Echigo

05/12/09

I can't possibly understand the above average rating

by PedsDoc

This restaurant regrettably provided one of the worst dining experiences we've had in LA in a long time. My wife and I go out for sushi regularly, and had heard lots of hype about how good this place was. After going, I truly can't understand what others see in this place. It's billed as being more genuine sushi, and sticking to only the traditional applications. However, they take this concept to an almost pretentious level, and fall short in several areas.

1) The ambiance is bland at best, and considering the prices of the sushi, almost offensive.

2) The prices were on the face fairly average, however, the sizes of the sushi were so minuscule that it really escalates the relative pricing of this restaurant into the realm of far more elegant options. My wife ordered salmon sashimi for $14, and got 6 slices of paper thin salmon that weighed literally an ounce and a half.

3) The fish quality is only mediocre. The tuna sashimi was dry and not uniformly cut, I'm sure in an attempt to make use of the scraps.

4) The sushi chef is full of himself. I might be able to get over the fact that they refuse to sell basics like miso soup, and spicy tuna rolls, (though I've been to Tokyo, and these items are commonplace there). However, his rolls are not the traditional hand rolls, and he refused to cut them into more reasonable pieces. They appeared haphazardly assembled with no concern whatsoever for visual presentation.

5) The service was dismal. At least they kept refilling our tea, because it took us about 40 minutes to get our food, and even then, it came out to us so fragmented that the rest of my party was practically done with their food before I had even gotten a single one of my orders.

Needless to say, it will be the last time I patronage this restaurant, and I encourage you to save your time and senses and avoid it altogether.

• Pros: Fresh Grated Wasabi
• Cons: Everything Else

02/12/09

Legit sushi

by Vayabobo

Echigo is for sushi heads who enjoy delicate servings of truly fresh and melt-in-your-mouth fish. 100 words.

• Pros: Super fresh sushi
• Cons: Omakase (not a place to go if you like your spicy tuna roll)

11/09/08

Not better than Nozawa or Sasabune

by iknowgrub

It's ironic how the guy that worked at Nozawa left to open Sasabune and the guy who opened Echigo left Sasabune to open a business on his own. And guess what.....Nozawa is still best , then Sasabune and then Echigo. Master is always best

• Pros: Open on Saturdays
• Cons: None

04/13/08

Really bad ambience for average pricing

by wmj

I took my parents here. Extremely BAD idea. They only serve nigiri sushi and handrolls. NOTHING ELSE. their sushi has a unique taste, and it may even be a truer Japanese taste (I don't know, I'm only really familiar with American sushi), but it wasn't my taste. It's about five dollars for each two-piece nigri plate. We ended up just eating a few pieces of sushi as an appetizer and then going elsewhere for dinner. Maybe this is a decent quick lunch spot, but don't expect to see staple sushi rolls like spicy tuna or california roll. This is a very deconstructed sushi experience.

As far as the ambience, it's really a small really casual place. not good for a proper nice dinner.

• Pros: really casual
• Cons: bad ambience, not particularly inexpensive,

03/04/08

The Sushi King

by Elischa

I have been to all of the expensive, shallow, LA sushi places in town. Not because of the hype, but wanting to find a great sushi place. I found it at Echigo. There's no comparison to any other sushi restaurants in this town. It's as close to Japan as you are going to come. For those who complain about the decor, obviously just don't get it. This place gives you the best sushi in town, and because it's not decorated with all the silly frills, and gimmicks of other restaurants, it concentrates on the most important part. The food. I love wasabi....I didn't put one ounce of it on any of my sushi, because the quality of fish speaks for itself. Don't forget the mouth watering rice that is served with the sushi....I wanted just a bowl of the rice. The blue crab roll is so delicious, that I almost slid right out of my chair. Lucky for me and my husband we live right next door to this place. We will be going back time and time again.

• Pros: The food
• Cons: none

02/22/08

Rediculously good, ambience a little weak

by zar

I have been back about 5 times and everybody I have taken loves the sushi. The ambiance is quite poor, but the fish is incredible and worth it. Everything is very fresh, there are some interesting fish types I have never tried elsewhere, and some I have had at other places and didn't like I have tried here and thought were delicious. I have never had a problem with service, and the wasabe and soy and serving one piece at a time is supposed to be like that--go to some other omakase places in LA and you wil find the same thing

!

• Pros: Great food, reasonable price
• Cons: ambience is pretty poor

12/12/07

a diamond in the rough

by fullofflav2

one of the best omakase sushi places on the westside. better than sasabune! the atmosphere could use an upgrade but the sushi is well worth it. the fish is always fresh and just melts in your mouth. the sushi rice is served warm (the way it's supposed to be served). the other chick has no idea what she's talking about. she must be used to buffet style sushi that's by the pound. either that or she's got no palate for finer tastes.

• Pros: excellent sushi, great omakase selections, price
• Cons: atmosphere could use some help

12/09/07

THE BEST SUSHI IN LOS ANGELES

by cromagmax2

ITS TRULY LAUGHABLE THAT THE SOME REVIEWERS COMPLAIN THAT THE CHEF IS CHEAP BECAUSE THE PIECES ARE TOO SMALL FOR THEM. IF HE WAS CHEAP HE WOULD BUY SUB PAR FISH AND SERVE YOU BIG SHOVEL FULLS OF IT. HE IS NOT CHEAP, HE BUYS THE BEST DAMN FISH $ CAN BUY. IF YOU ARE HUNGRY, DO WHAT I DO, EAT MORE!!! DUH!! SUSHI IS NOT ABOUT BIG PIECES, NOR IS IT IN FINE CUISINE WHERE THE PORTIONS ARE TRULY SMALL. ITS ABOUT THE QUALITY, BUT THE TRULY UNSOPHISTICATED WILL HAVE TROUBLE DISCERNING IT ( see below )

• Pros: GREAT FOOD
• Cons: NONE

10/24/07

Are you kidding??

by knightgirl8121

This is the worse sushi place I have ever been to. This place was highly recommended, but I don't see why. The pieces were the smallest and thinnest pieces I have ever been served. I couldn't even savor the fish itself because of the amount of rice that each piece had. To be fair maybe this WAS a great place at one time- but the chef is definitely cheap on the cut/amount of fish that he serves. I would say not worth the price at all or go there when you're not hungry or after you've had a full meal.

10/20/07

WAY OVERATED!!!!

by stazzy

I initally read about this place on this website and it seemed like a good place to try. My wife and I love trying new sushi spots so we ventured over the hill from Studio City to try it out. When we got our first piece of single piece of sushi we almost laughed at the size of the cut, dont get me wrong the quality of the fish was top-notch but the cut was a joke. For the amount of money you spend on 2 pieces of sushi you can go to many sushi spots all over LA and get the same quality but a normal cut. Then we got out so called "large" sake to our table and it was undersized. I understand the ambience they are trying to create at Echigo but the place just does not fit with barren ugly walls and no atmosphere. By the end of our dinner we hade spent over $100 on sushi and were still hungry!! That has never happened to me in 15 years of eating sushi!! THe one positive was the service and the $34 cold sake we got which was amazing!! I do not recommed this place to anyone unless you are prepared to overspend on small cuts but quality fish. Instead try Brothers Sushi in Woodland Hills- same quality but decent sized cuts.

• Pros: Quality fish
• Cons: Size of cuts is a joke