Tsuji No Hana

My husband and I finally tried Tsuji No Hana for the first time last night and really enjoyed ourselves. At 7PM on a Saturday night, there was no wait yet, so we were immediately seated at he sushi bar in front of sushi chef Suzuki. Being a bit of a sushi purist and snob, I was a bit weary that the food might be good since there was no wait. However, at about 8PM when we left, the place was pretty full. The specials were written up on a chalk board behind the sushi bar and we ended up ordering most of them. We had salmon belly, albacore, red snapper, sea urchin sushi, all which were very good and cost us between $5 and $8 for an order of two generously sized sushi pieces. We even tried the spanish mackerel which is typically prepared cooked and terrible. Here they prepared it raw and it tasted very fresh. The jalapeno yellowtail carpaccio was $15 for about 6 pieces. It was also good but the peppers were a bit overpowering for me. The person dining us tried the oyster shooter which prompted us to do so as well. Quite tasty for only $6. To finish, we had a spicy tuna hand roll and a spicy shrimp hand roll, each for about $6 each. Overall the food was good and fresh, and reminded us of a lot of the sushi places in Studio City. The best thing about the experience was that Chef Suzuki would steer us away from any selections that weren't good and recommend better choices. I think this makes a huge difference in your dining experience overall at sushi bars. All in all, we paid about $80 for the two of us, and left quite happy. Our favorite sushi place of all time is still Sushi Zo in Palms, but for the price, this place is quite good as a stop-gap close to home while we save up to splurge for Kazo-san's Omakase. more

Their cooked Salmon roll is amazing! more

Tsuji No Hana is my favorite sushi place in all of Los Angeles based off of a variety of factors. Sure you could go somewhere in Hollywood or Santa Monica and possibly get a larger selection, or a fancier arrangement, if you liek small portions, exorbitant prices, plus the hassle of combating traffic, paying for parking, etc. Pros: Intimate, no wait, quick service, large portions/low price Cons: Small restaurant, not very ""romantic"" more

This place is seriously one of the best places we have been to, and we have been to many (in Japan, NY, Berlin, Copenhagen, LA, etc.). The sushi here is excellent, fresh and delicious. The chef is very efficient and experienced in making the sushi after sitting at the bar watching him. The albacore tuna is especially good (almost melts in your mouth). This is the place you want to go if you want real deal sushi for a reasonable price with no-frills. Pros: all good more

Tried this place last night with my girlfriend after reading reviews that commented on its poor decor but good food. I was expecting bare-bones, but the interior and exterior were nice. From some angles you can get a little glimpse back into the kitchen area beyond the sushi bar, and I guess that's where the comments about flourescent lighting came in, but beyond that it was a fine interior, very clean and looked good...maybe they've remodeled recently? This place really has the feel of a comfortable neighborhood spot. We came right at dinner time and were able to get seated right away; we chose the sushi bar (but don't think it was empty, the place was over 3/4 full). There's a plain handwritten white-board behind the sushi bar with the specialties written on it - no fancy dry-ink marker drawings or anything, just a list of what they have and even a few word description here and there. The food was very good, I would say above average. We got a combination of straightforward sushi and and also got their special Canadian Roll (salmon, cucumber, and avocado) and a halibut sashimi dish served with Japanese peppers and sea salt. Maybe not the most incredible stuff I've ever had, but definitely GOOD. The salmon in particular was excellent, very buttery. The wait-staff was friendly and attentive and the sushi chef was always ready to take another order from us. We had beer AND sake AND we both got pleasantly full for a grand total of $71 including tip. This place instantly became my favorite ""regular"" sushi spot on the Westside and one of the best sushi bargains I've ever experienced. As a comparison, we went to Hama Sushi in Venice (which, admittedly, had EXCELLENT food) and paid almost double the amount. more

Sushi in this place...........................so good. more

The Place is hidden away in a mini mall. The Sushi chefs seem like ordinary people that just learned how to make sushi. Their skill at making the food was below average. I sat at the bar and saw how they were preparing the food, what they used and i was left uninspired to ever go back. They used common house silverware to make things. Their rolls were poorly made and served. The sushi was served at almost room temperature and the taste was nothing to wow at. It was kinda bland. Prices are ok. The place, once inside is nice and they do give you a warm towel to clean your hands. I would not recommend this place to anyone. Pros: Nice clean place. Price is ok, warm towel at start and plenty of parking Cons: food, sushi not kept colder. Served at almost room temperature. Rolls made by amateurs. more

Growing up in Vancouver, I was used to eating sushi and having it as an affordable daily option, when I moved to MdR I was hard pressed to find the same quality for a good price. Of the places I've tried so far, this restaurant is the best sushi for the price. Pros: friendly staff, good for take out more

This is a hidden gem in Marina Del Rey. Good quality fish and good service. Plenty of parking is extra plus. more

To start, let me say that I grew up eating a lot of sushi and Japanese food in Hawaii. We had a lot of affordable, high quality, somewhat-traditional rolls and cuisine. None of this dragon-cowboy- flaming-octopus-warrior stuff that's full of western ingredients. I like the simplicity of sashimi and ingredients like daikon that to me define Japanese food. more

Easy parking. Good service. I went there a couple weeks ago and the sushi was pretty good, but not as good tonight. A few pieces were fishy tasting. The tempura and teriyaki is pretty good, but there are better Japanese restaurants nearby. Pros: No wait. Plenty of parking. Great friendly service. Cons: Food is good, not great. more

This is the place to go if you really like FRESH sushi. Tuna, Albacore, Uni, Salmon... Even the ""cooked"" sushi items are good. Eel, shrimp, tempura roll... The portions are generous and the last time I went, they had a great sushi lunch special for about $12 which included a few varieties. If you have time to sit at the bar, do so. It's worth it. The sushi bar is large and they have enough chefs to accommodate everyone. If you're looking to eat A-B-C combos, this place is just ""ok"" in that department. I don't think the ambiance is as bad as some of the reviews state!! Enjoy! Pros: Fresh Sushi, Generous Portions, Large Sushi Bar Cons: Too small for parties more

The food here is just okay. The quality of the food is definitely not worth what they charge for it (even with their dinner combo bento box offerings). For better Teriyaki and Sushi options, go to the Sawtelle/Olympic block of Japanese restaurants. When my boyfriend and I went, we were ignored by the wait-staff and had to ask for a menu. There was not much of a selection to begin with. It also took a while for us to get the food. When we did get it, it was not up to par. I do have to say that I did enjoy the Tuna Sashimi, but that's about it. Pros: sashimi, parking lot Cons: over-priced, small selection, average quality more

Based on reviews here, we were excited about finding another excellent local sushi joint. Although the service was outstandingly friendly, the food, for the most part, was just average. The fish was fresh and competently prepared, as one expects of a sushi restaurant, but the presentation and flavors failed to excite either us or our visiting dinner companion. The only things that were outright bad were the bland miso soup and the tempura spicy tuna roll, which was disappointingly served at room-temperature. Unfortunately, everything else was just adequate. Pros: service, parking more

Everything I have had here is delicious! I especially love their tempura sauce. Its got a great flavor compared to other sauces I have had. The tempura isnt as greasy as other places. The chicken and fish always taste & look fresh. The waitresses are nice, prompt & friendly. You can even call ahead and take out for lunch or dinner. I dont plan to stop coming here! California roll, spicy tuna roll and chicken teriyaki are delish. Great food, not much to see. Food definitely makes up for location/decoration. GO GO GO!!! Pros: yummy food, parking, inexpensive Cons: , strip mall location, not open til Midnight more

No ambiance, but the fish is some of the best you will find for a 2nd tier sushi place. Very fresh. I especially recommend the Sweet Shrimp and the tempura spicy tuna roll. Prices are reasonable. If you care about quality more than atmosphere, this is the place. If you need a sushi fix, this is a great inexpensive alternative to Hama. Pros: quality of fish, good value, convenient Cons: poor ambiance, no reservations more