Sushi Sasabune

"One of our favorite spots for straightforward, high-quality omakase, Sasabune is pretty old-school. But in the LA sushi way—which means warm rice, stern instructions not to dip in soy sauce, and everything else you’ve experienced at Sugarfish. For around $110 (or $150 for the highest tier), you get a bunch of tuna, salmon, hot butterfish wrapped in nori, and a crab handroll to finish things. Sasabune is our sushi old reliable—we keep coming back." - garrett snyder, brant cox, sylvio martins

"Sushi is an essential food group in Brentwood, and while there are plenty of mediocre places that have been around since the ’80s and near-constant lines at the local Sugarfish, we go to Sasabune instead. This small restaurant on Wilshire is an LA classic where you should be getting a seat at the sushi bar and opting for the omakase. In the tasting meal, expect standards like tuna sashimi with ponzu, nigiri, and a crab handroll, as well as incredible cooked butterfish, and uni if you’re in the mood. The $100 price tag isn’t cheap, but it's a reasonable price to pay for high-quality sushi." - sylvio martins, brant cox, nikko duren

"On a pretty anonymous part of Wilshire on the Brentwood-Santa Monica border, Sasabune stands still in time, with a small sushi bar, a handful of tables, and what we like to think of as a quintessentially LA omakase. It starts with sashimi, ends with a crab hand roll, and includes a whole lot of nigiri in between. If that all sounds familiar, know that Sasabune does the Sugarfish thing better than anyone (even Sugarfish).  There are higher-quality sushi spots around LA, to be clear, but that’s not the point of this particular genre of low-key sushi joint: you can walk in pretty much whenever, eat a bunch of excellent raw fish, and feel instantly revived. Your Sasabune might not even be Sasabune. But the fact that we all have one is what makes Los Angeles so damn special." - brant cox, garrett snyder, jess basser sanders, nikko duren, sylvio martins

"One of our favorite spots for straightforward, high-quality sushi, Sasabune is pretty old-school. But in the LA sushi way—which means warm rice, stern instructions not to dip in soy sauce, and everything else you’ve experienced at Sugarfish. Whether you go with the omakase for around $110 or order a la carte, you can get a bunch of tuna, salmon, hot butterfish wrapped in nori, and a crab handroll to finish things for a reasonable price. Sasabune is our sushi old reliable—we keep coming back." - garrett snyder

"The one thing Eastsiders never want to talk about it is just how bad the sushi is on their side of town. So be sure to rub that fact in your friend’s face by taking them to Sasabune. The classic Brentwood sushi spot has locations in Beverly Hills and Glendale, but there’s still something special about eating in the tiny Wilshire Blvd. space. You can certainly order off the menu here, but to be honest, we’ve never even looked at the thing. You’re here for the omakase, which isn’t exactly affordable - it starts at about $100 per person - but considering the amount of high-quality fish you get, you won’t hear much complaining from your friend." - brant cox