Masakazu's sushi chef cares for the taste and presentation. He carefully selects fish and how he…read moreprepares is beyond the imagination. He doesn't want to depend on marketing but he believes the taste itself should speak and I agree because sushi melted in my mouth. I usually avoid blue fish but they were excellent. Also there are some shellfish that I had never tried, so it was wonderful experience. And Oh my god. Tro and Sea Urchin...soooooo yummy. He is quiet because he focuses on making sushi but he is friendly and super flexible. I saw a could brought a birthday cake and he don't charge for it. The sake was great too. His lineup was rare and I had never tried those. He said you can't find those sake in other restaurants. My favorite was "Gorin." The restaurant is simple, clean, calm vibe with quiet jazz music. It didn't have any decorations or menu on the wall. I would say try omakase and let him give you the best sushi. The price is cheaper side and I asked chef why he doesn't charge like other restaurants because the quality is same as Michelin stars restaurant and he said he doesn't want to overcharge his customers. Overall, he is a true chef who cares for his sushi and I had an excellent dinner.

Sushi chef doesn't talk at all. Doesn't explain much and…read morejust gives you your food. I tried to engage in conversation and nothing. Sushi is alright. A lot of hard core stuff. Ive gone to many many other ones much better.

We finally have tried Sushi Zo and it did not disappoint at all. Chef Keizo Seki was behind the…read moresushi bar. They were celebrating 20 year's anniversary. So much respect and admiration of his skills and success. 20 courses were executed very uniquely flavored. Too notch freshness of sushi. My eyes widened and every bite was dancing in my mouth. Even the sushi rice was so flavorful and perfect texture. Better than any sushi I've tried in Japan. You are here to experience the multiple Michelin star level of excellent food who has expanded his restaurant globally. For the Reviewers that complain about the price, decor and the ambience, just go to Sunset blvd and eat sushi. Seriously. I am so happy this amazing restaurant resides in my neighborhood. We will definitely come back for more. I loved the friendly staff. I wish I can give 10 stars for the overall experience.

The original location! I was surprised to see that it was fairly empty on a Saturday night. Service…read morewas attentive and affable. No glasses were empty, ever. Fish quality was insane. I felt like I took a world tour with the procurement info, from the comfort of my seat! Some were classic pieces, others had innovative twists. I particularly enjoyed the king salmon with kelp: sweet flavor from kelp brought out the fatty texture of salmon. The blue crab handroll was the best handroll I've ever had. Buttery and melt in your mouth, I recommend over the toro. Squid soba noodles were also notable, refreshing break between nigiri. Low pressure environment with top quality pieces.

My husband and I went on a Wednesday for lunch omakase. To our surprise, we were the only customers…read morethere. There was free underground parking as well that you can take an elevator to the 2nd floor. The chef was an older Japanese man, and the server also spoke Japanese. It's hard to find authentic Japanese sushi restaurants, and we were pleased to find one. The omakase was enough to fill me up, but my husband got additional lunch special that added more pieces. The location is about 1 mile away from the busy Sawtelle area, but I hope they get more customers to keep them open. It was affordable, and we enjoyed our delicious meal. We will be back and recommend others to try it!

Echigo is a local sushi spot that pioneered the lunch special. For 20+ years locals have enjoyed…read moregood sushi at an affordable price. There's ample parking in the complex with the underground lot. For the food: They're best known for pre-seasoned warm rice sushi. The wasabi and fresh ginger are delicious, but the sushi comes the way it's suppose to be. The fish and crab portions have gotten much smaller and knife-work needs work. The best bite was the unagi. It's hard to beat $21 lunch special in quality, but there's a lot of new players in the sushi game and Echigo hasn't kept up with the competition. If you're in the area, give the lunch special a try.

Among the new comers of Japanese cuisine to the LA food scene, you are not going to find anywhere…read moreas classic and traditional Japanese as Asuka. Going to Asuka is going to see your grand uncle Vincent who has a really delicious Japanese restaurant. He welcomes you with a smile, tells you stories about Asuka and his passion for Japanese cuisine in a sharp suit and slick back hair. He is such a character and honestly worth going back to week after week. Your Uncle Vincent is there making sure your sushi and your other Japanese cuisine favorites are up to par. Asuka delivers freshness with true Japanese chefs in the back. Dishes are carefully curated and ingredients intentionally bought to bring the best flavors to each customer. From Miso Cod, Chawanmushi house made Edamame Tofu, Toro Tartar and Lobster Dynamite. Everything is made fresh to order and really satisfies my Japanese food cravings.

Wow amazing place so respectful and amazing service and best quality sushi I ever had so kind I…read morefelt like a king here can't wait to come back

I am not going to lie, Takao was not on my bingo card. But as I was waiting for someone, I decided…read moreto grab a bite and while walking down the street, Takao really leaped out to me. So I decided to step in. It really felt like walking into a good ol' family restaurant in Tokyo. The layout with sushi bar isn't so much as a surprise, but the warmth was. It was quiet (also they had just opened for lunch), but it felt slow and calm, which for me is a big plus. I ordered some hot tea which came in a nice ceramic cup and ordered the bento box. Now, let me be the first in saying that ordering bento box at a sushi restaurant is perfectly ok. BUT, this one was special. Normally we're talking about A protein (chicken,beef,etc.), salad, side (roll, gyoza, etc.) and tempura. This one came with sashimi and cucumber and crab sunomono (vinegared). So much for the same price I see a standard lunch bento at others. I had the chicken teriyaki as my protein of choice and each flavor was so good. I highly recommend visiting if you are in the area!

Food: Everything was delicious! The quality in each dish was consistent. The flavors were nuanced…read moreand delicate. No complaints besides prices are on the upper end. Service: Excellent service! Staff were friendly and were on top of meeting everyone's needs in a timely manner. Ambiance: Lovely, clean, and intimate. The space is smaller; therefore, seating is a bit more limited. Reservations are common at this location.

An amazing sushi spot in Brentwood! The fish is incredibly fresh and high quality, and the ambience…read moreand staff are just as impressive. Must order: - Seared spicy tuna special roll - sushi sashimi plate with snow crab roll - miso soup (doesn't come with the entrees or combos) Parking: Street parking is available; most spots are free after 6pm, but make sure to check the signs. There's also nearby parking lots/options around the corner.

Great little neighborhood sushi spot!…read more We stopped here on a bike ride as it was one of the few restaurants open past 7:00pm. The quality of the fish is great and the rice was fresh. Only con is the pricing but I figure it's to keep up with the rents in the area!

What an amazing experience. We had a 14 course dinner and every dish felt intentional and…read morethoughtfully prepared. Standouts for me were the oyster shooters (so fresh and bold), the seabream (light and delicate), the New Zealand ocean trout (buttery and balanced), and the kama toro jaw cut. It was rich, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth. The scallops were also perfectly torched and naturally sweet. What really made the night memorable though was the energy. Chef is not your typical quiet sushi chef. He entertains, jokes, and keeps the experience interactive the entire time. It felt intimate and lively rather than formal and stiff. If you're looking for a traditional silent omakase, this might surprise you. But if you enjoy personality, conversation, and a little humor with your sushi, this is a fun spot for a special night out in Beverly Hills. Overall, great for girls night, celebrations, or anyone who wants more than just dinner. It's a full experience.

I wanted to love Hilo. Friends from NYC highly recommended it for both the seafood broth and the…read moreexperience. Unfortunately, this was one of the most frustrating dining experiences I've had in a long time. We booked the 8:00 PM seating, one of only two seatings that evening (6:00 PM and 8:00 PM). We arrived around 7:30 PM and were told they weren't ready because the entire 6:00 PM group was still there. Fair enough. We were asked to come back later. When we returned at 8:00 PM, guests were standing outside because the restaurant had locked the door. Despite having an 8:00 PM reservation, we weren't allowed in or seated until around 8:20 PM and didn't receive food until after 9:00 PM, all while many of the 6:00 PM guests were still dining. The seating situation was complete chaos. Guests were shuffled around the restaurant as tables slowly opened up. Some of the 8:00 PM guests were crammed together while the 6:00 PM was still finishing up, and people were continually being relocated. There were even guests from lunch services still occupying tables and screaming to the chef. Adding to the confusion, people were constantly walking behind the sushi bar to take photos while raw seafood was being prepared. Personally, I found that uncomfortable and unsanitary. Instead of acknowledging the delays or apologizing, Chef Hilo repeatedly explained that he was running behind because he was entertaining celebrities, important people, and high-profile guests. He mentioned several times how popular he was, but never once apologized to the guests who were waiting. The commentary throughout dinner was uncomfortable and inappropriate. Conversations drifted into topics involving sex, race, his dating life, his divorces, and other personal details that felt completely unnecessary. At one point, he openly told a woman that he would "bend her over" if her husband wasn't sitting next to her. He could see the very irritated look on my face and said, "You look like you want to eat my hand." I responded that I would like to eat at some point, considering we'd been waiting over an hour beyond our reservation time. Rather than recognizing the frustration, he asked what my problem was and loudly told me that I didn't have to be there if I wasn't enjoying myself. Had there not been a reservation deposit involved, I would have left. The frustrating part is that most of the food was actually pretty good. The fish quality was excellent and several bites were memorable. The standout person of the evening was Chef Siverio. While Chef Hilo spent much of the night talking, Chef Siverio appeared to be doing most of the actual work. He was professional, attentive, and genuinely seemed to care about the guest experience. He was easily the highlight of the evening. I rarely reduce gratuity because I understand how difficult restaurant work can be. In this case, I lowered the tip and handed Chef Siverio cash directly because I wanted him to know his efforts were appreciated. What became obvious throughout the evening was that Chef Hilo knew we were unhappy. At one point, he told another couple that he knew how to "read a room and adjust accordingly," as he is trying to give us all of our food to rush us out. Yet there was never an apology for the delays, the disorganization, or the atmosphere. The food was excellent. The hospitality was not. I left remembering this guy's ego more than the fish, and that's never a good sign. The friends who recommended Hilo to me had a completely different experience because they were the only guests there that night. Unfortunately, that wasn't the experience we received. If you're looking for great fish, you'll probably find it here. If you're looking for a great omakase experience, I would strongly recommend managing your expectations and taking your money elsewhere.

My husband got us a reservation for my birthday and the meal was fantastic! Every piece of nigiri…read morewas amazing quality but some of my personal favorites were the scallop, tuna two ways, and ika/uni combo. Having the ika and uni together was a nice surprise with the differing textures that really elevated the nigiri. The tamago (egg) to end the nigiri portion of the meal was fantastic - the chef described it was castella style, and if you've had the Japanese dessert castella, it really does remind you of it! The yuzu ice gelato (?) to finish the meal was the perfect end. There's 8 seats, so it's an intimate meal, and the chef does everything! Thank you for the wonderful meal!!!

I think each omakase experience is unique. I was surprised to learn we had a place so close to…read morehome, in a plaza I wouldnt have expected, and it's easy to miss with no markings once youre near the door. I was also surprised that the paper wasn't as done up as I would have imagined for an experience like that, somewhat barren. This pesky fly was around the main area and eventually was caught. Overall the experience was good. Each fish had different flavors and notes brought out by various ways of pairing it. Nothing really stood out as phenomenal. I would say it was a solid omakase experience and the final price felt a bit too high.