🍜 Best in LA
LA's best Japanese restaurants — omakase, ramen, izakaya, and everything in between. The definitive 2026 guide.
14 picksMichelin two-star kaiseki in Row DTLA — Brandon Hayato Go's 17-course seasonal menu is the most refined meal in Los Angeles
Must-try: 17-course kaiseki, Binchotan-smoked bonito, Seasonal rice pot finale
📍 1320 E 7th St Suite 126, Los Angeles, CA 90021
West Hollywood's legendary word-of-mouth sushi counter — no menu, no photography, chef's choice only, and one of the highest sushi IQs in Los Angeles
Must-try: Seasonal omakase, Market daily fish, Uni preparations
📍 8539 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Palms' two-Michelin-star California Kaiseki — Niki Nakayama's 13-course seasonal dinner that lands on every best-in-LA list
Must-try: 13-course omakase kaiseki (the only option)
📍 3455 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Beverly Hills counter omakase from the legendary Nozawa family — intimate 10-seat sushi bar, Michelin-listed, and one of the most focused meals in the city
Must-try: Seasonal omakase nigiri, Chef's daily market fish, Uni hand roll to close
📍 212 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Michelin two-star omakase in DTLA — the Los Angeles outpost of the legendary Tokyo original, serving the finest traditional Edomae sushi in the city
Must-try: Seasonal Edomae nigiri omakase, Otoro tuna, Live shrimp (kuruma ebi)
📍 609 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Studio City's Michelin-starred omakase where Tetsuya Nakao's pristine sushi and cooked courses stand with the best in LA
Must-try: Omakase menu, Bluefin tuna selection, Chef's seasonal cooked courses
📍 11941 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604
Atwater Village's intimate Michelin-recognized sushi counter where Mori Onodera's handmade ceramics frame some of LA's most precise nigiri
Must-try: Omakase menu, Seasonal nigiri, Chef's cooked appetizers
📍 3133 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Sawtelle's new charcoal-grilled chicken ramen shop where smoky broth and clean technique put this among LA's best new ramen
Must-try: Charcoal grilled chicken ramen, Chicken tsukemen (dipping ramen), Chashu chicken bun
📍 11301 W Olympic Blvd #101, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Michelin-listed ramen in Long Beach — 20-hour tonkotsu broth and fresh-made noodles every morning
Must-try: Tonkotsu ramen with black garlic oil, Crispy chicken karaage, Spicy cold dipping noodles
📍 610 E Carson St, Long Beach, CA 90807
Little Tokyo's legendary lunch line — sashimi-grade fish, absurd value, and a queue that tells you everything you need to know
Must-try: Sashimi deluxe lunch set, Toro nigiri, Albacore
📍 422 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Echo Park's James Beard-recognized sake bar with small plates that prove sake belongs at the center of a great LA evening
Must-try: Sake flight (seasonal), Oysters on the half shell, Chawanmushi
📍 1360 Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Niki Nakayama's West Hollywood izakaya — the approachable sister to n/naka, with wagyu skewers, uni pasta, and Japanese whisky highballs
Must-try: Wagyu beef skewers, Uni pasta, Japanese whisky highball
📍 8265 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
A 20-seat counter where an Osaka yakiniku master grills premium Wagyu in front of you
Must-try: Butcher's Omakase ($70), Tenma Omakase ($50), A5 Wagyu Short Rib
📍 2104 Artesia Blvd, Torrance, CA 90504
James Beard Award-winning Japanese cuisine where Tokyo meets Texas — creative crudo, pristine nigiri
Must-try: Madai Crudo, 10 oz A5 Wagyu Tataki, Hama Chili
📍 9001 Santa Monica Blvd, Ste 101, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Asanebo in Studio City is one of the most acclaimed Japanese restaurants in the city — exceptional omakase in a quiet room. Nobu Malibu is the most famous, though more scene-driven. For ramen, Tatsu in Los Feliz has one of the best bowls in LA.
For omakase, Asanebo and Sushi Park are the benchmark. For more accessible sushi, Sugarfish is consistent across locations. Nobu Malibu is worth it for the setting if budget isn't a concern.
Yes — Tatsu Ramen in Los Feliz is one of the most-loved ramen shops in LA. Silverlake Ramen is another neighborhood staple. The Little Tokyo area also has solid options.