I have no idea if some of these reviewers even know what they're complaining about, like the "miso"…read moresoup that's actually consommé, and is very tasty. Maybe it doesn't have an Insta ready wall for fancy pics but it's a hidden gem that's been run by the same award winning chef for decades. There are pictures of him with generations of famous people from the world over who eat here so that speak speaks for itself. Also, he must be over 80 and he still greets and seats every customer personally. The place has been around a while so one might consider it a bit "rustic" and sure there's a wait, but that's because this place has stood the test of time and still turns out incredible food and service. And no, like the other reviewers said, there's no sushi but this is an authentic teppan whose focus is grilled food...and they're great at it

One of the original teppanyakis in LA before it became popular! Much cleaner than Benihana and…read moresince it's smaller, more detailed customer service. It's still run by a Japanese family and feels more closer to a homey Japanese-American mom and pop. All the little photos and drawings give it a nice touch. Food was great and portions were generous. However, if you like medium rare food or fat on your steak, make sure to ask for rare and to keep the fat. The norm I think is most people want really lean and well done. My fam prefers stuff more rare and if you like it rare too, keep that in mind. The grill also contributes to cooking the food more well done. Overall, give Mori a try if you're in the area.

I hired Chef Jazzii to provide her services while we were hosting a party out of town in Temecula…read more We had 18 guests. She communicated readily prior to our event, via text/calls/email. She arrived promptly the evening of our event and was readily prepared. She and her assistant were very friendly and efficient while navigating through a property even we weren't familiar with (the rental home). I was impressed with her bubbly and positive attitude. It was quite cold that evening -- in the low 40s -- but she put on an incredible show for us. Highly entertaining with her sense of humor, ability to get our guests involved, and her impressive skills at the Teppanyaki grill. And the food tasted great! Chef Jazzii and her assistant also cleaned up and were very considerate of the property. We'd hire her again!

Chef Jazzi and her staff did an absolutely AMAZING job for my small wedding reception over the…read moreweekend. Throughout the planning process, she was super communicative and receptive, and really worked hard to make sure she understood exactly what I was looking for in terms of decorations. The set up turned out absolutely beautiful. The food was delicious. Her various activities were an absolute blast! Her staff was totally on top of things, and everyone loved them. My guests said it was the best wedding reception they had ever been to, and those that Hudson Teppanyaki shows before said this one blew the others out of the water!! We loved her so much we even had her join us in the group photo. On top of it all, her prices are super reasonable!! I can't recommend Chef Jazzi highly enough!!!!

As usual, I had a great dining experience. Food was great, service also. Will come back soon!read more

I love the service here. Everyone is kind and helpful. Our server Stephanie was amazing! The chefs…read morealso make the food delicious. Everything is flavorful.

A Hidden Gem with an Unforgettable Experience!…read more Maison Kasai has such a cool, mysterious atmosphere. Hidden behind a bookshelf inside a bar it gives you that exclusive speakeasy vibe right from the start. After placing our orders, we were entertained by a magician who was absolutely hilarious! The magic and humor made the evening even more enjoyable. For dinner, we ordered the Duck Confit, Chilean Sea Bass, Lion's Mane Mushroom Katsu, and Wagyu New York Steak. Once the chef stepped in and began preparing our courses, I knew we were in for something special. Every dish was packed with flavor and beautifully executed. The two standouts for me were definitely the Lion's Mane Mushroom Katsu and Duck Confit. Both were incredibly memorable and full of flavor. You can really tell the chef takes pride in bringing out the best in every dish. Overall, Maison Kasai offers more than just a great meal. Between the hidden speakeasy entrance, entertaining magic show, and outstanding food, the entire evening was an experience. Definitely a spot worth checking out in Los Angeles!

I ate at Maison Kasai in Downtown Los Angeles using vouchers we had purchased online. The food was…read moregood, and the overall dining experience started off well. However, the service and the way the bill was handled completely changed my opinion. Throughout the meal, our server did the bare minimum, rarely checking on us or refilling our water. When the bill arrived, I noticed it included a 20% gratuity along with a 3% credit card surcharge. Since I had cash, I handed the server $40 and asked for my change. That's when he told me they don't have change because the restaurant is cashless and showed me a sign. I then pointed out that the menu I was given never mentioned a 3% credit card surcharge. I also questioned how it made sense to advertise being cashless while charging customers an extra fee for using a credit card. The server insisted the online menu disclosed the fee and claimed that "everywhere charges a credit card surcharge," which simply isn't true. After I challenged it, he suddenly offered to remove the surcharge and brought back a revised bill for $25.45. When I decided to pay that amount with my credit card instead, he told me he would have to add the 3% fee back. Fortunately, I had exactly $25.45 in cash, so I left that amount on the table and left. It honestly felt like he expected me to leave the original amount without questioning it. After getting home, I checked the restaurant's online menu myself. I could not find any disclosure about a 3% credit card surcharge. I also noticed that the menu states the 20% automatic gratuity only applies to parties of six or more, and our party was smaller than that. The food may have been good, but hidden fees, inconsistent explanations, and poor service ruined what should have been a pleasant meal. I won't be returning.

Rally good food. I had the filet mignon, chicken and vegetable dinner plate. Veggies were fresh and…read moreabundant. The steak and chicken were both tender. Teriyaki sauce was tasty and not too sweet. Also got the salmon sushi role. Salmon was good and fresh (not smelly or old). The imitation crab on the center was also good. Over all great meal. High protein high fiber! Wooooo

Great portions at an even better price!…read more Located in a small shopping center with plenty of parking (always a plus in LA). Paid around $11-$13 per plate which is great considering Teppanyaki is usually $18+ anywhere else. The gentleman who I'm assuming was the owner was very nice and attentive. Food had great taste and was made to order!

I had Visited the other night for my first time with a few friends and was very pleased and…read moreexceeded our expectations. The front hostess, Andrea had guided us and recommended some fye choices. Let me tell you, DID NOT DISAPPOINT Can't wait for my next visit!!

First time at Habachihana Grill and we were very impressed! The New York steak bowl and chicken…read morebowl were both phenomenal. The sauces are also delicious and add an extra touch of flavor, though the food is great on its own. Lizette at the register was super friendly and welcoming, and the seating area has a really nice vibe. Great food, great service, and a great overall experience. Highly recommend--we'll definitely be back!

I ordered the fillet and jumbo shrimp plate and upgraded with chicken fried rice and garlic…read morenoodles. I wanted to try a lot of things she did not want to waste of space for the veggies although they did look good. I ordered the chili oil and the garlic butter. The garlic butter easily was shared between the fillet and the shrimp adding a nice umami flavor. The garlic oil was smoky and not too hot. The chicken fried rice in my opinion was better than Benihana's or just as good. Although the garlic noodles were a little sweet from my liking, I was evil easily able to alter them to something. I enjoyed with some chili oil and soy sauce. It tone down the sweet. Simple, clean decor. Several ways to see the menu on the wall LCD or by the counter. The service was very good, quick and kind. The quality of the product was very good. The fillet almost melted in your mouth, and the shrimp was cooked well without being rubbery. I spent $52 here to upgrade two chicken fried rice and garlic noodles. They have plenty of parking a huge parking lot, limited seating, maybe eight tables or so, mostly four tops.

This place is quite small but it can hold a group of 6,7 people if it is not busy…read more The service was ok. Just know it takes about 30-45 minutes to get your food. The food is actually really really flavorful the lobster I had was very tender and juicy and the jumbo shrimp were a good l size. I would have ordered the chowmein though instead of the rice because the chowmein was way better! After discussing with the family we enjoyed it but it is 4 stars since it does take quite a while to have your meal and the customer service could be better. The food itself carries this place but 5 stars if they can improve service!

We come here for dinners with family and friends. We have many happy memories here. The food is…read moredelicious and comforting, the service has been great and sometimes above and beyond. We could not be happier coming here to enjoy the ambiance of Little Tokyo and a family meal. My favorite Okonomiyaki dishes have been the basil and cheese, and the curry. We also appreciate that there's also ramen although we miss the takoyaki.

While visiting Little Tokyo, my husband and I were looking for somewhere to eat when we came across…read moreChinchikurin. The wait time wasn't too long, so we decided to give it a try! When we first walked in, I noticed it was a little warm inside for my liking, but it was still bearable. Once we were seated, our waitress brought us the menus. Since this was our first time trying okonomiyaki, we asked her for recommendations. She suggested their most popular dish, the Chinchikurinyaki, made with ground beef and delicious crispy noodles. We decided to give it a try, along with The Loaded Kaisen, which was loaded with seafood. Both dishes were delicious, and I'm glad we took her recommendation! I really enjoyed both, although my husband preferred The Loaded Kaisen. I especially liked how the teppan tables kept our food nice and hot throughout the meal. There's nothing better than enjoying your food while it's still sizzling! I also ordered a lychee drink, which was a nice addition to the meal. The service was great, and our waitress was helpful with her recommendations. Overall, we had a really enjoyable first experience trying okonomiyaki at Chinchikurin. I'm glad we stopped by, and I'd definitely consider coming back to try some of their other dishes!

Excellent yakitori restaurant, food is delicious, good atmosphere, very enjoyable dinnerread more

Food: - Yellowtail fish collar: special, surprising amount…read moreof fish on the small collar, good flavor - Yaki onigiri: best value! The house special one was tasty especially with the crunchy rice. The salmon onigiri needed more salmon - Stuffed shitake: great flavor and consistency wasn't too rubbery - Steak: decent - Meatballs: I expected more flavor, but good consistency - Shiso Chicken: my least favorite dish since it had the least flavor Ambiance: - Don't be deceived by its humble exterior, this place can get packed and is quite cozy inside - Make reservations! Even on a weeknight, the restaurant gets crowded - Staff were helpful and efficient - Street parking - You can see them grilling the food in the bar area - Overall great pricing for Izakaya

I arrived with some friends last night for dinner at around 5:40pm for a 7:15pm reservation so we…read morecould have a drink at the bar and partake in happy hour (Monday-Friday 3pm-6pm) while we wait for the rest of our party and because, by default, it always takes so long once you're seated at the hibachi table for the chef to come once the orders are placed. There is a paid parking lot right across the street with decent rates and it wasn't very difficult to find. We usually go to the Encino location but decided to give Santa Monica a shot but was a little worried at some of the reviews complaining about the smell. While it smelled a little like a dive bar throughout the restaurant, it was no where overwhelming like some of the reviews suggested and wasn't an issue warranting any complaints. The ambiance is a lot darker than your other traditional Benihana's and they have a cute staircase at the back of the restaurant that leads to the bar which I thought was kind of cool. The space is a lot more open than the other location which I appreciated. Their happy hour is pretty phenomenal and a perfect way to get a snack before your actual meal or even if you're in the area and want to grab a bite. I was surprised at how dead it was even for a Monday but I would prefer that over it being overly packed and not able to find a seat or have to wait a really long time to be seated. We ordered a ton of things on happy hour--- 5 snack rolls, chicken satay, crispy rice, sake, and beer. Julian was our bartender and he was very friendly and even though it took a while for our food to come out, he made sure we had a good start to our night. When the rest of our party of 5 came, we were seated promptly with another couple (they were lovely too) at a hibachi table in the middle of the restaurant. Our server, Aidan, was fantastic----he asked about allergies, made sure he got our order right, and checked up on us periodically. I accidentally broke a glass and they were extremely quick to clean it up. Our teppan chef, Jose, was a joy and was poking fun at me the whole time. Sometimes you get chefs that are just awkward, or mess up the food, or don't do fun touches and he made our whole dinner experience so enjoyable. **I will note, however, for those that aren't used to teppan dining, that it does normally take like 30 minutes or more once you place your dinner order for the chef to come out and start cooking.

Disgusting service ever Order not started until I arrived…read more Staff don't care about delivery pick up Always not ready at pick up time Nasty staff