Sushi Gen

Sushi Gen is a long-running Japanese sushi restaurant at 422 E 2nd Street in Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles, California. It is best known as a lunch institution, where generous sashimi plates priced at roughly $25 to $35 have drawn lines of office workers, locals and visitors for years. The cuisine is traditional Japanese sushi and sashimi rather than the tasting-menu style of high-end omakase rooms, and the kitchen's reputation rests on the quality and quantity of its fish. The signature dish is the sashimi lunch special, a plate of assorted raw fish served with rice and miso soup; other emblematic orders include toro and halibut, which regulars often single out. The dining room is casual and unfussy, with a sushi counter where chefs work in view and tables and booths that fill quickly at midday. Noise runs moderate to loud at the lunch rush, the atmosphere is friendly and efficient, and no dress code applies beyond everyday casual clothes. Beverage options include sake, Japanese beer and tea, but the draw is the fish rather than a notable wine programme. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner and is closed on Sundays, though hours should be confirmed on the website before visiting. Lunch is generally walk-in only and waits of 30 minutes or more are common between noon and 1 p.m., so arriving at opening or after the peak helps. Dinner reservations are advised and are made by phone, typically a few days ahead for weekends. Little Tokyo is compact and walkable, with the Japanese American National Museum, Japanese Village Plaza and many shops and bakeries nearby, and it is served by the Metro A and E lines at the Little Tokyo/Arts District station, which makes public transport a practical way to arrive.