Shin Sushi

Gems tucked into strip malls are a hallmark of the L.A. dining scene, but even within this sect of restaurant, Shin Sushi's near the top of its class. Taketoshi Azumi's omakase den serves seasonal, highly varied fish—about 18 courses' worth—in a cozy, casual setting: With only 30-ish seats in the whole restaurant (eight of them at the counter, the best seat in the house), it's best to make a reservation. The omakase is almost always straight nigiri and can be found both during dinner and weekday lunch, but if you're not ready to shell out around $100, you can opt for the 10-piece nigiri lunch special, at around $25.