UO NIGIRI

I appreciate the mellow, traditional ambiance. The restaurant was simple but very nice. The fish selection was widely extensive. The dishes tasted palatable… My qualm is that the pricing and portions were quite small for an establishment that touts itself on its “affordability”. We paid $100 per person, without any drinks… which I pay elsewhere for a more plentiful meal. Nothing awful here but I am not running back at all considering the other options for this price.

Amazing sushi and service. Chef is attentive and great attitude. We got the Premium and Lite omakase and added an order of Uni. They were great! Would definitely come back.

This place was SO good and delicious literally every single thing we got was so fresh and the quality was top notch (minus the salmon roe we weren’t a fan, idk if it was fishy or supposed to taste that way but that was the only thing out of everything we didn’t like) we were blown away by how good it was We got the premium omakase ($78/pp for dinner) and the black cod and it did not disappoint 10/10 service (our server was so nice and accomadating and took very good care of us) food, ambiance (we were there on a thursday evening and it wasn’t very corwded nor busy), would DEFINITELY recommend and we are going back for sure

I am from Japan and I am very picky with where I have my sushi. For the quality and the amount of food you get, the ambience and the service, this place is top notch. Their seafood is amazing extremely fresh as they have a special flash freeze technology freezer which keeps their fish from degrading. The presentation is beautiful and well-thought out. I highly recommend their three types of Omakase (chefs special) menus that you can choose from- I got their “Favorite” Omakase with appetizers, 8nigiri, 1 hand-roll. The servers are well-informed about the fish and the origin of where they come from. It is extremely important that you know where the source is from. They sell their fish at the Torrance Farmers Market, as Whitefin Market and they have been my go-to sashimi place for the past two years. This place is a MUST visit for those sushi lovers out there!! It is also in a small strip mall with bunch of other restaurants so there is parking but when it’s full it may be tricky. I was lucky and found a spot but there seems to be people waiting for to-go food which could be annoying.

THIS IS THE REAL DEAL. Nowhere but LA will you find Jiro Dreams of Sushi in a strip mall. Uo is fantastic - elite fish, obsessive Japanese service and a pleasant, minimalist atmosphere. And you're getting it around Sugarfish prices. (Which by comparison, Uo makes SugarF look like McDonalds). This one will keep a near 5 star.

We just tried the newly opened sushi restaurant in Marina Del Rey with some friends, and it was a fantastic experience. We each ordered UO’s Premium, which includes Edamame, a Sashimi appetizer, 10 pieces of premium nigiri, 1 hand roll, and 4 pieces of a cut roll. We also shared a few appetizers, including Nasu-miso, Fresh Octopus Yuzu Carpaccio, and Bluefin Tuna & Avocado Wasabi Tartar. All the seafood was incredibly fresh and flavorful. We left feeling full and satisfied, especially with the quality and reasonable prices. The service was also exceptional—the server was welcoming and took the time to explain each sushi dish to us. I’ll definitely come back!

Everyone needs to try this restaurant. Usually don’t take time to leave reviews, but this restaurant is something special. Truly some of, if not the best, sushi that I’ve ever had…10/10 service, atmosphere. Can’t wait to be back soon. Thank you Yusuke for an unforgettable dinner!!

We had a delicious, incredibly fresh and expertly prepared omakase menu. The restaurant owners are also the fish wholesalers which allows for high quality imported fish from Japan at a fair price. Rounding out the experience, was the welcoming and knowledgeable staff. Very excited to have this gem in the neighborhood.

Just learned of UO. The restaurant has a crisp and clean vibe, just like their food. The music was at a nice volume, allowing for easy conversation- unfortunately this is a rare treat in this town. The fish was a higher level than most sushi restaurants we've been to. I typically try the one or two unusual fish on the menu. UO's menu had a half dozen I had never seen. I tasted three; the black throat was particularly tasty. The edamame was cooked and salted just right. I finished it off with the salted plum and cucumber roll, which was also new to me. It felt like a nice end after the fish, light and bright. My date had the crispy rice; the rice was prepared well with a unique touch. I didn't order off the Omakase Nigiri, I wasn't in the mood to tell the chef I don't eat certain fish. But after dining here tonight, I might give it a go next time. Yusuke was great to talk to, and he prepared dishes at a nice pace. It's very clear the touches in the restaurant are thought out. We enjoyed having the place to ourselves on a slow Tuesday night. But we also want UO to be successful so it stays in our neighborhood for the long haul. So for my own selfishness, please check UO out.

I would give this place 3.5 / 5 stars. Sashimi and sushi were very fresh. We especially liked the salmon tartare appetizer, Aburi salmon sushi and fresh Hokkaido scallop. They have a mandatory 16.5% service charge automatically added to the final bill. That way you don't have to tip but with the automatic service charge we expected excellent service. The servers were a bit awkward and not as experienced. They were nice, but it just felt a bit unnatural and stiff. Something that I hope improves over time since the servers may probably be new and are getting used to serving and explaining the 3 different omakase course. My wife and I chose the UO Favorite course which is the middle one priced at $48 / person we got our son the UO Lite course for $35 / person. The amount was just right for him. Our course was good as well. The total with alcoholic drinks, 3 omakase courses and one dessert came to around $241 (16.5%) service fee included. I guess the price is reasonable but still a bit pricy for what we got. The interior is simple, clean and nice. Very spacious.

My partner and I came here on Valentine's Day - we were craving sushi and Sugarfish didn't have outdoor seating available because their seats and tables were still put away from the rain over the week. We called ahead and asked if we could bring our dog to eat with us in the outdoor seating, and thankfully the staff was okay with that! We love eating with our dog, so that was a big win in our book. That being said, we peeked inside and the ambiance was really cute and clean! The first look at the menu is pretty reminiscent of Sugarfish, and it seems like they're intentionally priced to be a direct competitor to them. We ordered some hot green tea since it was freezing outside. My partner, who's a bit of a tea connoisseur, was initially a bit taken aback by the 5 dollar price tag on the tea - but after it arrived, he said he could understand why they were charging 5 dollars for it (apparently it's a loose leaf gyokuro). They offer free refills on the hot water, so you can get a few cups of tea out of your order. Moving onto the food: on the grand scheme of things, everything was pretty good, but it's hard to NOT compare the offerings to Sugarfish as the menu is almost a 1:1 translation of Sugarfish's "Trust Me" menus, with identical mid tier pricing and a slightly more expensive premium tier than the "Don't Eat Just Think". We ordered the UO's Favorites at 45 dollars (lunch pricing), and here's our overall thoughts: Edamame: No particular notes here, standard edamame. Salmon Ceviche: My partner and I both felt the sauce used in the ceviche could use a little more punch. Compared to the Tuna Appetizer at Sugarfish, we both preferred Sugarfish' s offering. The presentation was beautiful though, and the tomato garnish was really tasty. Spicy Tuna Handroll: Made with diced tuna rather than the paste you often find in Spicy Tuna hand rolls. That being said, the tuna was likely maguro, so the fish was quite lean. Again, it's an unfortunate comparison to make to Sugarfish's Toro and Crab rolls, but while this was good, it didn't wow us. The seaweed was really crispy though, so that was nice. 8PC Nigiri Salmon - Nice and buttery. Albacore - Served with a sauce. Albacore is usually paired with citrus flavors, so wouldn't be surprised if it was ponzu. Hamachi - Tender, definitely fresh. Bluefin Tuna Maguro - Unfortunately, probably the biggest disappointment of the meal; I don't want to come across as entitled, but when the menu is structured so similarly to Sugarfish, you would really expect to at least be getting Chutoro or even Toro. Aji: Served with minced ginger, my partner really liked this. Shima Aji: Firmer than Ani, don't have too much experience with this fish, but it was good! Hokkaido Scallops: Delicious and fresh. Salmon Aburi with Ponzu: Favorite of the meal - rich, buttery, with a hint of acidity to balance the richness of the cut. 4PC Cut Roll (Albacore w/ Green Onions): Actually a lot better than anticipated. Surprisingly buttery, and if you close your eyes and use some soy sauce, it can almost pass as Sugarfish's Toro hand roll. Overall closing thoughts: While the food overall was pretty good, there's still quite a few things that the restaurant can improve on, especially if they're positioning to be a Sugarfish competitor. Pacing wise - our hand roll, 4pc nigiri, edamame, and salmon ceviche came out almost back to back within 3-5 minutes. Considering we were the only table dining, it would be nice if they paced out our items so the rice didn't get cold/the seaweed didn't get soggy, as we had to rush to eat things and eat out of order (it definitely feels strange complaining about food coming out too quickly, but considering it was a really cold day, the rice in our nigiri was starting to get cold by the time we got to them). In terms of the quantity of food, we were both satiated, but definitely not full - maybe Sugarfish just has richer cuts that make you feel more full as the piece counts look pretty similar otherwise at the 45 dollar price point. I'll also note that portion control looks a bit inconsistent, as my partners salmon ceviche had almost double the amount of salmon mine did. We hope that they continue to improve as we'd like to come back again in the future!

We had a great experience here! We went here on a Saturday night for my boyfriend's impromptu birthday dinner around 7:30pm. The place is small, cozy and intimate. It seems like a cute date night spot for couples and small parties as omakase isn't the cheapest, but it's a great dinner option to treat yourself. We got the Premium Omakase with Suntory Premium Malts. It came with an edamame and salmon appetizer, 10 premium sushi, 1 snow crab hand roll, and 1 4-piece Toro Scallion cut roll. Our plates came out one after the other and allowed us enough time to sit and enjoy each one after. The waiters were nice and explained each of the plates to us, how to eat which with soy sauce or not, etc. I especially loved having miso soup to order to end as it settled our full stomachs well. And, as a surprise, they brought out a green tea ice cream with red bean and mochi (the chewiest mochi I've ever had!) with a candle on top for his birthday, so sweet! They already include a 16.5% service charge so no extra tipping required. Great for an intimate little date night.

I've come here twice to try their omakase offering. Once for their middle tier and a second time for their top tier since it's advertised as premium fish. I cannot in good conscience recommend either based on the quality of the food at that price. Service: fantastic. Interior design terrific. But the sushi is on par with much cheaper establishments. In particular the rice quality is incredibly underwhelming. Compared to say sugarfish close by which I can confidently say had rice that is delicious on its own and accentuates the fish, I'm not even sure UO uses sushi rich. The fish quality is moderate at best, if I'm paying close to 100 dollars after tax and a mandatory 17% tip I should be at least impressed or feel I got my money's worth. At this juncture it feels overpriced. I don't think I was fleeced but if I want good quality sushi I would be doing self harm electing to come here for satisfy that craving.

I appreciate the mellow, traditional ambiance. The restaurant was simple but very nice. The fish selection was widely extensive. The dishes tasted palatable... My qualm is that the pricing and portions were quite small for an establishment that touts itself on its "affordability". We paid $100 per person, without any drinks... which I pay elsewhere for a more plentiful meal. Nothing awful here but I am not running back at all considering the other options for this price.

UO Nigiri recently opened last week in Marina Del Rey. They specialize in omakase (nigiri, roll, hand roll sushi) and ala carte sushi. If you're allergic to shellfish, they will accommodate and swap out the shellfish for fish. The staff was very friendly and nice. There's parking in the lot in front of the restaurant or on the street. It's a very small restaurant, so good for small groups of 2-4 people. It's a pretty pricey place... $48 for the UO favorite (middle tier omakase) and I left still hungry.

Incredibly fresh fish with variety, quick and kind service, and the restaurant itself is very cute and intimate. We were blown away by the Premium fixed menu but something that really stood out was the scallop nigiri - it's an experience.

So glad this opened up!! Quality no frills Sushi omakase. Everything I've had here is delicious and they have lunch specials as well. Simple tasting menus to choose from and a wide variety of traditional Japanese sushi and rolls (I.e. no California rolls!). Love that it's walking distance for me. Owner Yusuke is very nice and friendly!

i don't think i've ever waited so long to be served at a restaurant selling food at these price points in LA before... granted they DID just open on the 13th (and a server did warn me they were short staffed), but the price and the area demand better planning. we walked in to eat at 7:30 on a wednesday night, and i saw at least three groups of people who walked away because the restaurant was at capacity. the quality of the food was delicious, but it was a bit of a let down waiting so long in between these small bites. our servers were also so nice! however, waiting so long, in addition to the poor acoustics of the small restaurant really didn't do it for my family or i. i'd probably come back earlier in the evening to give it a shot because it was genuinely so yummy

My gf and I were really looking forward to trying a new sushi place in our area and omakase experience. Unfortunately our experience here was a massive let down. Initially looking at the menu the pricing seemed relatively reasonable but the sushi quality was subpar and didn't taste fresh. On top of that the service was terrible, water wasn't refilled without asking multiple times, we were practically begging for our last course and the check by the end of the meal. For the price and mandatory service charge would have expected nothing short of excellent. Instead we walked away with buyers remorse and feeling really bummed. Disappointing...

Love this place! They have three omakase options and a la carte as well. Beer on tap as well as sake and wine. It's a cozy spot that gets your sushi out fairly quickly and the owner is very nice. There's a service charge so no tipping.

Dream sushi experience. Chef grade sushi at affordable prices with a great atmosphere. The staff is super friendly and welcoming as well. This location is brand new. I've lived within walking distance for over a decade. This is exactly the type of high quality sushi restaurant we want in our neighborhood. Highly recomme

I hate to give a bad review to a new business, but avoid this place at all costs. It wasn't even organized chaos, it was just chaos. The service was sporadic and the courses were timed horribly. The sever never came to check on anything, and our food wasn't good. The final nail in the coffin was the dead roach in the bathroom. They add a service charge in lieu of tipping, FYI.

Best sushi in the area. I highly recommend this restaurant. We'll be back. Ambiance and service really good, but the fish is outstanding.

Great service. Delicious fish. Not a lot of food. Wish there was more. Next time I'll try the largest package. I got the middle package.

Excellent quality fish and great service, I highly recommend this place to sushi locers.

Great new sushi spot just opened up in marina del Rey . Ambiance is clean and simple . Also a back room for private dining:

How is this our local sushi spot?! Soooo good. Fresh, quality fish. Great bar. They also import and sell fish to other sushi restaurants. Feels high end but not pretentious, cute modern aesthetics, lovely team. Will be back!'n

The waiter was so kind and he explained where are from the ingredients and, the food is delicious and the fish has a very good flavor and texture, the ambiance was very peaceful and happy, the restaurant look very nice.

Always on the hunt to explore new sushi spots because it's rare to find one that truly hits the spots in Marina Del Rey. From the moment we walked in, we knew we were in for something special. The ambiance is cozy yet sophisticated, perfect for a relaxed evening. The sushi here is on another level--truly authentic with fish flown in fresh from Japan. Every piece we tried was a masterpiece, from the buttery otoro to the perfectly balanced uni. The attention to detail is evident in every bite, and you can tell the chefs are passionate about their craft. The service was impeccable too, with friendly staff who were more than happy to share their knowledge about the dishes and the sourcing of their ingredients. It's clear that this spot is committed to providing an authentic experience, and it shows. If you're a sushi lover, this place is a must-try. I'm already looking forward to my next visit!

Fantastic sushi! A must try if you're on the west side. As someone who has tried a bunch of sushi spots around LA, this place really stood out. The menu is smaller than most and the place is new but the service was fantastic and the fish was genuinely amazing. Our favorite was the scallop hand roll that wasn't on the menu but they made for us!

New restaurant in the area. My wife and I had to try it. Great Sushi. Fantastic service! We'll be back!!

Wow!! Uo is amazing! I just stopped by for a late lunch and I am impressed! The quality of the fish is awesome and the decor and service are top notch. Everything was great but my favorite are the red snapper and scallop - perfection! I am so happy for a new local place to go to. I believe they do get busy for dinner service since their profile on eater.com and their parking lot can be busy but don't let that deter you! Just keep that in mind at peak eating times. I am blessed and can be there in 5mins since I live down the street :) I can't wait to come here again to try more!

Incredible quality and concise menu! Exactly the kind of quality you want in fresh sushi, with tailored eats that make every experience unique. Our waiter was So and he was GREAT! Super kind and cares about what he does. Will 100% be back!

This place is incredible. It's my favorite sushi spot in LA. It's small, intimate, and since it's relatively new it's never overpacked. Usually I would gate keep a spot like this so no one would find out but these guys deserve nothing but the best praise publicly! I hope I am dining here for decades!

First met the fish distributor at Torrance Farmer's Market at Wilson Park. Followed them to their new restaurant and the fish is still excellent. Great omakase and budget friendly.

I work in the complex, at a neighboring business, and while I loved the previous place, this place is very delicious. The quality of the fish and the quality of service are all top notch. I only eat here during the day, so I cannot comment on how busy it as at night, but during the day it is very nice, quiet, and relaxing. You do not feel rushed, the staff is very kind and attentive. Overall I would rate this a must try. With the price of food skyrocketing around Los Angeles, I would say that the price of their omakase menu is more than fair for the items you receive with your order.

Amazing fresh fish! Great service and a really clean and calming ambience. Would totally recommend. Just opened but I assume it'll be a great hit in LA! Love love love