Azai Hand Roll Sushi

Azai Hand Roll Sushi delivers a high-quality food and impressively fast service. The hand rolls are fresh, flavorful, and prepared with speed—perfect for a quick yet satisfying meal. The crispy rice with tuna is especially good—not greasy at all—and the nigiri selections were fresh and well-prepared. Service is efficient, with food arriving almost immediately after ordering, which makes the whole experience seamless and enjoyable. The manager seems a bit tense but staff are professional. They charge a 16% service fee, and tipping is separate. This is a bit weird and confusing, given that a lot of handroll restaurants receive services fees “instead” of tips. But Azai seems to indicate that tipping is separate? I was willing to pay because I liked their food. The only downside is the parking situation—street parking is very limited, and valet service is available but pricey at $20. Still, if you’re looking for great sushi and a fast, professional dining experience, Azai is absolutely worth a visit.

I would be giving you a disservice if I wasn’t honest about this. It’s not five stars. Sometimes when a business has only five star reviews (which we all trust it) just turns out to be great facade. I got sushi here a long time ago, and it always bothered me that I never left a true review. My sister just flew in from the East Coast and I wanted to take her to the best sushi restaurant in Los Angeles. This is not it. It was a bad experience and a total regret that this is where I took her to. It’s also not like normal sushi place - it’s hand rolls only and counter service only. It’s not great, but it also works if you just want something quick and on the go. Definitely not for anything special.

Based on the excellent reviews, we decided to try Azai Hand Roll Sushi. I really wanted to love this place—after all, with so many high ratings, it had to be great, right? To our surprise, the sushi was very bland and underwhelming. About a week later, a friend of mine mentioned he'd found a sushi spot with great reviews. It turned out he was talking about Azai. I warned him about our experience, but he had already made plans to go with a group of friends. He called me afterward, telling me how disappointed they all were and how surprised they were by the high Google reviews. That said, the staff were extremely nice and friendly, and the space itself was simple, very clean, and pleasant.

This is one of my new favorite sushi spots and I can't wait to return! I stopped by in the afternoon and enjoyed the restaurant to myself for the first half hour or so until a few more people came in. Adam (I believe he is a co-owner) was present along with the chef preparing my food. Adam was an incredible host, chatting and sharing his story and making sure everything was up to par and always checking in with me. I ordered quite a variety of items because I was enjoying everything so much, even after I was full I just had to order a few more items to try! Below is my food review but the restaurant itself is simple, aesthetic, and cozy. It's only sushi bar seating so I can imagine there can be a wait during busy hours. Across the board, the sushi rice was on point and the nori was so crispy each and every time, I loved biting into each hand roll and getting that crispy response. I started off with the cucumber salad, a big portion with slightly sweet and crispy cucumbers off-set by the savory and salty seasoning. Next up was the lobster crispy rice, something I haven't seen elsewhere and really enjoyed it here! First nigiri included the Blue fin and Yellowtail belly. Holy hell these were sublime. Both thick cut and so fatty and just melted in your mouth with the best freshest flavors. Spicy tuna cucumber hand roll was slightly spicy, creamy, and delicious. The Blue crab hand roll was meaty, the crab was so sweet, and it was one of the best crab rolls I've had. Salmon hand roll had a good bite and the salmon was amazing while the Bay scallop had the bolder flavor with a good kick as well. The Eel was outstanding, crispy and fatty with slightly sweet thick eel sauce. The salmon nigiri was amazing, again thick cut and buttery smooth with another order of that to-die-for Yellowtail belly. The yellowtail hand roll was one of my favorites and the lobster hand roll was firm and sweet. I couldn't have asked for a better first experience and will definitely be back!

Super cute intimate spot. I've been here a couple times and the ingredients are always super fresh. The seats are all counter seating and you get served your rolls the moment they're made so the nori is super crispy. Parking is a little hard though (there's metered street parking, usually pretty full) so be sure to allot some time for that.

Hands down the best sushi I’ve ever had! The service was exceptional, and the quality of the fish was absolutely outstanding. Every bite was fresh and flavorful—an unforgettable experience.

Had a delicious lunch here. The fish in the hand rolls were super fresh & the owner was also super friendly. Highly recommend the salmon hand rolls & crispy rice spicy tuna

The handrolls are super delicious! Best sushi in town - had to come back two nights in a row! Owners and staff super friendly, nice atmosphere! Very cute place :)

This hand roll sushi bar is by far the best sushi in the area! The quality is consistently amazing, and every visit (and every order) is just as delicious as the last. The fish is always fresh, the rice is perfectly seasoned, and the hand rolls are assembled with such care and precision. I would recommend this place over and over again. If you're looking for the best sushi in the area, look no further--you've found it!

Rolls were teeny tiny Did not enjoy one of the varied types we ordered Soggy Tasteless Rice meh Would never go here again!!!!

One of the most awkward dining experiences of my adult life (it wasn't awful, just really awkward). Before the awkward details, I just want to emphasize that the food was pretty great. Bay scallop hand roll was my absolute favorite! Salmon nigiri was flavorful and fresh. Yellowtail hand roll had good flavor but was too salty. Spicy tuna crispy rice had a good flavor, but the texture of the rice was off. My friend agrees the rice was not right. My friend and I were the only customers at 7 pm on a Wednesday (admittedly not such a popular time to eat but other restaurants down the block were packed). A small section of the bar was marked as "reserved," but no one ever came to occupy that space. My mom and brother noticed the same thing when they visited later. We were alone the entire time. We were drawn in by the 20 pcs for $21 cut roll deal, but upon asking about it, we were told that it's just for takeout or delivery. Also, most of the rolls they offer for this deal cost an extra +$1 or +$2 anyway. The quiet pop music was the only ambient sound at the otherwise silent bar. This made it difficult to have a conversation without feeling like we were whispering, or talking so loud that all the staff could hear us. The server at the front had a hard time balancing the line between appropriately attentive and personable and overly attentive to the point of being annoying or even uncomfortable. Most of the time he was on his phone but every few minutes he would look up at us and ask how the food is, if we needed anything, or even if we were ready for the next roll. When we actually needed him, however, perhaps to order another roll or to ask for the check, he was no where to be seen. I felt uncomfortable with a few of his interactions. He asked if we wanted water and I said yes I'll have a glass (because other kinds of water would add an additional charge). He tried to make a joke by handing me an empty glass. When my mom and brother went back later, he did the same joke. Perhaps this joke kills when the place is a bit busier, but when the bar was as empty as it was, it was just a bit awkward. I probably won't be back for dine-in but maybe for take out

Ordered ubereats from here and I really liked this spot for food delivery. I ordered the salmon, toro, yellowtail, scallop, and spicy tuna, and everything was pretty good. They are smaller rolls, but it was fairly priced based on size. The scallops were surprisingly my favorite, along with spicy tuna and salmon. I normally don't care for scallops, but they were good and creamy. I paid an extra +$2 for the yellowtail, and although the variety was nice, it wasn't worth the added price.

Ordered salmon nigiri , yellowtail hand roll, yellowtail sashimi Shrimp tempura special roll , tuna hand roll, spicy tuna hand roll, seared bluefin special. Place is small , staff is friendly. We thought the food was delicious. The nori was even good. Fish is very fresh. A very good spot.

This place was already packed by 6pm on New Year's Day when I decided to check it out for dinner. I had a reservation but didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes to be seated. The seating is Japanese style counter service. They seemed very understaffed here. The hand rolls took a really long time to make because there were only 2 people preparing food, but so many people dining at the restaurant. The host was a really nice guy, but they're just understaffed. The spicy tuna on crispy rice wasn't good at all. The rice cakes I ordered were slightly burnt/overcooked and hard to chew. I thought the hand rolls were good but nothing special. The waiting time for those rolls just wasn't worth it to me. I think the hand rolls at Kazunori and Yunomi are way better, and I'd rather stick to either of those spots if I'm in the mood for hand rolls.

Great little spot. All of the great reviews are well deserved. I will definitely be back when I'm in the area.

Pretty good but could've been more generous with the portions for the prices they were asking. Was surprised the spicy tuna crispy rice was their top menu item, it was honestly mid. Best thing we ordered was the specialty baked crab handroll and yellowtail nigiri.

I would love to give them another star, but after my second visit, it's wasn't the same as my first visit here. This time around, I brought off my friends here. I hoped they enjoyed it, but for me, it wasn't the same quality of hand rolls that was served like the first time here. The fish wasn't bad or anything. The quality was great, like the first time here. It was how the hand rolls were made, but I'm not going to blame the chef making these hand rolls. I blame the owner for not giving him help. This place was crowded during today's lunch visit. The chef was doing everything. He was making togo orders while serving 12 hungry people. So everything was rushed. Most of my hand rolls were half filled and made messy. Same with my friends hand rolls. Here are some of the hand rolls I recommend: Tuna HR Yellowtail HR Lobster HR Blue Crab HR Shitake HR Spicy Tuna HR Overall, I hope the owner or owners will get this chef some help, or the quality will go down.

Sushi-ously, this place is amazing! Recently dined at Azai Hand Roll for girl's night and had an absolutely fantastic experience. Here's what we tried: -Yellowtail jalapeno yuzu sashimi -Albacore crispy onions sashimi -Shrimp tempura avocado cut rolls -Crispy rice lobster -Azai special (spicy tuna) -Blue crab hand roll -Lobster hand roll -Mochi (mango, vanilla, and green tea) The standout dish for me was definitely the albacore crispy onions sashimi. It was SO fresh, and I loved the combination of the tender fish with the crunchy onions! Now, I'm not usually a fan of crispy rice, but their lobster crispy rice may have changed my mind - it was that good! The mochi was another highlight. While many comprable places offer mochi as a dessert, the skin here was exceptionally chewy with great consistency, and the flavors were great. In terms of service, the employees were so friendly and attentive. Despite the active flow of customers, they consistently checked on us, making it almost feel like a private dining experience. They even noticed when we were slowing down and offered to pace the food more slowly, which was such a thoughtful touch. Parking was convenient with valet available on the main 3rd street, and there are several meter parking spots, though they can be hit or miss. General street parking is very limited. Overall, I highly recommend Azai Hand Roll for a nice meal out! The food, service, and atmosphere all contribute to a wonderful dining experience.

The food here is amazing and consistent the fish is always fresh and I have come 3 times and have walked away super happy. The service is great I highly recommend this place for dime in I would say it's probably great for take out.

My wife, daughter and I went here for a midweek dinner. We made a reservation, and the restaurant was pretty crowded. The seating is kind of weird where you are setting low with a wall in front of you. I didn't like the wall being in front blocking the view of the chef. We had the Edamame, Sashimi Yellowtail, AZAI Special Spicy Tuna and the Blue Crab. The food was very good and we had a good time. Thanks

Beautiful, cozy place with amazing, fresh food. Service is quick and the staff is very welcoming.

Such a great hole in the wall! I was so happy to try this new spot (new to me). Their fish is fresh and the staff is super friendly. I would say the quality is better than Kazu Nori, but the prices are higher. Parking is a nightmare as they only have street meters.

This place is cool! Went for a first date. It's a bit quiet for that specific vibe, but once we started talking so did everyone else it seemed. There really is only the main center bar, so if you don't have a reservation you may have trouble, though we walked in at 7:15pm on a Friday and were fine... Just be wary! Food is delicious all around. Had the yellowtail sashimi, crispy rice tuna, shrimp tempura, and baked salmon rolls. All were flavorful and the rice was warm. I wish the price had been a bit lower. I think you can find equally good sushi at a better price point close by. All that said, good restaurant and I would happily return on a paycheck week!

Simply Perfect!!!! Delicious salmon, spicy scallops hand rolled was to die for. Crispy rice was delicious! Great customer service, Adam was very helpful and made our first time experience very pleasant. Great vibes, clean and definitely an instagram place to go! I will definitely go back!

Food: 4/5 Handrolls tasted great but it didn't stand out to me. The fish was definitely fresh but for the price, I think you might find better options such as kazunori. Service: 4/5 There was great service but as a person that enjoys being more left alone when eating, I was a little uncomfortable with how often they checked up on us. It's very strong hospitality but if that's not your cup of tea, then I'd make note of this! Ambiance: 3/5 Nothing special! A nice and simple place.

The fish was soooo fresh and the food was absolutely amazing! Best hand roll I've ever had! Service was outstanding!

@azaihandroll is on a ROLL to becoming one of the hottest new sushi handroll spots in LA! In a sea of sushi restaurants in LA, Azai stands out to me with the freshness and quality of their fish, and I love how it's consistent no matter what type of fish you order. They specialize in sashimi dishes, crispy rice, sushi rolls, and hand rolls, all of which are fairly priced especially for the quality you receive. The chefs were very meticulous and care a lot about their handwork, and they make sure to interact with you to introduce the dishes and ask for feedback. My must order dishes are the yuzu jalapeno yellowtail, yellowtail handroll, lobster handroll and shrimp tempura avocado roll. Make sure to check them out if you're in the area, and support a small, hidden gem!

This place is a must go to for hand rolls (and honestly, anything else) Cozy little spot near the grove. Quiet and private feeling. The food is incredible -- we thoroughly enjoyed everything we got from the sashimi to the hand rolls to the nigiri to the cut rolls, but my favorite by far was the yellowtail sashimi sampler. I could've eaten three plates of that on my own. Service is incredibly kind, prompt, and attentive. I'll be back with friends who love sushi, this is my new recommendation to everyone!

These hand rolls were STUFFED. I thought we would be able to try more but after some apps, three was enough (and I mean that in a good way). We tried with the yellowtail jalapeño yuzu sashimi from the specials menu and this was a delicately refreshing way to start our meal. Next, we ordered the spicy tuna and it was my mom's first time trying it, and she loved it. We tried a few of the nigiris before the real deal which came beautifully presented on a wooden platter. There was salmon, bluefin tuna, albacore, yellowtail belly, and a cucumber roll. These were solid but not the star of the show. Now, what we came here for. If there's one hand roll you have to order, it's the bay scallop. It's tender and comes in a creamy mentaiko sauce, which I'm biased about because spicy cod roe is one of my favorites. I also enjoyed the lobster and blue crab hand rolls which use quality ingredients. We ended our meal with some miso soup, which was surprisingly really good. I feel like most places neglect miso soup and use some pre-made mix but this seemed homemade. I can't forget about dessert which was vanilla and chocolate mochi ice cream. It's an intimate experience since there's only bar seating so just know that you'll be getting your food served directly in front of you since it's made right then and there. The workers were really kind to us and checked in every so often to ensure we were enjoying our meal.

This is one of my new favorite sushi spots and I can't wait to return! I stopped by in the afternoon and enjoyed the restaurant to myself for the first half hour or so until a few more people came in. Adam (I believe he is a co-owner) was present along with the chef preparing my food. Adam was an incredible host, chatting and sharing his story and making sure everything was up to par and always checking in with me. I ordered quite a variety of items because I was enjoying everything so much, even after I was full I just had to order a few more items to try! Below is my food review but the restaurant itself is simple, aesthetic, and cozy. It's only sushi bar seating so I can imagine there can be a wait during busy hours. Across the board, the sushi rice was on point and the nori was so crispy each and every time, I loved biting into each hand roll and getting that crispy response. I started off with the cucumber salad, a big portion with slightly sweet and crispy cucumbers off-set by the savory and salty seasoning. Next up was the lobster crispy rice, something I haven't seen elsewhere and really enjoyed it here! First nigiri included the Blue fin and Yellowtail belly. Holy hell these were sublime. Both thick cut and so fatty and just melted in your mouth with the best freshest flavors. Spicy tuna cucumber hand roll was slightly spicy, creamy, and delicious. The Blue crab hand roll was meaty, the crab was so sweet, and it was one of the best crab rolls I've had. Salmon hand roll had a good bite and the salmon was amazing while the Bay scallop had the bolder flavor with a good kick as well. The Eel was outstanding, crispy and fatty with slightly sweet thick eel sauce. The salmon nigiri was amazing, again thick cut and buttery smooth with another order of that to-die-for Yellowtail belly. The yellowtail hand roll was one of my favorites and the lobster hand roll was firm and sweet. I couldn't have asked for a better first experience and will definitely be back!

This place is wonderful! Perfectly located and impeccably clean. We had an amazing dining experience. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, adding to the overall charm. I felt like I'm back in Kyoto again. The fish is very fresh! I've tried countless sushi spots in LA, and this one undeniably takes the cake. It's a must-visit for any sushi enthusiast!

Fresh sushi and watm rice. The handrolls were pretty standard for LA but my favorite item was the yellowtail with jalapeno sashimi. Decent service but not really that great considering there were only 3 people in the restaurant.

The food was really good and tasty The service was good all the staff was very nice and friendly, also very helpful to make me understand the differences between each choices Super intimate vibe, I'll be back for sure

Wow wow wow. Fresh fish, incredible service, and overall perfect experience. I loved every hand roll I ordered. If I had to rank them I'd say the Blue Crab hand roll was my favorite. Followed by the Yellowtail hand roll (contains yuzu- my favorite) and the bay scallop roll. ALL amazing. I also ordered the spicy tuna crispy rice which was just... chefs kiss. I cannot express enough how impressed am- and they just opened!! One of the owners, Adam, checked in with us throughout our meal to make sure everything was going well and recommended some of his faves to us. Super nice guy. We felt so taken care Of and will 1000% be returning as regulars. Thanks to the two chefs that served us our rolls as well!! Get here while you still can get a reservation, I have a feeling this place is going to take off very quickly.

It took us way too long to come here! Everything we ordered was delicious. My favorite was the salmon hand roll, crispy rice spicy tuna (rice could have been a bit crispier), and the albacore crispy onions sashimi. Highly recommend this place for a date night or even alone!

quality "to-go" sushi - x24 piece cut roll for $24 Cucumber, Spicy Tuna, Salmon, California, Blue Crab in Soy Paper & Bay Scalop

Delicious food and AMAZING service. The scallop hand roll (not pictured) because I scarfed it down so fast, it was the best scallop hand roll I've had. All the food was 10/10, fresh and quick. It was our first time and we will 100% be back. The staff was sooooo nice, they timed each course perfectly, and the total was not bad at all for quality sushi. Full, satisfied, and didn't break the bank. Nothing else I could ask for. Would definitely recommend!

I like the concept. Sushi was decent but not amazing. Some of the pieces had various sizes of fish in the same roll, plus the rolls were falling apart. Spicy tuna on crispy rice - is really small pieces. No real stand out sushi. Sugar fish is definitely superior. Can't imagine ordering from here again.

Visited this place today and it's very delicious. We stoped by Randomly just want to grab a quick lunch, the fish here are so fresh and delicious, and they have the best crispy rice with tuna ever! The rice is crispy and the tuna is creamy and fresh. Love it. I m so happy that we stopped by and enjoyed everything here. Will definitely come back for more soon again.

Dining here is amazing!!! From the rice to the fish & the seaweed.. OMG!!! No matter is the hand roll or the sushi is amazingly FRESH! No to mention the atmosphere & services is phenomenal. You have to try it out! Don't miss this small place!

this place was amazing! all of the food was amazing, my favorites were the crab hand roll (dare i saw better than kazunori) and the eel nigiri. everything i had was high quality and prepared properly. i also loved the bar seating it really added to the experience. would come again :)

Fantastic place, highly recommended. Family of four including two teens and the food was both delicious and highly approachable to picky eaters. Tons of attention to detail on the basics--yellowtail nigiri was the highlight, but all the hand rolls were delicious as well. Two of their signature items stood out: a plate of yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño and a bright yuzu sauce that elevated the dish. And: the crispy rice spicy tuna nigiri-style was just GREAT. Somehow the bit of crisp rice just balances the spicy-sweet notes in the dish perfectly. Staff were attentive and made us feel quite welcome. All recommendations were spot on and you could have a great meal simply by following their advice--it's a small menu and they know it well.

Absolutely DELICIOUS! Forgot to take a photo because the rolls were exquisite. Here is the after math.

Great sushi hand roll spot located in West Hollywood LA. Fish was fresh and food came out so fast. Must try spot if you are ever in LA!

I had to leave another review because I feel like their food is EVEN better if that's possible! Crazy about their spicy tuna and crab roll more than ever. And clearly I'm a fan of the melt in you mouth yellowtail. The restaurant is clean and spotless and the service is quick!

Cute Handroll place right next to the grove! The place is not crowded or loud so it can fit any occasion-- date night, quick eats, or solo dining! Food was good for the price, crisp nori with warm rice inside! The service was quick and they made everything for you on the spot! Would come back to try their special menu:)

This place is crazy good. Everything I had was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I forgot to take a picture of the salmon nigiri and the spicy tuna hand roll because I ate them too quickly- but I'm only in LA for a couple days and I might come back tomorrow. It was that good! On top of that, Adam was amazing and very attentive. If you haven't tried here yet--you're missing out!

Just valet, it's W 3rd lol. Walked past here a few weeks ago decided to stop into day. First off, great music loud enough to enjoy low enough to chit chat. Service was great, everyone was very an attentive to everyone in the establishment. I didn't eat much but what I did I enjoyed. Def recommend trying out!

Such a cute place to have a yummy sushi lunch/dinner. Everything is sushi bar seating, so it's fun to get your sushi handed right to you. Hand rolls, nigiri, miso soup, and sashimi were all delicious. My favorite was the yellow tail belly, super soft and melts in your mouth. I brought a friend and had the best time but you can totally eat here solo as well. Super chill fun vibes!

Came across this restaurant when at the Grove. It's a 5 minute walk away. Excellent food and service!

This new sushi and hand roll spot is definitely my new favorite. The sashimi literally melts in your mouth. I would recommend getting their daily specials and sushi. Their yellow tail jalapeño yuzu sashimi was spicy and so good! For sure also the lobster crispy rice was my second favorite. For the hand roll I would say go for the spicy tuna or blue crab. Attentive service but there is limited seating so expect a little wait but usually not too long. There's street meter parking.

Fresh and quick service! Highly recommended! The hand roll was so good thank you Adam

Delicious! Food was fresh and tasty. Service was terrific. Reasonable priced. We will definitely be back!

Awesome spot! We stopped for lunch and it was delish! Probably the best yellowtail I've had. Will be coming back.

This place is great and super accommodating! Very tasty and prices aren't bad! Ambiance is cute and the chairs are comfortable. Will be back!

TASTY! the quality of the food was 10/10. The ambiance was extremely intimate and we really enjoyed it. The service was amazing! Highly recommend

Ambiance and music was soothing. Service was awesome Adam checked in often, and the sushi was soft and really fresh!! TySM