The Sushi Counter at Asanebo
Asanebo, under Tetsuya Nakao's direction, is one of the fifty best sushi counters outside Japan. The sushi style: Modern Japanese plus Edomae sushi.
The chef's lineage: Tokyo lineage; Nakao-san is one of the longest-running Tokyo-trained chefs in LA.
The counter format: Counter eight seats plus dining room. The omakase format: Omakase plus a la carte sushi.
The signature neta: The signature Asanebo sashimi flight and the seasonal otoro.
How to Book Asanebo
The booking lead time: 4 to 8 weeks.
The best seat: Counter seat directly facing Nakao-san. Order the omakase, not a la carte; the chef calibrates the sequence to the diner's pace.
The kitchen at Asanebo is rated 10/10 for food and 9/10 for ambience in our editorial scoring.
Why Asanebo Is Worth the Pilgrimage
"Tetsuya Nakao's modern Japanese in Studio City since 1991. The most architecturally established Edomae and modern Japanese counter in San Fernando Valley."
Our editorial scoring places the food at 10/10, ambience at 9/10, and value at 8/10. The Edomae register or Nobu-style fusion register is structural; the chef lineage and the kitchen's calibration produce the dinner that rewards the booking effort.
View Asanebo on Restaurants for Kings →
Related Reading
- Top 50 Sushi Restaurants Outside Japan. The full editorial ranking, of which Asanebo is #18.
- Top 50 Hardest Reservations · Top 50 Hidden Restaurants · Top 50 Most Romantic
- Los Angeles restaurant guide. The full city directory with all occasions.
- Sushi Park West Hollywood. Our deep dive on the closest sushi peer in the city.
- Shibumi. Our deep dive on the closest sushi peer in the city.