50 Best Sushi Bars near South Pasadena

“Best sushi, ever! Style and quality is excellent!“

“Hot take: way better than Silverlake Ramen down the street. Better portions. Better food. They can easily accommodate my kid’s random eating habits and they have options outside of ramen for that one person in the group that just isn’t in the mood. Staff is nice and attentive without hovering. So happy they’re back open again. The remodel is great! No notes from a design point of view.

Vegetarian options: Vegetarian options and modifications.

Dietary restrictions: That same kid is a vegetarian and they have no issues augmenting things for her.

Parking: Parking is shared with the small shopping center. Plenty.

Kid-friendliness: We always have our kid with us when we eat here. It’s usually her idea.

Wheelchair accessibility: There’s a ramp into the sidewalk. The restaurant isn’t cramped. Plenty of room for a few wheelchairs in there simultaneously.“

“It was a great experience We took our dear granddaughter to celebrate her birthday !!!“

“Great food and I was shocked at the affordable prices. I got for for 4 people and it cost only a little above $50, which is insane in this day and era. The Tonkatsu Ramen really was delicious and my family went crazy for the Mushroom Curry.“

“Food is outstanding. Been a fan since the late 90's. Their Nabeyaki Udon is the best I have ever eaten. If you want it the way it is served in Japan, ask them to use a fresh, rather than hardboiled, egg. To go food can be frustrating. If they say 30 minutes, figure at least an hour.“

“My friend and I had an exquisite dining experience at Bar Sawa. Each course was prepared and presented to perfection. The place was a little tricky to find; there were no signs, and it was in the basement of a very unexpected building. You can also only get down there through the middle elevator! The instructions to get to the restaurant were emailed, but I didn't get to read it in time, so it was my fault. ? We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, ambiance and the entire experience. Highly recommend!“

“Omakase by Osen , a traditional Japanese dining experience where the chef selects the dishes for you, offers a truly unique and personalized approach to sushi and Japanese cuisine. This restaurant brings the authentic art of omakase to life, and it's clear that the chefs take immense pride in their craft.
From the moment you step inside, Omakase by Osen exudes a warm, minimalist ambiance with a modern twist. Soft lighting, wood accents, and clean lines create an inviting, intimate atmosphere that feels both high-end and welcoming. The staff are professional, attentive, and knowledgeable, with a deep understanding of the ingredients used. They are eager to explain each dish and offer pairing suggestions, which enhances the experience for diners unfamiliar with Japanese culinary traditions.
The food is, without a doubt, the star of the show. The menu reflect the freshest, in-season ingredients, and the chefs craft each dish with precision and care. The sushi is exceptional,each piece is an artful masterpiece. The fish is impeccably fresh, often sourced directly from top-tier fish markets, and the rice is perfectly seasoned. Highlights include buttery, melt-in-your-mouth toro, delicate sea bream, and rich uni. The accompanying garnishes and sauces are thoughtfully balanced, never overpowering the natural flavors of the seafood.
Highly recommended for anyone craving authentic Japanese cuisine.“

“Great food and great service“

“This little neighborhood gem is worth visiting! The sushi was elegantly presented and so flavorful. Even the sticky rice was so perfectly cooked and tender. Chef’s wife was very kind and took the time to explain the various specialty rolls. Stop thinking and just do it! You won’t regret it“

“amazing food, service and ambiance!“

“What a GREAT dinner! Met friends here on a late Friday night and they fit us in. The sushi was fresh and so tasty, definitely the best I’ve had in a LONG time. The drinks were amazing, try a version of their old fashioned but so many different drinks to choose from. Our server Christine was so attentive & sweet. We felt the service was 10/10! I recommend the wagyu dumplings and Geisha roll!“

“Anyone with a Shellfish Allergy who still loves sushi (Read This!)

My wife and I celebrated our 7yr at Sushi Takeda this last Friday. We made reservations for the Nigiri Omakase (this option had a disclaimer that they could accommodate for shellfish allergy online). I want to note that my allergy allows me to enjoy seafood while being around shellfish and really only triggers from cross contamination or consumption giving me a strong stomach discomfort and acid reflux.

Chef did a fantastic job providing me with the utmost care around my allergy. Washing hands, using a separate cutting board, cleaning knife, and even providing me with my own soy sauce and letting me know between servings which will pair to avoid cross contamination. There were substitutions made throughout, all were very enjoyable and equitable to the original course that my wife was having. I had 0 symptoms whatsoever!

The team at Sushi Takeda were all very kind and helpful throughout our dining experience. We were given a squid pairing with my glass of sake (very dry option) I had ordered which complemented each other very well, courtesy of the team at Sushi Takeda! My wife ordered a plum wine, her favorite, which if you are in the mood for something a little sweet and unique is a must-have.

Each piece of our course was intentional and handled with utmost care. Chef took the time to explain every serving throughout. The nigiri omakase was an exhibition of art and flavor with great variety and the freshest cuts of fish LA can offer!

PS. Chef was awesome for striking a pose with us in our couples pic! ?

Dietary restrictions: Shellfish Allergy accommodations for Nigiri Omakase:

“Chef did a fantastic job providing me with the utmost care around my allergy. Washing hands, using a separate cutting board, cleaning knife, and even providing me with my own soy sauce and letting me know between servings which will pair to avoid cross contamination. There were substitutions made throughout, all were very enjoyable and equitable to the original course that my wife was having. I had 0 symptoms whatsoever!”“

“I am Korean and have been to many sushi, tempura, and omakase restaurants in Sapporo.
It's good here. It's good, but it's really crappy. It's no exaggeration to say that it's salt sushi. When Koreans go, please ask for a little less seasoning. Otherwise, you'll feel like you're eating from a soy sauce container.
And it's so, so, so cold. I'm not a neta, but I go to Michelin and pay $500, so I can't help but wonder why I'm shivering from the cold. And when I hold the nigiri, I don't know if it's a habit, but every time I hold it, I take a small amount of rice... a little bit from the nigiri. It feels a bit like an amateur. The fact that there were a lot of tsumami made was enough to give that feeling.
And the chef speaks a little Korean.
This business could get better if they just don't use Chrome Hearts chopsticks and show a little more consideration for their customers. The food was good, and except for the saltiness, the sushi and neta were good.“

“Fantastic sushi experience! The fish was incredibly fresh, and the presentation was top-notch. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the ambiance made it perfect for both casual dining and special occasions. Highly recommend trying their specialty rolls and sashimi.“

“best japanese rich fllavors unique taste simple fresh and delish“

“The best sushi you can get in Los Angeles. It can easily hold its own against some of the best places in Japan. I love dining here and if you are fortunate enough to get a reservation I think you will have a great time. The food they make is certainly with a Japanese palette meaning that there are dishes presented here will not be all melt in your mouth fish that most Americans want. There will be a variety of tastes and textures. I love it, but I can see how some people may not love every dish.“

“I always love a great Teriyaki place and this is one! I tried the Bento Chicken Plate. Everything is so fresh and so delicious ? can't wait to come back here again. Excellent, Friendly customer service. Fair prices overall. Their catering items look amazing! Next Party, I know where to come and get some food!!

Parking: Usually no parking in front of establishment but you can find parking around the block near the houses. The closer to the street is paid parking, the further out it's free.“

“The fish is always very fresh and their pricing is great. I recommend the sushi lover!
Tony is very nice and always provides great customer service. I try to not use plastic and create trash, so I ask them to put my to-go orders in their paper containers (instead of the ones with plastic lids) and he always accommodates.
I recommend this place and like that they, overall, use less plastic than some other places (but would love to see them use even less).“

“The plant based kaiseki was amazing. Beautifully presented, deliciously seasoned, and well portioned. The hot pot was the biggest of all courses and it was so much food! The black sesame ice cream was surprisingly delicious.

Vegetarian options: The 7 course plant based kaiseki was amazing

Dietary restrictions: Dietary restrictions was the very first question asked!“

“I pop in here probably once a week sometimes twice for a glass of wine. The bartenders are very cheerful and informed with respect to varieties and flavors and all the jazz. They walk you through the options and make tip top recommendations. The place is always slammed at night, yet the manager is extremely accommodating and always finds a place for me to chill and savor the weekend ambiance. I’ve never had their food, but it looks delicious. All the servers are friendly and have excellent people skills. The outdoor space is a fun hang too if you have a group. I always feel spoiled here. 5 star experiences.“

“Great setting and great Sushi two thumbs up 👍🏽“

“The service, the food, the environment and the kindness and efficiency of our server tonight! 😋👍“

“I really enjoyed coming here for sushi, been to alot of places but this place is very surprising, don't be fool by th mail this place is extremely excellent.“

“The most professional and efficient Japanese restaurant I have ever been to. We sat down at 11:00am and our Sashimi platter came at 11:06am. The speed is just amazing. I can tell they put a lot of thought into their pricing. The Unagi Don is pretty price reasonable with $28. But the sashimi platter deluxe is very over priced considering only 5 piece of otoro and no Shrimp or Scallops were given. The rest of the fish like hamachi or spicy salmon are just cheap ingredients. But it is still a restaurant you should definitely try.
The server is super attentive and professional.“

“I came about 3 years ago …. the prices on the google map is wrong the prices went up over the years but always my favorite sushi’s spot to come to especially being close to my house Los Angeles in the hood is hard to find a sushi’s place thank god this one stay d around“

“My girlfriend and I recently visited Sushigah during a brief trip from San Diego, and we were thoroughly impressed. With high expectations for sushi, we found Sushigah to be exceptional. We began with a seaweed salad and Crispy Rice, followed by Salmon Sashimi, the Cucumber Special Roll, a Salmon Handroll, and a Spicy Salmon Roll.

Each dish was incredibly fresh and flavorful, with the salmon sashimi practically melting in our mouths. The temperature of the dishes was perfect, and the presentation was outstanding. Sushigah has definitely earned a spot as a must-visit destination for us whenever we're in Pasadena.“

“Exceptional food! Hamachi collar, red snapper soup! And sushi. Authentic; which is why it was so good!“

“Good restaurant, food and staff... really nice people and worth making a visit.“

“The building and location are a little sketchy, but everything else is excellent. Small, very intimate atmosphere. Not much privacy. Menu options are simple. Food is fresh and worth the price. Even the sides, like house salad, miso soup, and hot sake, are quality.“

“I came into Yuki Sushi in the Sheraton wanting Lychee Martini’s for a group of friends. Sean- the bartender- went to the hotel pantry and Googled a recipe to make us a round of Lychee Martini’s that were not on the menu. I applaud this outstanding customer service, and Sean for his initiative and time to do this for us. I am so impressed by the service at this hotel and we thank you Sean!!“

“4.5 ⭐️s for overall experience! My friend, her kids, and I enjoyed our meal in mostly every way - flavors, service, and cleanliness. The house salad was healthy (not just iceberg lettuce) and had a generous portion for one person. My friend said it was super delicious - Sunset roll, blue crab roll, and miso black cod were on point flavor wise. Only negatives were that the seaweed was a bit chewy (not super tough though) and the soup slightly salty. The staff was kind, friendly, attentive, and patient - hard to come by these days. Prices are reasonable and I plan to come back. Parking is tougher at times in this plaza, but at some point, you'll find a spot.“

“Came here with high hopes and was not disappointed. Had to ask for the omakase since it was not on the menu. There's the 100$ level and the boss level for 150$. I honestly dont know what the difference was even though the very nice wait staff tried to explain it to me. It was just a bunch of japanese words lol. Anyhow I went yolo and got the boss level and it was the best 150 i spent that day. Every dish was mostly perfect except for the dessert. They need to up their dessert game.“

“We really enjoyed our dining experience at Kenbey. The sushi is fresh and you can tell the chef cares about each piece he serves. I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because of 3 things. The first is that I didn’t like the sauce that came on the hirame and the sauce on the albacore with the slice of garlic. Second, we tried the Hokkaido uni, it was a very dark orange (so not the freshest - we should have gone with the Santa Barbara uni) and so bland and flavorless. Third, for the prices they could add some decoration.
I would still recommend trying Kenbey. The service was excellent and overall pretty good!“

“One of the best omakase experience i’ve had.

There were so many dishes that came out that I started to get full. Love it!

The service was very attentive. The fish quality was great and there were some unique options i’ve never had before. My favs were the ankimo, seared baby barracuda, spotted ebi, and uni. The espresso hojicha dessert was absolutely amazing as well.“

“Our meal was delicious and the service was amazing“

“If you are in the San Gabriel Valley area you must stop here if you want amazing Sashimi. Started with fatty Tuna that melted in my mouth so fresh delicious then moved on to giant Clams (Mirugai) it was sweet & crunchy I could have gone for second order not many sushi restaurants have (Mirugai)The fatty belly Salmon was buttery & the spicy Tuna hand roll sashimi was perfect coz I’m a spicy food addict it was just heavenly for me. Yum yum 🤤 ended with Kumamoto Oyster 🦪 it was so sweet like cotton candy in your mouth made me wanting more which I did order more. Lol 😂 The house hot Sake was good for a cold night paired so well with my amazing Sashimi! Great way to end my Friday night here! Thank you Chef!“

“Budonoki is a very special place. Food is innovative and exceptionally delicious. Wide assortment of flavors, ingredients and textures. We tried an assortment of plates and all were delicious. Excellent service. A warm and inviting environment where guests are treated like family.“

“AAAAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++ Plus First time and will definitely come back“

“Delicious and freshly prepared food 🥘“

“Great setting and great Sushi two thumbs up 👍🏽“

“Amazing!! Always such a special time here. Great service, everyone is so nice and the food is divine. Also had the dessert for my first time and might have been my favorite thing on the menu. It was a croissant pudding dish. So excited to be back soon!“

“Best sushi in LA! Everything melted in your mouth! The fish is fresh, the price is affordable, and the service is great! It looks like a hole in the wall - but wow :)) We eat there once a week and love it! Drove all the way from Studio City to have dinner there - 2 hours each way in traffic - so that's obviously what it says :)) Haha Just love it!“

“This quaint amazing Japanese restaurant is a hidden gem in Boyle Heights. Very friendly staff and great food. They also let me order 10 minutes before closing. The only, minor, complaints are that there is very limited seating, they have a limited menu and they operate limited hours.“

“Tozai Foods Market is where we go to buy authentic Japanese food and supplies to make certain Japanese dishes. They have a cooked food section that has bento boxes for a quick tasty meal and fresh sushi and sashimi. We also can order sushi platters for special occasions. Amazing service too!“

“Food Delicious Service excellent ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Once a year, I’m in town just down the street for a convention. A couple of years ago I found this place and I always… Always come back when I’m nearby. Quality of food, service, and atmosphere is second to none. The lunch specials are reasonably priced, and the hand rolls are super and perfectly made. I highly recommend this small gem!

Insider tip…
Don’t bother trying to park on the street, there is free parking behind the building.

Parking: There’s a large parking lot behind the row of buildings.“

“I really enjoyed my meal here. Sushi was really delicious. I highly recommend this plate. Super great. I will come back again here for sure. The jasmine peach green tea is just perfect. I was really satisfied. There was enough tables available to eat and dine in. There is plenty of parking to park your car too.“

“The service was professional and great. The staff are very friendly. Covid protocols are adhered to at the door. Temperature checks are required prior to entering the dining area. The food is excellent. If you love sashimi and sushi then you must visit.“

“This place was amazing. My husband and I have been looking for a new sushi spot for a while. It was delicious. I'm vegetarian and was worried they would have nothing for me. I had the garlic edimami veggie roll and vegetable tempura. Delicious. My husband had the baked salmon roll and baked lobster roll. He can't stop talking about it. To top it off the menus had scripture on them. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13 ... Love it!!!“

“I like this place. Premium rolls are delicious!!!!“