Sushi Nozawa

so after years and years of wanting to try out the "sushi nazi" and see what he is so famous for, we finally made our way in. the restaurant is TIN... more

Honestly...i've had better...and i want that hour of my life and my 80 bucks back. Dont get me wrong...fresh fish?? YES...is the best and freshest fish i ever in my entire life?? NO ... \r \r i actually talked to a guy before walking in and he stated "" yea ive been all over the world..and even japan...and this has to be the best place i have ever gone..""\r \r Yea... after trying it..i thought to myself..not really..and if anyone honestly think its the freshest fish have ever had..THEN THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TO MANY GREAT SUSHI PLACES AND DONT KNOW WHERE ITS REALLY AT... thats all i gotta say... better than japan?? HA...try not even the best in LA... \r \r It was good fish...but it wasnt the best..and to top it off with an overly quiet atmosphere and the head chef who tends to give you an evil eye as if ur being analyzed and judged and he is waiting to kick you out...that makes it worse... \r \r I wanted to be able to enjoy good food and my beer and relax..but was not able too..there is better and dont believe the hype. Pros: good fish...not great..not the best..good...and the fact they at least had alcohol Cons: The service and the cold atmosphere and doesnt live up to hype more

What is it that really keeps me wanting Nozawa? The Sushi was fresh and excellent, the rice was warm and pleasant, and the Sushi 'N a z i' experience just added to the experience. I opted for the bar, which was chef's choice. I had numerous pieces, including some hand rolls. No alcohol, the bill came out to about $60 a person including tax and tip. The snapper, baby toro, albacore, yellow tail, and halibut were all excellent! The only somewhat odd tasting was the salmon, although I'm personally not a fan of it anyways. The waiter also mentioned the wasabi was fresh, which added to the delight. The decor of the place is fairly bland, but I go to places for the food, not the decor. Pros: Great fish, fresh wasabi, the experience Cons: Nothing really.. Limited parking? more

Forget about ambiance, forget about decor. Forget about you cellies too! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the best cut, best tasting fish, and rice you have tasted in a sushi spot. Nozawa has raised the bar to another level. No other place that I have gone to after this restaurant equals or surpasses. Just trust me!!! Pros: Fish cuts served on warm rice Cons: too good to think about a con more

Wow. This was the sloppiest sushi I've ever had, either in the US or Japan. It was good fresh fish, but created poorly. The rice was still hot, and not of good enough texture to stick together. When you picked up a piece, it just fell apart. The fish was also cut sloppily, and very much aesthetically unpleasing. The whole place revolves around the theme of ""trust me."" It means that you are serves what the chef deems. However, there are multiple choices in the sushi cooler over the sushi bar that are not served. What happens to all that fish? Anyway, I don't want to go back. It was fairly unpleasant on all levels, but not awful. I don't understand how this chef earned his good rep. Pros: No wait for a table. Hmmm. Cons: Bad food, unpleasant service, neon ambience, bad parking more

If you are looking for a gloomy sushi restaurant, with a strong smell, a rude owner and NO service: this is a place for you!\r Stay away from Nozawa. We have been fed some (rather good) sushis on cheap plastic plates as fast as humanly possible and then asked to leave because some other people were waiting for a table.\r Especially in LA, were choices are immense, why go get insulted in that ****hole??\r \r more

very fresh fish, but the begging question is - must one eat in fear? more

very fresh fish, but the begging question is - must one eat in fear? more

very fresh fish, but the begging question is - must one eat in fear? more

very fresh fish, but the begging question is - must one eat in fear? more

Great sushi, very plain location in a strip mall, and a very touchy owner who orders for you and will boot... more

Great sushi, very plain location in a strip mall, and a very touchy owner who orders for you and will boot you if you sit in the wrong chair. Yike... more

Yes, the atmosphere is stale and yes, you can't order anything you like but for anybody who really likes the sushi served in a more traditional way, eAT here. The fish might be the best I have had, but more importantly, THE RICE! The texture, temperature, and sweetness of the rice reminded me that there is more to sushi than just the fish. The rice here really adds to the taste of the fish instead of simply acting as filler. The price is reasonable considering I have spent just as much at similar sushi restaurants and received less quality and quantity. If you are in the mood for elaborate rolls and a relaxed atmosphere, considering going elsewhere. Pros: Fast service - Great sushi - Fairly priced Cons: Not a conventional sushi experience more

The place looks like hell - small, terrible lighting, like a pizza place in a strip mall, but its clean and once you walk in you realize its an institution. Its always packed both at the bar and the tables, and there is no menu. All the walls are covered with pictures that say 'trust me' because the chef does the picking for you. And boy, what pickings. the sushi is quite a friendly selection of fish, nothing too exotic or unusual, but when you put it in your mouth you'd think you died and went to heaven. i don't know how they get the sushi so fresh or the rice so yummy, but it is so fresh that there isn't even the slightest hint that this is fish! We've gone quite a few fridays in a row, only to then notice that a meal that takes 30 minutes to go through (the chef's choice is like 7 courses and served very efficiently) can cost $150 for 2 very quickly. Worth the money, but if you want some more ambiance there are other choices on the strip. I have a friend who comes from ny and eats here 2 meals a day on every day he is in LA. Everyone should try at least once. more

Imagine going to a restaurant where you have little or no say in what you are served. Seems absurd, right? Well, you need to get over that little hang-up because at Nozawa, its the Chef's way or the highway. Plus, be prepared to pay for the honor of being treated gruffly by the man whom Sienfeld's rude ""Soup Not-see"" (spelled phonetically because Citysearch wouldn't allow the use of the very word they used in their review, sigh) was based upon.\r \r The sushi and sashimi is out of this world, each created with expertise. Not that you'll need it, but I would recommend NOT reaching for the Soy Sauce in his presence...trust me on this one.\r All in all, a dining experience that is so totally L.A. and will have you looking forward to your next visit. Pros: suchi that melts in your mouth Cons: there are many and they're WORTH IT! :) more

I loved this place. Great food and cool relaxed ambiance. Really, the sushi was unlike any I'd ever had. It was first rate and made it a great night. more

I have a pretty serious beef with anyone who claims to be a sushi lover but doesn't fall on their knees after eating here. Yes, the service is minimal; yes, the decor is virtually nonexistant; no, don't expect fusion fried whatnot; and no, don't order, just get the chef's special.\r \r If you like fusion sushi, go to Katsu-Ya or Koi on La Cienega; if you are a sushi disciple, go to Nozawa. And don't go with someone chatty, just go with someone who loves sushi as much as you and will just eat and be amazed.\r \r Trust me. more

We decided to try this place on a Wednesday night, since Katsu-ya down the street was completely packed. When we arrived at 8:00 pm..there were only 3 tables seated..granted there are about 6 tables all together in the restaurant plus the sushi bar. The place was deadly silent and as soon as we entered...all the waiters and sushi chefs just stared at us, while the customers seemed too afraid to speak whatsoever. The place resembles a mental institution. I have never experienced such silence in a restaurant. Essentially, it was completely the opposite of Katsu-ya. If you like plain, simple rolls versus the creative, tempura-fried, saucy ones, then you'll like Sushi Nozawa. Nozawa was extremely expensive and we basically paid the same price per person as we do for Katana! IT was outrageous, given that there is a minimum of 4 orders per person. I thought the fish was okay, not outstanding. The sashimi was falling off the rice. Everything was just very plain and boring. There was nothing creative about the dishes. They were all simple and unoriginal, and the menu was very limited. We definitely felt cheated, since we left hungry and upset at the prices. The service was pretty unhelpful, and I would definitely recommend Katsu-ya more than Nozawa. There's actually no comparison between the two. Pros: nothing really Cons: quality of food, service, ambiance, prices more

I don't understand. I was so freaked out by reviewers comments about Nozawa-san being abusive that I was actually NERVOUS to go there one evening to finally give the legendary Nozawa a try. There was no abuse, even though I would have kicked a couple of the annoying Hollywoods at the end of the sushi bar speaking too loudly about ""The Biz."" In fact the older woman who greeted me was very gracious and kind. Having just returned from New York and eaten at my favourite sushi restaurant there (Tomoe Sushi), I was determined to settle my great personal debate... East Coast or West Coast sushi? All I can tell you is that I left Nozawa that night having feasted on some of the finest, freshest fish ever served up on a warm tasty little pat of rice. The sashimi was perfectly and I might add, creatively cut. And the unbelievably fresh crab he served to me quickly wrapped into an ultra-crispy handroll, was SUBLIME!\r I should also mention that Nozawa is by far the fastest sushi experience I have ever had. Granted I went on a Tuesday night around 8:00 and I was by myself which made it easier for them to seat me. I was sat at the bar immediately. But seriously, I reached my ""full"" point in about 12 minutes. Faster than it took me to drive there. I still can't figure out if that was a good thing. Oh, and that full point I mentioned? Yeah, I ate past that point by letting him feed me three more orders! And I'm petite! It just tasted so good and I was curious to see what he'd serve up next. East Coast vs. West Coast? I don't know.... I've certainly got my faves. Pros: knowing you are in good hands with Nozawa-san Cons: Hollywood mouth breathers more

The first time I went here and was blown away by the quality of the fish. You have to be willing to try different kinds of sushi to appreciate the chef special. There were no incidents during my time at the restaurant. The service was good and we were seated promptly. Pros: Great Sushi Cons: Small parking lot more