Sean F.
Yelp
What else is there to say? It's KazuNori! I went to this spot at least once a week for two years when I lived in Marina del Rey. It is by the water in the beautiful new Boardwalk, right outside the window are incredible views of boats and sunsets, and fresh air coming off the ocean. As nice as it is from a location perspective, all that pales in comparison to the food.
This is a handroll only establishment. When I used to tell people that, they'd be skeptical. But every time I brought someone there, their mind was instantly put at ease. It doesn't matter which handroll you get, they're all amazing. My favorites are the Toro, Yellowtail, and Seabream, but honestly it's so difficult to choose because the Crab and Lobster rolls are equally as amazing. The moment you bite into a handroll, you can tell the fish is so fresh. It was probably swimming that morning! But on top of that, KazuNori nails the Japanese style rice, it's lightly warm, just a touch sour from rice wine vinegar, and just perfectly sized to fill out the seaweed crisp and balance out the fish.
From a service angle, KazuNori is top notch. It would be really easy for the staff to be short or curt with people, especially at a place that's so popular and typically has lines out the door most of the day, but they never are. They're friendly, accommodating, and always explaining the situation if people are getting frustrated. They do a good job of getting guests in and out to minimize wait times, but when you're dining there you never feel rushed. That's a hard balance to strike.
KazuNori is one of my favorite sushi spots in all of LA, and possibly the world.