Murakami Sushi

Best Japanese restaurant in West Hollywood. My partner is Japanese and I lived in Tokyo for over 10 years. Murakami is hands down the most authentic and best Japanese food we’ve had in Los Angeles. Their sushi chefs are actually from Japan and really have the skills, knowledge, and the art, necessary to make great sushi. Reservations during dinner hours are a good idea.

Fast friendly service. We were given the VIP treatment. We ordered a variety of food, but my favorite was the Yellowtail collar fish. The warm sake was also a great first time experience. The staff was very welcoming and friendly providing us with constant attention. Our local family ordered their favorite foods and it was all delicious and cooked to perfection. They even brought us matcha ice-cream with a candle for well wishes on our journey home. Chef's kiss!

It's kind of funny but I am their best customer and my name just happens to be Murakami. I've been all around the world and this place has some of the most consistently fresh fish I've ever had. I go here at least once a week, it is SO reliable and a great experience every time.

Murakami is our go to local sushi LA restaurant! Nothing beats the quality and the service. We found this through a Google search and we have never looked back. Every time we come it never disappoints. It's not as big as your usual chain sushi place, it's smaller and personable! The setting is quaint and good for first dates and group of friends! There is a sushi bar in the middle, and they do have a small patio outdoor seating. The dishes and the sushi chefs are your local Rockstars! The waiting and seating staff is amazing too everyone is so kind and they care. You can tell by the quality of the fish from each bite. Our go too and recommendations our: I love the OMG roll as a cut roll And if you love crispy rice I recommend that, I get the spicy tuna on top. Shishito, and Karage they have killer fried chicken! Spicy tuna in general the best, as a hand roll lover or as cut pieces you aren't missing out, both amazing!

High quality sushi at an unassuming place. Order the sweet shrimp! Comes with fried shrimp heads on a mini salad Udon and belly belly belly was great too

This sushi spot is absolutely worth the traffic and annoying parking meters. The food is absolutely amazing and filling. The staff is friendly and cheerful as well as professional and polite. I would 100% come here every week if i could!

Favorite sushi spot in LA. The quality is top notch, and everyone there puts so much heart into making the best dishes. This is the perfect no-fuss sushi spot. The bowls are a must. They also have Asahi on draft straight from Japan 😍

Ate here for the first time and they definitely did not disappoint. I had a mini green salad with a delicious miso tangy dressing, and some deep fried gyoza dumplings that was served with an addictive spicy dipping sauce. My hubby had a lunch special sashimi plate; he LOVED it.

Great Service from Sydney! Food was amazing! Good explanation of the menu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely amazing lunch value. Incredible sushi. High quality. Great service. This should be a regular lunch spot.

Very solid sushi spot Crowd pleaser for my family We love coming here Lots of options Really good sushi My husband loves the bowls

Sometimes I like Japanese restaurants that look a little dated, it means they focus on the food which is the most important part. This place has been open since the 80's (says the exact date on the menu but I forgot) so it's a good sign. I had a big group of people and ordered the party platter which was 6 rolls. It came out and was good but for some reason wasn't as big as I thought it would be. I ordered a tekka maki for myself and it was very good. The only reason I docked it a star is only really a symptom of them being so busy that the service was stretched thin. They were friendly and attentive and doing great but when it's a packed house and you're a big party, things may fall through the cracks. They got one person's order wrong. Overall I'd come here again. Expect to spend $25-$30 per person.

Murakami is my go to local sushi spot. It's always incredible, reliable and there's never a long wait. The servers sushi chefs are all extremely sweet and they do so much to help the community (like making sushi for the firefighters). I usually opt in for sitting outside- they have heaters if it's a little cold. Always a delicious

Wonderful attentive service, staff goes above and beyond anticipating needs. Have come for years and never disappoints fresh quality fish and perfect custom made chirashi bowl!

Fresh quality fish and lovely service! The salmon and spicy tuna truffle roll was soo fresh and flavorful - definitely recommend sharing. The baked crab and eel handroll were delicious , but too much rice for my liking. Don't skip on the nigiri/sashimi! Loved my ika nigiri. My friend's nabeyaki udon was also hearty and comforting on the chilly evening.

Had a great experience. Everything we tried was delicious, gray cuts of fish and appetizers. Service was good, they were all attentive. We sat in the outdoor patio which was nice there dog one customer brought. I'll definitely come again. They have happy hour and dinner specials which was great.

We love this spot! It's our go to neighborhood sushi place. Good prices and good quality.

Great food and staff. Very kid friendly as they had plates and cups for kids. The fish was high quality. Everything was prepared nicely.

Murakami serves up some fresh sushi and hubby and I enjoyed our date night here on a Saturday night. We came in at 7:00pm and the place was pretty quiet. Service was beyond attentive and they had some unique nigiri specials that I appreciated. Everything we ordered was great; standouts were the toro and salmon belly. I also really enjoyed their green tea ice cream as it wasn't too sweet. Prices are fair for the area and I'd definitely come back again.

Don't walk ... Run!!!! This is hands down my new favorite sushi restaurant. Everything is so fresh and tasty. The rolls are the perfect combination of flavor and texture. So so good! I'm a fan and will be back over and over again

Pricing-wise, the stand-out option was the bowls. The eel bowl had a huge portion of eel and the sushi rice was fresh and not dry. The bowl came with radish, nori, some pickles daikon, and avocado. The daily specials are an indicator of the freshness of the fish here. There is a variety of different rolls, nigiri, and sashimi to choose from. They also have some good beer on draft.

Good food bad prices very mediocre decor too brightly lit. Was highly underwhelming and seems dated and not very well thought out

Small spot on melrose. The menu isn't extensive, so it doesn't take long to select what you want. Prices weren't bad, and the rolls were good.

This review is so long overdue. Maybe there's a reason... We stumbled onto this place during the pandemic and it became our takeout lifeline with the butteriest sushi and the best deal on the freshest chirashi bowls we have ever enjoyed. After businesses re-opened for dine-in, we were delighted to learn that the friendly service and excellent sushi was not limited to a smile and hand wave when picking up our (many) orders. We have now been regulars for a number of years, dining in at least once a week and without fail, the food is delicious, the staff is friendly - treating us like family, and the atmosphere is laid back with a real pillar of the neighborhood feel. It's not a "scene" with people clamoring to get the best snaps for the 'Gram or the spot for raucous sake bombs and lounge music. Perhaps subconsciously this is the reason we haven't gotten around to writing a review...we don't want to lose the ease of walking in without a reservation on a Friday night and being seated right away. But in our heart of hearts we know that the best way to show our thanks for the years of hospitality is to spread the word and watch this neighborhood gem grow. There's a lot of reviewers who have similar stories about Murakami...and now we add our voice to theirs.

We were a group of 6 with many different tastes. The food itself was fine - nothing truly memorable. The miso black cod was tasty but doesn't hold a candle to the black cod at restaurants like Matsuhisa. The edamame at $6.50 was a bit high for a bean you can purchase for $3.00 a pound. They were accommodating with a specialty roll I ordered, however, the upcharges were a bit much for a few slices of avocado and cucumber. Would I go back? Probably not - there are way better sushi restaurants all over Los Angeles.

nice little place, excellent sushi awesome staff. great! Fresh- nice patio. i wish we had sat at the sushi bar.

My favorite local sushi spot. Discrete location but good sashimi every time. I have brought lots of friends here who always enjoy too.

After ordering takeout from here for many months at the behest of my partner, we finally got to go in person. I've always thought it was good for takeout - I didn't know it was about to get even better. The outdoor seating was lovely with a heater to keep the LA winter away. The fish was so fresh and flavorful with lots of fun specials to try. I had a Truffle Ponzu Salmon Roll that was unreal - I was sad when it was finished because I wanted more! I'll absolutely be back here many, many more times!

Best Sushi in the city. Fish is always fresh and delicious. Staff is great and is a great dining experience. We go almost every week. It is a friendly place to go.

Amazing food and service! I loved the ambience and sushi is my favorite food so I was not disappointed! Definitely recommend. Top quality !!

I wish all sushi restaurants had build your own bowl options! I really enjoyed the quality of the fish and the many options to add! I got a bowl with toro, mackerel, yellowtail, spicy scallop, salmon and unagi. The portions were good and the fish was pretty fresh! It's a popular place so it took a while for our dishes to arrive but it was worth the wait.

We came for lunch, bringing my mom and grandmother. The food was great - chirashi, sushi, tempura, gyoza, sunamono. We had it all. Everyone there was very nice.

The waitress took the order in a rush and did not get it right. We ordered appetizers and the appetizers were served after we were done eating some our rolls and after we asked for it couple of times. The waitress never stopped by to ask if we needed anything, to remove the finished plates and was simply bad. Some of the order never got delivered. The waitresses vibes were negative. The manager lady came by and tried to fix the situation, but the whole dinner experience was ruined. We left still hungry.

This place is so good it makes me want to gatekeep it! The absolute best sushi in Los Angeles. An intimate spot on Melrose with a unique menu and some of the best service, it's worth a visit!

I took my son here for a birthday lunch. He loves sushi, and agreed with many others that this was some of the best sushi he'd ever had. It was fresh and the quality was superb. I don't eat sushi, but I enjoyed my Brussels sprouts and steak. In addition to great food, the service was amazing from the moment we walked in to the time we left. We talked about our experience for days and will definitely be back. When you visit, be sure to ask about their garlic soy sauce.

Hidden gem right along Melrose. No problem getting a table on a Thursday night. Spicy miso soup was spicy. My friend and I just got a bunch of rolls and shared all. Our favorite was the truffle ponzu salmon. My friend frequents sushi spots a lot and she left feeling really satisfied from here!

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite local sushi spots. The service is great, staff are friendly, and the vibe is very casual. Sushi is fresh--my fave is the Spicy Trio bowl (make sure to get the extra garlic soy sauce!). Also, the garlic edamame is fire.

The food was authentic Japanese. The fish was fresh and the rice was cooked delicious. The sides were unique. Pickled plums and daikon. The salad dressing was light.

I myself, like many other urbanites, love sushi. I love sushi for many reasons. One of which is that no matter where you go, if you order the exact same thing, its completely different. How the rice is prepared, where they sourced whatever fish your sashimi was from, and especially the skill and care of the Itamae all differ. However, one of the biggest differences is in how the creativity of the chefs influence the sushi. I've eaten at a lot of sushi, at a lot of different restaurants over the years, but I knew that I had found a gem from the second I sat down. It was opening time for the second shift, when I had come to kill some time and eat something before a movie later that evening. I was the only one there, and thus seated right away. I was given a very thorough menu with lots of many enticing options, and guided by the head Itamae, a diligent and passionate man named Taro. He gave me some suggestions, and I listened. I remember specifically two pieces of absolute gold, the Tuna Sashimi, and the Typhoon Role. The Sashimi was exquisite, perfectly fatty and with a stunning flavor, the pieces were all topped with a small portion of freshly ground wasabi, and lightly coated in a very rich soy sauce. I have rarely put something in my mouth and describe it as heaven; but this was one of those moments. Likewise, the Typhoon role was brilliant, tangy flavors in sushi are rare, and when I've had them in the past, the just didn't work as well as I'd hoped. That being said, on the Typhoon role, a sort of Worcestershire tang works perfectly with the crispy onions the role is topped with. When I tell you that this role literally made me speechless for about a minute, with my brain left in shambles after exploding at the complex and ingenious creativity it would take to make something so nuanced and delicious, I mean it. The service was impeccable, super attentive staff, and it is very clear all the other Itamae care deeply about their sushi and are extremely diligent. When you watch them work, you get sucked into to an impossible dance of hands with pinpoint precision and swiftness, it's mesmerizing. Murakami is something special. I told Taro I'd be coming back, and I definitely will be. It is a little expensive, but it's not just food, it's an experience, and absolutely worth every penny you pay.

Great fresh sushi. Fun atmosphere. Nice neighborhood place. Really enjoyed the specials of the night.

Great service and really fresh and tasty sushi! We live in San Diego but tempted to return to LA just to eat here again!

Store manager lady is extremely rude to people inside. She can stay at home if she doesn't want to work!

Quite simply and succinctly - the best Sushi in LA. I'm a Sushi snob, and have tried *many*. The best in the world used to be Yoshi's on Santa Monica and Harper in WeHo, but since he retired about 7 years ago, I've been searching for a replacement. While not as Stellar as Yoshi's was, Murakami is NOW the best there is in LA. Don't waste your time or money anywhere else.

Celebrating with family members here and all the food we ordered was cooked to perfection. Popular location so it gets crowded every night of the week. Prices are reasonable and the portions are filling. Staff is friendly with good service. Definitely returning next time I'm in the area. Give them a try

I have lost track of how many times I've gotten a chirashi bowl from Murakami. It has to be one of the hands down best sushi bowls for your buck in LA where they're often anywhere from $30 and beyond. At $19.50 with 4 fish options of your choosing, I've been consistently happy. Don't sleep on the blue crab crispy rice either.

This place blew my mind! I was just looking for a last minute sushi joint to take my friend for her birthday, and we tried to go to sugar fish but they were so busy. So we went here, and honestly I'm going to bring every friend and family member for their special event or treat. It's crazy that the place wasn't full and the parking was easy to find in the area. The fish was the freshest sushi I've had in LA, and the best quality (the owner/manager confirmed that they ship in their fish daily) like it wasn't cold or have any of the iciness or diluted flavor of being frozen at all. The different fish and nigiri in the omakase and other menu item had really good flavors. The shrimp tempura was super fresh (like right off the fryer and was almost too hot) and the shrimp was too...the crispiness and the batter had that bite and crunch you wish French fries would have. What's funny is that this was probably the only sushi joint I've been to in the states where they gave tempura dip and horseradish and green onion (which my friend had never had at any sushi joint and immediately got addicted to). The service though! The staff was so attentive and accommodating. The manager knew what to do when I mentioned it was my friend bday. The green matcha ice cream they gave was the best I've had (and I traveled to Tokyo and have frequently in little Tokyo in LA). There's a creaminess to it (not sure if Hokkaido milk) and the matcha was there but not overwhelming, they balanced each other out. I'm definitely coming back. I'm in Korea now and still thinking of the joint now. Wish I took more pictures...

This place is excellent. Was going to a gallery down the street so popped in for lunch. The eel bowl was excellent. Very friendly and quick service. Will return.

I ordered the spicy combo and it was super delicious but I had to have the spicy tuna roll and I had some other selections of sushi rolls to which I would've eaten literally all of them! I can't believe how incredibly friendly and efficient the service staff is we never had to wait more than 5 to 7 minutes for any of our items and the place was full! Incredibly courteous, incredibly friendly, and incredibly quick as a waiter myself I can totally appreciate this kind of service and I'm sure you will as well!

Favorite spot! Great service, fresh delicious fish, and all around great value. See ya soon Murakami Fam

We got here around 7pm on a Friday night and were seated almost immediately. There's a decent amount of seating both indoors and outdoors and I didn't see a line form while I was having my meal. We all ordered either the 4 ($19++) or 5 ($22++) item chirashi bowls. Their sashimi was really fresh and the favorite amongst most of my friends and I was the scallop mayo, which was creamy, slightly sweet and definitely melt in your mouth. The octopus felt a little chewy, but it could also be because it was one of the last items I ate so it'd been out there for a while. The rice underneath was really fluffy and really well seasoned. The white radish that came with it was also very well pickled with a sweet and tangy brine. I could probably eat just the rice and the radish and still be happy. Service was slightly slow, we waited about 25-30 mins for our food, but that's understandable given that it was a Friday night and they had huge volumes of takeaway orders coming in at the same time. The staff were really nice and they checked on us to update us about our orders every now and then and was also really apologetic about the wait. Overall, I think it's a really good experience considering the price point and the friendly service and would recommend people to come try this out!

Omg the food here is the BOMB. I first came here several years ago with a co-worker at the time and was impressed with their chirashi. I recently ate here with my sister, her toddler, and my family and both the service and the food were top notch! Starting with what we ordered the kids- we got the teriyaki salmon which was PERFECTLY cooked with a delicious teriyaki sauce that wasn't too goopy or sweet like at some other restaurants. We also got some shrimp and veg tempura and it was fresh, crispy and very hot. Delish. We ordered a California roll for my son (they use real crab meat) and that was also delicious. For my chirashi I got salmon, yellowtail, unagi, ikura and toro (which was an upgrade). Ommmmggggg delicious!! The toro especially was soooo buttery and good, definitely worth the upgrade. I also appreciate that they cut off the blood area (chiai) of the yellowtail. I grew up in Tokyo and have eaten a looooot of sushi but this place's sushi is freaking good.. the fish is so fresh and I love their house made (I think?) gari aka pickled ginger. I also love their garlic soy sauce that they offer. I only wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often! Definitely one of my favorite sushi spots in LA!

COVID take out review I still stand by every word I wrote over 6 years ago. Completely legit sushi joint with great quality and fresh fish. I had my usual custom bowl... portion is still generous. Tonight we added the OMG roll and hamachi Kama... loved it. Called in my order and it was ready when I arrived. We live on the west side now & believe it or not, I haven't found any sushi joint comparable. There are good sushi places but the west side prices make it not so ideal for a Japanese person (me). But at the same time, it's still not as good as Murakami. I'm a hater of the Nobu type places made for non Asians. I want a place with all Japanese workers and Japanese chefs and Japanese owned. This is seriously an impossible find... if you are near La Brea & Melrose, you should cancel whatever reservation you have and go get some Japanese sushi! Afterwards you can go next door to Milk Bar for dessert. You're so welcome, in advance!

Absolutely delicious and FRESHHHH! I got a spicy tuna roll and added jalapeños! This is a go to roll for me but this one stood out! It was delicious fish and a good amount too (: 5/5 I got an eel cucumber avocado roll! The sweet eel mixed perfectly with the crunchy cucumber and soft avocado! The pieces of eel were lean and delicious! 5/5 I got agedashi Tofu and it was good but didn't wow! 4/5 Over all delicious fresh food! Can get busy so definitely place to go orders online, I walked in and it was ready for me (:

I've gotten to know them because I come here so frequently but iykyk - it's Amazing! Their fish is the freshest and best tasting and they are all very friendly and helpful there.

My favorite sushi spot in LA right now. Fish is so fresh. I LOVE the make your own bowls but also the Melrose roll is amazing. Their yellowtail belly is also to die for. They also have great garlic edamame

Good spot if you're looking for a nice sushi bowl. Every once in awhile I get a craving specifically for bowls instead of rolls. If that's ever you, then give this place a shot. I went with Number 5 which comes with albacore, salmon, tuna, yellow tail, shrimp, and imitation crab. Super tasty. I debated on getting a second one.

As always, AMAZING and fresh sushi!!! Unlike Katsuya (sashimi pieces that you can see through) in Hollywood, Murakami cares about customers by providing high-quality service and food!!!!!!