King's Burgers and Got Sushi

"Just when you think you have LA figured out, remember that there’s a sushi bar inside a fast-food burger joint in Northridge, and it serves some incredible raw fish. Right next door to the CSUN campus, Got Sushi? is a journey everyone should make, solely to realize that it doesn’t take hundreds of dollars or a prime spot on La Cienega to get first-rate sushi. There’s no omakase here, but the menu is large and full of every sashimi plate, cut roll, and daily sushi special you want. Our usual move is to sit at the bar and let the chefs pick their favorite cuts for us." - brant cox, sylvio martins

"As a general rule, sushi joints attached to fast food burger chains should probably be avoided. Unless that place is Got Sushi? in Northridge. Located across from the CSUN campus, this magic little place has been a secret among students for a while, but the sushi and the overall experience here make it worth a visit. Order the salmon belly with caviar, the rice-less Alex Roll with snow crab and roe, and anything the chef tells you to get off the daily sushi menu." - jess basser sanders, brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder

"The two-in-one fast food joint is among the most undervalued inventions of the 20th century. Not only do you get to eat your Taco Bell, but you and your abandoned soul also have the option of KFC or even the pant disaster that is the cheesy crust pizza from Pizza Hut. As essential to the complete human experience as these places are, they pale in comparison to the greatest two-in-one restaurant combination in Los Angeles: King’s Burger / Got Sushi? in Northridge. Located on Reseda Blvd. near CSUN’s campus, this space used to be a Carl’s Jr. - before it was turned into what it was always supposed to be: an order-at-the-counter burger joint with a sushi bar inside of it. If this sounds like a bad round of Mad Libs to you, you’re not alone. But King’s Burger / Got Sushi? works because the setup, while strange, is actually pretty comfortable. You have the front register where you order the burgers, the sushi bar to the left, and the casual dining room beyond that. Sushi ordering and eating can be done either at the bar or in the dining room, where a full waitstaff and the burger crowd awaits. Sure, eating salmon carpaccio next to a mildly inebriated 19-year-old housing a pastrami burger isn’t exactly how you thought lunch was going to look today, but that’s the allure of this place. More importantly, the sushi you’re eating is fantastic. We aren’t going to pretend to know how a sushi bar attached to a grill full of greasy burgers serves raw fish that actually tastes great, but Got Sushi does. The menu is large, but whether you’re ordering a sashimi plate, a cut roll, or a piece of special fish the chef recommends that day, it’s going to be great. The salmon belly with caviar and onions is one of the best pieces of sushi we’ve eaten this year and the rice-less Alex roll (snow crab wrapped in salmon) will make even your one friend who likes to remind you of their trip to Japan three years ago nod in approval. The albacore shitake with a garlic truffle vinaigrette is rich and hearty and about as close as you get to fresh fish tasting like steak. As far as the burgers go, you’ll get exactly what you want: big, hangover-curing ones that taste good because you’re hungover and probably a CSUN student whose metabolism hasn’t betrayed you yet. But at the end of the day, the only real reason you need to be at this establishment is the sushi. And it’s a very good reason. Your abandoned soul thanks you." - Brant Cox

"This two-for-one spot in Northridge has always been at the forefront of innovation (killer sushi and burgers fit for a king, all on the same menu?), so of course they’ve also perfected the art of the curbside service. When placing your order online, just leave your license plate number in the “Special Instructions” box, then give them a ring - (818) 885-6456 - when you’re parked outside. Picking up salmon belly nigiri, handrolls, and pastrami burgers has never been so easy. Seriously, give these people a MacArthur Grant or something already." - kat hong, brett keating

"There’s a sushi bar inside a fast-food burger spot in Northridge, and it’s absolutely incredible. Whether you live in the area or not, Got Sushi? is a pilgrimage every self-proclaimed sushi enthusiast should make, solely to realize that it doesn’t take hundreds of dollars or prime real estate on La Cienega to get first-rate fish. There’s no omakase here, but the menu is large and full of every sashimi plate, cut roll, and daily sushi special you want. Our favorites include the salmon belly with caviar, albacore, and shiitake, the rice-less Alex Roll, and yes, one pastrami burger for the road." - brant cox