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    Takuma

    4.3 (567 reviews)
    ModerateIzakaya, Sushi Bars
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:30 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Takuma Reservations

    Order Takuma Takeout or Delivery

    Takuma Photos

    Business Info

    TAKUMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Takuma

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    Reviews With Photos

    Tonkatsu bento box
    Clarissa A.

    Delicious and quality all in one perfectly assembled bento. I've ordered from Takuma for years and find that their level of care in putting together their dishes has always been so high, with each part of it adding a great deal of flavors and balance that will leave you satisfied and full in the best way! I've ordered both their beef and also pork katsu boxes, each time consistent with preparation. It's always so great to know that you will be getting such high levels of service and quality from this wonderful establishment! While I haven't dined in the restaurant yet, I look forward to visiting their place soon, looks like a fun and casual spot off of Wilshire!

    Tonkatsu
    Jacob L.

    Portions are TINY. Even the Tonkatsu dipping sauce packet is so small. It was barely enough for one cutlet and those were small. The pork is paper thin (see photo). All you can taste is the panko. Incredibly underwhelming for $25.

    Sushi roll and sweet potato croquette
    C. B.

    It's a cozy place with friendly service and authentic Japanese food. When the staff and patrons are speaking Japanese, that's a good sign! A significant variety of sake and not too crowded.

    Mixed sashimi bento
    Amanda L.

    I've ordered twice from here via DoorDash and was pleased both times. I ordered the mixed sashimi bento and miso salmon bento, adding miso soup both times. My husband ordered the pork cutlet. He said the cutlet was basically tasteless, but thought the curry was tasty and he's not usually a fan of curry! The bentos came beautifully packaged, I was impressed. The quality of the sashimi was good and the miso salmon was cooked perfectly - I just wish the portion was a tad bigger. Also, the miso doesn't contain seaweed or tofu which was disappointing to me, there was a type of thinly sliced radish. All the sides were great! We'll be ordering again!

    Garlic Sōmen Noodle Shrimp
    Terry C.

    Takuma is an izakaya and sake restaurant that specializes in Japanese cuisine. The decor has been updated and is very clean and orderly. We enjoyed a late lunch here before the dinner crowd emerged. Our server was very congenial and prompt with any needs. Starting with an appetizer of their Crab Cream Dip with buttered baguette slices, the dip was rich and very flavorful. We moved on to our main selections of sushi handrolls, which lacked imagination and quantity of fillings. The Ribeye Steak with Onion Sauce arrived sizzling on a platter with brussel sprouts and bell pepper. It was quite good yet a little too well done for my taste. The Garlic Sōmen Noodles with Shrimp was the highlight of the meal. It was perfectly prepared and presented. Takuma is a pleasant establishment for a nice lunch, a gathering of friends, or a date night.

    Menu
    Lexy A.

    A must try Izakaya in the area!! Made a reservation on Yelp for the same day (Friday) at 7:45 pm. We were seated immediately. There were a few other tables open so I think we wouldn't have had to wait regardless but not sure if they typically get very busy. The restaurant itself is on the smaller end though so I can see needing a reservation if you have a larger party for a weekend. We were able to find street parking easily. The service was great! Super nice staff who spoke Japanese. The restaurant itself was very calming (not a traditional Japanese Izakaya environment but typical of Izakaya's in the US). Everything we ordered was absolutely AMAZING! Having been to many Izakayas and being Japanese, I wanted to order things that were more unique. If you haven't tried Jellyfish before, now is the time! I've had it before but the flavor on this one was unique. It's exactly as described (they use some sweet maybe rice vinegar). The cucumbers are a nice addition and taste good with the jellyfish which is long, thin, and not sure how to describe the texture but it's between not chewy and not crispy (kind of like a softened cucumber). The crab cream with baguette was also delicious! The baguette was soft and flavorful but the main prize is the crab cream (lots of flavor)! Scallop Risotto: haven't had anything like it before!! there were a good amount of scallops in the dish and it was also flavored very well. Mackerel: also delicious!! They blow torch it in front of you and it's so wonderful. It's good with and without soy sauce. The torched adds a nice flavor to the already delicious fish. Keep in mind this is an Izakaya so it's definitely more of a family style place and can get expensive if you go really hungry. I think the prices are standard for LA.

    Yuzo honey soda
    Edith J.

    All the food we had here was very good! The service was great also! We also had the noodles with chicken and salmon avocado roll. My favorite was the noodles with chickpeas and the spicy tuna dip. We will definitely be back!

    Yakiniku Beef Bento Box x2
    Vanessa D.

    We did take out for the bento boxes (note these are only available for take out) and they were so worth it! They are about $21 and it comes with a lovely variety of vegetables, rice, and then the main entree of your choosing. This was perfect for a take out night when I wanted something well balanced and comforting. Will definitely be ordering again!

    Grilled Miso Salmon Bento Box
    Riley D.

    Food is great, but the miso salmon bento box over promises in the picture... -------------------------------------------

    Tonkatsu
    Sandee M.

    This cozy place offered a terrific assortment of izakaya dishes! We got so carried away with eating everything that I ended up forgetting to take pics of all of the dishes. In addition to what is pictured here the four of us also ordered the assorted sashimi, kakuni, zarusoba, miso soup and garlic noodles! Everything was absolutely delicious!! Service was also great - very prompt and timely. We would definitely return!

    Ginger Pork
    Marissa L.

    My Mom and I met my Uncle here for lunch. We were seated right away as the place was pretty empty for a weekday lunch time. Inside they had dark tables and atmosphere, but with modern windows in the front of the restaurant brought in some much needed light into the establishment. Our waiter was soft spoken, but attentive and quick. We all got some hot green tea to drink. For my entree I got the ginger pork. My Mom got the grilled mackerel and my Uncle ordered the katsudon. All our dishes came out close to the same time. My Mom's mackerel dish was really tasty. The skin on the fish was salted and super crispy and the meat was flakey, yet tender. My ginger pork was really good. The sauce went great with the rice and the pork was fatty and flavorful. I really liked the addition of cabbage and mayo to lighten up the dish. My miso soup was good. It had a sort of tuber and carrots in it instead of the usual tofu. The potato salad was good, creamy and light but I wish the salad had some sort of dressing or more mayo because it was a little dry. We ordered the chocolate mouse for dessert. It was a little too sweet for me. Overall we had an enjoyable and tasty lunch here.

    Karage Bento Box
    Meghan R.

    Got take out from Takuma and absolutely love the attention to presentation! The Karage Bento Box was delicious, the chicken was still crispy despite the transport time, and the portion size was perfect.

    Yakiniku Beef & Kakuni Bento Boxes

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    Business owner information

    Photo of Takuma S.

    Takuma S.

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    5 months ago

    Really good sashimi lunch special. Pork lunch good too. Best sake on tap in the world

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    Takuma Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Takuma

    Are they open for dine in?

    Yes we are!!!

    How do you place an order for takeout?

    You can call us for pick up order or use any of delivery apps

    Would you allow a cute puppy to join our party?

    There are tables available outside!

    Do you have scallop shumai.?

    No, sorry we don’t have scallop Shumai... I might have something you like because my menu has more than 80items, so please come by and take a look and bite.… Read more

    What time is happy hour?

    Sorry we don’t have happy hours But our pricing is happy enough to compete with other happy hour restaurants… Read more

    Can you sing Happy Birthday in Japanese and English? A 50th birthday for a wonderful woman who does Art Travel to Japan

    Yes off curse !!! All of our stuff was born in Japan and we all talk too m Japanese ( ^ω^ )

    View All 12 Questions

    Shirubē - Sashimi 3 kinds

    Shirubē

    4.3(210 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    This was our second time coming here, and very glad we did! It's a hidden gem in Santa Monica…read more 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.

    Cool little place in SaMo. Came here for dinner since it didn't have a wait…read more 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.

    Photos
    Shirubē - Side bar

    Side bar

    Shirubē - Aburi Shime Saba

    Aburi Shime Saba

    Shirubē - Sashimi Mori (best I've had in a long time!)

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    Sashimi Mori (best I've had in a long time!)

    Hakata Izakaya HERO

    Hakata Izakaya HERO

    4.3(224 reviews)
    2.5 miWest Los Angeles

    Third time back and they do say 3rd time's the charm. Consistently amazing food, served up fresh…read moreand with a smile. Tried some new items this time which did not disappoint. Octopus kimchi? How can you not try it and it's so perfect (and not too much funk that you sometimes get). Oysters were HUGE and had great flavor, just enough brine but not close to salty. Mixed in some sashimi and noodles and still have yet to hit half of the items on the menu but not a bad one to complain about. Place is always packed so definitely call ahead!

    A friend brought me here and prefaced by saying it was the best japanese food he's had outside of…read moreJapan. Although it didn't necessarily live up to the hype, it was definitely an authentic spot tucked in a busy area of LA. Parking, was particularly hard to find. Definitely recommend making a reservation in advance. Immediately greeted by a friendly staff who showed us our table. Ambience was reminiscent of a local spot you'd find in Tokyo. A comforting, warm, bright place that serves as a familiar dinner spot that makes me wanna go back to Japan. For first timer, the menu was slightly hard to navigate. Lol, but I guess that speaks to the authenticity of the Japanese menu. Assorted pork belly wrapped yakitori/skewers, 7.8/10: these were hyped up by both my friend and the server, but overall it was slightly underwhelming. The skewers were all seasoned nicely, although they were a bit hard to eat since they were so big. Starting with the pork belly wrapped cabbage skewer, I don't believe the cabbage added any sustenance to the dish. I did like the bacon wrapped tomato skewer since the pop of acidity and freshness from the tomato paired well with the fat from the pork. Chicken Karaage, 9.1/10: definitely the best dish here. Chicken was fried perfectly, and was warm when it came out. The batter was not too thick or heavy. Season well with enough space.The lemon is a must for acidity and brightness. And of course they kewpie mayo is a nice touch. Tonkotsu Ramen, 7.5/10: the pork broth was rich and deep. The noodles were nice and chewy and firm clinging onto that broth. However, the portion was a bit small for the price. I was caught off guard by that. Granted, this place doesn't boast about the ramen. Overall, this wasn't anything mind blowing. Stuffed chicken wing, 8/10: stuffed generously with ground chicken ginger scallions and seasonings. The outside skin was flavorful crispy and savory. The temperature of the wings were pretty good too. Solid.

    Photos
    Hakata Izakaya HERO
    Hakata Izakaya HERO - Marinated Quail Eggs and Chicken Potato Salad

    Marinated Quail Eggs and Chicken Potato Salad

    Hakata Izakaya HERO - Kibinago Tempura

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    Kibinago Tempura

    RVR Venice - Shiitake gyoza

    RVR Venice

    3.9(245 reviews)
    3.2 miVenice

    RVR is a modern Japanese izakaya with California style. RVR is having a moment on Abbot-Kinney,…read morewhere the vibe never ends. At an izakaya, you expect small dishes so you can linger while you enjoy your drinks. Here, these include charcoal-grilled meat skewers, dumplings, ramen, and sandos. I visited during brunch and had a large bowl of ramen with a Banner Dark cold brew. I was seated at the bar where the stools have low backs, so you get a little core workout. Before the meal, they bring a warm towel. Manila Clam Ramen: The broth is subtly briny and sweet from the clams and dashi, so don't expect a typical rich pork soup. The Manila clams are sweet and tasty. While I'm not normally a high fan of the texture of clams, these are plump, springy, and juicy. In fact, with their huge size and orange color, they resemble mussels in flavor and shape. Slivers of the preserved lemon give a zesty, aromatic, and fermented flavor. This complements the scallions and sweet citrus zing of the red Fresno chilies. The mitsuba leaves are like a mild parsley. Today I had some interesting interactions with water. In the morning, while I was surfing, I was spitting out the aggressively salty water. My first sip of RVR's tap was noticeably sweet, cold, clean, and refreshing. When the clam broth arrived, the level of savoriness was just right! Parking: You can usually find street parking a few blocks away.

    RVR is very Venice coded - it's scene-y, vibey, and food hype-y…read more We started with some yakitori: -chicken thigh ume myoga ($9) -duck meatball tsukune & hot mustard ($10 for 3pcs) -wagyu beef tongue, torpedo onion salsa & toasted sesame oil ($16) The skewers were fine, but nothing was really memorable. And so began our truly unmemorable meal. We had gyozas, a mixed rice, and though it was recommended that each person order individual ramen bowls, we opted not to because conceptually that's a little weird at an izakaya? Our splurgiest item was probably the crispy aji sando ($25). It's a very small portion, though I'm not looking for value at this point. It was a very expensive fish sandwich on regular ole bread - not a ton of flavor even with the morita aioli. The extensive vegetable offerings is probably the most exciting menu plug. The best thing I ate were the roasted sweet potatoes ($16). The potatoes were sweet, roasted, drizzled with a lime aioli and then topped with parsley shichimi. Sweet potatoes are the perfect vessel for any accoutrement and these were no different. Service was spotty - fast dishes, long breaks, repeat. Idk. I feel like there is a whole lot of hoopla for very mid tasting Japanese food. There wasn't anything innovative or new about the flavors I sampled. I feel like any strip mall in Torrance could take RVR down in a fight. Not for me.

    Photos
    RVR Venice - The interior

    The interior

    RVR Venice - Squid fried rice

    Squid fried rice

    RVR Venice - Mochi donuts

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    Mochi donuts

    Chinchikurin - Sawtelle - Demiglace Sauce Omu Rice

    Chinchikurin - Sawtelle

    4.3(925 reviews)
    2.0 miSawtelle
    $$

    Went for the Ikura omurice pop-up and left feeling happy and fulfilled. I actually had Ikura…read morebookmarked during my trip to Japan, but I never got the chance to go, so when I saw they were coming to LA, I knew I just had to make the drive from OC to try it! You physically have to stand in line here which is a little excruciating but I came here at noon on a Saturday during the first few weeks of their pop-up announcement so I really did that to myself. It was probably a 1.5 hour wait, but I'll do anything for a good bite The demiglaze omurice delivered exactly what I wanted- the most silky melt in your mouth eggs ever, a rich savory sauce, and hamburg all on top of a bed of fluffy rice. The egg really was the star of this dish, I've never had eggs with this texture in the US. Ikura has really nailed their recipes and training of chefs here, I've tried to make eggs like this at home and it's just never the same! I will say the hamburg was a little thin and dry, but I was very willing to overlook that because of how perfect all the other components of this dish were. We also ordered the Ika Ika okonomiyaki, which comes with squid. I don't think I've ever had this type of Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, which has all the ingredients layered instead of mixed (they also do serve the Osaka mixed style mixed though). I probably wouldn't get the squid topping again, but the okonomiyaki itself is enough to keep me coming back. You get the option of soft of crispy noodles, and we got what our server recommended, the crispy, and she definitely knew what was up- the slight crunch added a great texture contrast. On the topic of our server I have to give her a shoutout for being so kind and attentive towards us. I wish I got her name, but she was a young girl server and she was just so sweet in giving us order recommendations, as well as giving us a tip that there really aren't any lines here if you come on weekdays during early lunchtime. But what really topped it off was that we remained in the Sawtelle area after we finished dining here for about two hours and ended up really needed a bathroom. No restaurants were letting us use their restroom so we went back to check Chinchikurin around 4 pm which is when they close for lunch. One of the other servers was about to send us away, but our server from over two hours ago remembered us and let us use their bathroom she's a real one

    For a dish as famous and popularized by anime as omurice, it is a surprisingly scarce menu item in…read moreSouthern California. Until now! And I guess... only right now because this pop-up collaboration between Chinchikurin - Sawtelle and Ikura goes away on June 1st! From now until June 1st, Chinchikurin - Sawtelle has replaced their entire okonomiyaki menu with 4 types of omurice: demi-glace (classic), mentaiko, black curry, and tomato ketchup. You have the option of adding a hamburg steak as well. The shop is a bit on the small side as it sits in one of the more crowded plazas in Sawtelle. Service is also a bit on the slow side. I have visited Chinchikurin twice during this pop up event and tried all 4 omurices! The egg is cooked perfectly and oh so jiggly. They flop neatly blanketing the rice when you slice them down the middle. The hamburger steak is good too - I would get it. Now here is the Cody run-down on each of the different sauce options: Demi-Glacé: Classic. Very good! If this is your first time trying omurice, you should probably start here. I would describe it as a dark, elegant gravy that's savory with a touch of sweetness. Mentaiko: Unexpectedly, this was my favorite! The mentaiko flavor was rich and full of umami. The sauce was creamy and delicious. Black Curry: The curry was ok and did not have as much depth of flavor as I would have liked aside from strong notes of garlic. I would pass on this one as there are better places to get Japanese curry. Tomato Ketchup: This was my least favorite. I was actually excited for this one, but the sauce was more akin to a marinara than ketchup. I love ketchup. I was hoping for something tangy and sweet and childish, but this sauce was leaning more savory and, honestly, a bit watered down. Some appetizers, such as Takoyaki by Takoyaki Tanota, are still available. Overall, great pop up! The omurice is delicious. I've already been twice and plan to go more times before the pop up ends. If y'all see my Yelp check-ins, y'all know what's up. I highly recommend you visit before the pop up ends, and I hope the omurice ends up sticking around longer.

    Photos
    Chinchikurin - Sawtelle - Inside

    Inside

    Chinchikurin - Sawtelle - Chinchikurinyaki

    Chinchikurinyaki

    Chinchikurin - Sawtelle - Demiglace Sauce Omu Rice

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    Demiglace Sauce Omu Rice

    Robata Bar - Ceviche, good but very salty

    Robata Bar

    4.0(265 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$$

    Celebrated my nephew's 21st Birthday here. They are closed Mondays & Tuesday's but will open for a…read moreparty or special event. So we were there Monday with the Restaurant all to ourselves. The food was presented buffet style & everything served was absolutely amazing. They served the food in small batches because as we were told, they wanted it to be as fresh as possible. And it all was. The whole staff was incredible, they were so attentive to any request or need we had. The food was so incredible, really delicious. I don't remember the names of everything I ate but I tried it all & there wasn't a single item served that I didn't like. They served this steak that was so tasty, tender, melt in your mouth. Mashed potatoes that were seriously the best I had ever eaten in any restaurant. Grilled veggies that were seasoned to perfection. Sushi that was so fresh, you didn't know you were eating raw fish. This is a great place to take anyone you are wanting to impress to. I also want to mention that I have a sensitive stomach. I ate more than usual because the food was so delicious. I walked out & my stomach felt amazing, satisfied. Not a single thing I ate agitated my stomach. I will have to come back again!!

    AmaIng just amazing bite site yumminess!! Need to try. Goid both take out and ear in. Perfer eat in…read morebut you will keep ordering more trust me!!! Excellent.

    Photos
    Robata Bar - Robata Bar combines modern style and ancient practices. Our sultry, inviting setting centers around Robatayaki.

    Robata Bar combines modern style and ancient practices. Our sultry, inviting setting centers around Robatayaki.

    Robata Bar - Grilled avocado, good

    Grilled avocado, good

    Robata Bar - Elote "street style corn"

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    Elote "street style corn"

    Takuma - izakaya - Updated May 2026

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