Dining at the Bar: Handrolls by Seabutter Is a Pared-down Experience—in the Best Way

At a hand roll bar, chefs feel a bit like discreet dining companions. They take your order, then delicately fill a square of nori with warm rice and fish, all while standing mere inches from where you sit. The hand roll is set in front of you to enjoy — a delectable lesson in simplicity and freshness—and then it’s about timing. When one roll is eaten, the next one is prepared.

It is an intimate experience that can now be enjoyed in the Valley at The Bar—Handrolls by Seabutter. The Tujunga Village space has 22 seats and a menu designed by co-owners (and spouses) Angie Berezovsky and George Fratkin and executive chef Peter Moon. Their top priority? Sourcing the freshest, tastiest fish from around the world and preparing it with devotion.

“We are crazy about fish,” Angie shares. “We get it straight from the fishermen—in Hawaii, in Japan—before it ever gets to distributors or hits the fish market. Quality control is very important to us. The fish has to be perfect.”

That desire to source and serve exceptional fish is what inspired Angie and George to enter the throes of the restaurant world. They opened Seabutter sushi restaurant in Beverly Hills in 2018, serving both sushi and hot items such as tempura, udon and sizzling black cod. They went on to open Seabutter outposts in Laguna Beach and Westlake Village. 

In the summer of 2023, the couple debuted another concept: a restaurant dedicated entirely to hand rolls. The Bar—Handrolls by Seabutter has no back kitchen, and nothing here is cooked. Anything that needs searing, such as scallops or wagyu, gets expertly blowtorched. 

The menu is meticulously curated. Take the H.Y.E. handroll. Angie won’t divulge the meaning of its name, but it is a bestseller and one of her personal favorites. Composed of yellowtail belly and kama, or collar (the fattiest and most tender part of the fish), the delicate meat is scooped out carefully with a spoon, lightly minced, then topped with a drop of sesame oil, a sprinkle of black volcanic sea salt and chopped kizami wasabi (pickled wasabi). The final product is nutty, light and delicious—and at $9 à la carte, the flavor is hard to beat in the sushi world. 

Another menu hit is the Double T handroll ($10.50 à la carte), made with negi toro (bluefin belly) and shaved black truffle, plus kizami wasabi and nikiri sauce. To try a few of The Bar’s creations, diners can opt for a set menu of three ($17), four ($22), five ($27), or six hand rolls ($33). 

“I don’t think you can buy a fancy lunch for under $30 anywhere nowadays,” Angie points out. “We haven’t raised prices since before the pandemic. We want to have the type of restaurant that people can go to multiple times a week.” 

While hand rolls are the star of the show, the menu does include some accompanying bites, from pickled cucumbers and seaweed salad to donbori bowls—rice at the bottom and sushi or wagyu beef on top. White wine, Japanese beers, and hot or cold sake are also available.

When asked if she’s at all daunted by the vast number of sushi restaurants in Studio City, aka Sushi Row, Angie is pragmatic. 

“The more sushi restaurants around our business, the better—it just means that’s where people go to eat. It’s like going shopping on Rodeo Drive. If you want something designer, you go there. If you want sushi, you’re going to Studio City.”