Best Sushi In Santa Monica, By The Numbers
Santa Monica is home to plenty of stellar sushi — but how exactly do you define the "best"? Though it may be hard to quantify what makes a winner, every local has their own favorite sushi spot, and hundreds of Yelpers have made their opinions heard on the matter, too.
We crunched the numbers to find the top-ranked sushi spots in Santa Monica, using both Yelp data and insights from locals polled on Nextdoor to produce a list of the best spots to try next time you're on the hunt for quality sushi.
1. Sugarfish By Sushi Nozawa
PHOTO: BECKY Y./YELP
Topping the list is Sugarfish, situated at 1345 Second St. With four stars out of 1,638 reviews on Yelp, it's the highest-rated sushi spot in Santa Monica, and Nextdoor locals agree: 38% of those polled ranked it as their favorite.
Menu options include the "Trust Me" set meal, which covers a selection of nigiri, sashimi and hand rolls, as well as the "Don't Think, Just Eat" — a chef's choice of dishes for $52.
2. Noma
Next up is Noma. Located at 2031 Wilshire Blvd., the sushi bar and Japanese spot has proven to be a local favorite, with four stars out of 487 reviews on Yelp, and 17% of Nextdoor locals polled ranking it as their favorite. It offers an expansive array of Japanese dishes, from cold and hot appetizers to tempura, noodles, bento boxes — and of course sushi in all its forms.
3. Sushi King
Then there's Sushi King, a Santa Monica favorite with four stars out of 565 reviews, and another 17% of Nextdoor locals polled ranking it as their top choice. Stop by 1330 Wilshire Blvd. for authentic, no-frills sushi — and sit at the bar for a view of the chefs at work.
4. KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar
KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar, located at 120 Broadway, Suite 104, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the sushi bar and Japanese spot 4.5 stars out of 353 reviews, and 11% of Nextdoor locals polled ranking it as their favorite. It's an offshoot of Sugarfish, so diners can expect the same quality ingredients, this time with a focus on fresh hand rolls filled with toro, yellowtail, sea bream, crab and more.
5. Tsukiji Sushi Sen
Then there's Tsukiji Sushi Sen, located at 2915 Main St., which has earned four stars out of 247 reviews on Yelp, with 2% of Nextdoor locals voting it their top choice. This spot offers plenty of sushi options, including a wealth of specialty rolls ranging from "exotic" rolls like the Louis roll (lobster tail meat, asparagus, crabmeat, avocado, smelt eggs) to "no rice" speciality rolls like the Planet Earth roll (salmon, tuna, yellowtail, sprouts and avocado with cucumber skin).
Runners-up
Santa Monica-based Nextdoor users also named the following nearby sushi restaurants as among their favorites, so if you're still hungry, check out these additional local options: