I would give Ototo 4.5 stars, but went up because of their great sake selection. My friend and I loved this meal. The chicken Katsu sandwich was soooo good. A little messy at the end, but so worth it. 8.5/10 The ode to MOS burger was also great! The bun was soft and pillowy, the burger was perfectly cooked, all of the flavored married well together 8.5/10 Rock Shrimp Okonomiyaki was delicious. HUGE, but delicious. I actually took some home and had this as breakfast the next day. It was soooo yummy. 9/10 Black pepper tofu was also really good. The standout was the Kanpachi Sashimi. Wow was that next level good. 9.5/10 The service was really attentive, really kind. It's a tiny little restaurant but we loved how intimate it was. The same selection is incredible as well. I loved it so much! They had a perfect cloudy sake that I loved. We ubered there, but they do have valet parking for $13, I will say, you'll definitely want to use the valet - parking looked rough! read more

Established and well adored proper sake/izakaya place on the east side. Ofc sake here is dope. Food is delicious and straight forward. Very good quality (from the crisp of the batter to the tenderness). Although as a soft shell crab geek, I didn't enjoy the new addition of this on the menu (sorry) maybe it was the hint of spice that I didn't expect or the thick sauce instead of classic ponzu/kanopy alternative? Service can be a little iffy and I can't quite describe that's a disconnect to the Japanese or East LA culture but Ryan is awesome and saves the day with his chill laid back approachable but quitetly confident taishō swagger. This place deserves recognition despite some of (my perception of) its low key elitist vibes. They're committed to the craft and that's really hard to not admire. read more

I'd give Ototo somewhere between 4 - 5 stars and definitely already want to go back. I've been to their sister restaurant, Tsubaki, many times and always love it but opted for Ototo since it's more casual and budget friendly. The parking was awful due to a Dodger game and we ended up utilizing the valet. Service was nice and friendly and very accommodating. There were some standout dishes that I'm still thinking of, let's get to that! Shaki Shaki Salad - 4 stars. This was a fresh and tasty cabbage salad. I personally think a different texture element would have added to this, like crushed peanuts or something, but did enjoy this. Spring Onion Tempura - 5+ stars. Delicious! Tasted like onion rings, but with a lighter texture. Bonus tip, request the bbq sauce like dipping sauce, it creates the perfect balance. Filet-o-fish Sandwich - 4 stars. This was really good, but was definitely improved with the bbq like sauce I had with the onion tempura. Yakinuku Steak - 5+ stars. I'm not a big steak person but thought this was excellent! Rich in flavor, great texture, and cooked perfectly! I need to have this in my life again very soon! They have tons of sake here, but I opted for a glass of Chenin Blanc which was excellent! I love the ambiance here, it reminded me of an Izakaya in Japan. Very elevated but casual and cozy at the same time. Well done Ototo, see you soon! read more

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Was looking at new restaurants to try and came across Ototo. Unfortunately, they do not do reservations, at least not for small groups, as it is a first come, first served situation, so we went around the time it opened and we're able to get seated immediately. Usually we start with drinks, but it was all sake based, no cocktails, so we skipped this time around. But we started with the crudo and the karage. The crudo was very fresh, with just the right amount of citrus, and these little crunchy bits on top to give some texture to each bite. Just very good. The karage was just as good, very juicy chicken on the inside, not overly breaded on the outside, with a nice sauce on top. But the interesting part was the trout roe on top. You might not think chicken and trout roe work, but it have this pop of salinity, like a little ocean that added something different but good. For entrees we tried the burger, fish sandwich and chicken sandwich. The burger sounded tasty, almost like a very upscale Tommy burger, if you will. And while it was decent, it felt like something was missing with it. Just wasn't out favorite burger. The fish sandwich was decent as well with a beer battered cod and American cheese. But this, too, felt like something was missing with it. Finally, the chicken katsu sandwich. Again, perfectly cooked chicken, can't stress that which, so juicy inside but not to where it makes the batter moist. The tonkotsu sauce adds a little flavor but it was a generally good sandwich. Overall, nice place in LA. If you're feeling like saje, definitely go pass by as they have plenty of options. The crudo and karage were delicious, while the entree sandwiches weren't very memorable. read more

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First time eating at this restaurant and really enjoyed the experience. Very small and intimate setting and atmosphere is chill and chic. It didn't take long for us to get seated on a Thursday night. It was pretty busy but not overwhelmingly crowded. The menu offers a good range of options , but limited. Maybe around 20-25 dishes are served. Did not get a chance to take photos of menu or drink menu. We purchased the Japanese potato salad, Kara-age nanban and yakiniku steak. It was my first time trying the potato salad and I wasn't too crazy about it, but it was decent. I prefer a little more flavor with my potato salad, but again this a Japanese restaurant and the flavor usually comes from sauces rather than actual spices. I so highly recommend the kara-age(jidori chicken) and yakiniku steak. They were both flavorful and didn't require any additional spices or sauces. For drink options : I opted for the yuzu or yukuzu soda (not 100% of the name lol), which was delicious-chefs kiss. And my friend just got sparkling water, no alcohol of us this time around. Waited was amazing and ensured we had all that we needed and also very. Communicative about wait times for food. Definitely will be returning! read more

OTOTO - Kara-age nanban - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Tint restaurant but we came on a Tuesday night and got free street parking at did not have to wait for a table. They do have valet parking. We ordered the katsu sandwich, fish sandwich and cabbage salad. Salad was very large and very tasty. We liked the fish sandwich even more than the katsu. We could barely finish the food. Chris our waiter was friendly and attentive and made the experience great read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

OTOTO - Okonomiyaki - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

OTOTO - Filet-o-Fish Sandwich - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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 read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

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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 read more

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Recently I grabbed dinner with a friend here. We had a great time. The uni toast super fun but only has two smaller pieces. The black pepper tofu was great and a little bigger a true starter size. The shumai was really yummy. They're bigger bites and had good sauce. The highlight of the night was the chicken Katsu sandwich. Super flavorful, a solid size, and great textures. Definitely will be going back to get that again. read more

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Such an amazing find on a random Wednesday night! We had a party of 3 and were seated immediately when we came in at 7:30pm. It's an intimate sized izakaya restaurant and was fully packed! No private parking lot, but it looks like there's shared valet parking with the restaurant next door. We parked up the street in a neighborhood and walked over. One of the owners was in and working the bar and giving amazing recommendations. They are super knowledgeable about their sake and offer samples based on what you're feeling. We got a hot (or warm sake) that was probably the best hot sake I've had. Had a floral sweetness to it that reminded me of white wine. We also finished our meal with cold sake that was sourced directly from Japan. Food wise, it's Izakaya style, so basically like Japanese tapas. I'd recommend ordering a few things and sharing so you can sample a bunch of food. They change the menu pretty often so odds are you may have different things when you go. We started with the otoro sashimi special, which basically melts in your mouth. We then got the potato salad with mustard greens, which was amazing and came with kurobata sausage and a perfectly soft boiled egg. Super good to start the pallet going. We also got chicken karage which was super super moist on the inside but crispy on the outside. We also got yakisoba which was pretty mid, but filling. We also got the chicken katsu sando, which comes on toasted milk bread and has a chili jam/sauce on it that was too spicy for me, but still super good. The highlight for me was the branzino, which came with a Filipino chili jam that was super good and went great with the salad... I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone and will definitely be back. I've been to Japan multiple times and must say this really takes me back to the izakayas I've been to, ambiance wise and in terms of how the Mamasans (or host/managers) take care of you. read more

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TLDR: OTOTO was fantastic, friendly & attentive service, great recommendations, super tasty food and great sake! We came around 6pm on a Saturday and were seated promptly in the window. Our server was friendly, kind, and provided some spot on recommendations. They were incredibly knowledgeable about every sake on the menu and sold us immediately on the Moon on the Water (we even sought this sake out at a local store after our visit, it was that great). Food: Katsu Sando - very tasty, a little spicy, pretty big so easier to eat with chopsticks - recommend! Shumai - nice and light dish to share, sauce was tasty but probably wouldn't order again - somewhat recommend. Yakisoba - this was hands down the BEST Yakisoba I have ever had, you could taste the flavor of each ingredient, noodles were fantastic. My husband who doesn't like noodles loved it, we've been talking about it since - highly recommend! Steak - really good, juicy, I love a medium rare steak, maybe not for everyone but it was great - definitely recommend! read more

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Been wanting to try this one for a long time and was sorely disappointed. It was the entrees that disappointed not the appetizers. DO NOT ORDER A MAIN COURSE (right side of menu). The experience started off promising with a great atmosphere and good service (we sat at the bar). Sake and beer was solid. The staff is deceptive about portion sizes so beware. Stay left on the menu. Everything to the right is not good. We ordered two left column (explained as appetizers) and two right column (entrees) and the server insisted we needed more so we ordered an extra salad. I dare you to eat all of this food. The Shaki Shaki salad was enough for a side salad for 5 people but excellent. The tempura eggplant skewers were incredible. The fried chicken karate (large portion) was delicious. The mayonnaise sauce was tasty in moderation but it was slathered on in areas so some pieces were over tangy. Ikura was added to the top which was excellent. Overall lights out. We are excited. Main courses coming. This is gonna be good. Nope. Steak came out and it was cooked perfectly but absolutely no seasoning. Blandest steak ever. A real shame. Do not order this. Last dish was the okinoyamaki. Having had this dish multiple times in Osaka and Hiroshima I was really looking forward to this. When it came out my jaw dropped. What the heck is that? They stole everything that is excellent about the dish and gave us a mushy awful dish. It is such a total miss I am speechless. A tale of two columns. read more

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Such an amazing dining experience! The squash was delish and the ramen for December was great. Would definitely come back for the sake read more

OTOTO - Mushroom and chestnut pancake - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Sake School? Really? Okay, story is that during the Covid Pandemic, Owner and Sake Sommelier Courtney Kaplan and her husband Charles started some sort of online Sake School. So go figure and that in this present day, they offer the same comfort and Sake education in the flesh at OTOTO. Not sure of the hours but we were there on Sunday and the school starts before they start serving their meals. I can't speak of their listed Teishoku meals because we didn't have any. We did have their chicken katsu sando and their renkon (lotus root) namasu. Both were good. One important thing is you need to look at your bill as there is a 18% impound to it. You may dispute that fee impound and they will remove it I think; or you can consider it your tip or not! Just check is all A must try. Fun Fact- Same owner as Tsubaki next door. Parking is a problem. Valet parking is available if street parking is not available when you get there. A definite must try if you're in the area, or not! read more

OTOTO - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Tried the yakisoba and it was pretty good! Lots of meat and the noodles were chewy and flavorful! However I do think it was a pretty heavy dish so try to balance it out with a more refreshing side. My friend also ordered the filet Ototo fish and it was an aggressive burger. Definitely a hardy meal but I liked their take on it. There are a lot of unique dishes on the menu and the atmosphere in the restaurant is really nice. It's an intimate space with bar seating and table seating. However, this place doesn't have reservations so you will have to wait for a bit during peak hours! The staff is super friendly and since it's an intimate space the people tending the bar area is really nice and chatty. This would be a cute spot for a date but I wouldn't recommend this as a family spot :) read more

OTOTO - Yakisoba and filet Ototo fish - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I was craving Japanese food and heard about this being good from foodie reddit. The food here wasn't bad but it's not "real" food, mostly greasy bar food like karaage chicken, burgers, or pork belly. I would only recommend it for happy hour. The sake menu is fun and the waitress made good recommendations although there weren't any top shelf sakes. The execution is too casual for me. I think it may be sake on tap. They just bring you a pour in a mystery glass without showing you the bottle/label so half the time I can't even fully conceptualize what I'm drinking unless I sit at the bar. The waitress also didn't offer me tastings to make sure I find a pour I liked and the menu didn't have any flights which is a bummer. The food came out deplorably slow. They must have like 1 cook in the kitchen. We ordered 7 things and the fried chicken dishes took 50 minutes to come out! My bf was so hangry I felt bad. The food is decent but menu seems skewed to just bar food. The fried scallops were down right nasty so avoid. Service is slow. Maybe come here, sit at the bar and try the sake but otherwise I wouldn't recommend it. Btw we didn't have the 18% forced fee. Maybe they got rid of it due to complaints on Yelp. read more

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Really great sake bar with excellent food to complement. Parking is not pleasant, but they do offer valet. Luckily we found parking in the adjacent neighborhood. We walked in on a Saturday around 6:30 and were seated immediately. There was a dodger game so it wasn't too crowded thankfully. They have various sakes on tap and a lot of variety for all different palettes. There were three of us and we ordered to share: The shaki shaki salad - honestly this dressing needs to be bottled it's unreal. Such a simple salad but so so tasty. I could've eaten the whole thing by myself. We told them they need to sell it it would be great if they let you add some protein to it but it's really nice on its own Filet-o(Toto)-fish sando - satisfied my filet o fish craving! The cod is battered nicely and to perfection. The crunch is also easy to cut for sharing between 3 people so that was a plus! Katsu sando - bread was toasted perfectly and didn't get soggy from the tonkatsu sauce. The chicken was flavorful and juicy. Okonomiyaki - we got the one with rock shrimp. Very savory and heavy. Honestly you could get just this as a meal. We ordered this at the end and just a heads up it takes twenty minutes to prepare so definitely order it first if you plan on getting it. We each had a piece and took half home. We were pretty full already. read more

Food: 3.5/5 Service 4/5 18% Service Fee (not part of tip): 0/5 I've been here a couple of times ; many years ago when their menu was different, and found the food to be overall decent. While I found their Katsu sandwich to have too much sauce, their Yakisoba hit the spot. Service was good. It's a small place and we were checked on periodically which was nice. When we got our bill, we noticed a highlighted portion on it that stated an 18% added service fee was included. Now whether you agree with this or not, I'm not here to argue one way or the other. I've seen this done at other LA area restaurants before. In this case, two things stuck out. Nowhere was it written on the menu nor verbally communicated to us that there would be an 18% service fee. Finding out by highlighting a section of the bill when checking out felt tacky. They made it clear in the highlighted text that this is not a tip. There was a separate line item to add a tip in addition to the 18% fee. 18% is by far the highest service/wellness fee I have ever seen. Most cap out at about 4-8% and are clearly labeled on the menu. In addition, the restaurant actually taxed the service fee! Lol Also, a first for me to see. Geez. To be clear, everyone deserves a fair wage and I'm hoping that the menu prices reflect the prices needed to pay employees fairly where the business can also make money as well. From a consumer standpoint, the optics feel off when prices aren't clearly communicated upfront. Raise your menu prices to reflect the actual price of items. No surprises at the end please. I'm trying to leave a 20% or more tip for a good meal and service. This service fee is making that difficult. read more

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Small plates. Japanese high end cuisine. Delectable. No reservations required. Delicious and delicate. read more

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Impeccable vibes, delicious food and drinks, cool tiny space in Echo Park. If I could afford it, I would go to Ototo every week because everything was so delicious! Do note that they automatically charge an 18% service charge and additional tipping after that is optional. We arrived at almost 8PM on a Friday night as a walk-in for 2 people, and they had one little table in the corner left. The whole dining space is small but has multiple tables and a bar cramped inside, so it really gives off cozy Japan vibes. I originally was intrigued online by Ototo's cute signage (sleepy sake cat) and seeing Inga Lam post about the food on her insta. My fiance and I ordered the Sakura Masu, Shaki Shaki Salad, Filet-o(toto)-fish, and A Cocktail (strawberry yuzu calpico flavors). The cocktail and shaki shaki salad came out first. The salad was so goooood and crispy (shaki-shaki is onomatopoeia for crunchy noises), and it was smothered in a deliciously creamy sesame dressing. The cocktail was sweet and refreshing. The sakura masu came out next and the seafood was all so fresh--my fiance loved it. The last to come out was Ototo's version of a filet-o-fish sandwich, and oh my god it was so amazing. The battered wild cod was so light and crispy on the outside and buttery and flaky on the inside. It paired deliciously with the sauce gribiche, cheese, and well-toasted burger bun. Portion sizes are not huge so you can try multiple dishes, depending on how much you can afford--I would say it'd be best to come and share between two people (especially because it might be a longer wait to fit larger parties). I want to try the katsu sando (and all the other dishes on their menu) next time, and I look forward to my next visit to Ototo! read more

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The star of Ototo is their food quality, and this is the reason I will come back. Prices are high, but you're getting some of the best okonomiyaki (yes, I realize this is very opinion based) and fish quality. I had an amazing toro sashimi dish here and hope they can keep offering this. One of the smoothest sashimi experiences to enter my mouth. Yes, you have to go in to ototo knowing it's a sake bar with japanese style bar food. If you have that in mind, it's a special spot. I don't drink, but thoroughly enjoyed all the food offerings. Service was fantastic. The interior is tiny, so expect waits and whatnot, but if you plan well, you won't be disappointed. read more

The food is good, but it isn't worth going back to the restaurant due to the horrible service. We ordered the katsu sandwich and the ramen special. The katsu sandwich was great but the ramen was flavorless and was not worth the egregious $40 price tag. Since it was our second time going to the restaurant, we noticed that we were overcharged the first time we came. For the first time, we received a total of $85 only to be charged over $160. We raised the issue to the manager only to be told rudely and condescendly to "email them on their website." The manager's dreadful attitude and refusal to resolve the issue at the moment was appalling. In the end, my family and I are still left overcharged and we are completely shocked by the unacceptable service. If you want a pleasant dining experience, please do yourself a favor and avoid this restaurant. read more

This is a remarkable little gem in Echo park! Love coming here for sake school on Sundays where you get to try different sakes and then stick around for dinner. I love their fish fillet sandwich. It is absolutely the best in Los Angeles! Personally, I love sitting at the bar and digging the super Chill Vibes of this delightful elevated Japanese bistro! Great service and wonderful food! Parking can be tricky, but there is valet as well. They don't take reservations, so definitely pull up early. read more

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We wanted tapas style and we got exactly that. We did not know about this place too much until we got there. It's a small hole in the wall that showcased a lot of different liquor with food in the side. We were thrown off by the fact that the menu and what was in Yelp was very different. The incredible kind and attentive server told us that their menus do change often depending on the season. Not being too hungry, we ended up getting the cold ramen and the hamachi crudo. The flavor exceeded our expectations. It was rich and pungent while being unique at the same time. It's definitely worth a try if you're in Echo Park. read more

OTOTO - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Fun menu and ambiance, delicious food, and great service. Highly recommended and can't wait to come back! read more

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Two words: Sake selection. I want to not review this place so it remains as empty as it is when I go in, but it is just too good for that. The food is amazing. The staff is knowledgeable. The sake? The best I personally have ever had. The place is so cute. I really will always come back! read more

We came to Ototo on a Wed night ~ 8 pm on a non-game night. We were able to find street parking ~1.5 blocks away, an easy walk over. We were lucky to snag the last table walking in. Both the food and sake was good! We especially loved the chicken katsu sando and the rock shrimp okonomiyaki! The okonomiyaki is on par or better than the ones we had in Osaka. Wings were good. We'd skip the Sakura/sashimi dish next time. Service was friendly and comfortable. The ambiance is chill and welcoming. Do check out the sake menu cover, so fun! Little fun fact: On our recent trip to Japan, our local friend explained to us that in Japanese culture, when someone pours sake for you (probably other drinks too?), you're supposed to say ototototototo... so the person pouring knows when to stop. I wonder if that's the namesake for this place? We had much fun saying it to each other then, and also tonight! read more

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came around 5:30pm on a sunday and they were able to seat our party of 3 right away. it's a small restaurant but we got a little nook that was hidden away and only had one other table, which was nice and private. food - shaki shaki salad: delicious dressing! wasn't the biggest fan of the cabbage, but with the fried wonton strips, it was an overall great tasting salad. - yakisoba: pretty good, but it kind of felt like i could have made it at home. but we go out to eat for the convenience too, right? - okonomiyaki w/ mushrooms and cheese: definitely a fan of this one. there might have been a bit too much sauce for my preference, but i think if i had asked to adjust it a bit, it would have been perfect. they are generous with the bonito flakes. i've never had okonomiyaki with mushrooms but i thought it went so well together i want to try making it at home now. - butter mochi: honestly it was a very strange texture.... half gooey/uncooked feeling, half stale rice cake. this one was a miss for me. service was super attentive and warm. there was a miscommunication about the dessert, but they took care of it professionally and quickly and i really appreciated that. overall a good experience! read more

When I saw a James Beard 2023 award winner was a mile away from my apartment, I knew I had to stop by. The sake menu and selection here is worth the hype. It's super cute, there's a huge variety from reasonably priced to very high end, and they have a selection on tap which was fun to see. We didn't try a sake we didn't like - all were fantastic. The food was also really good here. It was fun and playful, and I loved how it's Japanese inspired without being the same typical staples. We ordered the tomatoes, the chicken katsu sandwich, soft shell shrimp, and the cabbage pancake (with cheese and scallions). The first 3 dishes were 10/10, I especially loved the jelly in the tomato dish. So fun! But the cabbage pancake was a 6 on taste, 10 on presentation. They lather it with katsu/teriyaki type sauce which drowned out the whole taste of the pancake. The service at the beginning was very lacking. We were given about a 30 minute max quote, and after 30 minutes saw spots had opened up, but it took another 15 minutes just for the host to come back outside and seat us. There's a list on the inside where you're supposed to write your name down, but it's not visible from outside so it took a few minutes just for us to figure that out (and every single person waiting outside asked us how they get added to the wait list). It'd be very simple for them to be more clear about the list. There's also no outdoor seating, so you have to stand the whole time. Finally, after we were seated, it took another 10 minutes for our order to be taken. After that, the service was excellent with gracious pours and lots of little tasting. But for a place that doesn't take reservations, I hope they improve their waiting process. read more

OTOTO - Tomatoes - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California