The history of sushi in Los Angeles spans decades, a sweeping chronicle of entrepreneurship and a sprawling city’s culinary evolution. Though the first mention of sushi in this paper goes back to 1899, L.A.’s love of raw fish with rice took hold in Little Tokyo in the 1960s, at its first sushi bar serving Tokyo-style nigiri. Popular American sushi culture was born.
Sushi bars soon spread to the Westside, and by the 1970s, they had proliferated throughout the city. We went wild for over-the-top rolls named after mythical creatures and stuffed with shrimp tempura or cream cheese in the ’80s and ’90s. We saw the rise of Matsuhisa and Masa in Beverly Hills and stalked Ventura Boulevard for “trust me” omakase, jockeying for seats in front of favorite sushi chefs.
Our obsession with sushi has never waned, through baroque embellishments and stripped-down bento, whether our tuna was spicy or our rice crispy. Now more than ever, we look to the fundamentals and sushi’s roots in Tokyo as a growing roster of omakase restaurants explore the nuances of traditional techniques. But L.A. has lots more to offer, for any craving.
Here’s where to find the best supermarket sushi, ultimate California rolls, homestyle futomaki and inari, vegan sushi, sleek hand rolls and the most spectacular omakase in the city.
From 20-course omakase tasting menus to snug sushi bars, here’s where to find the best and freshest sushi in Los Angeles.
An ode to the secretly best California roll, perfected over two decades at Yama Seafood in the San Gabriel Valley.
Sakae Sushi has been making simple, homestyle sushi in Gardena since the 1960s. Every piece on the six-item menu is inexpensive and delicious.
The current generation of omakase chefs in Los Angeles are returning to the essence of the cuisine. A trip to Tokyo confirms what’s been driving their pursuit for excellence.
It’s a hand roll party: This is an easy guide to making temaki sushi at home. Pile on the avocado, carrots, cucumbers, radish sprouts, spicy mayo and/or raw or tinned fish. Don’t forget the salsa macha.
For a sushi party at home with DIY hand rolls, all you need is a big bowl of sushi rice, a tall stack of nori and whatever fillings you want.
The best hand roll bars in Los Angeles are part of the fabric of the city’s sushi scene, serving delicious, super-fresh temaki at affordable prices.
Where to find the best supermarket sushi in Los Angeles — seared salmon nigiri, the freshest sashimi platters, hand rolls filled with negitoro and more.
The owner of the Joint talks seafood, preservation and a sprawling new facility that will bring dry-aged fish to the masses.
Dancer and chef Yoko Hasebe launched Plant Sushi Yoko, a pickup and delivery service with the best vegan sushi in Los Angeles.
Served nearly everywhere to sushi lovers, whether or not we should be eating bluefin tuna still is still hotly debated among consumers and conservation experts alike.
The more you know about bluefin tuna, the better equipped you are to make decisions about whether to consume it.
Sushi’s norm-busting journey from culinary curiosity to mainstream L.A. offering was set in motion in the 1960s by two friends bound by a love for food.
Eat your way across L.A.
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