I'd give them 10 stars if I could! First off, the service is incredible. I've been half a dozen times and been waited on my Nasa, Jay and Gavin. They're kind, attentive and know their menu! The cocktail I dream about is the Strawberry Martini--not at all sweet, but just perfect. The Paloma is great as well. The food is seriously some of the tastiest I've had in L.A. Spinach Gomae and I will go back for again and again--but the sushi is beyond fresh and deiscious. Do youself a favor and try the New Hayama Roll. Bonkers good! And don't miss the yakitori. I had an oyster wrapped and pork belly. Had no idea that combo would rock my world. Also, make sure you try their bento boxes. I did the black cod and got stuffed after their generous portions of sashimi that come with it. Wow. Don't miss the banana tempura and the mochi ice cream--especially the strawberry. Perfect way to end a fabulous meal. read more

Hayama by WATAMI - Crispy rice spicy tuna delight! - Japanese Near Me - Culver City, California

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My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday lunch, and overall, it was a nice restaurant with ok service. Although they forgot our wasabi. We ordered several different items because we wanted to try a little bit of everything. We happened to be there during happy hour on a Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, when we were ready to leave and asked for a box for the food we couldn't finish, we were told we couldn't take it because it was happy hour. I have honestly never heard of this. I've been to many happy-hour sushi restaurants, and I can understand this policy if it's an all-you-can-eat situation, but not when you're paying for individual items. It was disappointing to be told that perfectly good food couldn't be taken home simply because we ordered it during happy hour. So, rather than allowing us to take the food we paid for, it would apparently be thrown away. Unfortunately, that left a really bad taste in my mouth. It's not about the food itself-it's the principle. I won't be returning because I don't agree with throwing away perfectly good food instead of allowing a paying customer to take their leftovers home. read more

My girlfriend and I were really excited to try Hayama, especially given the hype and price point, but unfortunately the experience didn't live up to expectations. Service was the biggest letdown. When we asked for recommendations, the staff didn't seem very knowledgeable about the menu, which made it harder than it should've been to decide what to order. Sitting at the sushi bar was also oddly awkward--the chef preparing our nigiri didn't engage at all. I get that some traditional sushi experiences are quieter, but at this level, even a little interaction would've made a big difference. The ordering system was also confusing and frustrating. You have to order sushi directly at the bar, but everything else goes through a separate server, which made the whole experience feel disjointed. Instead of feeling intentional or traditional, it just felt inconvenient and added stress to what should've been a smooth dinner. To make things worse, they were out of several sushi items my girlfriend was really looking forward to. Since she was the one who wanted to try this spot, that definitely put a damper on the night. At the end, the bill came out to over $300, and honestly, it didn't feel worth it. For that price, there are plenty of spots on Sawtelle where you can have a more cohesive, engaging omakase experience. Overall, pretty disappointing. Not somewhere I'd go out of my way to return to. read more

First time customer, I was excited to try it as I have been hoping for another great option at Helms. Ive read some of the other reviews and unfortunately they're not wrong. We went on a prime time Saturday night and the restaurant was 2/3 empty, not a good sign. The prices are ridiculously ambitious (easily 25% too high) and that was the 2nd strike right off the bat. The food was actually pretty decent, but there's no way to overcome the greed. This place is destined to fail unless management resets expectations (and prices) quickly to entice repeat diners. read more

We were excited to visit this new sushi spot in Culver City. The restaurant is very cute and the staff were friendly and attentive. We enjoyed the sushi we ordered but the appetizers left something to be desired. Overall the appetizers were under seasoned and the popcorn shrimp lacked crispiness and enough salt. I'd go back for the sushi but I'd skip ordering appetizers. read more

My boyfriend and I went here 2 hours before closing. The ENTIRE staff stopped to greet us - we felt so welcomed. We were hesitant to sit outside because we thought they'd forget about us but opted for it anyway. We still received top of the line service. Our drinks were never empty. 4 stars because I asked for extra dressing and the server said I didn't need it because it gets "really salty." read more

Hayama by WATAMI - Teriyaki Chicken Bento Box - Japanese Near Me - Culver City, California

Friendly and welcoming. Great Service. Food was fresh and delicious. Try the Sake flight! read more

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TOSHI is back in Culver City! I loved the Sawtelle location, but this new restaurant is just as beautiful--maybe even better. The open kitchen creates such a lively atmosphere, and the sushi bar has spacious, comfortable seating. There's also a large drink bar with three big TVs, and the display of Dodgers bobblehead dolls is truly impressive. Even if you're not a Dodgers fan, it's definitely worth seeing! The sushi was absolutely delicious, and the cooked dishes were just as good. I enjoyed everything so much that I completely forgot to take photos! By the way, the photos I'm sharing were taken during a quick visit before opening, so things look a little scattered--but when I went for my meal, everything was beautifully set and the space looked absolutely wonderful. Highly recommended. Please check it out! read more

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Tried out Hayama for the first time yesterday and I loved it. The decor and the restaurant is really sleek and spacious. It has a very casual but streamlined feel. The lunch menu was a little confusing for the bento boxes. I wasn't sure exactly what came inside the box so I wasn't aware at how much food I was ordering. As you can see by the picture, it's a whole lot of food. I didn't even show the pre-cursor to the box which was the miso soup and salad. I should have shared this lunch! There is so much food! Everything was delicious. The miso black cod was so yummy. The only thing I wished was different was that's the sashimi could have been sliced thinner. The tempura was fried perfectly and the sauce had a nice flavor to it. The side dish of potato "salad" was delicious. I appreciate the attention to detail with the fruit as well. The orange was pre-peeled but still in the skin and so sweet. I am definitely adding Hayama to my lunch rotation. Service was also good, efficient and quick. read more

Hayama by WATAMI - Black cod bento box - Lunch menu - Japanese Near Me - Culver City, California

Everything was excellent!! I love all the sushi nigiri pieces the chef served. The yakitori menu was great selection and they used binchotan! I loved the idea of pork belly wrapped in boiled egg, such a bomb bites! Servers were attentive. The ambiance is welcoming. Grab your seats at sushi bar! Will definitely come back! read more

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Brought the kids here to try out a new spot and we were pleasantly surprised. Great sushi, chicken, happy hour options. Friendly staff and pretty quick time from ordering to food at the table. Good stuff!! read more

A great new addition to the Helms Bakery District. We visited for the first time during opening week, and were impressed by the fish quality, presentation, and value for their sushi sets. Admittedly, there were a few service quirks (no one to greet us when we entered; long delay in getting water and menus once seated; server was unfamiliar with menu options) but I'm sure that these minor inconveniences have since been ironed out after now being open for a couple months and that the staff have gotten into a better workflow. We have since been back a second time to order takeout, which was equally delicious. I hear they are now open for lunch and happy hour, and I am excited to try them out in-person again. read more

Hayama by WATAMI - Tokyo Sushi Set - Japanese Near Me - Culver City, California

We were excited to try this new sushi spot in Culver City, which has only been open for about three months. As big sushi fans, we were really looking forward to it. Chef Toshi was incredibly kind, attentive, and welcoming, and we were happy to see the restaurant busy. Unfortunately, the experience didn't live up to our expectations. We sat at the sushi bar, but it still took quite a while before anyone came over to get us started. It felt like the restaurant could definitely use more front-of-house staff. When our sushi arrived, we were impressed by the presentation and the quality of the cuts. However, my husband took one bite of his salmon nigiri and discovered a large fish bone in it. We understand sushi comes from fish, but after years of eating sushi throughout Los Angeles and around the world, we've never encountered a bone that large in a piece of nigiri. It completely turned him off for the rest of the meal and really put a damper on what was supposed to be a fun date night. To their credit, they removed the salmon from our bill, but no one offered a replacement or another gesture to make up for the experience, which left us feeling disappointed. There were a few highlights. The shrimp dumplings were delicious, and the cucumber salad had a nice balance of flavor. The spicy tuna roll with avocado, however, was underwhelming and had very little tuna. Overall, while the fish itself looked nice, the sushi was average. We genuinely liked Chef Toshi and know the bone was likely an unfortunate mistake. Hopefully, the kitchen will be more careful checking the fish before serving it in the future. It's even more interesting to see all the reviews here either they are great or they're like mine very underwhelmed and not worth the visit :( With so many outstanding sushi restaurants in Los Angeles, this just isn't one we'd recommend going out of your way to eat at. We left disappointed and, unfortunately, don't see ourselves returning. read more

We had high hopes. We walked in and saw that the couple that was seated already were at the bar trying to get someone's attention to order. Bad sign. We were seated, and at the beginning, they took our orders and were nice. Then I saw my drink get handed to the couple next to us. They were so sure they ordered it. The couple was confused. Mind you - we were the only ones in that side of the restaurant. They took our orders but when we were served our rolls, no soy sauce, wasabi or ginger were given. No utensils either. We flagged them down for soy sauce and they brought out a kikkoman plastic bottle. I've never seen that before. Usually soy sauce is house brew and in ceramic containers, but we were still having hope. The waitress/waiter seemed not to be trained for fine dining. Maybe for a more casual restaurant. Once they gave us the food, they didn't look at us , even when trying to flag them down. The tempura was soggy and not crispy. There are so many better japanese restaurants in the area - the sign of a good japanese restaurant is attention to detail and crispiness of tempura is a given. The rolls were not rolled well and had lot of rice. A sign of a good roll is the ratio of rice to ingredients. The beautiful space, the beautiful logo, threw us for a loop. I would check out the other japanese restaurants in the area and save your money for a better experience elsewhere. read more

Went there during the first week it opened, and every dish was so bland. The sushi was ok. We told the waitress that the apps esp needed salt/better seasoning. Don't know if the kitchen got the message. ‍Not in a rush to go back. read more

We noticed this spot was nearby and within walking distance, so we decided to pop in. Everyone greeted us the moment we walked in, which set a wonderful tone right away. The space itself is beautiful. Be sure to check out their bobblehead collection at the bar! The service was incredibly fast, and multiple staff members were attentive to us throughout our visit. We probably sat down, ordered, ate, and left within 30-40 minutes. This is my ideal type of dinner length. As for the food, the hand rolls were my favorite. Fresh, delicious, and exactly what you'd hope for from a sushi spot. I'll definitely be back to pop in whenever I'm craving a nice fresh hand roll. read more

Hayama by WATAMI - Spicy tuna crispy rice - Japanese Near Me - Culver City, California

I had the Tokyo sushi set and it was great. I was instantly transported to the Land of the Rising Sun. Very cool decor in the restaurant with Dodgers bobbleheads on the wall and 3 TV's playing sports. My server was Julia and she was wonderful. Very helpful, friendly, and attentive. She brightened the mood in the room. I will be back! read more

I genuinely don't know what's happening in here. The colors are clean and simple, which I liked, but then there's plastic everywhere, three TVs all showing different things, and the kitchen acoustics are just part of the dining experience apparently. The food was... okay? Japanese food, small portions, big prices. Fine. Not bad. Not good. Just sort of existing on the plate. We were still hungry after, so we went next door to the pizza place. Which. I mean. Yeah. I don't know. Maybe I missed something. Maybe there's a vision here I wasn't equipped to receive. I left more confused than when I walked in, and I walked in pretty normal. read more

Went for Father's Day and had a great experience! Jay was our server, had great energy, gave us tons of recommendations and was very attentive. We ordered the steamed shrimp dumplings which were delish, the chicken and scallion yakatori was a must order and all of our sushi rolls were great! Great location as well. Will be going back read more

Wonderful experience across the board! Service was incredible, drinks delicious, and the food was to die for. The salmon sushi specifically knocked us off our feet, but everything we had was great! I think the early reviews were tough as the restaurant was just opening and getting their sea legs. It's been a few weeks now and none of those concerns were an issue! read more

We loved our first time at Hayama by WATAMI! As local residents who live in the neighborhood, we are so blessed to have so many amazing restaurants near us. We miss the original famous Lukshon but Hayama has proven to be worthy of filling those big shoes. They are now open for lunch and happy hour which is an added bonus for nearby residents. The price points are fair especially for the happy hour... The fresh food and drinks (including mocktails) are Top Chef beautifully prepared! The service was fantastic... Everyone is very knowledgeable about the menu and very friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed the happy hour including the unique kari kari deep-fried pasta bar snack, the garlic edamame, the tuna and salmon poke which is also low carb (no rice just ponzu sauce and thinly sliced onions), the cucumber sunomono & daily happy hour yakitori skewer special (ours was chicken and pork belly wrapped oysters wow!). They even had the cutest container so you don't burn your hands when you lift up the hot sake. Check out my pictures to see what I mean. We are definitely coming back to try the dinner menu and the lunch menu. They recently opened in May 2026. To clarify for people who may have assumed otherwise... They have a full menu of hot entrées, hot yakitori skewers and not just sushi. We also have family members who have diabetes, so we appreciated the variety of low-carb and protein menu items. They also have a full bar (liquor beer wine) so they can make any cocktail you want aside from their specialty cocktails. And if you are an LA Dodgers fan, you will appreciate the owner's incredible Dodgers bobblehead and other memorabilia collection above the bar. ありがとう Arigato Thank you! read more

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I was a huge fan of Bar Hayama for many years when it was located on Sawtelle in Little Osaka. So I was excited that they opened up this location in Helms District in Culver City. Finally had the opportunity to dine here at lunchtime. The restaurant is bright and welcoming. Service was great. The cut rolls and bento options were delicious (and the bento includes a LOT of food). Just learned that they have a Happy Hour menu as well so will have to come back for that! read more

My husband and I have been to Hayama twice and both times were great. The menu is huge, with a wide assortment of appetizers, skewers, bento boxes and very fresh sushi. Full bar, cocktails and sake too. We especially enjoyed the delicate crispy seafood gyoza, fried oysters, pork belly wrapped shrimp skewers. and various fish carpaccios with ponzu. We look forward to going back to try the chicken and beef dishes. It's pretty and prices are very reasonable. read more

Wonderful food, gracefully served in a warm and welcoming room. I'm glad I went and I will be going back.

First, I truly want this restaurant to thrive. There's a ton of potential. Dined opening night, here's the deal: For the customers- - Some of the apps are WAY too expensive for how small they were. If it's small, it better be memorable... - Crispy rice tuna ($20 for 4 small pieces and bland) - The staff was inattentive. - Expect to pay $2 for a micro serving of wasabi and ginger (IMO should be free with the rolls) - Food was meh (and I really wanted to love it) - When you look at other reviewers photos of the food, you'll understand why they need to fix the presentation of their dishes. Lonely pieces of sushi on plates that are too big with 0 garnishes. It makes you sad before you even take a bite. For the restaurant- - Put the soy sauce in glass bottles. The plastic is a poor experience. - Spend more money on the plates and serving dishes, they look and feel cheap - Put candles or something (literally anything) on the tables outside as a centerpiece, they currently feel naked and uninviting, especially compared to the warmth of the inside of the restaurant. - Don't forget to check on your tables. - Lower your prices or offer specials. - Don't charge for wasabi and ginger. This will irritate most diners when they are overpaying for sushi and sashimi. If you're going to charge for it, mention it when ppl are ordering that their rolls don't come with. Most expect it to come out with their food and the last thing someone wants is to wait. - Make your rolls bigger or 8 slices (not 6 tiny pieces) - Fix the food presentation - you're not letting the food shine. Plates are too big and cheap, no garnish, they feel naked and uninviting when they arrive at the table. The majority is fixable! Again, hopefully they will make some changes so diners have a better experience. And they will, fingers crossed! read more

After reading the reviews, I thought twice about going to Hayama, but the restaurant is in my neighborhood and I wanted to support it. My experience could not have been MORE different than the negatives in these reviews. The service was excellent and very attentive, the food was delicious, the sake menu extensive and the atmosphere on the patio was lovely. The pricing was in line with similar restaurants in today's inflation economy and the quality of the food justified it. I am delighted to have this new addition to the Culver City neighborhood. read more