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For my birthmonth my boyfriend was looking for exclusive and hard to get reservations to surprise me and he managed to get reservations for Kusano. I know he had to stay up until midnight on the day the spots were released so it's highly competitive for these 8-seats. Kusano is known for being an intimate experience where Chef Yusu Kusano is a one man show handling all aspects of the business. Since this saves him on overhead, he is able to keep his price point at $160 for an 18 course omakase meal. Their unique dining experience earns them a spot on the Michelin guide. I appreciate how attentive Chef was despite having so much to get done. As the first to arrive, we were able to watch Chef doing some prep work to expedite the experience during the meal. Also he seems to plan in dishes that require less work for him so the guests can be served while he checks on our beverages and other comforts. I also appreciate how we were served in the order in which we arrived, so the early bird gets the first sushi. As for our meal, my boyfriend and I agreed that this is a no frills, nigiri heavy meal. There wasn't too much engagement or story telling from Chef either. The sushi rice could have been better seasoned, which affected most courses since it's a nigiri heavy meal. On the bright side, chef has amazing knife skills and he makes small cuts on certain pieces of fish to make it more tender. On the other hand there are moments where he makes efficient decisions like ripping up the scallop by hand instead of cutting it. On the day of our visit, we were served oyster, hirami, shima aji, hotoke, seabream, ankimo, sardine, amaebi, umedai, miso soup, akami & toro, Hokkaido uni & squid, chutoro handroll, anago, tamago yaki and a yuzu granita. I had a birthday version and this sign behind us generated a cute happy birthday message, so that was a nice touch. This experience is GREAT VALUE, but for me just not too exciting. Just my personal preference that I prefer more interaction and innovation. Great to experience once but I'm not sure I would come back, considering I don't live in the area. I have no doubt they'll still be plenty busy without my patronage due to the pricing.
Each serving was 10/10. Experience just as incredible as the food!! Chef Kusano was so sweet and well spoken - even had a special moment for my birthday. Can't recommend this enough! A unique, no frills experience absolutely worth the price. Hope to come back soon!!
Kusano provides some of the best bang for your buck sushi omakase in LA ($150 pp), where you'll get all sushi and nigiri. Run by one chef (who handles all the food and drink order) with support with one waitstaff, Kusano is able to keep costs relatively low while still providing great value (nice cuts of otoro and all sorts of other fish across ~13 courses plus dessert). You can also ask for additional courses (for a fee) which is nice. Chill, low key ambiance but you're here to get good sushi from a nice, easy to chat with chef. Sake menu nice too, with an offering from the chef's home prefecture. Plaza of plaza parking.
Sushi tasted great, but the moment we walked in it smelled very fishy like fish market... which was unusual for us and surprised. It's only one person so he has to go back when someone order the drinks. only one omakase menu. portion was bit small. everything tastes great but I would appreciate if there is an waiter or someone to let the air out so won't smell so fishy and to keep an eye on drinks, or give us hot tea at the end...
Food was fantastic. The first thing we noticed was that this place was in the middle of a long plaza (ample parking) and you wouldn't expect to find such private, discrete and actually good restaurant in that location. There were only 8 seats or so with the bar built around the chef and you can tell that the chef cares about each and every customer, and wants to just enjoy the time making you great food. One of those places that makes you think, he probably loved making good food and wanted to gift a fun and delicious experience to a small group of people. We brought our own sakes and paid the corkage fee, but ended up ordering some beer because there were some Japanese beers that we've never seen before and did not disappoint.
Woooooow! Once a night at 5:30 pm for 8 lucky people @$160 pp. If you have. An AmEx Platinum card, this is a must try Resy spot ($100 credit). This is a 1 man show! Never seen anything like it! He was the master chef, bartender, & waiter. I'm sorry but I forgot to get his name. Each course was unique & amazing. We anxiously awaited each of his creations. I wish I could afford to come here everyday. we definitely coming back and I overwhelmingly recommend this spot.
One man show in Culver City. Amazing quality in an intimate setting. Come early to be the first for you seating for front row seats. Extremely attentive chef. Fantastic omakase in a strip mall in Culver City. Chef will drink with you, attend to any requests and then clean up all by himself. Definitely worth a visit and will be back again. Pricing is great for the experience you get. Book and go immediately.
Breathtaking! Every sushi was beautifully and slowly prepared by the chef. While each piece was made with careful detail, it also brought out the delicate taste of each dish. My husband personally loved the sawara, a Spanish Mackerel caught in Japan. Although a difficult choice, mine has to be the toro. After the omakase was finished, he then served a refreshing yuzu sorbet. Remember, the owner of Kusano is a one-man-operated restaurant. Although he was busy serving the drinks and preparing the sushi, he conversed and entertained all his guests. Overall, for $150, this has to be one of the only omakase in Los Angeles that offers this level of quality for the price. If you are looking for quality sushi, while experiencing the culture of Japan, you have to try Kusano at Culver City.
Totally unassuming exterior, but amazing food and service. Chef Kusano is a one-man show and he absolutely owns it: he chats with each person during the service, he has a great sense of humor, and he's super efficient with all his actions. Priced at $150 per person, you'll get 18 bites and a trip to Japan. I can't wait to be back!
Kusano is a wonderful, unique experience. The vibe is intimate (only 8 people per seating, all seated around the sushi bar). The food was incredible, served with care like individual works of art. It was a wonderful experience. My friends were worried that we would leave hungry (we joked about getting pizza after), but there was a good amount of food that left us all satisfied.
Arguably the best sushi I've had in my entire life. The chef was so cool too, he explained all the different types of dishes, how he is preparing each bite and where the fish from. The octopus, golden snapper and "2 way tuna" (toro and akami) were unreal. Started out with this really cool oyster fish as well. Would highly recommend, it's def on the pricier side but worth it for a S tier omakase experience. Oh yea the chef even put this nice message on his dope Vestaboard to congratulate me and my wife in our marriage.
One of the best experiences with omakase sushi I've ever had. Whole another level that this is restaurant is a one-man show
For omakase in a sleepy little corner of Culver City, Chef Kusano-san does a very good job. He runs a one-man show that has to get a little intense when the counter is full, but you get (at least on this visit) a lovely seared kinmedai (golden eye snapper), an uni-caviar-ika that was an interesting take on the usual uni, and there was a bit of work with both scallions and yuzu that was quite good. Highlight was probably the ankimo in particular was a generous portion that managed to not actually overwhelm in flavor. Interior, by the bar at least, is pretty much what you'd expect. Not as crazy high-end as some of his competitors, which again fits the area. Turn around and it's quite a bit more generic, but really, you're here for the food, not for the decor. And less we forget, the value is quite good for the money. Kusano may not quite match up to the exotic heights of his many competitors, but the value is strong.
My husband got us a reservation for my birthday and the meal was fantastic! Every piece of nigiri was amazing quality but some of my personal favorites were the scallop, tuna two ways, and ika/uni combo. Having the ika and uni together was a nice surprise with the differing textures that really elevated the nigiri. The tamago (egg) to end the nigiri portion of the meal was fantastic - the chef described it was castella style, and if you've had the Japanese dessert castella, it really does remind you of it! The yuzu ice gelato (?) to finish the meal was the perfect end. There's 8 seats, so it's an intimate meal, and the chef does everything! Thank you for the wonderful meal!!! read more
2 months ago
3 months ago
A true one man show! Had an incredible omakase experience here. The chef is a total powerhouse! He handles everything from slicing the fish to clearing the plates entirely on his own. Despite being alone, the service didn't suffer. The food was excellent: incredibly fresh fish and very clean, precise cuts. My favorites were the ebi, tuna handroll, and Uni with octopus. The dessert was a refreshing yuzu lemon shaved ice ball. Highly recommend supporting this talented chef! read more
1 day ago
For my birthmonth my boyfriend was looking for exclusive and hard to get reservations to surprise me and he managed to get reservations for Kusano. I know he had to stay up until midnight on the day the spots were released so it's highly competitive for these 8-seats. Kusano is known for being an intimate experience where Chef Yusu Kusano is a one man show handling all aspects of the business. Since this saves him on overhead, he is able to keep his price point at $160 for an 18 course omakase meal. Their unique dining experience earns them a spot on the Michelin guide. I appreciate how attentive Chef was despite having so much to get done. As the first to arrive, we were able to watch Chef doing some prep work to expedite the experience during the meal. Also he seems to plan in dishes that require less work for him so the guests can be served while he checks on our beverages and other comforts. I also appreciate how we were served in the order in which we arrived, so the early bird gets the first sushi. As for our meal, my boyfriend and I agreed that this is a no frills, nigiri heavy meal. There wasn't too much engagement or story telling from Chef either. The sushi rice could have been better seasoned, which affected most courses since it's a nigiri heavy meal. On the bright side, chef has amazing knife skills and he makes small cuts on certain pieces of fish to make it more tender. On the other hand there are moments where he makes efficient decisions like ripping up the scallop by hand instead of cutting it. On the day of our visit, we were served oyster, hirami, shima aji, hotoke, seabream, ankimo, sardine, amaebi, umedai, miso soup, akami & toro, Hokkaido uni & squid, chutoro handroll, anago, tamago yaki and a yuzu granita. I had a birthday version and this sign behind us generated a cute happy birthday message, so that was a nice touch. This experience is GREAT VALUE, but for me just not too exciting. Just my personal preference that I prefer more interaction and innovation. Great to experience once but I'm not sure I would come back, considering I don't live in the area. I have no doubt they'll still be plenty busy without my patronage due to the pricing. read more
2 months ago
Each serving was 10/10. Experience just as incredible as the food!! Chef Kusano was so sweet and well spoken - even had a special moment for my birthday. Can't recommend this enough! A unique, no frills experience absolutely worth the price. Hope to come back soon!! read more
Kusano provides some of the best bang for your buck sushi omakase in LA ($150 pp), where you'll get all sushi and nigiri. Run by one chef (who handles all the food and drink order) with support with one waitstaff, Kusano is able to keep costs relatively low while still providing great value (nice cuts of otoro and all sorts of other fish across ~13 courses plus dessert). You can also ask for additional courses (for a fee) which is nice. Chill, low key ambiance but you're here to get good sushi from a nice, easy to chat with chef. Sake menu nice too, with an offering from the chef's home prefecture. Plaza of plaza parking. read more
Sushi tasted great, but the moment we walked in it smelled very fishy like fish market... which was unusual for us and surprised. It's only one person so he has to go back when someone order the drinks. only one omakase menu. portion was bit small. everything tastes great but I would appreciate if there is an waiter or someone to let the air out so won't smell so fishy and to keep an eye on drinks, or give us hot tea at the end... read more
5 months ago
Food was fantastic. The first thing we noticed was that this place was in the middle of a long plaza (ample parking) and you wouldn't expect to find such private, discrete and actually good restaurant in that location. There were only 8 seats or so with the bar built around the chef and you can tell that the chef cares about each and every customer, and wants to just enjoy the time making you great food. One of those places that makes you think, he probably loved making good food and wanted to gift a fun and delicious experience to a small group of people. We brought our own sakes and paid the corkage fee, but ended up ordering some beer because there were some Japanese beers that we've never seen before and did not disappoint. read more
7 months ago
Woooooow! Once a night at 5:30 pm for 8 lucky people @$160 pp. If you have. An AmEx Platinum card, this is a must try Resy spot ($100 credit). This is a 1 man show! Never seen anything like it! He was the master chef, bartender, & waiter. I'm sorry but I forgot to get his name. Each course was unique & amazing. We anxiously awaited each of his creations. I wish I could afford to come here everyday. we definitely coming back and I overwhelmingly recommend this spot. read more
1 year ago
One man show in Culver City. Amazing quality in an intimate setting. Come early to be the first for you seating for front row seats. Extremely attentive chef. Fantastic omakase in a strip mall in Culver City. Chef will drink with you, attend to any requests and then clean up all by himself. Definitely worth a visit and will be back again. Pricing is great for the experience you get. Book and go immediately. read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
Breathtaking! Every sushi was beautifully and slowly prepared by the chef. While each piece was made with careful detail, it also brought out the delicate taste of each dish. My husband personally loved the sawara, a Spanish Mackerel caught in Japan. Although a difficult choice, mine has to be the toro. After the omakase was finished, he then served a refreshing yuzu sorbet. Remember, the owner of Kusano is a one-man-operated restaurant. Although he was busy serving the drinks and preparing the sushi, he conversed and entertained all his guests. Overall, for $150, this has to be one of the only omakase in Los Angeles that offers this level of quality for the price. If you are looking for quality sushi, while experiencing the culture of Japan, you have to try Kusano at Culver City. read more
Totally unassuming exterior, but amazing food and service. Chef Kusano is a one-man show and he absolutely owns it: he chats with each person during the service, he has a great sense of humor, and he's super efficient with all his actions. Priced at $150 per person, you'll get 18 bites and a trip to Japan. I can't wait to be back! read more
3 months ago
Kusano is a wonderful, unique experience. The vibe is intimate (only 8 people per seating, all seated around the sushi bar). The food was incredible, served with care like individual works of art. It was a wonderful experience. My friends were worried that we would leave hungry (we joked about getting pizza after), but there was a good amount of food that left us all satisfied. read more
Arguably the best sushi I've had in my entire life. The chef was so cool too, he explained all the different types of dishes, how he is preparing each bite and where the fish from. The octopus, golden snapper and "2 way tuna" (toro and akami) were unreal. Started out with this really cool oyster fish as well. Would highly recommend, it's def on the pricier side but worth it for a S tier omakase experience. Oh yea the chef even put this nice message on his dope Vestaboard to congratulate me and my wife in our marriage. read more
5 months ago
1 year ago
One of the best experiences with omakase sushi I've ever had. Whole another level that this is restaurant is a one-man show read more
For omakase in a sleepy little corner of Culver City, Chef Kusano-san does a very good job. He runs a one-man show that has to get a little intense when the counter is full, but you get (at least on this visit) a lovely seared kinmedai (golden eye snapper), an uni-caviar-ika that was an interesting take on the usual uni, and there was a bit of work with both scallions and yuzu that was quite good. Highlight was probably the ankimo in particular was a generous portion that managed to not actually overwhelm in flavor. Interior, by the bar at least, is pretty much what you'd expect. Not as crazy high-end as some of his competitors, which again fits the area. Turn around and it's quite a bit more generic, but really, you're here for the food, not for the decor. And less we forget, the value is quite good for the money. Kusano may not quite match up to the exotic heights of his many competitors, but the value is strong. read more
11 months ago
This place is 160pp and i think the quantity and quality of pieces are great. It's mainly nigiri and only one chef is taking care of everyone, but it doesn't feel like it's run by one person. Took about 2 hours from start to end. Sake was great and priced reasonably. I would go back next time when we're in LA. Recommended. read more
3 months ago
We were blown away from our very first course (suma bonito which melted in our mouths) to the very last (yuzu sorbet that provided a refreshing burst of flavor)! We can't choose a favorite because everything that Chef Kusano created was so unique. Even his miso soup was nothing like the many miso soups we've had at restaurants in the U.S. and Japan. We also loved the sake he recommended which complemented our meal perfectly. We couldn't imagine one person handling EVERYTHING, but Chef Kusano managed every detail seamlessly - even somehow changing the cool message board when he found out it was our 30th anniversary! We've enjoyed a number of Michelin star restaurants through the years, but appreciated the relaxed and casual atmosphere at Kusano while reveling in Michelin-worthy culinary creations. As we left Kusano, we were figuring out when we could return! Thank you, Chef Kusano, for an amazing experience and for making our anniversary one that we'll never forget! read more
2 years ago
Combining authentic Japanese omakase with a small restaurant feel, 10/10 I brought my gf here for her birthday as our tradition of getting omakase and we wanted to try a newer establishment, and we're very surprised with the quality and knowledge of chef Kusano. The fact that he didn't even mess with salmon basic nigiri shows the authenticity. Personal favorites were the Hokkaido uni wrapped with squid, the scallop, the lean and fatty tuna pairing, actually it was all amazing His knowledge of the sake menu was also wonderful, we order a bottle of the Kinka, and tried others from the other diners which just enhanced the meal Off the menu we order tako (octopus, which was massaged for an hour cooked and hour after) and king mackerel which just melted in your mouth Must try before his bookings are weeks out read more
2 years ago
I went for my birthday with my partner. We've been to a good amount of omakase spots in La and it was one of the best! Chef Kusano runs the whole place by himself but he was still very interactive which made the experience way more fun and special. He also put a 'happy bday' writing on my dessert plate with a candle and sang the bday song for me :) It's a small touch but made the experience so much more memorable. Kusano opened a couple months ago but the service was very smooth. The price is reasonable too. If you're looking for an omakase that's simple, traditional, and where you can actually taste the main ingredients, this is the place!! Highly recommend to anyone. read more
9 months ago
2 years ago
No frills, high quality, good value omakase. Took my husband here for his birthday dinner as we often like to try new omakase spots for special occasions. The restaurant is tucked away in a strip mall and inside is a simple sushi bar setup with 8 seats. While the chef had some help to bus/pour drinks, it's essentially a one-man show as he was doing it all. Chef did his best to chitchat with the group as he could while preparing everything. Overall, the meal was very satisfying, especially for the price ($150pp) which is a good value for Los Angeles. Each piece of fish, and even the rice and ginger, were all very well seasoned. At the end of the meal, we were able to add on additional pieces for a cost. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
6 months ago
2 years ago
I went with friends, and we were all impressed by the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Each course was beautifully crafted and full of flavor, showcasing the chef's skill and attention to detail. The cozy and intimate atmosphere added to the overall experience, making it a perfect spot for a memorable meal with friends. Highly recommend for anyone seeking an authentic and delightful omakase! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Amazing Omakase in an intimate 8-seat sushi counter with Chef Yasu Kusano. He's a one-man show that delivers a great dining experience with deliciously fresh seafood (several flown in from Japan). I will be going back in the future. read more
1 year ago
This was hands down the best Omakase experience. Chef Kusano is very talented and friendly. Sophisticated and fresh sushi from Japan prepared in front of you around a counter for 8. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Went tonight and had an amazing experience. Chef Kusano is so nice and fun to talk to! The food was phenomenal and at a great price. I went with someone who has a shellfish allergy and he was so accommodating! Highly recommend. He's only been open for a month and its only a one man operation. Highly recommend! read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
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More info about Kusano
Ask the Community - Kusano
I'm in this shopping center all the time. Kusano always looks closed. It always looks dark. Is…
Yup. They're open BUT only have 1 seating each day @5:30 pm. The spot is amazing.
It says it's open from 7am but Is this a dinner-only place?? also what is the best time to call for reservations?
It is definitely not open at 7 am, I think the first seating is in the 5 pm range. We got a res by DMing the restaurant on instagram.
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