roll , tuna hand roll, spicy tuna hand roll, seared bluefin special. Place is small , staff is friendly. We thought the food was delicious. The nori was even good. Fish is very fresh. A very good spot. read more

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One of the most awkward dining experiences of my adult life (it wasn't awful, just really awkward). Before the awkward details, I just want to emphasize that the food was pretty great. Bay scallop hand roll was my absolute favorite! Salmon nigiri was flavorful and fresh. Yellowtail hand roll had good flavor but was too salty. Spicy tuna crispy rice had a good flavor, but the texture of the rice was off. My friend agrees the rice was not right. My friend and I were the only customers at 7 pm on a Wednesday (admittedly not such a popular time to eat but other restaurants down the block were packed). A small section of the bar was marked as "reserved," but no one ever came to occupy that space. My mom and brother noticed the same thing when they visited later. We were alone the entire time. We were drawn in by the 20 pcs for $21 cut roll deal, but upon asking about it, we were told that it's just for takeout or delivery. Also, most of the rolls they offer for this deal cost an extra +$1 or +$2 anyway. The quiet pop music was the only ambient sound at the otherwise silent bar. This made it difficult to have a conversation without feeling like we were whispering, or talking so loud that all the staff could hear us. The server at the front had a hard time balancing the line between appropriately attentive and personable and overly attentive to the point of being annoying or even uncomfortable. Most of the time he was on his phone but every few minutes he would look up at us and ask how the food is, if we needed anything, or even if we were ready for the next roll. When we actually needed him, however, perhaps to order another roll or to ask for the check, he was no where to be seen. I felt uncomfortable with a few of his interactions. He asked if we wanted water and I said yes I'll have a glass (because other kinds of water would add an additional charge). He tried to make a joke by handing me an empty glass. When my mom and brother went back later, he did the same joke. Perhaps this joke kills when the place is a bit busier, but when the bar was as empty as it was, it was just a bit awkward. I probably won't be back for dine-in but maybe for take out read more

Amazing lunch served by Adam at Azai Hand Roll Sushi! Be sure to have the Hamachi Jalapeño Yuzu Sashimi, the Crispy Rice Lobster, the Bluefin Tuna Truffle Sashimi and the Baked Sea Bass Roll! So delicious, ...and dog friendly too! read more

Azai Hand Roll - Hamachi Jalapeño Yuzu Sashimi, the Crispy Rice Lobster, the Bluefin Tuna Truffle Sashimi and the Baked Sea Bass Roll! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Incredible sushi! Some of the best I've tried so far in the area. The chef gave lots of attention to detail, timing out our rolls properly. Will return! Standout was the bluefin nigiri. read more

Yum! This place hit the spot. Everything was so delicious and fresh. Our favorite new sushi spot!

****I honestly felt cheated.**** I chose this place because of all the great reviews, and to be fair, the food quality was good. However, when I asked for the bill, the server didn't bring an itemized receipt -- just the handheld credit card machine with the total amount. That didn't sit right with me, so I asked for a paper receipt. I was told by the owner they could only email it. I said okay, left a 20% tip, and left the restaurant. Thirty minutes later, I still hadn't received the email, so I walked back in and asked again for a detailed receipt. That's when I discovered they had added an additional 16% charge for the back kitchen. With that plus the 20% tip I left, I ended up paying 36% on top of the bill. That feels excessive and misleading. Transparency matters. While I enjoyed the food, I won't be returning. read more

Ordered ubereats from here and I really liked this spot for food delivery. I ordered the salmon, toro, yellowtail, scallop, and spicy tuna, and everything was pretty good. They are smaller rolls, but it was fairly priced based on size. The scallops were surprisingly my favorite, along with spicy tuna and salmon. I normally don't care for scallops, but they were good and creamy. I paid an extra +$2 for the yellowtail, and although the variety was nice, it wasn't worth the added price. read more

Azai Hand Roll - Spicy tuna, scallops, yellowtail, toro, and salmon (left to right) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I haven't had a chance to go back yet, but I really want to. Everything on the menu is so delicious, and good quality food. Stuff are friendly and nice read more

Azai Hand Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I would love to give them another star, but after my second visit, it's wasn't the same as my first visit here. This time around, I brought off my friends here. I hoped they enjoyed it, but for me, it wasn't the same quality of hand rolls that was served like the first time here. The fish wasn't bad or anything. The quality was great, like the first time here. It was how the hand rolls were made, but I'm not going to blame the chef making these hand rolls. I blame the owner for not giving him help. This place was crowded during today's lunch visit. The chef was doing everything. He was making togo orders while serving 12 hungry people. So everything was rushed. Most of my hand rolls were half filled and made messy. Same with my friends hand rolls. Here are some of the hand rolls I recommend: Tuna HR Yellowtail HR Lobster HR Blue Crab HR Shitake HR Spicy Tuna HR Overall, I hope the owner or owners will get this chef some help, or the quality will go down. read more

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This place was already packed by 6pm on New Year's Day when I decided to check it out for dinner. I had a reservation but didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes to be seated. The seating is Japanese style counter service. They seemed very understaffed here. The hand rolls took a really long time to make because there were only 2 people preparing food, but so many people dining at the restaurant. The host was a really nice guy, but they're just understaffed. The spicy tuna on crispy rice wasn't good at all. The rice cakes I ordered were slightly burnt/overcooked and hard to chew. I thought the hand rolls were good but nothing special. The waiting time for those rolls just wasn't worth it to me. I think the hand rolls at Kazunori and Yunomi are way better, and I'd rather stick to either of those spots if I'm in the mood for hand rolls. read more

Azai Hand Roll - Hand roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Wow ! This is supremely delicious! The atmosphere is so amazing feels so different and you eat your rolls as they come out ! Best service ever ! Thank you read more

Core staff. Owner on site. Friendly and generous. Great protein to rice ratio. Not too much rice like most places. Prices are good considering what they serve. One of the best baked crab rolls I've found. Authentic mochi ice cream that is a cut above. read more

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@azaihandroll is on a ROLL to becoming one of the hottest new sushi handroll spots in LA! In a sea of sushi restaurants in LA, Azai stands out to me with the freshness and quality of their fish, and I love how it's consistent no matter what type of fish you order. They specialize in sashimi dishes, crispy rice, sushi rolls, and hand rolls, all of which are fairly priced especially for the quality you receive. The chefs were very meticulous and care a lot about their handwork, and they make sure to interact with you to introduce the dishes and ask for feedback. My must order dishes are the yuzu jalapeno yellowtail, yellowtail handroll, lobster handroll and shrimp tempura avocado roll. Make sure to check them out if you're in the area, and support a small, hidden gem! read more

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This place is a must go to for hand rolls (and honestly, anything else) Cozy little spot near the grove. Quiet and private feeling. The food is incredible -- we thoroughly enjoyed everything we got from the sashimi to the hand rolls to the nigiri to the cut rolls, but my favorite by far was the yellowtail sashimi sampler. I could've eaten three plates of that on my own. Service is incredibly kind, prompt, and attentive. I'll be back with friends who love sushi, this is my new recommendation to everyone! read more

Azai Hand Roll - Salmon Nigiri x2 pc - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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These hand rolls were STUFFED. I thought we would be able to try more but after some apps, three was enough (and I mean that in a good way). We tried with the yellowtail jalapeño yuzu sashimi from the specials menu and this was a delicately refreshing way to start our meal. Next, we ordered the spicy tuna and it was my mom's first time trying it, and she loved it. We tried a few of the nigiris before the real deal which came beautifully presented on a wooden platter. There was salmon, bluefin tuna, albacore, yellowtail belly, and a cucumber roll. These were solid but not the star of the show. Now, what we came here for. If there's one hand roll you have to order, it's the bay scallop. It's tender and comes in a creamy mentaiko sauce, which I'm biased about because spicy cod roe is one of my favorites. I also enjoyed the lobster and blue crab hand rolls which use quality ingredients. We ended our meal with some miso soup, which was surprisingly really good. I feel like most places neglect miso soup and use some pre-made mix but this seemed homemade. I can't forget about dessert which was vanilla and chocolate mochi ice cream. It's an intimate experience since there's only bar seating so just know that you'll be getting your food served directly in front of you since it's made right then and there. The workers were really kind to us and checked in every so often to ensure we were enjoying our meal. read more

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This is one of my new favorite sushi spots and I can't wait to return! I stopped by in the afternoon and enjoyed the restaurant to myself for the first half hour or so until a few more people came in. Adam (I believe he is a co-owner) was present along with the chef preparing my food. Adam was an incredible host, chatting and sharing his story and making sure everything was up to par and always checking in with me. I ordered quite a variety of items because I was enjoying everything so much, even after I was full I just had to order a few more items to try! Below is my food review but the restaurant itself is simple, aesthetic, and cozy. It's only sushi bar seating so I can imagine there can be a wait during busy hours. Across the board, the sushi rice was on point and the nori was so crispy each and every time, I loved biting into each hand roll and getting that crispy response. I started off with the cucumber salad, a big portion with slightly sweet and crispy cucumbers off-set by the savory and salty seasoning. Next up was the lobster crispy rice, something I haven't seen elsewhere and really enjoyed it here! First nigiri included the Blue fin and Yellowtail belly. Holy hell these were sublime. Both thick cut and so fatty and just melted in your mouth with the best freshest flavors. Spicy tuna cucumber hand roll was slightly spicy, creamy, and delicious. The Blue crab hand roll was meaty, the crab was so sweet, and it was one of the best crab rolls I've had. Salmon hand roll had a good bite and the salmon was amazing while the Bay scallop had the bolder flavor with a good kick as well. The Eel was outstanding, crispy and fatty with slightly sweet thick eel sauce. The salmon nigiri was amazing, again thick cut and buttery smooth with another order of that to-die-for Yellowtail belly. The yellowtail hand roll was one of my favorites and the lobster hand roll was firm and sweet. I couldn't have asked for a better first experience and will definitely be back! read more

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Ordered delivery for their cut rolls. Only thing that was good was the baked salmon cut roll. We also ordered the 24 piece cut roll and the fish was all mushy and missing ingredients from their menu: no cucumbers in the spicy tuna cucumber roll, no green onions in the hamachi and the albacore roll, and no sesame in the salmon roll. read more

Azai Hand Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

food was amazing and service was exceptional. it is small and intimate inside and very clean. read more

Azai Hand Roll - sushi nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Have you ever been to a restaurant and the server never speaks until the end when it's time to pay, and he says "no cash"! As soon as I walked in, the server pointed at a seat and never said hi or a word. Then, he uses hand gestures to communicate the menu to me. I tried 1 special roll and 1 sashimi dish. They were average and nothing special. Would have ordered more, but the server was too off-putting. I just decided to ask for the check. Service was super awkward! I wasn't sure if the server didn't want to speak or if that was his way of service. Either way, it made the dining experience super strange when you can speak perfectly but choose not to with your customers. read more

I'm obsessed with this place and it might be my new favorite place. When I went it was so quiet and peaceful (great for a solo date). Everything I had was so amazing! The crispy rice is sooo good! I was taken care of very well too! This is now my new go to spot for sushi! read more

Azai Hand Roll - Albacore Nigiri x2 pc and Yellowtail Nigiri x2 pc - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Simply Perfect!!!! Delicious salmon, spicy scallops hand rolled was to die for. Crispy rice was delicious! Great customer service, Adam was very helpful and made our first time experience very pleasant. Great vibes, clean and definitely an instagram place to go! I will definitely go back! read more

Azai Hand Roll - Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Popped in here while we were waiting to be seated at a nearby Japanese tea/coffee cafe that gave us a 2 hr wait time. Pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fish and hand rolls. Aside from the random 16% surcharge, difficult parking situation, and the fact that the place was somewhat deserted, I would highly recommend this place. read more

This place is wonderful! Perfectly located and impeccably clean. We had an amazing dining experience. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, adding to the overall charm. I felt like I'm back in Kyoto again. The fish is very fresh! I've tried countless sushi spots in LA, and this one undeniably takes the cake. It's a must-visit for any sushi enthusiast! read more

Azai Hand Roll - California roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Beautiful, cozy place with amazing, fresh food. Service is quick and the staff is very welcoming. read more

Azai Hand Roll - 4 Piece Cucumber Cut Roll, 4 Piece Shiitake Mushroom Cut Roll, 4 Piece Avocado Cut Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Wow wow wow. Fresh fish, incredible service, and overall perfect experience. I loved every hand roll I ordered. If I had to rank them I'd say the Blue Crab hand roll was my favorite. Followed by the Yellowtail hand roll (contains yuzu- my favorite) and the bay scallop roll. ALL amazing. I also ordered the spicy tuna crispy rice which was just... chefs kiss. I cannot express enough how impressed am- and they just opened!! One of the owners, Adam, checked in with us throughout our meal to make sure everything was going well and recommended some of his faves to us. Super nice guy. We felt so taken care Of and will 1000% be returning as regulars. Thanks to the two chefs that served us our rolls as well!! Get here while you still can get a reservation, I have a feeling this place is going to take off very quickly. read more

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intimate seating, great hand rolls and more. Friendly and accommodating staff. Great selection of fish.

My wife, daughter and I went here for a midweek dinner. We made a reservation, and the restaurant was pretty crowded. The seating is kind of weird where you are setting low with a wall in front of you. I didn't like the wall being in front blocking the view of the chef. We had the Edamame, Sashimi Yellowtail, AZAI Special Spicy Tuna and the Blue Crab. The food was very good and we had a good time. Thanks read more