Best sushi downtown LA - unique and interesting sushi - omakase!!

[sdiddy]

i want to explore downtown and little tokyo and my wife and i want a great sushi experience. we have been to sasabune, zo, and other westside places and our favorites tend to be clean, dark, smaller places where the chefs interact with you a lot and tell you whats uniqie about the fish. of COURSE, top quality fish is essential. Anyone have recommendations for downtown that would be great and have wonderful nigiri and omakase? thanks

[Clyde]

personally, i think sushi gen is the best in the area. i like sushi go 55 as well, but think overall gen is the better choice. do NOT go to oomasa. i had the worst sushi experience there a few months ago, and i used to go there quite often as a standby place when sushi gen's lines were too long. fish was not fresh and the service was horrible. somehow it just went downhill for me. i know you want to stick with the little tokyo area, but i've had better in the west LA & culver city areas. nishi-ya is also a great omakase spot. i love it there, AND they tell you exactly where the fish is from for every piece. it's in the glendale/burbank area.

[cls]

I would argue that while Gen is good, unique and interesting omakase it's not.

[ns1]

I agree with CLS 100%

gen's fish is good but everytime I go I feel like I'm just a number in the assembly line.

[J.L.]

I would normally agree with Sushi Gen's omakase not being interesting...

BUT...

Toyo-san served me konowata on my most recent omakase there! It is the first time I've seen konowata in the U.S. Very interesting!!!

[cls]

Here they are:
Sushi Gen, not a ton of interaction and relatively simple nigiri but very good
Toshi Sushi, lots of interaction, creative, usually priced well, exotic fish.
Sushi Go, not the greatest fish or interaction
Takami, at the bar only, they will do omakase but most of their customers don't know what it is. great view, great interaction
Izayoi, usually very good and creative, great fish, great interaction
Takumi, second rate fish, usually nice guys working there.
Hama Sushi, great bar, standoffish attitude, and they told me they don't do omakase
R23, used to be really good, but it's slipped a bit, fun chefs and also creative.
Mako Sushi, cool very little bar, good sushi but not the best, maybe the best intimate experience downtown.

I would go to Toshi or Izayoi given your criteria. If you want a Japan like experience, Mako can be a lot of fun. Personally I also like Takami, but without knowing the chefs it's hit or miss.

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Izayoi
132 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

R23
923 E. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Mako Sushi
123 Astronaut E S Onizuka St Ste 307, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[sushigirlie]

I haven't been to Takami in a while but I've had great interaction there as well as very good sushi. Any more opinions on Takami?

[cls]

The young chef on the right at the bar is named Yoshi and is the head chef. He is apologetic that they don't have a better selection of fish, but shops every day and will be happy to pick up special fish if you call in advance.
Make a trip and get to know him, and he will take good care of you in the future.
By far the best view in an LA sushi bar. (Yamishiro is not considered.)

[ipsedixit]

Komasa and Mako would be my top 2 choices in downtown LA.