The fifth location of Kazunomi Nozawa's casual sushi restaurant sugarFISH opened last May in Studio City, replacing what had been Sushi Nozawa for 25 years. SugarFISH shies away from American-ized sushi rolls, offering only traditional sushi and a simplified menu. Nozawa makes his own soy sauce and ponzu, and has a serious sushi-eating philosophy explained right there on the menu.

Though it's a bit more than a year old, Yamakase gets some heatmap love as most Los Angelenos have only discovered it in recent months. This eight-seat invitation-only sushi bar offers traditional omakase prepared by chef Yama. Those who have been able to get into Yamakase just rave about it, and Eater LA has named the little sushi bar among the best in LA. Now is probably the time to go before even more people hear about this so-called "secret" restaurant.[Photo]

Kabuto was so hot when it opened last May that Eater Vegas wrote, "You'll never get in to the 18-seat Kabuto, so don't even try." That said, somehow the critics locally and nationwide managed to get in through the hard-to-find doors at this sign-less sushi bar. Bon Appétit included Kabuto on its long list of the 50 best new restaurants of 2012, and it's a mainstay on the Eater Vegas heatmap.[Photo: Chelsea McManus/Eater Vegas]

Sushi lovers of Portland waited with bated breath for beloved staple Bamboo Sushi to open its second location in the city's NW quadrant. Bamboo Sushi NW finally made its debut in June with less buzz than the original, but still plenty of excitement. Eater PDX reports that this location — twice as large as the original — "lays claim to being the world's first certified-sustainable sushi restaurant." [Photo: Dina Avila/Eater PDX]

Matsuhisa alum and Tokyo native Kaoru Ishii opened Hokusei Sushi in Portland last spring, offering 47 seats and a long list of nigiri and sashimi. Eater PDX also notes that the newcomer's omakase menus are available at a range of price points: $15, $25 and $50. Hokusei has already won plenty of local love, from chefs as well as the likes of Citysearch, which named it Best New Restaurant.[Photo]

Chefs Harold Jurado and Andy Galsan opened Jellyfish in the Gold Coast back in September, a second-floor restaurant that Eater Chicago notes makes you "almost feel like you've stepped inside an aquarium" with its white-and-blue hues and fluorescent lighting. This is a pan-Asian sushi restaurant with a variety of classic and signature rolls, nigiri and sashimi, and sushi combos meant to be shared. Most of the critics have already made their way in, and the verdict is rather mixed.[Photo]

People fell in love with Dragon King's Daughter when the restaurant opened its first location in Louisville a few years ago, and Eater Louisville points out that success meant expectations were high for its second location in New Albany, Indiana. Dragon King's Daughter bills itself as "contemporary Asian-fusion" and serves a variety of sushi bento boxes and a menu of maki divided into uncooked, veggie, meat and cooked categories.[Photo]

Little Lilly Sushi was an exciting addition to the Fort Worth restaurant scene when it opened this past fall, offering a little more authenticity from chef Jesus Garcia. There's a raw and a cooked bento box, traditional entrees such as yakisoba and stirfry, plus an extended list of sushi, sashimi and sushi rolls. As Eater Dallas writes, "Pray that you're there when [Garcia is] doing his duck and oyster okonomiyaki."[Photo]

Opened last summer at the SLS on South Beach, Katsuya by Starck is another wonder of a dining room from none other than famous designer Philippe Starck and sushi chef Katsuya Uechi. Eater Miami reports that the restaurant offers a $75 tasting menu, plus a $25 prix fixe that includes miso soup, salad, a teriyaki entree and dessert.[Photo: Rolando Diaz]

NAOE has been a Miami favorite for a long time, but buzz resurged last year when its original location closed and the restaurant reopened in Brickell Key. And, of course, NAOE remains just as difficult to get into as the original location with just eight chairs and two seatings, plus a five-star rating from the Forbes Travel Guide.[Photo]

British conveyor belt sushi chain Yo! Sushi first invaded US soil at Washington, DC's Union Station last summer, and it already has plans for another location nearby. This open theater-style kitchen and dining room is Japanese kitsch at its finest, with lucky cats all over the place, bright colors and a mural that fuses American icons with scenes from Japanese contemporary culture.[Photo: Ben Droz/Eater DC]

Opened in March of last year, Neta is run by Masa and Bar Masa alums Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau. The omakase menu at this 40-seat restaurant (20 of those at the sushi bar) has been praised all over New York City by critics, diners and restaurateurs alike. New York Times critic Pete Wells awarded the restaurant two stars, and Union Square Hospitality group's Danny Meyer endorsed the omakase writing, "Every bite and sip a reward."[Photo: Daniel Krieger/Eater NY]

Restaurateur David Bouley added an eight-seat sushi counter to his New York City restaurant Brushstroke last spring under the direction of sushi chef Eiji Ichimura. Ichimura at Brushstroke offers an a la carte menu, plus an omakase that starts at $150 and is reservations only. Last fall, New York Times critic Pete Wells filed a three-star review of the restaurant within a restaurant and things continue to be slamming.[Photo: Daniel Krieger/Eater NY]