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.

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 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!!

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.

Probably the only really Japanese restaurant in LA…read more Sushi is fresh, staff is actually Japanese, menu is realistic to what Japanese cuisine is like and I've never had a bad meal. Their signature house made tofus are delightful and fresh, their sushi is sooo delicious, their cooked porks and beefs are lovely and even the salads are tasty! Also the staff is sweet and attentive, Is it slightly expensive? Yes, but when Japanese friends come into town, it's the only place in LA i can really recommend to them. Love it !

Very solid location in the heart of Little Tokyo. There is a Metro train stop literally across the…read morestreet, making it very convenient, in addition to offering validated parking. The tofu sampler was very solid in my opinion, which if you like a strong soy flavor, this appetizer is for you. I've never had tofu presented this way so it was a unique experience, although loosely reminds me of the Chinese version of tofu dessert but firmer. Fun to interact with the different salt adds too. The chirashi set bowl was also an excellent value for what you get. It definitely fills you up and the fish cuts are very nice. They even offer to fry your shrimp head to add to the experience. Also I think the service was great. There was clearly a new person in training so she may have messed up our tofu sampler presentation by perhaps pairing the wrong salt with the wrong tofu but the regular staff was quick to address. The newer member also charged us a beer by accident but that was corrected too.

HIDDEN GEM. Always impressed with the service, food and…read moreexperience. Tonight we sat at the teppanyaki grill & celebrated our anniversary. Once the whole party was seated & our order was taken, we received our delicious ginger salad and miso soup quickly. When our chef arrived he was ready to put on a show! He was so fun, engaging and very genuine. All of the food was amazing. I got the filet mignon steak w/ fried rice and my husband gets the sumo steak. The filet mignon is definitely worth it but if you prefer more meat, the sumo steak is the way to go. The drinks are affordable and compared to other teppanyaki places, the food is affordable and absolutely worth it. They also offer a happy hour in the dining room only - does not include the teppanyaki grill area. Truly one of our favorite places!!

3.5/5 Stars - Nice Experience, But Some Service and Timing Issues…read more We visited Tabi-Ji Teppanyaki for my husband's birthday and had an overall decent experience, though there were a few things that would make us think twice before returning. We chose the dining room seating rather than the teppanyaki tables. The staff did offer us the teppanyaki experience, but since we don't eat red meat or chicken from certain places and weren't sure how the food preparation process worked with mixed ingredients, we opted for a regular table instead. One downside was the seating arrangement. We were seated away from most of the other guests, and it often felt like the staff forgot we were there. Our original host/server was attentive and friendly, but once they were busy with other tasks, it became difficult to get assistance. It was also not busy for a Tuesday evening. We found ourselves waiting for long periods or having to wave someone down, which wasn't ideal, especially for a birthday dinner. As for the food: * Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll (4/5): Fresh, good quality fish, and a generous portion. A solid sushi roll. * Garlic Edamame (4/5): Flavorful and exactly what you'd expect from a good appetizer. * Lobster Duo with Miso Soup, Salad, and Fried Rice (3/5): Unfortunately, the lobster was quite chewy and seemed overcooked. The miso soup and fried rice were both enjoyable and helped make up for it. * Unagi Donburi (4/5): My husband's meal came with white rice, miso soup, salad, and fried rice. It was his first time trying eel, and he really enjoyed the soft texture and flavor. He said he'd definitely order it again. Our biggest disappointment was the timing of the food. The Unagi Donburi arrived significantly later than everything else. By the time it came out, we had already eaten most of the appetizers and other dishes and were pretty full. It's unfortunate because it seemed like a dish that would have been much better enjoyed fresh, but we ended up taking most of it home. Overall, the food ranged from good to very good, and being able to reserve through Resy and use our Amex dining benefit definitely helped offset the cost. However, considering the price point, we expected more attentive service and better pacing of the meal.

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!!!!

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.

Visited early afternoon on a weekend. Wait wasn't very long (10-15 minutes)…read more We were seated right in front of the cooks so it was kind of like having a meal and a show. While the seafood was plump, the cabbage had a strange bitter, chemical aftertaste that made the dish unfortunately offputting.

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!

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.

Having lived in Orange County for almost half a decade, I'd like to think I know my way around…read moreAsian food -- I learned it through great Asian friends and some incredible restaurants out there. Now that I'm in Long Beach, I've been hunting for great barbecue spots, and I found Hikari through Yelp and Google. The verdict up front: I love this place, it's criminally underrated, and I'll absolutely be back. When we arrived, it was emptier than I expected -- which honestly surprised me later, because I learned they've been open ten years, even before COVID. That alone tells you something about the quality that keeps them going. The interior is really cute, and the service was lovely. Our server was a beautiful Japanese woman -- I wish I'd caught her name -- and she was warm and thoroughly professional. Japanese barbecue can get confusing when you're choosing between all the different cuts, and she walked us through each type of meat patiently, with genuinely great recommendations. Now, the thing that won me over: they brought actual charcoal. As a Persian, I have strong opinions about barbecue -- we only grill over charcoal, for the flavor and texture nothing else gives you -- and I've rarely seen another joint do this. It immediately set them apart. We went with the chef's special, a prix-fixe where the chef sends out his selection, and every single cut was delicious. The food was so good that after seeing my photos, my Japanese friend messaged to say I clearly know my Japanese food -- which I'll happily take as a compliment. This place deserves so much more attention than it gets. I'll definitely be coming back with friends.

Returned for my husband's birthday, and was another successful dinner…read more This time we ordered the No. 4 chef's omakase and it was better than the No. 2 - Chef's Omakase in our opinion. The meats are seriously so filling. On an unexpectedly busy Monday night, the service was great. My husband and I received dessert on the house (Yuzu panacotta) for his birthday which was very kind of them. I've already recommended this place for a few friends and family since we enjoy it so much. Definitely a place to splurge if you have the money, but it seems to be one of our regular spots now for anniversary and birthdays. Expecting another return in the near future.