Hamasaku
Sushi restaurant · Westwood ·
Celebrity-named rolls & omakase by chef Yoya Takahashi.
Celebrity-named rolls & omakase by chef Yoya Takahashi.
"From the outside, Hamasaku looks like one of those uniquely-LA strip mall sushi joints, but inside feels like you might actually be in Japan, not next to a Coffee Bean. And with their $55 omakase, you get a pretty high-quality product for a very decent price. On top of all the sushi (including less-common options like cuttlefish and sardine), you get miso soup, egg custard, and dessert as part of the deal. The fish is fresh, the crowd is Westside low-key, and you’ll leave full." - Jess Basser Sanders
"Hamasaku is not at all a scene, unless Westside families with children named Bear and Cecile are your idea of a scene. But on a Wednesday night when everyone’s finally available and you were supposed to make the reservation a week ago, Hamasaku is a lifeline to a still- excellent dinner. Sushi is obviously a prime girls’ night food group, but there are also hot things for that one annoying friend who still thinks raw fish is icky." - jess basser sanders, amy clark, brant cox
"In LA we usually try to avoid restaurants in characterless strip malls, but once in a while, a place like this pops up and forces you to make an exception. This is not your typical LA hole-in-the-wall Sushi joint. Decorated with a clean, modern, Zen sensibility, this more upscale dining option is where you go when you want to make Sushi more of an event. The menu is loaded with innovative and elegant takes on all your favorite Sushi fare as well as a great selection of small plates and hot food. If you’re in the mood to splurge, try their Omakase, which means you leave it up to the chef to create a delightful seven course adventure." - Clever Creative
"A strip mall sushi joint probably doesn’t seem like the best place for a fancy work dinner, but Hamasaku is nothing like most strip mall sushi joints. For one, it’s filled with Westside-dwelling talent agency people, and for another, they have an actual interior design theme beyond putting chairs in a room. The Japanese food here is great and caters to all tastes - there’s a reasonably priced omakase, as well as everything from loaded-up sushi rolls and tempura to spicy tuna crispy rice and grilled things on sticks. Come here for a dinner that needs to be fun but, you know, work fun." - jess basser sanders, amy clark, brant cox
"Hamasaku might be in a strip mall on Santa Monica Boulevard, but this is basically Brentwood, so this ain’t no hole-in-the-wall. But luckily, just because it’s a little bit fancy in here doesn’t mean you’re paying crazy prices for your sushi. The omakase is $55, very generous (with miso soup, egg custard, and dessert included), and they throw in interesting options like cuttlefish. Also the chances of seeing Robert Pattinson are about 2:1, so have your Team Edward shirt ready to go." - jess basser sanders