Every year for my birthday, I ask for omakase, and since we live nearby and have heard such great things about this place, my fiancé made a reservation for us to finally try it out. This spot is truly an absolute gem. We were warmly welcomed by the host and seated right away at the bar. The chef greeted us personally, and although there was a bit of a language barrier, he was incredibly sweet and patient while explaining each course and where the fish was sourced from. You could really tell how much care and pride went into every piece. Everything tasted so fresh and beautifully prepared. Each course flowed perfectly into the next, and by the end of the meal, we were surprisingly very full (which doesn't always happen with omakase!). To top it all off, we were treated to a homemade matcha cake with a candle, which was such a thoughtful and memorable birthday touch. It wasn't too busy during our visit, which we actually loved because it made the entire experience feel more intimate, just like other omakase experiences we've had. Highly recommend this place for celebrating special occasions, anniversaries, or birthdays. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Went to Olive Garden with friends, but found the corporatized, faux Italian to be totally dissatisfying. So after the gathering ended, I went upstairs to Sushi Sasabunè since I knew from my previous experience at their Brentwood mother restaurant to be excellent. The interior is "Shibui" which in Japanese can mean artistically austere, minimalist. There is a Sushi bar, but it is reserved for Omakasè (oh mah kah seh) only. So, I couldn't sit and interact directly with the counter Sushi chef that day who was informative but aloof which is typical in Japan. I only spoke with the chef upon entry to determine what kind of specialties that he may offer. I asked for only Èdo Maè (eh doh mah eh) Nigiri Sushi that had either unusual ingredients or techniques which he delivered in spades. My young waiter né Hiroshima made up for the lack of the Sushi chef's personality delivering the various rare item Sushi with a warm conviviality. 1) Shiro Maguro/Albacore: Ultra thin, pinkish orange meat that is naturally found in between the sinews which have to be extracted by hand with tweezers. Double layered on top of hand formed Nigiri (nee ghee ree) Sushi rice, it is plush, velvety, melt in your mouth with delicately meaty Umami. Truly a food for the Gods. 2) Nodo Guro: Black throat perch that is again even more plush white meat to the point of being a touch mushy with a soupçon of sweet meatiness. To add contrast, the skin is flamed seared to add firmness and smokey accent. 3) Katsuo: Bonito is wrapped & cured in rice straw. Then the straw is burned to add light smoke. The dark crimson meat is satisfyingly beefy-meaty with taste of blood minerality from being aged like a well aged steak. The Garlic Katsuo Dashi Shōyu/soy sauce, which also seems rich in Katsuo Dashi fond de cuisine, is a good complementary addition as well as a bit of refreshing medicinal freshly ground ginger root to offset the complex Umami flavours. 1-3a) Fuku Komachi Sakè (sah keh) from Akita, Japan is astringent, dry, cleansing with fruit notes of green grape, loquat, unripe & ripe pear, overly ripe peach. There's a bitter & aged aftertaste but later, a sweet note, touch woody. Overall, a very sophisticated Sushi restaurant that has specialized cuisine for those who are interested in educating their palates. No county fair rolls that use thick sweet eel sauce, mayonnaise, Sriracha hot sauce. 4+ stars. read more

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The premium omakase was a long process that took over over 2 hours but each course was a surprise worth waiting for. In total, there were 14 courses. My favorites were the sea perch, both saltwater and freshwater Santa Barbara uni, and butter fish. The meal started off with dashi to cleanse our palette and ended with yuzu monaka, which was a fun twist that made it more refreshing. Before this though, the chef made us a tableside blue crab hand roll which was a fun experience. I also couldn't stop drinking their iced green tea. It's truly the best I've ever had at a restaurant. The service was amazing and parking is validated for the first two hours. read more

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This review is for Sasabune's Omakase experience. It is recommended that you make a reservation just to ensure that you have the best arrangement for Omakase. The Omakase itself comes in several rounds and you will find yourself full at the end. It is obvious that the chef makes a huge effort in the presentation of each of the dishes. The quality and taste of each sushi piece is phenomenal. My favorite is the seashell where you lived the cover of the shell and you were presented a very pretty and delicious scallop dish. I love this imagination. The service is phenomenal because when it comes to the hand roll, the chef will roll up to your table and make you a very fresh hand roll. The restaurants ambience is very intimate. Don't forget to get your parking validation. read more

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It is always a treat to dine here. Fish is fresh. Service is attentive and friendly. Specials are innovative, delectable and inspire me to expand my palate. Handrails are made tableside. The nori has a nice snap. I hope to dine here more often. read more

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Food quality: 5/5 Presentation: 4.75/5 Attention to detail: 4.75/5 Service: 3/5 Vibes: Moderately upscale, but still loud and chill enough for a first/second date Value: 5/5 Times been: 1 Return? Yes We got the standard omakase, and, to my surprise, it was a lot more sushi than we expected for the price. I enjoyed all of the dishes, though the squid was a little odd (but that is probably just me disliking squid), and I was not left disappointed by anything. However, the service was a little slow and inattentive, which was noticeable and annoying. Overall, great spot for a pretty high value omakase, but be aware about the lacking service. read more

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I tried omakase for the first time and I was quite impressed. There are so many types of seafood, a lot I haven't even had before like snapper and butter fish. The quality was definitely there, reminded me of the sushi quality in Japan. Service was phenomenal, drinks were refilled fast, plates cleared timely. It had quite a cozy ambiance with warm lighting. It was nice being at the bar seeing the chef prepare the sushi. I personally can't justify the price since I know of other places with the same quality with a more reasonable price. It was still a great experience and would recommend. Parking is free but make sure the restaurant validates it. read more

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Not your typical "American Sushi" so they are quick to let you know, no California rolls here. Nice to try the casual Omakase at Sasabune. The omakase has no set times, it starts when you order. Not everyone is required to order the omakase. We ordered different levels of the omakase and the difference was 1-2 less dish and sushi pieces/substitution. Both menu were fantastic. The menu changes depending on the catch. This review is for Dec 2024. Our Japanese ($150) and Premium Omakase ($200) were delicious. Perfect amount. The difference was minuscule, with substitution in fish and one less sushi here and there. It was great that we decided to stagger and have one order the more expensive Premium while the other got the Japanese omakase. Personally, I enjoyed the Japanese omakase just as much. Will come back again for the high quality fish. Parking is validated. read more

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I took my husband here for his birthday. It was fantastic! He did the Japanese omakase which was amazing. I had a miso soup and a fresh crab hand roll. We both got the amaou strawberries at the end and it was incredible. We also added on the scallops which were incredible. If you want authentic sushi (no California rolls here) then this is the place for you. Everything is incredibly fresh, and the servers were so nice and on top of everything. It's a medium size restaurant, and I think it would be fun to sit at the sushi bar in the future. read more

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Sushi was great, loved the red snapper. Quality was amazing. Service was meh, server didn't really pay attention until we flagged them down. The inside was very mellow and relaxing atmosphere but it was quite hard to find, especially if you do street parking. read more

Sasabune Glendale - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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This is probably one of the best omakase experiences I ever had! The sushi was fresh, sushi chef was so sweet and funny. We got the $150 omakase and I think it came with about 12-14 pieces and fun appetizers. The restaurant is very clean. I would probably have a little bit of music in the background since it wasn't that busy when we came. I would definitely come back! read more

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The vibe was off immediately as we walked in. It was very bright and felt like a cafeteria. Almost all the tables were empty, and because we didn't have a reservation, we were told--mildly rudely--that no tables were available for us, which was a shame - we sat at the sushi bar. As we walked through the room, we noticed that every empty table had a "Reserved" sign on it. Yet in the entire hour we spent eating, not a single person or group came in and sat at any of those reserved tables. The hostess was somewhat rude and seemed to have a sense of urgency for us to hurry up and not waste a breath ordering, which made us feel rushed. Given how empty the place was, there was no reason for her urgency. The sushi and rolls we ordered were okay--very fresh--but the rolls didn't have much flavor. We had one roll with fried onions; it would have been nice if the onions were fresh, but they were obviously cooked long before and were cold and stale. We were the only two people at the very long sushi bar, and the sushi chefs kept placing orders for other tables directly in front of us over the bar, so the wait staff had to continually reach over our heads with other people's food. I will not eat here again and will not recommend it to anyone. read more

We did the omakase and enjoyed it overall. The fish items were extremely fresh and delicious! The non-fish were mediocre (e.g., oyster, abalone, octopus, etc.) as the flavors weren't as present as the fish items. The blue crab handroll at the end was disappointing as the crab was shredded so fine that it was very mushy and lost its crab flavor/texture. It ended up feeling/tasting more like canned tuna. Service itself was great and on par with expectations for that level of restaurant. read more

Pricey but worth it particularly their Omakase is a nice splurge but good selection. Sometimes repeating Omakase gives you same selection so not a ton of variety but solid selection nonetheless. read more

The sushi and sashimi were delicious! Service was very friendly and knowledgeable. They recommended the Omakase regular, which was amazing! Great place for authentic Japanese. We felt like we were back in JP! read more

Apart from the fact that the entry to the place cannot be found easily, everything was excellent. The internal atmosphere is very quiet and appeasing. The staff was without exception extremely friendly. There are three Omakase options per advise, the middle one (a.k.a. Japanese Omakase) proved to be an excellent choice. Everything was delicious, beautifully, arranged, and super tender. What a stylish feast! read more

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One of the highest quality sushi places in the area. Pro tip is to come for happy hour so you can try out a lot of their menu items without having to drop all your money. We came around 5:30pm on a weekday and it was empty! Since we were the only ones there (until the end of our meal), the staff was able to be so attentive. We ordered almost everything off the happy hour menu and found that to be a good portion for our meal. Also ordered the fresh wasabi. Even though it's much extra in price, the quality of the wasabi was a perfect complement to our sushi! Will definitely be coming back soon! The location is a little out of the way - take the elevator (next to Olive Garden) up to the second floor and the entrance is right across from the CPK. read more

I was at this restaurant last night...SASABUNE GLENDALE CA. I'm appalled by how racist people are. I arrived with a person with a disability, and a woman came out to ask us, "Do you have a table reserved?" "No." Then she went to the man who prepares the food and asked if we could come in. He said yes, because they gave us a table. An empty place...there was only one other table occupied. But before we took the table, the waitress asked us if we wanted to see the prices first and see if we could order...and if we knew how to eat sushi. We said yes, and we sat down. We ordered three different things for the two of us. But surprise! They only give you one tiny piece of each and charge $11, $13, or $15 for that tiny piece. I didn't even eat. I paid $83 and gave a tip, but my question is... Because there are still RACIST people who think we don't know how to eat... or that we can't afford it. They're demanding when it comes to getting into this place, but they're MISERABLE WITH THE FOOD. We've been to very good restaurants in Burbank and Glendale where the service is much better. It hurt to have wasted my money on those people and that MISERABLE food. I went out for pizza right away... and what KIND people... Polite... and cheerful. POSITIVE people. read more

I love this place. I will not have sushi anywhere else because this is the best. Please let finish this review Yelp?

Omakase style sushi is a take it or leave it experience. That can be either a disaster or a revelation. For me, it worked out quite well at Sasabune. What you will notice first is that the quality of the product is right up there with almost any sushi restaurant in greater Los Angeles. I went with the Regular Omakase. You can choose up to a Premium Omakase which will be a $200 endeavor. That may be risky, I know. The service is okay and the place seems clean. Although, the information you get from the street is lacking. Most people do not know where this place is. It's on floor two of the building. The problem: you may leave here still hungry. That's the only issue I have. It's high quality seafood and plated well and presented nicely, but don't expect to be full after this meal. Would I come back? Most likely not, unless they change the set meal to include other cuts of premium sushi. Again, it's one of the best I've had recently in terms of quality, but the menu isn't as vast and suitable for a longer meal. read more

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Solid place for omakase. A very nice calm and quaint environment, perfect for solo diners like myself. Quality of the sushi was great, no complaints there. Customer service was fantastic. A very nice place for a date but again also great for solo dining. You have to take the elevator up and it's tucked away in a corner. Location is kind of out of the way for me so unless I'm in the area and craving omakase specifically probably won't go out of my way but that said, it is a solid place for omakase. Overall definitely recommend! You got to try at least once. read more

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The lunch special is decent value for the price. Your choice of fish over rice with 3 pieces of nigiri and one handroll served at the end of the meal. Great for a quick lunch if in the area. Fish quality is pretty good, salmon was super buttery. read more

Sasabune Glendale - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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Our family comes here regularly and we are blown away every single time by how delicious and perfect all the sushi is. The sushi rice is so good. It's the best experience. The atmosphere is also so calming and lovely. The staff care and are warm and attentive. We just cannot say enough good things. Try the albacore and butterfish nigiri. From my 11-year-old son: This food is the most amazing thing ever. Try the salmon! The staff members were really nice and the food came really really quickly. Overall this is the best sushi restaurant I've ever eaten at. read more

I really love Sasabune. Not only is the food fresh, delicious and thought provoking.... It's served with pride. Carry-on Sasabune you got me hooked! read more

Sasabune Glendale - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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The worst sushi restaurants I have ever been too. Reservation was at 8:30 thru opentable. We got there on time. Literally no one inside. It's obvious something is not right. We did her seated right away... server/receptionist was very rude and had no respect or pleasant whatsoever. At 9 pm we were litters'y kicked out since kitchen closes at 9. But she stated last seating is 8:59. No sense at all!! In any case we will not come here again! There are tons of other sushi joints much more delicious and with pleasant vibe. read more

This place is the best date night spot. Incredible service, great vibes, amazing omakase. The matcha cake is also unbelievable. read more

The fish is incredibly fresh and high quality. It's just cut very very thick for my taste. The cut rolls are thick big pieces too. If you like that kind of thing, it's a high quality great tasting place. But if you like more of a delicate cut like I do, it's a heavy experience with weird mouth feel. read more

Everything was so fresh and the staff is very pleasant. The ambiance is calm and neat. We didn't order much because it was late but everything we had was amazing. Will gladly be back! read more

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Great spot in Glendale for some omakase sushi located on P3 to the right side next to CPK. For the omakase lunch options, you can choose the Lunch Course ($43) or Lunch Special (32). BUT, you can also choose one of the pricier omakase options including Regular (110), Japanese (150), and Premium (200). Of all the omakase options, I tried the Japanese Omakase (150) for my first visit here. The courses were very well executed and were pleasing both aesthetically and flavor wise. I liked that the omakase had 2-3 pieces at a time, which was nice and most pieces were ready to eat with no need for additional soy sauce or wasabi, though both are provided. Service was professional and I did appreciate the anticipatory drink refills and small requests being fulfilled with efficiency. Overall a great experience and worth a visit! read more

The sushi chef was very friendly and welcoming. I got the premium omakase for $200 and it was delicious! However, I was disappointed that it did not include any salmon pieces. read more

Sasabune Glendale - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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The most unwelcoming sushi bar in all of the San Gabriel Valley should be their motto The sushi is average and the chefs tonight had O presentation skills. They were cooking something like salmon skin and the restaurant smelled like smoke and my eyes hurt! I would never go back there and it was more expensive than sushi yuzu and not even close to the quality! Don't bother!! read more

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We've been to this restaurant many times before and always loved it, even the one in Beverly. Then, on Valentine's Day it turned out to be a giant mistake to booked the dinner here tonight. We drove 50 minutes to the restaurant and were told to wait 15 minutes after arriving for our reservation. After that, we waited another 15 minutes. It was clear that they didn't respect our time or the fact that we were there for a special occasion. Everyone had to stand outside or inside, and they kept ignoring us. The server only spoke to us when they wanted to. We waited for 40 minutes, and it was almost 10 pm when our reservation was supposed to start at 8:45. To make matters worse, when we asked the server about the deposit, she said, "Oh, if you leave now, we won't charge you." That was ridiculous! She almost wanted us to leave because we were already waiting for so long. We decided to leave, and it was ridiculous that everyone else who had made reservations had still been waiting for hours to get seated. Especially on a special day like Valentine's Day. Overall, it was a terrible experience. We were disappointed and frustrated, and we don't recommend this restaurant to anyone. Thanks for ruining my night. read more

I wish i could agree with my fellow yelpers regarding the food taste. My issue is a good fish does not need to be seasoned, why are your sushis seasoned. The stars are for the service and the cozy nonchalant ambience. read more

Sasabune Glendale - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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Quiet place for more exotic Omakase! This is on the P3 level of the 101 North Brand building next to the California Pizza Kitchen. The first floor of the building has Olive Garden. You can park in the same complex with validation, but we were shopping in the area and parked at the Galleria. Japanese Omakase is $150 per person. Each plate is already seasoned as chef prepared but you can add more wasabi (from Japan). There's also fresh wasabi for $20 more. You can request modifications (like no roe, no oyster) and they can substitute at their discretion. Great presentation and service! We came on a Friday night, made reservations on Opentable. There were about 10 tables and the bar counter seating but only 5 tables were occupied at their most busiest when we were there. Most people ordered the Japanese Omakase (regular Omakase is $110) and we heard various modifications and people accepting the fresh wasabi upsell. read more

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I feel like my life has changed ever since I realize they have parking underneath the structure THIS WHOLE TIME I HAVE BEEN GOING and dont need to pay $85 dollar parking tickets (which I gladly was because of my obsession with Sasabune) read more

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The best sushi for miles around. It's the real deal. Chef Genji sources the best fish with incredible care, and prepares with real passion and pride. It's hard to overstate how good Sasabune is. read more

Best sushi I've ever eaten! Every piece of fish is satisfying. Service is amazing. It's pricey but so worth it.

We had a late lunch, and the 10-12 piece regular omakase at $110 sounded more appropriate in comparison to the 12-14 piece Japanese omakase at $150. There is also a difference in types of fish you get, so that would probably impact the perception of my experience. The food was pretty mediocre (in the best way possible). Some pieces were very good, some not very good, but mostly in the middle of what you would expect for an omakase in this price range. The sake was very good, the desserts were okay. Overall, I can't say I'm a fan. If I do come back, I'd probably come hungrier and opt for the Japanese omakase. read more

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I like that sushi takes center stage (no tempura, no California rolls). I appreciated Chef Genji's honesty about the ingredients. The seafood was fresh. The ensui uni was delicious. A delicious surprise was the seasonal mushroom soup (that came in a small kettle). read more

Sasabune Glendale - Seasonal mushroom soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

Overpriced Valentine's Day omakase! No a-la-cart for Valentine's day, omakase only. Regular omakase went from $110 to $150, Japanese omakase went from $150 to $180. They said there was special fish for the sushi and it came with a dessert compared to the regular menu. Fish was fresh but nothing really special. The additional dessert was just a small scoop of ice cream. read more

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