Amazing homemade tofu, Tempura is lightly breaded and fresh and just flavorful!…read more Sukiyaki was also good. Attentive service.

Right across from the Little Tokyo Metro station, Izakaya Gazen has a wide menu to explore. I…read morereally enjoyed the Shishito Peppers and Duck Chashu. The Tofu sampler didn't live up to the hype for me, and I'd skip the Tuna Yukhoe next time. Overall it was a great experience. Fantastic servers, cold beer, and plenty more dishes I want to try.

Came here over the weekend for a small group to celebrate a friend in town. Very friendly service…read more Frosted mugs for beer. Terrific yakitori. Great Izakaya experience. I live pretty far away so not sure I'd make the trek down here again specifically for it but if you're in the area it'll treat your tummy right.

Rarely being in the area because the vibe it offered just wasn't for me. If it's not my visiting…read morefriend, probably would never make it here and figured out about Bizan from Yelp. To my surprise, it's already pretty busy around 5-ish. It's quite easy to get a spot with walk-ins though, and the attendants were plenty so service was speedy. The vibe certainly reminded me of Izakaya spots in Japan. Coming for Izakaya experience, obviously we got multiple skewers including chicken, bacon wrapped enoki, chicken skin, pork belly, and many more. My friend got their Kake Udon while I got their Kimchi Tuna Rolls. Taste was decent at quite reasonable price. Wouldn't call it best of the best, but surely not bad at all.

Definitely would not recommend coming here, especially if you are in a bigger party. We had 9…read morepeople here for a birthday celebration - food and drinks were really slow and came out staggered. Almost 1.5 hours before all the dishes finally came out. And service was also not great - the server brought out a drink that we didn't order by mistake, told us we could have it on the house, but ended up charging us for it anyway. Had already left when we noticed it. Also told us cake fee was $10, but ended up charging us $20. Food-wise, very hit or miss. The unadon, hamburger steak, and curry udon were all really good, but the yakitori skewers tended to be disappointing. The Tsukune was dry, the Negima was quite bland. The Miso Black Cod was also quite overdone, became quite rubbery when served and also was cold. Overall, I would not come back again, or recommend it. Given the price point, I expected that the food and service left much to be desired.

Taberu is no longer Taberu…read more With new management, a new kitchen, and a completely new menu, it honestly feels like a totally different restaurant--and I think they should consider changing the name because it's pretty misleading if you're expecting the old experience. The menu now leans much more toward fine dining, and the prices definitely reflect that. As someone who's more of a casual diner and really enjoyed the previous menu, this new direction just wasn't for me. The staff were very kind and took the time to explain all the changes, which I appreciated. However, we ordered about six dishes and were surprised at how small the portions were. On top of that, most of the items were unfortunately pretty bland. Sadly, I won't be returning, and I really miss the old menu.

My precious friend Amelia G. treated me to dinner at Tsubaki for my 40th birthday last month. I…read moreloved this place went I went before kids and pandemic, apparently almost a decade ago. It was as good as I remembered, and probably even better. I can't imagine letting another eight and a half years pass without going back. The only negative is that parking is either difficult or $15, which feels bad in a pretty quiet residential area. Better to take a car in any case, so you can enjoy the extensive selection of sakes. We shared a full-sized bottle, I forget which but I think it was a junmai daiginjo, and it was lovely. Tsubaki is such a nice, welcoming little izakaya. Service is great, the atmosphere warm and easy. You just want to sit back and drink at a leisurely pace. The food is excellent, with a robust menu of creative Japanese food. We shared everything, starting with a stellar kanpachi crudo with ume ponzu, shiso, sweet onion and habanero pickles, and furikake. My favorite dish of the night was the tsukune katsu. I love tsukune, the tare-glazed chicken meatballs you'll find in any yakitori place. This was my first time having them in katsu form, panko-fried and served over cabbage with Kewpie mayo and tonkatsu sauce. The chawanmushi was delicious, silky steamed egg custard topped with Dungeness crab, truffle salt, and mitsuba. Likewise the kinoko tempura, an array of maitake, shiitake, and enoki mushrooms fried light and crispy, with yuzu shichimi and tentsuyu for dipping. We got a skewer of bonchiri from the yakitori menu, delightfully chewy bites of charcoal-grilled jidori chicken tail. Finally, a plate of yakisoba, pan-fried noodles with house-cured Peads & Barnetts char siu, pickled green garlic, and cracklin. We got the hojicha parfait, and it was more or less my ideal dessert. Roasted green tea soft serve with sesame black sugar burnt miso and candied walnuts with cornflake dust. Cold, light, sweet. I could eat a whole one by myself pretty much any time. After nine years in business, Tsubaki feels like an Echo Park institution, and the kitchen is as strong as ever. This was a wonderful dinner, one I hope to repeat soon, with more sake, more yakitori, and more hojicha parfait.

I did have the most amazing Caesar salad at tsubaki, maybe it's because of the little fish…read moreingredients they are adding to the salad. It's not fishy at all tho, but there's just the flavor from the sea that really elevates the salad. The whole time I'm looking for the fish lol, but in the end I just finished the leaves with great satisfaction. The skewers are pretty tasty but too pricy when I know that at the same price Nan Ban Kan in Sawtelle just does it with 20% better flavor, 30% less wait time and maybe 10% cheaper. Didn't like the fried rice at the end. It'd be better if only they kept the braised beef with the sauce. The fried rice is way too dry to enjoy on its own. Living on the west side, I'm definitely in no time to visit again

Ambiance: Casual/Dress-up…read more Service: Sit-down -- Super friendly staff. The staff is really knowledgeable about the menu and ingredients, very attentive, and fun and conversational. They definitely add to the experience and make you feel comfortable asking questions or getting recommendations. Drinks: Fun and refreshing. Joshikai: Refreshing and on the sweeter side, but really good. If you like the mug and decide to take it home, there is a $150 fee. Food: Fun Japanese fusion. Lots of creative dishes and flavor combinations, with familiar Japanese dishes given a fun twist. I recommend: Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls: Comes in a bowl with rice on the bottom and seaweed paper on the side so you can make your own hand rolls. Fun way to eat it and you can make each bite as big or small as you want. Yakisoba: These noodles are really well seasoned from the sauce and wagyu. Lots of flavor and definitely something I recommend. Negima: Chicken skewers that come with a sweet and savory sauce. The sauce adds a really nice flavor to the chicken and makes this an easy one to order. Soft serve: must try Their homemade ice cream is delicious and captures the essence of the strawberry flavor. Parking: Street/meters. There is ample street parking around the area, but make sure to read the signs carefully because the restrictions can vary.

I really enjoyed Budonoki! Ambiance was chill/casual, loved their R&B playlist as well. It was…read morekinda dark inside, but didn't take away from the food. There is valet parking for $17 OR street parking. It can be a little tricky since the area is busy. Service was great, and food came out pretty quickly. It was just me and my friend and we ordered (6) dishes. Portion sizes are on the smaller side, but it was perfect for us. Curry Pan - Absolutely loved it and probably my favorite. It was packed with so much flavor and the aji verde sauce paired well with it. The bread was so fluffy. Spicy Tuna Handrolls - Fresh ingredients, and you're gonna have to hand roll these yourself! I would have much rather preferred they come rolled already. Maitake & Arugula Salad - Super refreshing salad and added a great balance to our meal. Charred Japanese Sweet Potato - OMG I loveeeeed these sweet potatoes! Who would have that chives paired so well with it? Scallop Crudo - We really enjoyed this dish A LOT. The cilantro vinaigrette paired with slices of pear gave this dish such a refreshing taste. I'd definitely order this again Tokyo Banana Soft Serve - A big portion to share and tasted just like the actual Tokyo Banana from Japan. Overall, a great place and I definitely recommend. Enjoy!

PLEASANTLY SURPRISED! 4.8…read more Hatch is located on the ground level of The Bloc, an open-air shopping center in downtown Los Angeles. The restaurant offers outdoor seating overlooking the lovely green turf and provides tall heaters for cooler evenings. My husband made lunch reservations here and told me it was just a quick 10-15 minute walk from our hotel, The Ritz-Carlton. We crossed a few intersections to get there, and it was well worth the walk. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a warm and welcoming host. The ambiance is light and airy, featuring high ceilings, light-colored walls, and light wood furnishings. The overall aesthetic is clean, modern, and very inviting. We stopped in for a late lunch and ordered the "Eggcellent Lunch" prix fixe, which included the following: *Tuna Tataki Handroll ~ seared wild caught tuna, tomato & shallot salsa, rayu chili oil, ponzu, micro cilantro *Seaweed Salad ~ w/minced garlic. Served alongside the Tuna Tataki Handroll *Squid Ink Karaage ~ 2-day brined fried chicken thighs, squid ink, house pickles, grilled lime, black garlic ranch *Chicken Breast Skewer ~ char siu marinade, black sesame *Bacon Shishito Skewer ~ applewood smoked bacon *Chicken Meatball Skewer ~ sous vide egg yolk & tare dip Bottom line, everything had visual appeal and was packed with flavor! If we lived locally, we would definitely return for dinner. I have no doubt the rest of the menu would be just as tasty, and I can only imagine the restaurant coming alive in the evening with a lively crowd, happy diners, and a well-stocked bar.

Hatch is situated in an outdoor mall and is a very nice space. The food we had here was fantastic,…read moredrinks are also strong and yummy. They served each thing we got pretty quickly. Still did not feel rushed. Bacon-wrapped Shishito- 5/5 sooo yummy my favorite bite of the night. thigh + green onion- 5/5 a classic, delicious and not too heavy. Chicken meatball- 5/5 I was surprised at how much I liked this one. Very juicy but not overwhelmingly meaty. Porkbelly- 5/5 another classic very yummy and i liked the wasabi? they put on top white prawn- 0/5 : this was NOT good. my only skip of the night left a gross fishy flavor in my mouth. I did not enjoy mushroom party- 5/5 i love mushrooms so I adored this one. Great assortment. Ribs- 4/5 very sweet would suggest getting a veggie to cut the sweetness and richness. Overall very yummy. A wonderful experience. I would love to come back. The drinks were also strong and yummy!

Came for Christmas Eve dinner. Typically need a RSVP here and was lucky to get one. Was seated…read morepromptly. Ordered salmon sashimi, adagashi tofu, chicken, wagyu short rib, some don, soup with plums, and panna cotta. Everything was delicious, as usual. Probably ordered one too many dishes though! Definitely an awesome time, and will be back for sure!

Kinjiro did not disappoint. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared with fresh, high-quality…read moreingredients and bold yet balanced flavors. The menu offers a great variety of authentic Japanese comfort food, and everything we ordered was cooked perfectly. The cozy, lively atmosphere and attentive service made the experience even better. It's definitely worth the visit and a spot I'll keep coming back to.

Wow the food is so good!! Recommended by a friend that this place was like Izakaya Osen several…read moreyears ago. Chirashi - the fish is QUALITY. 2 types of each fish, so it's still shareable with a friend. Standouts: their Uni was so creamy and fresh. Also loved the kanpachi pieces - firm and flavorful. Hamachi was also so buttery and fresh. The Miso Chilean Seabass skewers were the best. So tender, soft and grilled and marinated perfectly. What a nice thick satisfying chunk. This is a must order. Pressed sushi - these are hard to find outside of Vancouver so it was a delight to see them! We had the salmon and hamachi version. Loved that the Hamachi had a delicious spicy kick to it! The matcha mochi chocolate cake was so soft, gooey with strong matcha flavor! Great way to end the meal. It's on a poppin street on West Hollywood. We walked to Dayglow for matcha and the Pacific Design Center for inspiration.

10/10 Experience!…read more We stumbled upon this spot since it was within easy walking distance of our hotel, and we are so glad we did. It has the warm, welcoming feel of a family-owned business. We ordered the Kiss of Fire roll, spicy tuna roll, and a selection of nigiri (I've attached photos of all of them). Everything was delicious and clearly made with very high-quality fish. On top of that, it's incredibly well-priced compared to nearby alternatives. Excellent value for the quality. We will definitely be returning!