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This hidden gem in Pasadena offers affordable and tasty Japanese set meals starting from $17. Each dish comes with a small salad and miso soup. The Sukiyaki Beef Udon ($19) does not come with the typical broth, but it's delicious nonetheless, especially the beef. The pork fillet cutlet ($23) was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They give you the curry on the side so that you can dip the cutlet in or pour over your rice. My favorites of the meal were the carpaccio appetizers ($14) - both the salmon and hamachi were so fresh and delicious!
It's date night, and I made reservations here via Yelp. I heard they serve affordable & traditional Japanese cuisine, so my bf and I were excited to try this. Parking: There's paid street parking, if you get lucky. We parked in a paid parking lot around the corner of the restaurant. We were parked for about 3 hours, and it maxes out at $12. Ambiance/Environment: This restaurant has a medium sized space with a modern and intimate ambiance. Perfect for large & small groups. Very clean inside. Service: Shout out to our server Jasmine. She was nice and efficient. Throughput took less than 15 min after ordering. What we ordered: 1) Sashimi Assortment Bowl - This came with salmon, tuna, and hamachi. I went with the bowl, so it sat on a bed of rice and served with miso soup, salad, pickles, sauces, quail eggs, and gingers on the side. All the fishes were unbelievably delicious. Very fresh, clean, and slightly sweet. Highly recommend this for all the raw fish lovers! 2) Hitsumabushi Bowl - My bf ordered this. It came in a cute bowl with a generous amount of rice. The unagi sat on the flavored rice and served with the same sides as my dish. Unagi is grilled eel, and it was definitely rich in flavor. My bf described it as "fishy" but the entire dish was sweet & savory. 3) Kara-age - We got these as appetizers. Kara-age is Japanese fried chicken. These were so crispy and seasoned well! 4) Crispy Rice - These were topped with cooked tuna. Fair warning, these are spicy! It's the perfect amount of spice in my opinion. The rice was indeed crispy and had lots of flavor. 5) Kyoto Matcha & Koshihikari Echigo - These beers were bitterly sweet! It came in a bottle and cold glass. Pricing: These prices are considered affordable, especially with the dishes they offer. Usually a sashimi assortment start at $30+. I was very shocked with the prices here. I'd say it's worth it; we left fulfilled and satisfied.
This place is so yummy! The people are super friendly and attentive. The restaurant felt really nice and aesthetic. Their sukiyaki beef plate was so delicious. The portions are huge here and come in an abundance of food. My friends ordered the eel bowl and pork filet cutlet. We all had so much food leftover we couldn't finish it! If you post on Instagram you get a free dessert. We got their black sesame Mont Blanc and I can't say I've ever tried anything like it. Def can't wait to come back!
Finally got the chance to try Gozen Shun, and it was awesome. My boys really loved the Katsu Curry Rice and Teriyaki Chicken Bento. It was very flavorful, and the curry was perfect for my son. It wasn't too spicy and the spices were not too overpowering. I ordered the Ground Pork Curry Udon and I loved it. It was exactly how I pictured it in my mind. I will definitely try others in the near future.
This unagi bowl is what dreams are made of. The golden, savory but slightly rich unagi had smoky undertones and was incredibly tender and fatty. It contrasted well with the texture of the mochi-like rice, and I couldn't stop eating it. I also tried a bit of the salmon bowl which I've gotten for myself before and the quality of the fish is amazing as always. The only unfortunate part is that the ratio of rice to fish is not the best. The salmon carpaccio, on the other hand, was just alright. Not because of the fish quality but because it was overdressed with garnishes that I could hardly enjoy just the salmon with the sauce. The crispy rice is definitely a better alternative with nicely fried rice as a base topped with a generous amount of minced tuna. The service was great with multiple waiters coming by to refill our waters and serve our dishes. The place was pretty empty on a Saturday at noon but if you plan to come in a large group, I would reserve the middle table because that one can seat a lot.
Not only is it peacefully, beautiful inside, but the food presentation is spot on, gorgeous! We started with the crispy rice appetizer, which comes with tuna on a bed of crispy rice divided into five pieces. The salmon sashimi bowl had generous proportions of salmon with real ground wasabi and a "flower" made of ginger. Miso soup seems easy to make, but it's hard to get it quite this good. The house sesame salad dressing has a subtle warmth. The chicken cutlet plate is their specialty and I can see why. It's deliciously juicy on the inside, perfectly crispy on the outside, and pairs well with the cool crisp shredded cabbage. The new owners took over around June, '24. Parking is in the back, but they do not validate.
I give it 3.5 stars! It was my first time at Gozen Shun. I'm not sure if this is usual, but they seemed understaffed. While the servers were nice, the service was incredibly slow. The experience felt disorganized--possibly due to a lack of communication between the staff and kitchen, issues with their system, or being overwhelmed by to-go orders. For example, our first appetizer, the shishito peppers, took 40 minutes to arrive. The food itself was delicious. We ordered Shishito Peppers and Hamachi Carpaccio as appetizers, along with the Pork Fillet Cutlet Curry, Sukiyaki Beef, and Negi Toro Bowl as our mains. The Pork Fillet Cutlet was fried perfectly, with a satisfying crunch in every bite. The curry was savory but a bit on the salty side. The Sukiyaki Beef was good, though it was served lukewarm, which I wasn't expecting. The poached egg on top wasn't runny as I expected. I'm not sure if that's how the dish is typically served. My favorite dish of the night was the Negi Toro Bowl. It comes with soy sauce for mixing, but here's a tip: skip the soy sauce and mix it with the salad dressing instead! Tonight's dressing was a wasabi vinaigrette, and when we mixed it into the Negi Toro, it was amazing. I highly recommend trying that combo! We actually never received the Hamachi Carpaccio, though the server apologized. We still got to try it tonight, and it was good. I'd still recommend it as an appetizer. Would I come back? Yes, I would. The food is worth it, but they definitely need to work on improving their service and organization.
A very clean Japanese restaurant! We went during dinner and ordered chicken cutlet udon plate and sashimi plate for our main dish. For appetizers we ordered salmon carpaccio and crispy rice. I love how the plate comes with a little salad, miso soup, and tofu. I think it's one free refill of them. The chicken cutlet is not too oily, fried to perfection - crispy on the outside and soft inside. The sashimi are fresh - melted to your mouth. Inside decoration are clean and give a warm vibe. We also ordered matcha mint blanc for dessert - it's not too sweet & yummy. Parking is a little difficult but I think there's paid parking lot - we street park so it's good too.
Two words: Sushi. Dog. This is my current hyperfixation, and I'm in love with it. They're like sushi handrolls STUFFED with salmon, eel, spicy tuna, or karaage chicken. Such a genius idea, and so well done. Theirs are the most aesthetic bento boxes I've ever seen. Get either grilled salmon that they brine for one hour or the thiccc pork loin cutlet, but my favorite is the grilled chicken which is something I thought I'd never say! And then to end things on a sweet note, I got the GIANT tamagoyaki. This sweet egg omelet is usually served as a dessert course at the end of omakase, but honestly is like a bar of gold with egg prices these days. Thanks for reading! ^-^
Now open for lunch, @gozenshun serves beautiful and delicious tasting Japanese Lunch Sets and amazing street snacks as appetizers. You can taste the freshness of each of the plates served and where everything is made inside the restaurant. The restaurant is modern & sleek and it's great that I am always welcomed with smiles as their service is wonderful! This is what we enjoyed for Lunch. Taiko Yaki Chicken Karage Carpaccio w/ Yellow Tail Shrimp Tempura Udon Pork Cutlet Curry Set Unagi Rice Box Jumbo Fried Shrimp Plate Beef Sukiyaki w/ Soft Boil Egg (my fav) By the way, the plated dishes was served with soup, salad with sesame dressing and Japanese pickles. Duo of Cheesecakes Black Sesame Monte Blanc It's refreshing to step into an authentic Japanese Restaurant because you and I know that most of the Japanese and sushi restaurants in the US are run by Korean, Chinese or Thai.
Went to Goken Shun for dinner on a Tuesday night. There was no problem getting seated right away. There is underground parking with plenty of spaces and you need a credit card to pay. The restaurant itself is quaint and simple. It felt comfortable and modern at the same time. Service was excellent and made us feel right at home. Now for the food: Iced Green Tea - definitely matcha powder based and was cool and refreshing. Tuna/salmon carpaccio were both amazing. The sashimi was fresh and delicious. The accompanying sauce, vegetables and jalapeño added to the complexity of flavors. Pork Fillet Cutlet Curry - and beautiful presentation. I love the separate curry to pour as much or as little as you want over the cutlet and rice. The cutlet was massive yet moist and tender. The curry was hearty, warm and filling. I loved that the miso soup is served in a cup. I loved the variety of tsukemono. The seaweed salad on top of tofu was light and refreshing. The small salad with the sesame based dressing was fabulous. The dressing needs to be sold because I would buy a bottle or two. Tempura Curry - another beautiful presentation and the only difference is the large and crisp Tempura pieces. My friend ate all of it. She loved the large shrimp and all the tasty vegetables. A fantastic dining experience with even better service. I cannot wait to go back again.
There's public parking attached to the building. Credit Card only just in case anyone needs to know that. This restaurant is so pretty! I'm in love with the decor inside! Service is wonderful! I love the staff here! Music is so much fun inside as well! Food! Tuna and Salmon Carpaccio: It's so fresh and delicious, the bit of heat you can get from the jalapeno on top is great! Tempura Curry Bento: Like, the shrimp you get for it are MASSIVE! All the veggies and shrimp have the perfect coating on it! Curry is perfection! And oh my goodness the sides. The miso soup in a cup is wonderful! I love sipping on it! The salad is simple and amazing! The pickled veggies are a great addition! The seaweed and tofu salad is also a wonderful addition to the dish! If you want amazing Japanese food, come to this place! I promise it's a wonderful foodie experience!
8/10 Overall: I was craving some katsu with curry and this place definitely satisfied my cravings! The dishes here are plated so beautifully and the servers are super attentive and kind! I especially enjoyed the thick and flavorful curry, the huge pieces of karage, and both desserts we got! I also loved the ambiance of the place, perfect for a date night! Pork fillet cutlet curry $23: 5/5 I loved the thickness and flavor of the curry! It went so well with the crispy katsu which had the perfect breading to pork ratio! I also loved the sides it came with! Sukiyaki beef udon $23: 4/5 they really didn't skimp out on the amount of beef! Not only was it so flavorful and tender, it paired beautifully with the savory broth and chewy noodles. The portion was also very hefty. Kara-age $7: 5/5 I loved karage and the pieces are huge! The breading is perfectly seasoned and you have to get the spicy mayo to dip it in! It comes with 5 pieces and is the perfect appetizer to share with the table. Salmon carpaccio $14: 3.5/5 paired with crispy garlic, fresh veggies, and their signature sauce, the fresh salmon melted in my mouth. Next time I'm definitely trying their tuna carpaccio! Black sesame mont blanc $9: 5/5 I love black sesame and this was the best sweet treat with the perfect flavor and texture. The cream was light and fluffy and everything about it tasted like home. A must get!!! Matcha & yuzu cheesecake $9: 5/5 the flavors were so strong which I loved! The matcha was high quality and the yuzu was a delightful sweet and tart combination. The cakes were thick and creamy and overall wonderful.
2 years ago
VERY cute Japanese cafe/restaurant - the vibes felt straight outta a YouTube lo-fi music calm studying video. Food slightly on higher price range but very well put together and high quality. The chicken katsu was so crisp (the sauce that came with kinda tasted a bit like Worcestershire sauce)!! Udon was great on a foggy day probs fave dish we got and tempura was delicious and light - not very salty. read more
Don't get me wrong the ingredients were of quality but that tempura batter was so much dough and dense. I like my tempura flaky and light. In addition, the set was alright. If you know Kagura, you know that this here Katsu was just alright. Maybe it is cooked cleaner but I felt like something was missing. Overall, the ambience was really nice but when it came to the food I feel like the flavors didn't hit the mark. Also, I felt the Black Cod wasn't the best I had. You pay $$$ for the aesthetic. Pro tip do not take out the tempura the entire batter got stuck with the rice when you went to lift it up. read more
2 years ago
First time trying this place and it was a nice dinner. I enjoyed the assorted sushi plate I got. The pickles and side dishes that came with it were nice too. You can get refilled on soups and salad which my friends loved. Staff were attentive and helpful. Would come back ! read more
4 years ago
Amazing quality of food. We enjoy the gozen style Japanese meal, with a main dish and small size dishes that change regularly. Their seasonal menu is always so fresh. We try to go early when they open for dinner as it tends to be less busy. The service is friendly and always so accommodating. We love their Japanese beer selection. The restaurant is small and doesn't have many tables, so a reservation is recommended. The price is decent for the amount of food served. Highly recommend this clean, authentic and healthy option. read more
Coming back from Japan and craving the foods again, I have been meaning to try Gozen Shun and what better time than to than now. The parking situation is a bit difficult with primarily street parking, but there is a few free street parking around the surrounding neighborhoods. The staff was very sweet and attentive and we were sat very quickly. I had ordered their sukiyaki beef set, which came with a salad, and egg for the sukiyaki, Miso soup, and a few different types of veggies. Overall, it was very good and reminded me of japan. The flavors were not that strong and it definitely hits the spot. My only gripe about this was that it felt only slightly better to the sukiyaki I could get in the fast food shops in Japan. Coming here and getting it at around a 30$ price tag does put me off, but if you are looking for a fix for these types of meal, this place definitely can offer. Of course, the ice cream was just as stunning and amazing, and honestly preferred it more compared to the food. The caramel was a nice touch and the ice cream was creamy. 10/10 read more
2 years ago
Just discovered this place and really enjoyed their food. The type of casual lunch or street food that you don't find often in Japanese restaurants. I had the chicken katsu sandwich and 3 pieces of their tamari sushi. All delicious. Took my meal to go but the service and atmosphere were great too. read more
Solid 5 stars!! I've been holding back this review until I get a chance to try it again as I generally don't want to rush to judgment given my former restauranteur background. But I gave in. Let's go with the pros and cons as well as why I recommend it as a "must visit" when one stops by in Pasadena. Pros 1) let's start with its name- Gozen means "set" or "set meal" and Shun means "speed" which literally means you get your foods within 5 minutes after order; for Lake Ave dining facilities which primarily serves a working lunch crowd this is a real plus; 2) super quality- everything ingredient was super fresh and high quality; 3) presentation is superb- photographic enthusiast can literally do a close up on each appetizer in the set and capture the perfect execution in each dish; plating definitely brings out the appetite; 4) aside from the set meals I've heard about the amazing cheese tarts which I haven't tried but I'm dying to; 5) super friendly service and walkable environment- it's surrounded by great retail; suggest anyone with time to walk up and down Lake Avenue to browse the interesting stores along the boulevard Cons - really terrible location in a mixed use building; yes yes I helped start the mixed used movement in Pasadena as an architect/developer so I know how terrible some of the mixed use retail spaces are after thoughts in the design process; this was one of those spaces facing Cordova and almost tucked away from the rest of the retail components; so bad that an average life span of a business in this space has been less than 5 years; ouch!! - parking is really not that bad as there are street parking available but street parking option is not the best In any case, highly recommend stopping by. Usually I will ask you to keep it a secret because I don't want to fight the crowd but not in this case. I like to see this store going strong and not see it replaced 5 years later. Itadakimasu!! read more
3 years ago
Gozen Shun is unassuming in the middle of busy Lake Ave., but it is everything but boring. This is my second time here and there is this sense of calm and serenity at this restaurant. Authentic Japanese gozen here and I don't think you can find this anywhere else in Los Angeles. Lots of natural light here but I got to sit outdoors on one of the nicer days after all the rain we have had in Southern California. The dish: Tofu Hotpot Gozen. Admittedly, I'm a bit biased because I'm plant based but I think this is a dish that anyone can appreciate. The dashi soup was flavorful, complex, smoky, sweet and smooth. Silky tofu with delicious mushrooms and spring onion (negi). I can't get over how much of this soup I wanted to drink. Usually soups in these kinds of dishes are a bit of an afterthought. Just dashi and mirin but here at Shun, it was the highlight of the dish and the vegetables were the accessories. Each spoonful paired nicely with the other dishes of my Gozen. So many different flavors and textures that complimented each other well. I couldn't finish it at all. Anyone that's a vegetable lover will enjoy this dish. You will most certainly be full. I can't get over the slight charcoal flavor from the hotpot!!! It made this whole dish so wonderful. Maybe I've just been more present with my food lately but this was just a wonderful dance of flavor, texture and complexity in my mouth today. 5/5. read more
sigh this spot used to be one of my favorite spots in pasadena! I have posted a great review about them before. in the interim, they were temporarily closed and had recently re-opened when I revisited. they completely changed the vibe and the menu and unfortunately, I didn't love my experience! I tried an assortment of skewers like the onion and the chicken thigh but honestly it was so fried and the meat and veggies under the batter didn't taste like they had seasonings . the hitsumabushi dish was the best but not mind blowing . read more
Came here to celebrate Father's Day with my family! Gozen Shun is located on the busy corner of Lake and Cordova. It was very kind of them to honor all the dads with a draft beer! Cheers! FOOD Pork Loin Katsu set- beautiful presentation and the katsu was very thinly battered with a good crisp. The seasonal veggies were potato and asparagus. The only miss is the katsu was too dried. Sukiyaki Beef Gozen set with poach egg and truffle flavor- beautiful presentation with all the small side dishes. The beef was tender and well-balanced with sweet and savory sukiyaki sauce. The poached egg to top it off was just perfect. The seasonal veggies were potato and asparagus. Sashimi (8 pieces assorted)- very buttery sashimi. YUM! Don't let the small size dishes fool you. We left with full bellies! AMBIANCE A bit tight but very clean. SERVICE Quick and friendly service. We were greeted within 3 seconds of entering the restaurant. They saw that we had a stroller and even switched us quickly to an adjacent table that could accommodate the space we needed a bit better. PRICE The prices are fair. Unlike some other Japanese restaurants where it can get pricey. Fair and good quality. PARKING There is street parking around or a parking structure to the right after passing the restaurant. However, restaurant does not validate. We had an early evening reservation and got street parking just a block over. Their menu has quite a variety so will be back to try something else! read more
3 years ago
This place is definitely worth a visit. Gozen Shun provides clean, tasty food and excellent service. If you're looking for somewhere new to try, I'd highly recommend this location. My experiences here have always been pleasant. Can't wait to go back :) read more
Managed to get in right before their lunch hours closed and I can't believe I haven't been here sooner! It's such a cute space, and I'll miss the restaurant that was here before the COVID shutdowns. I wish I had a bigger stomach because I wanted to eat more of the sets. You can order each ala carte but it really is a "gozen shun" which means "speedy set meal." In Japanese culture, you eat a set meal (gozen or teishoku) with rice, pickles, soup, and other side dishes. You can also get these set meals to go and they come in a box, but I've only ever eaten at the restaurant. It's quite spacious and they seat groups with enough distance between each other. There's two tables right outside, but since it's so hot, I haven't sat outside. One day I'll try everything on the menu but for now my favorite dish is the truffle sukiyaki set. I thought it wouldn't be enough food (based on the pictures), but it's a surprisingly filling amount of food. Plus it's all very healthy and balanced so you don't leave with a heavy feeling! read more
#1 make a reservation! I don't care if you have 2 people or 10. Call ahead for a reservation. We came here for dinner, just 2 and waited 30 mins for a table. We even opted to sit outside. My friend sat next to the heated lamp, and I was fine sitting far out since I run HOT always. hahaha! Order their herbal tea (HOT), it is fantastic! You each get a fancy pot and taste the goodness of the tea leaves. We got Agedashi Tofu, it was delicious. Jidori Fried Chicken APP was out of this world!!! My dinner was Pork Cutlet Curry and it was so good! I was too too full to even try dessert! Everything was top notch here. read more
2 years ago
Not the best time to go, according to the (very nice & attentive) waitress the restaurant has been going through a lot of menu changes. So what we saw on Yelp is not all available. I ordered the udon tempra bowl. It came on a tray, bowl with broth and noodles, plate of fried veggies, shrimp and some leafy greens. I've never received fried leaf greens before..... didn't taste bad but very random and kind of felt like i was skimped out on more veggies. Miso soup was OK, hot green tea was nasty, small salad came with a sesame dressing that was very tasty. My BF ordered the beef udon soup and it was nasty. The flavor was very strange and the beef was overpowering in a bad way, it came w a "poached egg". The egg somehow had NO egg flavor and absorbed all the beef flavor.The beef itself was almost shredded. My bf thought the soup was "ok" but only ate the noodles Appetizer we ordered the crispy rice with tuna. It was MID rice was a little too crispy, flavor was whatever nothing special. We also got the hamachi carpaccio, It was also OKKK it was completely drenched in soy sauce but not bad, if it had less sauce it would've been a LOT better, fish was very soft had never tried it before. Very light soft fish. Wouldn't go back but all the staff was very nice and the restaurant was nice and clean read more
Nice addition to the list of restaurants off of Lake. Was excited to have some of the Bake cheese tarts but they were sold out yesterday. Ordered a few items to take home which included their seasonal tempura gozen, pork cutlet bowl and the teriyaki chicken bowl. I only live 5 mins away and sadly the tempura and pork cutlet were already soggy by the time I got home. The batter on the tempura was thicker than I would've liked. You do get 2 large prawns with this set but noticed that they previously included scallops (which was just recently removed). I do believe this would've been better if eaten on site. The pork cutlet was good and again would've been better if eaten on site. Perhaps they should cut out some vents on the lids to allow heat and moisture to escape? Haven't had the teriyaki chicken bowl yet but it did smell good. Will go back to try items that travel better so that I can get kill my Bake cheese tart craving as it doesn't look like we will be able to travel anytime soon. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
I ordered the mackerel lunch set (gozen), and my bf got the sukiyaki beef (gozen). We ordered a steamed vegetable dish to share as well as pots of tea. Everything was simple yet amazing. The vegetables are just steamed and have no seasoning or sauce on them - they give you two sauces on the side for dipping. PROs: VERY CLEAN TASTE, simple ingredients, not overly salty, fresh, good quality food, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING CONs: parking, the guy at the back looked angry, our server looked sad. Not a friendly atmosphere and didn't feel welcomed. read more
2 years ago
Upscale, fresh, and quick -- my experience at Gozen Shun was excellent. For lunch, I tried the Sukiyaki Beef Gozen with a plethora of side dishes. As a whole, the meal was incredibly filling but light -- the perfect combination that's hard to find. The sukiyaki was flavorful, and I'm looking forward to trying other gozen here. While it's a bit on the pricier side (~$35 after tip), Gozen Shun has innumerable redeeming qualities as well -- attentive waiters, quick service, and a chic interior. read more
5 years ago
This place is so QUTEEE. My friends introduced me to this place and I love the overall aesthetic and vibe here. The tables were also super spacious here as well, so there is a lot of table room for your food! I wasn't too hungry, but I split the order with my friend to tried the Beef Sukiyaki Gozen. It was really delicious! Extremely flavorful! I love all the little sides that they offered as well, especially that corn jelly thing (not sure what its called) but it was something I've never tried before and I was so amazed by it. The gozen itself was a very nice experience to try. All their menu items are pretty pricey, but I feel like it also pays for the experience of the whole "gozen" idea. My friends really enjoy the bowls here as well. There's definitely not a lot of places like this around 626, so it's definitely a great feature to the SGV foods! read more
This place is so tasty! With all the restaurants busy for Valentine's Day, we decided to give this place a try. They certainly did not disappoint. They are a newly opened restaurant in Pasadena. Pork cutlet curry rice - not pictured. The curry tasted really good in comparison to other places. They gave generous portions of the pork. Shrimp tempura udon - they used jumbo shrimp! The udon was nice. Tempura vegetables - they used good quality vegetables instead of the traditional ones; Brussels sprouts, Japanese yam, jumbo shrimp, etc. Karaage - very crispy chicken skin with a mayo based sauce. Yum. Salmon bowl - this bowl had such high quality ingredients! The roe was so fresh and salty. The salmon was thickly sliced and fresh. Stay safe and eat well my friends! read more
As someone who absolutely loves bento boxes, I was SO excited to try out this place! I ordered the sukiyaki beef gozen to-go and was so impressed by their attention to detail - you can really tell that they put a lot of thought and care into the meals that they prepare. The beef was very flavorful and paired well with the milder rice and veggie side dishes. I believe the side dishes change based on whatever is in season, but mine included a salad, a cucumber potato salad, and some pickled radishes, all quite yummy! The set also came with a miso soup. Parking in this area is pretty easy, there's plenty of street parking along Lake and a convenient free parking structure next to Trader Joe's (~5 min walk from the restaurant). Overall I really enjoyed the meal and although it is a little pricey, you can tell that you are paying extra for the quality. Will definitely come back to try some of their other menu items in person. read more
Authentic Japanese restaurant. The pork loin cutlet curry with rice had a yummy curry sauce, but the pork cutlet was dry. I probably would not get this again. The sukiyaki beef udon was much better. I really liked both the flavor of the beef and the broth. Ordered a poached egg on the side. Unfortunately, the egg yolk was already popped when given to us. It also tasted like the egg needed more cooking time. Jidori fried chicken was nice and crispy, but overpriced for how much chicken you get. read more
2 years ago
Pretty new Japanese restaurant in Pasadena. The Interior is simple and clean. The service was good and the server was nice. Overall the food is good except the tempura. It was just average. The shrimp they used for tempura seems like tiger shrimp. It is pretty large and meaty. Price wise is a bit on the higher side. The oyster is very fresh. read more
Grilled black cod gozen w homemade miso sauce: Wow this was so delicious!! The cod was super soft and tastes like butter even the skin was very lightly flavored. The miso sauce compliments the fish so well; it's lightly sweet and a little thick like a puree. The miso soup tastes different and more light and I like the carrots and cabbage included. The leftmost salad dish was delicious and I think the sauce is made from pickled radish and some spice. The middle dish seems to be sesame mashed tofu which was pretty good. The rightmost dish is asparagus in a bonito flavored broth from what I tasted. Everything was so delicious. 5/5 Sukiyaki beef udon w poached jidori egg: Light and flavorful sukiyaki broth; tastes like lightly sweet dashi. Very tender beef and a super soft egg, even the whites were a little runny. 4/5 read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
This place makes me happy, because it consists of a high-quality, nutritionally balanced diet. Their fresh sashimi was amazing! I loved all the side dishes that came along with it like the brown rice option I got to choose, miso soup, salad and pickled veggies. I definitely want to come back and try other things, but also don't mind getting the same thing! Loved the bento box style meal that's simple and clean. Also so cute and yummy. Highly recommend! 5/5 read more
Gozen is an absolute 5/5! Everything I had here was top notch. I really love that their menu is seasonal so that the ingredients are at their best/most natural when served. Their plating is gorgeous and the flavors are light, but delicious. I got the cod and the texture/flavor was sublime--the meat was so delicate! I really enjoyed the pickled items and side dishes as well as the seasonal vegetable plate I got. The shishito peppers were light and tasty too. I think the only thing I didn't love was the texture of the sweet potato/yam, but that's really dependent on the sweet potato itself. Parking can be a little hard since it's downtown, though I think there's a lot behind the building across the street? The store itself has a voucher for the lot on the same block, but it's 30 minutes only or something. read more
4 years ago
Yesterday for lunch l had Gozen (special set meal) and it tasted delicious! Consisting of melt-in-your-mouth salmon and tempura it was a real treat for a weekday lunchtime. Gozen in Japanese is a special set meal, as opposed to teishoku, which is a standard set meal. Gozen comes with a few extra side dishes. Together, I had two types of salmon sashimi, tempura and dipping sauce, with daikon (Japanese-style radish), osen tamago (Japanese style soft boiled egg) , salad , rice and miso soup. read more
2 years ago
The service is great, they had a lot of choices of sauce and pretty great atmosphere. The beef tongue is tender, the roe has some very strong flavor, the kushi katsu are very crunchy, and the pork katsu I feel like would be better if there's a 20% fat layer and maybe rice serving with it, currently it's a little dry with no rice and soup. read more
4 years ago
Great food, vibe and service with a diverse menu. If you're looking for a good Japanese place with lots of choices, this is the place. Their menu ranges from Japanese curry katsu, to udon, to sukiyaki sets, and even good quality sashimi. They even have seasonal menus to choose from. We ordered a tofu hotpot set, a curry pork katsu, and a karage, all we're quite satisfying. The fried dishes were perfectly crispy and did not have any hint of old oil smells. The tofu hotpot was perfect for a rainy day and balanced the fried dishes perfectly with healthy vegetables and a lighter load on your taste pallette. The portions are reasonable and we were able to finish all the food, leaving satisfied. The bill wasn't absurd considering inflation nowadays and the area we were in, but it was a bit more on a pricey end for a daily lunch spot. The place itself was clean, modernly decorated and has a semi open kitchen. The staff were polite and attentive, but not to the level of being annoying. The restaurant also has underground paid parking. You can get a 30min validation. We ended paying $6 for parking for the course of our meal. Overall, not sure if I'll make a trip back just for it, but if I was ever in the area with a party of people craving different kinds of Japanese food, this would be my first thought. read more
Gozen Shun's high-quality and nutritional approach and philosophy for japanese food by incorporating seasonal ingredients not only makes the food delicious, but also makes you feel great after your meal. I remember after I finished eating my meal here, I felt well energized and not weighed down by the food. Their menu and ingredients change seasonally (especially the vegetables!). The grilled black cod with the miso glaze was absolutely succulent and paired with the seaweed salad was one of my favorite bites of the meal. All the fish in the kaizen don tasted very fresh. The fattiness from the salmon and hamachi coated your tongue beautifully, but my favorite to my surprise was the scallops. There was a sweetness that the scallops had that made it different from other scallops I've had. The batter for the shrimp katsu was extremely light, crispy, and not very oily or heavy. Because of this, the shrimp's taste was highlighted. A big plus: these shrimp were HUGE. Lastly with dessert, the red bean paste provided nice texture that complimented the ice cream and mochi balls. I will definitely be coming back again to try more of their seasonal items and other menu items! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Really glad Gozen Shun is back open in the neighborhood as it was a go-to for my husband and me. It's a different menu but just as delicious, and service is great as always. Highly recommend the skewers, hitsumabushi rich in condiments, as well as the Mont Blanc cake for dessert! read more
More info about Gozen Shun
851 Cordova St
Pasadena, CA 91101
Downtown
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(626) 739-0220
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