According to The New York Times, the first modern sushi bar in the country was Kawafuku in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo back in the mid-1960s.
A few years later, in 1970, Osho also opened in Los Angeles, but their location was strategically placed near to 20th Century Fox studios in effort to attract celebrities and producers. A move that could have been the catalyst for sushi to become mainstream.
Japan’s tech and economic growth during the 1980s brought more Japanese stateside and more Americans to the Land of the Rising Sun, which further helped sushi’s popularity. This rise in interest led to more Japanese chefs arriving stateside ready to share their nation’s traditional fare and its flavors.
Fast-forward to today and you’ll find sushi restaurants from coast-to-coast and in just about every mid-size town thanks to air travel making the availability of fresh fish commonplace.