I've been to Echigo three times, and each time I think it just gets better. The fish is phenomenal -- the best I've had in LA. It's unbelievably fresh, and the preparation is fantastic. (Not just... More

I've been to Echigo three times, and each time I think it just gets better. The fish is phenomenal -- the best I've had in LA. It's unbelievably fresh, and the preparation is fantastic. (Not just plain fish and rice, but simple sauces, or little bits of pepper or sesame seeds.) I love the warm, slightly vinegary rice. They bring the dishes out one at a time, which is great, since it forces you to slow down, and taste each piece of fish. The red snapper, benito, and toro are all spectacular. Only downside is that the ambiance is a bit cold and dingy. But honestly, you'll be so fixated on your sushi, you'll hardly notice. Pros: Absolutely amazing sushi -- best in town Cons: Dingy, strip mall location
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The best sushi in LA. try the monk fish liver, unless you're morally opposed because of the claims of overfishing. The decor and ambiance is so so, but you're there to eat, not look at the walls. ... More

The best sushi in LA. try the monk fish liver, unless you're morally opposed because of the claims of overfishing. The decor and ambiance is so so, but you're there to eat, not look at the walls. don't bring any friends who don't like authentic sushi and Sashimi. They'll be sneered at by the waitress if they ask for a California roll or tempura, because they don't serve it. the sign at the entrance clearly states, "NO CALIFORNIA ROLL". Warning: No kids are allowed either, only adults. Pros: Best Sushi Cons: Expensive
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i think this is one the of the best sushirestaurants out there! they don't even serve anything else but sushi! so don't expect any appetizers soups or salads or any sideorders whatsoever. they don't... More

i think this is one the of the best sushirestaurants out there! they don't even serve anything else but sushi! so don't expect any appetizers soups or salads or any sideorders whatsoever. they don't have anything cooked! but it's definitely the highest quality fish i have ever had. unfortuantely it's not cheap, but all the dollars you spend here are really worth it! if you are looking for sushi and not fancy sushi, here is the deal! Cons: stinky garage underground
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One of my favorite places in all of LA, definitely my favorite sushi place! Only for sushi purists - you can't get rolls with cream cheese here, or even miso soup. It's just about high quality... More

One of my favorite places in all of LA, definitely my favorite sushi place! Only for sushi purists - you can't get rolls with cream cheese here, or even miso soup. It's just about high quality fish on top of amazing rice (the sushi rice here is warm and flavored - you will never want to go back to cold rice again). If you go here looking for trendy atmosphere or creative rolls you will be dissapointed, but if you love sushi you will find a new Shangri-la.
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I went to this place after hearing good things from culinary trustworthy friends, and after learning that the chef was a student of the head chef from Sasabune. I can honestly say that the teacher... More

I went to this place after hearing good things from culinary trustworthy friends, and after learning that the chef was a student of the head chef from Sasabune. I can honestly say that the teacher bested the student. Before factoring in price, the restaurant is mediocre at best...after factoring in price, the restaruant fails. I paid $10 less to get 1/2 the sushi I could get at Sasabune. The service was well below average. The cuts of fish were small, and inconsistent within each piece. The sushi chefs did not say one word to us, and when we asked what kind of fish and where it was from that we just got, they got frusturated and spoke to us like we were idiots for not knowing what we were eating. Overall I would not waste my money here, I would check out Sasabune for upper echelon sushi. Pros: none Cons: too expensive for what we received, service
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been going to this place for years -- back when the only diners were my friends and i. boy, have things changed. sometimes, we have to actually wait to be seated. on to the food: i strongly... More

been going to this place for years -- back when the only diners were my friends and i. boy, have things changed. sometimes, we have to actually wait to be seated. on to the food: i strongly recommend the blue crab rolls. it is true that echigo usually does not have rolls and serves traditional sushi. but, the blue crab roll is excellent! i also recommend the stuffed squid, which is squid stuffed with blue crab. again, excellent! as for the actual fish, you can't go wrong by odering the salmon, kanpachi, hamachi, monk fish liver. this place is actually one of my favorite sushi places. service could be spotty depending on your server. but, that should not stop you from going to echigo to enjoy food that would make any sushi lover's mouth water. Pros: great sushi Cons: service from servers could be spotty depending on who's on duty
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I'd say mediocre at best and the only way I ould come back would be to order a la carte. The chefs tasting was not worth the $100 (for two) price tag. After all the rave reveiws, I was quite... More

I'd say mediocre at best and the only way I ould come back would be to order a la carte. The chefs tasting was not worth the $100 (for two) price tag. After all the rave reveiws, I was quite disappointed in the experience at Echigo. The chefs tasting menu was mixed. Of 10 courses, I enjoyed maybe three of them. The sushi cuts were small and not particularly tasty. We went on a wed night, came in and sat down and had to wait 40 minutes for anyone to come over to acknowledge us. Also, the two gentleman who sat next to us and came in after us, were served before we were. We stayed only because we had heard great things about the restaurant. In theend we were quite disapoointed. Cons: very slow service.
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I love the sushi here. The kanpachi, scallop, yellowtail, tuna are the best. I have been going to Echigo for more than 2 years and it's just the best, freshest sushi I have had for the price. The... More

I love the sushi here. The kanpachi, scallop, yellowtail, tuna are the best. I have been going to Echigo for more than 2 years and it's just the best, freshest sushi I have had for the price. The only downside is that sometimes they get a little chinzy with their scallop. For the price of $5 per 2 pieces they give a small sliver of scallop. The waitresses these days have been nice. There used to be this awful Japanese woman who was mean and rude. Also, don't expect any special treatment. Don't ever ask for a variety of sashimi, cuz they'll flip out. But, do go there! Pros: Good Parking Cons: Slivers of scallop
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The warm-rice sushi experience is quite different that the usual, and as such, it accents certain qualities but detracts from certain others. I found that lighter fish such as halibut was quite... More

The warm-rice sushi experience is quite different that the usual, and as such, it accents certain qualities but detracts from certain others. I found that lighter fish such as halibut was quite overpowered by the warm, vinegary rice ball. However, there are some excellent seafood choices here that I usually do not order elsewhere... having had the omakase, I was extremely pleased by the flavorful fresh shrimp, the dissolve-in-your-mouth scallop (wow) and the perfectly textured (and not too buttery) toro. I also found the swordfish VERY sweet and tasty, and ordered another one at the end of my meal, and also found the Shima-aji very rich in flavor also. My main complaints lie in the portioning - some items were deliciously large, like the shrimp and the scallop, while others, such as the toro and the hamachi, were really small slivers of fish where I found myself eating only part of the rice so as to better enjoy the fish flavor (warm rice ball falls apart easy anyway... a good place to eat sushi with your hands). I also dislike the fact that orders are only ONE piece at a time, rather than the traditional Nigiri pair. Before I finish this though, I must mention the Blue Crab Hand Roll, which is always served at the end of the meal, and is absolutely fantastic. It's the perfect blend which really highlights the blue crab's taste and adds to the texture... ordering a second one is never a regretted decision. Definitely worth trying this place... I think everybody (except for california roll/fusion roll munchers) will find something that they are very impressed by. Pros: Great fish selection that is also VERY fresh (especially shellfish), friendly staff, FRESH and spicy wasabi! Cons: Portions (single piece orders... some fish pieces small). Some people may not like warm rice.
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I've been going to Echigo since it opened several years ago and have recommended it to numerous friends and colleagues over the years. In fact I often run into people I know there because once you... More

I've been going to Echigo since it opened several years ago and have recommended it to numerous friends and colleagues over the years. In fact I often run into people I know there because once you start going, it's difficult to stop. The prices aren't cheap, but are reasonable for the fabulous quality of sushi you get here. My favorites here are the crab rolls, the uni, the monkfish liver, stuffed squid and salmon sashimi. For people looking for a trendy sushi spot with cocktails and fancy rolls - this is not the place for you. This is strictly traditional sushi and it's in a shopping center. Thus, Echigo is for the true sushi lover, who is happy eating great sushi no matter the ambience or the fancy trimmings. Pros: Fresh, fabulous sushi, Good service Cons: No ambience, no cocktails (only beer, sake and plum wine)
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