Bar Sawa — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Bar Sawa offers artfully crafted sushi and cocktails served as an Omakase in a modern trendy environment.

To start off with the most important part the food and drink is definitely top notch. The sushi offerings are distinct. Not entirely traditional but offering some creative twists like smoke infusion without becoming gimmicky. Each course is beautifully crafted and plated. The fish was near perfect the rice was inconsistent and sometimes a little too dry or dense depending on the course.

Cocktails focus around Suntory brand offerings and lean heavily into traditional Japanese flavors like Yuzu and Matcha. Overall a fun and creative twist. The cocktail tasting menu allows you to pick 3 drinks the enjoy during your omakase or you can chose from wine and sake options. It would have been a bit better if they offered a cocktail tasting that was tailored to the courses served.

The restaurant itself definitely focuses on the trendy whiskey bar aesthetic and pulls it off very well. Each Omakase seats only 6 people so it keeps an intimate environment. Some of the logistics around entry are a little lacking. You enter the basement level by elevator and find yourself in a slightly awkward brightly lit waiting room off a long hallway. It feels more like hotel bar at first but thankfully once inside the environment is better.

Service was ok. The restaurant is very new and staff is obviously still training. The chef's pull double duty as chef and waiter as is typical of an Omakase. Here however the waiters also serve as bartenders and oddly the hostess as well which makes things a little convoluted since one of them had to go to greet the next round of guests.

Overall it was a fun experience but doesn't quite live up to the best similarly priced Omakase experiences in LA. However I think there's a ton of potential for it to be one of the best as it is refined further. There is clearly a strong sense of quality and creativity that hasn't been fully realized in such a new restaurant that's still ramping up.

I'd definitely recommend a visit. Reservations are needed in advance and book fast. Parking available in the...

Bar Sawa is a total hidden gem—an intimate omakase adventure wrapped in speakeasy style. From the moment you enter the discreet entrance, it feels like you’ve stepped into a secret culinary world. The chef is a true artist: meticulous, passionate, and warm, guiding you through each course with care and storytelling that elevates the experience.

Every bite is exceptional—ultra-fresh fish, perfectly balanced flavors, and beautiful presentation that makes it almost too pretty to eat (but you will, and you’ll be glad you did). The service is attentive yet relaxed, striking the perfect tone for the cozy setting.

Theme nights add another layer of excitement—creative twists that keep things playful without sacrificing authenticity. It’s rare to find a spot that nails atmosphere, service, and world-class sushi in one go, but Bar Sawa delivers across the board. A must for anyone who wants something...

Somehow managed to book two seats on a workday night. Overall portion is small. Totally 17(I remember?) courses but both my husband and I are still feeling half full after the entire course. (And this is based on each of us had two cocktails) We went to yakitori afterward and had 5 skewers each of us. That’s how little portion the meal was… Appetizer and the noodle dish was really good. Sushi wasn’t very impressive as a lot of the fish cuts are not the best cuts. $170 you can find better sushi somewhere else for better cuts of fish. Personally I don’t like the rice here. I think this place has potential but definitely has more aspect...