L.A. Is Paradise For Sushi Omakase. Here Are Some of Our Favorites

Chef-owner and San Gabriel Valley native Mark Okuda describes his omakase as “California-Japanese,” meaning he combines local ingredients with traditional techniques, in a minimalist, contemporary space (this aesthetic holds true across both locations, in the original Woodland Hills and newer Santa Monica outpost). The dinner omakase starts with six courses of otsumami (little snacks), which lean more Californian than Japanese, such as green salad with fig and truffle and clam chowder, before leading into a set of more traditional sushi items. Okuda is an enthusiastic proponent of dry-aging his raw fish (you can see it in progress in the refrigerators lining the hallway), which concentrates its umami flavors. Brothers offers omakase for both lunch and dinner, but for the full aged fish experience, opt for dinner.

$200 per person for dinner; $75 for lunch.

Kodō’s opening executive chef was veteran L.A. sushi master Yoya Takahashi (of Hamasaku fame), but today, you’re more likely see the young head sushi chef, Alex Suzuki, behind the bar serving omakase. Suzuki grew up in Southern California with an artisanal noodle maker father, and learned the Japanese way of cooking with seasonal ingredients from a young age. At Kodō, that means you can expect matsutake mushrooms in the fall, blowfish during the winter, and plump clams in the spring. Ingredients here are sourced locally and from Japan, and the moody atmosphere provides a handsome backdrop for the meal. Pro tip: The main dining room serves izakaya fare, but you can book Suzuki’s bar-side 15-course omakase directly through Resy [it’s labeled when you select your seats].

$150 per person.

Chef-owner Yasuhisa Ouchi only offers omakase at this Beverly Hills outpost of his acclaimed Toronto original, frequently changing the menu to highlight seasonal seafood from Japan. His style, combining traditional Edomae techniques and modern equipment, highlights the umami of each fish. The meal starts with sashimi and light dishes, including a slow-cooked octopus so tender that diners often ask for seconds, before moving on to a sushi course that might include things like snow crab meat mixed with crab liver when in season, before ending with with a signature Tuna Three Ways. The minimalist space has 10 seats at the bar and a handful of tables.

$195 per person.

Snagging one of the 10 seats at the single-seating-only Kaneyoshi in Little Tokyo is no easy feat, but once you’re in, the sleek, Ginza-styled interior, impeccable seafood, and chef Yoshyukii Inoue’s friendly demeanor are all part of the high-end experience. Inoue’s Edomae-style offerings consistently stun, as the chef blends both modern and traditional techniques in his presentations. The result is a refined-yet-relaxed omakase that’s perfectly suited to southern California. Don’t miss the ankimo (monkfish liver), and have fun exploring the deep-cuts sake list.

$300 per person. Call 213-277-2388 for reservations.

This bright, gorgeously designed space (courtesy of Japanese designer Minoru Oyamatsu) serves beautifully crafted sushi by chef Hideyuki Yoshimoto, known by fans simply as “Chef Yoshi.” Yoshimoto travels to Japan frequently on sourcing trips, and most of his seafood comes from the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo. The rice here is on the firmer side, and there’s no condiments available for the omakase — each piece is seasoned by hand with the correct amount of housemade soy sauce. While the omakase changes daily, fans know to ask for the expertly-prepared anago (sea eel).

$100-200 per person.

Don’t come to Shibumi expecting sushi omakase. This DTLA Japanese spot instead features a seasonal kappo omakase experience — a sophisticated way to enjoy Japanese cuisine, requiring a bar counter and a chef preparing your meal behind said bar. With its relatively reasonable price point, the Michelin-starred Shibumi is one of the more unique omakases in town. Keep an eye out for dishes you won’t see elsewhere, such as the fermented tofu known as tofuyo, which looks (and tastes) like soft French cheese, local shrimp covered in fermented squid, or a perfectly grilled live eel. Chef-owner David Schlosser changes the menu every three months to feature seasonal ingredients from near and far, but you can always count on him having a handful of rare Japanese sakes to dip into.

$95 per person and up, with optional beverage pairing for $60 and up. Call 323-484-8915 for reservations. 

This intimate seven-seat kaiseki restaurant helmed by chef-owner Brandon Hayato Go is one of the most coveted reservations in town, and with good reason. Serving a mix of classic washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) and more modern “Tokyo-style washoku,” Go’s four-hour dinners involve 14 courses, each painstakingly plated and explained by Go himself. Grilling, frying, and plating are done in full view, but what you won’t be able to see is the complex thought and delicate labor involved in sourcing the best ingredients from around the world. The menu changes constantly, but you might expect sashimi (served with both soy sauce and salt), tempura with dashi gravy in lieu of broth, and fruit covered with a sake jelly meant to evoke the morning mist in the wild. If you can snag a seat (and don’t balk at the price tag), prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime meal.

$350 per person. 

Nestled beyond the lush courtyard of the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica, this eight-seat sushi bar is hidden in a secluded corner of the first-floor lobby. Master chef Masa Shimakawa serves a seasonally-rotating six-course omakase, which might include a chilled savory egg custard with lobster, uni, ikura, and okra to start, followed by a sushi course, and grilled fish to finish. Shimakawa has a knack for combining raw and cooked ingredients, along with seasonal local vegetables, in a space with a relaxed feel for omakase beginners.

$185 per person, with $50 optional sake pairings.

The phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” applies well to Kenbey, which opened without much fanfare in a Silver Lake strip mall last year. Before long, word of mouth about this small but superb sushi restaurant traveled, and now, celebrities, chefs, and sushi enthusiasts from across the city regularly compete for a spot at the eight-seat counter (there are a handful of tables, too). Chef-owner Kenji Koyama used to run Necco, a vegetable-heavy Japanese restaurant in Westwood, where he developed a following for creative dishes such as lotus root croquette and miso salmon, both of which occasionally appear in his omakase here. Koyama also understands the dietary needs of Angelenos and as such, most of Kenbey’s seasonings, including their soy sauce, are gluten free.

$170 per person. Call 323-928-2177 for reservations.