WHY Inventive sushi rolls and exuberant chefs. (If you stay until closing, you’ll get to hear them belt out Hotel California, perhaps accompanied by a few well-served patrons.)

WHAT One of the nation’s first sushi restaurants, Hama has been hot since 1979, combining a flip-flops-friendly atmosphere with fresh, carefully prepared sushi, sashimi and cooked Japanese classics such as spicy tuna shiso, seaweed salad, and grilled yellowtail collar with ponzu. With its surf videos and free-flowing Asahi and sake, this is a must-visit in Venice.