Mako Sushi

MAKO SUSHI: The How, The Why and The Because…
After spending 800 bucks for a dinner at Matsuhisa — and not being impressed, I asked a Japanese friend where caone get a Japanese-​level, authentic sushi dinner. She told me Mako Sushi, and proceeded to make a reservation for us.
Now this word «authentic» is a problem. In LA, most people who have never been to the country of origin where some sort of ethnic food was birthed loved to proclaim how everything they approve of is «authentic». Well, I’ve been to Japan — and the best of the best cannot hold a candle to this Sushi man.
First — make a Rez and sit in FRONT of Mako-​san. And engage in drinking and conversation with him. This is not Nozawa (that dick) — Mako is friendly, educated and passionate about his food. He’s also not rude like many of the nouveau Jiro-​style crew that spit at you while you eat. And you do not need to order food the instant you sit.
Mako sushi is a little world within a world. Which you will notice when you walk in. The outside universe does not exist. But if you sit at a table, you too don’t exist.
Order OMAKASE but not off the menu. Say that you don’t need a menu. Look at Mako-​san and say «whatever you suggest — but we would like Sushi please — not sashimi». Get nigiri sushi. And don’t skip anything. If you don’t like it — eat it anyway and drink some booze. He will know you didn’t like it and like you more for eating it. Offer him some booze — beer — Orion (his favorite).
Do NOT mix wasabi in with your soy sauce and do NOT dip your rice into the soy. Ask Mako san how to eat each piece. He’s no sushi nazi but he won’t waste good stuff on you if you eat like a barbarian lol.
Get a little drunk and have fun. Make sure not to order sake though because that’s where the pricing goes crazy. Stick to beer and sushi. I would suggest coming here drunk to begin with and save some money. Mako’s pricing goes up and down but if you stick to sushi, you should be ok. Mako still has the best fish in LA — even better than the other God of Sushi, Ike san at Kimagure.
Don’t be fooled by the pretentious shits at urasawa, etc. An authentic Japanese experience is not being told off about your cell phone. It’s making new friends, eating amazing food, learning about Japan and getting a little drunk.

Must have omakase!!! The value for omakase is so cheap. It is $ 75 for just sushi and $ 90 for sushi and sashimi but it is for sure worth more! I am definitely saving money to come here again

Hmm what could I say about Mako Sushi…
One day, I stumbled on this hidden gem in the 3^rd floor of the weller court, same plaza with the curry house (2^nd floor), Mako san and his wife is very welcoming and the service is great, not sure about the other reviews but every time I come, I get greeted and seated quickly. The place is small but that doesn’t bother me. I’ve been here about 4 times in a month or 5 and just splurge my wallet because the quality of the fish is so good! I’ve even spent my birthday here with 6 people and we spent about $ 1K here with plans to come back.
We all got the $ 90 omakase w/​sashimi. Every bite was delicious and buttery, especially the lovely vibrant pink Chu-​Toro.
Whenever, I come to Mako san’s restaurant, I always opt for the Omakase $ 90 w/​sashimi.
It fills me up, all the food is small portion because Mako san’s omakase is served «Kaiseki» style. Which has different types of food, textures, flavors. Which I love.
Anyways, going to keep it short cause I can write a whole paragraph but that be boring.
I consider myself a regular here as this is my GO-​TO sushi place. Prices are higher than other places but your getting high quality fish. I used to go to hama sushi, oomasa, sushi gen (overrated), sushi go 55, but Mako is my first place to go!
I, also bumped into Gary I. who is a huge sushi foodie. And he offered some delicious sake on Mako san 25^th Anniversary.
tip: if you plan to go and want to be seated at the bar (which is limited), call ahead of time and make a reservation. then you can see mako san and his assistant work their magic!

Came here three times and absolutely enjoyed their food and their hospitality. The wife is so cute and welcoming, I went back the second just to see her :)
The quality of their food isn’t consistent, but overall they serve pretty fresh stuff. The first couple of times being there we stayed till the end, Mako San and his wife didn’t rush us at all. In fact, we stayed till 12am the second time being there and Mako San even brought out a brand new piece of toro because we wanted to eat more!
We went back again for their anniversary dinner and the experience was amazing. Although Mako San was way too busy to talk to us, the food was outstanding.
Will definitely recommend them :) Mako San might seem intimidating at first (my first impression of him) but once he is free he is the sweetest man ever!

The fish really wasn’t fresh and there was a smell walking in. I knew there was a problem when there was one one person in the restaurant eating at 7:30 on a Sunday. The food was average at best. The waitress and the sushi chef were watching tv at the bar while I ate. That was weird enough. My boyfriend ordered the omakase and I ordered a fish bento box. I tried one piece of an appetizer from my bf plate and the chef charged an additional 10 dollars for «sharing.» The bill also had multiple incorrect charges. Will not be coming back here again.

We had a party of three eat here on September 11^th for dinner. The A/​C must’ve been broken because the thermostat said it was 86 degrees. One person ordered a sashimi omakase and another the sushi ten piece omakase. The third person ordered a yellowtail collar and pork katsu. It took about a half an hour to receive the yellowtail collar and pork katsu. For the sashimi and sushi plates it took an hour and a half. All three of us received our meals at different times.
While the quality of the food is excellent, the restaurant is clearly lacking in staff. The waitresses kept apologizing for the wait. We will take our business elsewhere in the future.

You know its authentic when they spell authentic incorrectly on the front of their menu. I tried most of the sushi restaurants in little Tokyo but this is definitely the gem. Amazing quality and the sweetest servers truly makes this place worth going back to again and again.
It’s ‘authantic’ ;)

This was my go to spot back in the day. As good as just about anything you can find in Tokyo. I came back for a visit after 10 years abroad and to my surprise they recognized me. Okinawan Orion beer, friendly people, and no rock n roll vibe. One of my all time faves.

Sushi is delicious but service is lacking, unless you sit at the sushi bar.
We ran in here one night about 45 minutes before they closed. We were starving and happy to find an empty table, since the rest of Little Tokyo had half-​hour wait times. The sushi bar was full, but that was okay since I always feel pressured sitting right in front of the chef.
A waitress seated us and we ordered two beers while reviewing the menu. At this point another party of two girls came in, were seated, and also ordered drinks. After waiting about ten minutes, they got their beers. We were still waiting for ours and for our order to be taken.
After the waitress took her sake shot with one of the parties seated at the sushi bar (–_​_​_​-​), our warm, overly foamy beers arrived. We had a similarly long wait after we ordered our food.
I have to say, the sushi was some of the best I’d ever had. We ordered toro and the salmon avocado roll, as well as some chicken katsu. I know, probably not the ideal thing to order at a legit sushi place, but I wasn’t in an omakase mood. Everything tasted delicious, and super fresh. Very good.
Unfortunately, I don’t see myself coming back because of the service. I’m sure it’s fun for regulars and those at the sushi bar to drink with the staff, but as someone who came in to eat, I don’t want to feel ignored.

…very authentic, smells and vibes of Tokyo itself. Small, cozy and delicious. A bit pricey for those who became used to $ 8.99 sushi plate made by a latino student around the corner.
Give it a try if the quality is really what you r looking for…

Very cute place in jtown. Had the Omakase and it was delicious! A great traditional and authentic meal. Everything was really fresh, seasoned delicately yet very flavorful. The service was excellent too.

Dare I say it? I think Mako is my favorite sushi place, to date, that I have been to. The restaurant itself is pretty tiny. Less than 10 seats at the bar and a few tables. I would recommend making reservations.
Yes, it is on the pricier side but the service and food are both amazing. The quality of fish is amazing.
I usually don’t eat all my rice with my sushi and Mako-​san noticed… and gives me «little rice». The times I went afterward, he remembered me as the «little rice» girl.
If my budget would allow, I would probably come here on as weekly basis.

Omakaze delicious, toro order wonderful melt in ur mouth excellent service I enjoy it very much
Changed from 4 stars to 2 due to service, no attentive, not explaining the omakase style and time between dishes was waaaaaaay too long we felt like leaving but the course wasn’t over yet chef manager owner or whoever pls get ur service straight, although the ladies were very nice when we finally got their attention it was was hard to get their attention the whole night. Food still taste ok but the service killed it sorry won’t be coming back

This is a small sushi restaurant with one chef, indeed a master sushi chef for these parts. I think they might get better business if they had a better location. Clean. Sushi was very fresh. That would definitely be the most important reason to choose a sushi spot, right? Pricey but they give you what you pay for. Fish is cut correctly, giving you only the parts that go smoothly into your mouth without any resistance. Best salmon and fresh octopus! Wasn’t a fan of the 2^nd course. Don’t remember the name. It came out so pretty but I just don’t like the sliminess of okra. Everything else was on point. Rice was good! Friendly. It was very busy so we definitely felt that as we sat for attention but the were always so sweet when they serviced us I can’t knock them for it. Must experience!

This was my first time having kaiseki – a multi course Japanese dinner – and it’s forever changed me.
My palate experienced varying textures and flavors, while my eyes were treated to a culinary fashion show. This meal aimed to please my senses, rather than my appetite (although it accomplished that as well). In the past, I’ve had an uncontrollable desire to overeat. This was a beautiful realization – to please the palate instead of the stomach. Pleasing the palate pleases the brain. To quote Alanis, it was «intellectual intercourse.»
I was honored to dine with the insightful gourmet, Gary I, at his current crush – and last meal on earth – omakase at Mako Sushi. It’s chef’s choice on a variety of both raw fish and cooked items. (Gary prefers their sashimi.) I was privileged to sit at the sushi bar with Gary, with chef Mako-​san in front of my very eyes. Servers Mayuki and Kaori; Gary, and Mako-​san carried on with playful banter and laughter. It was a pleasure to listen to Gary converse with the staff in Japanese. I, of course, could not understand a single word, but I enjoy languages and tried to learn a few words along the way.
I had a front row seat to Mako-san’s culinary expertise. He wields his knife with great love and care. His is a delicate hand – one backed by over 25 years of experience – and it shows.
Mako-​san is the only sushi chef here. One chef focusing on all of his customers in a small and intimate setting creates a cozy, warm, and welcoming atmosphere. Beautiful Japanese decorations combined with light woods and colors to create a classic ambiance – reminiscent of how I would imagine Tokyo decades ago.
In my estimation, the Mako omakase is a culinary Cirque du Soleil – not in terms of flashiness, but rather a reflection of the chef’s skill level, standards, and my personal enjoyment witnessing the show.
Chef instructed us when to add soy sauce – not Kikkoman, they joked – Mako-san’s own creation. Gary guided me on when to try ponzu, or add a pinch of wasabi.
Gary ordered an excellent sake called Lucky Lady (but the Japanese translation is actually Lively Lady). It was fruity (strawberry), with a strong kick. It tasted even better paired with the food; they complimented each other nicely.
The theme of the night was textural contrast – crunchy, slimy, firm, soft, buttery, chewy, fluid, crispy, melty, and more. I was overwhelmed by many new tastes and textures. I will try to convey what I can – all I remember is that I had one delicious, distinct bite after another.
Mako Omakase
–Seaweed
–Liver of snapper — soft and delicate
–Cooked toro — beefy, mineraly
–Karasumi (Taiwanese mullet roe) — cured, smoky, cheesy
–Yamakake — mountain yam, quail egg, okra, tuna. Mixed together it created a slimy texture; a good palate cleanser
–Monkfish liver — hint of shoyu flavor, oceany, subtle
–Octopus — great chewy texture, flavored with Japanese citrus yuzu
–Clear seaweed
–Jellyfish — crunchy texture different from the octopus.
Tsukidashi — offering by the chef, a nice gesture. Sashimi plate of:
–Otoro — the highest quality toro. The fattiness melted in my mouth. A delicate, beautiful cut of fish. Slightly lemony, very rich.
–Abalone
–Bluefin tuna — rich minerality, slowly melted in my mouth.
–Engawa (halibut muscle)
–Sayori (halfbeak)
We had ponzu sauce with grated daikon and puréed chili, in addition to pickled wasabi stem.
–oysters — large shell, low salinity, nice chew to it, light finish — presented atop blue salt to represent the ocean.
–Fried oyster and white fish — a delicate batter surrounded a rich oyster. The white fish was light and gentle. The batter was perfect and crisp.
The onion strings were light, not greasy, perfectly battered, and captured the sweetness of the onion.
–Egg custard — rich without being overbearing. Shitake mushroom flavor. Smelled like bacon. Eggy. Hearty, yet refined. A loving process must have produced this.
Scallops, mushrooms, and vegetables arrived on a sizzling hot stone. The scallops were easily chewable, not rubbery. They were succulent and meaty with a nice sea flavor. The mushrooms were gorgeous and fresh, juicy to the bite.
–Amberjack
–Sweet Shrimp (amaebi)
–Toro (round 2)
–Crab
–Miso soup
–Sushi rice — sparkled and shined.
–Great combination of salmon egg and uni — the oiliness of the salmon complimented the melt away consistency of the uni. The uni was a beautiful golden color.
Mako sushi is located on the third floor of Weller Court in Little Tokyo. If you’re looking to satisfy a voracious appetite, go to AYCE. If you’re seeking royal treatment for your palate, come to Mako Sushi.
There are certain meals I will remember for the rest of my life: my first buffet in Atlantic City, fried clams in Nova Scotia, and spaghetti in Japan, to name a few. In rare cases, the food is so good that it’s not just another meal amongst thousands; it’s a diamond in the rough. Mako Sushi was one of those meals – an eye opening palate explosion that I will never forget.

Mako is an intimate little restaurant tucked away in the top corner of Weller Court. It’s been in business for 25 years and clearly caters to a loyal group of regulars. We were confused as to why the entire sushi bar was reserved (apparently, you have to call in advance) but as it was a slow Sunday evening we got seated.
The food is tasty and lovingly-​prepared. I was pleasantly surprised by the large pieces of fish on the nigiri. The little side dishes that come out during seemingly random times in the meal also adds to the experience. There is a decent-​sized sake menu, but the markup is pretty significant. (Regulars might keep their own stash in the cellar?) Chef-​owner Mako and the waitresses are accomodating and very friendly.
The only complaints I have are slow refills of our tea and water, and our green tea mochi dessert was too sweet.

I’m going to keep this review on Mako simple. We both ordered the Omakase $ 48 it come with 3 different appetizer, miso soup, and 10 fresh fish nigiri of the day.
The nigiri that was served.
Kanpachi was very good with yuzu kosho and sea salt.
Yellowtail belly had a nice fat to it.
Blue Fin Tuna was fantastic.
Chu-​Toro even tho it wasn’t Otoro it was very fatty.
Seabream had a great firm texture very good.
Fresh Octopus was it bit chewy, but decent.
King Salmon had a great fatty oily content to it.
Anago was surprisingly very good.
Uni wasn’t the best I had, I was a little disappointment on that.
Ikura chef Mako marinate this in his homemade shoyu. I really enjoyed it. It had that sweet and saltiness to it.
So that was the 10 nigiri in the Omakase dinner. We added a few more nigiri.
Kohada was one of the best yet.
Sweet Shrimp fresh firm texture very good.
And lastly Pike (Sanma) this fish just became one of my favorite fish to get. It’s fatty, oily, and plain delicious.
The service at Mako is outstanding and very friendly.
Note: check in at Mako and order any Omakase and get a free draft beer. It was nice of them to give us 2 draft beer for one check in.

Mako is truly a classic, old school Japanese restaurant… It seems to have been plucked out of a traditional Japanese neighborhood somewhere in To-​kyo– no Shita Machi or old town Tokyo, on an out of the way «Roji» or small pathway & magically placed here in downtown LA.
At the entry way there is the time honoured Noren (noh ren) or short curtain that indicates that the store is open for business. The Noren seems to function as a portal or divide between the sacredness of what lies within & the profanity of the outside world.
Walk through the Noren & enter the foyer, & you will hear the cheerful greeting of «Irasshaimase» Welcome. The Kimono clad ladies w/​smiles on their faces will lead you to either the tables or the Sushi bar of your choosing. I always call ahead to reserve a spot since it allows me to know if there will be a wait or not. Also, even if the restaurant is not full, I still like to give the restaurant the notice that I am coming as a courtesy.
I like sitting at the Sushi bar since you can see how the Namamono (raw foods) are prepared, & you can talk to Mako, the owner, for suggestions about the food as well as what specialty premium Sake will pair w/​the foods that were ordered. I’m always impressed by the high quality of their «Neta» (the seafood) used on their sushi, & their cooked foods show a sophisticated hand.
Their mini Ishi Yaki stone grill sizzlingly hot w/​either beef or scallops adds an air of excitement especially with a person you want to impress. Same (sah meh) no Nankotsu, shark cartilage, in a Japanese salty, agrodolce plum sauce is most unusual to accompany Sake (sah keh) or Japanese beer as an appetizer.
Mako has all the various grades & parts of the Hon Maguro or bluefin tuna which is probably the most esteemed fish in all of the Sushi/​Sashimi universe. I like starting out w/​the leanest section of the Hon Maguro first. It is fully saturated red/​crimson. The delicate scent hints of the freshest blood inflected minerality. The mouth feel is a meaty yet velvety smoothness almost bordering on the taste of beef carpaccio or tartar. A touch of Wasabi acts as a palate cleanser, & Sho-​yu (soy sauce) adds more Umami, that 5^th flavour component that is ineffable yet adds richness & meatiness.
Chu-​Toro & O-​Toro are the fattier sections of the Hon Maguro. The O-​Toro is comparable to the delicately fat inscribed premium prime beef. Chu-​Toro being a bit less fatty w/​more of a meat component. Either way, the fat in the Toro melts at body temperature in your mouth adding a luxurious oily, sea minerality & fresh sweetness. Again the addition of Wasabi & a touch of Sho-​yu adds contrast & Umami.
Nihon no Tai, Japanese Red Snapper, is another example of the pristine, flavourful nature of the absolutely fresh fish provisioned by the ever watchful & vilgilante eyes & nose of the master Sushi Chef. The white, translucent soft, velvety flesh of the Tai is given a texture contrast by the inclusion of the skin including the scales which are slightly seared.
Ask Mako~san for a soupçon of Yuzu Kosho-​, Yuzu chile paste, so you can put it on the Tai. The combination of the sweet sea minerality of the Tai w/​the slightly acidic, peppery, citrus flavoured Yuzu Kosho– is a match made in heaven. That texture contrast of soft, velvety, melt in your mouth w/​the slightly rough, slightly raspy scales adds balance to the entire experience.
Mako’s Sushi rice is another subtle demonstration on his nuanced mastery of the Sushi universe. The rice grains come out individually intact & the mouthfeel is slightly al dente w/​a texture that gives way to a firm softness ideal as a contrast to the usually softer textures.
The rice is a touch «nutty» & the addition of a soupçon of Japanese vinegar highlights in the rice a slight pleasant sweetness. The rice is compressed w/​just the right pressure so that the Nigiri maintains its integrity but falls apart in the mouth. Truly exemplary Sushi rice by a Meister Chef.
I can keep on ad infinitum about the virtues of all the hyper tres haute qualite of all the Sushi/​Sashimi ingredients, but the proof is in the pudding. You have to try out Mako yourself to see if what I am relating is fiction or fact. I have been to such temples of Sushi such as Asanebo in the Valley, Sushi Sasabune, Sushi Zo in West Los Angeles, Bar Nozawa at Sugarfish in Beverly Hills as well as Sushi Gen, Komasa in Little Tokyo.
But for me, Mako stands out in terms of quality & bang for the bucks. Don’t get me wrong, Mako is not cheap, but I come out w/​a bit more change at Mako than at the other mentioned places.
Mako, Mayumi, & the rest of the crew really make you feel welcome… but just remember that good food takes time to prepare so plan on staying a while to enjoy the food and the old school ambience that Mako and Little Tokyo have to offer. Like most of the good things in life, the experience at Mako Sushi should not be rushed but savoured.

This place is definitely way better and way more reasonable price than Sushi Gen. I’m here looking for a good sushi place to in eat little tokyo since Sushi Gen wasn’t it. This place is hidden away on the 2^nd floor of this plaza on 2^nd and San Pedro. It’s really small, so a recommendation would be recommended. I came here both time, and both time the food were amazing (once at the bar, once at the table).
Both time, I ordered the usual yellow tail, amber jack, tuna and salmon sashimi. The quality of the fish definitely is at its best. To my surprise, you get same kind of quality either you sit at the bar or at the table.
I also ordered some side other side dishes to fill the tummy. Their chicken katsu is fried perfect; very crispy and moist. Beef on a sizzling plate… definitely cooked and loaded with lots of butter… what’s better than beef and butter combine. I also ordered fried oyster, which is just amazing, one of the best I had. The meat were plump, fresh, and juicy. They definitely find the freshest oyster out there. Oh, if you like fish liver, ankimo is another dish you need to get. When fish liver is sweet and melts in your mouth, you know they got the freshest fish at hand.
Tip: Sushi bar is still the way to go. I like the attention and interaction with the sushi chief when sitting at the bar. However, at this place, sushi bar is not a must because they have 2 professional sushi chef dedicated to cutting your fish!

My friend recommended this place for their fresh sushi and I’m always eager to add more restaurants to my best sushi list so I stopped by for dinner one night.
They take reservations, which is awesome since most sushi places do not. We arrived at 7:30 pm and did not have to wait. They also had placed a little «reserved» card on the table as well. Nice touch!
Wanting to try a variety of items, we ordered Omasake. While everything was fresh and delicious, for some reason we still preferred going to Komasa. However, this is still a great place to go in jtown for some sushi. Located in the same plaza as Curry House and Orochon.