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Name: Echigo
Address: 12217 Santa Monica Blvd,Ste 201, Los Angeles, CA, 90025
Telephone: (310) 820-9787
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 4.13

Echigo

12217 Santa Monica Blvd,Ste 201, Los Angeles, CA, 90025

(310) 820-9787
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Echigo Menu

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Toro

Negi Toro

Tuna

Baby Tuna

Albacore

Yellowtail

Kanpachi

Halibut

Red Snapper - JPN

Medai Snapper

Halfbeak

Butter Fish

Bonito

Ono

Salmon

Spanish Mackerel

Shima Aji Or JPN

Mackerel Norway

Sardine Or JPN

Japanese Shad

Scallop

Orange Clam

Jumbo Clam

Sweet Shrimp

Octopus

Squid

Sea Urchin

Salmon Egg

Sea Eel

Fresh Water Eel

Egg

Monk Fish Liver

Abalone

Oyster

Kumamoto Oyster

Blue Crab Roll

Salmon Skin Roll

Eel Roll

Tuna Roll

Yellowtail Roll

Toro Roll

Cucumber Roll

Stuffed Squid

Mozuku-Su

Seaweed Salad

Sashimi

Miso Soup

Toro

Negi Toro

Tuna

Baby Tuna

Albacore

Yellowtail

Kanpachi

Halibut

Red Snapper - JPN

Medai Snapper

Halfbeak

Butter Fish

Bonito

Ono

Salmon

Spanish Mackerel

Shima Aji Or JPN

Mackerel Norway

Sardine Or JPN

Japanese Shad

Scallop

Orange Clam

Jumbo Clam

Sweet Shrimp

Octopus

Squid

Sea Urchin

Salmon Egg

Sea Eel

Fresh Water Eel

Egg

Monk Fish Liver

Abalone

Oyster

Kumamoto Oyster

Blue Crab Roll

Salmon Skin Roll

Eel Roll

Tuna Roll

Yellowtail Roll

Toro Roll

Cucumber Roll

Stuffed Squid

Mozuku-Su

Seaweed Salad

Sashimi

Miso Soup
Lunch Special $14

Tuna

Yellowtail

White Fish

Salmon And Albacore And Our Best Selling Blue Crab Roll

Tuna

Yellowtail

White Fish

Salmon And Albacore And Our Best Selling Blue Crab Roll

Omakase Chef's Choice

Omakase Chef's Choice

Healthy Meal suggestions for Echigo

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Toro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Negi Toro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baby Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Albacore [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yellowtail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kanpachi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Halibut [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Red Snapper - JPN [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Medai Snapper [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Halfbeak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Butter Fish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bonito [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ono [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanish Mackerel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shima Aji Or JPN [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mackerel Norway [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sardine Or JPN [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Japanese Shad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scallop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Orange Clam [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jumbo Clam [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweet Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Octopus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Squid [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sea Urchin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Egg [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sea Eel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Water Eel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Egg [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monk Fish Liver [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Abalone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kumamoto Oyster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Crab Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Skin Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eel Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yellowtail Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Toro Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cucumber Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stuffed Squid [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mozuku-Su [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seaweed Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sashimi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Miso Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Toro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Negi Toro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baby Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Albacore [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yellowtail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kanpachi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Halibut [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Red Snapper - JPN [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Medai Snapper [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Halfbeak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Butter Fish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bonito [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ono [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanish Mackerel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shima Aji Or JPN [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mackerel Norway [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sardine Or JPN [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Japanese Shad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scallop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Orange Clam [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jumbo Clam [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweet Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Octopus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Squid [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sea Urchin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Egg [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sea Eel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Water Eel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Egg [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monk Fish Liver [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Abalone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kumamoto Oyster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Crab Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Skin Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eel Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yellowtail Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Toro Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cucumber Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stuffed Squid [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mozuku-Su [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seaweed Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sashimi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Miso Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Lunch Special $14

Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yellowtail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Fish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon And Albacore And Our Best Selling Blue Crab Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Yellowtail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Fish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon And Albacore And Our Best Selling Blue Crab Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Omakase Chef's Choice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Omakase Chef's Choice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Fred S.

I have gone to Echigo at least 15 times in the last three years. It became my favorite sushi restaurant after my first visit. For most of that period it was an excellent sushi house serving wonderfully fresh and delicate fish on soft warm rice. The service could best be described as "efficient" and the food was reasonably price for its excellent quality. Unfortunately over the last six months I have seen a marked decline in its quality, service and value. I have returned hoping for some improvement several times but have been disappointed as of late. I have become reluctant to go back anymore until I hear of a return to its previous quality. I am very sorry it has gone downhill because I used to like it so much.
(2)
Shum S.

We had the chef's choice ($43/ea) and couldn't help but order more afterwards, even though we were full. It was just that good. I never knew fresh fish made that much of a difference!
(5)
Anonymous P.

An odd sushi restaurant. The fish is very high quality (I don't say this lightly). But the sushi rice is warm (!?). Not only does this lead to nigiri sushi falling apart; also, it makes it hard to taste delicate fish. It's a culinary truism that more delicate flavors should be served at room temperature--this goes for wine, beer, sake, and yes, sushi. Bizarre. I also felt the rice was overvinegared. I ordered the omikase (chef's choices). The chef was pretty good with fish and flavors, but I felt items tended to be overseasoned. When they were good, they were really good; when they were bad I couldn't taste the fish at all. I guess I'm glad I tried warm sushi, but I can't say I'd do it again.
(3)
andrew a.

remember the old sasebune? very similar, almost same order of food on the omakase. decore is a little better (or does that make it worst?), their is good waitress and a bad one so the service can be better or worst, depending on where you sit. but if you are looking for service or decor you are already barking up the wrong tree. if you eat at a bunch of "pop" sushi places (e.g. koi, blow fish, etc...) you should go here and try something more authentic that will certainly expand your experience on sushi. after one meal here you will get a better sense for quality rice and nori (seaweed). after you have their toro hand roll you will understand why food is not a meal but an obsession in japan. If you can not let go and let them be in control avoid this place. if you tend to pull a "sally" (from when harry met sally) by which i mean you think your order should be delivered on a scroll with thousands of directions, again please avoid this place. however if food makes you orgasmic call me and we can go together. definitely a worthwhile place to visit one night when you want something different or very clean and healthy without thinking about what to order.
(3)
Emmy H.

Favorite sushi place on the westside.
(5)
Akiko T.

Wow. I forgot how much I love Echigo. (Although it's in an ugly strip mall, I really don't care) I am a huge fan of super fresh, brilliant sushi with warm rice (like Sasabune style, sans the obnoxious pricing) I'm up for this place any day. If you're a fan of innovative funky rolls drenched with a sweet sauce, this place is not for you. The sashimis & nigiris are heaven in your mouth. Hands down, my favorite sushi place outside of Japan. And I suggest the omakase @ the counter. Mwah!
(5)
Lucuma X.

Super delicious! The best nigiri in town (get the omakase).
(5)
Jen N.

I heart sushi. I love Echigo's blue crab roll. so yummy. it's a traditional japanese sushi joint, i.e. no on ambiance but great on the food.
(4)
Cinder E.

A secret treasure on the westside. don't let the strip mall location fool you. the sushi is incredible. omakase is a must. I always find myself adding onto the omakase though, because i'm still hungry after the signature crab roll at the end!
(4)
climber O.

One of the best sushi I've ever had. Fish is flavorful and fresh. Rice is warm and tasty . I even find the quality of the soy sauce and wasabi superior. This place is a hidden gem, above Pizza Hut on northwest corner of Santa Monica and Amherst. It's not cheap, but definitely worth the quality. I had lunch at Echigo and Kiriko on 2 consecutive days. Although both are good, I prefer the warm rice sushi at Echigo. Everything I tried was excellent.
(5)
karen n.

Went here for my boyfriend's birthday because he is obsessed with sushi. Looked at Yelp reviews and decided to go the strip mall route since we were looking for quality fish. We were amazed at how good everything was! We spent about $60 each but it was worth it because I had sushi that I had never had before, lots of different kinds of fish that you don't dip in soy sauce (the waitress will sweetly remind you each time this is the case) and instead your mouth will be filled with a completely different flavor than the normal salty soy sauce (i.e. sea salt and lemon among other things). The fish melts in your mouth and I found the warm sushi rice to be a pleasant surprise.
(5)
cheery k.

I just have to say that the blue crab roll is orgasmic
(4)
Jess B.

I feel I should admit that--and I fear the wrath of Yelp because of the ensuing statement--I'm a girl who likes her creative, Americanized, "prissy," if you will, sushi rolls. I like to temper those couture rolls and fusion dishes with some straight up salmon sushi or yellowtail sashimi, but I get kind of hot and bothered by the grilled things and the creative things and the saucy things. I've got my triumverate of favorite sushi haunts but ever the adventurous one, I announce to boyfriend that we will be trying a new place: Echigo. I was forewarned of the strip mall thing and while it was sort of discomfiting, I got over it. I was a little sad at the no edamame thing as well. But again: I got over these things. We were in new culinary waters, and I had to get my sea legs. The quality of the fish was excellent; thus, the four star rating. We had the toro, salmon, snapper, bonito, and two rounds of the butterfish because it was so impossibly delicious. The blue crab handroll was good, but not nearly as good, to me, as the butterfish or the salmon. Gotta admit: I didn't so much dig the amount of vinegar in the rice. Wasn't bothered by its temperature, but rather the more-than-just-a-tang level of vinegar. I can't deny the quality of Echigo: this is some awesome fish. But I can't deny the part of me that loves a really tender slab of miso black cod, or some mango in my crab roll. I'm not a total sushi purist in that respect--I get it. However, after some of that black cod, I could happily eat Echigo's butterfish and salmon for days and days and watch my internal mercury content rise until I glow in the dark, or whatever mercury does to you.
(4)
Joe C.

Life is good. I had my first Omakase experience here last night w/ a fellow Yelper. Being a big Sushi fan, I still couldn't believe I waited this long to get my month on Omakase. When it comes to Omakase, it's all about quality & freshness and this place delivered both! It was worth my 1 & 15 mins drive from Irvine. Knowing that I come all the way from Irvine, my friend suggested a late dining to avoid the rush-hour traffic. So, I made a reservation for two people at 8:30 pm. I requested to sit at the Sushi bar, but the guy said they only served Omakase at the Sushi bar and I said that was what we wanted. Traffic wasn't that bad and I had no problem finding the place. I got there about 8:20 pm. Maybe it was on Tuesday night, there weren't many people there, so we didn't have to wait in line. We were seated immediately. The staffs were very friendly and attentive. After ordering two hot green teas, our fine dining experiencing began w/ the following dishes one by one... Albacore Hamachi Halibut Scallop Bonito Kanpachi Tuna Snapper Butterfish Blue Crab Hand Roll All the dishes were FRESH and DELICIOUS, but the one that stood out for me is the "Blue Crab Hand Roll"! I took the time to taste every bite. It was out of this world! I'm telling you I can eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until GOD knows when! Too bad, my fantasy didn't last long... The chef asked if we wanted more because the Crab Hand Roll was our last dish. Then my friend asked if I'm full. My reply was it hard to fill my stomach when it came to Sushi. Then we order the following dishes... Yellowtails (friend & me) Monk Fish Livers (friend & me) Octopus (friend) Sea Urchin (me) Salmon (friend) Alaska Crab (me - I wanted to try a diff roll) I highly recommend the Monk Fish Liver and Sea Urchin besides the Blue Crab Roll. It was a great experience and I definitely am a fan of Omakase now. Our bill came out to be $133 including 24% tips. I say good food is priceless. I will definitely return and order the BCR, MFL, and SU again. I couldn't believe w/ all these foods, we still have room for dessert at Pinkberry. Yea yea yea, I know what you are going to say, but that's another story. I took away one STAR b/c not all of the dishes were my favorite or tasted great. I think it was more of personal opinion. I missed the underground packing lot, so it took me a while to find a parking spot at the next plaza. I know each dish is served on a small plate w/ limited space, and although food presentation isn't eatable, it does add that whole package to the meal experience and I've seen much better food presentation for Omakase elsewhere.
(4)
Jessica L.

this place has no frills but a lot of good sushi. my faves: butter fish crab hand rolls each nigiri piece has just the right amount of perfectly seasoned rice that's still WARM. and they make sure you dip only certain kinds of sushi in the soy sauce, b/c it would be sacrilege to dip the already ponzu-dipped sushi into it. don't you know!
(4)
Gina C.

Delicious. If fresh, buttery, melty sushi is your priority, you must try this place. Everyone I've brought here raves about it. But as other reviews have noted -- no miso soup, no dragon rolls, no spicy tuna, etc. And the place, though super clean, isn't much to speak of in terms of decor. Price does add up (as it does at any truly good sushi place). But the fish ... soooooo delicious and perfect. Try new things from the daily specials on the board. YUM.
(5)
Fernando M.

Confession #1: When it comes to sushi, I am a monster. I can eat a lot of it. It's not rare for the chef to raise an eyebrow at me when I continue ordering long after everybody else in my party politely laid down their chop sticks. This is my only complaint about Echigo. Chef Toshi became increasingly incredulous with each order I placed beyond the 9 course omakase spread he carefully lays out when you sit at the sushi bar. I don't know how I was expected to control myself, though. This restaurant only serves sushi, and it serves it to perfection (no soup, no salads, no tempura). The rice is slightly warm, but still sticky enough not to fall apart between your chopsticks. The fish is exceedingly fresh, even on a Monday night (I read on the web they are open DAILY). We walked into the restaurant (located on the second floor of a mini-mall above a PIzza Hut) and there were about 10 people in there at 8:00 PM. Easy enough to sit right down at the bar. If you do sit at the bar, it's only omakase. Tables can either order or do omakase...but on the daily special board somebody took the time to draw a little Bart Simpson head and write, "Trust me!" next to it, and you should take that advice. Omakase starts off with albacore sashimi and ends with a blue crab hand roll. In between you're likely to be treated to any of the following served one piece at a time: Aji (my favorite of the evening), Butter Fish (totally insane), Snapper, Halibut, Scallop, Toro, or Skip Jack. Like I said, I took it beyond omakase, though, and got a sea eel hand roll, sweet shrimp, and kinme snapper from Japan. Just when I was about to say that I could have done the whole round of sushi one more time (I hadn't eaten all day, people!), my wife gave me a certain look of disapproval (that most husbands would recognize) and I simply asked for the check. Which, for two people sitting at the sushi bar wasn't all that bad (a friend of mine went for lunch, where you can get 6 pieces for $12, which is an incredible deal). The wait staff was incredibly polite. We ordered tea, which was promptly delivered in two black mugs. When we tasted it, we thought it was just hot water, so I pointed this out to the server and she smiled and got us two fresh cups. This time the cups were white, and we could see that the tea was a very light green color. We tasted it, and, to my mouth, it was the same. I think it was just a very mild tea (which worked well with the flavors of meal), and the server was just too nice to point that out to us when we brought it to her attention. It's possible that Chef Toshi wasn't really judging me (I'm probably dealing with issues of my own sushi guilt)...but I think I may take a talbe next time, order the omakase, and then anonymously order to my heart's content.
(5)
Tell Y.

First time tonight with five other sushi-lovers. Great sushi, okay price but... HORRIFIC service. It's stricltly sushi. No edamame, soup or salad. That's fine, but not when the sushi hardly makes it to the table. Terribly inefficient and agonizingly slow service. Sushi served one piece at a time. Okay, it's good to eat slow, but not one piece every ten minutes. The time between my boyfriend's first order and second order was 20 minutes! He gnawed on ginger. (There were only three other seated tables.) They don't refill your water or tea or ask if you want more beer or sake. We wanted to order a second round. They ignored us until I walked up and asked for our bill instead. I chose to go to Echigo based on reviews from Yelp. However, it seems that the trend in Los Angeles restaurants is that good food and bad/disrespectful service go hand-in-hand and people put up with it.
(1)
Corinne A.

i've been killing myself trying to find an amazing, moderately priced sushi restaurant in west la. one night, feeling particularly adventurous, me and my roommates decided to give this place a shot (the result of wonderful yelp reviews and various recommendations, of course). let me just say that this place is amazing. fresh fish, warm wasabi, tasty rice...echigo is the epitome of great sushi. located on the second floor of a nothing-special-about-it shopping mall, this place is definitely unpretentious with their simple menu and standard place settings. it is obvious that their main goal is to serve sushi--no cut rolls, no tempura, no edamame. just straight up sushi. and they're good at it too. too bad i'm not at the point in my career where i can spend and spend on amazing sushi, because if i was, i'd be here every friday night. but alas, reality sets in. due to their high prices, i probably won't visit echigo again in the near future. i mean, let's get real...2 pieces of sushi for about $5?! so i've been to sushi heaven and have been forced out (through my own self control). one day i'll be back echigo...one day.
(4)
Lena B.

the masters here make the best sushi in l.a. mmm...their fresh, melts-in-mouth fish on warm, perfectly seasoned rice!!! i can eat this everyday. this probably is not the best place if you never had sushi since there's no rolls and cooked food, but if you want to step up to the next stage, try echigo. this place also is a bargain for the quality. no decor, not the best japanese restaurant service, but for the sushi itself, it deserves five stars.
(5)
Ben K.

Nothing to say that hasn't already been mentioned in these reviews. This is some of the best sushi in LA, period.
(5)
M C.

To make a long story short, pricey but great, and when I say great I do mean great sushi. The quality of fish will speak for itself. Definitely try to sit at sushi bar so you can sample the awesome chef's menu.
(4)
Miriam B.

um. the rice was really really good. i got a couple of pieces of fish that were kinda fishy! disappointed. i was all revved up for perfect fish. we sat at the sushi bar and had omakase. i get it . i love really fresh fish i don't really like stupid fried dessert rolls. but sasabune and nozawa and sushi zo are better. i liked the ambience at echigo a lot too. better than the aforementioned. maybe i go back and give one more try. no children policy! update: yup still not nozawa or sasabune. very good but not the best. sorry!
(4)
Paola S.

So I finally tried this place after reading tons of reviews on it. Went there for lunch and ordered the omakase like everyone suggested. Everything was delicious. I especially like the salmon and since I'm an uni lover, I ordered a piece and it melted in my mouth! Probably the best uni I've ever had! The blue crab hand roll was delicious too! NOTE: the lunch specials only come with one piece of sushi each. Unless you want to leave there still hungry, I recommend making it a double. You'll end spending $26 for lunch, but you'll leave satisfied.
(4)
Christopher L.

Omakase!!!!!!! This place is freakin awesome! You can ONLY get omakse at the sushi bar, but that's fine with me. That's all I wanted after reading the reviews on yelp. I got fresh fish imported from Japan and fell in love. I usually prefer to eat locally, but the fish here is freakin fantastic.
(5)
Kristin L.

Hands down the best sushi in LA. I am an Echigo regular; I cannot get enough of the warm rice, fresh fish, and that AMAZING blue crab hand roll!! I dream about those things. The halibut and salmon are also high on my craving list. I love that I never have to wait for a table, that the service is friendly and efficient, that the head sushi chef is always smiling, and that the menu is simple and to the point. If you are looking for an incredible sushi experience, Echigo is the place!
(5)
Sandy W.

Went there last friday (3rd and last visit), it's definitely hit or miss. When its good, it's very good, but when it's not...well. The crab roll is really good. DO NOT get the oysters!
(2)
Vanessa B.

Echigo is a fantastic little sushi joint that exclusively serves sushi and nothing else in between. Best time to come is when you get your paycheck. I ordered 4-5 sushi dishes which racked up to about 55-60 dollars per person. But it really was worth it to me. I really enjoyed my amaebi, spanish mackerel, red snapper, toro, salmon belly and yellowtail. But I would definitely say the winner is the blue crab hand roll. omggg. DROOL. The hand roll is really interesting (as well as uber delicious, oh wait did I say that already?) since its shaped like a cylinder and not like a cone. So it was fun to hold and of course it was fun to eat as well. Even before I finished my first hand roll I ordered a second one to our waitress while my mouth was still full of chunky crab bits. I will definitely come here again and again. Oh and I also heard they have a fantastic lunch menu option where the prices are much more reasonable. Definitely will try that next time!
(4)
Kat C.

i remember when the lunch special was $10. we sometimes have to order two/person, but now we just come here to "snack" so one order will do. warm rice sushi. just the way i like it. another perfector of rice : ingredient. i don't think there's ever been a visit where it's super crowded. go for lunch, it's most economical. their Blue Crab roll is on par w/ Sushi Sasabune's. Don't come here for ambiance. You're paying $12 for small but artfully, mouth pleasing sushi lunch special (or a snack in our case).
(5)
Yuki M.

blue crab roll was the best! also i enjoyed the yellowtail. the restaurant is in an unappealing strip mall, on the second floor, next to some sort of vocational school. location not the best to say the least, but it is in west la, right off of santa monica and close to bundy. i went on a date and for some reason he didnt order much so he was kinda eating everything i ordered. well actually, the waitress brought out each order on a small dish, piece by piece. so we actually ate equal amounts of everything. imagine one nigiri on one small place. thats how the whole meal went. he offered to pay at the end of dinner, but since i really didnt know the guy, i just paid my half, which was pretty reasonable if i remember correctly. not the best sushi place i guess, i would rather go to sakura sushi or hama sushi in dt la. speaking of sakura, i need to go soon and write a review!
(3)
Ian C.

Here's the thing: the food is really good. So, there's that. It's a great lunch stop, and the lunch special is relatively cheap at $13. That $13 will get you four pieces of sushi and a crab roll; not exactly filling. Some folks I know even double up on the order. So, go there for lunch once in a while. Do it. You'll love it. Just have something at your desk to snack on for later. Dinner is different. It's got a big problem in that it's a fancy expensive restaurant with great food, but it's in a strip mall with no atmosphere. It feels like a place that wants to be great date material, but it really fails in that regard. That being said, the food doesn't stop being good at night.
(4)
Julia J.

neddy l. strikes again. this time our mutual sushi cravings led her to suggest echigo, a used to be regular spot for her and an introduction for me. she tells me the omakase is a mere $45, which sounds too good to be true. the trouble is the sea fare was so delicious we couldn't just stop there. we sprinted through the 8 pieces of nigiri the waitress brought out, she must've thought we were staving children, wolfing every soft, succulent and savory piece down (the bonito was the table favorite), and when their grand fin blue crab roll came out, we couldn't bare to say good-bye. out came another round of bonito sushi and blue crab rolls, plus blue crabbed stuff squid (sir, can i have some more, please?), ikura, uni and squid eggs. grand total of about $80pp. verdict: the quality of the practically melts in your mouth, well seasoned sushi crushes sugar fish (as well as the superior selections included in the omakase) but at $80pp, i'd rather pay thirty more bucks and have my multiple happy endings at sushi zo. so 4.5 stars for blowing me away but my loyalties still lie with zo, the first to pop my sushi cherry over and over and over again.
(4)
William C.

Perhaps I'm just not usually willing to spend the money, but I've seldom found excellent sushi places of this caliber. This place has real wasabi and isn't afraid to use it. The sushi quality is superb, and while pricey (although not obscenely so), is well worth it. Don't come here expecting an awesome decor, interesting atmosphere, or funky fusion rolls. It's all about the traditional sushi, and nothing else. They sure get the sushi right though.
(5)
Susan Y.

This is my favorite restaurant in LA. This place is for sushi purists, who like the taste of fish. In fact, there is nothing to eat there but sashimi, nigiri and hand rolls. I love sushi and I have to say that going to different places and getting the same old salmon, tuna, yellowtail, gets pretty boring. At Echigo, there is always something different and new on the specials menu, posted right next to the sushi bar. I love the Kumamoto oysters with a ponzu sauce. Their monkfish liver is warm and fabulous, and comes with a little extra piece on the side. The blue crab roll is the best crab handroll I have eaten. The bonito and baby tuna are so tasty. They have all the usual suspects that are great--albacore, yellowtail, tuna, eel, etc. I love the toro. As for unusual ones, we went yesterday and had needlefish and shirako. I've also been to Sasabune and the fish is comparable but Echigo is cheaper. This place is also fun because each piece of sushi comes on a different little plate and comes out to you one piece at a time. I think that enhances the enjoyment of the flavor of that one piece of sushi because that is all you are getting for a couple minutes. This way, you don't stuff your face full of sushi like I do when it comes out all on one platter. The staff is super nice and will tell you when to not use soy sauce if need be if there is already a sauce on the fish. In all, I love this place. It's everything I want a sushi place to be--a quiet place to talk to friends while eating the best tasting, unique fish.
(5)
Robert F.

For the money, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better sushi restaurant. As an added plus, there is nothing flashy about this place--it's all about the food.
(5)
Shane L.

Agree with Helen, it's comparable to Sushi Sasabune, but it's less crowded and bit cheaper too. Sushi was fresh and delicious, the monk fish liver was still warm when it was served to me...
(4)
Russ P.

We went early and sat at the bar for omakase. It was much cozier than I am accustomed to, and the food was outstanding. The highs were not quite as high as Sasabune, but on average I think that I would rate it almost as strong. Standouts included the skipjack, butterfish with a miso sauce, and young sea bass. The introductory albacore dish was not as good as Sasabune's opener, and while decent was definltely the weak point of the meal. Nonetheless, in general I would strongly recommend it!
(4)
Sandy P.

Everytime i go my mouth longs for the sushi again the next day, or that same night. I always eat till i'm bloated because i can't stop. It is mouth watering good. They serve only the freshest and you can taste it. Things come in small portions but it is ok. It is definitely a bit on the high end price of sushi i think but it's a great treat to oneself. I like how they're located on the 2nd floor and it overlooks everything. Not the greatest view but doesn't really matter too much. The food is great, that's all you need to know.
(5)
T L.

The BEST sushi ever. Enough said. I had to add my two cents but there are better reviews listed here already. Crappy parking but it's LA!
(5)
Helen C.

Hmm, I don't really get the hype. Their sushi is, indeed, tasty, but it's fairly pricey for the amount of food you get. The lunch sushi special is solid, not spectacular. I did not like the blue crab handroll, though: too much rice and mayonnaise. The salmon, however, was a tasty delight. I could pop those like bon-bons.
(3)
Chris Y.

The fish quality here is amazing. Everything is very fresh and nicely prepared. The place isn't particularly appealling (2nd floor in a small mini strip mall on Santa Monica Blvd) or have much in the way of atmosphere, but the carefully prepared sushi is what keeps me coming back.
(4)
Harsh K.

6 piece omakase lunch special for $20 Great deal, good fish. But if you prefer cold rice sushi I'd stay away cause the vinegary hot rice can be a bit much for some people ( I personally drop about half the rice from my pieces).
(4)
Adela K.

it's delicious but the cuts of fish are really too thin. i'd recommend going for lunch and getting the lunch special x 2. $26 for 10 pieces of sushi and 2 crab rolls. it's not enough food to get me full but i think it's still worth it.
(3)
Joan J.

Hamasaku is still my favorite and my 10-star sushi house, but I must have to say that this place got some really fresh fish. After visiting a few so-called the best sushi places in LA, I didn't have much hope before trying echigo, so I just went there for their lunch special, just thought $12 was a mistake that I could afford. Surprisingly, I was very happy with the freshness of the fish, not only that, I love the creative way they serve the sushi pieces, since the chef already added sauce and goodies on most of the sushi, I don't remember the need of using soy sauce at all....the rice is on the sweet side. the only thing though, I didn't like my rice that warm and the fish was cut very very small and thin. I think Shintaro's pieces were at least twice as thick, as wide and as long. I would have gone back more often if they were a lot more generous on the size. The lunch special was like about 5 pieces of sushi and a blue crab roll, I'm a hungry girl so that was like a small snack for me, had to order a lot more pieces so that I could at least feel like I had a small lunch.
(4)
Brent G.

One of the best places for sushi without spending a crap load of money. This place reminds me of Sushi Nozawa but cheaper. I love how they keep the rice warm and how the fish is cut thin. The fish totally melts in your mouth. Their crab roll is really good too. I cannot come here and not have it.
(5)
KK B.

the best sushi meal you can get under $50 per person in LA. hate the mall this place is in, nothing to write about decor or ambiance, but the sushi... wow. saba - simply the best i've ever had. kicks all the major sushi places' asses butter fish, albacore, uni, blue crab handroll, all delicious.
(5)
Jefferson L.

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 or snapper are quite overpowered by the warm, vinegary rice ball. It does well with othertypes however; I have been extremely pleased by the flavorful fresh shrimp, the sweet 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 once ordered two extra pieces at the end of my meal. They usually have Shima-aji very rich in flavor. My main complaints lie in the portioning - some items are deliciously large, like the shrimp and the scallop, while others, such as the toro and the hamachi, are really small slivers of fish where I find 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, although they may be reluctant to pay the price for single piece orders of nigiri. Oh yeah, ignore the ambience, it feels like a hospital or office. But the food will make you forget.
(4)
andrew m.

on par with the very best sushi in los angeles. be warned.. they do not serve cooked food like udon, tempura, etc that is found at typical japanese restaurants.
(5)
Matt T.

I'll skip any comments about the lack of decor at Echigo simply because I couldn't care any less about the atmosphere so long as the sushi is good. Echigo is the perfect place for a nice lunch. With my sizable appetite, I can't imagine settling for just five pieces, although at $12 it's worth mentioning what a great deal that is. They also offer a lunchtime omakase for $31 which is the route I took. You get 8 pieces of nigiri and a handroll - usually blue crab, but because of my shellfish allergy, they were happy to substitute a tuna roll for me. The fish is very good, both in quality and selection. This isn't one of those places where an 'omakase' is really just a set of various fishes. Half of my selections were seasonal offerings - black snapper and skip jack were the highlights. So with fish this good, why am I only giving them 3 stars instead of 4? It's their rice. I was sincerely underwhelmed by it. First off, there's a little too much vinegar for my liking and it was packed much too loosely. I suppose there's a chance this could have been due to the circumstances at the time. They were quite busy and our waitress was shuttling orders to about 6 or 7 tables at a time. We were towards the end of the line so maybe the rice lost some of its form in this process, but I can't say. Regardless of the reason, there was practically no harmony between the rice and the fish. They do, however, have genuine freshly grated wasabi, which is quite nice. All in all, a very nice meal, although I will point out that Kiriko offers practically an identical lunch omakase (actually slightly better - 9 piecess and a handroll for $31) and I find Kiriko to be clearly superior.
(3)
Helen Y.

The sushi at Echigo is stellar! Comparable to Sushi Sasabune but not as crowded. You really wouln't expect to find top sushi here since it's located in a mini strip mall on the 2nd floor. Definitely get the chef's special!
(4)
B K.

gave this 4 starts but it really isnt as good as sasabune. everything is just a little bit better at sasabune. but sasabune is closed on weekends so here ya go...
(4)
Diver G.

Echigo is not a place where you get ambiance, it's a straight up sushi only wonderful place. It's reminiscent of Sasabune (when it was still good) and Sushi Nozawa except you can still get a table most nights and their lunch special is awesome. Service is attentive and right on the money. I like the omakase for your first few times, but then afterwards I suggest remembering what you liked in the omakase and just ordering off the menu. (BTW, the stuffed squid is stuffed with the crabmeat from the blue crab handroll.)
(5)
Melody H.

What Echigo lacks in decor, it more than makes up for in melt-in-your-mouth flavor at a price you can afford. For those status-seeking see-and-be-seen sushi eaters, this is not for you. It's minimalist to the max, with clean lines in black and white and not much to look at. Stiil, I have always been skeptical about sushi places that charge ridiculously high prices because more aften than not, it's for too-thin slices of day-old fish. Echigo is different. The prices are resonable given the quality of the sushi, especially at lunch. For the lunch special, make sure you're not all that hungry because it's 4 lip-smacking pieces of sushi and a delectable blue crab hand roll for $10 (I think the price went up to $12 now), but you're not exactly going to be bursting at the seams when you're done. (A great snack if you plan on eating again in a few hours.) For the lunch omakase ("trust me" aka chef's choice) you're looking at dishing out 30-40 bones, for dinner 40-50. It's not a huge meal, I think 8 pieces and a blue crab hand roll, but you will savor every mouth-watering moment of it. I was a little taken aback because this restaurant actually serves its rice warm. The warmed rice, in my opinion, helps to pull out the more subtle flavors of the fish and complements its coolness. The only drawback to the warm rice is that in all of its vinegary goodness, it is not very sticky and if not transferred immediately from your chopsticks to your mouth, the sushi sometimes falls apart, which is disappointing, sometimes heartbreaking (if you lose all the rice in your soy sauce). The waitresses make sure to tell you exactly when you should not use soy sauce so you can fully enjoy the sushi as it was meant to be enjoyed, which I appreciated. Thinking about Echigo makes me miss LA. What I wouldn't do for a blue crab hand roll. If I were back, I would eat 5 of those suckers in one sitting.
(5)
Win K.

love love love echigo. the fish is so fresh. 1. blue fin toro. melts in your mouth. otoro is the best part of toro. it is the fattest part of the belly. it is basically eating pure fat and what is wrong with that? same pleasure derived from eating seared fois gras. the chef will charge you 6 bucks a piece rather than 5 should u request for otoro. he also strips the 'muscles' from the fish so it doesn't taste stringy which can happen with toro. 2. ankimo = monkfish liver or known as fois gras of the sea is to die for. it is steamed and served warm with a light miso sauce. totally different from the ankimo you see in most japanese restaurants which they buy already steamed. you can buy the same stuff from catalinaop.com . 3. butterfish. yum yum. i like fatty fishes and justify it by saying that i need to fulfil my quota for omega-3 acids. 4. ikura. salmon roe. this is nothing like what you see in most japanese restaurants which comes pre-seasoned. the chef bought the roe by the sac and seasoned it himself. the eggs pop in your mouth. that's how fresh it is. 5. egg. tamago. to make a good tamago is not easy. it is a labour of love and takes a long time. the process involves using a special rectangular pan and cooking the egg slowly and wraping it layer by layer. the ideal texture is that of a flan or tofu. soft. flavoring the egg mixture is tricky too. it is a delicate balance between mirin (sweet sake) and soya sauce. the egg mixture can't taste too sweet. 6. the uni here is the best. the chef is very generous with his servings. the best sea urchin in the world comes from southern california. the highest grade is california gold. 7. blue crab roll. i don't know what he uses to bind the crab filling. doesn't taste heavy so there can't be too much cutie pie aka japanese mayo. but it tastes bloody good. love love this place.
(5)
J T.

absolutely fresh and amazing omakase ... good sparkling sake options... the butterfish, blue crab roll, yellowtail and albacore are amazing. simple, unassuming spot ... no ambiance ... but the sushi and sashimi are consistent and top-notch. among my top 3 sushi spots in LA!
(5)
eriin w.

no frills, no hassle. close to home. love the shrimp eggs and butterfish. and def the crab handroll.
(5)
angelica b.

hands down the best sushi in the area. authentic sushi and rice (no fusion or cheesy americanized roles served here). the blue crab hand roll, pink salmon (when in season), and blue fin tuna are amazing.
(5)
Richard C.

the best sushi in l.a. bar none. try the monkfish liver, unless you're morally opposed because of the claims of overfishing. the decor and ambience is lacking, 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".
(5)
I. K.

the crab rolls are AMAZING! their fish is quite fresh. i only go there when i don't crave rice, soup, dessert... or pretty much anything other than raw fish because they will not give it to you!
(5)
Jenn S.

Sushi is fresh. Rice is warm. But the slice of fish on top of the rice is TINY! Definitely NOT a filling meal. But the blue crab handroll at the end was excellent. $13 Lunch Special Zero ambiance but at least they have real Japanese chefs and servers.
(3)
Aaron T.

Echigo is all about the fish. Ambiance, not really, service is fine but that fish is delicious. I first started coming for the lunch special. It was $10, then $11, now $13. It is still a great deal, although not a ton of food. When two of us go, we sometimes order 3 lunch specials for the 2 of us. I prefer to sit at the bar and get omakase. The chef is one of those sushi chefs who will remember if there are things you like or don't eat, even if you haven't been in for several months. Their ankimo (monkfish liver) is a particular standout. The sushi sizes are just right - each is one bite, not monster sized like some. A strong variety of fish for a small place. I just wish that they had miso soup...
(4)
Stan Y.

Echigo leaves you wanting more after Omakase + an additional piece of sushi at $50+ per person. They are a extremely skimpy on the portions, as their fish cuts are about as thick as the ginger slices. I'm exaggerating here a bit, but thats how I felt. I thought the sushi itself was good: warm rice and fresh fish. My girlfriend doesn't eat too much, but she definitely could have had another Omakase sitting, and I would have needed 2. Echigo Sushi Chefs are nice and down to earth. A few people at the bar were using their cellphones, which is a huge no-no at other sushi joints. Hiko definitely tastes better, has the same price but the Chef is notorious for the bad attitude. I give Echigo 3.5; my review is just a little dent amongst the generally ecstatic praises for this place, including a personal friend of mine who swears that this is the best sushi ever. For my top sushi pick around town, Hide on Sawtelle gives you a lot more bang for your buck.
(3)
Jolene M.

If I go again, I would sit at the sushi bar so I don't have to look at the rest of the room. I felt like I was in some disco era/flash dance movie. Mirrors, tall bar stools, neon lighting. I should have worn my purple jumpsuit. The food itself was stellar. I came for the omakase and was happy with the meal. I think the best part was the variety-I had butterfish and a number of other fishes that I'd never tried before.
(4)
Jason F.

Echigo's fish was good, but a few flaws prevent me from giving a higher rating. 1. Ridiculously small portion size. Maybe other reviewers here think the fish is so good because all they taste is the warm rice. Fish has a delicate flavor; with that much rice and so little fish, more delicate fish were overtaken by the rice. 2. Price, especially in light of #1. 3. Both times I went, over a month apart, I ordered omakase and received the same fish. I don't think the chef is really paying attention to what fish is good at the market; I think he's preparing fish he knows are popular. 4. ZERO ambiance. Ambiance is an integral part of any dining experience, and whoever chose to not decorate this sushi bar obviously doesn't understand that "undecorated" is not the same as "stark" and "minimalist" decors. It's lazy of them. I'd rather pay less at Sushi Masu and get more, including better ambiance.
(2)
Linda N.

I should have listened to Bart, Bart Simpson that is. He's on the bottom of the specials board suggesting you try the omakase. I had the lunch special instead. It's $13 now but worth it. It is quite a tease to get only 6 pieces of nigiri. The usual suspects were on the lunch special yesterday. Tuna- average Yellowtail- melted in mouth, I was starting to have a foodgasm Salmon- good Albacore- good Red Snapper- semi foodgasm worthy Blue Crab hand roll- it was good but I wouldn't say I'd go back just for that I added an order of Kumamoto oysters for $5, it was fresh and satisfied my craving. I also ordered one piece of nigiri of some other kind of Snapper that was pretty too good too. I want to go back already to try the omakase during lunch. The bar is omakase only.
(4)
Hungry Kitty K.

Echigo leaves me speechless- the fish is so fresh and buttery and the rice so fragrant I don't know how to describe it. This place is for sushi purists ONLY, so if you're looking for California roll, not only will you be disappointed, but if you ask for it you will probably offend the chefs. Some favorites of mine include: Blue crab roll Scallop Red Snapper Giant Clam Toro Butterfish Stuffed Squid I strongly recommend the omakase or "Chef's Choice" menu. While it seems pricey at $45, it is worth trying at least once.
(5)
Tare P.

Love the warm rice sushi, stuffed squid, blue crab hand roll, and butterfish. I think the quality is on par with Sasabune and prices a bit more reasonable. No frills, quiet place to have dinner. I love it!
(5)
Susy H.

Thanks for the rec TONY C! Omakase was awesome! I'm pretty new with sushi. I use wasabi sparingly in my soy sauce, and I don't like sushi that comes with wasabi between the fish and the rice. But here, the rice, the rice she's so flavorful and succulent! And the wasabi is creamy and nose- clog worthy! Omakase dinner is 43.30. You get 1 sashimi plate, 8 pieces of sushi and a hand roll. I will tell you now, if you eat a lot the omakase will not fill you up!
(5)
Clara K.

the BEST no-frills sushi ever. EVER! i've been here twice while i lived in LA, and now i'm in the bay area and wander from sushi bar to sushi bar trying to find nigiri sushi that even comes CLOSE to the melt-in-your-mouth freshness of echigo, but i am sadly disappointed every time and continue my doomed search. my favorites: albacore nigiri and blue crab hand roll. btw no-frills means no california roll and no teriyaki. i don't think they even have edamame!
(5)
Jennie K.

Echigo was very yummy. Although I do somewhat agreed with some of the yelpers regarding the size of the sushi, but it's more so... a hit or a miss kinda thing. We, of course got the Omakase!!! How can we not? And.. our conclusion was... Four thumbs up! awesome! It was very much so like Sasabune. Fresh fish, friendly services, and the best part about Echigo is...gosh! The Price!!! hehe... Their Omakase was only $44 per person, so that is a really good deal compares to Sasabune. But of course you'll still have room for more afterwards, so you'll probably end up like me and try everything else that looked/sounded yummy on the blackboard. haha.. Great experience, Awesome prices, and melt in your mouth sushi... that's good enough for me. Tip to my yelpers: Must try the Blue Crab roll!! So yummy! OMgosh, and their Red Snappers... to die for. I was never a RS fan 'til Echigo!! Bonito was really good too. Heck... just try everything!! hehe.. And.. they do take reservation!! Thank God!
(4)
Leslie W.

I brought my boyfriend's family here on a Monday night. They're all Hawaiian-Japanese so they like sushi. We all LOVED Echigo. My friend kept bugging me to come and I'm so glad I did. Best sushi I've ever had! Granted, I haven't been to Zo, Sasabune, or Urasawa before. We had reservations for 5 and we sat at the sushi bar and all ordered omakase. I read up on Echigo before I got here and wanted to comment on what some other people said. -Echigo isn't super fancy but I wouldn't call it run down whatsoever. -We didn't have to wait more than a few minutes in between dishes. -Three of the people in our party were full just off of omakase but my bf and I ordered 1 extra item each. I would say that omakase will get you full, but not stuffed. -I think the warm rice is pretty standard so I was surprised that so many people were commenting on it. -We thought the sashimi/nigiri was plenty of variety. No one felt limited because they didn't have soup or rolls or anything else. We came for high quality fish. -Very authentic. Japanese servers/hosts/sushi chefs. This is what our menu looked like: 1. Snapper 2. Toro 3. Halibut 4. Scallop 5. Bonito 6. Kanpachi 7. Skipjack 8. Shimaaji 9. Butterfish 10. Blue Crab Hand Roll Extra. Halibut fin My favorite was definitely the Halibut and the butterfish. Both just MELTED in my mouth! I also like how the chefs tell you whether or not to eat the item with soy sauce or not. I think Echigo ruined any other sushi place for me. The reason I'm writing this review is because I just got back from lunch at Sushi Roku in Santa Monica and it was terrible compared to Echigo! Since we were being treated, I didn't get a chance to look at the bill but I'm guessing it was around $50/person before tax/tip.
(5)
Kimberlie C.

My absolute favorite sushi place in all of Los Angeles. The fish literally melts in your mouth. Unfortunately it isn't for people who like things other than sushi - they do not have edamame, salads, or special rolls. It is sushi, plain and simple. The butterfish and blue crab rolls are a must!
(5)
Jimmy T.

I been to Echigo twice and both time I did the Omakase. It was around 75-90.00 with alcohol. Not exactly cheap, but the fish is definitely fresh and the blue crab hand roll is to die for. Sometime I will order it again to finish my Omakase in full circle. I know it's excessive but that's why you are doing Omakase. If cost is a major concern, go sit by the table and order a combo with terriyaki chicken and tempura. You won't be full but it's enough to be satisfied. Sometime I find that the food is just so good, even if you are full, you dont realize it and you just wish the fish will keep coming. I heard they have awsome lunch special that is 11-13 bucks and includes a blue crab hand roll. If that is the case, definitely the best deal in town. This place is better than Sasabune in my opinion in terms of quality, quantity, and price.
(4)
Gabrielle L.

I've been here twice- and it is really good, fresh fish. the quality is superb. I only give it 4 stars because i think it's a little too expensive for what it is (the cuts of sushi are small- and there's only one piece of sushi offered with each new type of the omakase menu. It's on the second floor of a strip mall for crying out loud- you would think it would be a little more reasonable.) The fish is delish though. very melt in your mouth top quality ish. I'm not the biggest fan of the blue crab roll- which is their signature roll. It's nice, but it's just a little too mayonaisse-ish for me. Takes away from the quality of the blue crab. Plus I get suspicious of any sushi grade fish that's masked by mayo. sick.
(4)
Hai B.

The ambience of this place is totally lacking. It's bland and bright inside. The exterior doesn't help either as this place is stuck in a corner upstairs of a janky shopping center. However, the sushi here are pretty good and I was pleasantly surprised. My favorite would have to be the butterfish, yellowtail and best of all the negitoro. The salmon is pretty good too considering I don't like to eat saImon. It's pretty expensive sushi for lack of ambience but I would definitely come back for more! It's casual and chill.
(4)
Paul N.

Here's how I know Echigo is the shit: I went last night and ran into TWO separate groups of friends eating there, and one of them had just flown in from Oregon. They easily have some of the freshest fish around, including some rarities like fish sperm (shirako), katsuo (bonito), hiramasa (Australian yellowtail), and sayori (needlefish). The shirako is especially fun because you can trick people into eating it by saying that it's roe or whatever, and then once its in their stomach, you can say, "Ha! Ha! You just ate fish sperm sack! You're gay like Aquaman!" Then they'll throw up and you can laugh some more. Joking aside, it really is one of my favorite sushi restaurants (and I'm the son of a sushi chef), and it accomplishes it all without the frills-- it's all about solid fishmongering and nigiri.
(4)
Constance K.

Warm sushi rice is not for everyone but this place does it right! The sushi comes out a pair at a time so that the rice won't get cold. Blue crab stuffed inside a baby squid is outstanding and I personally love the Kanpachi. The prices are reasonable but get there early, the lines get long. Definately a must try.
(5)
Elizabeth W.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the sushi at Echigo. I am NOT fond of the skimpy portions. It's one of my favorite sushi places in W. LA. My friends love it and and hate it. Love the quality of the fish... we dislike the tiny portions. We always leave a little bit hungry.
(4)
Ale S.

Yummy! This place is great. The rice is warm, soft and sweet. The fish is always delicious and fresh. I love echigo. To try: Butterfish, salmon (with kelp on top), kanpachi, scallop (very sweet and delicious), albacore (delicious w/ ponzu and green onions) What I like about this place: They are FAST. I get out of there in 30 minutes. It's a clean sterile environment, and i don't need to dress up. I really like that I can go in whatever I'm wearing and it's fine. Also I hardly ever see people I know, so I don't have to deal with make up. Great sushi! Five stars on me.
(5)
Serina T.

Since I am a self-proscribed sushiholic, of course my 100th review would have to be about sushi. I took a friend here for a belated birthday dinner. The decor of the place is very sparse but really you come here more for the food than the ambiance. Right when you enter there is a sign that says they do not serve any cooked foods. It seemed a little empty when we arrived and I was worried at first but it started to fill up later. We sat at the bar and ordered omakase. Albacore Sashimi...melted in my mouth it was so soft but the pieces were really small Toro...I was underwhelmed. It was good but for toro, I expected so much more. Scallop...good but didn't stand out Halibut...the chef instructed us not to dip this one in soy sauce. It was at this point that the fish was not just good but excellent Bonita...omg I never tried this before but I definitely will now...extremely yummy Kampachi...again another new fish that was melt in your mouth deliscious Skipper Jack...also something new for me. Again sooo good! Butterfish...like the name implied, it tasted like butter and melted like it too Black Snapper...very fatty and melt in your mouth as well Blue Crab handroll...perfectly made While we were full, we also decided to order fresh water eel and a salmon skin roll on top of the omakase because everything was just so good we kept on wanting to eat. The omakase is about $39/person. Since we also ordered drinks the total bill came out to $122 including tax and tip. We had the plum wine (a little too sweet) and a bottle of the sparkling sake which tastes like champagne. I think this is similar in quality to Sasabune considering the freshness of the fish but Sasabune and Nozawa are still better. This place is a little bit cheaper though. Also, the sushi pieces here were a little on the small side. But I really liked how I got to try a lot of new fish that I had never heard of before. Definitely worth a visit!
(5)
ZumaJay Z.

One word: Stark. Second word: Yummy. Truly truly awesome little inconspicuous joint in the worlds ugliest corner plaza with a crappy as hell view of Santa Monica Blvd. But really, who cares about the view? And the ambiance... really, who cares? This place is all about the sushi. Be warned... there is only ONE roll on the menu. Just walk in, ask for omakase for lunch ($11, last time I went) and dinner ($45? I don't recall)... sit back with your friends... and enjoy the food. And when it's all done with, order another blue crab roll.
(5)
Joyce L.

**I came back here and gave it one star less because the service was slow and I feel like the quality of the sushi wasn't as good as the first time I came. I love sushi with a passion. I've been to Sasabune, Asanebo, Nozawa, Zo, Ike, etc and I decided to try this restaurant based on all the great yelp reviews. Once again yelpers didn't let me down! The restaurant is very unassuming because it's in an old strip mall that has a Pizza Hut. I love that its unassuming because for some reason I find that the best sushi restaurants are the ones in strip malls and are a hole in the wall. My friends and I ordered the omakase. The standard omakase is $48 which comes with 8 nigiri pieces (albacore, kanpachi, scallop, baby tuna, and butter fish, etc.) and 1 blue crab hand roll. Each plate only comes with one piece of nigiri (just like Sushi Zo) which I think is great because that way I can try more types of fish. The rice was warm and kind of came apart easily but who cares about that when the fish tastes so good. They put a lot of ponzu sauce on a few of the dishes but I didn't mind it because I like lots of flavor. After the standard 9-piece omakase, my friends and I kept going with it because we are pigs. They served us oysters, yellowtail, sweet shrimp, and clam nigiri. The clam was just okay but everything else was delicious. I'm definitely coming back! Its very low key. You don't have to worry about traffic or parking. And parking is free! I made a reservation the day before for a Saturday night. I think its my new favorite sushi restaurant in west LA...
(4)
Erica R.

Wowzas! It was my first Omakase experience...I've hesitated this long to avoid the vulnerable "putting-myself-out-there" meal, but boy was that a mistake. After the first little plate from the waitresses tray, I anxiously anticipated what would show up next. What followed was delicate, delicious fresh fish. I had to maintain my groans of "Mmm" after every bite for my friend's sake. Add the fresh wasabi and ginger and I was sold on my $50 (light!) dinner.
(5)
Anna M.

The only restaurant that I've given 5 stars to in my short lived yelp career. Toshi is an AMAZING sushi chef. His preparation of the sushi is WITHOUT comparison. I'm talking melt-in-your mouth sushi. Do the weekday lunch special ($13 last time I went) and you'll be convinced.
(5)
Stephy S.

"This is some of the best sushi in LA, period." "Several years ago, I fell in love and started an affair that changed my life forever... I ate sushi at Echigo!" Hmmm, did I eat at a different Echigo? Mind you this wasn't bad, but mind-blowing and life-changing and fall in love-worthy, mmm, not so much. I think after many meals, many paychecks and many many many many many years of self-proclaimed sushi snobbery, probably four of the tastiest places in town (for me) are Sushi Park, Mori Sushi, Yoshi Sushi and Sushi Sasabune. (Go ahead and disagree, opinions are like a$$holes and we all got 'em) With that said, the lunch I had today here was good. It was reminiscent of some of the sasabune flavors, the fish quality was good, but there were no "O" face moments, there were no, "Oh My God, we need 18 more orders of this one!!" and there were no real standouts. Again, consistently good and for the price, not bad at all. I guess if you are on the West side then this might be an okay spot, but having driven here from the Valley in traffic to make a lunch meeting, it wasn't worth it to me. But, I will definitely try it again and I think I will go with the omakase next time, since maybe that is where the "O" face is hiding :)
(3)
Parham M.

I have been here for both Lunch and Dinner. From my experience the quality of the lunch special which gives you 5 pieces of nigri plus a hand roll for $14.95 is one of the best lunch special i had. For dinner i did have similar experience, maybe they didn't buy fresh fish that day, who knows. But the fish was not as fresh for what i paid for. Dinner omakase your looking at $85 without alcohol
(4)
Dawn S.

Granted, I've only come for lunch. OK, and I've only ordered the "omakase" lunch special. But it was damn good, and that's why I keep coming back. :) Yes, it's a little steep for lunch, but well worth the price tag. I've never tried the $12 lunch special, but most of the members of my lunch group enjoy it (although some have to order 2 lunch specials to feel full). 5 Shakas, for sure. Grinds!
(5)
Rob T.

Seriously the Best Sushi I've ever had! I will go back here as often as I can! can't speak highly enough about this spot and the freshness of their fish! Amazingly Good!
(5)
Loren C.

Holy crap this was ridiculous. Most of the dishes have a warm vinegar rice with fresh fish on top. They are mostly also meant to be eaten alone (without soy sauce/wasabi) because they have their already structured taste. I ate here when I was full... and it was still amazing. I really have to recommend the Blue Crab roll. Holy crap is it a simple roll but it tastes amazing. Each piece comes out by itself, so when you are ordering just give that a thought.
(5)
Jenny K.

Saturday night in Santa Monica and feeling like some good Sushi. While I would normally go straight to Sugarfish, an hour wait was not part of my plan. Thank you Yelp for directing me to Echigo! At first, we drove right by the well lit strip mall, thinking that no sushi worth it's weight could be located in such a spot. We eventually noticed the bright neon sign in the window and made our way to the practically empty underground parking lot (free parking by the way). One slightly sketchy elevator ride later, and we had arrived at our destination. We were welcomed by a friendly staff, and told to sit where we would like. It was tough to choose, as there were so many empty seats. Next we picked up our little pencils and began to fill out our ordering cards. It felt like we were bowling in the 80s, or ordering at ikea. The waitress was helpful and offered suggestions, and off we went. Everything was fast, fresh, and melt in your mouth delicious. Beyond just being tasty, this was as authentic as you can get. No california rolls at this place. The bill might have been the best part as it was easily $20 less than any comparable sushi spot. Lesson learned, do not judge this book by it's cover. I'll be back by next week!
(5)
Mike K.

Love Echigo. Eat Echigo. It's been awhile since I've come here. But I remember the sensation of the yellowtail disintegrating over my tongue in my mouf -- absolutely splendid. The rice was warmer than usual, but it wasn't a big deal. I need to get back out there and try the omakase!
(5)
C A.

I have been coming to Echigo for years and I have never written a review about it because I loved that it was my secret awesome sushi joint. Figured it's time to stop being so selfish. This place is absolutely the best. It's not cheap but the sushi is always incredibly fresh. There really isn't anything not good here, but consistent favorites are the albacore, uni, kanpachi, bonito, yellowtail, ikura and of course the blue crab hand roll. I've been coming here weekly for years now and introduced about 20 friends to it (and they have all loved it). Don't miss out on this amazing experience! Sure, the ambience is nothing to write home about, but all you'll be talking about is how delicious the food is. I've been to Sushi Nozawa, Sushi Zo, Sasabune, Hiko, Kiriko, and a lot of the other popular nice sushi places in town. They are generally all good (some better than others), but I find that Echigo is better than all of them both with respect to quality and value. Also, as an insider's tip, you can order the sushi in individual pieces, which is nice so you can try more types of fish without filling up as fast.
(5)
jenn t.

I can't say this was the most pleasant experience at a Japanese restaurant. Our parking spot was right next to the stairway so I decided not to be a lazy butt and walk my way up. As I opened the doorway to the stairs, I was greeted by a large brown pool of god knows what with newspaper strewn all over. Completely grossed out, I did an about-face and ran from any backwind of stankkk!! This review should be about the food, but I'm saving lives here. Someone could've slipped and drowned in that brown abyss! When I walk into the restaurant, and the first thing I noticed was the heavy smell of chemicals (bleach?) used to clean their dishes and floors. Huge turn off... Time to put atmosphere and exterior aside and get to the nitty-gritty... Came for lunch & got the omakase for 29.10 which included: toro, bonito, kampachi, black snapper, scallop (hotate), halibut, butterfish, skipjack, and blue crab roll. my friend and I were still starving & added: uni (sea urchin), amaebi (sweet shrimp), ankimo (monk fish liver), yellowtail hand roll Comment worthy: Toro: It wasn't very fatty, cut terribly, and would've been forgettable had it not been for all the negative attributes. Scallop: great texture, fresh Butterfish: topped with a sweet sauce on top. It worked with this fish because it didn't have much flavor. Blue Crab Roll: tasty and filling. Good meat to rice ratio. The chef kept dishing out these rolls. Seems like a crowd favorite and/or bc it's part of the lunch special. Uni: SO GOOD! great texture and taste - wasn't melted or grainy. Best part of the meal. It's on my top 5 places for uni. Maybe even top 3 . Amaebi: edible, but not very good. Instead of a hearty piece of sweet shrimp, they offered 3 tiny sweet shrimp. lacked the sweetness I was looking for, and it didn't come with the usual soup or fried head. Yellowtail handroll: Gross. My friend ordered this, and I just wanted took a bite to sample the yellowtail. lacked flavor and freshness. Ankimo: holy bejesus. Nastiest thing ever! Cooked ankimo smothered with the sweet sauce they used on the butterfish. Like the toro, the cut was terrible and was in pieces... that's not even the main problem. The main offender was the flavor. The sauce didn't compliment the Ankimo. I tried to scrape off the sauce but that couldn't salvage the dish. It tasted fishy, lukewarm, and just plain foul. Pass me a barf bag please... AND some of their sashimi is PRECUT! a big no no!! ------------------------------------------ With so many negative things to say, why 3 stars? The dishes I didn't mention were decent and fairly fresh. They just didn't stand out enough for a praise or a denouncement. A few positive notes: I like the seaweed they use, and they offer a variety of fish. The lunch special seems like a pretty good deal. 12 dollars for the blue crab roll, and I think 5 pieces of sushi (salmon, yellowtail, tuna, albacore, & something... ) total pretip: $90 for 2.
(3)
Adam H.

The omakase was excellent & a great value. Had several unique kinds of fish that I have never tried before. All, excellent quality & nice & fatty, melt in your mouth good. The blue crab roll is awesome & very generous with the crab portion. Can't wait to do a la carte & try some more different kinds as well. They definitely have sake, didn't check for other alcohol on the menu.
(5)
FoodSlut T.

Edit 9/25/07 Came here last night..on a MONDAY for dinner! That means the fish here is the LAST batch of old fish. Unfortunately, my iron stomach couldn't handle it. ***Tony's iron stomach vs. many day old sushi Echigo*** Echigo wins. Tony get's diarrhea. Gross. Please don't eat sushi on Mondays! ------------------ So I was watching Iron Chef (the real authentic Japanese one) last weekend with my mom and Kobe beef was the secret ingredient. See, my momma is very low maintenance type of gal and I told her how much I spent on Kobe beef at Cut...she smacked me upside the head (you know, the slap you would get from mom if you didn't know your multiplication tables by 6 years old). I went on a described how succulent and soft the Kobe is. My mom then proceeded to say "if you wanted soft and butter food, just go eat some tofu". My mom is brilliant. So back to Echigo...everything really tasted like butter (*looks around...mom's not here*). Ok, so I know there is this thing about not ordering fish on Mondays (Thanks Anthony Bourdain), because the fish market doesn't operate on Sunday. Thus, bad fish. But everyone, and I mean everyone, raves about this damn place. Determined to make up for my Asahi experience (previous review), I am willing to risk my life and drive on the westside. Shoot, but even "day old" fish at Echigo is better than most sushi joints. I had what everyone tasted...what stood out was the butterfish and uni. The chef was surprisingly nice as well....I felt so honored to be served by him, I received each dish with two hands (I think it's a Korean thing...or that's what I noticed). Bottom line, good joint. I spent 34 bucks for the lunch omakase and ordered a couple other items as well. Total bill came out to be about 75 bucks. Worth it? Usually I would say no for the quantity....but Echigo was. extra points- *snap, snap, snap* I felt like a Chinese celebrity followed by the paparazzi...wait, nevermind....I just ran into Kaz and her momma. Good enough for an Issei, good enough for me.
(4)
Michelle C.

So there was a lot of hype about this place when I went. I'll admit, I was a bit disappointed. It tasted great, but the portions were tiny and not worth the price. For 2 people who weren't even close to full, the bill came out to around $100. I would rather spend that money on omakase at Sasabune. I wouldn't go again.
(3)
Liz T.

I love love love this place. What I don't like so much is that the word is getting out! This place used to be hush-hush but it seems like everyone knows about it now. OMAKASE- just go with it. You won't be disappointed. Put some trust in the chef and you will be talking about it for days. Lunch omakase price has been steadily going up but I still think its a steal. Once, I liked it so much that I told the waitress I wanted it all over again. (She gave me a look and asked few times to clarify) It is that good. I don't love the blue crab hand roll but guess what? you can replace it with salmon skin hand roll if you're being nice and they like you.
(5)
Roel C.

Some say sushi is a natural aphrodisiac with its soft, moist texture and appearance, with its abundance in rare amino acids and high zinc content, all of which triggers increased levels of sex hormones... ...oh wait. That's not sushi. That's a description for oysters. (Damn you, Wikipedia!) Anyway, I took my date to Echigo recently, and perhaps she triggered my increase in sex hormones (hot!)...or maybe it was the large bottle of sake...or perhaps I'm just a lonely man who lives with 500 cats. Either way, Echigo served the best sushi I've ever tasted. Mind you, I'm an expert sushi eater, what with all the packaged sushi I buy at Ralphs. Shit, my middle name should be sushi (it's actually Marie...yeah, don't ask). We ordered omakase (chef's choice) and we were served a variety of fish, some of which I've never heard of before: 1. Lumberjack: Not sure about the name here...I think that's what the server said. Maybe she was just calling me a jackass. Not sure. 2. Toro: Hella Hyphy. Tastier than an H&M Slim Fit button down. Buttery like a Fabio inspired novel. (Whatever any of that means.) 3. Butter fish: This had mad flavor. Unlike girls who are "butter faces" (but her face, get it? LOLs all around!), the butter fish made sweet love to my tongue and now it just wants more. 4. Tuna: Never heard of it. We had some other fish, all of which were extremely good, but I was too drunk to remember. I just know I had great company, and if you add that with delish sushi, delish sake, great water, and a beautiful ambiance then you have yourself a perfect date! Now if I can figure what this fish called tuna is all about, I'd be happier.
(5)
Angela W.

After I tried the "real thing" in Japan last summer (I was on a vacation), I was afraid to go to any sushi place in LA for months. And then Echigo came along. Yes, the mall the restaurant is situated in is crappy looking and the restaurant itself doesn't look too appealing either, but the food is yumm-O. I will definitely go back to Echigo and recommend it to anyone who loves sushi.
(5)
Evan F.

Got there just after they closed one night, but they were nice enough to let us in and place an order. Everything we got was fantastic. In fact, I went back a couple days later so I could have more time to enjoy. Had heard about the blue crab hand roll, and it did not disappoint. We got an assortment of sushi for the rest of our meal and it was all great. I actually like that they instruct you on when you should use soy sauce. No cut rolls here, and it didn't bother me one bit.
(5)
D-Nice C.

This place just kicks serious ass. It's not about the location (2nd floor in a strip mall), it's not about the ambience, and it's definitely not about the parking. It's just about no-nonsense, no gimmick, tasty-fresh sushi. I've been coming here for years and the only time I remember being unhappy when I was done was when I ate too damn much. They do run out of stuff fairly quickly, especially on weekends.
(4)
Daniel B.

Probably the best omakase I've ever had, including better than anything I had in Japan. Only downside was that in the battle of quantity over quality, quality won and I still had a little rumbly in my tumbly when I left. Having said that, my tongue was happier than my stomach, and the overall experience was great, service was attentive. For fans of authentic sushi, where the rice is the perfect texture and temperature, and comes pre-seasoned with exactly what the chef wants on it (ie. you don't dip these in soy sauce!), this place will satisfy. By the way, the photos here were really accurate. I took my own, but clearly no need to post them since others have done a great job with the visuals....thanks fellow Yelpers!
(4)
Mark N.

Might be the best omakase in LA. Fantastic fish. The blue crab hand roll is better here than anywhere (sorry Sugarfish). They serve fish here that just isn't as great elsewhere (e.g., monkfish liver, butterfish) - even their mackerel is good. Highly recommend this place. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Red B.

Great lunch special. Little pricey for me but very delicious.
(4)
Mimi P.

Giant pieces of fish on top of warm sushi rice. Yum. Boyfriend and I came here. We shared sushi. Every order of sushi came on two small plates for us. Nice.
(4)
Jeff H.

G/F and I had our first omakase experience here on Friday night and I think it has permanently jaded us against all other sushi. The fish was so fresh and tender it literally melted in our mouths. The only bad thing was the portion size was very small. After the omakase was finished we were still quite hungry so we added orders of salmon, halibut, and another blue crab handroll each and although I still could have eaten a bit more we decided to call it quits instead. The final bill came out to $135 (including the 20% tip). Although being a bit expensive it was still some of the best sushi I think I've ever had. We were talking about going to our usual cheapo place last night but decided that it would be a letdown after eating at Echigo so we decided to forego eating sushi at all for a while.
(4)
Cynthia k.

echigo echigo...what happened to thee? ever since sugarfish came into my life, things just haven't been the same between us. i had thought there would be room for both, but sadly, the last time really may have been, well, the last. an omakase composed of thin sad little slices of fish, an overly-mayonnaised blue crab roll (i even ordered two to make sure it was not my imagination...) - and since you have no miso, edamame or avocado, i'm really not sure what else you can offer me.
(2)
Jake B.

I love Japanese food- I'd eat ramen and katsudon every day if I could. And I like sushi. But sushi is tough for me to really LOVE in all caps. To get excited about. To think about days after. I still think about the sushi at Echigo. I don't claim to be any expert or jet setting world traveler, but I've had my share of sushi and sashimi in Japan. I waited in line at 9AM to get into a tiny sushi bar at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. And it was good. But ultimately the experience was more memorable than the food. Echigo is the polar opposite of that. There's nothing like driving up to a generic little strip mall and having an amazing meal. I recently realized I hadn't had memorable sushi in a long time, and was starting to worry I just didn't like it as much as I thought. I don't mind spending some real money on a meal, but I'm not one to spend recklessly either- I'm a very (obsessively) prudent shopper. I wanted a step up from the usual $15-20 meal, but I didn't want to hit the $100 range either. After hours of reading Yelp reviews, I settled on Echigo. I called on a Saturday around 6:30 to see if there was a wait, and there was not. I arrived around 8 with a friend, and we were seated immediately. The service was pleasant, but brief. All business. My friend was in the mood for tempura or something otherwise crunchy, and was a little scared when she looked at the menu- a rather unflowery list of the different sushi. No tempura shrimp. No spicy tuna. Don't get me wrong, being white and from Wisconsin those rolls were our introduction to sushi and I still love them dearly. But I explained to her, just get the omakase and hope the chef has better taste than we do. It's the only way to find new things you would never try otherwise. I won't go through everything they brought us (honestly I don't remember which names went with which fish), but oh my goodness. I liked every single thing, and LOVED a great many. This was exactly what I was looking for. And I want to go back and have it all again. In the end, 2 omakase dinners, a bottle of hot sake, and mochi for dessert came out to $107. By no means is this a small amount of money. The only disappointing part is that I was not full at the end, and I am a skinny little man. There's a Pizza Hut nearby and I considered stopping in for a slice. Still, I have no regrets and would go to Echigo again in a heartbeat. It restored my faith in LOVING sushi. In all caps.
(5)
Carol S.

Located upstairs in a strip mall. This place is almost as good as Sasabune. I got the $14 lunch special which consists of 5 pieces of sashimi and a crab roll. Their sashimi was uber fresh and the crab roll was exceptional. It was really good but not very filling. I almost ordered another special, but I was not about to pay $30 for lunch!
(4)
Rock A.

Just tried this place and was blown away. Great sushi in a Nozawa / Sugarfish-style without the huge pricetag. Highly recommend it.
(5)
Frog C.

Echigo is where we drive to when we really want to eat sushi. We do the Omakase menu. It is superb. After eating here, it made every other sushi restaurant seem like they just serve raw fish. I finally understood why the Japanese sushi chefs have these apprenticeships where it takes years and years to be considered a sushi chef. Echigo is a great example of elevating food into an art.
(5)
Angel L.

Several years ago, I fell in love and started an affair that changed my life forever... I ate sushi at Echigo! Two friends introduced me to Echigo shortly after it first opened and after all these years and many other sushi restaurants, Echigo is still my favorite sushi joint in L.A. Echigo irrevocably converted me to Tokyo style sushi and introduced me to fish that I never ate before that have since become familiar... flying fish, ono, bonito. It got me to try sweet shrimp, whereas before I was always hesitant. Everything is always very fresh and I am never disappointed. Get the omakase. For under $40, it really is the best bang for your buck for sushi of this quality. Hands down the best live scallop I've eaten anywhere. I've never taken a friend there or recommended it to anyone who was ever disappointed.
(5)
Dee C.

I love sushi from the school of Nozawa, namely that trademark warm, vinegary rice. His proteges, Sasabune and Toshi (at Echigo), have followed suit. I could not be more delighted. This style should spread like wildfire. My mainstays, mirugai and toro, are unbelievable here. You can also get butterfish here, which is not available everywhere. Just heaven in a bite. And their handrolls are just on point scrumptious. I will perform circus acts for the blue crab handroll. For some reason, this place, like Sushi Nozawa and Asanebo, are located in heinous strip malls. Strange Los Angeles trend, vestiges of the '90s. But, the fish is to-die-for fresh. Just try to keep me away.
(5)
Electric E.

Warm rice, fresh sushi, what more can you ask? Lunch is great. Order "double lunch" and leave satisfied. Dinner, need to try the Omakase. Although its pricey and I don't think you will get full, you do get the tender loving care of the head chef satisfying your needs. The kicker that Echigo has over all the great sushi houses that I have been to is the Blue Crab Roll. Something about this roll just makes you want to eat about 5 of them. The Blue Crab Roll comes with the Lunch special as well as the Omakase.
(4)
Jenny Q.

I've only been there for their lunch specials. My husband and I keep saying we'll come back for omakase but haven't managed it yet. I daydream about the blue crab roll. Now whenever I go for lunch, I order the lunch special + an additional crab roll. OR if I'm very hungry, I'll do 2 lunch specials. It seems to be the standard there. It's unique for a few reasons. 1. They only do sushi 2. The rice is warm 3. No kids at the bar (THANK YOU!!!)
(4)
Simone T.

There was once upon a time when I would have given Echigo 5 stars. Sadly, those days are long over. Any sushi chef that has the gall to post a notice that they are a "sushi only no specialty or trendy rolls" place and then turns around and serves pre-cut fish taken from a mound loses all respect in my eyes. I can't believe that my plate of sashimi carpaccio actually had the circular lines of a plate indented into the meat. I wonder how many plates they had made up that were stacked up, ready to sling out. If I wanted pre-cut assembly-line sushi, I would pick some up at Sushi Boy. If I'm at the sushi bar spending $65-$75 per person, I expect fresh fish cut to order. Goodbye Echigo. I am sad for you.
(1)
Francis L.

*edit 2/19/08 Ahhh Echigo, you make me so happy. I look forward to eat here everytime I swing around the LA area. Nothing more needs to be said about this place. Just go. Two nigiri I recommend. Monk fish liver and Spanish Mackerel. There. That's it. Check out even more pics I posted!. I've had my share of sushi and I just couldn't believe that everything was just CrAzY good! Let me elaborate: Me and my friend had dinner there: Toro ($10) - chutoro was so melty it's among the better toro I've ever had Yellowtail Belly ($4.80)- OMG! I've had quite a few of these and it was just the best here! When people say it melts and you go try it and it really doesn't. But this does! The rest of the sushi was around 5 bucks for 2 nigiris. The Tai is worth mentioning since it usually is very bland. But for some reason it was so tender and full of taste when we had it here. Stuffed squid was not too spectacular. Bonito, Aji, Kanpachi, Scallop were among the others I had and they were all top notch. Crazy. But i did ask for some sweet sake and the waitress proceeded to give us some expensive stuff at $22 for one large sized sake bottle (about 6-7 sake cups worth) Ouch.. but I was glad we had that since such good sushi deserve having such good sake with it. =D
(5)
Tiffany L.

LAST MEAL WORTHY - as in if I were incarcerated and could request one place this would be it. I know that the above statement is saying a lot. I get it, I know. However, every time I come back to LA, this is my first spot to hit up. I have never had better sushi ever. I know that LA is not lacking in terms of yummy sushi joints, but Echigo sets the bar in my eyes. Why is Echigo so good... here are my reasons: 1) They make their own wasabi 2) The sushi rice is a bit warm with a hint of vinegar 3) The sushi pieces are the perfect size, not too big and not miniscule 4) The blue crab hand rolls are pure nirvana! The blue crab with mayo, crisp seaweed, the warm rice with a touch of homemade wasabi.... I am salivating right now just thinking about them. Let's just say that if I could request anything for my last meal... the blue crab hand rolls would be the first thing to come to mind.
(5)
Rob W.

Used to be the best deal in town, now that they've raised their prices its just one of the better sushi locations. i love the variety that they offer where else can you get sperm (when in season) and even though it is against all my environmental tendencies, this is the only time i eat swordfish. best hand crab roll in the land.
(4)
Jason N.

I must admit I was initially skeptical upon first arriving at the restaurant. It's set on the second floor of a mini mall. The whole entrance and decor is pretty unassuming of most Japanese sushi restaurants. There were no water fountains, koi ponds, aquarium tanks, etc. It was just a clean restaurant setting. I came on a Wednesday evening so the place was practically empty. This did not add to my confidence since I had read so many positive comments I assumed the place would have a good crowd on any night, filled with regulars. I was told to sit anywhere so I picked a table in the corner while waiting for my friends to arrive. I looked at the menu which was a small travel photo-album sized thing. It had only 3 pages so there wasn't much to peruse. Now keep in mind this is a true sushi place, no fancy rolls and cut sushi here. When my friends arrived, we all ordered the Chef's Special "Omakase." We were not disappointed! Unfortunately I couldn't recall what each dish was but it was all delicious. This was probably some of the most fresh and melt-in-your-mouth sushi I have ever tasted. As I mentioned before this is not the typical sushi joint. You shouldn't come here if you're starving because the portions are small. Each dish that arrived only had 1 piece of sushi on the plate, so if you have a huge appetite I suggest going elsewhere unless you have the finances to back it up. This place isn't cheap, but definitely worth the money to the sushi aficionado. The staff was friendly and attentive (not too hard I guess on a Wednesday night). I definitely recommend the Omakase. You may want to go elsewhere for dessert since they pretty much only have mochi ice cream. I'll definitely be back!
(5)
Jessica C.

So if you like super fresh sushi and sashimi a lot go here. But if you want soup, salad or any other sides except for rice, tea, beer or sake, you will hate this place. This place is well known for their warm sushi rice with a nice cool piece of fish on top. And well their prices are a little on the omg-you-so-crazy side but I have to say I have never had better fish in the US before. But word for the wise, come partially full, because waiting for each dish in the Omakase will make you deliriously hungry. Each item in the omakase is served separately like appetizer courses. Delicate items like toro, scallop, blue crab roll. And another thing, this place is SO busy. I was always harassing the service staff to take our order, then constantly with the tea. I'm not usually good about bothering people at restaurants, but here, I felt if I didn't I would never get to eat or drink. It was here I mastered the technique of the please get me more tea look. Despite the downfalls on service, I still thought the fish was amazing. Besides we had a large group, so I can understand how hard it is to make sure everyone's fish comes out at the same time and warm. I would say go in a small group, for our group of 12 it just didn't cut it.
(5)
Jaime B.

For fresh, strictly traditional style sushi served with a friendly smile, this is the place. It's pretty bare bones in terms of decor and ambiance, but the quality of the fish makes up for it. I think of it as a cheaper alternative to Hiko or Nozawa but without the need to be afraid of any chef attitude. I recommend the omikase, but my favorites here are the pink scallop, oyster, uni (always perfect), squid stuffed with crab, and the salmon skin and crab hand rolls. The chef is very sweet and always smiling, so he's a delight to sit with at the bar.
(4)
Helen K.

With this being my 3rd review on Echigo, am I over-doing it?? lol My most recent visit here was right before I went out to La Descarga for my birthday. I told J that I wanted a light but delicious dinner and naturally, he suggested Echigo. Omakase on 3/20: 1. snapper sashimi - The staple starter for dinner omakase at Echigo is the snapper sashimi. I love the green onions which give a very mild onion flavor to the snapper and coupled with the ponzu makes a great starter. 2. toro - The toro literally melts in your mouth. Give your teeth a rest from chewing and just your tongue to mash up the goodness! 3. halibut - The halibut was soft and I really enjoyed the contrast between the cool ponzu sauce and the warm sushi rice. The onions also added great flavor to the mild fish. 4. scallop - This scallop was ah-may-ZING. It was so fresh and absolutely delightful! 5. bonito - I think I've had bonito almost every time I've had omakase here and it is delicious every time. 6. kanpachi - The kanpachi was your standard sushi and something I usually enjoy. However, J didn't care for this too much. I assume it's because the jalapeno bits and citrus flavors don't mesh well with him. 7. baby tuna - While J didn't like the kanpachi, he really enjoyed the baby tuna as did I. It was so soft and tender, quite tasty. 8. butterfish - Ah... one of my favorites! The butterfish is always one of the highlights for me and something I always look forward to in Echigo's omakase. The miso-based sauce on top does a great job in mellowing out the spicy wasabi under the fish. 9. blue crab handroll - The mark of the end of our omakase, the blue crab hand roll was as delicious as ever. The ratio between the warm rice and the cool crab was perfect - with more crab meat of course! I can eat this every day, no joke. Not feeling very full after our omakase was over, we decided to order a few more items to satisfy our appetites. J ordered another round of baby tuna and his favorite, sweet shrimp. 10. sweet shrimp w/ eggs - The eggs weren't particularly fishy in taste as one would think, but flavor was quite nice due to the ponzu sauce. I was told the sweet shrimp was good, but small in portion size. 11. orange clam with scallop - I really liked that the scallop accompanied the orange clam, although it didn't need to. The contrast in the crunchy texture of the clam and the softness of the scallop was superb. 12. uni - Save the best for last? Yes. The uni was so creamy and was full of that wonderful sea urchin/ocean flavor. Please don't associate ocean flavor with fishy-ness! It is so far from being "fishy" as it was fresh and on the sweet side. Great meal once again! I just wish the portions would be bigger! For pics, see nelehlovesfood.blogspot.â€¦
(4)
Beth P.

Fabulous, let the chef decide what you eat, they will take good care of you!
(5)
Jay K.

Similar to Sugarfish, but you get more variety and interesting fish (albeit at a modest premium). Still, one of my favorite sushi places in LA! The crab hand roll is amazing.
(5)
Ed M.

I've eaten an insane amount of sushi, I love it so damn much my arteries are probably pumping mercury. Years from now, when the oceans are completely depleted of fish - history will label me as a monster. So when it came to Echigo, I really thought long and hard about giving this place one star. It's probably my favorite sushi joint in the world, and I've been to a ton of them - from Tokyo to Buenos Aires - and virtually every spot in LA. And the last thing I want is for the place to get too popular. Luckily for me, though, despite being highly rated on Yelp for the past couple years, Echigo remains reassuringly unnoticed. I can confidently drive over knowing I can get a table without a wait or reservation. Fingers crossed that it keeps staying out of Zagat ...
(5)
Patricia M.

Simply, the BEST!
(5)
Eric J.

I've been coming here for the last decade for their famous sushi lunch special. Unfortunately, over that time span, they've been hiking up the price to the point where it's a borderline good deal as opposed to a screaming one. With places like SugarFish breathing down their necks, maybe it's time to stop the price escalation?! However, I still come here once in a while when I get that craving for Edo style sushi. The quality is good and I believe that it's a little less expensive than Sasabune.
(4)
Matt M.

This place had some of the freshest tasting fish I've ever had at a sushi place. They are not a typical LA sushi place, no specialty rolls, i.e. Rainbow Roll. They do either omakase, or servings of nigiri or "hand rolls". The hand roll is essentially an uncut cut roll, so just a tube, dried seaweed, rice, and fish. Loved the yellow tail hand roll it was so fresh. They say, "we don't do things like spicy tuna," but when I ordered the blue crab roll, instead of just crab meat it was a creamy crab salad kinda thing. Not my fav. Different from the normal sushi places you will visit but high quality, fresh, and tasty. A little on the expensive side.
(4)
Michael V.

Great sushi melts in your mouth. Really one of my go to places for that "Oh My God that was awesome it must be like this in Japan" sushi feeling. Pricey but what do you expect? The good stuff ain't cheap.
(4)
Tami R.

Not sure why others aren't giving this higher marks. This place was awesome. Sushi is just as god as Sasbune and only a smidge undo Zo. The fish was excellent. The service was great, and unlike in other places where they pressure you to order more, they were surprise when we decided to. Best $45 omakase you're going to find,
(5)
Rina L.

To comply with a request for a 'short & breezy' review, here it my 2 cents on this restaurant: Pros: - DELICIOUS. Warm, sweet rice with top quality fish Cons: - $$$ Tips: - Go during their lunch special (M-F: 12p-2p) to get 5 pieces of sushi and 1 blue crab roll for $12. Yum!
(5)
Christine P.

I loved it here! Omakase sushi here was awesome. =) Everything was AWESOME!!! Service at Echigo was great! The chef gave us a lesson on sushi knives and chose awesome dishes for us to try. Echigo is my second favorite in LA, next to ZO!
(5)
Virginia D.

Don't come here for Teriyaki, anything cooked on a pan, California and/or Rainbow Rolls. If you do, you will be one angry costumer that might just give Echigo a undeserving 1 star review. But, do come here for a tranquil, intimate, good quality, reasonably priced, warm rice sushi lunch. Tranquil - It's never packed, so like it or not, you will have to be engaged into the lunch time conversation because you will hear every word coming out of your lunch crew's mouths. Intimate - The bright Southern California sun, even on a winter day, shines through the big windows that will emphasis every pore in everyone of your lunch crew's faces. It's like lunch crew in HD, which might be unnecessary. Good Quality - Yes, the pieces of fish could be cut bigger, and the rice was a little too mushy and Nozawa and Sushi Zo are still my favorite sushi places. But, the sushi is melt in your mouth quality served with warm rice that brings out the flavors in each piece of fresh fish. The crab roll is to die for! I love the crispy seaweed wrapper! Reasonably priced - I usually order the lunch special - 5 pieces of sushi and 1 blue crab roll for $14. So, on average it's $2.33 per piece of sushi, but a blue crab roll is $6 on the a la carte menu and that crab roll is worth its weight in gold! Granted, I'm generally not full after the lunch special, but I do leave feeling satisfied! Give Echigo a try! It's not Sushi Zo nor Nozawa, but the 14 dollar lunch special is well worth the trip!!
(4)
Katherine W.

Went to Echigo last year, just decided to put my thoughts in writing. I suspect people like this place because the price is fairly reasonable for the quality. We did omakase, and some of us got some additional nigiri. The fish was very fresh, very nice. The rice was way too warm--hot, like it's cooking the fish. The temperature of the rice should be just-warm, so that it's pleasant, not so damn hot so that you feel like you better eat it quick before the fish cooks. The uni I was served was bad! Had to send it back. There was too much mayo in the crab handroll. It gave me a headache.
(3)
YY R.

If you are a sushi aficionado, this is your no-frills, GREAT sushi joint! You will not be disappointed with the impressive selection and variety of A-MAZING sushi offerings. Although the location and ambiance could be more desirable, if you opt to sit at the bar, prepare to "trust" your sushi chef because they only offer OMAKASE, aka Chef's Choice. But if you have a less adventurous palate, you can sit at the tables and order what you'd like. If you enjoy your sake as well, you can purchase a large, economy-size bottle, which they will store for you for future visits in the event you do not polish off the sake. Highly recommend the chef's specials which are listed on their dry-erase board and the uni is A MUST, even for the sushi novice.
(5)
Vivian L.

Expensive prices for hole in the wall-ish ambiance, though pretty fresh sushi. When my friend and I first got here, we weren't sure if the paper checklist on lying on the table was the menu, or if there would be an additional menu. We kind of had to look around and check out what other customers were doing. Just to warn you, each item on the checklist menu is for one piece of sushi. Prices are about $6 per piece. If you order just one handroll, they are nice enough it in half for you to share. I recommend the eel roll and the blue crab roll, which were my favorites. Dinner came out to about $60 for two people and I left feeling not super full. Probably wouldn't go back unless someone else is paying.
(2)
Joyce Y.

I heard Echigo was really good, especially for their omakase. So, when our friends asked us if we wanted to join them for omakase, we gladly said yes! Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with Echigo. I heard their fish was amazing and fresh! And the best omakase worth the price. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like the fish lived up to its hype. Most of the fish tasted all the same and had the same texture. Nothing really wowed me, except besides the bonito. Nothing stood out. Even an additional salmon sushi was just meh. The crab roll was the last thing and it was good. But I prefer Sasabune's crab roll over Echigo. Omakase was $45/pp without tax and tip. I think you can spend that money elsewhere, like Sugarfish, or Sushi Gen's, for that price.
(3)
Jeannie H.

ATMOSPHERE - Okay, this place needs some serious help. First of all, it's in a total dump of a strip mall. This part doesn't bother me. Since it's so secluded, he will only get customers through word of mouth, which lends itself to a true following. Secondly, the restaurant itself is kind of dumpy. I don't mind spartan decor but the ceramic tiles, leaking roof, and cafeteria chairs are just a little too distasteful. It's one way to define "minimalist." SERVICE - Very speedy. The waitresses are polite but overall, it's a very cold environment. The sushi chef is doing his thing, which I appreciate but doesn't really acknowledge the existence of his patrons. I don't expect an outgoing sushi chef but I don't particularly find dining with one who is completely aloof enjoyable either. FOOD - They have a great omakase but I just don't find the environment very enjoyable for a dinner feast. It's actually a very decently priced omakase. You, also, have to like the style of sushi. It's a very thinly sliced piece of fish served on warm, loose rice, which essentially falls apart when you try to pick it up. They make the best wasabi I've ever had (and also much thinner) - mildly spicy, slightly sweet, and full of wasabi flavour. The reconstituted powder stuff is total garbage. I've been enjoying their lunch special since it started out as $10 but has over time, increased to $14. I need to get a double order in order to fill up. The reason for the lunch special? It's all about the blue crab hand roll. Oh god, is this the ultimate blue crab hand roll. This isn't the best sushi joint in Southern California but it has a very specific style and I appreciate that.
(4)
D S.

My girl and I decided to go out for sushi on Valentines Day! We decided to go to our usual spot, "Sushi King." Traffic was off the chain! V Day fell on a Monday! What Monday! As we're almost there I realize, "Arggghhhh Sushi King is closed Mondays! (as many Japanese restaurants are). We Yelp locations, fight traffic and end up at Echigo due to reviews. The decor is minimal and reminds me of a smaller "Sasabune" on Wilshire Blvd. We sit at the bar, which is "Omakase" only. Their Omakase is a little different, since it is already set on what you will get.....it consisted of one sashimi dish, 7 sushi, and a blue crab handroll. We stayed and order several additional sushi after that. Obviously, whenever you go "Omakase," expect to shell out at least a C-Note each. Not sure if I'd go back, but it was great dining experience. TIP: try the Albacore belly sushi! 1st time I eva' tried it and it was D-Lish!! Trust me on that one!
(4)
Christina A.

Such amazing food! I'd say the quality of fish is comparable to Sushi Zo - very high-end tasting and everything just melts in your mouth. The ambiance and decor are nothing special nor fancy - very unassuming. But I'm rating this place solely on the food. Hands down one of the best sushi restaurants in LA.
(5)
Kevin A.

NEXT TO PIZZA HUT AND DR. SCHWINGHAMER Lies Echigo. Yes, it's in a strip mall. Yes, it's next to a chiropractor with a funny name. Yes, it's got about as much ambiance and personality as a cardboard box. But what it lacks in decor, it makes up for with some high quality fish. In true Sasabune-esque form, Echigo embodies a sushi-nazi philosophy which unapologetically bars you from ordering a dragon-philly-rainbo-Octomom roll or any such nonsense. Also barred are miso soup, edamame, tempura, et al. Truth be told, the latter is kind of an annoyance. I'm not saying I want some chicken teriyaki bullshit, but I do like to start off my meal with a nice bowl of asari miso soup. That said, the sushi is quite excellent. It's not flashy at all. Just fresh and delicious. The warm rice takes some getting used to, but it does seem to enhance the flavor. Standouts on my visit were the blue crab roll (I could've just ordered 5 of these and been content) the uni, and the hamachi.
(4)
Erin M.

Although this place is atop a Pizza Hut, it is one of the best sushi places in LA and my go-to sushi spots when I'm in the mood for a great meal. When you walk in there is no fishy smell and you're greeted by a friendly waitstaff. The warm rice the sushi is served on is amazing. I recommend the blue crab roll, skipjack, and the butterfish - you won't be disappointed! Downside: Be prepared to pay for great food. This place isn't cheap and has no frills/ambiance.
(5)
Michelle W.

Chef Toshi never disappoints with Omakase. Albeit, we've eaten pretty much the same variety of fish for the last few years here like the usual butter fish, Kanpachi and toro, but I can still appreciate it each and every single time because the quality fish and the fluffy pillows of warm rice are so eye rolling good. Lastly, how can you not fall in love with Echigo after having that first bite into your freshly rolled crab hand roll. Heaven in a sheet of nori. *dreamy food coma look* Yes yes, Nozawa with sushi Nazi is great Sasabune is fun and yummy. It ain't no Nobu. However, Echigo is my go to Omakase in LA for the fresh fish, the price and unassuming atmosphere. Don't make it your first date place if you're looking for ambience. However, if you want melt-in-your-mouth sushi for a reasonable price, Echigo is the way to go.
(5)
Michael H.

One of the best sushi places I've been to. I try to visit here every time I'm in the LA area. Omakase is the way to go. They only have sushi and the location is strange, but well worth it.
(5)
Rashid A.

Anyone who gives Echigo less than five stars is mentally challenged. As one of my fellow sushi aficionado said, go get your spicy tuna California roll junk in Tokyo lobby or Wokcano. Wow. I have never been to a sushi restaurant where starting from the temperature of the drinks to the perfect consistency of the wasabi and not to mention the wow fish on perfectly cooked sushi rice. Few tips, eat a piece of ginger between fishes u idiot, like u r supposed to. Then everything will not taste the same. My cousin introduced me to this place but he wouldn't take me here before he prepped me first with C and B grade sushi to first get familiar to the texture, quality and just acquired taste of Uni and Monk Fish Liver! My cousin in turn was introduced to this place by one of his colleagues who lived in Japan for 15 years. I couldn't believe when his friend said that even in Japan, it's hard to find the quality of sushi like Echigo. He keeps coming back and I do too. All the haters, go learn how to eat sushi first before you comment. Don't be lame and embarrass yourself. Best orders: Omakase of course but if you are respectful, he will let you slide in a few orders at the end to your liking, he'll ask "everything okay? that's your queue to order something to your liking". Get the Uni, Monk Fish Liver Nigiri, go ahead and double up on the butter fish and bonito and end with the some Toro. Yup...
(5)
Faraz T.

Hardcore sushi. Missing star is for Ambiance. One of the best sushis I have had in LA.
(4)
Janet H.

Almost exactly the same as Sasabune and Sushi Nozawa... the only differentiating factor, really, is the location on the second story of a strip mall- super incog. Can't go wrong with the sushi here. Fresh fish, freshly ground wasabe, and fast service. What more do you need from a sushi place? Definitely don't come for the atmosphere.. it may seem more like a cafeteria than a restaurant.
(4)
Yee-Shing W.

Sat at the bar and had omakase. This was only the second time in my life that I've had sushi omakase style. It's always a nice treat... Echigo is in three words: 1. Simple 2. Fresh 3. Delicious The space is lackluster, but who cares. We come here for the quality of fish they serve. Omakase runs about $45/person and you get around 10 types of fish I think. If you're still hungry, just let the chef know that you want to keep going and he'll keep making you fish until you're full (dangerous! as the price adds up in the end) I don't remember the names of all the fish we ate, but everything was melt-in-your-mouth good. I DO remember the butterfish and the blue crab hand roll. The butterfish is unbelievable-it comes with a dollop of this special miso paste/sauce. Amazing. The blue crab hand roll is, well, a staple here. Believe the hype. All in all, a really nice traditional sushi restaurant. The service is super efficient-they're all very nice. It's kind of quiet inside but it's refreshing in a way. No Hollywood hipsters here! :)
(5)
Jennifer J.

Echigo was delicious but did not merit my 100th review. Among the westside omakase than I've tried, my top 3 rankings are Zo, Echigo, and Hiko in that order. Echigo is probably a tad more affordable than the others. They also carry a yummy pink bottle of sake. Everything was solid and super fresh, but there were no spectacular fireworks.
(5)
Cage H.

I'm rather conflicted about this restaurant, as the experience is slightly that of visiting the Soup Nazi. You're confronted immediately upon passing through the doors with a small sign warning that this is a sushi restaurant and does not serve anything else (though the warning seems not to have deterred a couple of vegetarians from complaining that they had nothing to eat in an establishment dedicated to raw fish, so perhaps they have reason for this bluntness). Various rules and admonishments are posted throughout: if you sit at the bar, which is where the hostess will try to seat you, you are limited to the omakase (chef's choice). In that case, you may tell the chef when to cut you off, but you are apparently not given a price list and suggestions for the chef's selection are discouraged. If you sit at a table instead, the menu starts with a warning again that there is no miso soup, no Americanized rolls involving cream cheese, mayo, or unagi sauce. Most of the rolls are temaki or nigiri, not cut rolls.The sushi rice is served warm and slightly more seasoned than is usual, which brings out the flavor of the fish wonderfully but apparently bothers some people. The fish was amazing, each of the 4-5 sushi I had being incredibly flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented in a minimalist way. For a sushi purist, I would guess that this is a fairly good choice, and I may go back simply for the quality of the food, but the lecturing and condescending tone that comes across is a bit off-putting.
(2)
Thor A.

Love, Love, Love this place. Don't be fooled by it's location in a drab strip mall. Go to the sushi bar and you will be served omakase (Chef's Choice) - one delicious piece of sushi at a time. It's warm and oh so yummy. The service is very fast and polite. The chef is a true pro. No frills but still my favorite sushi bar period (sorry Sushi Roku - I still love you too but what can I say)
(5)
Martin L.

This is my favorite sushi spot in LA period. Hands Down. Fo Sho. I've had numerous discussions with people about what makes sushi great. I guess the word discussions is an understatement. Let's call them "mild arguments". They become arguments when I mention Echigo and they don't recognize it as the best sushi restaurant this side of the Mississippi (or that side either). That said, I recognize that people have well developed allegiances to their sushi. Some like rolls with names such as "caterpillar", "rainbow", "Philly Cheesesteak", etc. Others have forged life-long friendships with their local sushi chef and will fight tooth and nail to defend them. With Echigo, I have done neither. I just like their friggin' sushi. I like their special soy sauce... that seems to be homemade, with a hint of bonito flake (trust me, I've tried reproducing it, to no avail). And I absolutely their sublime ponzu sauce that the put on all of their whitefish. I love how they have slightly runny wasabi and equally runny vinagery rice that, yes, falls apart at times when you try to pick it up with your chopsticks. But most of all, I love the taste of each of these elements when I'm enjoying the sushi. I have not forged a life long relationship with the sushi chef yet... but I have forged a life long relationship with the sushi at Echigo.
(5)
Timothy H.

awesome! Want sushi that's on par with sushi daiwa at Tsukiji in Tokyo? Come here. Nothing here but sushi, japanese style, not the roll stuff. Killer fish. Toro that came from a really fat tuna. Butterfish that most places don't have. Hidai snapper that I've never seen. Yeah, this place rocks. My fiancee has talked about this place for quite a while. Now I know why... Oh yeah, you have to trust them. Omakase only at the sushi bar. And think Japanese sized portions.
(5)
Sugar B.

One of our favorites. High quality and good pricing. Not much in the ambiance department though.
(5)
Dana E.

I love this spot because the fish is the freshest in the city, and the rice is served warm. Omikase can be challenging sometimes because the chef chooses what you will eat. At Echigo, you can let the chef know what your palette is and he'll go from there. I have been to this restaurant more than a dozen times over the last 3 years, and it is consistent. My only complaint is that the decor is blah and the lighting is too bright. Otherwise, it's a great spot. And never worry about a reservation...it's never busy. I don't know how they stay in business as some nights I've been there, there haven't been more than 4 other patrons....crazy because it's SUCH good sushi.
(4)
Ollie D.

In terms of quality sushi, the omakase at Echigo is about as good as it gets. But you'd never believe that based on the location and the spartan interior. Echigo is not inexpensive, but for what you get, it is quite reasonable. Service is fine. A word of warning: Echigo does not serve California rolls or shrimp tempura rolls. I like those things, too, but Echigo is not the place to get them. This is a "purist" sort of place. If that is what you're looking for, you will be happy. If not, give it a pass.
(5)
Gin-Chong T.

[Update May 18, 2007 - Came for dinner: Yay, score!!! See my update below.] Apologies, gentle Yelp readers, for I am a little annoyed at having been sushi-blocked for lunch today. Thus, the tone of my review may be slighty vehement because it seems that THE F*CK'NG ANTI-SUSHI SPIRITS ARE MARSHALLED AGAINST ME. This morning, I was sitting there wondering how NOT to get my work done so I could take an early lunch when my phone rang. 11:15 am. Huh. It was my pregnant friend, Nita, whose belly has been steadily growing in size and, along with it, an inversely decreasing tolerance for hunger. Of course, she was calling me to "discuss" lunch. Allow me to recount our conversation as well as provide necessary translations: Nita: "I'm hungry." (Translation: "I need food for me and my unborn child AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and before I go hormonal.") Me: "Okay, what do you feel like?" ("Okay, what do you feel like?") Nita: "Oh, I don't care. Anything is fine. I'm just hungry." ("Did you NOT HEAR what I just said? I AM HUNGRY!") Me: "Let me Yelp something." ("Let me Yelp something."--Yeah, you get the idea.) Nita: "Alright, sounds great, you choose." ("You'd better pick a place that's good, fast, and cheap, or else...") Me: [Quickly scanning Yelp as beads of sweat now start pouring down my brow--do not EVER piss off a pregger.] "How about Echigo? It's Japanese, highly recommended and I'm sure there's something for you there." Nita: "Fine. Please just remember I am pregnant and can't have anything raw." ("Dumbass!") Me: "Yes ma'am. No ma'am." ("Please don't hurt me.") We get there by 11:35, and to my dismay and utter horror, find out that they don't open until noon.* Peer inside, and a sign says that they ONLY serves raw fish!!! Needless to say, we went somewhere else, FAST. Here's what I learned: 1) Never bring a pregnant woman to a sushi only restaurant. 2) Always check a restaurant's hours. I will be back Echigo, EJ will be back... *Only 25 minutes you say? Ever kept a pregger--esp. one that's hungry, waiting? Didn't think so. Don't do it. ****Update May 18, 2007**** Juked the sushi-block, and touch down, b*tches! Came here for dinner and put my taste buds in the chef's hands (omakase, $38.80), and was served one piece of each of (all the sushi was fresh and delicious--my notes are in parentheticals): -Albacore sashimi (it was served with a vinegarette sauce) -Hamachi (transcendently tender) -Halibut -Scallop -Bonito (the flavor was sublime) -Kanpachi -Baby tuna (awesome, awesome) -Black snapper (salt and lemon) -Butterfish with miso sauce (too much miso sauce so I had to take some off, but otherwise wonderful and the flesh melted like, well, buttah!) -Blue crab hand roll (yes, it IS all that! I could probably eat like 10 of these--my favorite) I also tried the monk fish liver ($5 for two pieces, also with miso sauce--I love MFL, just L.O.V.E. it), yellow tail ($5.40 for two pieces), and salmon skin roll ($5.40, which was more salmon than salmon skin--delicious and a bargain considering the size). Given that you get one piece of each sushi in the omakase meal, for the price I would not get it again and just order the fish that I like. Even better, come here for the lunch special!!! Also, I was just about full after the meal, so if you are a really big eater you may have to order more food or fill-up on dessert, which we did at Cold Stones! Here's the menu: yelp.com/biz_photos/tZk1â€¦
(5)
S. H.

Absolutely love this place. It is my all-time favorite sushi place and I recommend it to everyone i know. 1. They have the best quality fish around. It's so fresh, it melts in your mouth. And love the traditional style sushi w/ warm rice. 2. Staff is very friendly. 3. Never have to wait for a table at dinner time. 4. Service is always very quick. The type of sushi they serve here is most similar to Sasabune and Sugarfish. Sugarfish has a hipper feel to it, but Echigo tastes MUCH BETTER than Sugarfish and has bigger selection to choose from.
(5)
Joe C.

Echigo has the feel of a small family run sushi restaurant while offering ample space to dine and fairly easy to get a table, we did the omakase at $46 per person and found it to very similar to Sugarfish with the warm rice cold fish, single piece of sushi with sauce already applied. The fish quality is excellent and most just melt in your mouth. I am not a fan of sauced up sushi, (I don't use soy sauce) but everything was very good. The service lacks the usual omakase experience with almost no interaction or explanation as to what you are eating from the sushi chef. Also it is fast, very fast, the entire omakase lasted 30 min and that's being generous. We supplemented with an order of butterfish, yellowtail and uni, all were top quality and melted in your mouth as the other yelpers state. I definitely like the place but would not recommend the omakase, sit at table and order what you want.
(4)
Ling Ling Z.

We went there per my cousin's recommendation. We ordered Omakase, as recommeded by so many yelpers. The decor was only so and so; I expected more upscale atmosphere, or even just any docor or atmosphere enhancement. The service was excellent, the sushi chef and staff were all very nice and attentive. They serve only nigiri, no cooked food. The rice is warm, which I thought was different. The fish was very fresh and of very high quality; we had toro, butterfish, baby tuna, bonito, halibut, kanpachi, ono, scallop, blue crab roll, etc. And they add different sauces to bring out unique and subtle flavors of the fish. The wasabi is fresh, which I thought was a very nice touch. However one thing I noticed was that the fish was mostly pre-cut, hmmmm.... The dinner was very pricey for the amount of fish. Not sure if I would go back...
(2)
A B.

I enjoyed my second meal at Echigo this past Saturday. This place serves traditional sushi- only about five rolls- all hand rolls and the rest is Nigiri or Sashimi. No miso soup, salads, just fish! This "just fish" is amazing though. Competes with the likes of Matsuhisa, Nobu and Sasabune (-when it's good.) The service is very good and I appreciate that they serve each order of sushi one at a time- I can't stand when I get all of my food at the same time! Next time I visit I plan to get the Omakase - as much as I love my favorites (butterfish, halibut, baby tuna) I need to branch out!
(5)
Dee Dee X.

It's such an unsuspecting place for a great sushi restaurant! Tucked away on the 2nd floor of a mediocre looking plaza, you wouldn't expect their fish to be so fresh! This place is very authentic and apparently does not serve things like rolls, teriyaki meats, and what not. I came here for lunch and ordered their $14 lunch special. It comes with 5 pieces of sushi and a crab hand roll. It doesn't really fill you up though... we had to order an additional handroll and an extra piece of sushi to get full. While the quality of their fish was pretty good, I wish there was just more food! Maybe I'm just a fatty but Sasabune's $18 lunch special just had so much more food, for only $4 more. The food was good though, so I can't possibly give them any less than 4 stars!
(4)
John R.

Great sushi. Simple dining room. I highly recommend you give this place a try.
(4)
Char L.

All so FRESH! I had a bunch of different nigri sushi and the blue crab roll. The salmon, halibut, spanish mackerel, eel, yellowtail, butterfish were all fresh and delicious. The butterfish was so good that we got a 2nd round. I was disappointed that the sweet shrimp didn't come with the head separately. I thought the blue crab roll was ok. Actually, I think that was the only roll on the menu, and it was more of a handroll. You won't find stuff like California rolls here, so if you like cooked/fried Americanized sushi, then don't come here. Great hot green tea! Pass on the mochi ice cream dessert. The red bean and green tea flavors were lacking. Good attentive service and they do take reservations. This place is in an ugly strip mall, 2nd floor. There's underground parking or just park on the street.
(5)
Ana F.

Definitely a great omakase menu. Came here with my boyfriend and along with drinks and tip, it comes out to about $60-70 a person. Each fish is delectable and I love the hand roll at the end. And it is true about the chef, don't stick around too long or else you'll end up ordering special made omakase and your bill will skyrocket. DO NOT COME IN HERE ASKING FOR CRAZY ROLLS. You will be unapologetically frowned upon. I miss you Echigo! See you when the recession is over and I can spend some $$$....
(4)
victor r.

Excellent fish! Very fresh. This is a traditional sushi place (no spicy anything, no philly cheesesteak, no caterpillar dynamite roll). They have fresh ground wasabi which was delicious. It had a horseradish kind of quality to it. Highlights: Blue Crab Roll, Halibut, Butter Fish (miso paste on the top) Negi Toro, Squid stuffed with Blue Crab (hoo Wee!) Definitely would go back. Although, the atmosphere is not that great. (Poor Lighting, not much of a bar presence and it's in a whatever strip mall) Which kind of helps because it's not crowded and easy to get a table, but there ain't no party happening.
(4)
Jonathan T.

I must warn you, lovely peeps, this is gonna be a nasty rant....and tho i am not known for these rants, i can certainly rant with the best of 'em on rare occasion. This is one of those occasions. This rant is the rant of all rants, and once you read on, you'll see why. By now you're thinking: A. Ok, this dood must be known for negative reviews (which i'm not) B. This guy's an uptight aggro freak (wrong again) C. Yeah, whatever, he's a white guy, what the fugg does he know about sushi? (right on the white thang, wrong for underestimating me ;) so why the angst & utter exasperation? b/c this time, it's REAL personal.... 'Echigo' is the ancient name for Niigata Prefecture, a 'state' in northwestern japan known for some of the top rice, fresh fish, sake, skiing, snow-country (see the book 'Yuki-Guni'), & outdoor onsens (hot springs)...it's countryside, and beautiful countryside at that---AND a place I lived for over 3 yrs.... So i came here with a sense of Niigata 'Echigo' pride & really high expectations, especially after reading the overwhelming majority of gushing 4 & 5 star reviews. I have eaten some amazing sushi in Niigata, and at least, i expect the high end standard of quality when compared with other sushi joints in LA. Let me just say, this place gets a FAIL in virtually ALL categories. It is so un-japanese in its methods, if any true sushi master was a fly on the wall here, overseeing the operations, this place would be flagged by the International Sushi Police and closed immediately in disgrace... Believe me, my 1 star review is kind. it deserves a rating in the 0.5 range. Completely abysmal food served by completely joyless staff. To ELABORATE: 1. SO, my sushi partner and I sit down at the bar, and immediately i see a horrible harbinger of things to come---HUGE PILES OF THIN, PRE-CUT SLICES OF FISH. Not only is this NOT practiced in japan, it's an extreme faux-pas that is completely intolerable and offensive to both a sushi master and his/her customer, b/c it signifies that the fish is not fresh at all, it is not prepared individually with care sliced right off the existing slabs of fish. and I don't care if the place is really packed or not (tonite is wasn't packed at all), it's better to eat slowly and chat with the chef than to be subjected to this impersonal assembly line of un-freshness... 2. IS THIS FUCKING SUSHI CARPACCIO??? FISH IS WAAAAAY TOO THINLY SLICED, so much so that each piece has absolutely no texture resembling the original fish/shellfish, & virtually every piece tastes like the other with that razor thin, mushy bland texturelessness (thus i am not even bothering to mention most of the fish by name that you get in the inadequate Omakase that is required for counter eaters)... Yet a few were soooo horrible I need to sound the alarms: a. Subpar Toro (fatty tuna belly), sliced razor thin,with no distinguishing flavor/texture, though my sushi partner managed to pull a nasty long tendon from the cut...blech. b. Pompano Sushi--who cares if it's one of those chef's special rare sushi when it smelled and tasted like spoiled goo c. Amaebi (sweet shrimp)-- first of all, it had a dark pinkish color so uncharacteristic of amaebi, and upon first bite, felt partially cooked (which amaebi never is), and stank to high hell with a completely spoiled aftertaste. It's a wonder we weren't food poisoned. And my sushi partner did something neither of us has EVER done--spit out the pompano & amaebi (incognito) into a napkin (because we are NOT drama queens, & as to not tip off the other seemingly content patrons--though we were tempted)... 3. STINGY TINY CUTS & CRUMBLY OVERHEATED RICE--- So not just thin, but TINY! Traditionally, sushi is eaten with semi-warm rice, but this shit was practically hot, & the overly sour rice was so formless that it was impossible to dip it properly in the shoyu soy sauce (normally u turn sushi upside down and dip the fish/shellfish side into the shoyu) without the rice tumbling into the soy sauce. By this point, i really didn't give a shit, so i just turned it rice side down and plunked it into the soy sauce regardless of the mess that was to follow... meanwhile, the guy next to me is gushing... 'Soooooo goood.'... HUH? have i landed in the Twilight Zone? The tiny Omakase portion left our stomachs growling, surely with rabid discontent, as well as continued hunger pangs--we grabbed the check and got the fuggg outta there asap. so the bill comes and for 16 miniscule pieces of crap & two thin crab rolls--$120 with tip... as i rolled out & down the creaky 2nd floor stairs, i felt like punching the stuccoed walls--whoa, and peeps who know me know i'm one of the most un-aggro peeps you'll ever meet. what happened next, i've surely NEVER done, but as a few other unsatisfied Echigo reviewers have noted, food reinforcements were needed--Von's Market $5.79 12 Piece California Roll--most fucking oishii store bought pseudo-sushi goodness i've ever had...
(1)
Tiffany L.

Went with a friend here for her birthday. Sushi was quite fresh, but the portions were small and overpriced for what it was. For two people seven orders came out to be $60...not counting the price of the grub we grabbed at the Arby's down the street, which we needed to complete the meal. Cute place, but so not worth it.
(2)
Jimmy M.

Not a fancy place, but the fish is very fresh and Omakase is a good price. The butterfish and crab were really good.
(4)
Christopher D.

Yes, Yes, Yes. Echigo now reigns supreme on my West Side sushi list. They only sell Sushi, no California Roll crap is to be found here. The view is a glorious overlook of Santa Monica and did I mention the service and fresh fish rock? The only down side is that that crappy renovation and peeling paint on the wall was a bit unappetizing.
(5)
Lauren C.

Shame on you Echigo. There was only 2 things worth noting. 1.) Butterfish 2.) Bad service Yes their food is worthwhile, but their service not so much. If you're in the neighborhood.. Sushi Zen is a hop, skip, and jump away. TIP: They do not offer the traditional menu-- you will not find miso soup, tempura, any salads, or rolls here so do not come here if you are not a sushi savant.
(1)
Jennifer S.

Absolutely delicious sushi. My trick was to go one night with the bf and get Omakase, then write down all my favorites and order them again next time at a table. The fish is impecable, the only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is cuz I'm a sucker for a handroll or two. I love the bluecrab handroll but its my only option. Omakase is really the most fun and best way to go as an experience.
(4)
Michelle B.

I went with my friend for Friday lunch. I wasn't sure what to expect, since I had seen some really good reviews and (more recently) really bad ones. I went to Sushi Zo last week, and it's hard for any place to measure up. But still... Echigo was a disappointment. We got the butterfish, spanish mackerel, salmon, freshwater eel, egg, blue crab handrolls, and one other thing that was so blah that I've forgotten what it was. Everything was prepared similarly to Sushi Zo. But the pieces of fish were thin, and slimy, and something just tasted OFF. And I agree with the previous reviewer, the rice was almost hot. Not good. After we were finished, we had to go someplace else, because we were still so hungry. Service was meh as well. We weren't brought a sushi menu until we asked twice. The waitress asked us "are you ready" BEFORE we had menus! I guess they were rushed, but the place didn't look that busy. They also forgot our drink order. And the bill came to $56!! All in all, not a good experience. I would prefer Hara (cheaper, better service, more selection, consistently good food)... and of course would prefer Sushi Zo every day of the week (if I had the money ;))!
(1)
Michelle J.

Came here for lunch today. The place was completely empty and the waitresses looked at me like I had 3 eyes on my head. I asked them if they were opened for lunch and they said "yes" and I walked myself to a table. Sorry for giving you business people! Sorry for making you have to work! They offered me wasabe the size of my pinky nail and 3 pieces of ginger. I had to ask for more and the service was slow and painful. The sushi was good, but Sasabune's sushi is better. I will not be coming back. For the $14 lunch special it was a rip! 4 pieces of sushi and a crab roll that left me hungry and ordering another lunch special and with green tea and two extra pieces of sushi I spent a nice $50 on lunch, left hungry and feeling like I got ripped off! Sasabune's lunch special is $19 with 3 times the amount of food, green tea, salad included, bigger pieces of fish and amazing attentive and friendly service. There is a reason why this place is always EMPTY. POOR SERVICE! Echigo's days are numbered too many good sushi options on the westside!
(2)
Jessica R.

Portions are way too small for what you pay, and the waiters are all very smug about the whole "Oh, we don't have soup or salads" thing. I was STARVING and I asked for a bowl of their sushi rice and they wouldn't serve it to me. The food came out slowly, and when it arrived, the portions were miniature. Yes, the fish tasted very fresh. But I wouldn't say it's the absolute best sashimi in the world or anything. Also, the rolls aren't cut, so you have to eat it like a hot dog. Seaweed paper is not particularly easy to bite through, and all the stuff inside of it falls out the back when you bite down. Also, the place has no ambiance - black and white tile floor, dark brown tables and chairs. Boring. We ended up going to Pizza Hut afterward because, despite our $100 tab, a couple of us were still hungry. also: we had a vegetarian with us, and her only option was a cucumber roll.
(2)
Dorrie C.

I love me some Echigo. Toshi-san does not say much, but he is a true master of his trade. I used to be a regular here until I stopped eating out as much and started cooking more at home. Very fresh nigiri. They bring out one piece at a time - kanpachi, spanish mackerel, halibut fin, uni, ikura (I never liked ikura until I had it here), the list goes on and on. At first, you will think, WHAT!?!? one piece each? I'm gonna need to eat another meal after this meal. However, after the blue crab roll, you will be satiated. Definitely worth a try! Not much ambiance, and the staff could definitely be more attentive. Bring somebody you know and love, not somebody you are trying to impress.
(5)
Bugs B.

I had a crappy night after my boss' wife art show and since I was on the west side, I figured I treat myself to some good sushi. Since it was a spur of the moment, I didn't bother to do my research, and headed to Sasabune but to my luck, it was closed. There was another unknown sushi restaurant opened nearby, but there was a wait for 1 at the sushi bar...yeah, might as well pick another good sushi place, and found Echigo on Yelp. Thanks Yelpers! There was no wait and parking space in their lot --looking good...I seated myself at the bar and then a minute later I realized that if you sit at the bar then you are automatically ordering the Omakase...uh, oh...how much is this going to cost? Luckily it wasn't one those ridiculous $100 Omakase, just $44.60 --more than what I wanted to spend though... I guess the good thing is that it forced me to try some fish I would have never thought I tried. I really liked the Japanese snapper, Kimpache, Skip Jack, and the Butter Fish. Oh, it's true what they say about their rice --warm, buttery, and delicious! Why am I giving it a 4 star and not a 5? After spending $50, I was hungry two hours later...
(4)
Jay J.

So I'm sitting in the restaurant right now... About to bite into the last course on the omasake: blue crab roll. Lemme tell you, if this place was that fantastic, I would not be busting out my iPhone to write a review. Echigo is not bad. But not blow-your-mind-out good. The ambiance is... Non existent. You can tell they don't go for looks in the restaurant by their (lack of) decor and (lack of) food presentation. Foods okay, if I were to come back I'd just order what stood out straight off the menu: toro, butterfish w/ miso sauce & blue crab roll. Rice was def yummy =] I prefer Sasabune over Echigo. Not only is there more variety instead of plain fish sashimi (no oyster, sweet shrimp etc) it really isn't that much cheaper. The portions are half as big so the bill was half a much. Makes sense right? Personally I didn't like that they serve one piece of sushi on a tiny sauce plate. I give it 3 1/2 stars.
(4)
Meat Me in the Middle ..

I had the Chef's Special at Echigo last night and it was so good. The fish was super fresh and tasted so clean. We had things like white fish, albacore, butter fish, baby tuna and blue crab. The server comes out and serves you each piece one by one, and will continue this process until you get to your finale of the blue crab roll. She/he will tell you when to use soy sauce and when to not - because certain pieces come out with sauce on them already and would "ruin" the roll if you added soy sauce (salt) to them. Overall, it was a great experience. It was a bit pricey, but definitely worth the money.
(4)
Iniko B.

Nestled away in a strip mall that looks like any other in LA is one of the city's hidden gems. It's the Paul Pierce of sushi joints, the motherfuckin truth! The interior is spartan, the decor forgettable, in fact part of its charm is its lack of atmosphere, which could serve as a distraction to the amazing food. This place is hardcore, straight up legit in terms of the quality selection of fish on hand. They don't dick around with California rolls and tell you upfront that this place isn't for kids. First timers should always try the omakase menu. Going a la carte means you'll never have to deal with the lame excuse a lot of wannabe sushi places give that they're "out of uni" or that "toro is out of season". They will always have what you want. What struck me the few times I've been there is the large number of people who regularly go there to eat by themselves. That's a testament to the draw of their sushi which doesn't always require soy sauce and the fresh rice often crumbles if you add too much. Parking during peak hours can be tough and the strip mall itself smells like ass due to the cigar store on the ground floor. Omakase for 2 plus a large sake is around $100.
(5)
Heejin L.

when i went and had the omakase, i was disappointed. everything was average or below average. the rice was too mushy. too much water added! but it was a lot vinegary than others, which i like. the fish wasn't the freshest. and as the course went along, the cuts of fish became sloppier and sloppier. the toro was good for the chu toro-ish toro. i prefer o-toro. so i guess i was disappointed. i thought if you sat at the sushi bar, it was omakase only.. but i heard the others at the sushi bar refusing some of the chef's suggestions. instead, they asked him for so and so. crab/mayo roll...spicy tuna..etc.etc. what was up with that!
(3)
Tommy L.

The sushi was good, but if you're going to sit at the bar, prepared to leave hungry. The 8 or so tiny rolls was definitely not worth the 50 bucks. This place FAILS based on bang for your buck. The rice is tiny and the fish barely covers the rice.
(2)
Ellie K.

The fish was delicious, very fresh, but i did not get full from the regular omasake. =( Some of the other reviews are right....the portions are WAY TINY!! The people who get full off this must eat like birds. I came home and had a sandwich.
(2)
Stacy C.

The best sushi next to Sushi Sasabune!! Sweet, buttery fish that literally melts in your mouth! They use the absolute highest quality. Trust me, you will taste it. And like Sushi Sasabune, there's a sign on the wall that says "Trust Me", and trust ME, you can. First of all, this place is strictly for hardcore sushi lovers. No, you won't find spicy tuna, california rolls, rolls drizzled in eel sauce, let alone any cut rolls at all. They do have hand rolls however, but it's strictly the fresh fish, and the warm, vinegary rice. Sit at the bar and you will be served omakase (chef's choice), sit a table and you go down and mark which orders you want on a list. Trust me, DO try the following.... Albacore -- drizzled with ponzu sauce and served over warm, vinegar rice. Melts in your mouth *salivates Tuna -- If you've tried tuna elsewhere, this tuna will be so good you'll slap yourself for not trying it sooner. Butterfish -- oh GOD you have to try this. Slightly cooked but to perfection. Toro -- if the regular tuna tastes good, imagine what the BEST part of the tuna fish (toro) tastes like. Exactly. For 3 people, the bill came out to about $120. Not bad, and sooo worth it. It's surprising how this unassuming this restaurant looks from the outside -- it's located on a second floor of a mini plaza on santa monica. I never would've guessed that a place like this could serve such orgasmic sushi.
(5)
matthew d.

Wow!!! All I can really say is that they bring you one piece of sushi at a time. That is how fresh each bite is. The omakase is one to be trusted and when the server says, "no soy sauce please" you are in for a real treat. It could be ponzu or yuzu, no matter if it ends in 'zu' it will be a real treat. I cannot wait to eat here again soon.
(5)
Stanley S.

The reviews were spot-on about this little sushi joint. I am a huge sushi fan and the fish was truly mouth watering. I'll admit that the bill was more than what I had anticipated but it is West LA, so I guess you would expect that coming. If you are big eater, don't go here unless you are willing to spend quite a bit of money. Instead, try Kyoto Sushi in Northridge for their all-you-can-eat for $25.
(4)
Michael L.

I broke a cardinal rule of sushi: I went on a Monday. At lunch no less. Two orders of the lunch special can be summarized as such: disappointing. Tuna was torn and soft, hamachi was from close to the tail and falling apart, and the rest of the fish was not anything more than "good." The crab hand roll was good, but Kiriko's still rules. This was my first time here. And, I hope it was just an off day. But, if not, I understand why it wasn't crowded at all at lunch. It's just not that good.
(3)
Stephen R.

My go-to sushi restaurant on the west side for lunch. The lunch special is affordable - 5 pieces and a crab hand roll. for $15 or so dollars. really good deal. Or if you are really hungry sit at the sushi bar and get Omakase. Its more like $40. Soo good.
(4)
Salena C.

This is what I miss most about moving away from LA. Echigo sets the bar for how I assess sushi places in the Bay Area, and I haven't found a place that come close. As stated in the other reviews, the ambience is not amazing, but the great sushi makes the dining experience. This place has some of the freshest, most flavorful fishes I've ever had....never want or need soy sauce so that I can savor the flavors of the sushi. I love the warm, slightly vinegary rice in the nigiri. I was first introduced to a number of (now favorite) fishes that's usually part of the omakase: - skipjack - shi amaji - bonito - butterfish - and the amazing blue crab hand roll By the way, if anyone reading this review can tell me where I can get a blue crab hand roll up in the SF bay area, please let me know.
(5)
Shirley K.

The restaurant is located on the top floor to the far left in a two story plaza on the corner Amherst and Santa Monica Blvd. It took me about 30 seconds or so to find it when I got to the plaza. =P Ordered the omakase for lunch and thought it was above average (3.5 stars). The uni gets 5 stars!! The uni was sweet, creamy, and delicious! Uni Lovers gotta check out this restaurant! I plan to go back just for the Uni. Mmm... ^_^ Cons: Hostess and waiters are not very attentive nor friendly (1 star). For lunch, it's about $25-$30 (w/ tax + tip) per person and you won't walk away feeling full. I didn't mind as much because I'm currently on a diet. =P Pro: Plenty of parking in the underground parking garage. Overall dinning experience = 3.5 stars.
(3)
Chicken P.

Really good sushi. They have high quality food and things on menu even some Japanese people will be a bit afraid to eat. But they're not always served in the most traditional styles. The atmosphere's a little too modern for my taste, but it's nice and clean. (I prefer down-to-earth dining room when it comes to sushi.) Reminds me a bit of Jewel Bako in New York. One time I went, they had shirako for special, which was a nice little surprise. I used to have 5 stars for Echigo, but now that I've been living in LA for about 9 months and have a better idea of what the standards are here, I'm bringing them down a notch to 4.
(4)
s c.

Great sushi...thanks fellow Yelpers! My Favorites: 4th place - Albacore 3rd place - Butterfish 2nd place - Shima Aji 1st place - Blue Crab Roll
(5)
Maiko N.

great laid-back atmosphere and seriously high-end sushi. great price for authentic sushi, the place is clean and service is great too! if you have problem with warm rice, then try somewhere else and miss this amazing meal. just get over it, it's his style and it's WONDERFUL!!!!
(5)
Tom W.

For the price, this place was great! As other reviewers suggested, I got the Omakase and was very impressed. It included about 10 pieces for around $55 and the blue crab hand roll at the end was excellent. We had to get another 4-5 pieces after that because we were still hungry, but it was still a very reasonable price for Omakase. The quality of the fish was very high, and the warm vinegary rice that is used for the sushi was great, although that's not a style I'm accustomed to. Overall, I definitely recommend this place!
(4)
Tyler B.

I remember when their lunch special was only $10 and 2 orders of them would get us super full. That was oh around 6 years ago. Yes now prices have gone up and the portions are definitely smaller. But I can't really blame them. Everyone has to make ends meet and it's not their fault if their own costs have gone up. I'd say the price is still pretty fair considering how many different types of fish you are getting. Fish that you wouldn't be able to get at most other sushi restaurants. Unless you live in this area and can take your pick of GREAT sushi joints. I'd say you can be pretty satisfied spending about $150 for 2 ppl unless you're a real fatass. In that case, I'd suggest you go somewhere else where you can stuff your face with rolls...try Kabuki...I hear they have "50% off" all day everyday as long as you don't mind the bathroom smell while you eat.
(4)
Robert W.

Legend has it that Echigo was started by the understudy from Sasabune, which in turn was started by the understudy from Nozawa. I don't know if that's true but it does explain why Echigo is a faded copy of a faded copy... meaning it's still excellent! Food: There are three separate approaches to a meal at Echigo: dinner, lunch special, and omakase lunch. 1. Dinner with a drink will run you about $60 per person. The sushi is good but for the price, there are much better choices. Echigo is close to the bottom of the top tier, but not quite there (and because of the cost, I rank it below Hide and Nagao). If you're going to spend $120 on a meal for two, go to Sasabune, Katsu-Ya (by which I clearly mean the Katsu-Ya on Ventura in Studio City), or Nozawa. Or even Katsuya Brentwood or Hamasaku. 2. The lunch special costs about $20 ($13 but ends up closer to $20 with tea, tax, and tip) and includes five very small cuts on tasty warm rice, followed by an amazing blue crab handroll. It's definitely a light lunch, and not entirely satisfying, but still quite good. 3. If you sit at the sushi bar for lunch, you are required to get the omakase ($45...but you get more food including stellar toro and butterfish and the great blue crab handroll). Of the three options, I'd recommend #2 or #3. 3.5 stars. Service: The staff is friendly and good with water/tea refills. The downside is that the food comes out a bit too quickly. They definitely put the "go" in Echigo. But I've never had to wait and there's an underground parking lot in the strip mall. 2.5 stars. Decor: Typical sushi restaurant set up: wooden tables or seats at the sushi bar. Too spacious to have any ambiance. 2.5 stars. Summary: Food (60% weight for Overall): 3.5 stars. Service (20% weight for Overall): 2.5 stars. Decor (20% weight for Overall): 2.5 stars. Overall: 3.1 stars. Excellent lunch deal and even more great surprises if you're willing to spend twice as much!
(3)
Amy B.

I hadn't had sushi for sooo long (out of the country for a bit), and Echigo was a perfect place to indulge after the dry spell. We did our own ordering, much to the chagrin of our foodie friend who would have preferred the omakase (next time). Everything was excellent--the rice was slightly warm and flavorful. Most memorable rice I've had with sushi. Some sushi came with sauces or garnishes--these additions complemented the fish/seafood perfectly. Red snapper, halibut, yellowtail and clue crab roll were excellent. My friends reported that the uni was outstanding--like butter was the exact term. Two more good points: the wasabi was definitely not out of a tube--freshest tasting I've had, and service was excellent. We ate a lot, one person had beer and one had tea, and it came to $56/person including 20% tip. Can't wait to go back when I'm back in LA for a visit.
(5)
Edward L.

Been going to Hide and Sasabune for years...... I work for a Japanese company and I had a guest from Japan that wanted sushi. Pressure time... I've been to Japan numerous times and I think I have a good idea of what good sushi tastes and feels like. I wanted to put this to the test..... Took my JDM cohort to Echigo. He gave it the thumbs up. Happy day, and I get to keep my job - yes!
(4)
Syn L.

Omakase diner is consistently good in quality, with a price tag to match. One of my favorites, but deducting 1 star for the inconsistency during lunch. Ever since I found out about the $12 lunch special here (6 pieces plus 1 blue crab handroll), I've been coming here frequently. Although it takes 2 specials to satisfy me, it's still a sweet deal. I must say the lunch special fish quality can be rather inconsistent. Some days it's good, some days not so fresh. I'll probably go for the lunch Omakase next time and update. Update: Did the $30 omakase lunch, definitely better quality than the lunch special so going back to 5 stars. 1 serving of omakase is not enough to fill this tummy tho.
(5)
Sam L.

Everybody compares this place to Sasabune. I don't think it's comparable. I've been twice. First time, it was fine. Nothing spectacular. Yes they copied the blue crab hand roll, but they don't bake their seaweed wrap like they do at sasabune to get it just the right amount of crispiness and they don't sprinkle salt on the seaweed. They don't have other dishes like the lobster dish at sasabune. SECOND TIME WE WENT, the rice was HORRIBLE. It was way too sticky, on every piece of fish, I wanted to just eat the fish and throw the rice on the floor. And there was dust in my sake bottle! I kept drinking of course. But I could see little flicks of dust on the bottle of my bottle as I took sips from it. Not good.
(3)
D. H.

My first Omakase, and it felt good for a change not having to decide what to order and not knowing what was coming next. It speaks to the cultural differences that 'chef's choice' is foreign to Americans......"what do you mean, 'no soy sauce.'" Anyways, Echigo did not disappoint. My recent sushi meals have been more of the 'Todai' variety, so maybe this review is skewed in favor, but the freshness and flavors I'm not used to stood out. Even the rice was noticeably better. And, the meal closed with the blue crab hand roll (yes, they're that good).
(5)
Sharon G.

7.10.07 update :: i've determined that this is my most favorite sushi bar in los angeles. last month i read a vanity fair article about the sushi market in japan; the writer eventually takes us on a sushi adventure starting in downtown tokyo and ending up in new york city. i can say by the end of the article i was completely tied in knots, so craving the ideal sushi experience; one where i'm served small portions of tender, delicious, high quality fish that the chef has deemed today's 'special.' that happened to me today at echigo. and here i was waiting for nozawa. i left satisfied, but now i want to go back and relive my lunch experience again. oh and it was only $12. maybe i died and went to heaven and haven't figured it out yet.
(5)
Albert H.

I have yet to try this famed Lunch Special.. but the Omakase dinner I just had was crazy delicious! I have horrific memory -- it was less than 2 hours ago, but I can barely remember any names of what we had -- but if I recall correctly, the Scallop and uhh, Shipjack (whatever the heck that is) were the best! TO DIE FOR YUMMY. Toro and Bluecrab Handroll were of course great too, but those were givens. There were two others that were fantastico, but got lost in the garble of chatting.. weird fish from Japan I think? According to my dining partner's absurdly astute memory, we had 10-11 pieces each and the bill came out to $88 (+tip). Not too bad, imo! The joint is in my 'hood, and it's relatively affordable for the quality sushi we had. If only I could make it here for the lunch special..
(5)
Micah B.

If you love raw fish and are looking for some of the freshest and best cuts in LA than this is the place for you. If you want miso soup, edemame, and a Philly roll go someplace else. The fish is amazing and the omakase is recommended. The cuts of fish are on the thin side, but the flavor more than makes up for it. It's on the pricey side (maybe $50 per person) but it's well worth it. It's also quite a bit cheaper than the comparable fish you'll find a Sasabune. I've eaten well in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka...., and this place is on par with the best stuff I had in Japan.
(5)
Wakako U.

Chef from Echigo, Niigata. Director told me chef was previously employed at Sasabune, Nozawa. Someone drew a real good picture of Bart Simpson on the menu board. It turns out, the artist himself is a regular here.
(4)
Miao W.

i didn't like the architectural aspect of this restaurant at all: being on the second floor of a tacky building and set up like a food court. we went there (a few months back) near their closing time so the sushi chefs seemed quite oblivious about the only 4 people left. notwithstanding, the fish was actually, pretty phenomenal. i enjoyed the warm rice, the use of mirin or sweet miso sauce making their sushi generally a touch sweeter than new york ones. i loved the butterfish which i still haven't found in new york since. jack mackerel uni and everything on their little blackboard was great too. now i see in the gallery that they also serve shirako i'm even more impressed! a prominent pirate in the sea, just not as seductive as johnny depp.
(4)
Danielle C.

So many reviews already! Fabulous sushi. Sparse, uninviting atmosphere. It really is ONLY sushi, no warm up (miso soup, edemame, salad) We couldn't even get a bowl of rice for our kid, though they do a rice roll for you. Kids are welcome here, but you have to sit at a table. Counter is strictly Omakase. The fish was amazing. I particularly enjoyed the butterfish. The warm rice was an interesting change from what we're used to, but not an unsatisfactory one. We just weren't prepared for what we encountered that night, but didn't want to turn and leave after we'd been seated, and Rice had his heart set on having sushi. It was $$, but it was damn fine sushi, and I'd go back again and try the omakase.....during a special night out alone with my guy.
(4)
Amy H.

One of my favorite sushi restaurants in LA. it's not because they serve nothing but fresh sushi/sashimi (you will not find teriyaki/tempura/california rolls here); its not the famous blue crab hand rolls; it's not even because the prices are some of the most reasonable you will find for omakase*. what keeps me coming back for more is the FRESH WASABI. what a huge difference it makes. no more of that dry, powdery stuff. this wasabi is fresh grated straight from the root itself and you can just taste that *zing*. i love it. * on a side note, the prices are low because unlike other omakase joints, they only serve one piece of sushi per person rather than the usual two.
(5)
Abbot S.

Sat at the sushi bar. the chef have a set order. I ate probably 6 or 7 different sushi and it came out to $60. Definitely not worth it. It was fresh but not $60 worth fresh. small intimite place
(2)
Russel M.

Good Sushi but the DEAL is the LUNCH SPECIAL for 11-. It's hard to beat and if you want to have higher quality then the Sushi Bar is the place for you.
(4)
Patrick R.

Don't judge a sushi joint by it's strip mall. I almost didn't go in. I know it's totally lame but I'm one of those guys who has to see the "A" in the window to venture inside. My boyfriend has tricked me into a "B" a few times but distracting me but I digress. I didn't expect much from this place but luckily we met up with a few people who frequented Echigo and they convinced the "I'm not that hungry" types. The stuffed squid arrived without fanfare but let me tell you the taste was incredible. The squid amazingly fresh and the stuffing a nice complement. At this point I realized I was wrong. One of our friends talked about how the restaraunt won't even let you take out the sushi because the chef is concerned it will hurt the taste and freshness. There were stories of people literally lining their purses with tupperware to sneak out a handroll. Contraband sushi - this is hard core. Then came the real grated wasabi and perfect sweet shrimp on warm rice. WOW. But the coup de gras which everyone has discussed in other reviews is the Blue Crab handroll. Where is my man-bag and a container? I could eat 5 of these a day.
(4)
B. ..

hmm... this was a tough one, as i sat there comparing Echigo to Sushi Zo (my all time fave sushi restaurant), Echigo did not disappoint. we got the Omakase (which included 1 sashimi plate, 8 pieces of sushi and 1 blue crab roll). the sashimi was red snapper with ponzu sauce (5 pieces, placed in a starlike formation), with daikon, and thinly sliced scallions. This dish was fair. Did not wow me, because i tasted a SLIGHT fishiness. Next came the 8 sushi--EVERY single piece was extremely fresh and of high quality cuts. The 8 pieces were kanpachi, scallop, shima aji, toro, bonito, halibut, black snapper and butterfish. NONE of them were fishy at all, and many of them gave me the melt- in- ur- mouth , buttery texture that Zo gives to every single piece. The fish is also served on top of warm sushi rice. The rice itself, i'd have to say was excellent. Seasoned and sticky in just the right amount. You can also taste that they were using the best quality grains. After our omakase, we had a few other pieces. We got 2 more blue crab rolls, 2 Kinme snappers, 1 sea trout, 1 skip jack , 1 shima aji, and 1 sayori fish. OMG, the Kinme Snapper is to DIE FOR. i could have eaten 5 more kinme snappers, if it weren't for the fear of a monstrous bill. They LITERALLY had the toro texture (buttery, fatty consistency). That was my favorite fish, along with the toro and the butterfish. The blue crab roll was also very good--generous portion of crab meat wrapped in crisp nori. Overall, here is my analysis compared to Zo. **minus the fact that the first dish (red snapper was a lil lil fishy), the quality and freshness of fish were equal. **The rice at Echigo is better than the rice in Zo's. (didn't think this made much of a difference, until i tasted echigo's. The rice REALLY does make a big difference) **size of the sushi about the same in both locations **price range, about equivalent, THO, in my honest opinion, Zo provides more pieces, more variation, and more selections of exotic fish(about 19 pieces at echigo could give u about 23 pieces at zo). **Zo dresses and styles the fish more creatively whereas most of the Echigo pieces are topped with similar dressings (sea salt, pink daikon, scallions, and ponzu OR sea salt, yuzu koshou, and a squeeze of lemon). **service is friendly and attentive in both locations. Overall, I would most definitely come back to Echigo. I still place Zo as my # 1 sushi place, but Echigo follows right after. Maybe a 5 star for Zo and a 4.75 star for Echigo.
(5)
Al C.

So the wife..... errrrr...... girlfriend says we should check this joint out. We got the omakase. I have to say that everything we got was top notch and I like that the waitress would tell us soy sauce or no soy sauce. The blue crab really stood out to me. Its not cheap and for those of you big eaters you will not be full if you go omakase. I know I wasn't. But the sushi is top notch.
(4)
Caitlin C.

Place seems deceptive when you drive by it, but do yourself a favor in pull in. Especially if it happens to be lunch time because the chef's lunch special is the absolute best and the reason why I go. Priced reasonable at $12, you get enough food to fill you up until dinner and don't even have to decide on what you want. The waitress just brings you piece after piece. I must admit, I wasn't often told what was being placed in front of me, but all of it was good. My boss took me my first week of my new job and I must admit, I was a sushi novice. But let me tell you, I was hooked.
(5)
Haute G.

Best blue crab hand roll. Warm rice for sushi makes all the difference.
(5)
Katherine T.

How do I love thee sushi? Let me count the ways. I love your infinite variety of seafoody goodness, from buttery yellowtail to tongue-tingling ikura. I love how I can eat my fill yet never feel stuffed. I love a dab of fresh wasabi, a sliver of ginger, and a hot cup of tea. What I do not love, is going into debt to enjoy you. And this is where Echigo comes in. Pristine slabs of fish served on still warm rice for a very reasonable price. There are no frills and no California rolls (they won't even do a bowl of miso soup here). The lunch special is a bargain $11 for 5 pieces of sushi perfection and the most addictive crab hand roll you'll ever eat --- creamy, slightly sweet crab wrapped up in warm rice and crispy seaweed. The ambience is nil, and parking can get tight in the scary underground parking lot (I'm pretty sure mole people live down there), but these are minor inconveniences for one of the best sushi deals on the Westside.
(4)
love l.

BEST SUSHI in LA. It's real Japanese Sushi. Not an American style. Rice(Shari) is warm and soft. Neta(Fish) is fresh. Amaging*
(5)
John C.

It's a pure sushi experience. My first introduction to skipjack, shima aji and butter fish. There's no ambiance but the value is in the food. The omakase is a great way to get a feel for the style of the sushi. The pacing gives you time to enjoy the food and chat.
(5)
Kirit S.

A restaurant in Santa Monica w/ parking - and if that's not exciting enough - it even has actually really awesome food! This connoisseur in my client's office tells me that the Japanese chef/owner at Echigo, Chef Toshi, used to work for Sushi Sasabune's Chef Nobi, and so this place has some amazing "ancestry". Sorry, I don't recall the names... What I thought was really awesome is that you can go to this spartan joint on the 2nd floor of a Westside strip mall at lunchtime and just have a $12 lunch special where you don't know what you're going to get, and enjoy some really great seafood. All well and good - but remember - I'm a vegetarian, which to me means no seafood either. So, I didn't take the Lunch Special, and instead ordered 3 kappa maki (cucumber roll) from the menu. Now, I've been to a lot of Japanese restaurants in my life, but this place had, by far, the -best- seaweed ever. It was stronger than any of the flimsy seaweed other Japanese restaurants offer. I really liked this place, and not just for the cute waitresses.
(4)
Cyrus G.

Their prices have gone up, and could it be that their portions have gone down? and the butter fish and the Norwegian mackerel have lost their novelty for me. i don't do Omakase here because i do not see the point of ever doing Omakase if the chef's choices are going to be pretty much from the menu in front of you. Omakase is for a place like Matsuhisa where the normal sushi menu won't dazzle but the Omakase will kill you. I may have to go back to Nozawa again to refresh my memory, but from what i remember, this place is not as good as Hiko and both Echigo and Hiko don't compare to Nozawa. I remember my partner and I practically fainting at Nozawa in our first visit and our high expectations were surpassed.
(3)
Frank L.

Warning spoiler alert! If you are alright with crappy sushi generally the all you can eat, fake crab, California roll etc. don't come. If you do after one visit you will both hooked on this master chef and unable to ever eat sushi for $30. Or less. Quality and pride of the creation of all that is great in sushi is what separates this place from all others. Don't be fooled by the location and I dare you to sit at the bar and talk in your phone or ruin your sashimi by dipping a pre-sauced fish into soy (think soup nazi) no joke. Nothing to go, no spicy tuna and their crab rolls could power the economy of small island nation. Be prepared to drop some dinero and wish you had spent more.
(5)
Jennifer W.

Echigo is a no frills, sushi only joint that will satisfy your sushi cravings, although it has as many hits as misses. 2 stars for the omakase and 3 stars for a la carte sushi orders, average rounded up to 3 stars. They take reservations and there's ample parking in the underground lot. If you sit at the bar, you must get omakase, which is $48 pp for a sashimi starter, 8 sushi pieces, and 1 blue crab hand roll. I opted for the omakase and while I can't remember all the pieces we got, there was definitely scallop, baby tuna, bonito, amberjack. Overall, I was incredibly disappointed by this omakase. The sashimi starter was a bad sign of what was to come - the fish was stringy, fishy, and definitely not fresh. All the other pieces were passable, with the baby tuna and scallop being the highlights of the omakase. I was surprised they didn't include any salmon, yellowtail, or uni, but maybe the chef just wasn't feeling those pieces that day. Also, there's only 1 sushi chef, 2 sous sushi chef (1 is in the back), and 1 waitress, so the sushi chef was very rushed in preparing all the different orders for the entire restaurant. It definitely showed in some of the cuts, as some of the pieces were not cleanly sliced. I ordered an additional salmon, yellowtail, uni, unagi, and ankimo nigiri a la carte because I was still hungry. And each of these were great, solid pieces, with the exception being yellowtail, which was just average. The uni was very sweet and tasted of the sea (in a good way), and I was really pleasantly surprised at the portion size of each piece. The pricing confused me because a la carte seemed like it would be significantly cheaper than omakase. A la carte pricing (including pieces in our omakase) ranged from ~$5 for salmon to $9 for uni, and each order came with 2 pieces. If you do the math, it doesn't really quite add up, and I wouldn't mind if the omakase experience included more interaction with the sushi chef himself, but there was absolutely none - he was way too occupied just getting orders out. I haven't had many omakase experiences in LA, but would likely choose sugarfish over echigo for the value factor. I would come back, though, and just order a la carte. N.B. - If you're celebrating a birthday, they do give a complimentary ice cream mochi with candle and will even sing happy birthday to you!
(3)
Thamanatda M.

Eichigo made me realize what a fresh Ikura is suppose to look and taste like! Went there two time already with my boyfriend and every time I have been such a great experience. The service was also wonderful. Their Ikura and uni is the best I've tried so far, uni's consistency is like a ripe mango! The rice!!! It was warm and firm. Great taste. Everything about that place is solid. Also, their echigo beer goes great with the sushi.
(5)
Eriko P.

We went here for dinner. Parking is free in the underground lot, but the spiral driveway down and out is a bit scary. We were greeted with smiles! We ordered a carafe of one of their chilled sakes, and were offered to taste it first. We decided on the omasake dinner. Each dish and sushi was presented beautifully and melted in our mouths. We told our waitress we did not want any uni, squid or octapus, so we were offered other options. Nice. The restaurant is quiet and one can have conversations without having to raise one's voice. Thank you Echigo!
(5)
Susan S.

I don't know what happened to my beloved Echigo. I used to come here all the time when I lived in Brentwood years ago. At least once or twice a month for a few years. Last time I was here was about 7 years ago, so it's been a while, but I still remember how much I used to love their sushi. I wanted hubby to walk down memory lane with me so I dragged him here last weekend, and we had the omakase at the bar. Price-wise, it was $49/pp, so totally reasonable. We got white fish sashimi, toro, halibut, scallop, skipjack, kanpachi, kinme snapper, amaebi, butterfish, and blue crab roll. Out of all these, I only enjoyed kanpachi, amaebi, and blue crab roll. The knifework was really poor, the sushi chef didn't interact with us at all, he had a helper that would baste the sauce/seasoning and hand the sushi to us without any fanfare. Scallop had a fishy aftertaste, salmon wasn't even included in the omakase, and I found the butterfish too fatty. In short, I didn't have any sushi-gasm moments, and I was left unsatisfied. I'm not sure if it was an off day, or I had a different palate years ago, but I don't think I'll be coming back... there is just too many great sushi restaurants in LA to go to a mediocre place. Lack of ambience doesn't bother me at all, but I want a little better omakase experience than what I had at Echigo. Too bad.
(3)
Sheshanna P.

Overall: Don't be deterred by the $$$ Yelp pricing. Their $15 lunch set and a few additional orders of their many interesting, varied selections will set you back $30, but you'll leave full and satisfied. Definitely get their Monkfish Liver, which has a foie gras-like texture. Food: 4 Lunch Set ($14.99) includes 5 pieces of nigiri sushi and a blue crab hand roll. It's not the cheapest sushi joint, but this is a deal in comparison to their normal prices where the cheapest plate of nigiri sushi is $5. The fare is standard with tuna, yellowtail, white fish, salmon, and albacore. The fish is of good quality, and the sauces and garnishes complement it well. However, the rice was warmer than it should be in some pieces, and one began to crumble in my hands before I could pop it in my mouth. The albacore was delicious but it was drenched in sauce, and the white fish was cut poorly. I hope that this is a result of our late entrance rather than reflective of their normal food because I had high hopes. However, if it is a result of us coming in last minute, I am highly disappointed that this affected the quality of what they sent out. Monkfish Liver is poached in store and topped with a miso sauce. In store steaming makes all the difference. It's served still warm, and it's more buttery and smoother than any of its counterparts. In fact, I'd dare say it almost resembled foie gras. Service: 4 It's hard to get bad service at a Japanese restaurant, and they graciously took us in even though we came about a minute before they closed at 2 pm. We had to order food all at once because they were taking last call orders. Food came quickly, one after the other, and lunch took about 20 minutes all together. I'm not complaining because I had to be somewhere by 3 pm, but I did feel like the speed at which food came was a result of their desire to have us leave so they could close up. This did NOT show in their service; they were polite and professional. However, it may have shown in their fish. Ambiance: 3 The restaurant is a unassuming plaza with treacherous underground parking (the ramp down is steep and winding and the spaces are tiny). The restaurant itself is clean, but it's sparse with white walls and minimal decorations. Perhaps not the right place if you want to impress your eating companions with food and ambiance, but none of your foodie friends will complain if you take them here just for the sushi.
(4)
Heidi H.

Echigo is one of the best places for omakase AND reasonably priced! Everything was delicious. I wasn't a big fan of sushi but after eating here I converted... I won't go into detail for each fish cause the menu can vary... Just know that everything was delicious from start to finish. The sushi rice is perfect. Blue crab handroll is AMAZING. Please don't use soy sauce and offend the sushi the chefs.
(5)
Richard L.

The bottom line is the Sushi is fresh and good. They have no fancy stuff or rolls here but that is OK. My favorite was the albacore. For the lunch special ($14.50) they bring one piece at a time. That is one way to make sure you do not eat too fast(: When I was finished with the 5 pieces for the lunch special I was still hungry. If you go here it should be fresh as mine was. If are hungry and want a full meal be ready to open the wallet and peal it out.
(4)
Andrew F.

The best Sushi you can get in LA. Trust me. You cannot get better Toro in LA, in fact when you compare their toro to Sugarfish's Chu-toro (supposedly a higher grade of fish) the Echigo Toro wins out, it's that much better. They add the perfect amount of wasabi to increase the flavor of the fish and the rice is perfect. About the only thing i can fault Echigo for is their location in a strip mall and the disgusting look of their roof. Don't let those deter you though, this place is amazing. I went for the first time today, planning to just try their Toro, I ended up getting two orders and some halibut. It was that good. Don't come here expecting cut rolls (aka super market sushi) but do come here for an amazing gastronomical experience. The staff is really friendly so long as you obey their guidelines and.....holy crap...writing this review i just want another piece of toro.....when I went there was no wait, but I also arrived just minutes after they opened for dinner. Short and sweet: Best real deal japanese sushi that is within reach, because I doubt I'll ever be trying Urasawa. INSTURCTIONS: If you want to order by the piece sit at a table not the bar. When you order on the sheet 1 order is 2 pieces. Do not use chopsticks or mix ginger or add wasabi to anything you are served. Eat each piece in one shot using the chopsticks, do not take multiple bites, it is intended to be enjoyed in one go. Savor it. If you'd like to clear your palette after trying one fish you may use the ginger to do so. Don't be an idiot and dip it in soy sauce, the fish has already been perfectly sauced by the sushi chef. ENJOY!
(5)
Janice H.

Been coming here since they first opened. The best crab roll in the city - better than sasabune and sugarfish. Don't come here for the ambiance or for typical japanese fare. This place is solely for gastronomes who appreciate authentic japanese and the freshest sashimi.
(5)
Rosana C.

The blue crab hand roll that everyone raves about is very creamy and delicious. The sushi itself is not bad. They use warm sushi rice, which is probably the reason why it kinda falls apart when you pick it up with chopsticks. Instead of regular soy sauce, what they have is something more similar to miso. Echigo serves traditional Japanese sushi.
(4)
Richie W.

So I've been coming to Echigo for at least 10 years... I guess it's finally time to review it. So my history with Echigo starts with my original love for Sasabune. Sasabune was in this really crappy adobo shack on Sawtelle with crappy white plastic chairs, but it was so difficult to get a seat at times and the whole parking situation on Sawtelle made it such a pain to go to. We heard rumor that one of the chefs from Sasabune went off to open his own sushi establishment on Santa Monica Blvd, and we rushed there as soon as we could. The prices were actually _cheaper_ (!!), the quality was the same, the place was basically always empty, parking was sort of easy. And thus, Echigo became my new goto sushi place. We typically get the omakase at the sushi bar, and this trip was honestly a little surprising in how busy it was. I think my hidden gem of a sushi bar is no longer a hidden gem. Which is great for them, I'd hate to see them ever go. From going to Hide in the early 90's to hitting Echigo in the early 2000's, I'm glad that my sushi staples are all still around. Anyways, back to the review, I'm sorry I forgot exactly what order the fish came in, but it ended on the signature blue crab handroll. It was only $48/pp which was great honestly. The sushi chef was working pretty hard. I believe he was the only person working the bar for the entire pretty busy restaurant, but he did have a helper doing garnish to speed things up. It made for a pretty non-chatty experience, but it's fine, the food did all the talking. Love this place.
(5)
Gala A.

Not super impressed. Please note: I'm a vegetarian and do not eat fish. So this review is from a vegetarian's viewpoint. Why would a vegetarian come to a Japanese place -- nonetheless a Japanese place that serves ONLY fish? Well, a work meeting was set to take place here so I had no choice. Usually, Japanese places have vegetarian things like salads, tempuras, soups, and a few selection of vegetable rolls ... Echigo has a seaweed salad, a cucumber roll, a miso soup, and a egg sushi. They do NOT have any other salads and do NOT have cut rolls. The menu is a little strict on this. You get what you get. I ordered the seaweed salad, which was just like any other place's. Pretty fresh. I also had the miso soup which is not the favorite miso soup I have ever had. And, lastly, I had the cucumber rolls ... which are hand rolls. They have no cut rolls here. The hand rolls were fine but I didn't necessarily like the wrapping and I found it slightly hard to eat. The other people ordered some fish. Some said it was amazing while other's were not as impressed by it. I was shocked by the price of our bill, though, seeing as two of us were vegetarians and basically ate cucumber for the whole meal, the bill came out to over 150 dollars for four people. For me, it's too expensive for the kind of place that this is. But what do I know? The fish might rock! Not a place for a vegetarian to eat. You're better off trying a place with more options.
(3)
Sarina G.

I love sushi and with a couple little kiddos it's hard to get out to a decent sushi restaurant these days. However, we went to Echigo right when it opened at 5:30, and the service was not only super fast, but our server was very friendly and accomodating to our toddler and infant. Note they do not have high chairs yet she tried to make us as comfy as possible. As for the food, I love the warm rice and all the fish was fresh and quite delicious. We had several sushi pieces- albacore, yellowtail, scallop, kanpachi, eel, tuna, and halibut. Favorites were halibut and kanpachi but all were delicious. And then we ended with the blue crab hand roll- I thought it had a little too much mayo for my taste but husband loved it. It is a bit expensive for what you get so not an every week type of spot for us, but will definitely be coming back.
(4)
Grace L.

Absolutely delicious Sushi..!!!! We did the chefs menu and we sat back and enjoyed..I love the blue crab roll..toro... Urchin.. Everything was great! I was surprised that this restaurant is in a tiny strip mall in west LA. Toshi and his associate chef are meticulous.. I asked for lite rice and enjoyed everything we ate.. 100% worth the drive from Manhattan Beach.. Thank you.. We will be back
(5)
Aaron G.

Traditional sushi. Simple menu. Rich flavors. $50-90 per person. Our favorites: Fish Liver, Halibut, Egg, Crab Roll One dish at a time. Reset your taste buds between each dish with ginger. Fish are not overly flavored (thus you'll get a true taste of each fish). But the added elements the chefs do use compliment the fish flavors. All meat is tender and well-portioned. Cannot order rice bowl: sushi only. If you are starving, eat a bit before coming hear or plan to eat after, or eat slowly. (Just a suggestion.) If you are used to Americanized or fast-food-type sushi, reset your expectations for this place. Take your time. Look at the dish before you eat. Chew/eat slowly. If you really wanna look pretentious, close your eyes as you taste. Think about the flavors. Cleanse with ginger. Repeat. Of course, I like the quick, Americanized sushi as well. But if you want something special that you can eat slowly (cannot stress this enough) and appreciate, this is an excellent choice. Interior compliments the food: simple and not distracting. Health notes: Probably not the best option for ketogenic options or paleo. Sure you could eat just the fish and not the rice, but you'd have to have amazing willpower since the rice is best part of any fine sushi restaurant. The fish probably have sauces using non-gluten-free soy as well. Nevertheless, if you can come out of ketosis for a bit, this is the place to do it. Absolutely exquisite rice.
(5)
Richard T.

This review is long overdue. My first time here was about 2 or 3 years ago. It was my very first time trying omakase and it blew me out of the water. I revisited a month ago and was still surprised how the quality didn't change. Sushi was fresh and the quality of the cut was superb. Every bite made me wanting more. They were not frugal with their portions either. For each nigiri, the fish completely covered the ball of rice. And when I ordered ikura, the roll was overflowed with the salmon roe. Take a look at my pics. I will definitely be coming back. Echigo is one of LA's best sushi restaurants.
(4)
Scott M.

I have mixed feelings about Echigo. Zero ambiance, high prices: bad. Fresh fish, fresh fish: good. I flew in from Vegas and went straight there on a Thursday night. The place was 73% empty. That surprised me because the reviews I read from Urbanspoon, Yelp, and Eater were pretty impressive. But whatever. I sat down at the sushi bar and ordered omakase. First dish, yelllowtail sashimi. What? Not good! Mealy, mushy strips of fishy tasteless flesh. I immediately started regretting coming here and even considered cancelling the whole thing. But good thing I didn't. What followed was a succession of about 15 truly sublime servings of the freshest fish imaginable. Scallop, toro, bonito, butterfiah, sea bass, and on and on. I was stunned. How could a chef who could get his hands on such high quality product serve that first dish that was so disappointing? These guys do the warm rice thing popularized by Nozawa, and I admit to having a soft spot for it. And BTW, this isWAAAAAY better than Sugarfish, which is just a money machine at this point. Overall, excellent. Except for the first thing! $80 for the omakase and $22 for a carafe of excellent sake. Recommend.
(4)
Jennifer L.

Echigo is a no nonsense type of sushi restaurant. You're not going to find any special rolls here, just straight up sushi. Initially, I had high standards based merely on the reviews. I'll admit I was skeptic upon entering the plaza and parking in the questionable underground parking lot. Skepticism continued when we walked into an empty restaurant at 7PM on a Saturday. All doubts washed away upon first bite. Albacore -- Medium firm fish lightly dressed with ponzu sauce and green onions. Perfectly flavored, perfect temperature, served on a perfectly seasoned block of warm sushi rice (all nigiris are serve with warm sushi rice here). Kanpachi -- In the same family as the yellowtail, the Kanpachi isn't typically served at sushi restaurants. Whenever I see it on the menu, I always get it. Echigo's version did not disappoint. Beautifully cut with the more timid flavor to match. The sushi rice gave it a nice sour kick. Skipjack -- A teency mushier in terms of texture but it is also seasoned with ponzu sauce and topped with green onions. The skipjack is the cousin of tuna but the color looks similar to the yellowtail. Eel -- Slightly toasted eel drizzled with unagi sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. You can tell by the texture that the eel is fresh because it wasn't rubbery with a layer of gooeyness underneath. Blue Crab Hand Roll -- Mouthwatering blue crab. I like Shunka's (Costa Mesa) version much more because they stuff it with far less rice and much more of the blue crab. I could barely taste the blue crab but what I could taste, simply fresh! Keep in mind, each order of nigiri is served individually - 2 pieces per order, 1 piece per dish. Service was perfect but I suppose that is to be expected when you're the only party in the restaurant. You can tell the sushi chef puts a lot of love into all of his orders, so be patient! Everything tasted great but the prices were indeed a bit steep. If I were to come back, I'd probably stick to their omakase.
(4)
Arron Y.

Probably some of the freshest sushi I have had in Los Angeles. Got the chefs selection and it melted in my mouth like butter. The albacore, salmon and blue fin tuna was my favs.
(5)
John-Eric C.

Came here for lunch yesterday and had the omakase. All I can say is... wow! Such an unassuming location with prompt service, amazing quality of fish, fair pricing, and delicious to the last bite. This is every bit as good as Sugarfish without the long wait and packed house. I'm shocked this place isn't better known!
(5)
Beachy B.

Traditional Japanese. Omakase style. There are no rolls here. Just raw meat. Nothing fancy. Some sushi pieces you are asked not to use soy sauce on. The portions here are small and the prices are high for the quality of what you get. After frequenting Sushi Sushi many times, it's hard to compare. The bar has been set high.
(3)
Raquel A.

Best same day fish in Los Angeles! You HAVE to get the blue crab hand roll. Did I mention it's SAME DAY FISH? Love it here
(5)
Natalia R.

Best sushi, hands down! It's true, there is no ambience, so if you're looking for a romantic candle lit restaurant, Echigo is not for you. But if you're looking for the best sushi outside of Jiro's subway in Tokyo, this is the spot! I come here as much as possible, the fish is always delicious! The crab hand roll here knocks the sock off Sugarfish's crab hand roll! The albacore is ALWAYS incredible! We often get the omakase at the sushi bar. All the sushi tastes best coming straight from the chef, especially the hand rolls! I do recommend eating the sushi as prepared by the chef, no soy sauce or wasabi added. It's perfect as prepared!! I highly recommend this place if you are interested in great sushi and could care less about ambience. Plus their staff is very friendly and always helpful!
(5)
Naomi P.

Awesome. Really excellent value for quality of food. They treat me the same as anyone else. Not pretentious. Lunch is best deal. But I have gone for dinner. And that is worth it.
(4)
Kim L.

Echigo delivered a unique sushi experience. Each sushi was served individually and slowly so that you could savor the flavor and quality of each fish. Service was great. Unrushed and truly got to enjoy each and every item we ordered. Fish was fresh. I love monkfish liver (ankimo) and theirs is definitely one of the best I've had! Sake is very well priced! 4 stars as ambience could be improved.
(4)
John S.

I've been eating Omakase here for over 15 years, and although no one is perfect, chef Toshi delivers some of the best and freshest fish you could ever imagine.... BTW. Salmon is NOT a fish that should be used for Sushi.
(5)
Lainy C.

I rounded down to 2 stars because of the price and service flaws. Perhaps the lunch omakase would be worth it as it is only 2 pieces less for a third the price. With all the 5 star reviews and a reasonable omakase price I thought this would be a good choice. The wait for Sugarfish was about 90 minutes so we checked yelp for other sushi options nearby. Echigo was something I'd bookmarked so we went to check it out. We got there around 8:30 which is kind of close to closing time (9:30pm) so maybe thats why it was so fast-paced. I've never had such an unleisurely sushi bar experience...they certainly werent that busy. I did not realize until we sat down at the sushi bar that this is mostly all pre-cut sushi. Do legit sushi bars do this? I dont even think sushi stop does that. If I wanted pre-cut fish I could pick up a bento at Nijiya. Service overall was not good - I mean they were nice but the younger, non-Japanese sushi chef spoke really fast and was unintelligible. If we asked him to repeat, we still couldn't understand him and if the older Japanese sushi chef didn't repeat it, we would just give up. Plates were not cleared away so we had empty plates stacked next to us much of the time. The appetizer sashimi platter was kinda meh. Not great quality and after the first bite we kinda exchanged oh, crap looks. The sashimi looked like something I cut with a dull knife - scraggly and skinny. The pictures of the fish on yelp looked plump and well sliced. Our pieces were anemic and some were sloppily cut. Half of it was meh, half of it was good, nothing was great. The omakase didn't come with uni. The scallop was not bad but the butterfish had no flavor. I did like the blue crab roll so at least it ended on a good note. I really wish we had just waited for Sugarfish, which would have been better and cheaper or gone to Kiriko. I had omakase at Sasabune a few months ago and it is a similar omakase menu, granted for about $20 more but way better quality, service, and quantity. I'm not sure how this restaurant makes it on so many top sushi in LA lists - maybe we went on an off night, but I say no thanks to pre-cut fish and rushed omakase.
(2)
Mr D.

Very nice staff, excellent sushi, great attention to detail and all done for a fair price. This place reminds me of Tokyo with no frills just classic style with fresh ingredients and a smile.
(5)
Kristy N.

We sat at the bar... The best part of the sushi is the rice. More gentle than Sugarfish with the warm rice... And perfectly salty/vinegary. Unfortunately, the fish was too thinly sliced, and many if the pieces were underwhelming (and a bit fishy). The albacore appetizer was really weak, but mostly due to the crusty onion bits, and previously refrigerated fish with a thick mediocre sauce... I'm surprised how highly this place was rated. For the price point, I much prefer Hide or Sugarfish.
(3)
Mahshid H.

Overpriced and unfriendly staff. food was fine but atmosphere was cold. Not coming back.
(2)
CraigandXiomara C.

Outstanding but I I still prefer sugarfish. Even the portions of fish are bigger there. Sugarfish's rice remains unmatched anywhere. As said in an Anthony Bourdain show where he was having sushi with the master who had worked in USA and returned to Tokoyo, sushi is 95% rice.
(4)
David Y.

"our wasabi is creamy because we use high quality powder wasabi." When I saw this I should've just respectfully exit the restaurant. The fish is disappointing. The chef is radical with his nigiri order. The technique is lackluster and when combined with over-used of shoyu, you get lots of crumbled sushi. Overall, a very disappointing experience. Ponzu, ponzu, and ponzu. we happily asked for omakase and in returned, we received multiple nigiri made with unfresh seafood, near-stale rice drenched in shoyu/ponzu. The over-seasoning of the nigiri is similar to when people love to dunk their California rolls in shoyu - only worse because it's the sushi chef doing it in front of us. The elaborate use of sauces is obviously due to the un-freshness of the fish. The smell can be masked but unfortunately the texture (or rather lack of) still gave it away. by mid-way of the service, I had a hard time distinguishing or remembering what we ate because all we can taste is the ponzu after-taste in our mouth. by the time we get to the uni, I was almost scared to eat it, knowing how terrible a low quality uni can taste. You can tell by the lack of texture (lil' bumps) only observable in fresh uni. Instead, half of the uni has "melted" and has the look of melted marshmallow. it was overly briny and had no hint of sweetness. The chef insisted to finish us off with a crab roll which is rather forgettable. I don't know who started the blue crab roll trend but come on, you wouldn't be raving about fillet of carp would you? At this point, I was already trying to google for something else that'll save the night. If you think just because a sushi bar puts out a sign stating it only serves nigiri it signifies quality then you're in for a big surprise. Soon as the chef started it us off with a obscure piece of pink fish and calling it toro I was thinking about turning around and ask for the check.
(2)
Teresa M.

Love love love love love!!!!! I go to many expensive sushi places, but Echigo is still my favorite spot. You can't find any other sushi place that can beat the taste or the price here...
(5)
Todd O.

Found this place on DineLA's best sushi deals, and $45 for omakase is quite the deal! When you visit any restaurant on a Friday night around 7:30pm, you would anticipate the place to be poppin' if it really was as good as everyone says. There were another 3 groups of people there at the time. Sat at the sushi bar, where we were served by a non-Japanese sushi chef. If you want an authentic Japanese sushi experience, the first step is having a Japanese sushi chef. This should have been a red flag, but we went with it. The $45 includes a 5-piece thinly sliced sashimi starter, then 8 nigiri pieces of the chef's choosing (ranging from toro and salmon, to scallop and aji), then concluding with a blue crab handroll (similar to Sugarfish). I will note that the nigiri sashimi pieces are rather thin, so don't expect to be full nor blown away by the end of the meal. My nigiri pieces would often fall apart rather easily, so be sure your chopstick skills are on point for your meal. The fish used are relatively fresh, but half the time, I didn't know what I was eating because the chef would mumble what it was, along with a "no soy sauce." My experiences sitting at the sushi bar have always been more pleasurable when the sushi chef would interact with you; don't expect that to happen here. Parking is free in the lot underground.
(3)
Christine D.

Came here in lieu of Sasabune since it was closed for the holidays. I would rate this place 3.5 stars in comparison. You get a sashimi plate + 8 pieces of sushi + a blue crab hand roll as the standard omakase - however we were left still pretty hungry after this. I ended up ordering 3 more rolls on top of this and still had to go elsewhere to finish it off with dessert. Including beer and tip, it ended up being about $80 a person. A bit steep for what you get and I think the quality of the fish and variety you get at Sasabune in comparison is a few notches above this place. Overall the fish is good quality but for the price I paid I was left wanting more. I definitely would choose Sasabune over this place. Plenty of parking available as it's located inside a plaza and there's surface and underground parking available.
(3)
A T.

Lunch can be as low as $14 for 5 pieces or omakase for 9 pieces for $33. Includes more exotic fish like toro, butterfish etc.. It's traditional, no cooked foods so you need to love sushi. It's not super fancy like zo or shuji but it fresh, solid and good. The fish is consistently good, and i love going there just because... BE CAREFUL PARKING: I would not recommend parking in the lower lots in the evening, I had my car broken into, and i was told it happens every other week. Its ok for lunch because there are a lot more business open, but at night, park on the street.
(4)
Jonny B.

Sorry but I've had at least 1,000 Omakase meals in the last decade & this place is average at best for the $100 - $120 price range. Sasabune all day obvi & if you're looking for scale, Echigo is below Sugarfish.
(3)
Kevin J.

First time dining omakase style, and it was quite an enjoyable experience. The restaurant is tucked away within a tiny dining plaza, and parking is mostly underground. The place is a bit drab, but the food is well worth it! It is $45 for Echigo's omakase, served solely at the sushi bar, and you're given a 5-piece sashimi starter, 8 pieces of nigiri, and a blue crab hand roll. The red snapper sashimi starter was really delicious. A bit citrusy from the sauce, but definitely a good start to the dinner. The fish quality used for the nigiri was really fresh and top quality. Probably the most delicate and thinly sliced scallop I have seen so far. I was able to taste the fresh flavors of the fish, set on top of warm sushi rice. Definitely happy that the sushi rice was well made. Last thing you would want is high quality fish with bad sushi rice (or regular rice...). Kudos! I enjoyed Echigo. No base to compare their omakase, but as a starting venture into such delicate, quality sushi, it's a good one!
(4)
Fernanda A.

A hidden gem. Its an authentic Japanese restaurant. Everything is beyond fresh. All the sushi is delicious but my favorite is their Uni.
(5)
Eric F.

Excellent sushi in every regard. The $45 omakase here is available at the chef's counter only and comes with a 5-piece sashimi starter, 8 pieces of sushi and a blue crab hand roll to round things out. The format is very traditional as far as I know - the sushi chef makes each piece one at a time and serves them in such a fashion. The sashimi atop each piece included much variety ranging from scallop, kanpachi and red snapper to skipjack tuna, maguro toro and halibut. As for the sushi rice itself, it was seriously legit - served warm and exceptionally well seasoned with the perfect amount of vinegar. Suffice it to say, every piece was amazingly fresh and a mouthgasm in its own regard. While others have noted spotty service, I can at least say that the waitress did a nice job taking care of everyone at the counter early in the evening before the place got more packed. The freshness of the fish/shellfish at Echigo and the care taken in making the sushi rice rival the very best I've eaten thus far and actually outdo even the top places I've tried in the Bay Area!
(5)
Gary W.

Echigo offers OUTSTANDING Omakase...truly the best I have enjoyed anywhere in Los Angeles. If you are looking for sensational, fresh melt-in-your-mouth sushi...Echigo is your place and their sushi chefs and their sushi deliver a 5-Star experience. With that said, you must be aware in advance that a few other factors bring my rating down to 4-stars. If you can appreciate/tolerate the "stip-mall" feel of the location, and the no frills ambiance of the restaurant, and the overly-rushed, rarely friendly staff...then it is a must try! I have tried dozens of sushi restaurants in LA, and Echigo is consistently top on the list - for the food (though it needs other improvements as noted above). Consistent favorites include: Butter Fish Blue Crab Handroll Squid Sashimi Amberjack Halibut Yellowtail Great for lunch or dinner...just outstanding sushi. As for the owners/management...try to make the experience feel less rushed, and work on the friendliness, smiles, professionalism and kindness of your staff.
(4)
Mona W.

An omakase lunch at Echigo made me really happy. The chef really know how to serve great omakase. The choice of fish was excellent. Sushi rice was perfectly made and served at body temperature. The nigiri were just work of art impeccably crafted and sauced. I love everything he made. The crab meat handroll was phenomenal. How I wish I had time to return for a dinner omakase at his sushi bar. The strip mall location might be unassuming but the restaurant is sparkling clean with a welcoming ambiance. The food is very reasonably priced for this kind of quality. They only serve traditional sushi here. Don't expect any fusion rolls or kitchen food.
(5)
Kristopher P.

If you are into the warm rice / sugarfish style of sushi, this place is for you. I personally think it's exponentially better than SugarFish in terms of flavor and selection. Echigo also has one of the best Omakases in terms of value. Highly recommended.
(4)
Jiyoung M.

This is my go to sushi restaurant. I love their scallops and on one occasion I had 5 blue crab hand rolls. Also try try the omakase, you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Florian H.

Traditional, real sushi. Don't expect any fancy, american rolls. But the quality of the fish is astonishing, the rice has the right temperature and sourness, the staff is knowledgable, and the restaurant is actually quite nice to sit.
(5)
Effie E.

Simple fresh amazing yamakase! No words the blue crab hand roll is amazing! They run a lunch special too! Great spot !
(5)
Stella P.

This place is amazing. We went with a large group (10 people) and it was seamless. They have a lot of rules, which in a way comes off as pretentious, but to me it just made it feel way more authentic. There are no cut roles, no spicy mayo, only use soy sauce on specific pieces & each one comes out individually on a plate - the chef sets the pace. The serve the rice slightly warm and the wasabi is nice and creamy. I highly recommend reading the little menu book before hand. They explain why they've chosen to serve everything in this specific way and it preps you for what is to come. This is one of the best sushi experiences I've ever had. We typically go to the cheap places and get the Americanized rolls - so this was a great experience. I am excited to come back and bring friends! Parking is available below the complex or there is nearby street parking with limited restrictions.
(5)
Carolyn P.

Kinda pricey for what you get. $45 omakase includes 1 sashimi appetizer, 8 nigiri pieces, and a blue crab handroll. Rice was warm but slightly mushy. Fish was just okay. The blue crab handroll was delicious. I was still hungry when it ended so ended up ordering more (uni, oyster, ankimo, toro handroll). Meh. I would rather go to sugarfish. :/
(3)
Laura D.

After getting a Thai massage across the street, my friend & I were ready for some sushi. We looked up & saw the glowing "Sushi" & "Open" signs...good enough, we'll give it a try! Not much to write about, it's a small restaurant with sushi the way it's meant to be eaten, nothing fancy or special. We ordered albacore & salmon - both had delicious flavors served on warm rice. Delicious! Then time for the rolls! The spicy tuna roll was perfect & the blue crab roll hit the spot! If this is the way sushi is meant to be, sign me up!! I may never go back to the "fancy" rolls again!! The prices were good for the amount & quality.
(5)
Marc B.

I was disappointed. So many great reviews for a place that was a pretty miserable sushi experience :( The negi toro was a barely edible mush of over-mayonnaised blahness. The rest of the fish was uninspired, at best. Maybe it was an off-day for the chef or something? Nothing was great and little even approached good. I'm not going back.
(2)
Megan P.

Warm rice, fresh (same day) fish! No need for soy sauce (but they will tell you which ones you can use it with, but in all honesty the fish is just so good! My faves are the skip jack and the Blue crab roll. It is easy to keep ordering more and more. Keep in mind this isn't a typical sushi joint with rolls galore. You will enjoy the skill of the sushi chef eating here!
(5)
Tania E.

Best sushi in LA by far. The rice is warm and the fish is cut perfectly. The only place where ikura is not salty
(5)
Alexis C.

I think Echigo has the best sushi in LA. Don't go there if you're looking for crazy fried tempura rock-n-rolls - Echigo is for the purist. Always an exceptional experience here.
(5)
Shu L.

I was excited to try this place but was disappointed. Got the omakase and each piece of fish was very thin and the quality of the fish did not blow me away. I did not like the rice at all... it was warm and falling apart. The omakase ended with a blue crab roll and no tamago. We weren't full with the omakase so we ended up getting sweet shrimp, saba, and monkfish liver. Sweet shrimp was thin and didn't come with fried shrimp head or shrimp head in soup. We ended up going to another sushi place the same night. I won't be back.
(2)
Daniel L.

This Japanese restaurant is located on the second floor of a strip mall with large windows overlooking the busy streets. The interior is well lit, airy, spacious, and highly organized with a brown on white colored layout that brings about a pristine ambiance similar to the one at Takumi. Thanks to fellow Yelper Louis G for the referral, I came with a friend to get an impression on their Omakase dinner ($45.20). The Omakase starts with a choice of sashimi followed by a string of eight-piece nigiri meal and a blue crab handroll for the grand finale. I wasn't fond of the Seared Baby Tuna Sashimi from the start as the pieces were noticeably fishy. The quality of the nigiri that included Toro, Hirame, Scallop, Bonito, Kanpachi, Red Snapper, and Butterfish were solid but not amazingly reflective of the price they were charging. I also thought the selection could include items such as ikura, uni or aji but they were missed in the equation. Furthermore, the cuts of fish were small and the sushi rice was too damp which didn't translate well when ponzu and a mysterious orange colored sweet and sour sauce were added to these nigiri pieces. I wasn't full from the meal so I also ordered the Stuffed Calamari ($7) that was fully loaded with moderately sweet blue crab. I thought the Stuffed Calamari was tasty but the temperature on the blue crab was too cold. The Blue Crab Handroll also experienced the same issue with temperature. Some reviewers had drawn comparisons between Echigo with the likes of Sasabune and SugarFish. The overall quality is far off from the breadth and depth of what Sasabune offers and SugarFish provides appetizer and their nigiri actually come in pairs in the "Nozawa" combination. Beyond this dichotomy, I see the $50 Omakase from Sushi Masu as a better value where service and freshness are as consistent as they come. As for service, our server was friendly but she also did not explain or cared to elaborate on the nigiri and sauces that were arriving at the table. Here's how they fared in the end: 1.) Quality and freshness: 3 stars. 2.) Creativity and presentation: 3 stars. 3.) Quantity and substance: 2 stars. 4.) Accessibility and affordability: 1 star. 5.) Service and ambiance: 3.5 stars. 2.5 stars for the overall experience. I won't be coming back.
(3)
Tim L.

This place is a traditional sushi place. People come here for sashimi and sushi. If you have friends that prefer dragon rolls and California rolls then you're better off elsewhere. This sushi joint is hidden on the second floor of a tiny plaza on Santa Monica Blvd. The restaurant was empty since I arrived around 9 when they were about to close. I got seated quickly and started to order from the sushi list. I ordered kumamoto oysters, red snapper, skipjack, scallops, sweet shrimp, uni, and sea bass. The portions of the fish were fairly large and with the perfect portion of warm rice made each bite amazing. The skipjack and seabass were my favorites. The fish were fresh and well prepared by the sushi chef. (presentation wise) Overall the different types of fish were great. After finishing up my food, I realized that my friend and I were the only ones inside the restaurant. I figured the restaurant was closed. The sushi chef and waitresses did not bother us or even hinted us to leave. Our waitress continued to refill our drinks until we left. This shocked me since the we were there 30 minutes past closing time! I will definitely come back for their excellent sushi and service!
(4)
Jenny J.

4 stars for the sushi. 1 star for the service. This was my second time here, and the service was again strange and rude. I felt incredibly rushed. She literally gave us 30 seconds to order, even though it was clear we hadn't even settled into our seats yet, let alone look at the menu. Then I felt like I had to stuff each bite into my mouth before she yanked my plates away. No smiles, no politeness. I know some people here say they like how promptly each dish was cleared away, but you're supposed to wait for me to finish what I have in front of me before bringing my next piece and clearing my empty dish away, not just keep shoving dishes on my table so that you can usher us out faster. This is particularly important because the rice is supposed to be warm and the fish cold. If you give me my second dish before I finish my first, I can't eat the second one promptly. Just ask SugarFish "eat this immediately" sushi nazis. The sushi itself is comparable to SugarFish in taste and price. For example, for $14 here you get the lunch special with 5 single nigiri and one handroll. At SugarFish, for $16.50 you get a Trust Me Lite with 3 single nigiri, one handroll, and a platter of tuna sashimi in ponzu and a plate of edamame. However, at SugarFish, you receive superb service ALWAYS. The difference is clearly palpable, just look around each restaurant. Echigo is always deserted while SugarFish has people waiting an hour for a table. TL,DR: GO TO SUGARFISH INSTEAD.
(3)
Shana V.

First, the quality was very good. It is a very traditional style sushi restaurant that has no bells, no whistles. No spicy mayo and no rolls. Piece of fish on warm rice and the only frill was miso soup. The toro and yellowtail were delicious. But when it comes down to it, I like sugar fish and sasubune more.
(2)
Jamaica E.

yo dis fish is sooo tight honestly eat here if u want ur life changed
(5)
Harmonie T.

Nighttime in Santa Monica. A drunken stroll across the street from Mom's Bar. ( su.pr/1QLW4P ) It started to drizzle. Jin Y. and I walk into a sushi bar wearing Leather and Lace. Cucumber handroll. ($5.20) Miso soup. ($3) Hot green tea. A fascination with the whipped consistency of their wasabi. Looking back, I think I ate all of the ginger (sorry Jin!) I forgot what Jin ordered...I was drunk! They kicked us out cuz they were closing. Post-Yelp Elite Event Eats are always fun :) Tip: minimum $15 purchase if you pay by credit card.
(3)
Daniel C.

This place is awesome. Came in for lunch and surprisingly not too crowded. Polite staff and of course great sushi. Found a new fav on the west side.
(5)
Paula B.

Best Traditional Japanese Sushi. They have a large sign in the front that says, " NO TRENDY SUSHI ROLLS OR SPICY ROLLS". Get their lunch special. For $14,00, your get five sushi (sashimi style) with one blue crab hand roll. The sushi is given to you one by one - each one looking like a perfect work of art with perfect sticky rice and perfectly aligned sushi right on top - with perfectly home made Wasabi in a perfectly clean place. Miso soup was...well, perfect. This place doesnt have much variety, which is why I put four stars. But for excellent quality sushi, this place is awesome.
(4)
Liz O.

Came here for lunch with someone who's very particular about sashimi and sushi -- she doesn't want to eat fish that tastes "fishy" and Echigo did not disappoint in this respect. At my friend's recommendation, we had the $14 lunch special consisting of 5 pieces of nigiri sushi and a blue crab roll. It didn't come with miso soup so we had to order it separately. The server didn't point this out -- we figured it out midway through the meal and placed the order for it along with an order of seaweed salad and tamago nigiri. For the $14 lunch special, each piece was served individually by the waitress, one dish after another. Waitress was very polite, pleasant and made sure to refill our green tea as well. My friend explained to me that unlike traditional places, the sushi rice served here is warm -- she described it as being "skin temperature." Maybe that's why the nigiri sushi tends to melt in the mouth. For the uncoordinated like moi, the warm sushi is very crumbly and hard to eat. Friend didn't care that I looked like a slob, but note to self -- not sure this is a good place for a first date if you're looking to make a nice impression. Sushi's out of my budget for dinner, but I'll probably come back again for the $14 lunch, but start off with the a la carte miso soup and seaweed salad to fill me up a bit before the nigiri sushi starts to appear. As for ambiance, Echigo is very quiet which earns an extra star in my book.
(4)
Brian E.

There are a lot of sushi places on the westside. But I think this place has got them all beat. The fish here is amazing. It's all about the fish and nothing else. Each piece of fish melted in my mouth. I even tried fish that I would never try at an average sushi place because I knew it would taste fresh. It's on the expensive side but it's worth it. Great fish and great people.
(5)
Mimi C.

You used to be my favorite, Echigo!! What happened? =( I went back after being absent for over a year ... sat at the table this time for omakase. Maybe that's what went wrong, I've always had great fish at the BAR. Each piece was forgettable except the bonito which hinted at the greatness of the Echigo I used to remember. The rice was tepid to cool side and each fish just didn't have any distinctive flavor so it tasted like I was eating the same thing each time. The texture was there but the taste and cuts were off - the sizes of each serving were inconsistent amongst our party. Some cuts were just messy to look at. I even opted out of ordering their salmon which I almost have never done. I'm really disappointed by this last experience. If I do go back, it'll have to be for lunch ($14 for 5 sushi).
(2)
Miguel Y.

Not cheap and way better than sugar fish! I had the privilege to enjoy sushi nozawa several years ago in studio city by the man himself and this place reminds me of chef nozawa. One of the Best sushi for a "$$$" in west la! I would come back again. Kampai!
(4)
J J.

After reading a lot of my friends reviews, and seeing that this place is ridiculously close to me, I knew I had to make an effort to go. $45 for omakase is a no brainer. I went on a Friday evening at 6:30 without reservations and I was seated right away before my party arrived. We sat at the sushi bar for a better omakase experience. There was a japanese sushi chef and his assistant. I lost all my notes on my phone so I can't say exactly what I ate, but definitely I did not think what I ate was even worth the $45 except for the blue crab hand roll. That I remember and that was good, but the rest, definitely not blown away. I think the quality has changed since few years ago. Because most of the raving reviews came from many years ago. Also everytime I asked the assistant what we were eating, he would slurr something or had to ask the sushi chef and just left it at that. It was about time I tried this place, but I don't think I'd be adventuring this way.
(3)
tabisky c.

Echigo's omakase is priced higher than Sugarfish, but the quality is better and the place is less crowded and less noisy than Sugarfish. Surprisingly, there was no wait on a Friday night. There is a sushi bar and a sushi chef in the front. We ordered a side of ikura sushi and it was incredibly fresh that it popped in your mouth. Echigo's interior reminded me of Takumi in downtown LA which is no longer in business. The dining area is spacious and there is not a lot of ambiance. The waitstaff needs to polish their hospitality skills.
(3)
Jenny B.

I haven't had omakase with very warm sushi rice, but probably that's just me. This meal was also a FREE one for me, treated by my favorite forwarder, thanks Thomas! Upon reading the review about the omakase for $40/pp, it's about the same as sugarFISH trust me price, we decided to give this place a try. Located above Pizza Hut, this place only open from 12-2pm for lunch, it's so tucked inside, you could barely see the OPEN sign. As we enterred, we were given an option where to seat and we opted to be seated at the sushi bar where it's apparently omakase is the way to go if you decide to sit there and just what we wanted. Here are what we got for $40 omakase: - Toro - not as marvelous as Sushi Gen - Hirame (halibut) - the best one by far - Scallop - just okay - Bonito - loved the texture - Kanpachi - another great one - Seared baby tuna - let's just say this was an interesting one (no pic) - Japanese snapper - I preferred the red snapper - Butterfish - third best one - Blue crab handroll - pretty chunky portion and really good Extras that we got after omakase-portion was over, - Yellowtail - fourth best dish - Albacore - fifth best dish - Skipjack - not as good as I thought - Salmon - liked the presentation - Red snapper - pretty good *my forwarder decided on Uni, instead of Albacore. He loved it, there are plenty of uni stacked on top of the warm sushi rice, it's almost overflowing. With great service and awesome sushi, who can resist? I like the quiet ambiance and seclusion of this resto, I will definitely come back. In total the whole meal supposed to be about $132 for 2 peeps (tax and tips included), so I believe it's not a bad deal at all for Omakase.
(4)
Pauline N.

After all these years... This place just never disappoint me. I tried so so so many sushi restaurants in LA, and this is consistently top on the list, prices here are also impeccable. My favorites: Ikura - Best so far! Uni - Equally best! Butter Fish - Nom nom nom! Blue Crab handroll - Good Mini Squid Sashimi - Amazing! Marugai - Good Kanpachi - Good Stuffed Squid - Great Honestly, the server(s) are sorta "not nice" (NOT the chef, he is REALLY nice), parking is also a pain in this little mall. However, given their food are so good, I will keep coming back. Update (4/20/2013): came here last night - the servers were very nice!!
(5)
Anant P.

Do the omakase. You will leave happy
(5)
Jan H.

Best sushi I've had so far and I'm a sushi fanatic. Underrated sushi place that's better than Sugar Fish with a wider variety of sushi selection. Never had to wait for a table. Ambiance could use a little work but I actually like the unpretentious and humble atmosphere. You're there for the food, not to admire the decor! I recommend the albacore, butterfish (YUM! Haven't seen it anywhere else), and blue crab roll.
(5)
Steph S.

4.5 stars, hands down...but I'm rounding up :) I never even KNEW this place existed, so props and a HUGE thanks to one of my supervisors who took me here for lunch. Amazing amazing amazing! We ordered the lunch special, per his recommendation, and I was thrilled. Lunch special includes 5 types of fish that I believe changes from day to day. I COULD be wrong, but this was what I was told. The fish are served warm and as such the rice is NOT your typical sticky cold rice, so it falls apart much easier. The servers remind you which ones you aren't supposed to eat with soy sauce as some fish are served already seasoned (either via sauce or rice). Let me start by saying that the fish literally melts in your mouth. SO SO SO good. I was a bit hesitant with the falling apart rice, but it's different and because it tastes SO good, it works for me! Lunch special is $14 and I said 4.5 because the sizes are really small. We ordered 4 lunch specials between 2 people and we left satsified - not FULL, but satisfied. Pretty pricey if I must say. BUT, all in all, I was so happy I came here. I'm returning FOR SURE! P.S. This place is in a plaza that looks exactly like all the other small plazas down Santa Monica, so be careful when looking for it. It's on the top floor with a tiny, narrow staircase leading up to it. It's a bit hidden to say the least, but once inside, it's actually a lot bigger than it looks. Oh, and parking will suck. Just FYI. Oh the woes of West LA...
(5)
Elissa R.

If I lived by here I would eat here everyday. I fantasize about it. AMAZING The quality of fish is unbelievable. Blue Crab hand roll is A MUST. Yellowtail and Albacore is the BEST.
(5)
Pauline M.

Echigo is yet another beautiful dining experience to add to my list for 2010. Fresh sashimi and decently price omakase. I was schooled in the technique that Nozawa and students of Nozawa use in terms of nigiri. Warm rice with subtle amounts of vinegar. Boy was it delicious. Not too warm and not too soft. Fluffy. Aromatic sweet vinegar taste. The cuts of sashimi were all fresh and the omakase kept coming with almost what seemed like no end (great for three hungry girls). Memorable courses included the fresh like it just died scallop, delicious melt in your mouth albacore, kanpachi, and the heavenly crab roll. The cuts of sashimi are thin so if you are a hungry monster (or a large male), you might want to order a la carte until you are full. Everything was scumptious.
(4)
Bing H.

I rarely give 5 stars, but this place has the best Omakase ever!!!!! You're not going to like the set up inside, it's a piece of crap, but this is legit sushi!
(5)
Dylan M.

Probably the best sushi place I've had. For the longest time, I thought I didn't like crab, but my friend insisted we try the blue crab roll, and that was amazing. Everything just tasted great, and the best part is that it isn't too expensive. I would never expect something this good from a restaurant hidden in a no-name plaza on the westside. I haven't been myself, but I heard the lunch deal is a steal.
(5)
Owen H.

So. I wanted to give this place 4 stars. They are purists, the fish is great quality, no fancy rolls and the service was wonderful. But I took off one star because the ambiance is terrible, they seriously need someone to overhaul the "feel" of being there. And then I took off a second star because after trying 7 types of sashimi, all great, we had the ono, which I was excited for. They seared it, it was awful, why would you do that? Searing ono replaces the sugary awesome flavor with a fishy flavor it was terrible. DO NOT SEAR ONO. Any who, I will go back, I won't order ono. I will order halibut and albacore, both were awesome. OH, one more thing, they had sparkling unfinished sake, so goooood. Perfect for the ladies.
(3)
Al S.

I went to meet a client, who was so charming and interesting, that I now prefer to know her as a friend. And it was this friend who suggested what turned out to be the best sushi experience of my life. That is how I would describe our meeting and visit to Echigo this noon. I am a self described "Ignorant Sushi and Sashimi Lover." I'm a "point and eat" kinda' guy. My first visit to Tokyo, and the Ginza in 1967, was my first exposure to "colorful pictures and plastic models of what was available." So for someone who has eaten sushi as far South as Sao Paulo, Brasil, and loved it, if I don't have a menu with photos and names of each style and type of sushi, I'll be hard pressed to tell you what I ate. But what I do know is texture, flavor, and that savoring moment when I know I have to swallow........ but to swallow means I'm ending a "food orgasmic moment." The only salvation is knowing that the sushi chef will soon deliver another incredible sushi creation; and I can go through the short but orgasmic eating cycle again. Like Yee-Shing Y., a fellow reviewer, we also had "omakase." We too sat at the bar, and we too savored each and every sushi that the chef handed us. Christine C. summed up this restaurants offering quite well; come here for great sushi, but don't expect a wooden chinese junk filled with a "lunch special of teriyaki chicken and tempura"..... and as you might see from the receipt I posted..... bring a credit card with some available balance. But know it will be worth it. By the way, the omakase was sooo good, that we reordered our favorites a la carte. Believe everything everyone has written. This restaurant is for the purist. The decor reminds me of a converted retail space at an old Broadway Department Store, where they just left the acoustical ceiling as is, repainted everything in white, and put clean black and white linoleum tile down on the floor. But that blurred into my peripheral vision, as we focused on the sushi......... and I promise you, it was EXCELLENT.
(5)
David M.

We end up coming back a couple times a month and the quality is just top-notch. The decor is simple but the staff is friendly and I've discovered they carry a rice beer called Echigo Beer that pairs perfectly with their sushi! I have yet to find a better blue crab handroll anywhere.
(5)
Tri D.

Found Echigo while googling "best sushi in Los Angeles" and noting they they are in the top 10, wanted to check them out. Ambiance if part of the dining experience. So driving into a pretty drab strip mall, seeing Echigo on the 2nd floor above a pizza hut was pretty disheartening. Then you drive down into the underground parking lot and see signs saying "do not leave valuables visible in your car" got us concerned. However, you have to over look all that since the sushi here is pretty great. We made reservations for the omakase (~$50), which seats you at the sushi bar. Went on a Friday at 730p and the place was pretty empty. Seems to be a common theme despite the quality food. There were two sushi chefs behind the bar. One was clearly not Japanese, and to be all honest, I had no idea what he was saying as he handed me the fresh delights. That's okay because the flavor palate of each one was fresh and unique. I recall starting with an initial plate of sashimi, which was below par given how mushy it was. But from there, the 7 or 8 pieces of Nigiri was delightful. Each small plate was distinct with it own unique flavor. The Omakase finishes off with a blue crab hand roll which was good. Chilled blue crab on a warm hand roll. So good we ordered an extra one to top off or night. Do not expect to come for specialty rolls since they don't serve them. Sorry spicy tuna roll with crunch. Visit if you want a more authentic experience without costing you an arm and leg. No fanfare here and it lacks the ambiance. But if you are a fan of sushi, definitely worth trying it out and coming back.
(4)
Mike A.

** Update to five stars! I can't get enough of this place. ** This place is walkable from where I live, though my lady friend insisted on driving. Getting into the underground parking is a little scary - not in terms of safety, but in terms of it being very narrow. My poor car! Anyways, who cares. It's a strip mall sushi spot. I had heard great things and I was not let down, whatsoever. The menu is very straight forward and traditional. If I was rating Echigo on the quality of the fish, it would definitely be a five. If it was on the decor and ambiance, it might be a two. Overall, the place is great and I will definitely go back - and recommend friends. It's on the pricier side, for what you get. But if you like high quality, traditional nigiri, this place kicks pants. I loved the butter fish, the halibut, and the toro. The handrolls were also very good. Go here!
(5)
Barbara M.

went to Echigo for lunch and had the omakase - very delicious - each piece was unique and very well-prepared. would definitely go back. we had the stuffed squid to start before the omakase and it was also delicious. not a huge amount of atmosphere - but it is very clean and simple.
(4)
Amy S.

The best word I can think of to describe echigo was underwhelming. I was underwhelmed with this restaurant. I went in with high hopes thanks to the great reviews, but it just didn't seem to hit the spot for me. Somehow, despite researching it on yelp, I didn't really realize it was a chef's choice kind of joint. Now, that's not bad to me...I LOVE sushi and prefer it be prepared simply, but I was somewhat unprepared for that in this case. Beyond that, I just felt like the quality of the fish wasn't particularly great and the whole ambiance was a little sad. I don't plan on returning.
(2)
Amy C.

Located upstairs at an indescript strip mall, Echigo is a quiet yet delicious sushi joint. Omakase is the way to go and for around $45 a person, you really get your money's worth. You get 1 piece of sushi per round and every single piece is super fresh and yummy. I can't remember everything we ate because I was in a sushi induced stupor, but the highlights were toro, halibut, tuna, yellowtail, butterfish, scallop and the blue crab hand roll. I didn't really care for the baby tuna, but everything else was delightful. It's very quiet in there and service is polite and accommodating. I prefer sushi bar over table just because you get your sushi faster. Definitely a hidden gem if you're in the West LA area. Parking is underground but be careful about scratching your car on the ridiculous spiral going down.
(4)
Colin R.

Checked this place out after a friend who owns a few sushi restaurants recommended it. I did the lunch special (double), which was $14x2=$28. Not too pricey, but not that cheap either for lunch. If you order the double lunch special, you get 2 pieces of 5 different fish and two Blue Crab hand rolls (you can substitute these for yellowtail or tuna I believe). All the nigiri was really good, though the pieces were cut very thin. This is good in a way because they melt in your mouth, but left us a bit full. The two hand rolls at the end were good for filling up, and the Blue Crab was pretty good, yet not out of this world. It reminded me a lot of Sugarfish, minus the atmosphere. And the prices are fairly similar ($30 for Trust Me at Sugarfish), so it's pretty much on par for a similar amount of food. Some of the fish and garnishes seemed a bit better than Sugarfish, while others weren't as good. Definitely worth trying and way better than it's exterior lets on.
(4)
Sandeep P.

THE. BEST. SUSHI. IN. LOS. ANGELES. PERIOD. (this review has the worst punctuation in los angeles however, question mark?)
(5)
Sally C.

Its fresh and top shelf, its the same chef as Sugar Fish but half the price, Do not go for the service or the chefs welcoming just eat and enjoy :)
(5)
P M.

Very disappointing. For about the same price you can eat much better sushi at Sasabune.
(3)
Josie D.

It's good sushi and great deal for lunch. Traditional little sushi house. Inexpensive with fresh sushi. The decoration is a not fancy - if it were, the sushi would probably cost a lot more. I live in the neighborhood, and very happy that I do. I will be coming back. Lunch price:$15 - 30 / person.
(4)
Joe M.

The people writing poor reviews are delusional. This is the best sushi ever! (note the exclamation point). The warm rice with the fresh cold fish in the sushi is incredible. Ad the crab roll is one of the best things ever.
(5)
Demetri E.

I expected Echigo to be a little bit better than it was.. I liked it but didn't love it. The fish seemed pretty fresh which is good.. the fish variety was not as extensive as I would like but they had a few things that were interesting. The bonito was my favorite piece for sure. In general I usually just eat sashimi and nigiri and stay away from rolls. I halibut was pretty good as well. I feel like service was below average even though I unfortunately expect that from most sushi bars in LA. Not that the service is horrible it's just not friendly and or welcoming. Over all I think Echigo does have pretty good fish which is my priority but I feel like there are other places I would rather go. If I rate a place 3 stars it means I'm not too interested in going back... 4 stars and I'll keep coming back for sure!
(3)
Rachel V.

Good food. Sushi is incredible. Not a super nice atmosphere for such an expensive sushi restaurant though.
(4)
Jen Y.

I'll keep this short and sweet... HIGHLIGHTS: Now THIS is how sushi ought to be served--on a warm ball of rice! The blue crab handroll is highly recommended! Very good quality of fish if you like nigiri. LOWLIGHTS: Although Echigo is located on the 2nd floor of a corner plaza, street parking and ground floor parking is ample. I believe there's basement parking as well. One elevator to the entire building is quite small and stinks of piss. AMBIANCE: I was here on a night out with the girls. It's a no-frills joint with candles at each table and a bar seating area where you can observe the sushi experts. SERVICE: Attentive. They pick up your plate every time you're finished with a dish. OVERALL: 4.5 Rating
(5)
Geoff C.

Little, unsuspecting spot in a strip mall with some of the best fish around. The Omikase lunch special is great at $34, similar to what you'd get at Sugarfish but even better, with more items and more diversity. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Latisha O.

No it's not fancy but that's okay because the sushi is on point. Like many say this is no spicy roll place, just delicious cuts of fish. I wish I had the sense to remember what I ordered as I tried some new items, I want to say butter fish was one of them, but they were all delicious. Go here and you'll enjoy the sushi, but once you're done don't linger, it's just not how things are done at Echigo.
(4)
Y L.

I had dinner on a Friday night and below are my thoughts: Highlights: - Easy to make a reservation - Very reasonably priced omakase - Delicious sushi and fresh fish - Easy parking - Fast/good service The restaurant has a very simple layout and lacks ambiance, but the food more than makes up for it. I would go back.
(4)
Charles C.

Very very disappointing... Having been to Echigo before, I recall the experience being above average. The warm rice and fresh fish left little to be desired. However, it's been some time since my last visit (over a year ago) and either my standards have improved, or their quality has deteriorated. Regardless, it was perhaps my second to worst dining experience thus far this year. My gf and I came for dinner on a Sunday evening around 6 pm. The restaurant, located on the second floor of a corner plaza, was absolutely barren. There was only one other customer sitting at the sushi bar. At first I thought it was our luck because we didn't have reservations, but now I think perhaps it was a sign. The business is dead. Anyway, we ordered about 15 pieces of sushi each, ranging from negi-toro to blue crab roll; of course we had the basic salmon, yellowtail, halibut, and uni as well. Unfortunately, I can't say there was one single piece of sushi I actually enjoyed. Where do I start? Let's see... the rice was incredibly overcooked and felt like mush in your mouth, the fish was cut in very thin slices, the ratio of rice to fish was terribly off (way too much mushy rice!), and the quality of fish was terrible. I remember tasting some funky aftertaste immediately following the tail end of my uni. You know uni HAS to be served fresh, so this worried me. If their uni tasted rotten, what about all their maki and other minced pieces of fish? Just the thought frightens me. Trust me, I really wanted to like this place. I'm not writing a bad review because the service was horrible or anything else. Quite simply, the quality of food is very very bad. The poor reviews on here are very accurate, so please save your money and go elsewhere. I spent over $100 for dinner and it felt like an absolutely waste of money. The chef needs to read these reviews and do something about it. From what I've read and experienced, they haven't done anything about it. In no way does this place deserve four stars. If you do decide to go anyway and experience something similar, please post your review. Four stars is very very deceiving and unfair to all true sushi aficionados.
(1)
Seb K.

I ate at Echigo today for the first time and my mind was blown. This is by far the best sushi I've ever had. Period. UPDATE: I'm dropping 1 star. I went to Echigo a few more times and, while the food remains fantastic, the prices are definitely quite steep. I guess you pay for what you get, but I can't quite give it 5 stars with these prices.
(4)
Dave W.

Echigo is one of my all time favorite places to go to for Sushi. I love the cuts of fish, seasoning, warm rice, freshness of ingredients, presentation of dishes, service, pacing, and green tea. Everything is authentic at Echigo because the chef really is a Japanese person. It's not a good place for large parties but groups of 2 - 6 would ok. I love both their lunch special and their omakase.
(5)
Erin K.

Traditional style sushi... meaning none of your Americanized spicy mayo rolls or any roll with more than one type of fish. They won't even bring you extra rice (that was embarrassing when I asked!) So when you come here, be prepared to leave all of the "bad" sushi habits behind. The fish quality is amazing. Really excellent. We were a little put off at first, but then just went with it, and it was such a great treat.
(5)
Brett W.

I never yelp, and while I hate to be the person who comes on to give a horrible rating for a restaurant, I feel like I have to offer an opinion after our experience at Echigo this weekend - both for other patrons and for the restaurant itself. We came to Echigo for the omakase since others seem to love it and compare it to the likes of Zo, Hiko and Sugarfish (while I know it is cheaper than Zo I still expected it to have the same respect for the food). We were shocked at the quality for the price. Our major problems: 1. RICE: The rice was SO overcooked is was mush. The texture was so distracting we could barley eat our nigiris and it almost felt like a joke. As others have mentioned the rice was also really hot (not just warm style, which I love) so the contrast to the very cold fish was alarming. 2. FISH: A few of the pieces were pre-cut. The first sashimi was obviously plated before, pulled direct from the fridge and then drenched in sauce by a line cook right in front of us (the place really felt like an assembly line). The sauces were all weirdly sweet and unnecessary. 3. COST: For $45-50 you get a bit of sashimi, 7 pieces of thin cut nigiri and a handroll. For us this was just too little and we are not major oinksters. For comparison to Sugarfish: $30 gets you edamame, a bit of sashimi, 8 pieces of sushi and 2 handrolls. 4. THE KICKER: The crab hand roll came out, we took one bite and realized the crab was BAD. It had an ammonia taste and smell and we couldn't force another bite it was so gross. Seriously? I have never left a restaurant in LA feeling so ripped off. ** The one good part of our experience was the waitress/host, who was nice and very attentive.
(1)
Marjorie U.

Oh, my! If you want to eat some fresh high quality sushi that will make you moan non-stop in a very good way then this place is for you! Yeah, it looks like a hole in the wall restaurant outside but the menu is pretty upscale. You will definitely spend close to a $100 per person here but! It is so worth it! The waiter tells you if you you don't need to dip this "sushi" in your soysauce. And believe me once you put that sushi in ur mouth ur eyes will start rolling with pleasure. I kid you not! Just try their sea urchin, Halibut and Toro Roll! I do have a favorite! Their sea urchin is like butter! YUM!!!
(5)
Tobi L.

Quality of sushi was great. I didn't do the omakase here because I know what my favorite sushi are so didn't want to waste money on stuff I don't like. However, my cousin did strongly recommended the omekase. You can only sit at sushi bar if ordering omekase. So we sat at a regular table. Ordered oyster(so fresh, my favorite), sweet shrimp with it's eggs(super yummy), toro(ok), uni(pretty good), Spanish mackerel(delicious), giant clam, and abalone, I can't remember the rest but we ordered about 14 orders of sushi(which includes 2 pieces), 1 sappora beer, 1 medium size hot sake. Our bill was about $120. Not bad for great sushi. The ambiance is simple and clean. It's located inside a plaza that looked kind of ghetto. But the sushi was so worth it. I will definitely be coming back. Friendly service.
(5)
Christopher C.

This is one of the best sushi places in all of Los Angeles. My favorite dishes are the butter fish and the blue crab hand roll. Can't miss.
(5)
jason c.

Echigo gets 4.5 stars. This is my favorite sushi bar in Los Angeles. I've had better sushi in Tokyo and New York, but not at this price--and certainly not in a strip mall. As a new yorker you have to get used to the fact that in Los Angeles the best places can be in horrible looking strip malls. the fish is NOT pre-cut here as RockitO says. I've been here 30x and watched them cut the fish. The sushi is warm--tokyo style--with extra vinegar in the rice. If it's too much rich for you just say "easy rice." It is not uber creative because it's a traditional sushi bar for aficionados. Really people.... if you want a california roll or spicy tuna go to Ralphs where you belong. Ugh! The butterfish and blue crab hand rolls are the best. they bring each piece one at a time--as you are supposed to. It's awesome. Just go.
(5)
Alen L.

3.5 Stars. Had the omakase here: Red Snapper: 3.5/5 Otoro: 4/5 Kanpachi: 3.5/5 Butterfish: 4/5 Scallop: 3.5/5 Bonito: 4/5 Monkfish Liver: 4/5 Blue Crab Hand Roll: 4/5 My Food Rating = B+ Ambience: 3/5 Service: 4.5/5 Clean: 5/5 My Experience Rating: B+ Location: 4/5 Wait: 5/5 Hours: 4/5 Parking: 4/5 My Convenience Rating: A Pros: - Affordable on-a-budget omakase. - Good (not great), fresh (not freshest) sashimi. Cons: - The fish are cut a bit too thin, and too small. - The ponzu and other sauce drizzled over sort of overpowered the natural flavor of the fish. - Sequence fish was served didn't seem to follow a reason: 8 fish in random order, blue crab handroll for finale. - Felt a bit rushed. Our whole omakase was served in about 12 minutes. - Wish they had uni as part of the repertoire. - Makes people leave hungry. - Closes at 9:30PM Tip: You can arrive 9:15PM for omakase. But you will feel a bit rushed. Tip: At 9:30PM the gate to the underground parking structure closes. But there is a underground sensor. Drive up to it from the inside and the gate will open. Bottom Line: Echigo is a budget friendly omakase. I would dare to say it's probably the best $45/pp omakase west of Downtown. The service was friendly. That said, the freshness and quality of fish, and the creativity and presentation is 3.5 to 4 star worthy at best. Definitely not a 5 star. None of the items really blew me away. And I felt compelled to drop half a star because I left hungry. I felt like I needed to eat that set of omakase at least twice, which would have come out to be $90+ anyway. Alternative: Echigo is similar in price and quality to the omakase of Chef Hiro at Sushi Koyo in Diamond Bar.
(3)
Kailin H.

Always freshly prepared and flavor is great. Large piece of sushi and staff very friendly.
(4)
Jessie M.

tuna red snapper albacore yellowtail x2 kanpachi salmon halbut spanish mackerel sayori kohada uni x2 negitoro blue crab hand roll shima aji + sake An expensive meal, around $200 for 3 people, but the fish was really good. I'm not the biggest fan of the warm rice, but I think you either love it or hate it. I thought it was a little overwhelming, sometimes I was struggling to taste the fish. So maybe it wasn't the warmth it was just that the balance between fish and rice wasn't there most of the time. (Don't hate me passionate fans of this style of sushi, it's just my opinion!) Not one piece of sushi was dry or fishy tasting. Well, a piece of kohada was but that tends to happen in the mackerel family. Although the spanish mackerel was completely un-fishy, and one of the best spanish mackerels I've ever had. Stand outs were definitely the uni, yellowtail, kanpachi, and spanish mackerel. Albacore as well. I'd skip the negitoro and sayori. Both didn't do much. I would probably come back to this place if I didn't live across town.
(4)
Hsiang-I L.

Even with a 4 star based on hundreds of review, this place is extremely disappointing. The fish were relatively fresh but the sushi was not authentic at all, period. All the fish were pre-sliced, an abomination for a sushi restaurant! Further more, all the slices were 'paper thin', some nigiri were even served with a thin stack of fish scrapes! It was the first time i had a scallop nigiri with less than 1/4 of a scallop on; had a sweet shrimp that's pre-shelled and sliced in half. The list goes on... We each had an uneventful omasake which ended abruptly with crab roll, really?! We didn't even know the course ended till 20 minutes later, how professional. Ordered additional orange clam and sweet shrimp nigiri. The bill is just over $65/person, before tip and -alcohol. Not too pricy for sushi but there are so many better places that it's definitely not worth it.
(2)
Rachel H.

They have the BEST sushi that I have ever had. I've been here numerous times for their lunch special and each time, it's consistently good. Service is quick. They bring out one piece at a time to you like a piece of art. They only serve seriously good, traditional sushi and none of those other "special" rolls. Each piece melts in your mouth. Never fishy. The rice is room temperature to warm, not cold. Simply delicious! Once you've had sushi here, you will be spoiled and most other sushi places will seem mediocre. There is a parking lot & also easy street parking. They are located upstairs in the corner. Nothing fancy, just really good sushi.
(5)
Christine C.

Either I'm in a nice mood or I've just been eating at really good places recently, but this place is absolutely awesome! Come here if you: A) like sushi B) don't want teriyaki or tempura C) have some $ to spend on a great meal Went here for lunch and got the lunch special, which was 5 assorted pieces of fish and then a blue crab roll (hand roll). Each of the 5 pieces of sushi were absolutely fantastic and the blue crab roll was just so good. The sushi rice was slightly warm, which was a nice difference. This is the kind of restaurant where it is quality over quantity. So if you've got a craving for fried/garlic cream sauce covered/cut roll/teriyaki boxes, this is most definitely the wrong restaurant.
(5)
Eugi H.

Came here last night to try their relatively cheap omakase! I say relatively, because, come on, $45pp a meal is not cheap. But considering how much omakase can run at other places ($100+ is not uncommon), this was a steal. Came around 8pm and the place had a couple tables occupied, but the the sushi bar was completely empty. Perhaps it's the location (they're on the 2nd floor of a small plaza, rather unnoticeable unless you are specifically looking for them like we were). So the bf and I sat at the sushi bar, which is reserved for omakase only, and things got started. They are really quick to serve here, but not in a sense that they are trying to rush you. It's not like they are hovering over you to swipe your plates away and push the next dish to you right away. But you don't have to wait around for them to serve you. Which was nice. The bf and I both agreed, we like how we were served our food quickly and at a pace that basically went with how fast we ate. The omakase here isn't very extensive, but it's pretty good for the price. I don't remember exactly everything we had, but I'll name what I do recall. We started with I think was a snapper sashimi that was absolutely delightful. Then we had several different types of nigiri sushi (they only serve nigiri and hand rolls here, nothing else) and I remember from that baby tuna, medai snapper, butterfish, scallop, fatty tuna...that's all I remember.. The medai snapper was paired with yuzu which was deliciousss, and the butterfish with a dollop of sweet miso paste on top - I think my favorite way of eating butterfish so far! The meal ended with the classic blue crab handroll, which was tasty as well. I liked how the rice was served mildly warm in all of it - yummy. The staff here were friendly and the sushi chef even more so. They aren't the extremely talkative type, and they don't push for conversation here like some other sushi chefs can make you feel, which is nice. I'll definitely be back again!
(4)
Guild C.

Despite a physical ambience factor of 0, I love Echigo. The food is delicious (some of my favorite in LA) across the board. The chef always comes across as earnest, humble and professional and the experience when you sit at the bar always feels personal and respectful. I would recommend their omakase to anyone who wants special sushi.
(5)
Yi Z.

My friend and I were hungry and buzzed. Since we were only two blocks away, we decided to give Echigo a try. I've been to California Healing Arts College dozens of times for massages (highly recommended, by the way) and I've always wanted to try Echigo. I figured that it's hard for a restaurant to survive on the second floor of a strip center and since Echigo has been around for so long, it must be good. Wrong, I was so wrong! Since I had already had a few beverages, I didn't want to think so I went with the omakase instead. My friend choose 4 orders of nigiri. On a positive note, my omakase courses came quickly. In fact, it was so quick that we were in and out of the restaurant in 20 minutes. All of the sushi I got tasted just ok until I got to the blue crab roll. I have to admit, the blue crab roll was really delicious. It seemed like 2/3 of the fish they brought me was to be eaten without soy sauce. The sashimi course at the beginning had some sort of sweet teriyaki-ish sauce on it and it tasted really odd. There was a piece of fish that tasted like curry - yuck! I can't remember how many pieces of sushi I actually got; but I think it was around 10. That means that each piece of sushi was about $4.50 - ouch! I do love the disclaimer about how they don't have teriyaki, tempura, miso soup, ramen, rolls or anything else a "regular" Japanese restaurant may serve. It was a memorable dinner; not because the food was so great but because we managed to blow $85 combined within 20 minutes and the food wasn't even that great. We were also the only Asian patrons in the whole restaurant and that is not a good sign.
(2)
Rockit O.

I am not impressed. Pre-cut slices of thin fish on hot rice...this is not the sushi bar for me. Too much rice, and not very tasty. Reminds me a lot of Nozawa. No real creativity, everyone gets the same meal. It would be fine if everyone gets the same most incredible sushi to be had, but it just is so average that I will not return. Is one star too harsh? Maybe, but I would much rather go to Kiriko or Mori to get my sushi fix.
(1)
Anuj K.

Echigo was a lunch-time treat! I used to come here with co-workers/friends to grab their lunch time prix-fixe set, which I no longer know what it contains but I remember it always ending with a toro or blue crab roll that was delicious. I want to return!
(4)
Jean L.

Pristine bites of fine, sweet, fresh, and utterly marvelous cuts of fish. Stopped by last night without rezzes, and we were only the 2nd couple there around 8 pm. Only one other party showed up by the time we left. I don't know how this place survives! Regardless, I hope they do - and I hope we all really assess the caliber and quality of our sushi, and appreciate the worth of forking over more for those truly exquisite meals. Omakase at the bar is the way to go. After ordering a large Sapporo and hot sake, the small plates were promptly handed to us. Red snapper (sashimi): The five or so slices were almost clear and lightly dressed in ponzu. A fresh and delectable start. Toro: Thick, buttery, medium between red and pink. So beautiful to the eye and tastebuds. Halibut: Deliciousss. Scallop: Not your regular round-shaped. And not your regular kind. It was soft and sweet, practically melting. Bonito: I did a double-take - I've only heard this as a precursor to "flakes." The fish was absolutely delightful, firm and fresh, yielding to the bite. Kampachi: A lustrous cut that simply melted across the tongue. Baby tuna: Another what? like the veal of the sushi world? Oh but so delightful! Butterfish: I typically have this cooked. Raw, it was amazing. Blue crab handroll: Ah, the namesake and loving end of Echigo's splendid work. The nori broke to the bite, the rice was a perfect just-warm temperature, the blue crab impeccably legit.
(5)
Anh T.

After bombing a midterm, I decided that I needed some sashimi. Taking a friend's recommendation, the school BFF and I decided to come here. Looking at the rundown exterior of the plaza, we were pleasantly surprised by the modern interior. I noticed that they had omakase, which the waitress quoted to be $47 for that day, but I really wanted some chirashi. Unfortunately, they only serve nigiri and some special hand rolls. We ordered various fish (albacore, salmon, scallop, yellowtail, barracuda, and eel), but only the albacore really stood out. The blue crab roll and stuffed squid specials are definitely overrated. The rice is warm and slightly sweet, which I didn't mind. Surprisingly, I also didn't mind the wasabi. Normally, I absolutely hate wasabi but theirs was milder and I didn't hate it as much. Their selection of cold sakes were uber expensive, so I settled for a less pricey fizzy version. It was more like a dessert drink; it was much too sweet to have with dinner. In the end, we still paid about $45 a person and I couldn't help but be annoyed by the waitress constantly hovering over us. IMHO, not really worth it. In hindsight, looks like lunch would have been a better deal. Look at me, being useful and shit.
(2)
Elias R.

reading these reviews I get the feeling that some of the diners haven't been experienced enough with real sushi restaurants and their service. Every single piece of fish as well as the service was absolutely excellent. This is one of the best values I have ever found. If you have been to Sugarfish and know how excellent the fish is, imagine that with more choice, more variety, and the same service and quality. Definitely must try.
(5)
Sasha B.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in LA. I've been going to Echigo since 2003 and have introduced numerous friends to this place and everyone has become a fan. Sometimes I go here once a week, sometimes once a month, but it is fair to say that I've consumed more sushi at this establishment than anywhere else. The quality of fish is excellent and I love that they use warm rice.
(5)
T C.

I've been here about 10 times, and have been impressed 9 out of times. They sometimes have an off-night, but in general, you will get a meal that is equivalent or better than Sasabune for a lower price. The variety is a little smaller than Sasabune, so I don't think it's worth choosing one over the other entirely. The chef is a friendly guy as well. They take the whole experience seriously, and take their fish the most seriously of all.
(5)
Juliet H.

sadly disappointed. was here for dinner today with the bf and my brother. maybe it's a really bad day but two out of the 10 dishes they serve in omakase was good (the sashimi and the blue crab hand roll) oh and the miso soup i really enjoyed. all the rest was sad sad sushi, very fishy, mushy rice and quite honestly a bit hard to swallow. I had to finish each bite with ginger and beer. usually you only use ginger to cleanse your palate and I barely eat them. I had ginger almost after every bite. i mean how can you go wrong with toro? it was the worst toro i have ever had. what about butterfish? when I think of butterfish I think of it literally melting in your mouth. I almost gagged! the scallop- blah. the snapper- blah. nothing he served seemed fresh. i know the sushi chef/owner was listening to us complain as we sat at the bar, corner left, after each serving. he even saw me make a scrunch face after taking a bite, but he did nothing to compensate for the horrible sushi we just ate. we straight went to Leos taco truck right after because my bf was still hungry... very very disappointed and will never return.
(1)
Edwin C.

I went back after about a year for the lunch special ($14), and the pieces were much smaller. The pieces were really thin too. I had to get two of the lunch specials, and i still wasn't really full yet, but i was ok i guess. The lunch special comes w/ 5 pieces of sushi and a blue crab hand roll. My friend i went with came here a couple days ago before at night, and said the pieces of sushi were bigger, but still smaller than when we went last year :(. Tasted great still.
(4)
Chungah A.

You know how people say, "don't judge a book by its cover"? Well, don't judge this restaurant based on its location in a plaza with some strange things like California Healing Arts College and the sketchy-looking, urine-smelling parking lot. Now this is a legit sushi joint. They give you hot towels to wash your hands prior to eating and their menu is very limited. Each of the sushi pieces come out one by one. It's more like a tasting than a place to fill up your tummies. That being said, this was an experience like nothing else where each bite created a temporary euphoria. The rice with the sushi was done perfectly. It was lukewarm with extra vinegar, but not enough to overpower the taste of the fish. The ginger was also absolutely delicious. If you could eat this ginger with a Yoshinoya beef bowl, it would become a gourmet meal. No joke. The bill was a bit steep ($78) for 2 people whose stomachs weren't completely full BUT it was completely worth it, especially because of the quality and freshness of the fish. #1 Albacore ($6/2 pieces): I have never ever tasted sushi like this! The fish was so delicate that it would break apart just from your tongue. And it was mind-blowing as to how it would infuse with the rice so exquisitely. #2 Toro ($10/2 pieces): The taste of the fattiness was just superb. #3 Butterfish: I absolutely loved this, especially because of the hint of sweetness to it. #4 Scallop ($6.20/2 pieces): It had a really strong smell to it, emphasizing it's complete freshness. #5 Bonito ($6.20/2 pieces): Just delicious. What more can I say? #6 Halibut ($6.20/2 pieces): Very smooth texture. #7 Kampachi ($6.80/2 pieces): It was extremely blubbery and the rice fell apart. This was my least favorite but the boyfriend loved it. #8 Blue Crab Handroll ($6): This was delicious, especially because of the rice. But as good as it was, I'd much rather get another albacore for the same price. As great as this place was, there is somewhat of a consequence to it. Since I've opened Pandora's Box and have experienced the freshest, most gourmet sushi ever, I don't think I can ever go back to my usual sushi joints, like AYCE Midori. So I'm pretty much going to come here, eat 9 pieces of sushi, pay $100, and leave with an empty stomach. What am I to do?!
(5)
Hank C.

An amazing place for sushi. It's small, and in a strip mall, but it's sushi the way it was meant to be - don't ask for the American rolls like Philly or California. The lunch omakase for $14 was an amazing deal. Five pieces of sushi and a delicious crab roll (I recommend an extra or two). Warm rice sushi and you can request sashimi, too. Hot tea that was prepared properly, too, and refilled swiftly. Dinner omakase is supposed to be even better. Can't wait to try it again! Toro is pretty cheap here, too.
(4)
kevin s.

This is one of the best sushi spots in southern California. Believe me I am picky, I lived in Japan for 3 years. They make the sushi with warm rice (like Okinawa). Sit at the bar for omakase.
(5)
Jen G.

The fish is excellent, yes. Everyone is definitely telling the truth. And the warm rice was very nice. So, why 2 starts? Way to expensive. After spending $70 a person I was not at all full! (My husband came home and ate pizza after.) Way too small portions. You have to be kidding me! So tiny! The hand towels they gave us at the start of the meal smelled terrible! I had a mold smell on my hands that I could not get off. That made the meal a lot less appetizing. Also, an important piece of information: Definitely authentic sushi--no salad, no soup, no edamame, no cooked things. And, 0 ambiance. Not a date place.
(2)
Luciana B.

It sits on top of a Pizza Hut in a small strip mall on Santa Monica and Bundy. The decor is very generic and not charming but since what matters to me is food, I really like the place! Being walking distance doesn't hurt either. They have a great lunch deal. 14.00 for 5 pieces of sushi and one blue crab roll. They don't have any hot food other than miso soup. They also don't serve anything other then classic good sushi. No spicy rolls, no tempura rolls, california rolls. Actually, no cut rolls. Their rolls are cylinder-like handrolls. They will tell you which rolls you should eat with soy sauce and which ones you should not. Some people may get bothered by that, but I happly comply with my kind and bossy waitresses : No soy sauce! Yes, mam! All that said, the sushi is amazingly fresh. the rice is slightly warm, which makes a nice contrast with the cold fish. They make their own wasabi, and I swear their soy sauce is a concotion they make there too. It is really delicious with a slight smoky flavor. The blue crab roll is addictive. I think I want one right now. I go there a lot for lunch and when I am really hungry I add a toro roll to the lunch package. I had their Omakase once but I think the cost/benefit of the 14.00 lunch is much better.
(4)
Katherine M.

The sushi here is terrific and authentic but pricey. No California rolls here. For less special occasions and when you don't want to break the bank I recommend UZen up the street which still has good quality sushi for more reasonable prices. But if Echigo fits your pocketbook by all means go. Even the rice is amazing (warm and delicious and perfectly seasoned) & the blue crab handroll will be hard to stop at one. Sit at the sushi bar and enjoy!
(4)
ZL B.

"Admiring my shoes by Gucci, I be eating sushi..." (I'm hoping you know the song.) And not just any sushi... melt in your mouth slivers of fish that delicately lay on top of warm beds of rice. I could probably own a house and 100 pairs of Christian Louboutin heels if this place didn't exist. The omakase is the best bang for your buck in town. The sushi outshines the charmingly nonexistent ambiance and the fact that it sits on top of a Pizza Hut. On occasion, I like stopping into the cigar shop downstairs to purchase a lottery ticket or two in hopes that I'll win and have the financial means to hire Toshi as my personal chef while I wear my Louboutins in the beautiful home that I own.
(5)
Ed S.

This is the best sushi restaurant I've ever been to in LA- and I've been to ALL the good places in LA. It's also one of the best sushi places I've been to anywhere. It's just sushi - ie, no "California Rolls" etc. Just pure sushi. Fish and rice. The chef cares so much about what he serves you he won't let you take a 'to go" order. I've been coming for 8 years, after I got an email from a friend (who was a restaurant owner, by the way), telling me he'd just had the best sushi he's ever had and the place was empty so he was telling everyone he knows so it would stay open. Now it's gotten busier since the Zagat guide just called it one of the ten best restaurants in LA, so I noticed it's getting more and more crowded. But, really - it deserves it. (It's also cheaper than any of the other restaurants on that top 10 list, by the way.)
(5)
Ti B.

Sorry guys...Echigo and Ti didn't get along. I wish I would have had some of the sushi in these photos because my experience was wwwaaaayyyy llllaammmeee! I chose this place due to the reviews. I love fresh fish. i don't need the sauces or dressing, I just want the fish. I had three issues: 1. Size of the cut was minuscule. 2. The prices were really high for the amount of fish. 3. When I walked in, it reeked of bleach. Appetite killer for sure! Obviously, they have raised their prices since the photos have been placed on here. I was very disappointed and wished I tried something else out. But I guess that is what this is for...try it and if you like it...go back. I am done with Echigo. To me, not worth it.
(2)
Akane B.

I went here on the insistence of my friends. The place looks deceiving as it's located in some random strip mall. My bar for sushi is pretty high as I've been spoiled with good sushi all my life. It's in my TOP FIVE... maybe even TOP THREE of sushi places in LA. I would take my parents here... and that says a lot. It's pricey compared to the gajillion other sushi restaurants but well worth it. Very low-key, unassuming, non-fancy decor but who cares! The food itself trumps it all.
(5)
Robert K.

Another another good sushi spot in L.A. Another place with Nozawa roots. Not as good as Nozawa or Sasabune but cheaper and it's open on weekends
(3)
A C.

Still the best sushi bet in the West Side! And I LOVE sushi so have tried it far and wide. I have been a fan of Echigo since it first opened its doors years ago while I was attending UCLA (go Bruins!). I recently made it back after a prolonged absence (living in Boston), and I was delighted to see that it's as fabulous as ever. I'm not sure what all the recent griping is about! Yes, the omakase price had gone up- but hey, that's inflation for you. Still, the array you get is impressive- and not just the expected, standard stuff for the price. Service is impeccable. Never was my teacup less than half full. And most importantly, the fish is fresh, flavorful and attentively prepared by Chef Toshi and his assistant (a new guy since my last visit. Didn't see his wife there - but she's a sweetheart as well). The butterfish simply melted in my mouth...and the crisp, refreshing bluecrab roll was the perfect finish. His ankimo is to die for but alas, not the season for monkfish. We could have stopped but I couldn't resist another round of eel and the stuffed squid (soooo good). I took a first time visitor (but longtime sushi lover), and he loved it, too. True, this is not where you go to get stuffed silly with tempura and bright colored rolls (hey, I'm no snob- I have my roll days, too). It's where I go when I really want some great sushi prepared by a man who loves what he does and takes pride in it, at a reasonable price. And still a hidden gem, you are seated immediately. And there is plentiful, FREE parking. Echigo- you will always have a hold on this sushi-addict's heart!
(5)
Kara P.

food: echigo is good with their warm rice sushi but i never get completely satisfied or full here. my faves include their butterfish and yellowtail, but really everything is super fresh and good here service: very japanese and nice final thoughts: it's good but i dunno..it's very very quiet and the ambiance is actually kinda weird :( but the sushi is good!
(4)
john l.

The best sushi I've had anyway (including Sasabune and Hiko). Fish so fresh and delicate, it almost melts in your mouth. The balance with the warm sushi rice and the fish is perfect. Service is friendly and great here as well (no sushi-nazi B.S. here). They also have a great selection of sake too. The BEST blue crab handroll on the planet! The decor is simple, plain, and clean. You come here for the amazing sushi, not for the decor or the ambience.
(5)
Nicole P.

What Echigo lacks in ambiance (typical LA upstairs mini-mall haunt, crappy chairs and tables, enormous 80s windows overlooking the blah of Santa Monica and Bundy) it makes up for in food quality. In a tradition that should be much more embraced, Echigo's sushi masters serve their sushi with warm rice that has a hint of vinegar. The fish is as fresh as it gets, and portions are just right. I don't need a three inch long piece of fish if it's not fresh, and here you'll get only the best. My girlfriend and I went with the chef's Omakase, which I recommend for any and all patrons. There were a good 9 or 10 'courses' of straight up one piece per course sushi, with an appetizer of sashimi that was outstanding. Bonito was a highlight, as was the kampachi with yuzu citrus pepper sauce (my all time favorite sushi topper). Apparently the blue crab handroll is a house specialty, which is served at the end. It was good but actually my least favorite compared to the other high quality and tasty fish. The clam and scallop both melted in our mouths, which is a testament to freshness since rarely do I ever find clam that's not either too chewy or well... clammy. Nicely done! We went on a Wednesday night and it was pretty quiet. By about 9:30pm we were the last people in the restaurant, so don't head here if you're looking to rage disco late night. I also felt that the courses came slightly too fast, and I would have liked to take a breather between courses. That said, I can tell why it's my friend's favorite sushi spot in LA, and if you want a scene-less, scrumptious venue that also doesn't break the bank in these recessionist times, hit up Echigo!
(4)
Simon Y.

Foreward: I went here weekly from the time it opened until 2 years ago. I have spent ridiculous amounts of money at this place, only to be shined off. I loved it until I took my wife here for an early dinner on a Thursday - not even 7pm. Bar was empty, sweet!! Oh no, says the waitress, they're "reservation". Fine. Gimme that table. 1.5 hours, 2 omikases, 12 extra pieces, 2 bottles of Kikusui, and 2 big bottles of beer later - oh what's that, the bar is STILL EMPTY? I mention it to the waitress, no response. I ask chef Toshi, no response. EFF U, you're banned. I thoughts you were my friend, chef... Wish there was less than 1 Star. My friends still go here, and they say food quality is not as good as before, it's more expensive than before, and certainly the fish cuts are smaller than before. Move along, nothing to see here.
(1)
Dan C.

I am tempted to give this place 1-star to somehow lower its rating, but I can't morally do it. This is my favorite of the Nozawa-inspired omakase sushi bars in LA. Hands down. I think it is the best deal, especially now that all of them are getting more expensive, and I also think it tastes the best. It isn't for everyone, but I am over spending the same amount of money on a big roll filled with imitation crab and covered with tempura friend shrimp. In my omakase I like never frozen fish, some of which I've had before and some of which I've never even heard of before. I like the warmish/room temperature rice that is becoming more prominent in America now that Americans have actually had real sushi in Japan. I like a few with complimenting sauces that my sushi-chef feels might put an interesting twist on the regular old toro, but nothing too crazy. I don't mind rules and respect, but I also like a friendly sushi-chef that probably won't throw balls of rice at me(see Nozawa and Hiko). Anyways, Echigo has all of these things. Just don't take up my spot at the bar.
(5)
nini t.

I would have given this place 5 stars, but our bill made me gasp out loud. I was really excited to have lunch here. When my friend suggested we have sushi, I picked this over Sugarfish. I'd been to Echigo maybe 5 years ago and was pleased to see that it still earned such positive ratings on Yelp. The fish was fresh, the rice was warm, and I thought I was getting the $14 lunch special. When I saw our total over $60, I was shocked and embarrassed because I emphasized to my friend what a great value this would be. Hmm....did we forget the secret code or something?
(4)
James S.

last time i went the omakase was really weak and a 1.5 star omakase experience. the rice was HOT and there were only 8 pieces of sushi. Their bluefin toro is cheap...thinly sliced. here now has been demoted to 2 stars, unfortunate given the friendliness of the staff. Sasabune 4 Zo 4.25 Sushi Yasuda NYC 4.5 -------- Went again for lunch and the pieces are just cheap and tiny. Unfortunately I won't be recommending this place because they are being extremely cheap with their fish slices.
(2)
Ryan S.

This place rocks! I heard about this place from a friend after I brought her to a top sushi restaurant in the bay area. Her response: it's *okay*, I guess, but you should try out Echigo. The next time I was down in socal, thought I'd give it a shot. What's to lose, right? It's in this total strip mall and so didn't expect too much. Well as it turns out, the next couple hours of my life were among my most delicious ever. The best sushi, the best cuts, and it just melts in your mouth. You will never look at sushi the same way ever again. They have a sign inside the restaurant that says it best. The message basically comes down to this: We ONLY make sushi, and ONLY sushi. And if you want something else, well then go somewhere else, because we ONLY make sushi. Well said, Echigo, well said...
(5)
Julie K.

So my boyfriend suggested that we try this place because it's cheaper than Sasabune, my favorite omakase place in LA . The quality of the fish was pretty good, but I didn't like how the rice was soggy. The moisture from the sushi rice accentuated the fishiness, which kind of grossed me out. In addition, when my bf ordered an extra plate of toro sushi, they did a poor job making the sashimi part look presentable (crooked and had one long piece hanging from the side). I don't know about others, but I think the technique of cutting the fish precisely is extremely important. Friendly staff and fresh seafood. My boyfriend liked the place, but this place isn't for me.
(3)
Annie C.

Great sushi at a good price! I live in OC and this place is totally worth the two hour round trip drive anytime I have a sushi craving. The slightly warmer rice really does provide a better canvas for the fish and the freshly grated wasabi is the BEST!! Do not leave without having a blue crab roll. Its nothing like a generic California roll. IT's made w/ fresh blue crab meat and lightly bound with mayo.
(5)
Aaron C.

You've heard the common complaints with Nozawa-style sushi. Warm rice and sauces turn people off. I wasn't a fan, but it didn't dissuade me from trying Nozawa or Sasabune. I would say though, the blue crab handroll would make a believer out of anyone. Come here for the lunch special. It's affordable and includes one of their treasured bluecrab rolls worth its weight in gold.
(3)
Jenny K.

very satisfying... quality of fish is fresh. each piece ordered is beautifully paired and delicious. homemade wasabi and ginger to go with the sushi. hamachi, shimo aji, salmon, spanish mackerel, scallop, baby tuna, flying fish, blue crab handroll, everything was excellent!!! =D thursday night: not crowded or loud. i'd eat it more often except that it's expensive.
(4)
Christian T.

Sushi here is served traditional Tokyo style, which means there are no cut rolls, tempura or cooked dishes. If you appreciate sushi for the fish, then this is your spot. Chef Toshi is no stranger to the L.A. sushi scene, having apprenticed under Sasabune. He hand picks his seafood straight from the markets daily, to ensure you get the highest quality fish. You can order from the menu, but I recommend the Omakase (chef's choice). At $45 it's still less than Sasabune. Try to sit at the sushi bar if you can, so you can watch Toshi work his magic. He'll start you out with some tuna sahimi, and from there you'll receive piece after piece of mouth watering toro, butterfish, kanpachi, scallop...the list goes on. The finishing touch is a delicious blue crab roll. And if you still want more, check out the specials or just order what you like, you won't be disappointed. For the adventurous types, try the monk fish liver. Yum!
(5)
P C.

I came here on a Friday night with a friend, both craving sushi. So we sat at the bar and ordered the Omakase. The fish tasted fresh and appetizing. The only problem is that after 8 dishes, we were pretty much hungrier than before. So we ordered some yellow tail sashimi to top off the meal. Sit at the bar for the omakase, otherwise, the tables will do. Would I come back here? As long as it's not a date. You guessed it.
(4)
Meay T.

First, you must know that they serve only original sushi and sashimi, nothing fancy like california rolls, spicy rolls etc. If you're into rolls or any fusion/modern Japanese cuisine, you're in the wrong place. The quality is great. Fish was fresh and juicy. Rice was just right, not wet, and clump as it should be. That makes it easy for you to bite, not to embarrass yourself in front of your gang when Sushi rice fall and spread out around you. Sushi comes in 2 pieces. Overcharged .. yes I think it's too expensive. Totally, I had 4 pieces of sushi and 2 sashimi for $25 .. My stomach was still empty that I needed to dine out in another place later. They do have a combo of chef's choices for $40 OMG .. The place looks so dim and old. It's on the second floor of the plaza. Parking is good. I would definitely not return as there are so many other places in the same area with similar quality.
(3)
Deb C.

By far the best sushi I've ever had and I've tried many Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area. I love the food in SF but I have to admit LA has better sushi. The sushi literally melted in my mouth......the price is very reasonable for the quality you are getting. I will definitely be revisiting this restaurant.
(5)
Juliette N.

I'm not one to pay for sex, but that sushigasm was worth every penny.
(5)
Jae A.

For the longest time, I resisted going to Echigo. Why go to the student chef when the master chef resided just to the north west? Why go to a sushi restaurant next to a tanning salon when the largeness of a former Todai space was calling my name? Of course this lasted for a fairly short time until I discovered Echigo was open on the weekends (if only for dinner). I can't definitively say that the student has bested the master, but the sushi is pretty darn close in quality. You get the same type of warm rice, similar hand rolls (god bless blue crab with mayo) and a similar omokase that I think is slightly cheaper than Sasabune and slightly less in quantity. I do, however, absolutely love the skipjack and the butterfish. The creamy, rich texture of the butterfish usually leads me to order more after the omokase is complete. I love the butterfish so much that I try to invent excuses to go to Echigo. Perhaps one day, I will go and order nothing but butterfish and uni...
(4)
J H.

This a review for a dinner from a while back. The sushi here is okay. Nothing special and still kinda expensive. The worst thing was the ikura. It was swimming in sauce. It isn't really the way I like to eat it.
(2)
Scott K.

Finally got to try Echigo after all these years. Knew about it ever since it opened but never got around to it til now....and dood, am I impressed. Opted for the omakase and got some of the freshest, melt in your mouth sushi-sashimi I've had in LA for some time now. When ordering the omakase for two, yelpers should be informed that you receive one piece of sushi instead of two and the pieces are smaller than average, but mind your tongue, it's totally worth it. After the omakase portion was over I had to try the uni....and it was pheonomenal! I think I got a hookup cuz the portion was pretty big. Definitely going back again soon (especially since I work nearby now). Dinner for two including 4 extra orders of sushi on top of the omakase + two beers including tip came out to about $170. Seriously worth every penny! Service was prompt and the chefs were very friendly. Wish I had a camera to take a picture of the sign near the front. Forgot exactly what it said but basically stated this is a "sushi" establishment and if you want chicken teriyaki and cal rolls, get the f out." haha. Love this place.
(5)
Ada Y.

So far the best & freshest sushi I ever have! If you are the type that are willing to spend money on great food. This is the place for you. I have been to Sasabune and I like Echigo a little bit better just because the fish is a bit fresher and cheaper. E is definitly more run down compare to S, but if your quest is to eat......E is PERFECT!!! I miss the sushi soooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hamichi......where are you??? ** oh.....forgot to mention..... the rice are warm and just like S, they will tell you whether you need soy sauce or not. The experience is AWESOME.
(5)
Steve F.

The place is all about sushi. They don't even serve soup, edamame or tempura - only sushi. Sushi fanatics can't go wrong ordering anything because this is might be the highest grade sushi on the Westside. Some of the highlights are the monkfish liver and butter fish, served on warm rice, it creates a certain soothing feeling I never experienced before. To sit at the sushi bar you must order omakaze (chef's menu) so a la carte diners will be seated at tables. Also, this place is on the expensive side (but worth it) so bring lots of cash or a credit card.
(5)
Jessica C.

Keeping this review short and simple and telling you to JUST GO: BLUE CRAB HANDROLL. BLUE CRAB HANDROLL. Oozing with fresh blue crab in light mayo, warm sushi rice, and cripsy nori. You will find no better elsewhere. TRUST. LUNCH SPECIAL on WEEKDAYS. Get 2 orders if you are a BOY. All nigiri, all sushi - fresh, delicate, savory, sweet, perfect. TORO my heart. Part of the deception is the 2nd floor stripmall location with zero decor. This is probably how they keep away those that feel GREAT JAPANESE RESTAURANTS = fancy shmancy decor with food fit for a death-row inmate.... Yall know who I'm talking bout, "food trendy folk who have zero active tastebuds who rate good Japanese food by the number of mentions in the latest issue of US Weekly...who think chicken terryaki is the gold-standard for Japanese food."
(5)
Jesus d.

Fantastic sushi in a casual atmosphere. Go with the omakase menu and enjoy some of the finest sushi in LA.
(5)
Jim B.

Love Echigo! Can't come here as often since I now work in downtown LA, but used to come here at least once a week for lunch. I heard that the sushi lunch special is now $15, but still worth it. I love the warm rice on the sushi. Brings out the true flavor of the fish. Their omakase is just as good as sasa. I think Echigo's bluecrab handroll is a tad better than sasa. Prices are slightly cheaper than sasa but not by much. Damn - I'm hungry thinking about omakase and the bluecrab handroll. Another good item is the bluecrab stuffed squid with sauce. OMG, it's so good! Now, I'm starving! Thanks Yelp for making me cry and wimper in hunger for omakase. The only potential negative (which is fine with me) is the decor. There is none. But, I go to Echigo for the fish (and bluecrab stuff) and to enter food ecstasy. Firends I have taken here are still thanking me for the ecstasy trip.
(5)
Jerrold S.

Libbi took me here a couple times and they have a very nice reasonably priced lunch special. They cut the fish thinner for lunch but the quality of the fish is excellent. You might need to add on an extra blue crab hand roll to finish off lunch. The albacore, tuna, salmon and other slices of fish are of good quality. They don't do take out or to go and parking is tough. If you are around here for lunch I would go here instead of Sasabune and spend half of what you'd spend.
(3)
Liz L.

LVVVVOOOOOEEEE Echigo! I came here for the 2nd time tonight and the love affair begins again! Echigo is like a rushing orgasm - so quick (I don't think I've ever eaten for more than an hour here) but oooohhhhh soooooo gooooood. Memoriable in fact. I've had different favorites each time I came to Echigo. The first time was the butterfish which seriously was a slab of sweet, juicy butter melting in my mouth. Seriously. Today... it was the Shima Aji. It's part of the mackerel family but reminds me so much of the fish dearest to my heart - the yellowtail. I have one tip though - it's best to order off the "today's special" menu - you can't go wrong! The omakase is great too but I didn't get that today since I've already had a tiny dinner. I think I conveniently left my favorite black jacket at the restaurant (probably after 1 too many sake) so I'll definitely be back really soon!
(4)
j m.

I've been a fan of this place for years, and it never disappoints. The omakase at the bar is the way to go: the chef has never put anything less than extraordinary in front of me. It's a real adventure through edible aquatics, but don't fear, you're in the hands of professionals. Make sure you try the butterfish, the seared ono, and the kinme snapper. I agree that it turns out to be expensive every time I go: I'm not sure if it's the small portions, or if it's just that it's such a treat to keep on eating. I suspect it's a combination of both. As for the ambiance, I kind of like it. It's a quiet place usually for dinner, easy to talk to someone. The service is quiet and attentive, refilling teas and beers. It's located in an unassuming mall, right above a pizza hut, which I suppose isn't the fanciest place, but once you're inside, it's easy to forget all that.
(5)
Nisa N.

mmm.. So yummy and fresh! They don't have too many places like this around Sac., where I'm living, so I can appreciate this. Echigo is a cute sushi spot on the second floor over a pizza hut in a small plaza in Santa Monica. I went for lunch on a bright and warm December day while visiting some friends in town. The service was quick and attentive, probably also because the menu is short and straight-forward. There are no frills: no tempura and no special sauce. I had the lunch special. Dunno if it changes daily but from what I remember it was tuna, hamachi, yellow tail, one I don't remember and then the blue crab roll. The first four are served nigiri style on warm rice with a hint of vinegar. Nice touch. The last was a warm blue crab roll with seaweed on the outside. Is there a technical term for that? Anyway, I was pretty satisfied, the special was $15, service was on point... so this place is legit in my book.
(5)
Christine C.

The Omakase was very good, I would go as far as saying "to-die-for"! Being in LA for vacation, I was easily persuaded to go anywhere. I am truly a sushi fiend and Echigo is now on my top 3! All the fish was fresh and delicious. I will definitely make this a must go to everytime I visit LA.
(5)
kim l.

Sublime, melt in your mouth perfection. If you have not been to Echigo, go now. You will be shocked and will have found your new favorite.
(5)
jen h.

i really don't understand how this place has such high ratings. the fish quality is sub par and the rice is overcooked to the point where it's falling apart when its served. fish pieces are super small . i ordered the blue crab handroll (which many ppl seemed to rave about in the reviews) and it was average in taste. 4.5 stars, i think not :(
(2)
Karen R.

three and a half stars. this sushi chef sure loves his ponzu sauce a little too much!! it's good... everything we had was fresh - it would have to be, i mean, it's omakase! so no complaints on the food at all... the blue crab hand roll is awesome!! but it's mass omakase in a hurry and i just can't appreciate sitting at a sushi bar and seeing all the varieties of fishes already pre-sliced and plates clinking and clanking in front of me with a practically silent sushi chef (maybe l.a folks don't like talkative and fun sushi chefs lol) and his team of two / three hispanic mates churning out dishes fast enough to turn tables. good place for a quick good lunch. of course, i've only done lunch here; probably wouldn't come here for dinner and certainly not for a special occasion. it's a neighborhood strip mall kind of place. come in your shorts and tees and you will still be pretty comfortable.
(3)
Ray M.

Today my long time food friend and I went to battle Sasabune and Echigo. We read a Yelper state that he prefers to go to these two places before he'd step back to Mori. My co-worker personally knows Mori-San, so I was double curious about this statement and I'm always up for a challenge so we were off. I have not yet been to Mori Sushi nor do I have allegiance to that restaurant. We had omakase which consisted of several more pieces than listed below: Butterfish Scallop Chu-Toro Halibut Amberjack Spanish Mackerel The Neta was actually fresh without any hints of excessive aging or identifiable faults. The main problem is that their rice is completely ruined by several things rendering the nigiri a big ball of over-emphasized flavors lacking balance, delicacy, consistency, color, character, similar to how a Kids meals taste. First off, to all my non-Japanese Yelpers out there, the rice at a good sushi bar should taste better than how my Zojirushi cooker at home cooks rice. Since in many instances Rice IS the main course in Japanese cooking, this does count considerably when judging nigiri since as a chef you are concerned with the quality of the Fish, Rice, and Presentation above all. If any of these fundamentals are off, you are off, and thus you are not fit to serve anyone but yourself. Composition: Out of the 8 or so pieces of nigiri each Shari had a different shape and was served with different quantities. This kind of inconsistency is confusing and faulty, since you can't tell if the Itamae san is skilled enough to form a consistent base of rice, or scoop consistently the correct amount of rice. Too picky? Not really. Balance in ingredients is important to any preparation, and matching the amount of rice for the amount of neta is part of the art. If your neta and shari are both fluctuating in size per nigiri, you are either not sure what size tastes good in the mouth, or you aren't trained enough on how much pressure you should apply to forming your nigiri. Both cases means you don't have enough experience to be un-managed by the head of the bar and you should not be a direct representative of your restaurant. Period. Taste: Too much rice vinegar was applied to the shari, and kept wrong, so the rice was as a result too moist. Moisture may be a preference, but the marination of the rice here was tinged with so much sweetness/sourness that it was challenging to taste the subtleties and many times the basic character of the fish. If you like this you have a problem. Nigiri is not supposed to be like Starburst candies. The subtleties that you may be killing with your pile of wasabi is what makes sushi incredibly enjoyable. I can taste that the neta was fresh. No arguing. Very good fish that they are using and I think this is why some people can tolerate the bad rice. But, the balance of vinegar/sugar conflicted with the natural sweetness of Japanese rice so much, it seemed like the chef dipped the rice in a separate sauce before he served it, but that's what he actually did for the neta. Read on. The main problem with the nigiri was the Ponzu Bukkake syndrome. For the nigiri that they flavored, or should I say dumped ponzu on, they completely disregarded the fact that the fish had a flavor all it's own. Warning, if a sushi bar serves too many pieces of nigiri with bottled/overpowering ponzu you should leave. This usually means that they are either not confident of the freshness of the fish, or unsure of it's lack of ability to communicate it's characteristic without extra flavoring so they are resorting to covering up the taste. In all seriousness, sushi is a showcase of the fish and rice in their purest form. Adding extra flavoring is done to color or extend certain flavors, but should be done sparingly or you will end up with Gumbo. Sushi is not a fusing of flavors. Each component should be equally recognizable, and with too much ponzu, the image becomes blurry. For each plate with ponzu, the top and bottom of the each nigiri was swimming in a teaspoons-worth of sauce. You may be saying, "I like the intense flavors". Well, for you Mr. Sushi eating intense guy, the intensity of sushi lies in it's ability to showcase exactness and natural warmth together. It's not meant to taste like the last 15 minutes of the Last Samurai. The warmth of the hand, the exactness of the cut, the precision of the flavor, the timing of when it's to be served, all of these elements make sushi so interesting to eat. The intensity of Sunburst and Skittles, after a Tommy Burger and Chilli Fries with a chocolate milkshake, may be better for you Mr. Intensity. If you want well controlled loving nigiri, don't go here. You may say "Well I've been to Japan and it tastes like this". I agree I've also been to sushi bars in Japan that taste almost as sub-par as this, but you know what, the rice was better.
(2)
Christie X.

T2 kept muttering, "Day old fish, good for day old fish." That's all I could think of last night, that the experience was good for day old fish. I have to come back again on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, to give a "real review" of the fish. Though, in all fairness, everything I had was good. (However, I got a note from T2 this morning saying he didn't feel so good after dinner last night. Hmmm. My iron stomach had no problems, at all.)
(3)
david c.

is it possible to leave a restaurant more hungry then when you sat down to eat? well, lets put it this way. i'm now eating a turkey sandwich as i type this. this is my second and final visit to echigo for the 12 dollar lunch special. the first time was several years ago, when i went with a friend who said it was "the best". the rice was minutes away from being vinegar porrige. ok. i've enjoyed warm rice at sushi zo. but this takes it too far. i had to run an errand to graphaids and was craving sushi so i thought, i'll give it one more shot, it couldnt be as bad as the first time. WRONG-O! the fish is all B grade and precut factory/sasabune style (another restaurant i'll never get). if you cut the fish any thinner it would lose its entire structure and would lose its ability to be handled. the result is that every piece tastes like vinegared rice as there isn't enough fish to hold flavor over the rice. the blue crab hand roll was fine if a bit stringy. if you mix enough mayonaise with anything it will taste good. i attribute echigo's popularity to westside culinary ignorance. my last gig in beverly hills i enjoyed weekly lunches at sushi sushi which is a phenomenal restaurant. their premium chirashi leaves me teary eyed sometimes. i dont like to write negative reviews but i couldnt resist. this place shoud not be taken as a serious sushi restaurant. sorry echigo!
(2)
Erica C.

You must go to Echigo! GREAT sushi at reasonable set-menu and a la carte prices. One star off only because the restaurant decor is so sterile and boring but don't be put off by it! Seriously, the sushi is amazingly delish. And the crab hand roll is so good that I could probably eat 5 in one sitting!
(4)
Brent M.

The lunch special is unbeatable! 11 bucks!!! Ambiance isn't anything to write home about, but the sushi is great. I always order the toro, crab hand roll, yellowtail, and the albacore.
(5)
Karin L.

Except to pay a lot for lunch if you come here. Their sushi lunch special literally comes with 5 pieces of sushi and nothing else. It's more like a sushi appetizer. i had to order another roll and still wasn't full. But the sushi was really good. I especially liked their blue crab hand roll, which was fresh and not extremely fishy tasting like blue crab can be.
(4)

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Address : 12217 Santa Monica Blvd,Ste 201
Los Angeles, CA, 90025
Phone (310) 820-9787
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :12:00 pm - 2:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Echigo

12217 Santa Monica Blvd,Ste 201, Los Angeles, CA, 90025

Echigo Menu

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Lunch Special $14

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Lunch Special $14

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