I've been to Hama twice- once as takeout and once during "happy hour." The sushi is ok, but I'd go for the 5-7pm happy hour everyday where drinks and a special menu are cheaper. We sat at the bar and ordered as we ate, enjoying the food at our leisure. The atmosphere is nice, the inside is adjacent to the patio with heat lamps and surf movies screening on the wall. A nice, casual way to end your week and enjoy some sushi. read more

Solid, no frills sushi. Casual and lively atmosphere, friendly service. Our Waitress was perky, even. However, nothing extraordinary or distinct. Maybe this is special for LA? There are a half a dozen places like this in Chicago. read more

This is a great local sushi spot for me. The sashimi's fresh and expertly prepared (sliced thinly and each piece is cut so it fits perfectly in your mouth). I also like the udon noodles, the lobster dynamite and the spicy tuna on the crispy rice cracker. I also recommend their green tea! read more

Hama Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Venice, California

A Venice institution, Hama is known by most of the locals. Last night was my third visit or so (I'm not a local, but was dining with one who knew other locals dining there). Anyhow, you're there because it's the local joint with a fun atmosphere. The sushi isn't great, and it's not that bad either. The hot items are a little hit and miss. I'll probably go back, but only for happy hour. read more

I'm giving this place 4 stars - the kind service takes this place to that level. The hostess was very pleasant when entering and accommodated our seating request. The server was so nice, timed the food well and didn't rush as at all. Then upon leaving the staff was so nice and offered us more saki...it was New Year's Eve. The food is good. This place is more on the lines of a place where you come and get interesting tasting rolls (opposite of a place like Sugarfish/Nobu). We had the strawberry roll, green devil and Shiso Lemon Roll. All were very good. I was pleasantly surprised by the strawberry roll. And the Shiso Lemon was by far my favorite, so light and fresh tasting. We also ordered appetizers....beef dumplings, vegetable tempura and crispy rice. I loved that the dumplings and tempura were not oily or greasy. And the crispy rice...we had two orders! Would definitely recommend to someone looking for a fun dinner within the Venice area. read more

I'm from the DFW Texas area (don't hate) but get out to L.A. once or twice a year. I try a new sushi place or two every time, and I just have to say Hama Sushi is the best I've had in Orange county or San Bernardino. The temptation roll is the best sushi I have ever had. Hands down. I usually like a moderate amount of wasabi & soy sauce, but after the first bite, I ditched that completely and just enjoyed the amazing taste of the roll itself. They gave my party a 45 min wait time, but got us sat in just 20 mins. The waitstaff was perfect with the right balance of attention and leaving us alone. I'll definitely be back and am eager to try more of their menu. read more

My New Sushi Favorite! Wow Venice Roll and Spicy Crunchy Crab Roll! These two rolls sum up to me, what specialty non-traditional sushi should be! The flying fish roe on the crab roll is fantastic! The Venice Roll has tiny red onion slices and a jalapeno bits right on top. It adds such an amazing spice and opens up your taste buds to really appreciate the fish, very unexpected. The specialty rolls are huge about 8-10 pieces. I can't believe I waited so long to try out this local favorite, now it's mine too! I also had the traditional sushi...Fresh Water Eel, Salmon, and Yellow Tail. All of them very fresh and delicious. The color on the Salmon was electric, even the cut of the fish was perfect. The Owner came up to us midway through the meal and cleared a plate and asked us how everything was. She was very sweet and hospitable. There is a quote form her on the website..."Hama is for everyone" and we felt that. Even thought you will see a few hipsters and actors the vibe is very casual and comfortable. With tax and a good tip, figure 75-100 bucks for two worth every penny! See you there! read more

Nice size roles and great looking sashimi. The sake came with an ice bucket which I'm a big fan of On the down side ALL of our food came out together. Usually that's a good thing but sushi should come out as it's being made. The 3 of us ordered 6 items or so. It was famine or feast. The table was too full but the waitress kept trying to pile more dished on. I finally asked her to put them on the table next to us. Half were meant at appetizers the rest as a meal. Aside from the inexperienced waitress the atmosphere was relaxing. It had an authentic (but still Americanized) feel. I think it fits perfect with the area read more

I've been there a couple times. It's nice fun place with really good atmosphere. The staff are really nice and provide good service. It's definitely a cool fun place to go with bunch of friends. The only downside to the place is that the food is only so so. I would go back there but not for their sushi. read more

Sushi date at this new spot. Beauuuutiful array of sushi. -Miso soup -Combination platter with sashimi and rolls -Sashimi platter -Vegetable Gyoza -Fried Tofu yummm!!! *I recommend* read more

One of my favorite place in Venice. Love the food, and the people working there. They make us feel at home and eating an amazing sushi, plus we do sushi with brown rice! read more

Hama Sushi - The TJ roll (salmon avocado with chili oil) and the Strawberry roll are a must, but everything is great, the tempuras also! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Venice, California

Decent sushi but not great. There specially rolls could use some work we got several and the ingredients they just didn't jive together read more

Hama Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Venice, California

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I asked the sushi chef for 4 items his choice, it was great, first time i tried salmon eggs, they were delicious. The uni was excelent. Also tried the chicken yakitori it was very subtle. The waitstaff was good cheerful and helpful. I love the divey look of the place. read more

Hama Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Venice, California

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Hama is packed on Friday nights. Went to Venice to check out the freaks (no offense) and stopped by this place after sunset. Sushi is good quality, but it was just too freaking uncomfortable here that evening. Loud and obnoxious people behind me and no one came around, including their server, to say a thing. Service was slow and waiting a good while to get drinks and check after asking multiple employees. Again, sushi is good, not spectacular. Seriously, people go to hang out in that atmosphere. Cheers read more

We really enjoy our experience at Hama Sushi! It's a great bang for your buck! The sushi is delicious the atmosphere is laid back and very FUN! We were there on a Monday night and it was super busy - nothing they couldn't handle . We were seated at the sushi bar which was really fun ! The staff is very attentive and friendly . We had the strawberry roll and dragon roll both were amazing. There was a the couple next to us ordered a lot of pretty sushi we were entertained just watching them getting all their dishes, they were also very happy ! Great place - casual dining - delicious sushi a must go to spot !! read more

Stopped into this sushi place during my 9 hour layover in LA. Had a nice relaxing atmosphere and great happy hour specials too! Had a small town feel for being so close to Venice Beach. If I'm ever in the area I will definitely go back. read more

Been coming to Hama for 4+ years now and I love it! Excellent sushi, with a chill Venice Beach vibe. The crispy rice is my absolute favorite thing on the menu. And their happy hour menu is bomb! I sit at the bar every single time I'm there and Margaret the bartender is always excellent - great service, happy, friendly vibe every time. Go during football season and you'll get the happy hour menu until the end of the game! Love Hama! read more

OK, I'm back and cant help but write another review for this awesome sushi place which is now open for lunch!!! I took my son to the beach yesterday and ended up being the first lunch guest at Hama Sushi!! I ordered the grilled salmon with this incredible sauce, it was perfect, my 8 yr old is now a huge fan of salmon. He's a bit picky but they now have a Kim Chee rice dish with mozzarella cheese, he loved it! The waitress who was awesome recommended the strawberry roll, I was a bit confused since thats not a traditional pairing. This was such a great combo, whoever came up with this is a genius, thanks for pushing the envelope with this roll! The portions were right on par, service was great and this was one of the best Father & Son days i've had in a long time, Thank You Hama Sushi!!! We'll see you for lunch very soon this summer!! read more

Prob the worst sushi joint I've been to ever. The Hamachi Kama (yellowtail collar) was fishy. The salmon roll had the thinnest pieces of salmon on top and it looked like it was pieced together with scraps of salmon. The hubby's teriyaki chicken was chewy like rubber and all it came was a side of mash potatoes. Seriously?!All the dish's portions were tiny for what you pay for which is $15-$17 per item. Will not be returning for dinner. People seem to come for drinks instead, I guess when you are wasted everything tastes better.... read more

This place nearly always has a line out the door. They have done will setting up with covid and the food is stellar.

I ordered via DoorDash at 6:05pm for my family of four. Delivery time 65-75 minutes. At 8:00pm my order was CANCELED by the restaurant! I called the restaurant, recorded message, can't talk to a human. Called DoorDash, they said the restaurant closed at 8:00 and was unable to fill my order. Website says they're open until 10:30. At least DoorDash gave me a huge credit but that doesn't make dinner arrive. read more

Awful. Made a reservation for 4 people and we had to wait forever for our table until we finally just left. Not coming back ever again. Terrible service and very unorganized. read more

If you're in the LA/Venice area and craving sushi, I highly recommend Hama! The fish is delicious, fresh, and they have lots of options to accommodate what you're looking for. You won't be disappointed! read more

This is our favorite sushi spot!! In fact, as far as west side sushi goes, this is the best!!! Fish is super fresh. The blue crab hand roll is to die for. The happy hour is a great deal if you can make it in. read more

Awesome sushi! Visiting Venice for the first time and absolutely in love with Hama quick, friendly service and super affordable happy hour!

hama is the classic sushi spot in venice. great vibe and amazing food, huge selection of sake and different rolls. any time someone's visiting and wants sushi, we go here. read more

Friendly and such a great vibe. Their recommendations are always so tasty and I am never disappointed. They don't cut corners on quantity or quality on take out orders. Also they are really on top of protection (i.e. gloves, masks, sanitizers, and Clorox). I always order too much but have no regrets lol! read more

Pros: Hip Trendy, Projectors and Plasmas on the heated covered outdoor patio, friendly staff, close to the beach, food and drinks came out fast Cons: Expensive, small portions, loud Bottom line: I prefer Japanese owned and operated Sushi establishments and there are at least a few close by. read more

I love Hama!! Its not cheap sushi but well worth the $ for the quality of food. Try the strawberry roll, its my favorite. Kenny's Lobster roll is also very good. This is my favorite and, I think, best sushi in LA. I've been here several times and will definitely be back. read more

Gone way downhill. I've been going to Hama for over 20 years, but only about once a year for the past few, and I have to say what once was a fun, reasonably priced sushi place is now overpriced, not that great in taste, and repeatedly lacking in service. I just went a week ago and the service was so, so bad and the place was half-empty on a Saturday night. Really disappointing. Against my girlfriend's wishes, I have kept giving it a try, and it keeps getting worse each visit. So I'm done with Hama, unless I hear something has radically changed. It's a shame, since I have so many fond memories of fun meals and nights there. What a way to ruin a fine brand. read more

Well, I was sold on my former sushi bar but after visiting Hama Sushi and tasting Chef Jason's specialties, I am now in sushi heaven. Chef Jason was so focused yet pleasant and inviting. The STRAWBERRY ROLL is AMAZING!! Chef Jason even went as far as to create some rolls on the fly according to my liking with special jalapeño oils. Another favorite of mine was the scallop sushi and the albacore sushi. The scallops tasted like the ocean, as fresh as could be. And the albacore melted in my mouth. I can wait to return for more of Chef Jason's creations. HAMA SUSHI IS A SURE TREAT!! read more

Hama Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Venice, California

Hama Sushi is hands down my favorite sushi restaurant in the US for going on 8 years now. I can't get enough of this place! I love the freshness of the jalapeno yellowtail sashimi with ponzu sauce. It's my favorite appetizer and I gobble it up each time! The new crispy tuna rice is great too for your friends that are starting to like sushi but not so sure yet! Hand roll snow crab rolls might be one of my favorite things on the planet - I seriously dream about those rolls! And my all-time favorite roll is the surf and turf roll. I have never had anything quite like it and no other sushi restaurant even compares to the quality of Hama! Each time I go I try new rolls out - but the ones listed above remain my favorite go-to's that I will get every time. You can't beat the ambiance no matter which side you choose - and for a super fun time - go there for a birthday celebration and let your waiter know you are celebrating a birthday! Def go for the deep fried banana... YUM! read more

Loved the sushi! Very fresh and their specialty rolls are fun with a sense of adventure. The Temptation roll was my fav, mmm. Outside of Japan, the best sushi I have had. This place is definitely a must! read more

Hama Sushi - The Temptation roll! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Venice, California

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Favorite sushi spot. Chill. Good food. Sapporo on draft. Sit outside if you can. Endless summer on loop above the bar. Reasonably priced.

Hama sushi used to be such a go to place for locals like me. But they caught the venice fever lately and disgustingly raised all their prices by a lot. I was in last night and an eel avocado handroll was 9.50. That's too much even for a high end sushi place. The problem is that hama was never high end and was never super quality and that was ok. They were reasonably priced. My eel avocado handroll was nothing special. Cold eel, kind of small, nothing to write home about. That used to be ok for 5 bucks. Not for 950. Too bad hama. You're going to lose your neighborhood business. Soon you'll just be stupid tourists. read more

Service was good. Didn't give you much fish inside of the roll & it was wayyy over priced. Definitely never going there again

Since Esther and John took over Hama- this place has been Ah-mazing!! We've been coming here for YEARS, and it is still our favorite place to go each week for date night! The fish is consistently fresh and the service is always top of the line. read more

Really great food. Mediocre service. Hard to get orders in after your initial one. Hard to get water refills. Anywho, the surf n turf roll is crazy good. The crispy rice is also solid. Good prices on pitchers of beer too. read more

This place has been here forever. It's priced like any good sushi restaurant like Wabi Sabi or Chaya yet besides the location I don't see anything special. The sushi pieces were the smallest and least tasty I've actually had. The bartender at the bar was devoid of any personality which takes the happy out of happy hour. But if you're strolling in with shorts & flip flops covered in sand you can get a table in the patio, drink and talk really loud, it's great. read more

Great venice location and cool vibe. Two separate areas that feel like different restaurants. However, the sushi is never that good. I've been there a handful of times and have never been impressed with the food. read more