Los Angeles has no shortage of excellent sushi, from supermarkets and specialty markets stocked with fresh rolls to celebrity-favored strip mall restaurants. But one New York City omakase legend is hoping to make his own splash on the West Coast when he finally debuts this month after years of local anticipation.
Michelin-starred Sushi Nakazawa, helmed by “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” protege and chef-owner Daisuke Nakazawa, is set to open its doors on May 13 on Robertson Boulevard, right on the border of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
It’s not the first time the restaurant, which opened its doors in the West Village in 2013 and debuted a second location in Washington, D.C., in 2018, has dipped its toes in the Los Angeles market: In 2022, the restaurant had a monthlong pop-up at the ritzy Peninsula Beverly Hills, and in 2024, co-owner Alessandro Borgognone and Nakazawa launched Hi Dozo, a Sugarfish-esque delivery-only experience through DoorDash that offers nigiri and hand rolls in custom-designed boxes.
It’s been a long journey for Nakazawa and company. The permanent location of Sushi Nakazawa at 145 N. Robertson Boulevard was first announced in 2022, with a planned 2023 opening. Now, three years later, the wait is nearly over.
Unlike the New York and Washington, D.C., restaurants, LA’s Sushi Nakazawa will offer both hot and cold dishes, thanks to a robata grill and a full kitchen setup. The restaurant, which was designed by Studio UNLTD to reflect an underwater cavern, will open with dinner service only, offering a classic omakase of nigiri for $190 or a chef’s tasting featuring hot and cold dishes for $295. That’s a surprisingly mid-market price for Los Angeles these days, as many other nigiri-focused omakases run at or above $295, before tax, tip and beverages, including Shunji, Morihiro and Sushi Kaneyoshi. More broadly, the seven-seat Hayato, which has two Michelin stars, starts its pricing at $450, before drinks; the tasting menu at Spanish-leaning Somni, with three Michelin stars, hovers around $1,000 per person.
While Sushi Nakazawa joins a crowded omakase market in the City of Angels, the owners don’t seem phased. “What we’re bringing to LA is my partner’s version of what he’s been doing for the last 30 years of his life and implementing that into the restaurant,” Borgognone tells Eater LA.
A statement from the restaurant says the beverage program, overseen by Dean Fuerth, will have “the most extensive sake list in the state.” Lunch service and patio seating will launch soon, and a future brick-and-mortar location for Hi Dozo is in the works as well, according to Eater LA.
