Sushi Nishi Ya

“Hidden” 10/10 Sushi spot in the most unlikely places, a small plaza. No frill. No typical rolls. Price is high compared to typical sushi places but this is /NOT/ your typical sushi.. it’s more traditional Japanese style. For the quality and generous portions - there is no regrets here! For the nigiri and omakase lovers - this is the spot! Last year we had the seaweed salmon which we ordered 3 times & the blue crab roll that won us over. It was such a memorable experience! Since then we kept an eye out for blue crab sushi wherever we go. So far nothing has measured up to how chef made it here. — detailed omakase food section — Sides - Ginger and wasabi (not the horseradish dyed green, the real one) was so good I was snacking on the ginger in between dishes. The texture of the green sprouts, seaweed and tuna with the special sauce was just perfect. Hamachi/yellow tail & all the white fish I just inhaled. I love eating these and here they just burst in flavor & melt into my mouth. Oyster is not sandy no aftertaste, just texture and flavor. For someone that doesn’t like oyster after taste, they will enjoy this one. I would introduce my friends that are first trying oyster to this. Drink - The hot green tea is so warm, tasty, and comforting. I forgot how many cups I’ve drank! They are good at refilling it from an authentic teapot. When I first saw the mackerel, I thought this will be the one I don’t like. Little did I know I was blown away by the combination of green onion and ginger on top of the nigiri with sauce? It was so good. We weren’t expecting the flavor and texture! Definitely love it! Usually Uni is usually too salty or strong in profile but the one they served was so clean and smooth to eat. One has a slighter stronger flavor than the other. I would eat this again in a heartbeat! Sweet shrimp was buttery like and firm texture. My least favorite of it all. The next one shrimp with the blue crab was a surprise. You will be surprise by the delicate and tasty shrimp. And the blue crab each taste subtly different not just texture but also flavor. The Chilean sea bass was THE BEST! I would order this in bigger portions as my main entree if I could. W O W!! Toro & Otoro melted and one was smoother while the other was firmer. I wouldn’t mind eating more of this! The wasabi was just the right amount too. I appreciate the chef attention to this detail! Marinated Salmon roe usually salty but this one soooo delicious!! Felt like I was in a waterpark around multiple bubbles and playing around for a while until the magic was over. Last one was the Blue crab roll which brought tears to my eyes. That is how good it was (to me). Not sure if it nostalgia only but 100% the deliciousness warm of the blue crab was a great way to end the night. The flavor just right. —— end of omakase food section—- The swift courteous lady server is not one of many words or makes small talk but she is amazing at what does. She is very attentive with taking away empty dishes, cleaning table and handling refills. The chef works with precision and delicately handles all the pieces. Great spirit with the regulars! I think he is a magician at his craft. Seating? Indoor only. 8 counter seat 4 4-seater table 1 2-seater table May be difficult for wheelchair users due to limited space. Recommend to best to call in advance. Restroom? Yes; good size entrance and space inside for wheelchair users, door isn’t heavy, has handle bars and disposable seat cover. Total cost approx $400-$450

Excellent sushi in a traditional environment. The waitress is very Japanese and very gracious. We had the omakase set. Each individual serving was very artistic and delicious. The fish was top grade. I will definitely be back!

Excellent sushi spot in a strip mall. Absolutely fantastic, they have the real Wasabi, not the horseradish dyed green stuff that passes for Wasabi, most spots use. Friendly staff and attentive to needs. Would recommend and come back

Average sushi overpriced. Had lunch here Omakase for two bill was almost $500. We ate for about 25mins and no drinks or alcohol food only. Ended up getting food poisoning from this meal both me and my wife got sick. Fever, chills, diarrhea.

Best sushi I’ve ever had me and the family have been coming here for years. Definitely a must have if you’re in the area.

This is a sushi only spot. No fancy rolls. But the fish is WOW. Expertly picked. Not cheap, but delicious.

The food is top notch. But it is VERY expensive. Me and my wife did the chef's choice and left over $400 there. Once in a lifetime experience that will probably stay that way.

Almost don’t want to review, lest the secret get out! Truly outstanding sushi. I challenge you to find better in the $50-100 price range. Will definitely become a regular here.

I'd like to call this place a hidden gem, but I'm not sure I can categorize it so... seemed to have a thriving dinner service. We sat at the sushi bar, and enjoying course after course of omakase. Huge portion sizes - incredibly fresh fish. Such an amazing dinner. Will definitely be back when craving another fantastic omakase experience.

I came here with a group of five The place is small but sooooo good. We found this place last minute and my partner and I will definitely be back. He swears they have the best uni. I really liked their toro, spicy tuna roll, and the yellow tail roll. It's definitely a traditional style sushi bar. The service was good for it being operated by two people. I don't like yellow tail but I loved this one. This is not your Americanize sushi place. Definitely. Definitely. Recommend

The food and service were good and I've been there multiple times! But when my friend and I went there in December, we had split the bill and she put 0 tip because I was paying for the entire tip. They had tipped themselves 37%!!!! So if you go here in the future, check your statements!!

Excellent. A small little restaurant owed by a lovely family. It only seats about 30 people approx. They don't do any rolls, their special is omakase. Leave it to the chef to bring the best to you. Just let them know what you don't like. It's our special treat we love to enjoy from time to time because it can be expensive. The quality and taste is superb.

Experience as master shushi chef creates a memorable taste in one sitting without guessing what to order. He guides you with his own experience dish by dish like a Master. Loved it. Rafael.

Old school charm, five tables and sushi bar seating serves only sushi/sashimi. Local neighborhood vibe, friendly staff. Enjoyed the real crab roll and the yellowtail sushi. Everything else were pretty basic. Saw all the good reviews and the photos, order myself some fatty tuna. And it was the saddest item ever. Between three people, a la carte menu, it was about $150 total. I don't get the hype.

I am reluctant on writing this review as it has been my hidden sushi spot for years. But I guess it's finally time to publicly give this my 5 star review. My favorite food is sushi, I eat it on a weekly basis and at times make it at home. I would argue that Sushi Nishi-ya is the best sushi in LA County. We always get fresh crab hand rolls. And ask for the omakase. You will not be disappointed.

A little hole in the wall, 5 tables in all and the fish is delicious! They will always tell customers no speciality and no California rolls. They specialize in nigiri and hand rolls (temaki). One of the few places I know with real crab rolls and toro, reasonable prices, and care with each bite. whether it's done in or take out the nigiri and hand rolls taste delicious. Always looking forward to my next visit.

Okay I'm not sure what happened the first time I went, however I have been back many many times since then and let me tell you the sushi here is a-mazing. The waitress, who's always there when I come- I've never seen anyone else as the waitress- she doesn't speak English very well, so she's a little hard to understand, however she is very good. I always get omakase and she fills my drinks and clears my plate consistently as soon as I finish. The chef is very sweet and consistent. I've come a handful of times now sometimes months apart and the quality is always the same- perfect. The omakase can get very pricey very fast. I consistently spend 120-180 for omakase including tip everytime I go. I promise it is worth it, and I can't even put into words how to describe how good the sushi is. Overall I think the first time I went was a fluke, I always look at the "We reserve the right to refuse service" sign everytime I go now and think about the first time- but I quickly forget when I'm in my happy place eating some of the most amazing sushi.

If you want to experience authentic no substitute beautiful sushi please come here. Outside, a very unassuming strip mall. (fun fact: Superbad's notorious Liquor store is in the same strip mall.) I started coming here about 15 years ago, so this review is long overdue. The Omakase experience is truly a magnificent journey. The price is very good, and the service is great. The staff keeps the food coming, and also makes sure to refill drinks in a timely fashion. I'm so happy their still around, and I will continue to come and experience this one of a kind place.

This place has amazing sushi, but be prepared to pay for such a delicious dish. The ambiance is alright, it feels a little dated from when the last time I was there. The service was great, they were very attentive to what we needed, our drinks, and the bill. It was also nice and quiet as well, which seems like a rarity when everyone wants to be blasting music that's a little too loud to hear. Overall, I had a very pleasant experience.

My first Omakase experience and it couldn't have been at a better place. The sushi was fresh and of the highest quality. I had about 12 dishes during my meal and loved them all. Price is reasonable for the quality and the service was top notch. Must try!

Solid Omakase restaurant that sits in a small strip mall. This restaurant is very small and feels like a hole in the wall but don't let that fool you, the quality of the fish was top notch. There's no set price for the Omakase course so you'll have to let them know when you want to stop so they can stop serving you. I paid roughly $150 for about 11 dishes which is reasonable for the quality and portion I received.

An unexpected delight of simplicity from menu to service. It's a cozy place like eating with your own private chef and server. Unless you knew it was here you would drive right on by. I loved the food ambience OK.

For someone that has high standards for omakase this has to be one of the best places I've been. They serve omakase chefs choice and you just let the waitress know when you're full. Everything was sooo good I kept forgetting to take pictures because I was just enjoying the food. We had about 14 dishes and I was stuffed. The items that really stood out were the smoked salmon kelp nigiri, scallop (so buttery), and the Santa Barbara uni. SO GOOD. The sea bass was similar to Nobu's miso cod and was a 10/10. The only thing I didn't quite like was the halibut but I think it was a personal preference of halibuts texture. All their fish was fresh and buttery, definitely coming back. Just wish I had room to try the crab hand roll. Our bill for two was a little over $300 but this is definitely a great place to go.

Two seconds after walking into this spot, I had a judgment then I immediately went against it. It was a very strong Pine-Sol smell from maybe some overzealous cleaning. The smell was overpowering the taste of the sushi, but in defense of the staff, they would not be able to smell it through the mask they were wearing. If I had some advice for the staff, I would ask to please use less toxic when cleaning--maybe even just water? I am unable to give a fair review of the food since it just tasted like chemicals. The service was great and efficient. I think it may be a good take out or delivery spot. Maybe.

Incredible sushi. You'll pay a little more but still feel like you got a great deal! Great service and excellent professionalism from both server and chef. A gem of Los Angeles in a humble, cozy strip mall space.

Haven't had sushi this authentic since I've last been to Japan. Amazing. Love the OMAKASE. Kenji is a dedicated artist. Service is wonderful.

Fresh sushi omakase found in a unassuming location in a strip mall. My cousin was in town and his friend had suggested Sushi Nishi-ya. The restaurant is pretty small, only four tables and the counter. Interior is pretty dated and not fancy. However the quality of the fish is superb. Omakase is about $150+. There was no set omakase menu, rather you tell them when you're full and they'll stop serving you--so the price depends on how much you eat. They do have alcohol with reasonable prices. The most expensive sake listed was about $30. I would come back if I'm in the area. Price is reasonable to me.

Whenever anybody asks for a good sushi spot I ALWAYS recommend this place. I can't explain how delicious this place is so you just have to come here and experience it for yourself. Basically they don't serve hand rolls and they specialize in Omakase (Chef's choice.) The chef asks you what you like and don't like and he takes it from there. He also tells you to use soy sauce or no sauce. The Scallops tasted like warm melted butter and the Spanish Mackerel was so fresh. It does tend to get a little pricey but don't let that deter you. Even if you come for a birthday or anniversary. You just have to check this place out

- Locale Destination - It's on S Victory Blvd and Western Ave in Glendale. It's in a small, corner shopping plaza next to bunch of Middle Eastern shops. Who can you assume to have a good authentic Japanese sushi in this area???? Ambiance: very very old school, dated, no fuss, simple, mom & pop. Menu: this isn't the place you order teriyaki chicken (they don't have it!) nor crazy cut rolls at the sushi bar. This is very traditional authentic sushi bar if you don't know. Unless you can trust the sushi chef/owner completely for omakase or know what you're doing, don't even sit at the bar. Save the space for someone who actually enjoy the real sushi bar experience. Service: unlike the reviews, I found quite an enjoyable with a chef. Even I was nervous till I talked to him in Japanese. But it all makes sense till I talked to him ... Basically, how can you expect respect from chef when you just ignore all the traditions, etiquette and manners at the sushi bar? You don't ask for sushi when you go to Mexican restaurant, do you? If you treat him with respect, he'll respect you back. It's reciprocal. He was quite nice and enjoyed me telling him how tasty it was. Parking: it's quite small, so carpool! - Gluttony Expedition - Omakase: but I tell a chef what I must have and what I don't like at first so that the chef can plan my meal better. Omakase is like that. So don't be afraid to tell him that! He'll respect you and plan the menu for you. Black cod: so tasty! Tuna appetizer: sweet sauce with touch of green. Nice starter. Shrimp, ikura, crabs: underwhelming Aji: probably the best for the night. Darn good! Uni: I had it but loved uni, so forgot to take a pic Yellowtail, tuna: I got fatty toro part, too. All amazing! Engawa: very tender. Great. - Conqueror's Deduction - Everything was a nice bite size, so it was easy to eat. The fish quality was pretty good! Especially this area, it'll be hard to find this quality anywhere else. I can't wait to come back for more!

Excellent omakase! The quality of fish here is amazing! I am so glad I trusted the chef. I appreciate that they do not overload their nigiri with too much rice. The cuts of meat are sliced to a perfect thickness. I appreciate that they gave me a wide variety of fish. The yellowtail, mackerel, & amberjack are some of my favorites. I loved the use of real crab! The uni had so much umami flavor and it was so buttery. The scallops were a flavorful treat! The California sea bass was unlike any other sea bass I have ever had. The sea bass was so flaky. Masako provided us with excellent service. I absolutely love this place! I would definitely come back! Parking can be a little tricky and the place can get rather full. I recommend getting reservations.

Real sushi. REAL sushi. No rolls. No avocado. No bacon or curry powder or bittersweet chocolate or whatever new thing the fusion restaurants are putting into their sushi rolls. Fusion is fine if that's what you want, but sometimes you just want REAL sushi and it can be hard to find. This place delivers. Yes, your bill can add up. Did I mention this is real sushi? Don't expect a $17.99 dinner special with California rolls. I go as a special treat and when I do, I savor it. It's worth the price. PS it's clear that the sushi chef puts great care into each piece, so it can take a while when they get busy. Don't go if you're in a rush. In fact, maybe don't go at all because this place is tiny and I don't want you taking the last table and making me wait. Just forget you ever read this review and go find a California roll...somewhere else.

I really wanted to support this mom and pop spot, but the shari (rice) was super inconsistent. It was alright in the beginning and then was mushy and fell apart. Not good. The fish was variable as well, the maguro (tuna) quality was not great. The aji (spanish mackerel) and scallop were solid. The unagi was just ok.

Excellent sushi in a traditional environment. The waitress is very Japanese and very gracious. We had the omakase set. Each individual serving was very artistic and delicious. The Fish was top grade.I will definitely be back!

Food was amazing. Service was decent. Sushi super fresh. A little pricey but you get what you pay for

An unassuming place in a strip mall in Glendale. Just an older Japanese pair serving up some of the freshest, most delicious sushi I have eaten outside of Japan. It is hard to stop eating...it adds up! It is my first stop whenever I travel to LA.

The best Sushi in the world. The freshness and the flavors will make your tastebuds sing. Get the Omakase menu. Worth every penny.

This is a hidden gem. The flavor profile of each dish compliments the next selection, I highly recommend the Omakase. I love this small family owned place, so much like a shop in Japan, but so much more gourmet! I always come for special celebrations!

Excellent spot for traditional Japanese sushi. The prices are very fair for the quality and portions. Service is friendly. This is like dining in Japan. Will definitely return.

I must say, this place has served me the best sushi I have ever had! It is located in an unpretentious strip mall, it is small and quaint, with about six seats at the bar and about the same number of tables. I recently treated myself to their Omakase and was seated at the sushi bar. The chef greeted me and asked me if I had any dislikes and/or allergies. I replied, "no," and the feast begun. I lost count on the pieces I ate but my most memorable servings were that of the uni from Santa Barbara, the toro (melted in my mouth), the oysters and the star of the night was the Chilean Sea Bass. About the Chilean Sea Bass, it was baked or broiled in some miso glaze, making it the best I have ever had. This place only serves sushi! No california rolls or speciality rolls, not even miso soup. Count on getting quality fresh fish as the chef goes to the fish market daily to source the best ingredients possible. Count on spending about $200 per person for an amazing Omakase experience!

No, you don't have to go to sugarfish, kazunori, or Pasadena to get amazing, authentic sushi... Nish-ya, a small, charming, family-run sushi restaurant, has amazing sushi for a reasonable price! We've been here several times and are always super satisfied and happy. My sister is a sushi fanatic and I always take her here when she comes to visit SoCal.

Tasty sushi. Great service. Casual vibe. My new sushi restaurant. Prices are reasonable too.

My friend was visiting from out of town and was raving about this place for two days straight so I agreed to try it with her one day. But instantly fell in love. It's a small mom and pop own Restaraunt so it's very homey and comfortable. But the sushi was mind blowing. Literally every piece served I was surprised. Each piece tasted like it was made with love. Each fish was paired with a unique ingredient that enhanced the natural umami taste from the fish. The rice is so good it just binds the sushi together and makes each bite so enjoyable. We sat at the bar and enjoyed a omakase. There is no menu, you just eat until you tell them you are full.

This is the best classic nigiri place in Los Angeles. If you love simple, fresh nigiri, hopefully these photos convey all you need to know.

Omakasi w/ no regrets. Such an amazing experience. No fake talk, trying to act fancy - simple, sit down, eat, enjoy, eat some more and make plans to come back. Tuna Sushi, Albacore Sushi,Salmon Sushi, Salmon Egg Sushi, Sweet Shrimp Sushi, Uni - Just to name a few - and each one prepared perfectly. Rice was prepared well, great amount of vinegar and you're told when to use soy sauce (the taste of each piece is so good, you'll regret taking away from it with soy). The Uni was my absolute favorite- probably some of the best I've ever had, and I'm not usually a fan of skin or egg sushi but both were delicious. We were also served three different hand rolls, not as good as the sushi itself but still great with the perfect ratio. The price can get high - but you pay for what you get, you also have the option of ordering yourself at a table but you'd be making a mistake. When it comes to sushi, especially at a place where the chef takes pride in his work - you want to trust the chef.

One of the best sushi spots in LA. Love the intimate and cozy dining experience. Food is always delicious and fresh and the service is prompt and efficient! Have been coming back to this spot for some time and will continue to eat here.

Hidden gem in valley, love to go eat this place, quality and good taste. Not must options but worth your money.

THE BEST AND FRESHEST SUSHI IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA! You MUST eat at the bar for Omakase! The sushi served here is the freshest sushi you can get anywhere. Imported from all over the world!! Here's a list of what we had; Tuna from Boston Yellow Tail / Belly Halibut / Fin Florida Spanish Mackerel Hama Oyster from Seattle Smoked Salmon / Raw w/ Kelp Scottish Chilean Seabass from Baja Giant Shrimp Ecuador / dung ness Crab Yellow Fin Toro from Spain Perrrrrfect! I wanted to cry because of how yummy this fish was! They do not tell you the price tho, you just continue eating till you tell the chef you're full and done. They'll give you the price then. We spent roughly $100 per person, which is not bad at all for this fresh Omakase!! Yummmmm!

Most underrated restaurant in LA. Way overdelivers expectations, best omakase I've ever had. Standouts: toro, blue crab roll, oyster, salmon nigiri. Also they use REAL wasabi thats made in house, none of that fake horseradish garbage. Overall, very charming and to-die-for food

A nice cozy place unlike many loud places you can go to. We tried the Omakase experience, and it was a good experience. The fish was fresh, well prepared, and very high quality. The service was on the slower side, but that gave us an opportunity to just enjoy the moment.

Cute small sushi place. Although the menu offering is small, the fish is great quality and there's a good fish-to-rice ratio. It doesn't have any tamago or california rolls for those looking for that. Plus, those kinds of rolls are more Americanized dishes then actual Japanese dishes. Perhaps they could make the sushi more customized like special yuzu ponzu with tamago eggs. Instead of such simple rolls - play around with the fish they have already and make different combinations. So that they can compete better with the other sushi places.

3.5 to 4 stars. I can now cross Sushi Nishi-Ya of my list. Sushi Nishi-ya is located on Victory and Western in a small plaza. It's a very small restaurant with 5 tables and about 10 seats at the bar. Seating at the bar is only for omakase. For table, you can order omakase or al carte. Please note there is no specially rolls here and no cook food. LUNCH OMAKASE: Chef Kenji started my omakase with. 1.Big Eye Tuna Sashimi from Boston w/ Sesame sauce. Fresh cut of tuna and sesame sauce was delicious. 2. Yellowtail Belly and Yellowtail from Osaka. Fresh and delicious. The belly of the yellowtail just melts. 3. Red Snapper sashimi from Japan. Nice thick cuts of Snapper, but it was overdressed with ponzu. 4. Spanish Mackerel. This was my first time having Spanish Mackerel that lacking fat and fish oil. But it was still good. 5. Alaskan Dungeness Crab. Fresh and sweet. 6. Smoked Salmon and Salmon from Scotland. Both had marinated kelp and was good. 7. Hama Hama Oysters from Seattle. Fresh but overly dressed again with ponzu. 8. SB Uni. Fantastic. 9. Blue Fin Tuna and Blue Fin Toro from Spain. Both where outstanding. The toro just melts in your mouth. 10. Hotate from Hokkaido. Delicious very fresh and sweet. 11. Chilean Sea Bass. Excellent. 12. Blue Crab HR. Fantastic. Mostly crab barley any rice. 13. Sweet Sweet. This didn't taste fresh. 14. Kanpachi from Japan. Good. 15. Albacore from Cabo San Lucas. Good but overdressed with ponzu. Overall good omakase. Chefs Kenji does his traditional omakase his way where he'll tell you "No Soy Sauce "on some dish and tell you when to use soy. His fish to rice ratio was 80% fish and 20% rice. I didn't mind it at all but the rice was a bit to mushy. Another thing is that each fish comes with two pieces instead of your normal one piece during omakase. If you're counting each fish. I had about over 25 pieces of fish. My total bill for omakase lunch was about $145.

This review was a long time coming but had omakase a few times here and have always been meaning to bring others (hard to do when omakase is usually pricey, not just here but anywhere) but definitely one of my favorite restaurants. Favorite thing about it was each order of nigiri (don't know about Covid or if this will change in the future but it's the reason why I loved it) came in two ways. If you ordered the salmon, you'll get salmon belly and aburi. If you ordered Uni, you would have gotten uni from Santa Barbara and San Diego. Hope y'all get the idea. But it was a great way to experience different regions of sourcing the food itself. The two best thing I loved about this place though was the amazing crab hand roll. One of the best crab hand rolls I've ever had in LA or anywhere else. The other is the Ikura which he had marinated differently than other places in the area. (Get it, I'm not going to give away the secret but one of the things I would reorder again) Most likely will be placing and order with them soon and I genuinely hope people come out and support them too! Would love to come back when they're open again and patronize them again!

The food is great, everything tasted very fresh but a little pricy . Definitely worth it !

Had dinner there tonight and it was fantastically amazingly awesome! Best dishes were Spanish mackerel, toro, and sea bass. Perfect preparation by the chef.

Really amazing traditional sushi, no bento boxes or to-go orders. The man behind the sushi bar is the owner and his wife is the waitress. A little pricey but great quality!

Only for serious sushi/sashimi eaters! No cooked food here except for the sea bass which is the best! The Spanish mackerel can't be missed and sea urchin! The service is above average. Since this place is so small, it is good to make a reservation to make sure you have a seat when you arrive. The food quality is one of the best.

Disgusting place literally filthy there's gnats and flies just flying around .. the lady as everyone mentions has no customer service skills ... the people who are reviewing this as 5 star or Japan comparable sushi have zero idea of what fresh and authentic sushi is. I rather literally eat out of a dumpster then eat here again. Overpriced to make it seem like it's classy or an expressive restaurant. Have a seat snd just look at how dirty their walls are ... its sooooooooo disgusting imagine how dirty it is back there where the food is prepared . Yikes how can people be so oblivious