As a Korean I try my best to dislike Japanese cuisine but this spot is a prime reminder that I can't no matter how hard I try. Great date spot. Intimate and authentic Japanese. Broad depth of real Japanese bites other than sushi. Get the corn...trust. read more

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I loved this place, what a gem. I went here 2x in the same week when visiting. From the corn ribs (9/10), to the pork belly taco(8.5/10), the yuzu ramen (10/10), and the small sushi tacos (9/10), every thing was fresh, well made, well balanced, and fairly priced for the quality and taste. The happy hour is a deal and would come during those hours. My servers were super kind each time and attentive on our meals. Every thing came out as it was made and we could tell they weren't sitting around. Ambience is a bit dark and on the more intimate side but can hold pretty large groups. Would definitely recommend to a friend and come back. Yuzu Ramen was my favorite next to the sushi tacos and my boyfriend loved the pork belly taco that literally melted in our mouths. read more

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Parking: Easy metered street parking or Santa Monica public parking garages have reasonable rates 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!! read more

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Stumbled on this amazing place when we were in the mood for Japanese. It had a small sign out front after 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 read more

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Shocking that people will pay the premium for this place, given the tiny portions, but the flavors overall are good and the duck was especially tasty. I wouldn't come back to Shirube personally given Los Angeles has so many competing sushi places and I can find equally duck elsewhere, the quality of the sashimi was the same as Yama Sushi and for the price of one sashimi dish here, I could buy two whole cuts of salmon toro at Yama. But I guess our wallets do the talking so come if you wish, and choose elsewhere if you want to feel full after you eat for probably half the price. read more

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Food is 4.5/5 at Shirubē - everything was delicious and thoughtfully prepared. However, I wish they were more clear/explicit about their policy on credit card surcharge. There is a 4% fee for paying with credit card calculated on the post-tax amount, instead of a "cash discount" as mentioned in some other reviews. read more

This was our second time coming here, and very glad we did! It's a hidden gem in Santa Monica. They have all day happy hour on Sunday and Mondays. Which is what brought us in both times. It's a small place, but the energy is always good. The first time we had an energetic and friendly hostess. This time we had a server named Cami (hope I spelled it right). And she was super bubbly and really on top of serving us. It was a busy Mother's Day and everything happened quickly. The food quality is really good. It's an expensive place to eat off happy hour. But I could tell the difference in even the edamame. The seated mackerel is my go to because it's super fun. The sashimi looked amazing though I didn't get any. The decor inside is nice. Ambiance is good. We'll definitely be back. And maybe one night it'll be for a nice dinner, not happy hour. But again, expensive so that's a consideration. read more

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Delicious and fresh melt in your mouth sashimi :) Excellent service, fast seating on a Saturday night, and happy hour specials! Plenty of seating inside along with bar seating. I tried their 3 fish and 6 fish sashimi and everything was so yummy. We ordered a side of white rice since just fish can be too much sometimes iykyk. Their blue fin tuna, lighted charred bonito, and salted salmon were all so yummy and came with a side of soy sauce paste and wasabi. I just wished there were some tamago or ikura with the bowl. It did have some radish and seaweed but very little. The corn on the cob appetizer was lightly crispy and tangy and fell right off. We wanted to try their lavender and truffle icecream but they ran out of that and cheesecake sadly. Street parking was limited but available for $3 an hour. I will definitely come back to try their other menu items including omakase and steak with butter wasabi. :D read more

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Cool little place in SaMo. Came here for dinner since it didn't have a wait. We got here around 5:30pm so we were able to get some HH items. They actually have HH on a Saturday (it ends at 6pm). Got a nice Sapporo for $5... mini poke bowl, pork belly taco, edamame, corn ribs, garlic shrimp and saba ... it was REALLY GOOD!! Some entrees I got to sample - Wagyu steak was too rare for me even tho it was supposed to be medium rare. Definitely good quality. - Fish plate ... I can't remember if it was Kama but it was delicious. Really meaty for fish. read more

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The entrance to this establishment really reminded me of Japan with the small lit-up restaurant sign greeting me at the front. The interior is what I would describe as industrial vintage and it's a nice upscale twist for an izakaya, considering it's in Santa Monica. We went on a weeknight at 8 p.m. and it was surprisingly pretty full. We ordered quite a lot but the most memorable was undoubtedly the chef's choice sashimi mori. The tuna was so buttery and each cut was thick. Everything else was middle-of-the-road, although the tableside searing of the aburi shime saba and aburi otoro carpaccio was pretty cool. The service was really great, though, and made the experience more enjoyable. read more

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Service: 10/10. Server was very friendly and helpful but not overbearing. Ambiance: small and cozy, vintage feeling! Food: drinks were not good- not balanced at all. One tasted like it had no alcohol and the other was way too strong. The standout here is definitely the sashimi- we got the chefs choice Sashimi Mori and every cut was delicious and fresh. We got boneless chicken wings that came with a beer special they were having, those were good. The fried corn ribs and Mentai udon were pretty basic and I could have done without, and the $50 Wagyu steak dish the server recommended was very overly salty. I would come back, but only for the sushi/sashimi! They have a happy hour where you can get the omakase for $70/person so I would love to try that. read more

Shirubē - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Happy hour truly lived up to its name!! Maybe it was the good prices, maybe it was the ice cold bamboo sake, and maybe it was the amazing food. Regardless, I left feeling thoroughly impressed and, as promised, HAPPY! :D I dined here with my friend for Thursday night happy hour. I joined the yelp waitlist but I absolutely didn't need to because at 5:45 there was no wait for a table. The space was intimate, dark, and sleek. Service was very attentive, almost to the point of being too attentive. I saw some reviews noting that food came out at awkward intervals, but for us (slow eaters), it was no issue. We started with the bamboo sake in a real bamboo shoot! It was freezing cold and powerfully smooth. Very mild refreshing flavor. It was fun to choose our own sake cups. (12 oz / $17) Food-wise, nearly everything we ordered came from the happy hour menu (except the sashimi mori). I have heard that the happy hour versions of dishes are smaller. Even though portions may be smaller, I loved being able to try so many different items. What we ordered: Poke tacos - my friend said this was his favorite bite of the whole meal. Soo flavorful ($3.50 each) Sunomono - seaweed/cucumber salad with a mild and refreshing flavor. We used this as a palette cleanser between dishes. ($5) Aburi shime saba - seared cured mackerel (6 pcs). Pretty tiny but distinct flavor unlike anything else we ordered. It reminded me of pickled herring but not as sweet. I enjoyed it with a squeeze of lemon. I'd heard people say this was a "must get" item, but out of everything we ordered, this was not one of the stand-outs for me. ($9) Corn ribs!! - actual must get! Sweet and juicy with a stretchy and crispy fried mochi coating.... So buttery and warm! These corn ribs really impressed me! Which is saying a lot because I'm a crazy corn fanatic. ($7 for 4 pcs) Negitoro - must get! my favorite bite of the meal! This was a flavor and texture BOMB! It's a dense and rich blend of tuna, avocado, and magic, atop a crispy and light garlic bread. To die for! I'm not a wasabi girly but this was really not spicy and had only a hint of wasabi flavor. I'm salivating just remembering when I ate this. ($12) Chef's choice 6 fish sashimi mori - This was a treat! It made us feel super indulgent. Felt a little like omakase because each fish had something to pair with it, and we got a surprise 7th fish! Our selection had sea bream, bonito (smoked), amberjack, scallop with caviar, salmon, hamachi (huge), and tuna. My favorites were salmon, hamachi, bonito, and scallop. Each fish was tender and flavorful. I've heard that this sashimi is considered some of the best in the city. It was certainly very special. ($50 for 2 ppl [12 pcs total]) We left feeling satisfied and happy but not too stuffed. Dining here was a real treat and I'm excited to go back! Definitely check out that happy hour :D read more

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This place is an absolute must try. My highlights are: corn-Shockingly good.perfectly seasoned, simple but unforgettable. Saba-Fresh, rich, and beautifully prepared. We had to order two. Duck-Tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. The waygu curry was also great. Their desserts alone are worth the visit. The matcha tiramisu and the ube cheesecake is super unique, you won't find desserts like this anywhere else. Both are absolutely to die for. On top of the incredible food, the service attentive and friendly. Highly recommend! read more

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As someone who has traveled to Japan twice, this is the place to go to. It's the closest I've gotten here to the food I ate in Japan. It is authentic and the best you'll find to say the least. I highly recommend this restaurant to others and it's a well deserved 5 stars. I went with a friend who is part Japanese and has lived there, and they agreed it is very authentic and highly rated. That's how you know it's good. The inside is decorated very well and has a great ambiance. It really honors and emphasizes Japanese culture. The service was also great, the food came faster than I thought it would and the servers were very nice. The corn ribs were the most popular on the menu, I can see why. Their sashimi was probably my favorite, it was as fresh as it can get. I couldn't even tell you which dish was my favorite, they were all past expectations. read more

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A true hidden Izakaya gem! I loved everything about this place ; the menu, the flavors, and the atmosphere. The sashimi and nigiri set was just as fresh and well-prepared as any top sushi spot. The corn ribs were so good that I had to order them twice! The black cod dish and the dandan noodles were also really solid. What stood out the most was the incredibly kind staff who explained every dish with care as they served it. It honestly felt like enjoying authentic Japanese flavors right here in Santa Monica! read more

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AMAZING experience! They have a lovely happy hour menu--all day on Sundays! We went on a Sunday and got the Chef's Omakase (normally $100 per person, $80 each for happy hour). Everything was fantastic. THICK cuts of sashimi, extremely fresh fish, the tastiest egg soufflé with crab and roe. It was really a fantastic meal. Can't wait to come back and try more! be sure to get the corn, it was out of this world. read more

I so want to love this place. Local, friendly, comfortable and overall a very warm vibe. I ordered the Omakase and should have read the small print. If you are expecting a "Sushi Omakase", you may be disappointed. After some ChatGPT research I learned that there is such a thing as a "Izakaya Omakase" and Shriube is an izakaya first and sushi restaurant second. Now, if you got this far, here is the cause of this review. One offering was wagu meatballs. They were tasty, not great. What followed immmediately after was wagu curry (with rice). The rub in my mind was the wagu curry had essentially the same flavor as the meatballs and I felt it was just a way for the chef to use up meatballs. Even in an Izakaya first driven Omakase should at least give a customer a variety of tastes, not a repeated one. read more

Just wow! It's a unique combination when you can find a restaurant with incredibly delicious food, fun ambiance, and won't break the bank. I have never had Japanese "tapas" before and was pleasantly surprised with the whole experience. I recommend reservations if you want the tables or have a group otherwise there's open seating at the long bar. The happy hour offers a solid menu and we had their famous Corn Ribs, Kakuni Taco (braised pork belly), and the Poke Sushi Taco. Get the corn ribs like everyone suggests - you won't regret it! The Cured Mackeral also seems like a winner as they sear it with a flame right at your table. If you are looking to taste a bit of everything, come with a group of four as many of the dishes come in four pieces. There's also a discount of approximately 5% if you pay by cash over credit card. Tucked between a gas station and a FedEx, this is the newest local secret. read more

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What a fabulous experience. I chose this restaurant to come spend my birthday with my husband. From the moment we walked in, we were enveloped in an immersive theme. The restaurants' styling is both seaside and modern, with concrete's brutalism balanced against wood's softness. The service is attentive, honest, and helpful. And the food is lovely. The corn ribs are really so unique and flavorful. There are several classic bites of sushi that are exquisite and satisfy that sushi-going experience. And there are several more experimental bites of food that push the boundaries and explore seafood in ways you won't get elsewhere. They don't have a full bar, but the drinks they have are very flavorful. The lycheetini was a hit, but its mocktail equivalent was even better. Highly recommend this place! read more

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Delicious food and great ambiance! What a gem to find this place in the heart of Santa Monica. The eel was delicious, the sashimi was so fresh, the sushi tacos were so good more like smaller handrolls. Wagyu steak and fries were a little too salty. The mentaiko udon was delicious as well I can taste all the butter in it so yum. The cheese tofu felt more like a dessert to me but was also delicious. 10/10 highly recommend this place! Service was also fast and efficient. Seems like they have great sakes and cocktail options as well. read more

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This is the most delicious place I've eaten in a while! A modern izakaya (which serves small plates (like tapas) and alcoholic beverages) but authentic as well as innovative. My husband was stationed in Japan for 2 years and we love Japanese food (and eat it often!) The interior looks cool and everything we ate was delicious! My friend said she wanted to come back here for her anniversary and we were barely mid-meal. Service was quick and friendly. Our server gave some recommendations which were on point. Happy hour Tue-Fri 5-630pm, Sat 4-6pm, all day Monday and Sunday, Fri/Sat 9-1030pm. Located near the corner gas station. Street/metered parking all around. When I eat here again I'll definitely get the corn ribs with shoyu butter, garlic shrimp, Kakuni (pork belly) tacos, and the Negitoro (tuna) spread with garlic bread. The Dandan udon and sushi tacos were good but we were already getting full. I also want to try the mentaiko udon. Can't wait! read more

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When I was in Tokyo, I went to Shirubee in Shibuya with my friends. That branch was tucked away behind a 7/11, with a short sliding door, and it was very packed. But I loved the food at that Shirubee, so when I found out that there was a branch of the exact same restaurant in Santa Monica, I had to give it a try. I made a reservation a month in advance, so I was seated fairly quickly especially on a Wednesday. We had a table for 6 people total. The restaurant was more spacious and cleaner than the one in Shibuya. In Japan, we all ordered a course meal to make it simple. This time around, we decided to go with the ala carte route. The menu fonts and designs are almost identical to the ones in Shirubee Shibuya, except that the menu was in English, of course. I ordered a yuzu ginger ale mocktail, which was the perfect palate cleanser between items. I really wanted to get the beef stew (niku jaga) that I had in Japan, but unfortunately it was not on the menu of Shirubee Santa Monica. Instead, we got sashimi, salmon belly daily special, maitake mushrooms, and mentaiko udon. We also got items that we had in Japan, such as their famous aburi shime saba (mackerel seared tableside) and cheese tofu. For the sashimi, I ended up getting bonito, chuutoro (fatty tuna), and salmon. The salmon was my favorite of the trio, but the fatty tuna was good too. The bonito was slightly tough for my tastes. I loved their use of real wasabi. The aburi shime saba was amazing. We all agreed it was better than the same dish we had in Japan. The mackerel tasted more seasoned, and I think the staff also torched it more generously in the US than in Japan. The salmon belly was also torched table side, and the fish was super sweet and full of flavor. Again, real wasabi was placed in the fish. The maitake was surprisingly very well seasoned and delicious. The cheese tofu was quite similar to what we had in Japan. The mentaiko udon was a new item we did not get in Japan. I loved their use of kimchi to add some spice and sourness to the mentaiko. Amazing dish. For dessert, my wife and I shared a goma (black sesame) panna cotta. The texture was super smooth and the panna cotta was sweet but not too sweet. I love Japanese food, and this was definitely one of the best restaurants I've been to in west LA. read more

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These noodles were excellent; bouncy and saucy, with a very fragrant and flavorful sauce with lime for brightness and spice which paired excellently with the beef. It was the comfort food I wanted. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his steak, he did notice that it was on the slightly salty side but found it to be tender and perfectly cooked. We sat at the bar and saw the careful food prep first-hand, always love an open kitchen concept. Highly recommend! read more

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From Tokyo to Santa Monica, Shirube is where to get some delicious Izakaya. We got their: Sashimi Mori Corn Ribs Aburi Shime Saba Garlic Shrimp Wagyu Steak Mentaiko Udon Hojicha Crème Brûlée Yaegaki Junmai Sake Their tableside torched mackerel is a must get, along with their iconic corn ribs! The sashimi mori was so fresh, and their Mentaiko udon was creamy and packed with umami. The garlic shrimp had a great kick to it, but was a bit salty, and the wagyu steak had good flavor but ended up being a bit chewy. Overall it was definitely a great dinner and I want to go back already to try the rest of their menu. We also got their sake that came in a bamboo bottle, plus we got to choose our own sake glasses to drink out of! It was such a great meal and I definitely need to come back for their happy hour. They were packed by the end of the night and I highly recommend checking them out in Santa Monica! read more

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Wowwww the corn ribs were so delicious, they're a must purchase! The hand rolls were good too. The drinks were really delicious, I will definitely be back! read more

Shirubē - Corn ribs and hand rolls - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This was on my list to do while in town, and I felt like I hit the jackpot when I arrived on Saturday afternoon and discovered it was happy hour, so I got to try so many more things! Highlights: -Corn ribs - Tableside torched mackerel - Karaage - house sake The waiter recommended all these to me, and he did not steer me wrong. Corn ribs were out of this world and the mackerel was great and came with this spicy mustard. They also have a great sake selection and everything that came out of the kitchen looked amazing! read more

Shirubē - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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We dropped in here for a quick bite while waiting for a cell phone repair. The location is on the quieter side of third street promenade where street parking is more available but you're better off parking at one of the public garages. The place itself is a small intimate space with some cool Japanese decor. We were greeted at the door and sat right away. There are a few menus which were a lot to look at. The happy hour menu, then this handwritten paper menu and then the normal menu. Since we were eating early we opted for a few small bites and drinks. We got their mainstay pieces which include the sashimi taco, pork taco and friend corn. The tacos are definitely small, one bite and done, but very delicious! The fried corn is battered corn with a honey soy glaze. Excellent and definitely worth a try. We had the sashimi mori, eel, potato salad, and negotori from the hh menu. The negitoro was probably the most unique item we had while there. It's weird to see ground up fish but it worked great with avocado and the slightly sweet sauce on warm bread. Not a traditional Japanese dish at all but very creative and tasty!! If you're in the area, definitely recommend Shirube for a try. Super fresh delicious, good alcohol selection and friendly staff. read more

This place definitely has a vibe going for it and friendly service. It's lively in the best of ways. And if you love bar food, then you'll probably love it here. We had the happy hour specials: tuna sashimi - best of the items tuna on garlic toast - an interesting fusion dish, very rich corn ribs - every table was having this - battered, fried and glazed in a honey butter sauce karaage (Japanese fried chicken) tuna poke tacos - skip this one Chef's special nigiri (special's menu) Their happy hour menu is extensive and it seems to have a following. We also had the bamboo sake and recommend it. Dish timing was a little clunky. Some dishes coming out too fast and not spaced enough while waiting for the last dish of nigiri, which took much too long. Other than that, the experience was enjoyable, fun and surprisingly affordable for the quantity and quality of offerings. Who can say that anymore? read more

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I went for all day happy hour on Sunday with a friend. I enjoyed the corn ribs and sweet potato fries. Some of the dishes were quite small so we also ordered tacos and a mini poke bowl. Service was pretty fast but they forgot a couple items. Overall I would recommend for the happy hour! read more

I loved dining here! The food was amazing - out of the dishes we ordered, our top two faves were definitely the blue fin tuna sashimi and the corn ribs. However, the mackerel sashimi, Dan Dan udon noodle, pork belly taco, and even the sweet potato fries were good. The only thing that didn't really hit for us was the poke taco - it was just kinda boring and a bit salty but still not too bad. The matcha tiramisu was also a fun way to end the meal. I liked that they gave me matcha to pour for my matcha beer. Our server was also so friendly! She even told us about how we could wait a few minutes to order some of the things we wanted bc happy hour was starting soon. Overall a great experience - would go back for that blue fin tuna read more

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What an amazing Japanese pub, the food was just super tasty! The corn butter, incredible, the fatty blue fin sashimi- melt in your mouth. Pork belly taco, umami! Great selection of saki and beer! Hiroki my server was so awesome read more

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If you're eating here , you may or may not have been inspired by tiktoker Bap Ross like me. And he was 100% right in saying this place is amazing. I came for happy hour with a couple friends and was seated immediately. The restaurant itself is clean and aesthetic, with a full samurai suit on display. The food was prepared in an open kitchen and came out quickly. The quality was elite and everything was hot and fresh. The take same and beer tower were well priced and I highly recommend getting both. The tower had about 9 beers, and the take sake was around 8 glasses. Will definitely come back again. read more

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Went on a Friday at around 8PM and were seated immediately though it was pretty busy. The ambiance is very cute! Very nice vibes - people were enjoying their time. The workers I interacted with spoke Japanese which was nice! Overall had a great experience! The food was delicious! Their menu is very clear from their website but they do also have specials. The food came out a little slow imo. Their sushi tacos were good and unique but nothing super outstanding. Was a good experience to try though. I really liked their DanDan noodles which had great flavor and a good amount of meat. The shashimi was also super solid and fresh! I don't think the wagyu was super worth it - the flavor was good but it wasn't as tender as I anticipated for the price. read more

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I am so happy this new spot opened! The food was top tier and the fish was so fresh - felt like I was back in Japan. Service was fast and everyone was so kind. The vibe inside was dark and moody - great date spot! read more

Shirubē - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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One of my new favorite restaurants in Santa Monica is Shirube! We discovered this place a few months ago and it's such a good find. It's a little hidden away so kind of hard to find. Some of my favorite dishes include the tableside seared mackerel, it's so fresh and tasty; the cold tofu (forget what it's called but it was silken tofu with some sort of negi sesame sauce); and you can't go wrong with the nigiri they have (though they are more kaiseki so not too many nigiri options). You can go for happy hour earlier in the evening for some great prices too which is always great. I'm definitely planning on coming here again to try some other dishes read more

Been needing to update my review forever now but this has become a tried and true neighborhood spot for us! We're here for Sunday and Monday happy hour every other week if not more often for their regular menu as well. We love the yuzu Rita almost as much as we love our favorite server Suzie! read more

Shirubē - Sashimi, frozen yuzu mojito - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Omg, this place is so good! The food here is authentically Japanese, not so much fusion. The food and staff mannerisms remind me of actually dining in Japan. The food is so good I came here twice in one week! Their signature bamboo sake and table side torched mackerel are my absolute favorites. The sake has a pleasant planty sweet savory bamboo taste. If you like coconut water, aloe, or cactus pear before, you will enjoy the sake. You must try the mackerel!! It's seriously the best mackerel I've ever had outside of high end omakase and you get a lot of it. The mustard on the side is also amazingly delicious. I enjoy the sushi tacos too, you can mix and match. The pickles, fried maitake mushroom, salmon stone pot rice...all that were excellent, too although not as good as the mackerel and tacos. I have not had anything I did not like except the miso soup. They didn't have tofu in the miso soup for some reason and I can make a better miso soup. The buttered fried corn is pretty good too but a bit unhealthy so I suggest sharing. It's like corn on the cob battered and fried in mochi sweet rice flour and drizzled in this kettle corn tasting sauce. Green tea tiramisu is better than the ube cheese cake. The ube cheesecake tasted more like Japanese sweet potato. The only thing that is a bummer is their happy hour isn't actually a good deal. Lots of the dishes are half price but you get half the order or less of the main menu item. I was disappointed when I ordered the happy hour saba for $8 and got half a filet of fish. I ended up ordering another to make it a whole filet so it came out to be the same price as going during non happy hour. The bamboo sake is $4 cheaper but it's also smaller. I'm not sure of the appeal of happy hour if you don't get a deal going. This place will definitely be one of my favorite haunts. I'm thinking about going there again as I'm writing this review. That mackerel is mouth watering!! read more

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Wow. What an incredible meal. I had such an amazing time worth my lover, we can't wait to come back read more

Shirubē - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Great place with a fun menu and a great happy hour! All day on Sundays and Mondays. If youre in Downtown Santa Monica is a good place to check out. read more

Every time I come here, the food is always incredible but the service is never up to the standard of the food. During our latest visit, halfway through receiving our items, we completely stopped receiving food and sat around for 20 minutes with an empty table. They asked us if we wanted to order more, which made us feel like they forgot our order. At a prior visit, the server couldn't figure out which fish was which and during a different visit, they forgot to serve our noodles but still charged us (though they refunded us once we called). As for the food, the corn ribs are a must get. If you want additional orders, I would highly recommend coming during happy hour or late night happy hour. Fish tacos are always fun and the sushi is fresh. Love their udon dishes, but would pass on getting the clam ramen (seasonal) again. If you're feeling red meat, the wagyu steak is phenomenal, especially with the sauces. read more

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