The temple of this city's greatest sushi and kaiseki restaurant, Urasawa stands alone. The master trained under Masa Tamayaka in this space, formerly Ginza Sushi-ko, though Urasawa has perhaps taken it to higher heights with an otherworldly experience, with no expense spared. Reservations required, no photography allowed, but an incredible level of satisfaction is to be expected.

This super-secretive sushi bar in Palms is serving up some of the most exciting sushi and kaiseki in the city at the moment. The fish is pristine and the service impeccable. The courses offer an innovative take on high-end Japanese cuisine, not just an endless parade of sushi. Invitation to the restaurant is required, and is available via application on the website.

An understated, elegant dining room that formerly housed a spa, N/Naka presents a kaiseki and sushi meal that would impress anyone from out of town. Chef Niki Nakayama trained under Takao Izumida and Morihiro Onodera (Mori Sushi), composing stunning plates that are both creative and flavorful. The wine selection and pairings might be the best in town for a sushi restaurant. Reservations recommended.

Most diners opt for the epic kaiseki meals here, where the appetizer plate alone features uni, snow crab wonton, cucumber with bottarga, and halibut carpaccio. Next is a parade of fresh fish including kanpachi, spanish mackerel, toro, and wild scallop, served with freshly grated wasabi, presented beautifully, if slowly.

An omakase meal at Echigo will be modestly priced, but comprises up to 15 different courses of fish and shellfish. Some of the stars include fresh oysters, monkfish liver, and butterfish. One of the best bang-for-the-buck omakase meals available on the Westside.

Though chef Mori is no longer preparing sushi here, the quality still remains at this ultra high-end sushi omakase restaurant, with an extreme dedication to quality in every ingredient, including housemade soy sauce and tofu. The portions can be a little small and the prices are consistently high.

The simple strip mall sushi joint in L.A. is probably best exemplified at Hiko, where one master chef prepares all of the omakase meals before your eyes. The rice is warm, and the sushi is achingly fresh, though selections are a bit more straightforward than other high-end places. To get beyond the set menu with special items, just politely ask the chef for what's available.

Hailed by local food critic Jonathan Gold as a most "unusual" sushi bar, Shunji takes a vegetable-centric approach to sushi in a former barbecue and chili joint in West L.A. The former founder of the Valley's Asanebo, Shunji wields incredible fish and produce in a way that's only possible in L.A.

The original Sushi Nazi, Nozawa, has created a mini-empire of top-notch sushi restaurants that strip away some of the common elements of a sushi experience and encapsulate them in a simple multi-course meal, depending on how much you "trust" Nozawa. The rice is seasoned perfectly and the fish, hand-selected by Nozawa, might be as good could be at this price point. With locations in Brentwood, Studio City, Downtown, and Marina Del Rey, with Beverly Hills coming soon, it's L.A.'s patented sushi concept, with remarkable consistency and quality.

Perhaps the sushi bar with the best overall design in L.A., this Abbot Kinney restaurant does its best to cater to the "locals" by offering brown rice with its sushi. In addition to the sushi, there are specials like live clam in ponzu, lobster ceviche, and steamed black cod to complement the menu. High prices go along with the style and quality of the food.

This Brentwood omakase restaurant highlights a rundown of the best of the ocean's offerings, with all the classics choices such as Yellowtail, Red Snapper, and Uni served alongside the likes of Spot Prawn sashimi and Baby Red Snapper.

An iconic L.A. sushi restaurant, this small spot in Little Tokyo is constantly filled to the brim, with a unbelievable lunch sashimi special packing the crowds in. However, ordering directly from the menu or at the bar yields an even better experience, with an expansive selection of nigiri sushi and sashimi that's sure to satisfy.

This Pasadena standout makes very high-quality sushi in a pleasant environment just next to the Metro train tracks. The omakase here yields bluefin toro, uni, gizzard shad, and yellowtail. Chef Ike-san carefully crafts nigiri and other dishes right before diners, leading to a better than expected experience in this part of town.

The waits can be crushing at this popular Little Tokyo sushi spot, but it might very well be worth the excellent spicy tuna rolls, salmon skin rolls, and fresh nigiri sushi served in small confines.

The esprit of Nozawa lives on at this smaller, more intimate sushi bar behind the Sugarfish in Beverly Hills, where a fixed omakase gets served with extreme precision. While the creativity might not be there compared to some of the other high-end spots, the quality of the fish is top notch.

This popular West LA spot gets a second location in the heart of Downtown's Historic Core, where sushi chef Keizo Seki brings his ultra-fresh sushi in an omakase-style counter.

This high-end spot in West Hollywood has fantastic quality in their omakase, but also has some more "affordable" chirashi bowls that make this an ideal place to stop by during lunch.

With a new sushi chef Yoya Takahashi at the helm of the omakase counter, the level of sushi gets a major upgrade from the more roll-centric offerings on the menu (that are nevertheless insanely popular with celebrities). Takahashi's pedigree ensures a sharp eye of top-quality, seasonal fish prepared to a high degree, but at an approachable price well under $90 a person.

"Trust Me," declares chef Nobi Kushuhara, at Sasabune, a West LA institution where quality trumps all, including the bland decor. The omakase menu includes classic nigiri pieces such as maguro and toro, in addition to butterfish, albacore and yellowtail. Prices are high to match the quality, upwards of $200 a person.