Hamasaku

A friend and I had the omakase here and everything was great! Service was wonderful, the waitresses were very attentive and the food was brought out in a timely manner. Everything tasted really fresh. The toro was so good we had to get an extra serving of it before desert! Price was really fair compared to the other omakase options around the area. All in all a wonderful experience and would definitely recommend!

Superb quality fish combined with excellent service and presantation makes for an excellent sushi experience. They graciously seated us right at closing and gave us an amazing array of audible "wow"s. The scallop and the albacore stood out above all but the Avenue of the Stars is a delectable selection of the chef's specialties and should not be missed. Oh and the sashimi tacos are stupid-good in their delicious wonton shells... My second sushi meal in LA and it did not disappoint.

Incredible sushi and dinner! The location (in a strip mall) throws you off a bit but the food is the star of this show. We sampled about half the menu and all agreed this is some of the best sushi in LA. Don’t skip out on dessert and get the Tokyo Banana Pudding if it’s on the menu 🤤

Excellent omakase experience! To begin with, I would like to call their sushi 'aroma sushi'. All the dishes come with some creative addition of novel tastes and scents. Sushi dish was served seven times in total and each dish came with two pieces. All tasted extremely fresh, tender, and juicy! Spain tuna, one of the seasonal fish pieces, even tasted chewy. Actually, I was a little disappointed at the first dish of sashimi because of too ordinary tuna (It's still better and more tender in taste). But shortly after it, I got totally amazed and entertained with the series of the following gorgeous sushi dishes. There was a mix of new tastes and familiar ones but with far more upgraded taste sensations. Overall, great pleasure and happy meal it was for sure! Also, the last dish (the traditional Japanese ice creams) was extremely enjoyable! Particularly, lychee ice cream was too surprising! I like lychee (a fruit) but I've never imagined it can turn into an ice cream before. Thumbs up! 향이 살아있는 스시. 독특한 면이 있어서 재미있음! 사시미 투나 한점 빼고 전부 미각을 상당히 자극함! 간장 맛이 너무 좋음.

Hamasaku is great! I came here quite late at night. I thought about that one episode of Worth It, where Steven and Andrew came here. Parking was fair enough, as it was a strip mall. Unfortunately, it’s not very visible unless you look closely at the area, thus making it somewhat a hidden gem. As with all sushi joints in LA, everything is hella expensive! However, your money is well spent here. Their absolutely phenomenal omakase is only 85$ [And yes, I said only, because places like Kanpai are in the 3 digits zone, and I argue the stuff here is better.] The starting dish, snow crab salad was bomb! Nice and fresh; a good start to your meal. Sashimi is as fresh as ever, and it’s more like butter than fish! Delicious. Sushi is extremely tasty, and each nigiri piece is unique. Lastly, their cheesecake for dessert was very interesting, and made a satisfying wrap-up. The staff is very patient and the atmosphere is downtempo but not intimate, which is quite uncommon in a lot of restaurants. All in all, I really enjoyed my meal here. Eat the sushi with your hands, and the sashimi with your chopsticks! That makes it better??? [Or so I’ve heard] I will be back. Thank you Hamasaku!

Alexis C

apparently this place has been open for more than 20 years, but it only recently came onto our radar and I’m so glad it did. we walked in right at noon for lunch, just as they opened. the host asked if we had a reservation, and since we didn’t, she took a few seconds to decide where to seat us. at first, I thought that was a bit odd, considering we were the very first guests and few minutes later, people started trickling in and the restaurant quickly filled up. while reservations aren’t required, i'd definitely recommend making one. as for the food, the fish quality is excellent and very fresh. The nigiri portions are on the smaller side; I just wish the cuts were a tad thicker to make them perfect. that said, everything was well-prepared and flavorful. my husband, who doesn’t eat raw fish at all, really enjoyed the rock shrimp and the tempura hand roll, which is a great option for non-sushi eater. one thing to note is parking as it is valet only, even if you park and retrieve your car yourself. overall, a solid dining experience and a spot we’d happily return to.

Zan Lee

I work walking distance from this restaurant so I decided to stop in this past Thursday for lunch and I’m very happy that I did so. It’s quite large on the inside and has plenty of table or sushi bar seating options. It’s tucked away in the corner of a small shopping center with limited parking attached, however it never seems to be full and free street neighborhood parking on the side street is easy to find as well. It’s quite hard to spot, just look for the large wooden door otherwise you would easily miss it driving by. My server was very attentive and everything that I ordered came out pretty quick. They have a very large menu that has a lot of great options on it. I ended up going with the SUSHI MORIAWASE which is 2 albacore, 2 salmon, 2 yellowtail, 1 tuna, 1 white fish, and 1 spicy toro roll for $39 and really enjoyed it. It also came with a miso soup and salmon skin salad and I really enjoyed both. They were a really pleasant treat at lunch. The sushi was also great, especially the albacore, and I already want to stop in again to try more items. I would recommend for lunch or dinner and feel it is a solid recommendation to any sushi fan.

B W

I have visited this place multiple times in the past few years and it seems it is getting better every time. The food quality is great. The service people control the flow very well. They don’t dump all the food on your table at the same time. It gives you the time to appreciate the food, talk, and wait for the next serving. That makes the dining experience special.

Brianna Dueck

Delicious food, great atmosphere, awesome service! Cool new fish to try!

Henry Ting

I've been dying to try this place since the pandemic. Finally. Did it meet my expectations? Mostly. HIDDEN. Because the restaurant is located in the downstairs corner unit, its somewhat hidden. But I gave 4.5 stars for the nice modern Japanese decor and atmosphere. FOOD. Dinner omakase $130. Hmm, I thought the food was really good, but nothing that really shouted "Wow!" But for the Westside, it's about right. The pieces of fish were small, but at least the rice for the nigiri was still warm (nice.) But the competition for quality and value is tough out here in WestLA/Santa Monica. The omakase ended with a nice yuzu sorbet. Perfect ending. Sake: they sell a variety of sake by the glass or by a carafe (iced.) I trust they are serving me the right cold sake that I ordered. The serving size was smaller than I expected.

Gene Shapiro

Wonderful meal with wonderful people. Great deal for omakase as well. Definitely will be back. Update - they are just keep getting better. Just wonderful.

Emily Liu

Very nice high quality sushi place with a friendly bustling atmosphere, very home like yet elegant. Best dish by far was the avenue of stars roll. Every bite you take of that roll you can tell it’s really high quality. Ricky castle roll and September flower are also pretty good but I would say they are not worth the price. Black cod tastes really good and tender but is also not worth the price with the tiny quantity of fish you get. Yellowtail collar is cheaper but the fish texture is definitely worse than the black cod, with some areas of the meat being pretty tough. The wagyu roll is pretty good and very creative! Overall, a pretty creative and high quality sushi place.

Yi Zhang

Didn’t know this is a Michelin guide restaurant and was impressed with the creativity and quality of the rolls! Every roll we tried was great. Would highly recommend Avenue of Stars if it’s on the menu. Besides the different types of fish inside and outside of the roll, it even has different toppings on each of the 8 pieces. The mushroom and the peppers were mediocre.

April Walton

A friend and I had the omakase here and everything was great! Service was wonderful, the waitresses were very attentive and the food was brought out in a timely manner. Everything tasted really fresh. The toro was so good we had to get an extra serving of it before desert! Price was really fair compared to the other omakase options around the area. All in all a wonderful experience and would definitely recommend!

diego duran

Superb quality fish combined with excellent service and presantation makes for an excellent sushi experience. They graciously seated us right at closing and gave us an amazing array of audible "wow"s. The scallop and the albacore stood out above all but the Avenue of the Stars is a delectable selection of the chef's specialties and should not be missed. Oh and the sashimi tacos are stupid-good in their delicious wonton shells... My second sushi meal in LA and it did not disappoint.

Matt Ryder

Incredible sushi and dinner! The location (in a strip mall) throws you off a bit but the food is the star of this show. We sampled about half the menu and all agreed this is some of the best sushi in LA. Don’t skip out on dessert and get the Tokyo Banana Pudding if it’s on the menu 🤤

Go4K ChiPro (Visbimmer0120)

Excellent omakase experience! To begin with, I would like to call their sushi 'aroma sushi'. All the dishes come with some creative addition of novel tastes and scents. Sushi dish was served seven times in total and each dish came with two pieces. All tasted extremely fresh, tender, and juicy! Spain tuna, one of the seasonal fish pieces, even tasted chewy. Actually, I was a little disappointed at the first dish of sashimi because of too ordinary tuna (It's still better and more tender in taste). But shortly after it, I got totally amazed and entertained with the series of the following gorgeous sushi dishes. There was a mix of new tastes and familiar ones but with far more upgraded taste sensations. Overall, great pleasure and happy meal it was for sure! Also, the last dish (the traditional Japanese ice creams) was extremely enjoyable! Particularly, lychee ice cream was too surprising! I like lychee (a fruit) but I've never imagined it can turn into an ice cream before. Thumbs up! 향이 살아있는 스시. 독특한 면이 있어서 재미있음! 사시미 투나 한점 빼고 전부 미각을 상당히 자극함! 간장 맛이 너무 좋음.

Ryan

Hamasaku is great! I came here quite late at night. I thought about that one episode of Worth It, where Steven and Andrew came here. Parking was fair enough, as it was a strip mall. Unfortunately, it’s not very visible unless you look closely at the area, thus making it somewhat a hidden gem. As with all sushi joints in LA, everything is hella expensive! However, your money is well spent here. Their absolutely phenomenal omakase is only 85$ [And yes, I said only, because places like Kanpai are in the 3 digits zone, and I argue the stuff here is better.] The starting dish, snow crab salad was bomb! Nice and fresh; a good start to your meal. Sashimi is as fresh as ever, and it’s more like butter than fish! Delicious. Sushi is extremely tasty, and each nigiri piece is unique. Lastly, their cheesecake for dessert was very interesting, and made a satisfying wrap-up. The staff is very patient and the atmosphere is downtempo but not intimate, which is quite uncommon in a lot of restaurants. All in all, I really enjoyed my meal here. Eat the sushi with your hands, and the sashimi with your chopsticks! That makes it better??? [Or so I’ve heard] I will be back. Thank you Hamasaku!

Straightforward Japanese style sushi bar. Omakase is excellent. Prices are reasonable for what you get, and the service is great. When I lived in LA, I came for special occasions. Now, I visit every time I am in LA.

Steve Schuman

Straightforward Japanese style sushi bar. Omakase is excellent. Prices are reasonable for what you get, and the service is great. When I lived in LA, I came for special occasions. Now, I visit every time I am in LA.

Thomas Linder

This was a random stop for us. We were hungry and in the mood for Sushi. We happened upon this restaurant purely due to its location, and boy did we luck out. It started slow, we entered to an empty dining area with only two people sitting by the door, apparently waiting for take out. We mentioned our number, five. My wife, my three children, and I. After a look at the seating chart and reservation list (long look), the waitress turned to us kindly and said, "We have a table for you." Within 20 minutes, the restaurant was packed with locals. No wonder our server had to double-check the table availability. The food was some of the best sushi I have ever had. The light, yet flavorful rolls were unique. The price is a bit high for us from the central valley, but hey, it's sushi. The server was very kind and soft spoken. She even wiped my son's eating area when he made a mess of soy sauce in front of him. I enjoyed the bit of embarrassment he felt. We have visited many Japanese cuisine locations. This is by far in our top 5. When I say our, I am speaking for my wife as well. Try it, you won't be disappointed. Oh, and the valet was something like $2. So don't be scared off by parking. You'll find the restaurant, ask someone if you get lost in the small mall.

Sushi and sashimi are wonderful! I really wish I could give 5 star but the pork jowl was way too salty. It comes with a sauce too but it’s already too salty & spicy before adding the sauce. Really regret I ordered it (since it’s so strong it’s harder for me to enjoy the subtleties of the sashimi flavor) The sashimi chef selection is a good option! It says 8 pieces but comes out to be about 12 for me. Yuzu cheesecake is really amazing too! It’s a great combo, and there are small pieces of yuzu in the cake, not just the flavor. I made reservation ahead of time. Highly recommend reservation at peak dining times.

If you are a sushi or sushi roll lover, this is the place to go and enjoy some delicious sushi or some delicious rolls. If you are in this area, you really cannot miss the morning menu. It has very good Japanese-style combos for a very good price. And if you like, in the afternoon you can enjoy an omakase. The prices are very affordable, compared to other places. This place is really better. Well, for me, after all, sushi is just sushi.

Hamasaku offers solid non-traditional Sushi in Westwood. There are plenty of sushi restaurants in the area but Hamasaku definitiley offers a good balance of price and and quality. You can find better at a higher price and lesser at a lower price but not much at this mid range in this neighborhood so it makes it a great choice when you want something nice but not necessarily something extravagant or a multi hour omakase. The nigiri and sashimi are definitley great quality and well prepared (the snow trout was a personal favorite). Many dishes like the tacos, tostadas and soba salad are of course very non traditional but are well executed and offer a creative take. The sake menu is surprisingly expansive with more options than often seen at higher end Japanese restaurants so its on opportunity to sample. Service is fast efficient and attentive without being overbearing or making you feel rushed. Parking is available with valet out front.

Expensive for the quantity like most sushi restaurants. The quality is quite decent so I guess it makes up for that. Restaurant was very crowded when we went on a Saturday evening so make sure to make a reservation. The sake comes in a fancy carafe, we got 2 different ones and it was pretty nice (we had one that was less dry and another that was a tad dryer than the first. The special appetizer with beef they had for that day was not worth getting. Mostly just potatoes than meat in there (mind me, potatoes do not cost the price that dish came out to be). I need to find a place that is better than the one from NYC (quality and price-wise).

HELEN HUANG

Sushi and sashimi are wonderful! I really wish I could give 5 star but the pork jowl was way too salty. It comes with a sauce too but it’s already too salty & spicy before adding the sauce. Really regret I ordered it (since it’s so strong it’s harder for me to enjoy the subtleties of the sashimi flavor) The sashimi chef selection is a good option! It says 8 pieces but comes out to be about 12 for me. Yuzu cheesecake is really amazing too! It’s a great combo, and there are small pieces of yuzu in the cake, not just the flavor. I made reservation ahead of time. Highly recommend reservation at peak dining times.

chef Jesus (Achefstale)

If you are a sushi or sushi roll lover, this is the place to go and enjoy some delicious sushi or some delicious rolls. If you are in this area, you really cannot miss the morning menu. It has very good Japanese-style combos for a very good price. And if you like, in the afternoon you can enjoy an omakase. The prices are very affordable, compared to other places. This place is really better. Well, for me, after all, sushi is just sushi.

Jeff Streit

Hamasaku offers solid non-traditional Sushi in Westwood. There are plenty of sushi restaurants in the area but Hamasaku definitiley offers a good balance of price and and quality. You can find better at a higher price and lesser at a lower price but not much at this mid range in this neighborhood so it makes it a great choice when you want something nice but not necessarily something extravagant or a multi hour omakase. The nigiri and sashimi are definitley great quality and well prepared (the snow trout was a personal favorite). Many dishes like the tacos, tostadas and soba salad are of course very non traditional but are well executed and offer a creative take. The sake menu is surprisingly expansive with more options than often seen at higher end Japanese restaurants so its on opportunity to sample. Service is fast efficient and attentive without being overbearing or making you feel rushed. Parking is available with valet out front.

Carmen Chan

Expensive for the quantity like most sushi restaurants. The quality is quite decent so I guess it makes up for that. Restaurant was very crowded when we went on a Saturday evening so make sure to make a reservation. The sake comes in a fancy carafe, we got 2 different ones and it was pretty nice (we had one that was less dry and another that was a tad dryer than the first. The special appetizer with beef they had for that day was not worth getting. Mostly just potatoes than meat in there (mind me, potatoes do not cost the price that dish came out to be). I need to find a place that is better than the one from NYC (quality and price-wise).

Rachel Maeng Brown

I did not go to the restaurant so this is about the staff and experience. I wanted to host a birthday here and made reservations for a 10-12 person party. They accepted my reservation and then sent an email asking I submit our full order ahead of time. I fully understand how difficult it can be to make ready to order food for such a large party. The pre-fixe menu they made was around $1,200. I called to explain that the party would like to also order more when we get there and would try to help accommodate them to make it easier. They then cancelled my reservation and I called again. I re-explained and they said I could keep my reservation. sent back a small list of confirmed items. They then sent me back the $1,200 list and said I had to order all of this or remove or add a few items. This was for a special experience (was getting omakase @ $130 pp - they have lower prices adv but there isn’t a lower option) and they ruined the experience and excitement. I am no longer going and feel that we would have been faced with poor service based on the multiple conversations I had and inaccurate information and being forced to order their pre-fixe menu. It seems like a restaurant that tries to add in extra charges or change things. Saying this having worked in the industry and understanding it would have been easier on them to make a pre-fixe menu but, left a very sour taste from them.