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    OTOTO

    4.2 (214 reviews)
    ModerateBars, Japanese
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    OTOTO Photos

    Business Info

    OTOTO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

    Recommended Reviews - OTOTO

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    Reviews With Photos

    Bryan C.

    A solid bar restaurant nearby Dodger's stadium in Echo Park, this establishment specializes in Japanese cuisine including Katsu sandwiches, stir fry noodles, and other classics! The establishment also has a variety of cocktails and sake-based drinks which add a flair to your already delicious meal. Worth a try for those in need for an upscale Asian bar experience in LA!

    Anmitsu
    Alexandra B.

    Super solid meal at OTOTO, we went on a weeknight around 7pm and didn't have to wait at all for a table (they don't take reservations). The area has neighborhood street parking and there's a valet stand out front if you like. Inside is a smaller space but the energy is lively and very clean. The staff was lovely and went in depth through the menu with us, especially when we asked about all the different Sake options. I ended up trying the Kinoene hiyaoroshi junmai ginjo genshu which was a seasonal fall flavored sake that was delicious. If you're a sake lover you definitely should check their extensive menu out! I personally love a menu that's designed to be sharable so you can try more of everything, and this one is definitely set up this way. My favorites of the night (aka what I'd reorder in a heartbeat) were the Nagoya-Style wings, the Yakiniku Steak, the Yakisoba, and the Anmitsu, but truthfully, every bite of the meal was a good one.

    Okonomiyaki
    Vannie S.

    I was on the hunt for okonomiyaki on the east side and came across this place and was so pleasantly surprised. Their sando was my fav thing we got. Outside of going to little Tokyo or Torrance it can be hard to find a place that sells katsu sandos in la. The sando was juicy had cabbage and sauce. The okonomiyaki was good, the dough was the right amount of ratio to meat and cabbage. The restaurant itself was very cute. Had cute pics of cats and moody. The parking situation is rough. There's valet but street parking is hard to come by.

    Chicken katsu sando
    Aileen H.

    This is a small simple Japanese restaurant focusing on alcoholic drinks and American friendly Japanese cooked food. My friend and I stopped by for an early dinner. The interior was clean and simple. Pros: The chicken katsu sando was delicious! The meat was of a generous portion and the texture was satisfying; perfectly fried on the outside and the entire sandwich was seasoned perfectly. The sauce had great flavor. The French fries were good too: big and thick. The burger was saucy and delicious. Overall, the food was messy and good. Cons: For being a Japanese restaurant, it offered no green tea and no Japanese red peppers (such as shichimi). Because of these misses, the restaurant lost many points for authenticity. Service was excellent. There is street parking available but can be challenging after 5pm. There is valet parking available. I can see this being a neighborhood favorite if you like to drink and eat Japanese cooked food. It offers the Japanese version of American bar food essentially. There is no sushi on the menu.

    Jackie W.

    Intimate, vibey sake bar in echo park with an extensive sake selection. We had a semi-private dining area reserved for Saturday evening, and it was overall an enjoyable experience. The staff was very knowledgeable and made recommendations based on our party's preferences. We ordered ~12 dishes, and the food trickled out slowly. To be fair the kitchen is quite small. Most dishes were just okay, especially considering the price. The standout for me was the filet-o-fish, which was hot, crispy, and comforting. The egg sando was very disappointing - a small portion of average egg salad sandwiched between stale bread... Overall, the dishes felt a bit pretentious and my experience fell short of my expectations. There is street parking nearby and the option for valet. It's a trek from the street parking with limited visibility and uneven sidewalks to the restaurant. I'd recommend Ototo for the vibes and sake, not for [most] of the food.

    Chicken Sandwich.
    Damon B.

    One of the best thing's about LA is discovering a gem of a restaurant that centers food/beverages - as opposed to hype. One of my new favorites. Cuisine: 5/5. When my friend told me to order the Katso Sando chicken sandwich, I thought she was smoking. She wasn't, but this sandwich most definitely is. Succulent, flavorful, and most importantly, not basic. Ordered their Ode to Mos Burger for my second visit and it easily goes head to head with other places that only make - burgers. Beverages: 5/5. I usually stick with their larger, which is always crisp and refreshing. I'm still developing my palette for sake. Service: 5/5. No reservations? Just put your name down on the clipboard. Pretty easy and not a long wait, if at all. Ambiance: 5/5. Dope Parque neighborhood vibe. No pretension. Say less. Buen provecho.

    Filet-o-Fish Sandwich
    Elisa C.

    This cozy spot just outside of Dodger Stadium had been on my list for quite some time. Caught up with some friends who were from out of town to go here for dinner. The staff was very accommodating as we had a few no gluten folks amongst us. The food was so good that I almost forgot to take any pictures. The highlight of the meal was definitely the filet-o-fish sandwich. It is the gourmet version of its fast food chain namesake. The steak was also perfectly cooked. The ramen bowl also looked amazing. I definitely would like to come back to try more sandwiches and other dishes which means I'll need to bring another group.

    Potato salad.
    Marc S.

    We'd been meaning to go here for awhile. After struggling to find parking we found a spot kinda far away but it was free. (There's valet parking for $12 btw.) We had already perused the menu so we ordered some drinks to start. A Pellegrino for me and the kid and a Mexican coke for my wife. We started with the calamari. Super light, crispy battered and so delicious. I could eat a bucket of this! A good start. We also got the potato salad. It came with a medium boiled egg and some Kurabuta sausages. I had one bite of the sausage and was instantly transported back to Japan where I last tasted these snappy smoky wieners. Oishii! The potato salad was great with mustard greens adding a tasty flavor. Next up, we got our main courses. My wife got the Chicken Katsu sando which she said was the best she'd ever had. I had a bite and I can agree that it was very good. My son got the "Tribute to Mos Burger" which was what made us decide to finally go here.. It was outstanding and really captured the essence of the Japanese burger chain. Wow. Then some Kennebec fries for the table. The large portion was deliciously crunchy outside and fluffy on the inside. They were a bargain at 7 dollars. I got the Filet-O (OTOTO) fish sandwich which was also good. It had quite a lot of eggy tartar sauce that made it just a bit too rich for me to finish. Still VERY very good. The service was friendly and prompt. The atmosphere was quiet and calm. We saw a few other dishes we'd like to try so we will be back again soon. Thanks! 8.5/10

    Giang P.

    OTOTO is a nice Japanese Izakaya style restaurant that has been my sister's favorite for years. I'm so glad that I got to try them when I was in town. Their price is average for LA restaurants. I liked the chill and cozy vibe of OTOTO, perfect for a date night or a chill night out with friends. They have valet parking in case you are wondering. I ordered a few things but my favorite was the yakiniku. The meat was nice and tender. My next favorite was the shredded cabbage salad. The portion was pretty big and the dressing was splendid. Gyoza was salty for me. Not recommend it. The okra dish was good as well. I went on a slower night so service was pretty quick. Their food was good but I'm not sure if I would go back.

    Shaki shaki salad
    Yuri J.

    A small and intimate restaurant , with a long wait so go early! The service is sweet and quick and the ambiance is lovely - dimly lit, casual yet elevated. Our dinner at the bar was cozy and perfect. My friend and I ordered the shaki shaki, chicken katsu sando and uni pasta. Portions are generous and great for sharing a veggie & two mains. All the dishes sounded so interesting, but we stuck with the recommendations . Shaki salad is drenched in an umami-flavored sesame sauce over cabbage slaw and topped with furikake. It's crunchy, flavorful and refreshing. The chicken katsu is hefty - def shareable..there's a spice from the sauce, but the katsu is crispy breaded and fried and the bread is buttery and perfectly toasted. The limited dish, the uni pasta was delicious - with tons of mushrooms. Uni flavor was subtle!

    Chicken Katsu Sando
    Janise Q.

    If you enjoy restaurants like Joy in Highland Park or Pine & Crane in Silverlake, this might be up your alley. A more modernized Japanese restaurant and quality is excellent! The restaurant is much smaller than either of the two restaurants that I mentioned and depending on what time you go, the wait can get pretty long. The service was quick at times but can be a bit of a wait at the beginning as they're tending to other customers. Portions are relatively generous as we did family style for a group of 3. We got the katsu sando, okonomiyaki, filet-o-toto fish sando, black pepper tofu, and steak. Filet-O-Fish, Okonomiyaki, and Black Pepper Tofu were probably the crowd favorites at our table as the katsu sando bread was a little too dry and the steak was pretty average. However, great experience overall and would go again!

    Kenneth L.

    I liked the food here, but it was maybe a little overhyped. First: I liked the vegetable okonomiyaki, which was the main reason I came, since Chinchikurin was closed. It was delicious and actually not just a threadbare okonomiyaki with the protein removed, which is always appreciated. Nothing else really stood out, though--and the katsu sando was maybe below average, since the chicken was a little overfried and slightly dry. Food also came out pretty excruciatingly slowly, which wasn't a big deal but was surprising. Lightning inside is a tad too dark, too. I know I wasn't the only one having trouble reading the menu, since the next table over was also using their phones as flashlights. Parking is a massive pain. You can pay for the valet, which I never like doing, or you can navigate the adjacent neighborhood looking for an unoccupied spot, then make the trek (in the dark, because there are very few streetlights) back to Ototo.

    Black pepper tofu
    Alicia K.

    Let me get to the important part of this review: chicken karaage & black pepper tofu!!! Wow! Now that that's out of the way, will get into the nitty gritty. Came here on a Sunday night around 6:30pm, very busy and rowdy inside a narrow seating area. Easy to miss, but put your name down on the clipboard inside to the right of the entrance. There was one waitress working all the tables so props to her! It was insane in there, so bring your patience. We ordered: - Black Pepper Tofu (10/5): this was SO delicious, you could taste the five spice that really gave this a unique twist from agedashi tofu. - Pumpkin Tempura (2/5): can skip this, not that it was bad but the tempura could've been crispier to contrast more from soft pumpkin texture - Branzino (4/5): fish cooked beautifully, getting a bite of the Branzino + lettuce + dill = beautiful balance - Chicken Karaage (5/5): crispy on the outside, JUICY on the inside, and the little pops of roe!! are you kidding... - Steak (4/5): cooked very very well, super tender, sauce DELICIOUS but not anything mindblowing - Okonomiyaki (3.5/5): not my favorite type of okonomiyaki, I like it better when the other ingredients overpower the pancake texture so that it's not mushy, found the sauce to be a little too ketchupy for my liking But this place is a VIBE, glad we got to try it after getting rejected from Tsubaki

    Small wine in small glass on very cute coaster

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    8 months ago

    Food was so good! Came for my boyfriend's birthday and we loved it. Service was amazing and everyone was nice! :)

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - OTOTO

    Does this place have a gluten-free menu? If not are the servers knowledgeable about what's safe for celiac ppl to order?

    Hi Leigh, Yes! We offer a number of gluten free modifications for our savory dishes, and both of… Read more

    Reservation ? Can I make one for four.

    yeah

    How are they operating during COVID?

    Corkage? Does anyone remember? Thought I saw it on the booze menu.

    Do they take reservations?

    They do not, but you can call ahead to check if they have any seats open!

    Any vegetarian options?

    Yes there were a few. You might be able to pull up their menu online i think it changes depending on the seasons.

    View All 10 Questions

    Katsu Sando

    Katsu Sando

    4.4(450 reviews)
    1.1 miChinatown
    $$

    Review based on take away:…read more We decided to try out this well-known spot for dinner and ordered the kimchi brown butter chicken sando,Honey walnut shrimp sando, and curry cheese waffle fries. I'll discount the ever so slightly soggy bun because this was our fault for waiting about an hour after taking delivery to enjoy lol. The winner of the bunch was absolutely the kimchi brown butter chicken sando, a close second is the honey walnut shrimp sando. The kimchi and mac and cheese balance perfectly and I appreciate particularly how well the mac and cheese pairs with the chicken!! I thought it was going to be a heavy sando - bunch each bite was actually quite refreshing! The fries were extremely well flavored and dipped in the curry sauce was a flavor explosion! We even tried the curry sauce with the sandos - highly recommend!!

    What a (not so hidden gem) that has quickly become one of my regular lunch spots! I've gotten the…read morekatsu sando, fruit sando, egg salad sando, and menchi katsu plate thus far and nothing has disappointed. The katsu is thick and juicy, tender yet crispy. A paired with some super super soft bread? That's a combo that will win me over any time. Don't forget to add their sauces! Fruit sando is a MUST if you're missing Japan. Sour strawberries paired with sweet cream, what's not to love? Egg salad sando- this one was delicious but maybe I could skip on it, I wish the egg salad was just a bit creamier. Menchi Katsu plate- portion size was crazy first of all. The burger was nice and crisp on the outside, and tender within. Seems like there is a common theme with their meats here. The service was also amazing and the cashier is super friendly. I wish there was more seating ! But it's a small quaint spot, so I kinda get it. Definitely wouldn't go with a party bigger than 4 people if you all want to sit together.

    Photos
    Katsu Sando - Shop interior

    Shop interior

    Katsu Sando - Chicken Katsu Sando

    Chicken Katsu Sando

    Katsu Sando - Menchi Katsu Sando + curry cheese fries

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    Menchi Katsu Sando + curry cheese fries

    Marugame Monzo - Red Dragon Rice -with ground pork

    Marugame Monzo

    4.4(5.1k reviews)
    1.7 miLittle Tokyo, Downtown
    $$

    Aight, I eat pretty plain food most of the time and occasionally get Instagram baited into trying…read moreviral stuff, including Menchirashi's carbonara udon in Tokyo, which I enjoyed despite the sauce being fairly light. Marugame Monzo's sauce, however, is the opposite of Menchirashi's. The sauce is SUPER flavorful with a rich, creamy mouthfeel and a strong umami flavor from the bacon and miso. I added mentaiko since I did the same at Menchirashi and honestly, everything was fantastic. The udon itself is pretty much exactly like fresh udon in Japan. Perfectly bouncy, chewy, and satisfying. Staff were also wonderful and service was insanely fast. We probably waited less than 10 minutes for both our udon and tempura, and they consistently checked in to make sure everything was good. I can't wait to come back and try more of their menu, especially the uni cream udon. The only thing I didn't like was the shrimp tempura since it had a lot of batter and not a ton of shrimp, so it was on the greasy side. I did enjoy the soft boiled egg tempura though. The yolk exploded into the udon and somehow made the whole bowl even better hehe. There are plenty of tables inside with limited bar seating. If you're a 2 top you might be sharing a table real close with some neighbors (they put a divider). If there's a wait, write your name down on the clipboard outside!

    I can't believe I have never written a Yelp review for Marugame Monzo before! This is literally…read morewhat I get everytime I visited LA. My friend and I always said we need to try new restaurants but fail every time because we always ended up craving Marugame Monzo. They literally have the best cream udon in my opinion! They got the ratio RIGHHTTTT!! It's creamy but not crazy creamy that all you taste is heavy cream. I can taste the flavor from the protein!! The hand crafted udon noodles always cooked to perfection with the perfect texture. The noodles soaked up the sauce up so well!! I have tried different cream udon dishes here - the famous sea urchin cream udon, the carbonara udon, the mentai cream udon, the butter squid udon, etc... My fav would definitely be the mentai cream udon, as you get lots of yummy seafood (shrimps and scallops) in the sauce. The butter squid cream udon is also really good as well!! I like to pair my cream udon with a side of chicken karage!! I really like the batter that they use for the chicken! It's crunchy and airy and very well seasoned!! Service has always been amazing! You get seated fairly quickly and the staff are super attentive! They always check up on you to see how you are doing. The restaurant is small and they make the best of the space they have. I like the glass window/bar area where you can see the chef make the udon noodles!!

    Photos
    Marugame Monzo - Inside

    Inside

    Marugame Monzo - Agedashi Eggplant ($6)

    Agedashi Eggplant ($6)

    Marugame Monzo - Miso Carbonara ($17)

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    Miso Carbonara ($17)

    Suehiro DTLA - Chicken Kaarage (Happy Hour)

    Suehiro DTLA

    4.5(285 reviews)
    1.7 miDowntown
    $$

    Love love this spot!! Finally got a chance to visit after their breakfast and got dinner here…read moreSaturday night. My partner got the ramen and I got the chicken menchi katsu set. The chicken menchi katsu was soooo filling and delicious! I couldn't even finish 1 and gave the rest to my partner. Everything in the set was delicious and presented well. Ramen was pretty standard and felt super clean compared to some of the tonkatsu ramen I've had before. Service is great they are so friendly and on top of it. Truly love this gem and it's so important for small businesses in the community to thrive. I will continue to support this joint when I'm in DTLA. Also so thrilled they're opening a 3rd location in Little Tokyo!!

    Real Japanese staff and greeting upon entrance! You can practice your Japanese! The service was…read moretoo notch, standard for Japanese attention! I'm so grateful to have this new place in the neighborhood! The sushi was delicious! I love their crispy rice tuna, they put a jalapeño and avocado slice on top! The ramen is official, I got the tonkotsu! It's a smaller version but I like having to order a lot of different stuff! The gyoza was delicious, I can't wait to try more of their extensive menu! My friend got sashimi, and then got jealous and order a ramen like mine! lol They have a full bar and the wine was good too! The hot tea came with two tea bags, good enough to share and add more hot water if needed! This will be a regular weekly dining option for this single lady! Loved, Love, Lovely!

    Photos
    Suehiro DTLA - Japanese style booths

    Japanese style booths

    Suehiro DTLA - Vegan tempura

    Vegan tempura

    Suehiro DTLA - Sapporo + Kikori

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    Sapporo + Kikori

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Daikoku Ramen

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo

    4.1(9.9k reviews)
    1.7 miLittle Tokyo, Downtown
    $$

    I'm really torn because the food was really good, but the service was seriously lacking. There were…read moresix of us, and all of us felt how rude they were. We ended up being sat next to the grill, I have a shellfish allergy so we asked to sit in their outdoor seating area (which had plenty of tables open) instead just so my allergies don't get triggered by all the vapors. As we walked to our outdoor table, my husband and friend heard three workers talking crap about me and complaining that I shouldn't even be eating there because everything had shellfish. Let's be honest it's not that hard to accommodate, plus we're giving you our business so what's the problem? Rude all the way through table service, then when we were all finished, we had barely just paid and we were finishing our drinks when the same three workers rushed into our table to clear everything out and pushed us out of our table. We're all a pretty chill group of people but every single one of us left saying what the actual f*ck was their problem?

    First time visit. I feel like this place always has a wait. Fortunately for us I don't feel like we…read morewaited very long. The service was amazing. It's a well oiled machine. Seating is available inside and out. The restaurant inside is small. Open kitchen. Very cool to see the process. Hands down I highly recommend ordering the Handmade gyoza . They were juicy and flavorful. For ramen I went with the Daikokuya Ramen combination with chashu pork rice bowl. The ramen broth was rich in flavor. I added spicy oil. The noodles were perfectly cooked. The chashu pork was delicious. I would definitely come back and order everything again.

    Photos
    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Inside

    Inside

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Mixed poke

    Mixed poke

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Bishamon Sake

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    Bishamon Sake

    OTOTO - bars - Updated May 2026

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