Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Warm loose sushi rice and fish rolled in crisp nori and eaten in three bites, the format Santa Monica's counter bars serve the second it is rolled.
The hand roll became a Santa Monica genre when the Sushi Nozawa group brought KazuNori, its self-billed original hand roll bar, to Broadway, serving set menus of toro, blue crab and yellowtail across a plain counter. The form rewards speed: rice still warm, nori still crackling, eaten in the seconds after rolling.
2 editor picks for The toro hand roll in Santa Monica, ranked by editorial score. All Santa Monica signature dishes · The toro hand roll across every city.
KazuNori runs its original-format hand roll bar on Broadway in downtown Santa Monica, crisp nori and warm rice sets rolled the second you sit down.
OrderThe five-roll set, toro and blue crab included
TipNo reservations at the bar; the Friday-Saturday private bar for 7 to 12 was added for the 10th anniversary.
Sugarfish serves the Nozawa-school Trust Me on 2nd Street in Santa Monica, warm loose rice and cool fish in a set menu that rarely misses a beat.
OrderThe Trust Me set, finished with the hand roll
TipNo reservations; go at 11:30 sharp or mid-afternoon to dodge the wait, and default to the Trust Me.
The toro hand roll makes more sense with someone from Santa Monica explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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