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    Kiitsu

    4.6 (160 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Kiitsu Photos

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    KIITSU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    SCALLOP NIGIRI and IKA NIGIRI 1PC
    Eric C.

    Quality of fish and other items is so good. Chef Taylor is amazing and the whole team is so friendly and warm. They make really great sushi. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall vibe is warm and welcoming, super clean and intimate.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Quality people and food, that's all you really need.

    Salmon Truffle Sashimi
    William S.

    This place has super cute booths! The server was super knowledgeable about the sakes and I was surprised to find a wide variety of Japanese beers to choose from. Considering that I had just stumbled in after a random sushi craving, I was shocked to find that Kiitsu has some of the freshest fish I've ever had in Los Angeles. After looking this place up, I was surprised to see 4 dollar signs on yelp since the price of the fish and sake is definitively nothing out of the ordinary for sushi in California, and the specialty rolls and sashimi starters DEFINITELY fit the bill (try the lemon albacore!) The maki rolls and some appetizers were a little pricey but that is to be expected in the Brentwood area. Ultimately, I will be coming back!

    Sake
    Courtni S.

    Came to Kiitsu with my mom and brother for a light lunch. It was AMAZING. Our server was awesome and the crispy rice was our favorite. The beers and sake were served ice cold and everything was fresh!

    Wagyu and uni, delish!
    Angela L.

    Giving this place ****** six stars! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Love this private and sleek restaurant that has the best and freshest sushi.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] This place is a hidden gem as I have driven by it but never went it and I am so glad I did! Lovely staff, owner and sushi chef the food presentation is beautiful and the sushi is delicious. Highly recommend! Angela

    The best crispy rice and spicy tuna I have ever had, I asked for a slightly extra amount of eel sauce.
    Joe T.

    As someone who enjoys high-end cuisine, including high-end and Michelin star restaurants, I decided to give Kiitsu a try based off the location as I have passed it in the past and it's in a very nice location with a lot of foot traffic, especially on the weekends, I assumed it would be good and my oh my was I right! The food is absolutely superb! this place very obviously values quality over everything else, the fish was so smooth, buttery, and fresh. The crispy rice and spicy tuna was the best I've ever had. If you like high end/fresh sushi you have absolutely got to try this place. The owner was there behind the counter, making some of the delicious food, and you can tell that this place has consistency as there were multiple other patrons who were all regulars and were chatting with the owners/Sushi chef like they were old friends. The waitress, Leah, was absolutely amazing and provided us with excellent recommendations while giving extremely attentive and prompt service. All in all this was a 10 out of 10 experience. Will be back.

    Seared Salmon
    Ben A.

    Another great dinner at Kiitsu,..the seared salmon was particularly amazing tonight! Always the best service, love the team there!

    Miso Cod
    Marjan N.

    The aroma of rice and soy wraps all your senses like a warm hug immediately when you walk into Kiitsu. On the first page of the menu it has written: "Kitsu means everything begins at one and ends at one". We translate that same motto into all of our dishes. Being able to create approachable items we're all familiar with, in Japanese cuisine and transform them into something delicious without compromising each ingredient. Keeping the old washoku way and technique of every item presented here at Kitsu." Immediately, it is very easy to be impressed with this meaningful description, zen inspried ambiance, and delicious aromas. The quality of fish, cut, and ingredients further support the well deserved stars. I'm not certain if they were short handed, but service could have been more attentive although servers were friendly and polite. The cod was delicate and flaky; the truffle salmon was spectacular, and the lemon albacore roll was satisfying and perfection.

    Eel roll
    Esther O.

    5 stars for authenticity and flavor. Creativity seeps through every dish in this cozy little hidden away spot. So glad I got to try this place after seeing Kate Hudson post drool worthy pics of the food. The chef is Michelin rated and it shows. Love how everything is already sauced for you even the rolls- no guesswork or dipping necessary. All condiments are made in house down to their wasabi and soy sauce. Service was warm, friendly and prompt and the server knew which sake to recommend with the dishes. It was a little busy on a weekday night but it didn't feel understaffed like so many other places feel these days. Def would return!

    Best wagyu!

    Always perfect. New menu is fire. Chef Lionel is absolutely the best, very engaging and it quaint and cool.

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    4 months ago

    Excellent food and service! Best toro I've had in LA. Chef was very accommodating. I'll absolutely be here often.

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

    Amazing sushi! Fish is super fresh and the service was super welcoming. Chef Lionel has talent.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    10/10 what a gem! Honestly you can't go wrong with anything here. Not cheap but worth it if you want to treat yourself. Enjoy!

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    1 year ago

    Delicious neighborhood sushi spot with a great happy hour (try the hand rolls and sake). Have been multiple times and highly recommend.

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    Philip C.

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    Shirubē

    Shirubē

    4.2
    (224 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    Parking: Easy metered street parking or Santa Monica public parking garages have reasonable rates…read more Reservation: Easy to make online using Tock but walk-ins also doable Service: Really on top of it - menus provided right away, no long waits for food, friendly servers and hostess, my water was always refilled, and plates were taken away as soon as they were done Ambiance: The front is a nondescript black door right next to the Chevron along Wilshire and inside is a nice atmosphere with a Samurai in a display case, bar seating along the side, and dark minimalistic interior. Food: Really appreciate that there are plenty of non alcoholic and mocktail options since very few places have such a variety. The poppin' lychee with mint was delicious. Mentaiko udon - very light, subtle flavor; wish it had a stronger mentaiko presence though not too creamy which I liked Toro sushi taco - good amount of quality toro though wasabi is mixed inside which wasn't my preference Sunomono cucumber salad with wakame seaweed - not bad though even with the HH price, the portion was small and not worth it in my opinion Aburi shime saba - seared cured mackerel that was torched tableside was fun and the searing to order gave a freshly smoky flavor while the fish itself was cold so it had good contrast Sashimi mori - thick portioned cuts of good quality fish served on ice to keep cool and they're able to accommodate the amount to the number of people sharing; fish changes depending on availability but salmon, scallop, and yellowtail were good, wasn't crazy about the sweet soy sauce for the chutoro, sea bream not bad, bonito was smoky Kakuni pork belly taco - not overly heavy and really good flavors Corn ribs with shoyu butter - such a delicious glaze and crisp texture outside, super unique in flavor Hojicha creme brulee - really love hojicha and they infused it so well into the creme brulee with solid tea flavor that balanced really well so it wasn't too sweet Wagyu meatballs with onion soy reduction - personally love caramelized onions and they did such a good job getting the rich, sweet flavor out; it wasn't overwhelming since I broke down the meatball to soak up the sauce Edamame - sea salt and lime gave it good seasoning and portion was worth it for HH Honmaguro salmon - sashimi was good but pricey for the small portion Honmaguro bluefin tuna - sashimi was good but also pricey for the portion, though the cuts were thicker than the salmon so slightly preferable Poke taco - good amount of poke on a seaweed "tortilla" which was really worth it for HH Bluefin tuna nigiri set - good flavor and quality though toro chewier Premium nigiri set - absolute favorite from here though sadly was only a seasonal special; toro with caviar was amazing, sweet shrimp melted in my mouth with how tender it was and ikura was great, and the seared scallop was smoky with uni on top Negitoro with garlic bread - solid though prefer without cream and wasabi personally Karaage - super juicy and flavorful with dark meat used so it didn't need sauce Garlic shrimp - good with garlic chili crisp on top and great size Wagyu curry - good curry with a spicy kick that's not overpowering though the wagyu is ground beef so hard to distinguish the quality Dan dan noodles - prominent peanut flavor Omakase - Caesar's salad was great without cheese or heavy ranch and crisps on top for texture, seared cured mackerel always good, sashimi was thick cuts of sea bream, bonito, and bluefin tuna which were good, mussels and clams had great flavor from sauce, corn rib in shoyu butter and tempura battered shrimp with chili mayo was one of my favorite courses since the shoyu butter flavor and texture on the corn is so delicious and the shrimp was well cooked, the black cod was subtle in flavor and I was pleasantly surprised that it came with a sweet potato puree and roasted tomato as well as crispy skin and had that smokiness, wagyu meatball was great as usual, wagyu curry was super filling, miso soup great palate cleanser, and mango sticky rice sorbet was a bit too hard in texture for me personally and not enough mango Skip: mentaiko udon, sunomono cucumber salad with wakame seaweed, honmaguro salmon and bluefin tuna, dan dan noodles Would order again: HH edamame, HH poke taco, HH kakuni pork belly taco Must orders: hojicha creme brulee, aburi shime saba (seared cured mackerel), corn ribs, wagyu meatball (if you love caramelized onions), karaage I've been here four times now and have to say the $70 happy hour omakase (typically $80) was my favorite experience here so far although my favorite bites were from their seasonal special when the $20 nigiri premium set was offered. They have all day happy hour on Sundays and Mondays which is really nice to not worry about a cutoff and late night on Fridays and Saturdays from 9-10:30pm in addition to Tuesdays - Fridays 5-6:30pm and Saturdays 4-6pm. The omakase does end 30 min before happy hour does though!!

    Stumbled on this amazing place when we were in the mood for Japanese. It had a small sign out front…read moreafter parking and we hopped inside. It's a cozy place with great service and unique options. If you're looking got rolls here, don't bother because it's a traditional place and they don't mess with rolls. Everything was delicious and they had a lot of vegan options. The vegan curry was amazing. They have a regular and late night happy hour as well with all day on Mondays and Sundays. Everything is made fresh and the kitchen is right in front of you over the counter. Highly recommended place for everything. Food; traditional, fresh, lots of variety Prices: $6-$30 Parking: lots of meters on Wilshire and side streets Dietary: plenty of vegan and vegetarian options Atmosphere: cozy for dates, but also tables for groups, and a bar area. Service: very helpful and fast

    Photos
    Side bar
    Side bar
    Aburi Shime Saba
    Aburi Shime Saba
    Sashimi Mori (best I've had in a long time!)

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    Sashimi Mori (best I've had in a long time!)
    Maru Sushi and Ramen

    Maru Sushi and Ramen

    4.3
    (197 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    The food was absolutely amazing. I didn't have much, just the ramen but it's one of the best I've…read morehad. The servers were really nice and service was quick. The food came out quicker than expected. The whole vibe of the place is so cool. I really like the pink flowers and the Japanese drawings by the booth I was sitting in. 10/10 absolutely recommend coming here

    This was the best sushi my husband and I have had in a long time. I am honestly really sad that it…read moreis located all the way in Santa Monica while we live in Northern California. We came in for dinner on a Sunday night with a large group and were seated within 15 minutes. From what we could tell, there were only two servers, and they were responsible for running their own food while also handling takeout orders. They did an AMAZING job for only two people managing so much. As soon as we were seated, we got waters and let our server know we would be paying separately. She was very friendly and worked with us perfectly. We were able to split the bill into four checks, which worked great for all the couples in the group. I ordered the Bento Box with salmon, and my husband got the Bento Box with chicken. We also ordered the Crunch Roll. The Crunch Roll came out first, and it was delicious and definitely lived up to the name--it was actually crunchy! I loved the size of the Bento Box. It came with so much food and included a starter miso soup. The miso soup had great flavor, although I personally prefer larger tofu pieces. That might just be a personal preference, though. I usually have a lot more to say in my reviews, but everything was absolutely delicious and the service was truly 10/10. I do want to mention that one of our friends ordered the ramen, and she felt the flavor was a little bland. Her parents own both a Mexican restaurant and a sushi restaurant, and one of her dad's rules is that if you're a sushi restaurant, stick with sushi and do it well instead of trying to do too many different things. One thing done really well is sometimes better than trying to do everything.

    Photos
    Super dragon roll
    Super dragon roll
    SUSHI RICE
    SUSHI RICE
    Ramen and Sushi

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    Ramen and Sushi
    SUGARFISH | Santa Monica

    SUGARFISH | Santa Monica

    4.2
    (2.1k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$$

    One of my favorite sushi places!! You don't have to think…read moretoo hard about what you're going to order, just go with the flow. I love getting the "THE NOZAWA TRUST ME" and treat myself when visiting LA ($48 for dinner and fullest of the pre made omakase menus | $40 at lunch). If there is a fish you don't love, you can ask to substitute. But I highly recommend you try them all. The fish is so fresh, I love eating there the most because the fish is super cold, and the rolls are crispy hot on the outside and cold inside. BUT, their to-go and delivered options are just as nice and very well presented (see my pics). It's a must when visiting LA!!

    Came after trying to go to Kazunori. Fun fact about Sugarfish: it actually started as a dinner…read moreconversation between legendary sushi master Kazunori Nozawa (the man behind Studio City's famous Sushi Nozawa since 1978) and his close friend, Jerry Greenberg. Nozawa's mission for the last 40 years has always been to bring traditional Japanese sushi to America. Sushi nowadays is more common but Sugarfish is still around and has expanded greatly. There is a free parking garage about 2 blocks away and we came on a Tuesday where it was still pretty busy for lunch. The sushi could have been better, while the fish and rice were good the amount of salt and wasabi was wildly different, sometimes having too much or too little. The rice was also inconsistent, some of it falling apart on the plate and not properly pressed together. 2 of our group had the tasting menu and it took a very, very long time for them to get their orders. A la carte was way faster and I was about halfway done with our food before they started getting their food.

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    SUGARFISH | Santa Monica
    SUGARFISH | Santa Monica
    More albacore...I'm salivating

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    More albacore...I'm salivating
    JINYA Ramen Bar - Santa Monica

    JINYA Ramen Bar - Santa Monica

    4.0
    (1.2k reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    First time trying JINYA! When visiting this location, expect to find street parking. It wasn't that…read morehard to find parking but maybe because it was Super Bowl Sunday? We were lucky to find a metered parking that already had money in it, yay! There are a bunch of eateries on this street as well. It's a small restaurant inside, but more space outside. Not that busy at all, there were only 2 other parties dining at the same time as us during prime dinner time. I saw they were running a Demon Slayer promotion and I wanted the free spoon haha. So I ordered the Tokyo Yatai Ramen and my friend ordered the Birria Ramen. The waiter or owner(?) who talk our order was also very nice! Very quick and efficient with our order. It didn't take too long for our ramen to be prepared. First glance, it doesn't look like your traditional ramen. It actually looks more Chinese style ramen. Especially the noodles? The texture is not quite the same as traditional ramen shops (and I have been to Japan). The ramen bowl itself was pretty simple, strong flavors from the chicken broth, the pork itself was pretty alright. It's honestly pretty standard but does not have a Japanese feel to it. I tried my friend's Birria Ramen and it's literally tastes like a taco in a bowl haha, which is pretty accurate. So even my Chinese friend likes the birria ramen because it reminds of her this Chinese instant noodle she always has lol. So I guess meaning in a good and bad way, but she still enjoyed it. Overall, the whole experience was not bad. I do only see JINYA in the more 'whiter' communities, so I find this to be not very authentic Japanese ramen. Also it's pricy for what it is when I can get an authentic bowl for $16.

    I have been here twice, and this place is seriously good…read more My first visit was fantastic. We were on a girls' weekend in L.A. and spent the day touring my daughter's friend around all the famous landmarks the city has to offer. After driving out to the Santa Monica Pier, we had worked up a serious appetite. A quick Yelp search led us to this ramen restaurant, and we whipped the car around and made a beeline straight for it. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted and seated on the patio. We were hoping for seats near the fire pit, but those are definitely a hot commodity and fill up fast. Our server was quick, friendly, and helpful with menu suggestions. I ordered the Spicy Vegan Creamy Ramen. The menu offers a wide variety of options, and I was really impressed with how accommodating they are for meatless diners. They have several vegetarian and vegan choices, and most dishes can be modified for most dietary preferences. Our food came out quickly, piping hot, and beautifully presented. One bite of my ramen and I was instantly in heaven. It was so good that I finished the entire bowl in record time. I would have ordered a second one, but I was completely full. I honestly feel like I could eat this every day of my life and never get tired of it. Our server kept our glasses full and checked on us regularly. The service was top-notch and made a relaxing end to a long day of sightseeing. It truly was an awesome experience. On my second visit, I was in town with my family, and I told them we were not leaving L.A. without eating here first. We came on a Saturday, and the restaurant was pretty packed. We waited about 15 minutes for a table, and to my surprise, we scored the fire pit seats I had wanted so badly the first time. Sitting next to the fire, feeling the warmth and watching the flames dance in the evening air, made the experience even more special. The second visit was just as great as the first. Great service, a relaxing atmosphere, and incredible food from start to finish. I truly enjoyed every minute of it. What more could you ask for? I highly recommend Jinya Ramen Bar. Trust me, it is absolutely worth it.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Tonkotsu Spicy
    Tonkotsu Spicy
    Birria ramen

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    Birria ramen

    Kiitsu - japanese - Updated August 2026

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