Tried The Bar for DineLA while running errands in the valley. I have to say that this place raised the Bar, all puns intended! What a perfect lunch from the vibe to the service, and all the way to the portion size of the DineLA menu. This is a 20 seat sushi restaurant seated around the chefs who are making what your stomach is craving. The lunch menu came with a drink (alcoholic or non) either a soup or cucumbers. Then followed a four hand roll session curated by the chef. 1. Spicy tuna crunch - amazing flavor 2. Scallop - nice roll but nothing mind numbing 3. Salmon truffle - torched to perfection 4. Hye - maybe the best bite of the weekend For $35 it was just what I needed to get through the heat and on with the day. Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu. read more

See all

Great hand rolls, but service needs work. I'd heard about this spot for a while and finally tried it on a Monday around 3pm. The wait: The host stand was empty and the only staff in sight was the chef, with five couples already at the bar. I waited about 15 minutes before a clearly overwhelmed server, who was alone, helped me. I almost walked out. Several open seats just needed to be bussed, and I was tempted to pitch in. She said it'd be another 5 minutes while she cleaned the counter and helped the bar guests. It took about 5 more minutes after seating for her to take our drink order. I felt bad for her, since she was clearly slammed. Other guests walked in, stood at the front too long without being noticed, and left. The food: Once we placed our full order at once, everything moved quickly. The chef was efficient, and the food was delicious and flavorful. We got the 6 hand roll set, and every roll was unique and tasty. Would I return? Yes, the food earned a second try despite the slow start. For management: One server may seem sufficient for a weekday afternoon in a small space, but it's costing you customers. When she stepped away for drinks, guests at the host stand and in the dining room went unattended. The chef also didn't say a word, so the whole experience felt a bit awkward and unmanaged for such a popular spot. Even one extra person to greet and bus during slower hours would help. read more

I made it in last night because I saw that they were participating in the dineLA week promo. Once I walked in, it did take quite a few minutes for anyone to come and greet me/sit me. It was a full house as well. Unfortunately, my experience at this hand roll bar was disappointing. The biggest issue was that my order was completely overlooked. I was sitting directly in front of the cook, waiting, while other orders were being prepared and served around me. If it was not for one of the servers coming over to check on me, I don't think I would have eaten? What made the situation even more frustrating was that the cook eventually acknowledged that he had simply overlooked my order. I understand that restaurants can get busy and mistakes happen, but being forgotten while sitting directly in front of the person preparing the food made me feel overlooked as a customer. However, the staff felt genuinely bad about what happened and made an effort to make it up to me by offering another glass of white wine and dessert, which was a strawberry mochi ice cream. I appreciated their gesture and willingness to address the situation. The food experience: I started off with miso soup: served on a small cup with a spoon. Regular soup. 5/5 The menu included 4 hand rolls all were delicious by the way. Spicy tuna crunch 5/5 my favorite Scallop 4/5 Salmon truffle 5/5 HYE 4/5 At a hand roll bar, I expect the service and attention to detail to be a big part of the experience. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case during my visit but willing to give them another try in the future. read more

See all

Walk by this place a lot as the GF lives in studio city but this was the first time for both of us. We were there early enough on a Friday to get seated right away. The place is fairly stark and minimalist with an almost 360 degree circular bar around the chefs, but it still felt comfortable. We were welcomed with a warm smile and treated equally well by everyone. Service and staff are great. The rolls are really something. Fresh, delicious and for some of the more gourmet versions, really special. Started with a seaweed salad. Pretty small portion and not quite shareable but delicious. I went with the Lux 3 Handroll which included: Salmon Truffle (seared salmon with artichoke truffle, citrus juice and lava sea salt) Come on! H.Y.E. (Minced yellowtail, sesame oil, minced truffle, Kanani wasabi and lava sea salt). Could eat a few of these. Wow. And Negi Toro (scallions, nikkiri and sesame oil) I added a Blue Crab which was also delicious. The GF had the 4 rolls, which included salmon, spicy tuna, scallop and blue crab. She didn't love the scallop but I thought it was tasty. Though I added a seared scallop at the end and thought it fell flat after everything else so would probably skip that. Good news is we will be back! read more

See all

My bestie and I went out for a sushi dinner date at The Bar in Studio City. There is metered street parking and on certain days, parking is for free so I would just be aware of the signs and what day it is lol. Upon arrival, we were seated quickly and given a quick rundown of the menu; everything looked fresh and smelled great! As it was our first time, we tried their suggestions and we tried a lot of food! Every one of the items below was absolutely delicious, and prepared beautifully :) On our visit here, I can say that I did not have a favorite item because all of the sushi was made with fresh fish, and their flavors were SOOO GOOD!! I will be back to try more times. read more

See all

Run, don't walk. Best handroll bar in LA. No contest. Now don't get me wrong, I love me some Kazunori, and have been going for years but this place has stolen my heart (and tastebuds). The flavors are out of this world and the fish is always fresh. Every single roll is excellent, and the appetizers are simple and tasty as well. Service is also always top tier, and the sushi chefs clearly know what they're doing. I was skeptical at first, but they really did take handrolls to another level. You will not regret it. The Lux 3 is my favorite, and I usually double up on it when really hungry. It's my go to spot for sushi now! And, shout out to Marcos (sp?) the sushi chef who helped us out today. Probably the best food experience I've had since I started coming--you can tell he's meticulous. All the sushi chefs usually have such good vibes too. Also, the bar's ambiance is very pleasant, modern, clean, and intimate with low lighting that's just perfect to enjoy your meal in peace. read more

The Bar - Hand Rolls by Seabutter - Hye Roll (OMG delish) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

We used to come here often, but unfortunately, the service has really gone downhill. My child ordered the 6-roll hand roll combo and asked to replace the spicy tuna roll with salmon because he can't eat spicy food. We weren't asking for an extra roll, just a simple substitution, and they refused. I found that disappointing and not very accommodating, especially when it involved a child. I also asked if they had Wi-Fi. The waitress said yes, but she didn't know the password. Then, after our first roll arrived, we had to ask for water because none had been offered. The restaurant was practically empty, with only us and two other customers, so it's not like they were overwhelmed. We've been coming here for a while, and the service used to be much better. It's disappointing to see the decline, especially when a little flexibility and better customer service could have made such a difference. read more

I can't get enough of the HYE and Truffle Salmon hand rolls here. The uni and toro are delish, as well. The inside is calming and doesn't get loud. Service is efficient and polite. This is the place to go to spoil yourself with flavor. I spend anywhere from $25-$50 on lunch here, indulging in fancy schmancy small plates. One thing to note to mitigate disappointment - the plates are SMOL. So yummy, but tiny. Prices are a bit on the higher end, though worthwhile given how fresh and lux everything tastes! Sure, you can share items here - 2-3 bites each - but I don't think that's the intention. And that's okay!! You may have a short wait during peak hours. I've been lucky with parking and walking in, though. read more

See all

8p on a Sat night and it was pretty quiet and chill in here. Ordered 10 handrails between 2 of us. All were delicious and fresh I'm used to kozunori when you can mix and match the hand tools. They don't allow you to do that here, but... they have most of the rolls à la carte so you just order them separately. Do wish they had some albacore. I don't recall amberjack being à la carte either. Seafood was fresh. Service was fast and friendly. And vibe in here was very chill. There are a few parking lots around. read more

Came in to give this place a whirl. I'm a big fan of the hand roll sushi movement. They have an interest twist on an already popular cuisine. They serve some of their hand rolls open like a taco which unfortunately gets everywhere. I mean I'm sure there must be a neat way to eat it but I haven't found it yet. Normally I'm all about the spicy tuna but here I found myself more attracted to the seared fish and spicy salmon. It has a kick, but not too much burning of the tongue. More like a solid burst of flavor. This may be your place, feel free to give it a try read more

See all

This place is AMAZING!!!!! Please please please go here, It seats around 20 people around a big circle, The hand rolls are TO DIE FOR. Best hand rolls in LA, amazing combos , quick service, great prices. And soy paper!!! My new favorite hand roll spot, Total hole in the wall and unexpecting. So cute, Instagram worth , cute for date night , first date, girls night, casual, it's great! Don't skip this place! read more

The Bar - Hand Rolls by Seabutter - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

If you're looking to elevate your hand roll dining experience, I can confidently say this spot is worth the splurge. I've been here twice now, and both visits were consistently pleasant. One time we came on a Saturday during peak dinner hours and were greeted and seated right away. The restaurant offers bar-style seating all around, which I actually love because you get a full view of the chefs crafting each hand roll in front of you. Watching cleanliness of their preparation makes the experience feel even more premium. The service is attentive without being overbearing. The staff checked in regularly and paced the courses perfectly. As for the hand rolls themselves, the quality of the fish is exceptional. Each bite was silky with a rich flavor that melts into the warm, lightly seasoned rice. The balance between the crisp nori, tender fish, and perfectly portioned rice makes every roll feel intentional and refined. You can truly taste the difference in quality. Definitely a spot for when you want to treat yourself to something elevated! read more

See all

Came in on Saturday afternoon, there's a decent amount of parking but it's tight. No reservations and no wait time when our party of 3 arrived. Food was amazing, prepared at a great pace, and fairly priced. Beautiful and clean space. read more

See all

4.5* Food 5* Service 4.5* Ambiance This small and intimate Hand Roll Bar by Seabutter is my favorite from their franchise restaurants. Service is always a strong draw here and with a circular seating area, it is a great atmosphere to make new friends and run into local celebraties. Tonight the nori wasn't as fresh or crispy as my previous visit and the fish wasn't as top quality as I remember. But the flavors, rice and sauce combinations were wonderful. The best hand roll we had was the Double T (Tuna and Truffle). I highly recommend it and think it is the BEST item on the menu. For an easy and inimate sushi night, I like this easy Studio City restaurant. read more

See all

If you know Seabutter and see The Bar - hand rolls by seabutter, you'd stop instantly. We did and we were not disappointed. The fish was fresh, ambiance was fun, and service was excellent! The sushi chefs were singing at the bar. Don't expect Seabutter quality cuts. Do expect the highest quality hand roll fish that can rival anywhere. Best bites: Blue crab hand roll and don - ordered two of each Toro hand roll and don Scallop hand roll Other bites: Wagyu don was delicious HYE was great, just too many flavors for me Go check this out, but be careful. It will make you want to visit Seabutter read more

See all

Good food with nice vibe. Nice to go grab a bite. The service is also on point and you feel welcomed.

Loved everything, got the set that came with 4 handrolls, miso soup, and choice of tea or sake shot. Beautiful and peaceful interior and staff was very friendly read more

See all

This place has easily become our go-to takeout spot lately. Long day? We order it. Tough day? We order it. Celebrating something? Definitely ordering it. At this point we'll make any excuse to eat here. Everything is always so fresh, flavorful, and genuinely delicious. The handrolls never miss. They even leave a cute little note on the bag which is so sweet and thoughtful. read more

It's been close to a month and we are craving for hand rolls. I remembered Sania and the bar. Great hand rolls and amazing service it's all I need to end the weekend. We were greated by another host and it was busier then the last time but at 7 pm what else we didn't see Sania either but service still as excellent. Ordered few items similar like before. Then Sania showed up brightened up the night, very attentive as usual. We will be back again for another amazing night. read more

See all

I REALLY enjoyed my meal here. The service is attentive and quick. Everything tasted fresh. Visually, everything was presented beautifully. The restaurant itself is aesthetically pleasing as well. Definitely recommend read more

The Bar - Hand Rolls by Seabutter - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

We were very impressed the first time we came here years ago. But have been back twice since then and the rolls are kinda... wet? Not in a saucy way. Like things just got soaked in water way. Haha Service is okay, they are nice enough but sometimes a little stand offish. The ambience is nice. The huge circular bar in the middle of the restaurant feels upscale. read more

It was our first time there. Very clean and nice decor/bar set-up. Ray was our waiter. He was patient, friendly and knowledgeable. Our chef was Zachary. He was pretty cool. Sadly, it was his last day at this location. He was friendly and professional. Overall, it was a good experience. We'd love to go back and try different menu items. read more

See all

Among the wave of hand roll restaurants that are emerging The Bar stands out with an interesting and innovate deluxe roll selection with fun flavor combinations and excellent presentation. I arrived right when they opened and was the first to sit at their curricular bar in a cylindrical enclave within the space. I love the decor and I cannot emphasize enough THE CHAIRS ARE BIG ENOUGH. At two of the other famous hand roll spots you need to be a mountain goat to perch on the absolutely tiny tiny seats and so I was so relieved to be able to comfortably sit and actually enjoy my time. I came for the Dine LA special / deal, which is a bit of a misnomer because it is one of their featured combos on their menu, but with the option to exchange out the sake shot with a glass of wine. I tried several of the deluxe rolls and I found the presentation, flavors, and attention to detail was all very well executed. The portions of fillings were substantial and the toro Uni, salmon ikura, and PCH special hand rolls were delicious! I also ordered the six roll combo special and some of them were just decent and others were more delicious and interesting. I'm somewhat of an enthusiast for these hand roll restaurants so I'm just a bit more critical of some of the standard rolls but I still think they were well executed, flavorful, and tasty. It seems there was some business being conducted or personnel sitting with their computers working and discussing business and prices etc, which changes the vibe of the time for sure. The chef serving up the rolls could work on his enunciation, since I couldn't quite make out what he was saying when I asked which roll corresponded to which roll I ordered. My server also said she has never tried Uni! Girl... get yourself some Uni! I hope the Bar can share the Uni love with its employees! My sense is that The Bar is still working out the details of smooth operation but overall has some great ideas for a higher price point relative to comparable establishments. read more

See all

An intimate spot I wanted to try for the Dine LA experience for $35/ person includes an appetizer, 4 hand rolls, and a drink. We did the Dine LA menu and added a couple more items on their original menu. Place is clean, relaxing, dim lit, and intimate. Service was superb! Staff was so friendly, and answered our questions. Rolls were great size for my liking, and felt light. It was an awesome experience. Would go back to try other things on the menu. read more

See all

Rating: 3/5 stars for the experience (taste + ambience + service) Let's start with taste. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures. Disclaimer: I'm a bit of a handroll connoisseur so I take my handrolls seriously :-) This review might sound harsh but only because I'm very particular about how I like handrolls. Take everything with a grain of salt. I got the 6 handroll deal. First was salmon. First bite didn't captivate me, was a little boring but it was exactly as the name read. Salmon handroll - nothing crazy and the fish was alright. Not particularly fresh or exciting. Next was the spicy tuna. Another mid tier handroll. The seaweed kept sticking to my teeth and lips. Also nothing special about this one. Not really spicy and flavor of the tuna wasn't there for me. I was more so looking to finish the roll rather than enjoying my bites. Third was the amberjack. Man...this was just straight up yuzu/citrus. I couldn't taste the actual fish and opportunity was lost here. I felt like the yuzu was an attempt in masking the fishy flavor of the fish, but it completely lost the plot and what should have been a side of flavor, overpowered the entire roll. Fourth was the negi toro. Now this is where we start getting places. I personally dislike mushy textures so this wasn't my favorite, but out of all the ones I had so far, the flavor and fattiness was there for me and I enjoyed this one. Fifth was the scallop. Scallop is normally one of my top choices for handrolls, but my god another miss. Don't chop up the scallop - it ruins the flavor and the fun of a fresh scallop handroll. Saved the best for last -- blue crab. This was hands down the best one out of the 6. If I could have just gotten the blue crab one I would have gotten 6 blue crab handrolls. This was really good, mainly because me and my gf just love blue crab. Flavor was there and the texture was bearable. If you get anything from this place, let it be the blue crab handroll. read more

I would definitely return! The rolls were great! Pretty affordable and low key. Great service!

Great handroll place to try! We came on a Friday night. It was busy but the wait wasn't too long. Parking is available in the lot. A lot of the set handroll combos have uni or scallop which aren't my favorites so I ordered a la carte. Many delicious options like the blue crab or their special handrolls like HYE. All were quite flavorful and we could make out the truffle, sesame oils, and other sauces. The disposable chopsticks were nice too, quite heavy and emblazoned with their name. read more

See all

Bookmarked this spot months ago after eating at Henry's tacos next door. Finally came back to try their hand rolls- missed the lunch time rush and stopped in around 3pm. Easy parking in their shopping center and quickly sat. Only about 20ish seats so I imagine it does get pretty packed during busy hours. Simple menu with apps, sashimi, bowls and abundant hand rolls. I tried the double T, HYE, Miss crab, salmon truffle and spicy tuna crunch. Everything was perfect, so fresh, and made right in front of you. The HYE was my favorite. The Bar is a must try! read more

See all

The Bar, just your good average handroll bar. We came on a Friday early evening and the place less than half full. Which was great. The vibe was great with friendly staff. As for the handrolls. I ordered the LUX 3 Set HH. The rice was alright the fish was good. The let down was the star of the show. The nori ( seaweed). It's wasn't crispy. A good handroll should have a nice fresh crispy nori. As for parking, they have a private lot or street parking. All in all The Bar was just ok for me in my opinion. read more

See all

One of my all-time favorite places! The sushi is always fresh and delicious. I especially love the idea having just the bar seating because the atmosphere feels more intimate and cozy. The service is also incredible. read more

The rolls are okay. But about 30% more expensive than should be . I know of two other options within close proximity with slightly tastier rolls, that are about 30% cheaper. In addition, the table was a bit sticky. The service was good. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for quite a while, since they turned it into a sushi bar from what was once a laundromat. Impressions: Pros: - Easy parking in the back lot by the market - Tasty sushi Cons: - Expensive, especially for the set plates - no tables, only the sushi bar for seating - very quiet. We were there at lunch hour, and we were the only ones there. Total damage: $58 after tip for hot sake, the $23 three-piece set plate, and a spicy tuna crunch roll. I walked away feeling disgruntled about how much I had spent. The atmosphere left me wanting (SO quiet) and the sushi, while tasty, wasn't any better than at any of the wide variety of sushi places in the local area. There are other places with much more upbeat atmosphere and where you can get a lot more for $58. I didn't walk out of there, thinking to myself: wow, I can't wait to go back! Maybe I will, and maybe I won't. Check it out for yourself and see. read more

See all

Overall a solid pick. Very serene atmosphere, which is nice. The food was good, albeit maybe slightly more expensive than other LA hand roll bars. Definitely enjoyed, but things felt less intentional than expected for the cost. Flavor combinations were good but fish quality was only fine & the rice wasn't warm, which again feels odd at the price point. Service was okay but it took awhile to get the check once we'd wrapped up. read more

When the DineLA list of restaurants comes out 2x a year, I try to squeeze in a couple of new restaurants. It's a great way to sample several specialty courses in a prix fixe price that feels like a steal. This February '25, it was The Bar - Hand Rolls by Seabutter that caught my eye and whispered sweet sushi nothings into my ears. Of course, the choice was super easy because I was craving good sushi and knew that Seabutter in Westlake Village was reputable with their fish menu. But what I wasn't expecting was the amazing first impression. If you appreciate architecture and design, the minimalist wood panels and circular bar was arresting. Much like how Gaudí's Casa Batllo in Barcelona incorporates natural light into its design, the golden stream of the sunset delicately dimmed the circle around this elegant sushi bar. Our menu for the evening included a choice of cold or hot sake. For starters, the miso soup or cucumber sunomono salad. * HYE was OMG. The minced truffle with yellowtail belly, sesame oil, kizami wasabi, and dash of sea salt was superb. * Spicy Tuna Crunch was great on the heat and nice on the crunch. * Seared Salmon hand roll with artichoke truffle was mmmm. * Scallop was my fave only because it's never a fair game when scallop shows up to my dinner party. With the freshness of the fish and light crowd on a week day early evening, I'd like to make my way back here a few more times. And for $7-11/hand roll, it's a sweet deal for wholesome food with today's prices. Healthy too (if you leave out the sake ;) read more

See all

My friend and I love a crisp handroll and especially creative fillings so Hand Rolls by Seabutter was a fun choice. They have a 5 roll set with preset options that we ordered and we added one more, another roll called the USC as a final bite. The meal started with a vinegary sunomono cucumber salad, which is appreciated as a palate cleanser. The chefs then deposited a creamy scallop roll, a spicy tuna with lots of punch from a sriracha type sauce and a spear of cucumber, amberjack, salmon, and blue crab. The standouts for me were the seared salmon with a really memorable artichoke truffle salt, and the yellowtail with interesting condiments. Of course, I liked the USC with a seared salmon, creamy uni and a dallop of caviar but it was $$. Perhaps the only thing I did not love was the size of the seaweed. It was far too long and the sushi chefs used the whole length so it doubled up on itself and became such a thick layer of nori. read more

See all

The bar is an excellent Dine La option! My friend and I went during lunch time. Street parking and additional 1 hour parking available in the back. Ambiance is very intimate, the bar is literally a circle with the sushi chef in the center, I loved it. Service was excellent. The flavors of all the hand rolls we had were fresh and flavorful. My favorite of the dine la menu was the HYE - minced yellowtail belly and truffle. It was tempting not to order more but I wanted to try different speciality items. The most common speciality items per the server was the double t and miss crab! My friend ordered the crab Donburi. All delicious. Definitely coming back here to try more items! read more

See all

I love hand roll bars in general and by far this is the best quality, unique options, and so flavorful! The wall decor is eye catching and the round seating gives it a fung shui atmosphere - almost as if it was purposeful and truly appreciate. I enjoyed almost everything that I ordered, dishes and rolls were served at a good pace and not rushed. Update on 3/12/25: I ordered delivery for dinner and was impressed by the care/packaging, quality of the rolls, and quick response. read more

See all

Really liked it! All the ingredients were fresh, and rice was cooked right on the spot. The food itself was great and tasty, and I really liked the variety of flavours. Service was also good, everyone was polite and paying attention to asks always checking on us and asking if everything is good. The place was looking great, not loud and calm music not much noise. Really liked the decors. This place is great to go, but it also depends what food you like, and if you have kids they may not like most of the menu. People should visit it at least once, and I recommend dish called "Miss crab" read more

Came on a Sat around 6:30. Was able to get seated right away for 4. Parking was easy, as there is a small lot for the plaza (albeit there being old signs for the taco spot... but we risked it lol). There's also street parking. I love the sleek ambiance - though physically small, but the high ceiling and rounded bar setting really opens up the place. At a glance, the restaurant can probably seat about 20 people. We weren't really impressed by their sister restaurant, Seabutter, at our previous DineLA, but The Bar fares better, imo. Not the best handrolls (e.g. roasted seaweed, served while still crispy), but not bad either. For this year's DineLA until 2/7/25, for just $35 we got the following: - Sunomono Salad (or miso): simple and refreshing. Thinly sliced cucumbers in a ponzu-like sauce. - Spicy Tuna Crunch: I liked the crunch in this - Scallop: not very memorable - HYE: our fave! flavorful - Salmon Truffle: this was our second fave, truffle is always a banger. - Sake (or wine or soda): such a generous serving, and served warm. It was nice! At least 6 cups worth which is more than plenty. The timing between rolls was kinda slow, but we were able to chat. However, SO and I did order another 3 set to split between us, but it took 20 min before we realized it was taking awhile so we cancelled. The waitress was sweet; she offered mochi ice cream though! read more

See all