Best Sushi at "Odd" Hours (Midnight, 4 PM, etc.)? Westside Preferred!

[PeterCC]

Chowhounders, what is the best place to get sushi at non-sushi-ya-traditional hours? I know K-Zo in Culver City is open all day Sunday, and Kanpai in Westchester is open all day until 1 AM every day. Any other suggestions for the best sushi at "odd" hours?

[foodiemahoodie]

Wokcano in Santa Monica is open very late. Crazy late.

I was there a few months ago when I had a late night sushi hankering and the sushi I had was surprisingly, almost shockingly good. The uni especially.

[foodiemahoodie]

Stopped by there tonight at 10:00. They said they are open and serving sushi 'til 2;00 am.

[PeterCC]

To clarify my OP, I know I can use Yelp to find places that are open late fairly easily, and of course I can look at the reviews and get a decent list of places to try when I'm craving sushi during the "sushi siesta" (usually between 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM, weekdays) or late at night (after 10 PM, sometimes even after midnight). But I'm looking for *personal* recommendations of the best places that fit the above time criteria.

I mentioned K-Zo and Kanpai in my OP because I've heard them recommended as alternatives to the more recommended places (Kiriko, Mori, Zo, etc) when those places are not in contention for whatever reason,and they fit the time-based criteria I had, but I haven't been to either personally.

To throw a rec of my own out there, while I haven't had sushi at Morinoya, I did enjoy the few cooked dishes I had (http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/845618) and J.L. enjoyed the quality of the sushi/sashimi he had there (http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/843908). They're open to 11 PM on weeknights, 1 AM Fri/Sat nights (technically Sat/Sun morning). They do participate in the "sushi siesta" though.

[ipsedixit]

Bistro Sakana (in K-Town) open until 2 AM

Shibucho is open until midnight

Bar Hayama is open until 1 AM or 1:30 AM

[PeterCC]

Thanks ipsedixit. I've read about want to try Shibucho, but it's a bit far. Found Bistro Sakana on Yelp using advanced filters. Sounds like another good rec for me, somewhat close. Bar Hayama is definitely better, distance-wise too. Have you been to these two places personally?

(Wait, maybe I'm thinking of the Shibucho that Porthos has recently eschewed, down in OC. Did you mean the one off the 101?)

[ipsedixit]

Yes, the Shibucho on Beverly, off the 101, and not Sushi Shibucho in the OC. It's ok, not the best place for sashimi, but it'll scratch your itch at midnight just fine.

Bar Hayama is fine, sort of a cool setting with the firepit. I guess I just have a soft spot for it as it was the former Sasabune spot.

[Servorg]

Hide Sushi (cash ONLY) is one of the few places that serves from opening right through their close at night. Most Sushi places tend to close after their lunch hour until they open again in the evening for their dinner service.

http://www.hidesushi.com/

[PeterCC]

Thanks Servorg. I've been to Hide but not for a while and forgot they were open in between. I know most places close between lunch and dinner ( I call it the "sushi siesta" though I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of that). That's why I put 4 PM as an "odd" hour in the topic.

[Servorg]

While not unusual in terms of their hours (and I know they were previously "meh'd" by a respected LA hound here) I have found Backhouse Yakatori and Sushi Bar to be one of the very best delivery places around when I want a sushi or yakatori fix and I can't or (don't want) to go out to get it.

www.backhouserestaurant.com

[PeterCC]

I think that was J.L. who didn't care for it. Which is fine. One of the places I like recommending to people, Killer Shrimp always has at least one detractor. No big deal.

I didn't know Backhouse delivered. And I know they're open late so that's a good alternative. Thanks.

[Servorg]

Never having been there, (and seeing as how they are earning some terrible Yelp review I doubt that I'll go) but I do find one 24 hour sushi place in Hollywood - see website here: http://sushikingz.com/ and one more (oddity) that should probably be mentioned in this thread is the unusual "King's Burgers-Got Sushi?" in the SFV (Northridge) very close to CSUN.

[kevin]

The sushi or rather sashimi plates I had at King Burger were actually not half bad. It's was very Matsuhisa-esque in its new style of sashimi.

[EricDC]

Not to be rude, I hope, but, can we get back on topic to the OP's initial question about places that are open at odd hours?

Because I, too, often find myself craving sushi and the like at 10 PM and later, and I'd love to have a quiver of sushi arrows to dip into...

[Servorg]

Another option, as I understand it, (one more place I have not been to) is Sushi Taiyo, which is open until at least midnight (and until 1 AM on Friday and Saturday nights).. The only CH review I can find is from 2005 by Poet Kitty: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/73322 - I miss Poet Kitty and her posts

Taiyo Sushi
5917 Franklin Ave
Los Feliz

[PeterCC]

Thanks Servorg. I found a bunch of the same places you've given using Yelp's advanced filters as well. I was more hoping for personal recs, which I know you're also providing

For example, I like your rec for the Backhouse because I've read you in other sushi threads and a rec for a place you'd consider decent for late night sushi is worth more to me than a random Yelper.

[PeterCC]

EricDC, I didn't think kevin was being particularly off-topic. Servorg didn't say whether he personally recommended King's Burgers-Got Sushi?, so kevin was providing his personal experience, which helps me decide if I want to try the place. Unfortunately, SFV is too far away for my needs.

[PeterCC]

Thanks kevin. Are you serious about the last sentence? After the strange Keith Gilabert threads, I can't tell if you're joking or not. :-) Though looking at the Yelp pics, I do see some interesting sashimi offerings. I guess a place could be Matsuhisa-esque without being Matsuhisa-quality (not that I'm saying this place is bad, it just doesn't look anywhere at the same level as Matsuhisa).

[kevin]

Sorry. Not joking. The sashimi is good compared to other places around town. But also it's not cheap, considering that most of the sashimi is a solid 13 and 14 bucks. And one with black truffles is about 18 to 19$.

[ThatPat]

Backhouse in West LA is not a sushi bar at present--just an izakaya with a decent selection of sushi rolls. I find the food very tasty--my comparisons are Musha in Santa Monica and Nanbankan, and Robata on Sawtelle. Don't know if this location delivers. This is by far one of the best dining options for the Landmark Theaters across the street IMO.

[Servorg]

One thing about their hand rolls I've discovered. Their soy paper wrappers are so much better than their nori (which tends to be too tough) that I ask for soy paper on any hand roll I get (and which they've accommodated to this point without a problem).

[kevin]

Do they serve blue crab hand rolls there?

Any good?

[Servorg]

They do. They have a blue crab hand roll and a baked crab hand roll. Both are good.

http://backhouserestaurant.com/menu/w...

[kevin]

i'll pass the baked one.

Sounds more like a sushi bar than an izakaya from a cursory perusal of the menu.

prices ain't cheap for what i previously thought was supposed to be sushi along the lines of a hide, etc.

[Servorg]

I like them because they deliver (and get it to me normally within 45 minutes).

[kevin]

ok, yeah, what other decent, or marginally decent sushi bar delivers?

practically none.

Good to know.