So so so good! Definitely got my sushi fix and I love that they have fun drinks! The lychee and mango martinis were so good - I ended up ordering a second round! Different from other katsuya locations, Kiwami has a Hokkaido scallop included in their sushi set - score! The fish was fresh and delicious. There was a hiccup in the kitchen in getting the beef teriyaki out but Mark our server was awesome and made the moment right. The steak was cooked perfectly and it was nice that it came with some sides. Not a lot of street parking so had to valet, $12 cash. Not the worse price I've seen and it was convenient. I'm definitely coming back here. I wish they had the Kiwami special for dinner but I'm happy with the sushi set. read more

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Usually Kiwami is a go-to place for me, with excellent food and service. Today, I felt both were a little off. We came in to celebrate a couple of birthdays. We started with the chili garlic edamame, and they were delicious. Not too spicy with the right amount of garlic. A great start. Next, we all ordered the Kiwami Tray. This is their signature "greatest hits" sampler. It includes: Yellowtail Jalapeño (Yellowtail sashimi topped with jalapeño), Salmon Avocado (Salmon sashimi served with chopped avocado), Albacore Crispy Onion (Seared albacore tuna topped with crispy onions), Baked Crab Hand Roll (Rich crab meat baked with dynamite sauce wrapped in soy paper) and Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna (Pan-fried crispy rice cakes topped with spicy tuna). It's still a great value for what you get, but it looks like it might be a victim of shrinkflation. I won't speak for my dining companions but for me, the salmon and yellowtail pieces were about the size of my thumb to the first knuckle, so a bit disappointing. The albacore pieces were a decent size but not the freshest (bordering on mealy with a couple of the pieces) and the crispy onion today was more onion than crispy. The crispy rice with spicy tuna was the best thing as they tasted as I had remembered. Usually my favorite is the baked crab roll, but again, there seemed to be more rice than crab. **SIGH** Dessert was also a mixed bag. We ordered the red bean flavored tempura ice cream. It was ok. I could taste the oil, so that kind of ruined it or me. We also ordered the yuzu flavored mochi ice cream. THAT was the item that made me smile today. Nice and citrusy and not too sweet, it hit the spot. Too bad they didn't actually make them. They also gave us a complimentary birthday scoop of vanilla ice cream, so that was nice. The service today was out of whack, too. Usually they are right there with refilling our tea cups, but we had to ask several times to come and fill our cups. We also had to ask them to bring the wasabi and ginger, and usually that's automatically done. Not to mention they only brought one set for three people? Huh?? I choose to think this was just a one-off, so hopefully I can give them the five stars they usually deserve and earn on my next visit. read more

What in the world was up tonight at Kiwami? This long-standing off-shoot of Katsuya has always been a solid spot for good sushi presented in a sleek fashion by top-notch people -- but tonight seemed like the regular staff was away on vacation, with their cousins jumping in to help. Save for the valet, who was as friendly and spry as can be for a guy required to work outside in this surprising 100+ degree heat. Perhaps because of that heat, the restaurant wasn't as busy as usual tonight, and we were seated immediately at the sushi bar. Drinks were quickly brought, and all looked to be going well, until our sushi chef began taking our order and then seemed confused by almost every request. I ordered 3 of the four "special sushi" on the menu, and he had to confirm with me multiple times -- then, he asked how I wanted one of the specials prepared, to which I said "the way you want to make it" (which turned out to be billed at an extra price, which I really don't get... shouldn't a menu special be the special without a further up-charge?). Regardless of that strangeness, the fish was fresh and tasty, as was a Spicy Salmon Hand Roll. But, surprisingly, they had no Uni in-house (ah well), and an order of Eel was delivered soft rather than crispy (as requested). My wife opted for the Salmon Teriyaki Dinner, which was beautifully plated, and had a fantastic flavor... this was actually the best-tasting dish of the evening, and far surpassed any of the sushi. An additional order of Corn Tempura (my wife's favorite) was on par with the 2 million other times she's ordered it, and was enjoyable as ever. Oh, and that notion of family jumping in to help? That came back in spades at the end, when getting our check was like a comedy of errors, but with people who have no sense of humor. So, it was an off night at a place that's usually spot on. This won't stop us from coming back, but I hope this isn't an indication of a downturn in management since the recent passing of the owner. read more

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Having Kiwami is such a treat! Staff is always friendly and food is always amazing. My favorite things are some of their most popular dishes; Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna (that's a non negotiable seeing as Master Chef Katsuya was the creator of it), Crispy Sesame Tuna, & Corn Tempura. The sauce for the corn is sooooo yummy. I would eat here every day if I could haha. read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - Corn tempura - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

My husband and I went out to a late dinner Saturday night and somehow ended up here. It wasn't too busy so we were seated right away. Even though I had sushi for lunch earlier I didn't mind eating it again since my husband was craving it. Great customer service by the way. Our waiter was friendly and attentive and amazing ... I loved the oysters with yuzu. The best I ever had. The popcorn shrimp roll was good as well so were the tacos. Didn't love the lobster in one of the rolls we ordered but everything else was good. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Parking is a bit challenging but that's normal for this area on weekends. read more

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Great ambiance, professional service and an excellent quality food. Very happy and impressed with the whole setting and how delicious the food was. Definitely will go again. read more

It's a real shame to associate this place with Katsuya, we ordered a few items but we ordered the chirashi bowl and it was completely not edible. The rice was just smashed were you could not even eat it and the fish was so thick that it looked more like fish that was to be put in a hibachi. I showed it to a couple of waiters and they agreed, I also spoke to the manager and all she said was that she appreciated me letting her know and walked away like it was all fine which it wasn't. It was totally unacceptable read more

I'm a sucker for a Katsu-Ya restaurant, and this is the exact same menu as The Izakaya by Katsuya in a slightly more elevated environment with great service! I loved it! Tuna Sashimi w chimichurri sauce special - 5 stars. The tuna was light and fresh and the sauce complemented this perfectly! Spicy Tuna Popcorn Shrimp Roll - 5 stars. The rock shrimp on top is creamy and delicious, and the roll beneath was excellent as well. Brussel Sprouts - 4 1/2 stars. Flavored with balsamic this is a delicious vegetable side. Spicy Salmon Roll - 4 1/2 stars. Pretty standard but well executed. Albacore Sashimi w Crispy Onions - 4 stars. Usually a perfect score, but I felt the fish could have been a bit colder. Baked Crab Hand Rolls - 5+ stars. Favorite dish here, these can't be beat! Robert Roll - 5 stars. A delicious roll that's on the mild side, no heat but rich in flavor with a creamy texture. Assorted Ngiri - 5 stars. All fish was excellent, no notes! Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice - 5 stars. Didn't chef Katsuya invent this?! It's absolute perfection, it doesn't get better than this. I wish they had more than beer/sake here, but outside of that this spot is perfection and extremely reasonably priced for the fish quality and outstanding hero items. An absolute favorite! read more

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The best sushi in Studio City! Love their ambiance and their Kiwami lunch tray is the bomb! Definitely the best spicy tuna crispy rice in town! I also love their chirashi bowl. So much quality food for a reasonable price! They also offer a happy hour on the weekends from 2-4PM! read more

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Kiwami is consistent with interesting sauces on basic sushi. Everything was very fresh. The Uni sampler is delicious as well are the oysters. The tuna with crispy onion was amazing as always and no one does spicy tuna on buttery crispy rice better. The only thing that wasn't very good was the short ribs. They were tough and tasted steamed not browned in a way that would have made the meat tender. But the service was welcoming and fast. You will not be disappointed! read more

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I came here after the bar and ordered SO much food. I enjoyed every single piece of sushi. The uni was amazing. The food came out very quickly. I also did not have a reservation but they accommodated us almost immediately after someone cancelled. read more

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Very LA. Very Studio City. Very Hollywood. Food is always good and fresh - made to order. So far have only been here for business lunches so not sure what it's like at night. What I can say, it's ways busy. read more

Kiwami is that perfect blend of classic and elevated. The crispy rice rolls? A staple, but they do them so well--crispy, buttery, and just the right amount of spice. Sunset roll had such fresh avocado on it! Not pictured would be The baked blue crab hand roll on soy paper was easily my favorite of the night. So good I ate it before I could take a pic--rich, creamy, and wrapped in that delicate soy paper that makes every bite seamless. The spicy tuna popcorn shrimp roll brought the crunch and I loved adding some fresh wasabi on to it for some heat, while the yellowtail and salmon belly sashimi were melt-in-your-mouth fresh. Service was incredibly attentive without being overbearing, and the whole vibe was warm and welcoming. Whether you're a sushi purist or love a creative roll, this place delivers. Will definitely be back. read more

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I haven't been here in a few years, but I came back last night and I was pleasantly surprised, the quality of the fish here was really good. I like that they have an outdoor patio that will be nice on summer evenings. The food, service, and ambiance was great, I will definitely be back again. I recommend the 4 1/2 & creamy salmon rolls, and from the assortment of sushi we had, the standouts were the salmon special and yellowtail belly. The quality of fish and flavors on the sushi were delicious. read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

I've been dining at Kiwami for almost 6 years at this location, and I've also known their 3rd Street branch since 2010. It's truly one of my favorite sushi spots. I love the variety of their dishes, especially how they incorporate different sauces that make each roll unique and flavorful. The sushi is always fresh, beautifully presented, and consistently delicious. A special thank you to the staff -- they are always welcoming, friendly, and attentive. I've gotten to know many of them over the years, which says a lot. The fact that employees stay here long-term shows that the restaurant maintains a strong and stable concept. read more

Excellent sushi spot. Yes, there are many sushi places to choose from but I was glad to try a new place when I couldn't get into another I like. Their sashimi was so fresh, and they had a great selection to boot. I look forward to trying rolls the next time I am in Los Angeles. I loved the environment; very calming, beautifully decorated (on the dark side) and not crazy loud. It's also the type of spot you could come in solo in casual clothes, or have a celebratory dinner dressed to the nines. Service was great. Kudos to the mochi ice cream sandwiches (to-go desserts) by the front entrance read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - Fresh sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

This, along with its sister restaurant group Katsu-ya, may be one of my absolute favorite restaurants in the entire world. The dishes are always creative and consistent, with wild amounts of flavor, care, construction, and execution that is honestly up there with the best of the absolute best restaurants. Crispy rice-spicy tuna, garlic albacore, albacore sashimi with crispy onion in yuzu ponzu...all absolute gold with nothing like it anywhere else. In-credible. Everyone I bring is always surprised and can't stop talking about how great it is, even if they're doubtful when I tell them it's mind-blowingly good. The service is always great but this past visit was particularly above and beyond - they managed to fit my group of 6 on the patio in a bind on short notice with a large celebrity party next to us and they kept everyone happy and attended to throughout the entire dinner. The patio isn't big but the lighting and acoustics are pleasant. I can't say enough about this place. Had several noteworthy and milestone celebrations at Kiwami and plan to have many more in the future pretty much any chance I get. read more

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I've been coming here for years and have always enjoyed it, but unfortunately, I think today was my last visit. We came for happy hour and were seated in the back near the wall. It took 15 minutes before anyone acknowledged us, and honestly, we should've just left then. What made things worse was seeing tables that were seated after us get their food before we did. Throughout the entire meal, I watched the manager check in with every other table--except ours. Not exaggerating. Maybe they were understaffed, but that doesn't excuse the way we felt as customers. At the end of the day, everyone deserves at least decent service. I really hope things improve--for the sake of the restaurant and the people who've enjoyed it in the past, like I once did. read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - Happy Hour Menu - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

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Our go-to sushi spot for date night, out with friends, family night, etc. Kiwami has been my husband's and I favorite sushi spot for almost 3 years. We love the waiter staff (Erik) they know exactly what I like. The chef's are always attentive and give the best options and always show us new things to try (why we love sitting at the bar). The chefs, waiters, and management along with the food is why we return for good food, ambiance, and laughter. Unfortunately, after our last visit, I'm having trouble returning and possibly won't because of my past experience. The chef whom we sat with (not sure of his name), but he's one of the newer chefs, as I've only seen him last couple times. For the most part, we always order the same items, unless one of the chefs recommend something new to try. Since we've never sat with this chef, I was explaining myself and on what/how we like certain nigiris, so no error is made, and there's no loss. In the beginning, chef was nice about it, then when a mistake was made with our order, he became aggressive and said, "it's however the chef wants to make it", but I had told him how I would like it and maybe I've had my nigiri that way for about 50 orders in total visits I'd know. I didn't request an omakase, where the chef does decide. The chefs have always accommodated how I like it (especially since the YT special was shown to me by one of the chefs). I was very distasted by his attitude and just shut off and stopped speaking to him and did not enjoy my food. He realized how upset I was, and told me he can change it, but it did not matter to me anymore, as I was very upset and just wanted to leave as soon as my husband was done eating. From this one incident, I probably won't return to Kiwami. My recommendation -- sit at a table, the waiters are amazing. The food is good. read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - The chef's give the best options, my personal favorite is Yellowtail Belly special and Red Snapper. - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

This place does tend to get busy especially during happy hour. They do seem under staffed for a Sunday Happy Hour. You are sat right away but it then takes awhile before you are addressed at your seat. We were sat at the sushi bar and it took over 15 minutes to be acknowledged. Once we put in our order it took another 30 minutes before we were given our food. The hand rolls were okay. The fish was minced up too much (baby food consistency). Not sure if this is just the quality for happy hour or if it's all the time. Given their happy hour prices I guess should explain the quality. read more

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Literally LOVE this restaurant. Their sushi is amazing! I always stick to ordering pieces and hand rolls at Kiwami because they never miss. And you honestly can't come here without getting the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice. It's just one of those non-negotiables. Also, the staff is awesome and super friendly. It truly feels like home every time. read more

I am in town for a trade show in Anaheim and I was visiting a customer who is up in the area. He chose to come here, and I was very, very happy that he chose this location. First of all, they have valet. It's $8 for lunch, not sure if it goes up for dinner but this is pretty reasonable for lunch. Max was the valet that took my car, I was early for the lunch but no problem, I went and checked in with Luke at the host stand. I made a reservation for lunch to make sure we had a table, but to be honest my customer is basically well known here and eats here with his family often. So we received excellent service and I let him order everything for lunch. We had two servers for our meal. First off, Erik was the starter for our meal, and then Hana was the server who ended and closed out our check. I won't recall everything we ate, but I took photos and I will tell you that the meal was epic. The edamame was so tasty- spicy garlic flavor...hard not to mow it down right away, and the cucumber salad is a pretty simple dish, but you can tell how good a place is by the effort they put into making both dishes. The crispy rice spicy tuna roll was also crazy delicious. Texturally the crispy rice is an awesome idea for the juxtaposition with the freshest of fish. We had the spicy tuna with popcorn shrimp ("popcorn") because they were large pieces! They offer low sodium soy sauce, but also their own homemade soy sauce so I went with that. I was so full at the end of the meal. It was a long drive back to my hotel, but it was worth it. Many thanks to the entire team here at Kiwami. Not only did I entertain my customer who went to a great place he loved to eat- but now I'm hooked as well. Hope to be back sometime soon! Support small owned businesses! read more

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I never miss a trip to Kiwami when I'm in LA. This time I ordered through Uber Eats and it was just as delicious! The lunch bento is such a good bang for your buck, and DONT skimp out on the extra scallop nigiri- with yuzu and salt of COURSE. They pack it for you separately and it's the perfect touch. read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - Katsu-ya Creation Bento* - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

We were seated outside. The food and the service were both very good. The price was reasonable. read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - Katsu-ya roll - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

I had sushi for lunch yesterday at Kiwami in StudioCity. It was TERRIBLE. I couldn't bite through any of the pieces because they were cut so poorly that filaments in the fish prevented it. Whoever is training the sushi men is doing a terrible job. Not only were the pieces not tender they were small, and the amount of rice in each piece was minuscule. Kiwami used to be one of my favorites, and now I will never return. They had a large, wonderful outdoor eating space during the pandemic, and the sushi was always terrific. Sadly, not any more. read more

A great spot for good sushi. The the staff is very kind, attentive and helpful, which is always a plus the food is very fresh and flavorful, which is amazing. The seaweed salad and the salted edamame are perfect starters. Regarding the rolls, the katsuya roll is a must very unique to any other sushi I've had. The eel roll was very good too! The star of the show was the sweet shrimp nigiri which comes with the shrimps heads fried. Trust me when I say this, it is absolutely phenomenal. Overall, a great place for sushi! read more

The food we ate was good. Service was slow. Waiter forgot a dish. When we asked him what was taking so long (others who were seated after us received their food) he went to look for it. The food, which was supposed to be hot, had been sitting on the counter and was cold when he brought it to us. We told him to remove the dish from our bill and left. Note: The restaurant was NOT crowded, read more

this is the sushi i will dream about. seriously so amazing. i wish i could give them even more than 5 stars. the service was friendly and the food was prepared very fast. could not have asked for a better experience. read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - outside of restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

Thank you for your kind and generous attention, fast service and delicious food. Always make me feel like a special guest

delicious, very fresh tasting fish and always consistent. no wait on a weekend lunch, incredible happy hour menu sat/sun from 2-4. there's valet parking but also plenty of metered street parking. i'll definitely be back to try more! read more

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Great food and happy hour specials 2-4 PM. I would definitely recommend this place and the staff is great. The ambiance is a great place to meet a date or take your family. read more

Kiwami is genuinely one of the greatest places to eat in Studio City. It is a smaller version of Katsuya and is incredibly similar. First off, The food is amazing. I would highly recommend the Spicy Tuna With Crispy Rice as it is the highlight of my meal every time. The edamame is also amazing as an appetizer. My final recommendation would be the popcorn shrimp as it is incredibly good and is very unique. The service is incredible as the servers are very nice and are quick. If you sit outside it can be cold at times but there are heat lamps and is still great. Inside is very nice as well. Overall I would 100% recommend going to Kiwami as an alternative to Katsuya. read more

I went here for my first sushi experience in LA and was definitely not disappointed. All of the food is really tasty, and they've got some great options for patrons that don't eat fish. We had a reservation for the outside patio (which is very nice), but after we decided it was too hot, they were able to move us inside with no issues. We ordered a lot of food, and the service was very quick. I personally do not eat fish, but the people who did absolutely loved the spicy tuna crispy rice roll. I tried the veggie tempura, and it was very classic and delicious. The teriyaki beef was the highlight of my meal, the flavor of the meat was good, and the teriyaki sauce was delicious. The table also got some cucumber and avocado rolls (which were very tasty) The prices were not bad considering the portions, location, and quality. The inside of the restaurant itself was very nice, even though it's small, the restaurant doesn't feel too cramped or crowded. My only complaint was that a server recommended a roll to a person at the table, and they immediately didn't like it after they tasted it, but I believe we were still charged for the roll. A little bit of a bummer, but still a great experience overall, and I definitely recommend it read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - Beef Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

We love the fish quality and taste here! We use to go super often but moved away. All the dishes were well seasoned! Our favorite is the crispy rice spicy tuna, a must get! Also likes that even though we got the salmon cut roll, unlike other places where fish quality is low they will like mince the fish. You could tell that in the cut roll salmon was still sashimi quality, and not minced to hide quality of fish. The dessert was just ok, so I'd skip on that. read more

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Came here through recommendation of a friend and enjoyed our night. Great service and great quality fish. We upgraded the yellowtail jalapeño and albacore crispy rice dishes to get belly for both and super worth it! The super toro was like butter, just melted in your mouth. Albacore belly and albacore belly crispy rice were our favorites as well. Sooo good! Spicy tuna crispy rice was also ok but I've had better. Was not impressed with the blue fin tuna and yellowtail jalapeño as much as it tasted a little fishy! Also did not like the fried ice cream as it was more bread like then tempura. Overall it was a good new place to try out with not much of a wait for a Friday night. read more

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I had tot take away a star for recent service. Every time we call for takeout (we recently find ourselves unable to go sit and eat there) we have been quoted 1 hour for take out. For 2 rolls and 1 order of sashimi. No matter what time we call. The last time I went in person and they shrugged and blamed it on DoorDash. I know if you're sitting there they obviously don't have you wait 1+ hours for food so clearly they're deprioritizing take out... which would be fine if you weren't paying the same price. But honestly all of this is fine with a bit of planning. My issue is both times we've placed an order was quoted an hour and I called at about 35-40 min and was told my order was ready and waiting. Nobody likes sushi that's been sitting. If you're going to quote an hour it should be ready in an hour. Not 1/2 that time. read more

Food was good, but go during happy hour prices. It will not break the bank. Drinks were good and service was amazing!!! Ambiance is also cute!!! Great happy hour go to for me. read more

awesome happy hour! off the hh menu, we ordered the garlic edamame, sashimi, sushi, yellowtail handroll, salmon collar handroll, hot sake & sapporo. all good! off the reg menu, we had the oyster trio, crispy rice tuna (we both agreed we wished the rice was crispier) anddd the softshell crab roll, all delicious. easy valet parking! read more

Kiwami By Katsuya - top left- crispy rice tuna, top right- yellowtail handroll, hot sake, bottom left- softshell crab roll, bottom right- oyster trio - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

As always, excellent fresh fish. Outstanding rolls, sashimi and terrific service. Keep doing what you do

Luv Kiwami. Service is always great. The food is always fresh and perfectly prepared and served. The restaurant is always on time with your reservation read more