The World-Wide Sushi Restaurant Reference
Comments and ratings from Anonymous (name withheld by request)

Anonymous (name withheld by request) has contributed information about 30 restaurants: Sushi Avenue, Brothers Sushi, Ebisu, Takahashi, Zono Sushi, Miya Sushi, Octopus, Asakuma, Hide Sushi, U-zen, Todai, Sushi Nozawa, The Fish Market Sushi Bar, Light and Healthy Sushi, Sushi Lovers, Sushi Zawa, Kiriko, Noshi Sushi, Sushi Ko, Kawamata, Omino Bar, 4 on 6, Kazu, Lighthouse Buffet, Asanebo, Crazyfish, Sushi House, Kabuto Sushi, Kabuki Sushi, Sushi Hirosuki.

About Sushi Avenue (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited May 2004.

``While the concept of discount sushi can be appealing, Sushi Avenue is hardly exemplary. Only the uni (at a healthy $5.50) had redeeming social value (it was excellent). But the yellowtail and mackeral would have better been left in the sea. Tea was lukewarm and rubbery.

``Excellent location, close to everything!''

About Brothers Sushi (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited July 2003.

``The Brothers has recently moved up a few notches in my estimation. They used to be tucked away at Corbin and Vanowen - their `new' Ventura Boulevard location is way better, their turnover is pretty darn good, and in a few short years Brother has grown to become just about the best sushi bar in Woodland Hills.

``Long renowned for their mildly raggae atmosphere, and their wasabi and gari served up on green (banana) leaves, Brothers provides a unique atmosphere for lunch or dinner and a very high degree of discipline and freshness. Only on very rare occasions will they miss the mark on freshness (keep a distant eye out for bad oysters, however; I've caught two bad oysters at Brothers over an 18 year period. I did not consume them and they were replaced, of course).

``Because the prices are somewhat higher than usual, Brothers Sushi doesn't make my personal `A' list. While I have been to Brothers about 20 times over the years, if the tea were richer and pulpier and the prices a bit lower, I would have gone many more times. Tea gets a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10. Brothers excels at making special mixtures of scallops and fish eggs and this and that. You will probably be able to find some rare and unusual item at Brothers. Ikura and uni consistently excellent. The selection is among the most colorful of which I am aware. The hot food is also very rewarding for those who don't revel in the raw.''

About Ebisu (San Francisco, California, USA)
Last visited February 2005.

``Very exciting, very fresh, lots of variety, good atmosphere, recommended.''

About Takahashi (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited September 2002.

``After visiting once 5 years ago, and just last month, my conclusions are virtually the same...the sushi is extremely fresh for a facility so far from the downtown fish market, but the prices are higher and the portions slightly smaller. The green tea gets a 5 on a scale of one to ten, in fact the tea is far less pulpy and more mild than what I like.

``For lunch I had deluxe chirashi ($19.99 US), which contained ikura and toro, along with the usual selection. The single piece of shrimp promised in the menu was not in the chirashi, so I felt somewhat gypped, however the freshness of the toro was outstanding and the ikura was the best I'd had in months - very fresh salmon eggs, large, plump, not salty. Too bad there isn't more of the other selections of fish. For 19.99, the offerings are rather spare, but you'll be hard pressed to find sushi fresher than this even downtown. ''

About Zono Sushi (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited August 2005.

``There are three locations, Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena. The Burbank location seems superior to the original Glendale location, but I only went to Glendale once for lunch; it was quite disappointing.

``The quality and freshness of the sushi in Burbank is very high, the best in the area. The yellowtail just cascades bountifully off the rice ball, at least mine did. Great stuff. Killer aji, wonderful oysters, uni is excellent too, but this is a seasonal item and seems to be fair to excellent everywhere in winter. Lately I've noticed that Zono and others are sometimes serving live uni. The yellow ginger is deliciously on the sweet side. Green tea is up to standard. rates an 8, best tea in the neighborhood. Zono is very professional, somewhat corporate, the sushi chefs are eager to please and on top of their game. The head sushi master, Tomo, recently left to start his own place, but the quality and freshness at Zono remains killer. Shinji is the new point man.

``The fishermen, whoever they are, deserve high praise, too. The quality of the fish here is consistently, reliably excellent.''

About Miya Sushi (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited December 2002.

``For price and quality, Miya is my new personal favorite - and the best kept secret - in the Valley. Hamachi, scallop and crab salad roll are highly recommended. I'm stuck on the same things, but there are so many other things to try! Very high rating! Consistent freshness!''

About Octopus (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited August 2003.

``The sushi wars in Burbank are heating up as the recent introduction of Octopus into East Burbank turns up the heat on the local competition. This puts three quality sushi restaurants within easy walking distance of each other. The staff at Octopus are the most eager to please, distinguishing themselves with `Japanese fusion' cuisine offerings and a modern, open, spacious environment. In addition to traditional sushi items, there are a large number of rolls on a special menu. As with most sushi bars, freshness varies with time of day, day of week. Prices are about average for the area and so is freshness. But I took my extended family to Octopus on a Saturday night and it was really a spectacle! The final bill was quite reasonable for eight people. The sushi portions were huge, the freshness was outstanding on that occasion, and the hot food was presented with a real flair. On other occasions, the lunch, while reasonably priced, was very good but freshness varied from excellent to good. Spicy tuna roll does not score high marks in my opinion, but the other fish are usually pretty good. Tea gets a 5 on a scale of 1-10. Super courteous staff! There are two other locations of this chain, one in Ventura and another in Camarillo, under the name of `Sumo'. This particular location is not called `Sumo' but they changed the name to `Octopus' for the expansion. ''

About Asakuma (Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited January 2002.

``First impression (at 2pm) as I have only been here once: Located on the second floor of a shopping mall in a very busy area of West LA, the sushi is very good, but somewhat overpriced. Portions were very average, freshness was quite good, but not "perfect". Uni was $7. Yellowtail upwards of $5. That's rather pricey! But it was still worth the trip. Tea was excellent. Would try again, especially because it is open during mid-afternoon hours. MSG aftertaste (dry mouth, etc) stronger than other sushi restaurants. Very popular with locals.''

About Hide Sushi (Los Angeles County, California, USA)
Last visited February 2002.

``Tucked away on a Japan-town stretch of Sawtelle, I have been to Hide several times. Whether you go to Hide for lunch or dinner, the place is likely to be crowded, with 10 minute to 40 minute waits not uncommon. Depending on when you go, the freshness varies from quite good to exceptional, and the tea is terrific. The uni is among the freshest in LA, however I have noticed that they have a tendency, though not universal, to pre-cut their hamachi and some other fish as well...too bad. But the turnover is so high that it almost doesn't matter. The hamachi is darn good, at $3.30 an order, competitively priced. It's hard to find a west side bar with much fresher fish. As usual, I think the regulars get slightly larger portions. MSG factor on the miso soup was fairly high, with heavy dry mouth and slightly swollen tongue effect after visit. Nevetheless, highly recommended.''

About U-zen (Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited August 2002.

``Uzen is the most impressive West Side sushi bar I have seen thus far. I only went there twice, but the service and freshness were the nearly the best I have seen anywhere, and for what you get the lunch prices are very reasonable. The uni was a little out of my price range, and I was not thrilled with the preparation of the spicy tuna handroll, however the ikura, oyster, and hamachi were unimpeachable. The ikura (salmon egg) was amazingly fresh and not salty!! The discipline and courtesy of service were really great. Thanks Uzen, I will be back. ''

About Todai (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited April 2002.

``It's not quite fair to compare Todai's buffet to regular sushi restaurants. For example, courtesy of service and accuracy of service really do not apply. For the same money, I would choose a regular sushi bar anytime compared to Todai. Sushi really does not seem appropriate when presented in this fashion for a variety of reasons. For one, the issue of sanitation and people touching the tongs, setting them down in various places, etc, is an issue. In fact, I got sick once after going to Todai. The only green tea offered is the little tea bag in hot water kind. If you're lucky enough to see any ikura or uni, the portions will be pitiful. But can you blame them? I can't. Again, this type of food should not be served in a buffet venue. But if you want a variety of excellent hot food, and you're interested in the all-you-can-eat aspect, then Todai is for you. ''

About Sushi Nozawa (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited April 1999.

``Unimpeachable freshness, prices not inexpensive. High definition (wide) sushi presentation.''

About The Fish Market Sushi Bar (Phoenix, Arizona, USA)
Last visited March 2007.

``If you require fresh fish in Phoenix Arizona, The Fish Market is probably the first place you should visit. This is a sushi bar within a full-blown fresh fish restaurant. As such it is a unique sushi establishment not run by Japanese or Chinese proprietors, but it still meets a very high standard of freshness and presentation. I approve of the non-Japanese staff, since I embrace cultural diversity.

``The green tea was surprisingly excellent, and the fish market also uses the classic yellow ginger that is the best. The ikura was a bit too salty, but the yellowtail, mackerel, and oyster were quite fresh. Overall I will give the Fish Market a very high rating...the prices are slightly higher than average, but FM takes their sushi very seriously.''

About Light and Healthy Sushi (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited February 2002.

No rankings sent.

``Have tried once for lunch. First experience with sit-down- and-be-served-all-you-can-eat-sushi. Uni, ikura, oyster, and other exotic specialties were not available in this all you can eat forum. Yellowtail and salmon toro, served in threes, while almost paper thin (it's a "slide show!") but broadly cut, were very, very fresh indeed. Spicy tuna hand roll was superb and generous. The chef has a tendency to push upon you filling, hi-calorie rolls, which belies the name `Light and Healthy'. Sunomono was too big and overbearing. Best to refuse the chef's suggestions in this place and go for what you want. Tea was inferior, served in a personal, stainless teapot, thin and lacking in pulp. I much prefer the traditional green tea, served in your cup and rich in green pulp. Erogonomically, the sushi bar itself is too high and the metal/padded chairs are too low. ''

About Sushi Lovers (San Jose, Milpitas Areas, California, USA)
Last visited January 2005.

``Unfortunately, the emphasis is on the boat presentation, not on freshness, so despite the cheerful atmosphere, this restaurant does not meet `big city' sushi standards, IMHO. ''

About Sushi Zawa (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited December 2002.

``Great atmosphere, big place. Good food. Chinese ownership, part of a chain of other restaurants, most of which feature Chinese food. Very good sushi but doesn't quite ring authentic. Quality of tea: 5 on a scale of 10.''

About Kiriko (Central Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited April 2004.

``Kiriko is one block away from Hide Sushi, and much less busy, at least on the lunch occasion I visited. Even though they weren't that busy, it took almost an hour for all my pieces of omakase to arrive. It really put a crimp in my schedule that afternoon.

``The quality of sushi was quite good, but not stellar. There are definitely some unusual items available and the instinct for experimentation and innovation seems rather high. Omakase included two kinds of toro, two kinds of yellowtail, a small slab of scallop with green caviar on it, and the standard thick cut of albacore. An especially nice touch was the strawberry sorbet with fresh mint. Regrettably, I don't go to sushi bars for the dessert.

``Overall, I would have been better off ordering my specific favorites. The prices are definitely on the high side of the market, with uni now hitting $8 an order, Spanish mackeral at $5.50. Quality of tea: 5 out of 10. ''

About Noshi Sushi (Central Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited December 2002.

``A favorite sushi bar for three, simple reasons: quality, price and size. The yellowtail is consistently very good, and uni lovers will appreciate Noshi's typically high turnover and healthy portions on this item. Uni in the colder months seems markedly superior. As with any sushi bar, quality and size varies based on how regular and favored the customer, who the chef is, what day of the week it is, what season of the year. This is why it is difficult on any particular day of the year to come up with an objective review of a sushi restaurant. In Noshi's case, I think Wednesdays and weekends are slightly better, but this is very subjective. Noshi used to be a very, very small place with two sushi chefs and the wait could be an hour or more on a busy evening in the old days. About ten years ago, Mr. Noshi moved down the street to the larger location they are in now, with five sushi chefs. The California roll has a slight hint of bony crunchiness in it, which might testify to the crabmeat's authenticity. Spicy tuna handroll also highly recommended. Albacore and halibut are great starter items and never disappoint. Great tea and miso, too. ''

About Sushi Ko (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited July 2004.

No rankings sent.

``While this location remains a sushi restaurant, the name has changed to Sushi Ko, ownership has likely changed, and the format has changed from a `family sushi roll' to what appears to be a full sushi bar. The interior has been modified to reflect the format change. The address is the same. More information will be forthcoming. ''

About Kawamata (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited May 2003.

``A quite small and inviting neighborhood sushi bar with varying levels of quality depending on whether they are busy or slow. Quality of tea: 3-4 on scale of 10.''

About Omino Bar (Los Angeles County, California, USA)
Last visited May 2001.

``While this is one of the better sushi bars in the immediate area, the freshness varies from day to day like many sushi bars, however nothing greatly impressed us. The sushi chefs (on the few occasions we have been there) seem somewhat semi-pro. Tea was inferior, thin with no pulp. Quality of hot food not quite there. For that reason, my family had no interest in going back. Willing to try again. ''

About 4 on 6 (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited April 2004.

``Definitely a high end sushi experience, at least for this humble customer. And humble customers like to go to small, low-profile, hidden-away-in-the-back-of-a-mall sushi bars like this one. Chef Saito (and others) happily supply unusual items you've never heard of, freshness near the top of the scale, and a very discreet, modern art environment. 4 on 6 is your alternative to `I'm goin' to Disneyland'. Oysters from different regions, Uni sushi served without seaweed wrap, codfish roe. If only the tea was a good as the sushi, rating 4.5 out of 10. Excellent service, but the fisherman deserves the real awards. ''

About Kazu (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited May 2004.

``Definitely one of the heavy hitters in the Studio City sushi landscape, this small and intimate sushi restaurant generally caters to the more upper class local clientele in the area, so compared to some places, it's fairly pricey. But the freshness of fish and discipline of service are pretty impressive. When you're competing with some of the other local bars, you have to be good, and Kazu sets something of a standard. Sleek, most ultra-modern, natural interior design, notably enhances the experience. Tea gets a 7 out of 10. Uni, as I recall, was about 8 bucks, but perfect.''

About Lighthouse Buffet (Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited October 2002.

``All-you-can-eat Japanese in a great location in downtown Santa Monica. The size of the restaurant itself is rather small. Though I have been here several times with my family, the experience was not memorable, just tolerable. Todai, the buffet chain, is a little better.

``Uni or ikura, if it is available, is in the tiniest portions possible. ''

About Asanebo (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited July 2003.

``Located right in the Valley's `sushi central', and right across the street from the very well known Teru Sushi, Asanebo seems to be catering to a high-end, gourmet clientele with exotic items, small portions, and very competitive freshness. The menu discreetly segregates tuna into blue-fina and regular types, and there are varieties of yellowtail with which I was unfamiliar. The uni was about the best one could run across, except the portions were noticeably on the small side, and the prices are certainly on the high side. For the money I'd rather take my chances elsewhere, but there were no mistakes at Asanebo. If perfection is your bag, it's easy to run up a fairly high tab. The toro looked unlike any I had ever seen, a lurid and earthy red. Chef avoids putting soy sauce on items that typically call for it, instead using a dab of `ponzu-jelly'. Tea gets a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. 5 different flavors of miso soup, varying from 1.50 up to 5 dollars or so. If you can afford it, you will certainly enjoy Asanebo.''

About Crazyfish (Central Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited August 2005.

``Remodeled in late October 2003, Crazyfish's modern, blue and pink pastel interior houses a busy and very popular sushi bar and restaurant, with very reasonable prices considering the Beverly Hills adjacency. The ergonomically comfortable, granite-topped sushi bar is inhabited by three sushi chefs, serving up good portions of quite fresh sushi, freshness in the B+ to A- range on the occasion we visited. During busy periods the atmosphere can be very noisy, even with seemingly small crowds. Doesn't rate real high on atmosphere! Small dining areas are not exactly deluxe on the comfort scale.

``Tea is served in a personal pot, so you can guzzle all you like, yamamotoyama tea bags not exactly a high end tea experience, but not harsh either. Tea 4 on a scale of 10.

``Albacore and oyster tend to be smothered in a ponzu froth. Uni was pretty good, but excessively orange in color - almost like food coloring? I don't believe it. Rolls are a popular specialty, and make up the larger portion of the menu, in the $5-$12 range.

``Crazyfish is in an absolutely upscale location, and they lack competition. Superb food, so-so atmosphere, high turnover, and always people waiting outside during busy periods. ''

About Sushi House (Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited August 2003.

``One visit so far. Funky but fabulous. Bob Marley is the maestro of honor. While the service and courtesy of the staff were hardly stellar, the sushi certainly was most impressive. Heavy social atmosphere, and not air-conditioned. During lunchtime a small restaurant packed with 25 people sounded more like 70! Loudest sushi crowd ever! The toro and uni were home runs, the spicy tuna handroll was huge and delicious, and the hamachi was excellent. Tacky reggae environment but huge, fresh portions and great prices. Quite popular with locals. A real find!''

About Kabuto Sushi (San Francisco, California, USA)
Last visited November 1998.

``Discipline! This is a great restaurant if only for the fact that they yell at you when you walk in the door. The sushi at Kabuto is prepared and served with an almost martial discipline, but I loved it. Everything was as fresh as ever possible and each new order provided a new perspective on what that dish was all about. Kabuto certainly creates an aura and has an authenticity all it's own. To its credit, Kabuto also has a tatami seating area. Will go back whenever I can. I don't live in SF.''

About Kabuki Sushi (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited June 2005.

``Not to be confused with the growing corporate chain of `Kabuki' half-price sushi restaurants in many locations, this very small and modest Kabuki Sushi restaurant at 9701 Reseda is a very fine restaurant to which I have been bringing my family and my clients for years. The variety and freshness are great, but not quite as good as the old days, especially the 80's, when Kabuki was killer! Still this is the best sushi bar in the North Valley, especially on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, when freshness is often exceptional. Kabuki features one of the finest varieties of rolls and raw and cooked specialties in the Valley. Green tea gets an 8.5 on a scale of 1-10. It's a small place, but often busy for both lunch and dinner. Saturday night can easily be a half-hour wait or more. The salmon or yellowtail collar `special' is a great deal on the evening menu for those who want a lot but don't want to spend much money.

``Again, this is not part of the major restaurant chain, and far superior to it in atmosphere and style. ''

About Sushi Hirosuki (San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California)
Last visited June 2003.

``While [Proprietor Hirosuki] prepares the sushi himself daily, his cadre of top-notch sushi chefs is also consistently excellent. The establishment is extremely popular with the Encino locals for both lunch and dinner. Extremely fresh, large portions. Prices are moderate, depending on what you order. The attention to detail and refinement in the preparation of special dishes is exceptional. The green tea is 10 on a scale of 10. Why anyone would want to order a soft drink with their sushi is incomprehensible. Exemplary.''

Disclaimer. Make sure you have read the full disclaimer located in the overview to this restaurant guide. Basically: I cannot vouch for the accuracy of any information on this page; remember that the comments are no more than the opinions of strangers; before you venture out to explore the places listed here, it would be a good idea to make sure they are still open, and to verify their exact locations.

Copyright ©1995-2007 J. Maraist. All rights reserved. This service is provided to you under these terms which include restrictions on redistribution of information from this site.