Sushi Nakata

We dine at Sushi Nakata multiple times in a month. Sometimes twice to three times a week! It’s a intimate and fantastic sushi restaurant! The sushi is fresh with daily deliveries of seafood! The Christmas sushi boxes are so special! Pre-order it before they sell out!

Hannah Seilhan

Elegant, cozy sushi spot in Old Town Monrovia. All our rolls were super fresh and light, and they had some unique, authentic dishes that you don’t find at the other sushi spots in town like Chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard) and Agedashi tofu. For our sushi rolls we tried the Lime Roll and Salmon Truffle Roll. The Salmon Truffle Roll is exactly as it sounds - crab on the inside with salmon and truffle on top. I don’t usually like salmon sushi rolls anywhere but this was a pleasant exception. The Lime Roll has spicy tuna and crab inside topped with albacore and yuzu miso. It was my fave - very light and refreshing. And all their fish was super fresh! We had their miso soup to start which was good - what you’d expect from a quality sushi spot. The Agedashi tofu was fantastic!! It was lightly fried with a delicate texture and came in a deliciously umami sauce - highly recommend! The Chawanmushi was very unique - it’s a small cup of Japanese egg custard - it’s savory with a fish-forward profile and served slightly warm. I’m not a fan of strong fish flavors and this was too much for me (I was actually expecting a sweet custard desert haha!) - but my hubby loved it. It’s a quality appetizer and I would recommend if you like those sorts of dishes. Prices are just a tad more than the other surrounding sushi spots but this experience was definitely a little more elevated. Staff were warm, welcoming, and attentive. The shop is very small and space is tight - but it has excellent views of old town and felt very cozy. They fill up fast during busy night like the Friday farmers market but they take reservations I think. Definitely had a great dinner and will be back!

Bryan Mercer

Sushi Nakata is an absolute hidden gem tucked away in Monrovia's old town. I was pleasantly surprised how good their sushi is, it's the closest thing I've tried to authentic Japanese sushi outside of Japan. Not only was the sushi great, but the service was exceptional. I really enjoyed dining there & will absolutely return.

Andrew Burch

The best sushi experience I have ever had! Love is the secret ingredient at this cozy, fun sushi restaurant. Sit at the six seat sushi bar and let master sushi chef Tadanari indulge you! This is the kind of place that develops its reputation by word of mouth and time. I had the omakase and a bottle Of sake which was Tadanari’s recommendation. When I sat down I was surrounded by friendly, consistent regulars who even shared sake with me. Become friends with James who is there 4 days a week. He has travelled all over the world. No surprise why he eats here all the time. Service is very attentive and humble. Cant wait to come back! This place will go down as a legendary place and guests will travel from all over LA to make it here. I would recommend reservations in advance.

Sue

Really awesome local joint! I usually get their nigiri sets but last night just got a few simple rolls - super fresh ingredients and great quality fish. Very friendly service as well!

Michael Gao

I was suddenly craving some sushi, and this place popped up on my Google out of nowhere. I had to say, it’s AMAZING! Especially they take reservations even during COVID for their limited outdoor seatings. I highly recommend for any Uni lovers to ask for Uni menus before going there, and they didn’t disappoint: very sweet and quality Uni for our visit. We ordered 2 Omakase sets (comes with appetizers, soup, a small dish and some nigiri), and 4 Uni sushi — great portion, and ok value. My only concern is that the side walk is too close to the tables due to limited space outdoor, and you will get a lot of walking pass you within 2-3 feet... most of them do wear a mask but still!! In summary, I do recommend this place if you are looking for a place to sit down and enjoy some good sushi during this uncertain time. Stay safe everyone 🙏

Pete P

I had a business guest pick the place and I was very pleased with the choice. I am very particular about sushi and this place hit all the right notes. A small unassuming redtaurant with great food. Highly recommended.

Jessica Ju

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Monrovia and the surrounding cities. Quality and taste are both consistently great 👍🏻

Peter Lee

Great place! Reminded me of places in Japan. Ordered the omakase for $120 fresh fish and cold Asahi beer on draft what else could you ask for. Kid friendly with highchair.

Eunice

Ordered pick up for their premium chirashi set $38 came with miso soup & spring salad in ginger dressing. Great value & fresh seafood!! The soup was well wrapped to prevent leakage. Definitely recommend this place!

Christian Tse

We dine at Sushi Nakata multiple times in a month. Sometimes twice to three times a week! It’s a intimate and fantastic sushi restaurant! The sushi is fresh with daily deliveries of seafood! The Christmas sushi boxes are so special! Pre-order it before they sell out!

It's very authentic japanese owned with a Japanese sushi chef. Everything is very fresh and delicious.

Best sushi in Monrovia with unbeatable happy hour Sunday through Thursday

This is a very cute spot to get dinner in Monrovia. The happy hour is a great deal if you make it in time. The sushi is amazing so fresh and delicious! We preferred the rolls over the carpaccio sushi.

Small, quiet, and exceptionally good. If you want somewhere to sit down with 1-3 people and have some great straight-up sushi, it is hard to beat.

A cozy little spot in old-town Monrovia, this place has become a staple within my rotation of Asian eats in the greater SGV area. I've personally come here on many occasions, and have enjoyed the food and atmosphere every single time. While I generally shy away from writing recommendations in general, I would say this place has been my personal favorite for the quality of fish, hospitality, and overall welcome-ness. Compared to my previous visits in 2024 and 2025, the shop has downsized unexpectedly, yet remains inviting and cozy. Indoor and outdoor seating are available, and I highly recommend reservations ahead of time. The staff is very inviting and friendly, and the chef is a master of his crafts. I always ask about their daily specialty seafood and would personally recommend the shishito pepper appetizer. These are out of this world and an absolute umami bomb every time. Additionally, if you are a fan of citrus, their Hokkaido scallops are absolutely incredible.

If you’re looking for a truly authentic Japanese sushi experience in Monrovia, Sushi Nakata is it. While many sushi spots lean heavily into an Americanized version of what sushi 'wants' to be...loaded with sauces and distractions...this place does the opposite, and that’s exactly what makes it special. The sushi here is exquisite: incredibly fresh, thoughtfully prepared, and never overburdened. Everything is simple and intentional, allowing the rice and fish to speak for themselves. The natural flavors are respected and left to shine with minimal disruption. This is sushi the way it’s meant to be...honest, refined, and deeply satisfying.

R.A. Grimes

If you’re looking for a truly authentic Japanese sushi experience in Monrovia, Sushi Nakata is it. While many sushi spots lean heavily into an Americanized version of what sushi 'wants' to be...loaded with sauces and distractions...this place does the opposite, and that’s exactly what makes it special. The sushi here is exquisite: incredibly fresh, thoughtfully prepared, and never overburdened. Everything is simple and intentional, allowing the rice and fish to speak for themselves. The natural flavors are respected and left to shine with minimal disruption. This is sushi the way it’s meant to be...honest, refined, and deeply satisfying.

Victoria Mualem

It's very authentic japanese owned with a Japanese sushi chef. Everything is very fresh and delicious.

Sean B.

Food was amazing as usual. My go to place when im craving good sushi. The service and quality of food are impeccable.

Richard Jacobs

Total hidden spot! old Town monrovia is a hidden gem and this spot had fresh blue fin tuna and an amazing miso cod! And, at a very reasonable price for sushi. For the area, 5 stars!

Amy Setton

This is a very cute spot to get dinner in Monrovia. The happy hour is a great deal if you make it in time. The sushi is amazing so fresh and delicious! We preferred the rolls over the carpaccio sushi.

Sevag Bardakjian

Amazing quality seafood. Uni was heavenly. Food was 10/10, but the service was a bit slow, with both the wait staff and the sushi chef being quite slow for such a small shop. Not a problem, usually, but we were just really hungry. Service was 8/10. The biggest downside is parking sucks in this part of town and the restaurant itself is TINY. I had to eat left-handed since I was stuck in the corner. Our tab was close to $600 for 5 people and 2 bottles of delicious Sake. No regrets, I would definitely go again, but it was quite expensive and I would probably lean more towards going to sugarfish for my sushi needs. This is more of a special occasion place.

Easy reservations via Yelp waitlist or reservations link on Yelp app FOOD 4/5 They kindly offered complimentary assorted pickles as an app. Overall, fresh sashimi and sushi - Got their specials and a few others that all hit the mark. Satisfied with the quality and selections! SERVICE 4/5 Amazing courteous service from the entire staff throughout the dining experience PARKING 4/5 Easy free parking and a lot nearby or street parking

Stopped in to try this place out. The rolls were smaller than what I am used to at a sushi spot but I really enjoyed that. The rice does not over power the taste of everything else and you don't get full right away. I tried 4 different rolls, they were very delicious. I would come back to this location again. It is a bit on the pricey side but the flavor of the food makes up for it. Check it out, and enjoy. Make sure to check the pictures out.

Taka H

Easy reservations via Yelp waitlist or reservations link on Yelp app FOOD 4/5 They kindly offered complimentary assorted pickles as an app. Overall, fresh sashimi and sushi - Got their specials and a few others that all hit the mark. Satisfied with the quality and selections! SERVICE 4/5 Amazing courteous service from the entire staff throughout the dining experience PARKING 4/5 Easy free parking and a lot nearby or street parking

Alex Maravilla

Stopped in to try this place out. The rolls were smaller than what I am used to at a sushi spot but I really enjoyed that. The rice does not over power the taste of everything else and you don't get full right away. I tried 4 different rolls, they were very delicious. I would come back to this location again. It is a bit on the pricey side but the flavor of the food makes up for it. Check it out, and enjoy. Make sure to check the pictures out.

Their fish is certainly of high quality! Service was a bit slow. It's a bit pricey as well.

Anthony Chan

Their fish is certainly of high quality! Service was a bit slow. It's a bit pricey as well.

A S

Absolutely the worst omakase. Bunch of nigiri that’s it. Very disappointing. Not the same after Azusa not there.