"Prioritize this Santa Monica Japanese restaurant when your dinner calls for incredible sushi in a fun room. Chef Shunji himself runs his omakase like a two-hour standup set. The meal starts with a few seasonal small dishes, but the pyrotechnics really kick off when the parade of nigiri starts. Not only will you get some of the city’s best sushi—from aged marinated tuna to subtly seared seaperch—you’ll make small talk with a guy who knows how to lighten the mood of a very-serious-omakase-experience." - brant cox, cathy park, sylvio martins