50 Best Sushi Bars near Universal City

“Excellent service. Great food!“

“That sounds like a fantastic dining experience“

“Fantastic quality and taste. This is hands down my new fave in LA for sushi. When they get their liquor license it'll be packed non stop. Really nice help and attention from the team. Try the inside out salmon roll, melts in your mouth!!!“

“My friend and I had an exquisite dining experience at Bar Sawa. Each course was prepared and presented to perfection. The place was a little tricky to find; there were no signs, and it was in the basement of a very unexpected building. You can also only get down there through the middle elevator! The instructions to get to the restaurant were emailed, but I didn't get to read it in time, so it was my fault. ? We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, ambiance and the entire experience. Highly recommend!“

“Easily one of the very best sushi places I have been to here or in Japan. We went for a birthday dinner and chose the Omakase (option 2). It was an incredibly well balanced meal including many of our favorites. The quality is just perfect. Temperature, freshness, taste, everything from the fish to the rice, toppings and soy sauce.

The service is super good, such a friendly staff. chefs and owner. Highly recommended, we will definitely be back.“

“Easy to miss at night, the outside is dark and unassuming. Calm atmosphere, attentive service. The individually delivered hand rolls amazing! Great pacing to savor the contrast of warm toasted nori and seasoned rice against the chilled fresh fish. Highly recommend taking your time with the 6 roll order. Great value for the quality of sushi. 🍣“

“Superb place. Unfortunately Jonny Won (?) left couple of years ago but the current Chef is more than capable of upholding this restaurant's glowing reputation for exceptionally fresh ingredients and superb cooking skills. My only advice is to stick to fish and leave the meat dishes as, although nice, are not quite "wow" as they used to be.“

“Just had a self Omakase date and I have to say, the detail that was poured into each dish, flavor wise, was really special. Even just the sashimi pieces themselves really had great complimentary garnish flavors that weren’t even noticeable just looking at the fish.

Great service and throughly enjoyed.“

“Must get sushi, but don’t forget the corn tempura and momotaro tomato (seasonal). Awesome sake selection too.“

“This was our first time at Leona’s Sushi House, thanks to a friend who suggested we meet there—and honestly, we fell in love with the place right away. The vibe was just right—relaxed but lively—and we scored the best seats in the house, right by the open-air window on Ventura. Couldn’t have asked for a better spot to people-watch and soak it all in.

Our server was very friendly and made us feel at home. She even joked about losing her voice at the Beyoncé concert she’d just taken her daughters to—definitely a fun icebreaker.

We all went for the Omakase, and it was such a treat. It kicked off with a mushroom miso soup, then halibut sashimi topped with truffles (so good), followed by a couple of trays of assorted nigiri, and then a crab handroll. Even though we were stuffed, we couldn’t resist dessert, so we shared the chocolate lava cake, and banana puff pastry, and brought the caramel flan home.

All in all, it was an awesome night—great food, great company, and a place we intend to visit again.“

“Not sure why this place doesn’t have 5 stars. Found this place about a year ago and every time we are in LA we make a point to come during happy hour and get their mountain roll & crispy spicy tuna. Service is wonderful and attentive. Sushi never misses. Always so fresh. 10/10 recommend!“

“Best seafood and Japanese food I've ever had in my life — not exaggerating. The freshest seafood you'll ever taste. I brought multiple people here and they agree I'm not exaggerating. The quality is unlike anything else in LA. Everything is incredible but the raw seafood gets the most special shoutout.“

“Phenomenal experience and the staff was excellent.“

“Little Izaka-ya is my go-to neighborhood sushi spot, and it never disappoints! The servers always remember me, which adds such a nice, welcoming touch to every visit. It feels like a place I can count on for a great time and delicious food every single time. The sushi rolls are consistently fresh and full of flavor, but my personal favorite is the white fish roll—YUM! It’s always a treat. I also love how easy it is to make a reservation, making dining here super convenient. Whether it’s for a casual night out or a special dinner, Little Izaka-ya always delivers. Highly recommend!“

“we went there for a quick bite and some drinks, our bartender Wyatt was so lovely, he turned my vegeterian friend to a pescetarian! he recommended the octopus, which we both really loved. the atmosphere was great too, definitely worth a try!!“

“All of the people that hate waiting in line should come on a weekday night, because our party of 2 got seated immediately upon arrival.

It’s definitely not cheap (maybe a reasonable-ish price for sushi) but the quality is pretty good.

The fresh water eel (unagidon) was GAS!! The sauce is pretty standard — sweet and savory and sticky — and it was everything we expected and more when paired with the tender eel and chewy rice. It also serves as great leftovers.

Salmon: buttery and the quality was phenomenal

Toro: tasted kind of like beef, fatty but also had texture to it

Tuna: this was probably the most lackluster fish I had of the night; quality was just ok and didn’t really have any memorable texture or taste

Sea bream: with the lemon it was so refreshing and had a similar butteriness as the salmon

Scallop: it was sooo sweet and the lemon brought out those flavors even more

Yellowtail scallion: the refreshing kick of the scallion paired really well with the fish

Overall salmon, scallop, and yellowtail scallion were my favorites. I’d probably get the combination if I wasn’t looking for anything in particular since it’s more bang for buck.“

“One of the most incredible meals I've ever had. I've never been to Japan, but I felt transported. Impeccable service, attention to detail, and so much intention. Masters at their craft. We had the top tier omakase and the courses flowed like the prettiest ballad you've ever heard.

Add this to your bucket list, not because you have money and can buy most anything, but because money alone cannot make this experience.“

“This little neighborhood gem is worth visiting! The sushi was elegantly presented and so flavorful. Even the sticky rice was so perfectly cooked and tender. Chef’s wife was very kind and took the time to explain the various specialty rolls. Stop thinking and just do it! You won’t regret it“

“seats 10 for a personalized tour of sushi for the purist. exceptional style and quality of fish. superbly presented by a Michelin star chef on front of you. book far in advance“

“Super tasty! King Yubu is a little hidden gem kind of place. Really delicious Korean style sushi. Think like little pockets with all kinds of fillings on rice. I got the Signature King Yubu, the spicy pork belly and the unagi Yubu with a spicy tuna and tempura sushi roll. All really good we also tried the kimchi loaded fries really big portion definitely a shareable portion. It was corn cheese with kimchi on the seasoned fries you can get different toppings like fried chicken or bulgogi but just the fries by themselves were super good so we went without all the extra. Definitely coming back to try the other options on the menu looks like new updates and ideas coming to the menu all the time. Great job chef.“

“Leo is the best chef. So kind, personable, and knows his sushi. He makes just about everything from his ginger to his soy sauce from scratch even though he’ll tell you, “no soy sauce” for most of the sushi that comes as it should be eaten. Best sushi restaurant on Ventura Blvd by far. Make sure to try his dry aged fish!

Parking: There are a few spots behind the restaurant.“

“Probably the best Sushi/Sashimi place in Los Angeles.
I know fresh and quality sashimi/sushi and this probably the freshest I've seen in a long while. The owners are super sweet, top notch service and the restaurant interior is so clean and comfortable. Again the quality of the fish was above the norm.“

“best japanese rich fllavors unique taste simple fresh and delish“

“The best sushi you can get in Los Angeles. It can easily hold its own against some of the best places in Japan. I love dining here and if you are fortunate enough to get a reservation I think you will have a great time. The food they make is certainly with a Japanese palette meaning that there are dishes presented here will not be all melt in your mouth fish that most Americans want. There will be a variety of tastes and textures. I love it, but I can see how some people may not love every dish.“

“This is my wife's favorite sushi spot. It's not traditional sushi more American style has a very cool vibe. The bar is pretty cool. A little bit pricey in the range of $25 to $30 per roll and you don't get too much food, but it's a great place to just chill out and grab a snack and have a drink“

“They have the best rolls! Very reasonable price. We eat here & to go very often“

“great food. Good service. decent prices“

“The food was amazing!! Great experience.“

“I am Korean and have been to many sushi, tempura, and omakase restaurants in Sapporo.
It's good here. It's good, but it's really crappy. It's no exaggeration to say that it's salt sushi. When Koreans go, please ask for a little less seasoning. Otherwise, you'll feel like you're eating from a soy sauce container.
And it's so, so, so cold. I'm not a neta, but I go to Michelin and pay $500, so I can't help but wonder why I'm shivering from the cold. And when I hold the nigiri, I don't know if it's a habit, but every time I hold it, I take a small amount of rice... a little bit from the nigiri. It feels a bit like an amateur. The fact that there were a lot of tsumami made was enough to give that feeling.
And the chef speaks a little Korean.
This business could get better if they just don't use Chrome Hearts chopsticks and show a little more consideration for their customers. The food was good, and except for the saltiness, the sushi and neta were good.“

“I pop in here probably once a week sometimes twice for a glass of wine. The bartenders are very cheerful and informed with respect to varieties and flavors and all the jazz. They walk you through the options and make tip top recommendations. The place is always slammed at night, yet the manager is extremely accommodating and always finds a place for me to chill and savor the weekend ambiance. I’ve never had their food, but it looks delicious. All the servers are friendly and have excellent people skills. The outdoor space is a fun hang too if you have a group. I always feel spoiled here. 5 star experiences.“

“Came here for lunch and the food did not disappoint. I ordered the lunch combo with a California roll and sashimi and everything was delicious. The place was busy and we waited a little bit to be served but nothing to complain about. Everyone was so sweet and friendly, I will be back!“

“During my trip to the U.S., the best food I had was sushi. The quality of the fish was exceptional, and everything from the appetizers to the dessert was perfect. You could really feel the care and high-quality ingredients in every dish. The service was also incredibly friendly. I enjoyed a delicious omakase with friends in a private room. If I ever travel to the U.S. again, I’ll definitely visit this place again. Highly recommended!“

“Wonderful experience with Chef Take! Truly a unique experience in the historical method and style chef prepares his experience.“

“The plant based kaiseki was amazing. Beautifully presented, deliciously seasoned, and well portioned. The hot pot was the biggest of all courses and it was so much food! The black sesame ice cream was surprisingly delicious.

Vegetarian options: The 7 course plant based kaiseki was amazing

Dietary restrictions: Dietary restrictions was the very first question asked!“

“We ordered 5 different rolls. This is our new go to spot for to-go sushi. Everything was packed neatly and the presentation was excellent and appetizing. 10/10 quality and taste. We ordered the dragon roll, spider roll (omg so hard to come by), tempura and crunchy and salmon rolls. All left us satisfied . I recommend.“

“I mean, this is the besttttt handroll spot in all of Los Angeles. Cool unique hand rolls (like the same woo jang and banh mi) and premium rolls (uni, toro/caviar/uni). AND they give huge chunks of sushi. Since the seaweed layer is taken off when eating the seaweed is crispy while eating. The technology is giving! Honestly, IMO better than some of the big popular establishments around for hand rolls (IYKYK). Their to-go and delivery is not bad as well!“

“Great setting and great Sushi two thumbs up 👍🏽“

“Прекрасное обслуживание, всё очень вкусно.“

“There are so many sushi places in Studio City. This is just inside Sherman Oaks by one block, on Riverside, so it's a real neighborhood place. The food is great. Truly homemade. Everything is fantastic. The host, Ben, is stellar. Kind, attentive, and very helpful and knows the cuisine. A great place ... and our secret, okay?“

“Wonderful sushi spot. Plenty of parking & a great place ro dine with friends.“

“I love this place! The food is fantastic! And I’m a regular for a reason 😉“

“A great meal to celebrate our 8th grader’s MS graduation and my FIL’s 75th birthday! Thankful, too, for the Katz family’s support of our school’s fundraiser back in April - we were able to use a gift card we had won at that event.

Definitely a “seen and be seen” kind of vibe, but we did not feel out of place at all and the service was warm and welcoming and super accommodating of both our youngest son’s allergies and our large party. Thank you so much, especially Katrina who was patient and attentive throughout our meal.

Rolls were delicious, the whole crispy fish was a showstopper, and the drinks were perfect. All in all, a superb evening!“

“Amazing food and service, chef Hilo made my experience feel like I was truly understanding each bite I took into my food. Amazing atmosphere“

“We had a very nice dinner here. It was highly recommended by a friend. It is a cute little place that fills up quickly. We ended up sitting outside with some heaters, which was quite nice. We tried the Brussel sprout appetizer, and it was excellent. We ordered the Asian roll, the lobster tempura roll as well as the soft shell crab roll. All were very good. The negima, which is chicken on a stick, was very tasty. We finished with mochi, which was perfect.“

“We went here for our wedding anniversary and we loved loved the whole experience! I’ve had many omakase before in LA, Toronto & Japan and this was top notch. I was obsessed with their pickled ginger as it appears to be house made. I would come back just for that! Just kidding but not really. We’ll definitely be back! I wish them continued success!“

“This is quickly becoming my favorite sushi spot in LA. Might be in the top 3 for best sushi I’ve ever had in LA. Not just because of the quality, but because it’s paired with the friendly and generous staff (complementary dishes!!), and the creativity that always gets it right. Everything is SO GOOD.

Highly recommend making this your go-to spot too… just save me a seat!“

“super fresh of fish and peaceful interior“

“Great sushi place with high quality fish and great service. I would highly recommend the crispy rice with tuna and the Tuna Lemon roll. Fish was fresh and melted in mouth. The hand rolls and nigiri were also great, but I mainly struggled to enjoy certain cut rolls like the Moon Roll and Spicy Salmon roll. While they were still delicious, there was a little too much mayonnaise which made it hard to enjoy. However, other cut rolls, which are not as mayo dense, such as the Tuna Lemon roll, were incredible and flavorful. Overall, I would come back to try the sashimi and other hand rolls. But for the time being, other sushi places with similar price ranges provide equally as favorable rolls with less mayonnaise“

“Great 🍣 sushi and the employees are super friendly! Been coming here for years.“

“Great quality salmon, sushi's tasty, however the tiger steak is NOT worth $45, maybe $15 (and that's being generous because it comes with rice and a small side salad) but definitely not $45 friggin bucks, save your money for the sushi because the sushi's delicious“