Hamasaku Reviews

We found this place by accident and were very pleased. The service was friendly and fast and the sushi top notch for a reasonable price. Not cheap of course, but you'd be hard pressed to finder better sushi for less. We had 3 different rolls and a nice cucumber/seaweed salad that were all tasty. Top it off with a large Sapporo and we were in good shape.

the quality of fish is decent, but the price - way overpriced. We had "Omakase" which the chefs are supposed to dish out the best of what they can offer from the fresh selection of fish of the day; however, the fish didn't taste particularly fresh (tuna was eerily red), yet came out over $250 -- very upsetting, and totally not worth it!

Had lunch here and everything (even the non-sushi dish kale salad) was excellent. We sat at the sushi bar and feasted. I had the "G6" (albacore, yellowtail, tuna, salmon, spicy aioli, soy paper hand roll) and "tacos" (spicy tuna, avocado, fried wonton skin, rice, creamy wasabi, sweet soy) and they were off the charts. I also had some sushi from the bar (sushi chef recommendation) which was fantastic and my wife had the kale salad and some yellow tail sushi. Even their kale salad was excellent. They just remodeled and the space is upscale sushi restaurant. All in spent around $70 for two (no alcohol) so not cheap but it was really good and I will be going back on a regular basis.

Owned by Jesse Duron, chef Yoya Takahashi and Michael Ovitz there is no way this could make money. The fish is better than Tokyo. And it's half the price of Tokyo. Just go

Very good, fresh sushi. Quite pricey though, although I'd like to return and try the omakase some time.

I was very impressed by this restaurant. The fox roll and the DJ Spider roll were amazing! I will hopefully be back next time I'm in town. I would highly recommend going here if you like sushi and fresh seafood.

This place is a little hard to find in the corner of a strip mall. But once you get there, it is great. Our service was excellent and all of the food was fantastic both the sushi and the beef we had. The sushi is probably the freshest in town, with some interesting rolls as well as special types of fish you normally don't find elsewhere. The skirt steak dish we ordered had a great flavor and was cooked perfectly. I highly recommend it.

Located in the corner of a strip mall, Hamasaku serves good quality sushi. The menu is extensive and the service is good, however , if the price is part of the equation, then you are in for a disappointment. This restaurant charges what the better Japanese establishments do in Los Angeles, but the quality and refinement are not there. The dishes are over-finessed and often the many ingredients cover the sushi taste.

Love this restaurant. Fly to La every quarter from east coast. The plane lands at 11 and by noon I am sitting with family and friends enjoying one of my favorite restaurants. The serving staff is excellent especially Apple. Food is always consistently great. I've seen other reviews complain about the prices but I find the prices consistent with other sushi restaurants but the food and service here exceeds most.

Hamasaku was a very pleasant surprise. We decided to give it a try for dinner before the theatre in Westwood. The good experience began with easy parking. The menu had a wide selection of specialty rolls - many of which included combinations that we had not seen before. We ordered a number of these rolls which were presented artfully and which were very tasty. The highlight of the meal was the baby yellowtail which was sweet and succulent. We will absolutely return to sample other options on the menu.

Excellent, fresh sushi. Nice location and wonderful staff. I was dining alone and they made me feel very welcome.

The food is average prices are high for what you get. One point to remember is don't park at the parking. They only validate for 45 minutes and then 2.00 for every 20 minutes. I ended up paying $ 12.00 for parking my car myself.

4.2 stars, their food was great, the service was accomodating and the ambience was great and everything was welcoming

At least six Japanese chefs were making sushi at the sushi bar during the lunch hour. They all have excellent skills and the food is very delicious. I have been to Nobu in a Beverly Hills for its Omakasa. Hamasaku offers sushi and rice with a higher quality. There are not many authentic Japanese restaurants in LA. Hamasaku is a gem.

This place has been around for a long time......It's sort of a "Hollywood type" sushi restaurant. It is not inexpensive....the food though is good. I was last here about 15 years ago. My friend and I started with the marinated black cod cooked food...it might be he best we've had for a long time.....The 1st thing thing I noticed was the slice of cod was thicker than most Japanese restaurants give you...the $20ish price for it is comparable to other restaurants in the area..but this was better because of the thickness..(like a perfect rime rib)...we moved on to sushi... (all their sushi is, according to the menu sustainable, hence the Toro and a couple other things were from Spain). The Toro was excellent at $18 for 2 pieces...I like that they did small rice without asking. They messed up our Hamachi order...which ended up being ok. We ordered 4 pieces (for 2) and they only brought 2 pieces.....it was a bit dry, we were not impressed. When the wait person came and asked us if everything was ok...no, they got got the order wrong ..we specifically at that point asked for Hamachi belly.......It took a while, but when it came out it was really good. We ordered Chawanmushi at the beginning because it takes about 20 minutes to steam properly....it was a rather small portion, dry at the top, better as we went down...no bubbles in it so basically done well, maybe cooked a minute or two longer than necessary. I would eat here again for the black cod and the spanish Toro, those are the two dishes that stood out.

Enjoyed the sushi here. This is a nice example of authentic Japanese cuisine. However, I didn’t feel that we got our money’s worth on the omakase for 4. With one drink/person, total tab exceeded $400 (with tax and tip).

Took the family for a graduation celebration. Really fresh tasty sushi and great service. Nigiri of all kinds was superb, but the scallops were the favorite. We had great spicy tuna on crispy rice appetizer and chef’s selection of sashimi. The rolls were also very good but the best was felt to be the Dray Way. All of it was so good and there is beer, wine and a huge selection of sake. We will definitely return when in the area.

Omg we grabbed a quick snack with friends before heading to LAX ... everything we ordered was superb! The sushi, sashimi, shrimp (my favourite), .. washed down with Japanese beer... BUT EXPENSIVE but definitely worth it. Seriously my new favourite Japanese when I’m in LA.

A great sushi restaurant hidden in the corner of a strip mall near Santa Monica Blvd and I-405. Traditional favorites and very inventive local creations. We are regulars.

There are some restaurants you hesitate telling others, for fear of increased patronage, making it harder to get a table, and higher prices, and nobody likes that. But we usually go there after the theatre (in nearby Beverly Hills) , and squeeze in before closing, and frankly we order prudently. That said, the Hamasaku is one of our favorites, tucked away in a small strip mall on convenient Santa Monica Blvd, with parking easy. Its menu goes beyond sushi, and is unique, and the attentive waiters always ready with a suggestion. Love the soup and salads, too.

Hamasaku is an exceptional sushi restaurant that delivers an unforgettable culinary experience. From the moment you step inside, the warm ambiance sets the stage for a remarkable dining adventure. The quality and freshness of the sushi are truly outstanding, with each piece masterfully crafted to perfection. The melt-in-your-mouth texture and delicate flavors of the fish, coupled with the skillful combination of traditional and innovative ingredients, make every bite a delectable delight. The attentive and knowledgeable staff provides impeccable service, ensuring a memorable and enjoyable meal. Whether you're a sushi connoisseur or a first-time enthusiast, Hamasaku is a must-visit destination that will leave your taste buds tantalized and your cravings satisfied.

This is a lovely restaurant, unpretentious and in many ways quite down to earth. And you don't need to dwell on - or even be aware of - the Michael Ovitz connection. The service is friendly and the staff are very willing to offer advice and guidance if you ask. I sat at the sushi bar (is that what it's called?) and got to converse with the chefs on the other side of the counter which is exciting in itself and they are only too happy to make their suggestions as to the best fish of the day. All good so far and I have yet to mention the food! I kicked off with edamame (on the house) and a cucumber seaweed salad (delicious) followed by a blue fin sashimi and then various sushi and sashimi dishes which were recommended and were absolutely wonderful but (sad to say) I can't actually remember the name of the fish - or never grasped it in the first place! I finished with the Dray Way roll (highly recommended) and the marinated codfish - fantastic! All washed down with their refreshing iced green tea. It is strange how some restaurants get a word-of-mouth reputation for being celebrity hang-outs when my limited experience of celebrities suggests they eat out willy-nilly all over the place. Anyway, the day I was at Hamasaku for lunch it must have been No Celebrities Allowed Day which suited me fine. My fellow diners at the sushi bar were friendly in a quiet non-intrusive way and the whole atmosphere of the place (it was full not long after 12 o'clock) was of softly murmured conversation and dedicated and relaxed dining. Given the quality of the food and service I didn't find the restaurant inordinately expensive. In fact, I would say it's good value for money. Whatever, if you've never been you should head on over and treat yourself!

Unusual wraps in sesame, rice paper, etc. Excellent sushi presented in new ways. Seafood is their forte and it's fresh, flavorful and fine. Try their unfiltered sake, served cold in a carafe; it really packs a punch. Overall, an excellent experience for a pricey dinner. It was worth it!

Average sushi--maybe above average, but nothing special. Tasty dishes/rolls with trendy names. Poor service and service with a poor attitude (sam). She seemed irritated we wanted to keep the menu and order 2 or so dishes at a time. Had to flag down bus help to get menu, drink refills and server back to place additional sushi orders. Table next to us had the same thing from her. We watched as guests sat and waited to be seated at the empty tables. Casual and woody interior. Parking lot is easy or street parking. Not sure why it has all the 4-5 star reviews-- Nah, won't return.

This place gets a D+ from me. The food is really overpriced. No Bento boxes which is a quick lunch favorite for most. Sushi is average. Service is slow. Atmosphere is average. The parking is valet. It is conveniently located but really not worth the money. There are better sushi places near by.

Hamasaku is ensconced in a corner of an unassuming strip mall on Santa Monica Boulevard, but upon entering the charming restaurant space, it feels more like Tokyo than West L. A. We picked amongst favorite categories of dishes, to construct our preferred dinner, and with each course we got something far more complex and wonderful than anticipated. Spicy tuna over Crispy Rice offered contrasts of soft and crunchy, cold and warm— sublime. The warm tofu was served with sauces, seasonings, mushrooms, and fresh egg yolk— a delight. Grilled vegetables were presented like a perfectly charred salad, a very generous portion with intense, individual flavors. The Blondie roll combined our favorite crustaceans with favorite vegetables in a unique presentation. Same for the DJ Spider Roll, though with a few ingredient adjustments, the result was surprisingly different and also terrific. We could return numerous times, never having the same dishes, and be completely satisfied with each. The cozy dining room was quite lively, servers helpful, and tables were filled and refilled with appreciative patrons.

My wife and I came here for a dinner last Sunday evening, and we really enjoyed our meal. I'm a big sushi fan, and the sushi here was incredibly good. I've never been able to have some of the fishes that were available at this place before, and the prices were very reasonable for all the dishes we tried. I highly recommend!

So the first thing you have to get past is that this place is tucked into the corner of a strip mall...not what you conjure up when you think of a higher end sushi restaurant. The interior is as you would expect; clean, well lit (maybe too much) and functional. No frills but not low end. We arrived and were seated immediately by a very friendly hostess. It took a bit of time for our server to get to us so water, drink order etc. took about 10 minutes. The wine / saki list is pretty thin so if you are a connoisseur of such, this isn't your place. Maybe you can inquire about BYOB. The menu is diverse with a good cross-cut of raw and cooked items so those who are less than excited about sashimi/nigiri/rolls can find more than enough to satiate themselves. Everything we had was tasty and once the food started coming, the pace was a little fast for our liking - we should have asked to have it slowed down. Other than that, pretty good. We ordered the peppers as a starter. They were not as spicy as we had hoped and there was too much "sauce" on them. Not bad, just not wow! Some favourites...the albacore in fried onions, the crispy tuna rice - best we've had and the rock shrimp. We both felt that the nigiri was good but could have been cut a bit thinner to wrap over the rice a little more tightly. This place draws a very eclectic crowd...millennials in hoodies, rockers with tattoos, middle aged and older couples, you name it. So, understand that going in. If you are looking for a very good and dependable sushi joint, this is a good bet. If you want the wow experience with curb side appeal, then dining in a strip mall ain't it... This is a solid "neighbourhood" joint if you are in the area but not a place to "drive in" to from across town.

Out of this world! It is a smaller size restaurant so it is slightly loud but very cozy! The service is spectacular and the food is the best ever? I've seen stars there before. Slightly pricey but worth it!

Most people brag about "the beat sushi place ever" and it always turns out "OK" but not the best. This gem, tucked in a small strip mall in Santa Monica is off the hook. I would never have found it but for friend recommended to a friend who brought me here. The place is small and clean. The server recommended several dishes and was spot on. Food was served in sequence - not all at once. Very fresh and beautifully presented. Loved the "lawyer" and the hot sake. I cannot fathom how anyone would rate this place as poor or even average.

This hidden gem is a really special place. The location might confuse you but the place is really worth it. The quality of the fish is amazing. Between the Toro, Salmon and Yellowtail is really hard to choose. The unique rolls are also worth trying.

Great sushi with good wine choices. And service was amazing. Really deserves 4.5. Fun atmosphere. Creative sushi dishes. Small intimate setting.

fresh, clean and elegant. some of the best Japanese food I've eaten, and like that big Hollywood producer (who ultimately got the horse head in his bed) in the Godfather, I'VE EATEN EM ALL....!!! Go Omakase if you're wise - put yerself in the very capable hands of these master chets. Love this place - highly, highly recommended. T'Man '16

We have been going to this restaurant since its opening but no more. They remodled and doubled there prices example we had 6 pieces sashami salmon cost $60 we are gone

And I thought Hamasaku was very good. It’s in a very unassuming spot in a small strip center but I thought the omakase was very good, I really enjoyed it and would happily visit again.

We drove from eagle rock to this restaurant. Environment was neat and cosy. We ordered 2 set of sushi($65per set). Each set came with an appetizer, 14 different types of sushi, a miso soup and ice cream dessert. The sushi was excellent. The sushi rice was cooked just right. The sushi fish slices were fresh. We also ordered fatty tuna with caviar($45), 8 thin slices with “very stingy portion” of tuna. Tuna were marinated and the thin slice of tuna ruined the texture of the fish. The lobster avocado roll was fresh but taste too sour. The tempura prawns batter was disappointing. It came with small prawn balls with a thick batter. The batter was thick n not crispy enough. This restaurant pricing is more on the high side as compared to the value of the food.

I live across the street from Hamasaku and have been going for about a decade. I have been a regular through 3 remodels and at least 4 menu changes. It was probably my favorite LA sushi place from 2010 - 2012 and then its original owner departed and some of the sushi chefs and it got fairly mediocre. But in the last 2 years it has returned to its former greatness. I would recommend the sashimi plates, and the signature sushi rolls (some of them named after long time regular customers). Listen carefully to specials and always try whatever the sashimi special is. Last time it was a marvelous o toro with simple salt and lemon juice. Desserts are varied and usually excellent. It appears that the celebs are back based on my last Thursday night visit when I saw several well known young actresses. Hamasaku is expensive with valet parking in the ridiculous little strip mall that houses this powerhouse restaurant.

This place is expensive but I came here with a BBE so I was able to get 30% off and thank God I did. I honestly don't think I'll come back to eat here without a coupon bc it's just so expensive. However, everything I ate here was really good so I can't complain. I guess if you're eating a quality sushi restaurant, it's ok to charge such prices with small portions? Well, all in all, the food is good here. So if you're willing to spend a minimum of $100 per person here, then this place is for you! There's only valet parking in the parking lot here. Or you can park on the street.

This was a great place to eat. Not very crowded with great food albeit also quite pricey. The appetizers were great and the sushi rolls were not your garden variety types. For example, jalapeño and mangoes added to various rolls.

Overall I had a very good meal at lunch time , not your usual sushi place. Great service and fab waiter helping us making the right decision . Not cheap but I had , personally, a very good experiemce

The sushi was great. It was fresh and flavorful. It was nigiri at its best . No dance dishes, just excellent fish and attentive sushi chefs.

Perhaps difficult to find if you do not know that it is nestled in near a Coffee Bean which is on a corner, Santa Monica Blvd, #11043. Our waitress suggested that my husband try sushi which w/b/chosen by the chef, I had a baked lobster and shrimp dish. We had shrimp tempura, suggested by a friend and a lobster/shrimp-like shellfish I cannot remember the name of. Well everything was really divine. My dessert was mango pudding w/a coconut glaze and sorbet on top … OMGoodness delicious. Our waitress participated in helping us choose our food, it was an experience, not just dinner out … excellent, memorable!