I love their omakase, it's not low on the price tag but the quality is always superb. It's sad seeing their business struggles after covid though. I hope they will survive. read more

Ambiance: the entrance gate on the 7th street is always locked, and the sign is deliberately not obvious, reservation only and the gate only opens to scheduled guests. I like the cool bubble lights decorations across the waved wood shaped ceilings. However, the hygiene is concerning, the restroom doesn't seem equipped with toilet seat covering sheet, and apparently someone peed all over the cover but not got cleaned adequately, that was very gross when I had to use the restroom halfway through the meal. Service: overall lack of professional service. It's a husband and wife restaurant, and they seem understaffed sometimes. My water was never refilled until asked and I still had to wait for a while. The side plate was served mistakenly without the proper dipping source filled first. The meal was supposed to be a 2 hour experience, but only last about 70 minutes, it's honestly very rushed for fine dining. What is the most disappointing experience is they wouldn't address any customer's concern. When I pointed out there were more than ten half inch long fish bones, which I thought it was neglected, the chef simply just said he wouldn't remove bones for those dishes. I've had fine dining in sufficient amount of high end restaurants, but I've never experienced any fish dish served with that many non-edible bones, it's not only about the taste, but also dangerous to swallow. For those difficult-to-remove fish bones, it requires a special cutting technique to shorten them and make them less noticeable. Anyway, it's unacceptable to have fish bones without proper preparation. Food: omakase dinner items in the serving order 1. fluke with wine sauce - *** light taste 2. blue fin tuna with yuzu miso - *** fish tasted sour 3. Hokkaido hairy crab - **** recommend 4. Hairy carb egg custard - *** no flavor 5. Assorted sashimi - ***** toro of blue fin tuna belly, Japanese scallop, sweet shrimp, Japanese albacore, my favorite for the night, tuna belly was really good, chewy and melting, highly recommend 6. Bonitos - **** chewy steak texture and flavorful, recommend 7. Hokkaido sea urchin - **** marinated in miso for two weeks, dense texture and bold flavor, recommend 8. Striped Jack - **** fresh, recommend 9. Golden eye snapper - **** fresh, recommend 10. Wild Salmon - *** Hokkaido caught, just fine 11. Rock fish - *** average 12. Soy marinated blue fin tuna - *** average 13. Toro - ***** so soft and juicy, highly recommend 14. Sea perch - ***** seared and charcoal taste 15. Hokkaido sea urchin - **** fresh and melting, recommend 16. Salmon eggs - ** fishy taste 17. Sea eel - * so many fish bones, not eatable 18. Toro - **** seared and chewy, recommend 19. Tamago - ** no flavor Price: it's not worth $400 for each guest, including tax and tip, of course not with drink orders. The price is quite steep for less than twenty small dishes. I've spent same amount for omakase but tasted way much more variety of seafood, and I've also had similar quantity and quality, but only paid half of the price. I would say spend your money wisely somewhere else in downtown. The Q restaurant used to be a Michelin restaurant, but after dining here, I understand why it's lost the one star recognition. read more

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It was a pleasant experience overall and the staff were friendly. However, I felt the price was high for the quality and portion sizes. Compared to other omakase places I've been to, the food didn't feel as exciting or worth the cost. A comfortable place, but not one I'd rush back to. read more

Nestled behind humble signage is likely the best Omakase experience you'll come across outside of Japan. Chef Hiro is a master at his craft and to call him passionate would be an understatement. Every single movement of his is precise and watching him wield that sushi knife like a small katana is just art. The decor here is simple and elegant, you won't find neon lights or loud music, just a pure sushi experience paced appropriately and which can only be described in one word: perfection. Everything you experience at this restaurant exists for a reason, there's nothing extraneous--you're here for an immaculate experience and that's exactly what you'll get. With that said, this is an authentic experience and you are here to appreciate Hiro and his unique preparations which are both life changing and memorable. read more

I had wanted to try Q for a while now, and I pulled the trigger and went for the second dinner seating at 8:15pm on a weekday. Somehow we were the only ones for that seating (2 of us), and although Q ain't cheap, I feel like we got an absolute bargain for a basically private omakase experience with Chef Hiro at his Michelin starred sushi restaurant. I've had a wide range of omakase experiences, ranging from fun/boisterous to gimmicky to downright awkward, but I didn't realize until I experienced Q how special the omakase experience can be. You can feel the love Chef Hiro puts into every piece. The experience was super comfortable and there was absolutely no judgment. No pressure, just a great omakase experience. Also you should definitely come hungry, because I guarantee you will leave absolutely stuffed. read more

Q Restaurant - View from the sushi bar - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Q is a jewel hidden in plain sight. For fans of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, entering from the 7th St entrance is almost like stepping into Diagon Alley for the first time. Only marked with the letter "Q", nothing shows the presence of a restaurant outside, except a small Michelin Star. Upon entering, you are greeted by Chef Hiro himself from behind the counter, and once you are seated and drinks ordered, the show begins. Each part of the course is prepared in front of and then served by him. What a performance it was. With only two dinner seatings per night, and x8 seats available per each seating, it was a very personalized experience, especially for us having the fortune of being seated in front of the Chef. Though not much on words, service was amazing in this intimate stage for the enjoyment of sushi. Never did we feel rushed, as Chef Hiro would observe and pace each item of the course along with the guests. Only after each bite was enjoyed fully in its own time, was the next one presented. The 1st half of the dinner course was Tsumami, think of these as small appetizer courses. The 2nd half was Nigiri sushi. Those who regularly enjoy sushi will notice right away the quality of the fish. Even something as common to fine sushi like the Bluefin Tuna will be some of the best you've had. The fish selected for the Nigiri courses also tend to be more uncommon then served elsewhere, which shows how selective Chef Hiro has been. We had a 22 course dinner the night we went. Among some favorites was the Monkfish Liver, Hokkaido Crab, Sea Urchin, Seared Tuna with Shishito Pepper Paste, Tiger Prawn, and Sea Eel. The meal ended with Miso Soup and Tamago. Would recommend going for someone who truly enjoys sushi. Then you will understand there's levels to the game, and Q Sushi is on another. read more

Q Restaurant - Tiger Prawn, part of an Omakase course at Q Sushi. - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Fabulous food and environment. Great selection of appetizers, entrees and drink. The environment is electric!

Experience was good, it was very intimate and private. The entrance feels like it was a speakeasy, the door was black with just the letter Q above it which was pretty cool. They have a lot of drink options, I recommended getting the plum wine and the koshihikari beer, both were very refreshing. The homemade ginger slices were the best I have ever had. For my dinner experience these were served: Fluke with fresh wasabi and sesame oil Blue fin tuna Hail crab Monk fish lover with ponzu sauce Yellow tail with ginger and Shishu Toro, scallops, and abalone Small spiny uni Miso Stripped Jack Grouper with sea salt and lemon Golden eye snapper seaweed cured Blow torched black throat sea perch Japanese seasonal needle fish Toro Tiger prawn Eel Eggs Toro Egg cake with prawn The quality and freshness was great! However, it did lack the wow factor for presentation. Especially for $300/person, and despite that they were Michelin star in 2019, there was definitely something missing to make it feel like the cost was worthwhile. I know other omakase that are less than $300 with quality and presentation thats top notch. There's also no valet parking, I suggest getting an Uber/lyft or giving yourself extra time to find parking to get there on time. The service was great, your used plates will be removed asap and both the chef and our server was very kind. read more

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First time trying a Michelin star rated omakase sushi experience so I wasn't sure what to expect. I love sushi so I figured why not. Friend and I went for a business lunch and I almost thought I was at the wrong place since the was gated up with a narrow entrance. Read the reviews of past customers experience on google and thought some were a bit too critical and borderline harsh but I did see what they were talking about and luckily I was in the presence of someone who understood the Japanese culture and why the sushi chef doesn't interact with the customers, so that he can focus on his craft, putting out something new on your plate as soon as you're done with the previous item. The hostess is very attentive and makes sure to clear unnecessary plates out of the way and makes sure your drinks (nonalcoholic) are topped off. Food wise, since I didn't know what to expect either tasted strange, in a good way, or it was very good. I say strange because I've never experienced a fully cooked piece of chu toro and some of the sauces used were new flavors I've never had before. Decor and ambience were simple, nice and calming. I believe it would be a perfect lunch or date night experience. Just keep in mind the Japanese culture before going that way you won't feel offsetting why chef doesn't talk to you and know the area where the chef does his work if you want a better view of the chef at work ( corner of the counter seating area) read more

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DTLA, Los Angeles. June 2022 7th Street, between Olive and Grand is an alcohol-rich party environment so a discreetly placed door with minimal signage is hardly what you'd expect to encounter. And the Zen like sushi omakase you are about to experience from Chef Hiroyuki Naruke and his wife, Kyoko, is also unexpected. This is an austere Edomae style. There is no banter, reserved movement, few questions, and short answers. The dining room has tall ceilings so the soft calm classical music seems to get lost in the Warm glowing orbs above. There is very little white or blond wood color here. The counter is pieced together instead of a single piece of wood - you can see the nail work and slightly unmatched stain where pieces meet. Several otsumami start off the meal. Chef Naruke favors a sharp vinegar for his shari and minimal knife work. You will be introduced to it right away through Mizudako, Hokkaido giant octopus. Just a couple of taps with the edge of his knife barely soften the chewy texture. The komesu sharpness wakes up your tongue. Hirame, Madai are thin sliced usu-zukuri cuts. Hon Maguro is kaku-zukuri cube cuts. There are sesame soy and sumiso sauces less sweet than what you usually taste. Kegani, a Hokkaido hairy crab, and Hokkaido bafun uni are unadorned. A Sashimi Moriawase included abalone simmered six hours removing the chewiness from the meat. Only when nigiri are about to be presented do you receive gari. The thin slices from a knob of ginger are shockingly sharp with seemingly no sweetness. You will not make the unsophisticated mistake of treating it like a side salad. The mixture of komesu white and akazu red vinegar create a distinctly sour and lightly brown shari. The temperature is slightly adjusted by folding and adding exposure to air at the chef's choosing. There is surprisingly a lot of Hon Maguro throughout the meal. The Otoro is tenderly aged and handled so the ribbons of sinew do not break the fish apart and are meltingly soft and smooth. Kanpyo maki, indicating a close to the omakase shows the labor intensive skill put into your meal. It is boiled until the bite is soft but still a little toothsome. It is simmered until it reaches a glossy dark color whispering an intense sweet saltiness. The final sponge cake tamagoyaki is your only dessert. The omakase is currently $300 + a 20% service. Tax is added to both totals. No additional gratuity is expected. Your bill will be quietly presented to you and the chef will escort you to the door with his thanks. Not recommended for anyone who likes big flavors, a show, and instagramable presentation. read more

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My wife and I eat quite a bit of sushi, various spots in LA, to Vegas , to Japan and Korea. The saving grace is the authenticity of the fish, but I'm not quite sure it's deserving of the coveted Michelin level. The price to what you can get else where comparably is probably a little off and needs some tuning. I don't mind paying for something if it's worth the price tag , but I find you can have similar level of experience nearby at a dramatic lower price. The husband and wife duo were very nice, professional. The wife made sure we had fresh towel/utensils/etc. the master chef is definitely a seasoned veteran. He examines the food to ensure it meets his quality. The ambiance is great, small audience, we were 2 of 8 people there. Keeps the place intimate. I would say to my fellow foodies, this is a try once and move on. Not a repeat type of experience. read more

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The chef doesn't talk to you or explain the ingredients, why he makes it that way. Why this restaurant is so special. It is a very quiet place, like library. Since it sells only omakase there's not much need to choose. read more

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This is one of my favorite sushi places in LA. I've been coming here for years. Fresh seafood, the chef is friendly and it's not painfully slow like a lot of other omakase places. read more

There are, in my book, a couple of things going against Q Sushi. One is that it's owned by partners at a law firm I worked at and hated when I was a student, and the other is that it's extraordinarily expensive. Matt B. and I went for my birthday last month, and it was low-key the most the two of us have ever spent on a meal. It may not have been worth hundreds more than the other high-end omakase options around town, but it was certainly a fantastic dinner. Unlike some of the more popular, somewhat more affordable sushi bars in L.A., Q Sushi is an easy reservation. You get on Tock, commit to a date, and make a deposit. There are two seatings a night, at 6:00 and 8:15, and we opted for the later one, on a Saturday in January. You have to time your arrival pretty closely, as things get started right around 8:15, but there's nowhere to wait if you arrive early. The suggested parking is through a valet stand across the street (I wouldn't try street parking in this busy part of downtown). This supposedly closes at 10, but we were able to get our car without issue when we got out a little after 10:15. The space was super nice, a tasteful meeting of traditional Japanese sushi bar and luxury L.A. restaurant. The set-up was intimate and welcoming, with Chef Hiroyuki Naruke behind the counter and his wife Kyoko running things on our side. We were two of eight customers that night, and we ended up talking to the parties to our left and right, which was part of the fun. We shared sake, sending each other pours from our bottles, and one guy semi-seriously invited us to his upcoming wedding in Mexico. The sake, by the way, was excellent and also a significant part of the meal's expense. The list is small and meticulously curated, just a handful of bottles with full-page descriptions of each one, so that you pick your sake like a lonely American man shopping for a mail-order bride. The cheapest 750mL bottle was something like $400, and this is what we got, the Dassai 23 Hayata. It was, to be fair, the best sake I've ever had, and it went beautifully with the entire omakase run. The food was outstanding. Every bite was perfectly prepared, all the seafood and accompaniments of the absolute highest quality. Dinner started with a Kusshi oyster in dashi vinegar, followed by several courses of sashimi. Hirame came with scallion and radish in ponzu, honmaguro in an addictive miso vinegar sauce. Hairy crab was served simply, a nice portion of sweet meat, and buri came with a condiment of grated radish, ginger, onion, and shiso leaves. A straight sashimi course brought immaculate cuts of otoro, steamed abalone, and live scallop with house wasabi and soy sauce and a bit of sliced cucumber. Mirugai came from Seattle with a little vinegar, and uni from Hokkaido, with just a dab of wasabi on top. At this point, we got a bowl of miso soup with tofu, fragrant with herbs, and this marked a sort of intermission for our meal. The rest of dinner was a glorious parade of nigiri sushi, pure and straightforward and meltingly delicious. There was kuromutsu, or bluefish, then kue, or long-toothed grouper. Kinmedai came next, then sea perch, lightly seared. Tairagai, or razor clam, came belted with a strip of seaweed, followed by a long, plump kurumaebi. Toro was delicate and fatty, anago immaculately cooked and brushed with eel sauce. The omakase wound down with a gunkan maki of briny ikura and a rich piece of seared toro. Finally, a sweet, spongey, shrimpy cube of tamago served as our dessert. This was a spectacular meal and a wonderful, over-the-top way to spend my 37th birthday (ultimately a nothing birthday, but hey, my mom watched the kids). If you're looking for top tier sushi, cost be damned, Q Sushi is well worth a visit. read more

A+ - Amazing atmosphere, a 2 hour sushi experience watching a master chef delicately prepare fish from Japan, and the best Ootoro I've ever had (I wish I could eat nothing but ootoro). Located in the heart of Downtown LA, Q is michelin restaurant hidden in plain sight. Parking varies between $5 -$10 nearby. We made a reservation a month ahead of time for date night and got to watch the chef cook our dishes at the counter. The course starts with Appetizers, which vary in complexity and umami. The fish isn't salty, but rather slightly sweet, gentle, and tender when paired with house made sauces. The Nigiri was prepared and given one at a time and had a theme that started with lighter tasting fish such as red snapper into richer and bolder tasting fish like Bonito and Blue Fin Tuna. The meal finishes with a fruity dessert that included white strawberries and golden kiwi. Overall, Q has been a great culinary experience that I'd recommend once if you love sushi and the arts. read more

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Tl;dr: Overall lovely experience! Ingredients were high quality and very fresh, felt satisfied with the portion, pricey, and traditional omakase experience. We came a couple days after Valentines (was fully booked for the holiday) and were the only ones at the restaurant during the dinner session so had a private experience! Like some of the reviews mentioned, the chef wasn't as interactive as some other omakase experiences. However, we did exchange some conversations with him and felt the experience overall was more traditional, which I appreciated. Can easily tell the quality of the fish and ingredients they use are top notch, with many imported from Japan. I love how buttery soft the fish were, with bursts of flavor tickling my taste buds and melting in my mouth. My personal favorite were the 2 uni (sea urchins) - they served one from Santa Barbara and the other from Japan, as well as the seared toro. Can still remember the tastes if I think really hard. I enjoyed their house made ginger that were perfect palette cleansers in between each fish. And also liked the dessert served at the end, was a simple sweet contrast. Would I come back here again? Maybe when I'm ready to splurge. The price point was quite pricey for omakase as the total came out to around $800+ for two. However, the quality of the sushi and experience was undeniably good. If the price isn't an issue, would definitely recommend coming here at least once :). read more

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I came here a while ago on my vacation in Los Angles. I found Q Sushi restaurant because their Omakase set is on the Michelin star list. And it was truly worth it because each dish they brought had one thing in common: it was as if they took me to heaven, it literally melted in my mouth in the most perfect way. The bill was around $800 for 2 people but well worth it read more

Q Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I'll admit this was my first omakase experience so bear with me. They don't take walk-ins, so don't make the mistake I did and stand outside their locked door for way too long wondering if it will open lol. Check on Resy for availability, both lunch and dinner! This is a VERY traditional sushi restaurant. Some of the courses were great, but I'll admit for the most part nothing stood out to me. Perhaps I need to work on my sushi palette, and I'm more used to sashimi and not nigiri, but each of the white fish options were so subtle that it seemed to be drowned out by the rice and soy sauce and wasabi. Overall a good experience, service was excellent, but I don't see myself returning. read more

Q Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Q Sushi is received one Michelin Star from the Michelin Guide Book so I gave it a try. I have a very unique palette so for me its hit or miss for most sushi places. I'm more custom to Sushi-ya in Japan than the U.S. sushi places. Mostly I'm very particular about the Zu (Vinegar) used in Shari and Neta (fish). I'm very sensitive if the Zu has not evaporated correctly, it will leave bit of a sour heavy taste which can disturb the balance of the Neta (Fish), meaning it will over come the clean umami start and finish coming from the fish. At Q Sushi, I really enjoyed the Otsumami portion of the meal. (which means appetizer or small dishes prior to sushi or after). The ingredients were pretty good but nothing was really superior that made me remember. But the problem for me, as taste is a personal preference, the nigiri (sushi) was bit too hard to eat. The vinegar was very strong (in a unbalanced way) for me, so I could not taste the fish or have idea of what I was eating. Normally I prefer very subtle but balanced shari that can help compliment the neta (fish) to bring the ultimate dancing of the duo to bring the complex feel or sensation from the core umami of the fish or ingredients. But here, I just could not feel the neta and balanced of the sushi felt very off. I want to be honest and again this is personal taste. I don't usually give 3 stars but for me, this is what I felt it deserved. Q Sushi is great for U.S. standard but for me, it is quite uneatable. I can do the otsumami again but I would have to force myself to eat the nigiri if I had to eat again. What I did enjoy here was the interior and glass, entrance in. It was really sensational experience, and the chef and wife were very very friendly. The atmosphere was really from another dimension and I really enjoyed drinking my Krug Champagne and Sipping my Jikon Takasago Sake. I would love to visit just to drink and to eat otsumami. read more

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I came to Q with my girlfriend for our anniversary to experience high-quality sushi and a unique experience since I had found the restaurant on the Michelin guide. I spent almost $1,000 on a dinner for two and we both left hungry. The chef needs to add more dishes to the course! The sushi rice had way too much vinegar and was overpowering all the dishes. Although I believe the service was ok, not great. They add an automatic 20% gratuity charge which I did not believe was fair. Dinner Omakase was falsely advertised at $300 per person but with the added gratuity it was actually $360 plus tax per person. The dinner was very awkward since the chef wouldn't talk to anyone, he was just servicing the dishes, explaining what they were briefly, and after would retreat to preparing the next dish. Whoever gave this place a Michelin star was smoking crack that day. I definitely will not be returning and would rather take my business to a more casual sushi restaurant since at least there I can spend a fraction of what was charged and not leave hungry. read more

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The food is delicious! And every bite fits perfectly in your mouth and the fish melts as soon as it lands on your tongue. My favorite parts: - Fresh ingredients and the prime parts - Marinated ginger tastes amazing and I didn't know I can eat many slices of them and they made them in-house - the miso ginger or miso yuzu sauce goes so well with Toro and the fact they handmade all those sauces amazes me - out of all the sushi dishes I love the seared sea perch and seared sea eel the most! I wish I can have 10 of those Okay Experience: Since it's a Michelin Star restaurant, we're there to experience and appreciate the art from the chef and the overall atmosphere. My expectation is not only to have good food but being able to enjoy the whole dining experience. The chef is super kind to explain all the dishes However, they make you feel a bit too distant, too distant from the art. Maybe it's best to sit at the table instead of the counter or else you will have high expectations of getting more interactions with the chef and that's something you won't get. read more

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Fantastic food and the manager benih rocks. Gave our table amazing service and great conversation. Will be coming back over and over again. The crispy shrimp was to die for we ordered quite a few of those and the ribeye was great. Dont forget the uni and scallop with yuzu sushi read more

The omakase was amazing. The server and chef, I believe to be husband and wife, we're very accommodating and pleasant. The establishment is exquisite. I would love to return! read more

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Sushi was great, but felt a bit short for a full omakase dinner. we had 16 courses, with an oyster starter and egg dessert. Surprisingly filling, with an amazing choice of fish and prepared beautifully. Still, for the price, I feel like there have been better sushi for the price elsewhere. Very intimate setting and amazing service. read more

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Great service, staff are attentive though chef is not the most interactive (absolutely fine with me!) Fish was very fresh! The o-toro was almost too tender that i actually preferred the chu-toro. But the stand out was the rice. I've eaten at many sushi spots and hands down, Q has the best rice. I literally can't remember some of the fish because all I noticed was the rice. Perfectly cooked, perfect temperature, perfect seasoning. Can I just get a bowl of rice please? Tamagoyaki was also superb - as they say that tamagoyaki is the toughest to do right. How is it so smooth when you're telling me and I'm tasting all these different flavors?! Wasn't full but left surprisingly satisfied and didn't need any more food. read more

Q Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I'm relatively new to the whole omakase world but unfortunately this place didn't match my expectations. Came here to celebrate my birthday with my significant other. The place is hidden and has no signs outside to make it very exclusive. I can easily say I walked pass this restaurant hundreds of times without knowing it's existed. We made an appointment weeks in advance and we can arrived on time. I think we were there another party of 3. The chef greeted us and started us with a plate of appetizers and then we had 15 different plates. Honestly I wasn't mind blown by any of the dishes. The bill came to close 1k for 2ppl with no alcoholic drinks. I wouldn't come here again read more

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I made the reservation at the last minute, at first I did not expect too much. After I dined there, I was totally surprised and definitely recommended it to everyone. It's a Edomae style sushi restaurant. The decoration is quiet and nice, traditional and modern. Of course I recommended counter dining. But they also have tables in case you need it. Chef introduced everything by himself directly. And he is very focused on the food, he could handle the whole counter all by himself. Very organized and clear. Bluefin tuna is common in every high end sushi restaurant. I did not expect much, however, Chef just simply topped with a miso-pasteurized egg vinaigrette, and it changed everything. Eel is very important for edomae style. Their eel is very well prepared. The rice is well balanced, and maybe some people think it's a little salty, but for me it's nice. And Remember this is an edo style sushi restaurant. And finally it all ends in a very traditional way- tamago. Also they still served a fruit dessert after the tamago. To be honest, among all the sushi restaurants that I had in LA, q sushi is simple traditional edomae style with a little surprising here and there. The whole course is very smooth and nice. You don't feel any huge surprise but with all these little things add up together, you just can't forget them. So their As for the sake, Chef recommended Dasai, which is a great choice For most people. Also I tried their plum wine, which is also good, I think women who like sweets will definitely like this as well. The portion of the course is just enough for me(female), for anyone who has larger appetites may not be enough. read more

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I came here for my 10 year anniversary. Without knowing anything about the restaurant or the history of the chef, I gave myself time to try each dish, analyze the flavors, and then ask the chefs opinion on the specialty and preparation of the dish. So on this review, I'll tell you what I learned, why I give it 5 stars, and why I believe you should try it if you are someone who truly knows how to appreciate a master chefs dish. First of my omakase was a kusshi oyster from British Columbia. It's got a very mild flavor and a fresh cucumber note to it. It's my first time trying it and it was served with Japanese red vinegar. The red vinegar is a special vinegar made from sake kasu, a type of rice yeast. It is very distinct Japanese vinegar and much more flavorful than your average "rice wine vinegar" The sushi rice served is imported from Iga Japan, not your average Japanese rice you can get anywhere easily, only the best reserved. Every element of the dishes are made in-house by chef himself. And most of the sushi andfish is either imported from Japan or sourced directly from the harvest location to ensure freshness and quality. The distinct dishes I enjoyed to mention a few were the in-house smoked cured Bonito Sashimi that was served with a ginger soy sauce. The Bonito was cured for 3 days and specially smoked with rice stalks. The tuna with sweet miso, which had a fragrant hint of yuzu in the sauce. Hokkaido sea urchin which is known to pack more umami flavors over our Santa Barbara sea urchin. Fresh and live Hokkaido scallops, absolutely distinctly different from any other scallop I've tasted with a tight jelly texture. Fresh Squid from Hokkaido which had a Konica texture and also extremely mouth watering. And my favorite and most simple dish but yet so complex, ikura nigiri. What's special is the red vinegar that's used, and marinading the ikura eggs prior into house made dashi. Finally the most exotic dish is the imported mantis shrimp which is a delicacy and popular aphrodisiac. Everything is made in house and prepared by Chef. And Chef has been a sushi chef for 40 years! At this level, he is definitely a master at his craft. I can only appreciate his dishes and the well prepared efforts to bring the unique flavors. And for some reason I am now a huge fan of red vinegar with salt in the sushi rice. It gives it the perfect flavor with all the nigiri served. The internationally sourced fresh/live ingredients makes the price very reasonable. I haven't tried a live Hokkaido scallop till now. Most of the time it's other regions, and they do not taste as sweet or as good. The most important part of this entire meal in my opinion is the build up of flavors and the specific order on your taste buds. To some people who simply eat to get flavors or quantity or to seek that explosion in your mouth, the method here is a slow process that provides a different environment and requires a more refined approach. The chef was so humble and did not say a single word other than to introduce each dish, but without going into details the effort that takes 3 days or even longer to prepare each specific dish!!!!! So you're absolutely not paying for someone to fly in expensive sushi and slice it infront of you, that's nowhere near the case here! These flavors are extremely well thought out and meticulously planned. I make it a point to learn to appreciate the efforts and understand the intent in a master Chefs crafted dishes. read more

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Had to make a Yelp account. Out of the 20 years of fine experiences, this place is the worst. The husband and wife duo seriously has some issues as they do argue and the guest can hear. They may have gotten a Michelin star, but that was five years ago. The dishes were very lackluster and I think I could've gotten better quality sashimi at an Asian market. I wouldn't have paid even $100 per person for this read more

Overall: If you want the Michelin star experience and quality, you will not get it here. I have no plans on returning. Experience: The chef didn't provide any background about themselves - we were only provided name. The chef would make the sushi or nigiri and serve and only tell us the type of fish. Previous Michelin star sushi places told me more about the fish, the taste, texture, where it's from, how it's prepared. There was. I background kn what we were eating, the wasabi, ginger, or any other ingredients prepared. I felt as if I was just at a regular sushi joint in LA. I didn't leave here feeling like I had an experience. Food: my friend found a couple Pieces of shells in his crab dish. I had two seperate nigiri dishes where the fish had sinue/tendon and was not chewable. I had to place it on a napkin. In my opinion the above is completely unacceptable! The nigiri portion was meh, the sushi portion was better. However, I could have gotten the same flavor and quality from sugar fish! Other: I reserved on Tock for 300 for 2 people. The receipt from Tock states the 300 will be applied to the bill. Adding to a bad experience, we get a bill for 800 (300 per person x 2, $20 for two bottles of Fiji water, 20% service charge, and tax). The 300 wasn't applied to the bill. I asked about the 300 being applied, they state it will be refunded to your account. I'm their defense somewhere on Tock it states it will be refunded but my receipt says it will be applied - so their is conflicting information on Tock. We all hate waiting weeks for refunds and thst was not my expectation. read more

No words can express our frustration on our anniversary day when they canceled my reservation half an hour before it. It made us really a hard time to come up with a plan b immediately. Btw finally I went sushi gen instead, it was terrific! read more

This place charges a $300 corkage fee without any disclosure. You bring your own wine to share with friends, only to find out in the end that you've been ripped off. read more

Went here for my first wedding anniversary and it was a great choice. It was intimate, delicious and romantic. The sushi chef was very sweet and professional. He kept the place very clean, esp his work station. The waitress was kind as well. She was making sure everything was clean and ready to be served. We went for dinner so a lot more money but totally worth it because you get the best of the best! My favorite were the uni, sweet Japanese squid, and yellowtail.... You also finish with a small dessert they prepared. I've had a lot of sushi but it's different when the chef takes time to give you the best quality and he paired it with his own sauce (or maybe no sauce at all and it doesn't taste fishy). I think over the 20 course, we had to dip our sushi in soysauce maybe once or twice. I've been to Japan but didn't know that people used to eat sushi with their fingers. I asked the chef and he said sushi used to be fastfood, so people would just grab the sushi and go! haha! Overall, fantastic experience! Parking was on the street. Best for a date! read more

Sushi was fresh and service/hospitality was warm. Most customers seemed to be regulars and I can see why!

(This review is from my experience pre-COVID) Anyone who knows me knows that sushi is basically one of my personality traits, so you can imagine how excited I was when my partner surprised me with my first omakase experience at Q. I love sushi and grew up in Hawai'i eating fresh fish every week, so I truly appreciate high quality and fresh seafood. We went to Q as a romantic date at the beginning of the year and loved the quiet, peaceful ambiance of the restaurant and the tasty sushi. Each piece was artfully made and we appreciated every bite--some of the fish was so high quality you could feel it melt in your mouth. The great thing about this location is that there are also a couple of great bars nearby, so once we were done with our meal, we enjoyed some drinks which made for an overall incredible evening. Yes, it is expensive, so it was a bit of a splurge for us, but it was a different experience and we would definitely come back again. read more

Q Restaurant - Otoro & Hamachi Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Very very traditional feel & chef. So that started off well... But as the night progressed, I wasn't impressed. Beautiful restaurant, very private, but IMO not worth the price. It wasnt too much more than it should have been but I probably paid about $1K for a small sake conservatively lower priced sake + 2 for omakase. Fishes were typical for high end omakase, I'm sure flown in from Japan, but I've had many better sushi places. I've been to unknown hole in the wall/local spots better than this as well as high end omakase's priced $100+ less than here as well in NY/MIA/VEGAS/LA/TOKYO... and all over Asia... There was no wow factor here for the price... read more

Expensive and not worth it. I've been to other Omakases that either gave better or equal quality + quantity of food for less $$$$. My boyfriend and I did the 6:30pm seating on a Friday night and there were only 4 others in the entire restaurant at the time. We did the $200/pp menu and did not get any drinks, but as tip and tax are automatically added, we ended up paying $525 for two people. It came with 20 courses, most of which are 1 piece nigiris, so you can bet I was still hungry after lol. My favorites were the toro and the uni.. everything else was OK. Didn't taste like the freshest fish, but the rice was the perfect temperature + seasoning. I also tried seared toro for the first time and really loved it - melted like butter in my mouth and reminded me of fatty wagyu beef. PARKING: street. Located across the street from bottega louie, so there are parking garages around. read more

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- We were ready to spend $$$$ for quality sushi, but the quality of the fish did not match its price point. We have been to most of local so called upscale sushi places (i.e., Sushi Zo, Matsuhisa, etc), and we were both disappointed. - Both of my party walked out feeling still unsatiated after a long meal - The restaurant gives everyone 5 minute window to get seated (they lock their door before and after seating), so we were stuck outside waiting in dark as sketchy people eyed us - it felt pretty unsafe and uncomfortable. They were also late on their five-minute window, and we arrived early, so we ended up waiting outside for 15 minutes. It felt like the restaurant did not care for the comfort or safety of the clients. - There is only one server/assistant, and I could barely communicate with her due to her English skills. - The water cup had a fishy smell. I would not return. read more

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Honestly, this is a one-of-a-kind Omakase experience. From one sushi lover to another, I definitely recommend planning a cute date night here. I believe the maximum amount of people that can experience the meal at one time is 8 so definitely make reservations in advance. I took a few photos of the some of the dishes presented. Just know that everything was exquisite. read more

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Unfortunately, I was not blown away by this experience. And the whole thing was kind of awkward, all the way from the beginning of making a reservation to the end. They use Open Table for reservations, and for days it said nothing was available, so I thought wow, this place is on fire. Finally grabbed an 8pm slot for me and my dining companion. Never received a confirmation call from the restaurant, but did receive a reminder email from Open Table. Showed up, and they couldn't find my name for awhile. I didn't think it would be a problem since there was literally only one other person in the restaurant. The restaurant itself is very calm and serene with a modern decor. We were seated at the bar, directly in front of Chef Hiro. Two more people eventually joined the other party, but it was only the 5 of us all night. I wondered if this was because no one is choosing to dine there, or are they purposely keeping the number of diners to a minimum to receive maximum chef attention. I still don't know. Anyways, it felt a little weird to not have anyone else dining there. There are two omakase options to choose from, one for $165 and one for $200. We chose the $165 (20 course, 5 appetizers, 14 sushi and egg cake dessert) with a Sapporo and the courses began. Let's review the food itself... The oyster was good. The bluefin tuna with miso was good. Everything else was just ok. Nothing melted in my mouth and made me say "ohmygod that is the best thing I've ever had." The rice was good...warm with a vinegar flavor. I felt like we had course after course of tuna, which I love, buuuuuut...no salmon? The service was good, the girls were quick with removing dishes and were attentive. Keep in mind, they automatically add a 20% gratuity, taking your bill from expensive, to even more expensive. In the end, I walked out of there saying to my friend, "that felt like it was worth $65 not $165." Actually, $250 after the gratuity. Would I be back? No. Would I recommend it? No. Am I glad I did it? Not really. Do I want my money back? Yes. (For a price point and multi-course comparison, Maude is the clear winner. Different genres of food though, obvi.) Bonus: Parking. Valet and public garages everywhere. Lovely for DTLA. Also, Bottega Louie is right across the street, so grab dessert when you're done and possibly still hungry. Bogus: Mediocre, expensive food. And it could have been just me, but I was dying HOT the entire time. Like busting a sweat hot. In a sleeveless top. read more

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