X17 XCLUSIVE - Sean Penn Nearly Ditches His Hot Sushi Date!

Okay, first of all, someone has totally milked the hotness out of Sean Penn - he's looking more like Mel Gibson's homeless twin brother than a 40something stud muffin! Now that we got that out of the way, WHO is this mystery gal he grabbed sushi with yesterday afternoon?!

We snapped the paparazzi loving actor (kidding!) and an unidentified brunette at Sugar Fish in Brentwood, and while the two weren't exactly making out in public, Sean IS back on the market, so we have to wonder if these two are more than just friends!

After their lunch, Sean's lady companion spotted photographers and ran back into the restaurant, and at that point the Oscar winner hopped into his black Nissan truck. Sean didn't seem to want to go back to get his girl with all the photogs on his tail, but he then realized they weren't going anywhere, so he waited on the street and made her walk all the way across the parking lot. And they say chivalry is dead!