Where Brandon Go of Hayato Eats in Los Angeles

Shunji feels like the closest version of a Tokyo sushi-ya to me in LA. I adore Shuji San and his wife Yuko. The level of hospitality is unmatched by any other sushi place in LA, and the seasoning of his food is gentle and perfect.

Yasu San is an easy going guy, but his sushi is very serious. His shari (sushi rice) is incredibly special. The omakase room is a new addition to this restaurant. When I took my father to eat Yasu San’s food, he told me that he brought me to eat at the original Inaba when I was in a stroller!

Kaneyoshi continues to evolve. The food is precise, and the ingredients seem to get better every time I go. Yoshi San is a wonderful host. If you are in LA and you are a sushi fan, you owe it to yourself to eat at Kaneyoshi once.

Mori San is the OG to me. The balance of his little sushi is quite striking. I have been eating his food for well over 20 years, and I am always struck by the restraint. Even if there was no sushi, I would visit him just to eat his vegetables.

It’s not really a fair fight when two of the most talented chefs in a city this size are married to each other and work in the same restaurant. I would go to République just for Margarita, and I would go there just for Walter, so if you get both of them it’s a no-brainer.

I am lucky to work across the street from Kato! Jon’s food is clean and precise, the Taiwanese flavors paired with pristine ingredients and their amazing beverage program is really special. I appreciate that Jon makes a lot of dishes that don’t play it safe.

I think I spent more time at Dunsmoor than anywhere else last year. People laugh because Brian’s food is the complete opposite of my food, but Dunsmoor with a lineup of Champagne and white burg is my happy place. If I am going to eat something with a lot of butter in it, I usually do it at Dunsmoor.

It’s not in LA, but my favorite place in California is in Elk. If you are coming to California, go visit Matt. It’s a singular experience in the United States. In my opinion, it’s as special as anything in the world.