Los Angeles · Japanese
Nozawa Bar
Ten-seat Beverly Hills omakase counter behind Sugarfish for Nozawa-style nigiri, sashimi, and hand rolls.
- Price
- $$$$
- Opened
- 2013
- Neighborhood
- Beverly Hills212 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
About
Kazunori Nozawa, Tom Nozawa, Lele Massimini, and Jerry Greenberg opened Nozawa Bar in 2013 as a ten-seat omakase counter tucked behind the Beverly Hills Sugarfish, carrying forward the warm, loosely packed rice and chef’s-choice discipline of the late Studio City Sushi Nozawa. Longtime chef Osamu Fujita led the bar for about twelve years; in June 2025 Jay Sada took over as executive chef after Nozawa’s appointment, with Fujita winding down toward retirement. The meal is omakase only, roughly twenty courses of nigiri with some sashimi and hand rolls, including adventurous cuts and staples such as Santa Barbara uni, ikura, and crinkle-cut tamago when the market allows. Michelin lists one star. Time Out and The Infatuation treat it as a special-occasion hideout rather than a Sugarfish walk-up. Soft list price has run about $225 per person plus an 18% service fee in lieu of tipping; confirm live on nozawabar.com. Reservations are required on Tock for two small seatings (often around 6:00 and 8:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday). No substitutions; skipped courses are not refunded.
Menu highlights
- Multi-course omakase (nigiri, sashimi, hand rolls)
- Nozawa-style warm, loosely packed rice
- Market fish including uni, ikura, and seasonal specials
- Sake, wine, and Japanese beer when offered
Diners say
Public reviews praise the fish quality, pacing, intimate counter, and Nozawa rice style. Recurring friction includes hard-to-get reservations, a no-change omakase policy, a steep check once drinks stack, and a room that does not suit diners who want to customize. Diners who like it usually book weeks ahead for a focused sushi tasting, not a casual Sugarfish dinner.
Review synthesis as of 2026-07-31. Synthesis of recurring themes in public Yelp and Google Maps reviews sampled July 2026; not a rating or ranking. Cross-checked against nozawabar.com (including Fujita/Sada transition notes), Michelin Guide (live 1-star distinction), The Infatuation, Time Out, SFGATE chef-change reporting (June 2025), Observer, and Wikipedia. Soft omakase price (~$225 + 18% service) and seating times: confirm live.