My precious friend Amelia G. treated me to dinner at Tsubaki for my 40th birthday last month. I loved this place went I went before kids and pandemic, apparently almost a decade ago. It was as good as I remembered, and probably even better. I can't imagine letting another eight and a half years pass without going back. The only negative is that parking is either difficult or $15, which feels bad in a pretty quiet residential area. Better to take a car in any case, so you can enjoy the extensive selection of sakes. We shared a full-sized bottle, I forget which but I think it was a junmai daiginjo, and it was lovely. Tsubaki is such a nice, welcoming little izakaya. Service is great, the atmosphere warm and easy. You just want to sit back and drink at a leisurely pace. The food is excellent, with a robust menu of creative Japanese food. We shared everything, starting with a stellar kanpachi crudo with ume ponzu, shiso, sweet onion and habanero pickles, and furikake. My favorite dish of the night was the tsukune katsu. I love tsukune, the tare-glazed chicken meatballs you'll find in any yakitori place. This was my first time having them in katsu form, panko-fried and served over cabbage with Kewpie mayo and tonkatsu sauce. The chawanmushi was delicious, silky steamed egg custard topped with Dungeness crab, truffle salt, and mitsuba. Likewise the kinoko tempura, an array of maitake, shiitake, and enoki mushrooms fried light and crispy, with yuzu shichimi and tentsuyu for dipping. We got a skewer of bonchiri from the yakitori menu, delightfully chewy bites of charcoal-grilled jidori chicken tail. Finally, a plate of yakisoba, pan-fried noodles with house-cured Peads & Barnetts char siu, pickled green garlic, and cracklin. We got the hojicha parfait, and it was more or less my ideal dessert. Roasted green tea soft serve with sesame black sugar burnt miso and candied walnuts with cornflake dust. Cold, light, sweet. I could eat a whole one by myself pretty much any time. After nine years in business, Tsubaki feels like an Echo Park institution, and the kitchen is as strong as ever. This was a wonderful dinner, one I hope to repeat soon, with more sake, more yakitori, and more hojicha parfait. read more

I did have the most amazing Caesar salad at tsubaki, maybe it's because of the little fish ingredients they are adding to the salad. It's not fishy at all tho, but there's just the flavor from the sea that really elevates the salad. The whole time I'm looking for the fish lol, but in the end I just finished the leaves with great satisfaction. The skewers are pretty tasty but too pricy when I know that at the same price Nan Ban Kan in Sawtelle just does it with 20% better flavor, 30% less wait time and maybe 10% cheaper. Didn't like the fried rice at the end. It'd be better if only they kept the braised beef with the sauce. The fried rice is way too dry to enjoy on its own. Living on the west side, I'm definitely in no time to visit again read more

Tsubaki - Cute panda - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Valet parking ($14) is mandatory due to parking situation in this neighborhood. The interior was cozy, clean, with moderate noise level. I sat at the bar. My server was attentive and helpful, recommending my favorite dish of the night. japanese 'caesar' salad: market lettuces, panko, creamy miso parmesan dressing, shredded bonito threads, nori $25 Good, but expensive for a variant of a pretty basic (no meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, etc.) salad. chawanmushi: steamed egg custard, dungeness crab, truffle salt, mitsuba $22 It's fancy egg with some crab on top for $22. Good execution. short ribs: nanban-style with market squash, mixed beets, pearl onions, jujube sweet + sour glaze $45 This was very good, would order again. Crispy exterior. Tender inside. 6 oz of beef, give or take, would be my guess. in the fine print on the bottom of the menu: "please note A 4% charge will be added to each guest check to ensure competitive industry compensation, as well as health and medical benefits for all our valued full time team members. In support of this initiative, the entirety of the charge is retained by the restaurant. If you would like this charge removed, please let our staff know. Thank you for dining with us and supporting our team." I declined to pay the fee for the unaware and polite public and encourage you to do the same. Encourage restaurant owners to include all costs and profits in the menu prices as they were expected to since the beginning of restaurants. Don't let those who would take your money through deceit be rewarded. It's galling that this disrespectful practice has persisted as long is it has. I liked Tsubaki because I tried three things I've never had before. All were good except for the short rib, which was very good. I am put of by the fine print fee and the fact that I spent $120 (including tax and tip) on a small/medium dinner for myself, with no beverage. read more

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Wow, this is the best izakaya in LA. Though the prices are quite high the food is very high quality! Interior is nice and feels intimate, almost reminds me of restaurants in New York. It's quite small inside and they happen to have a few tables outside. I have mixed feelings about the service though but it is what it is, just feel like we weren't attended properly and service was slower. The menu has tons of options, there is something for everyone. Unfortunately the rice balls I wanted to try were sold out for the night- which how do you run out of something popular at a 7 PM dinner? Anyway, we had the fried tempura, garlic fried rice, short ribs, and chicken oysters. Everything was delicious and I would get these dishes again. But my standouts were the short ribs, they were tender and the marinade was light and fresh. The fried tempura was another standout for me because the sauce paired so well with the lightly friend asparagus. And I'm going to to say the chicken oysters- I think they were grilled to perfection with a tiny bit of wasabi. It's so hard to pick, everything tasted amazing and you can tell everything is thoughtfully prepared and well crafted with a beautiful presentation. I really enjoyed the food here and will be back to try more items. read more

Great food! Checked Tsubaki out via the Red Dining Book and everything was delicious, with a few standouts: the grilled items- scallop skewers (hotate kushiyaki), branzino fillet (sakana shio-yaki) were perfectly grilled and the smoky flavor was delicious! Hojicha parfait was also very delicious and it's HUGE- i feel like it's rare to have dessert that's very filling anymore so this hit the spot. Cute date night spot with an intimate setting, they have outdoor seating outside as well which is nice during the summer. Huge sake selection as well, and staff was very friendly and accommodating. read more

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Came here with a group of friends - the skewers, fried rice and tartares are great. There is valet in front of the restaurant. Service is great and ambience mid-level noise. read more

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Menu was great, fan favorites were the market salad, chicken meatballs, A5 Wagyu skewers, scallop Skewers and steamed egg. Good & fun to try new dishes but not my top itzakaya spot - I'd pick Budonoki in east Hollywood over this spot or RVR in Venice. Overall staff was super nice and responsive with great recommendations. Good spot if you're already in the area. Groups of 6 or more are seated outdoors only for the most part (street outside can be loud if sitting outside). $14 Valet parking - street parking is tough! read more

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*** Michelin Bib Gourmand *** ** Los Angeles Times 101 Best Restaurants (2025): #37 ** Located in Echo Park, Tsubaki is a highly regarded izakaya restaurant. It had been on my radar for quite a while prior to visiting. The two of us celebrated a birthday here back in July and had a memorable experience highlighted by delicious food, nice service, and an elevated atmosphere. To eat, we shared the 'mapo' sukui tofu ($19), summer market salad ($24), asari saka-mushi ($28), sakana shio-yaki (branzino - $24), ebi sumibi-yaki (blue prawns - $26), wagyu kushiyaki (A5 miyazaki wagyu skewer with black lava sea salt - $26), soriresu yakitori (chicken oysters - $18), short ribs nanban-style ($45), and hiyajiru somen ($28). All of the dishes were high quality and flavorful. While definitely a little pricey, I would say this restaurant is worth checking out for a special occasion. I'm not in a major rush to come back, but I'm happy we got the opportunity to dine here. Go ahead and give it a try for yourself! read more

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An opulent and luxurious meal with as much substance as "hype", Tsubaki certainly stood out as one of my top meals of this year (including 2025 as well honestly)! The fried rice and Japanese style Caesar salad were simply fantastic, and the short rib, though pricey for its size, certainly stole the show with its flavor explosion and tenderness! The desserts were solid but perhaps passable. Highly recommend a visit while near Dodger's stadium! read more

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Had a girls night dinner here. On the Michelin guide bib gourmand recommendation and decided to check it out. Nice ambiance, definitely a cozy restaurant. Reservations are easy online and they do offer valet parking. Prices are definitely on the pricier side but most of the dishes were very good. Kanpachi crudo 4/5 - fish is very fresh but I will say ume ponzu sauce is a bit on the overpowering side that can easily smother the fresh delicate fish. Japanese Caesar 10/5 - really tasty! Never thought Caesar salad can taste so good! Theres is panko acting as croutons and the miso Parmesan dressing is out of this world. Easily my favorite dish of the night. Mushroom tempura 5/5 - tempura batter is light and airy. Sauce is delicious as well. I like the mushroom option for tempura and provided the perfect umami flavors. King trumpet skewers 4/5 - cooked well and was tasty, I wasn't the biggest fan of the garlic miso sauce. We were intrigued by the bell pepper relish don't think we could taste it. The probably would not get this again. Wagyu skewers 5/5 - could tell the meat was really impeccable quality. For the price the Wagyu skewer was fair. They charge around that price in Japan as well. It was cooked well, tender, really juicy and flavorful. Lobster entree 10/5 - really tasty. Large pieces of lobster all throughout the dish, paired with crispy potatoes, greens and a bed of veggie puree. What a great way to eat your vegetables! there's so much flavor and texture here. We almost licked the plate clean! Black cod 3/5 - least favorite of the night probably. While the fish was good quality and very tender. I thought the flavors somewhat fell though. The nitsuke sauce was somewhat bland tasting. Crab fried rice 5/5 - pretty traditional fried rice with crab. The crab portion is pretty decent as well! No complaints Service is fair. Overall we felt taken care of, that being said I wouldn't say the staff is the most welcoming. On certain occasions we felt that we were a nuisance to the waitress. Of note, they do automatically charge a 4% per person service fee and ask that you tip in addition to the service fee. Do with that what you will. Overall an ok meal, portions are on the smaller side and definitely pricey. Definitely can't rave about the service which took away from the restaurant as a whole. It's worth at least a try if it's on your list but not sure this will be a repeatable spot for us. read more

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Great place to dine at on a rainy day. Cozy ambiance. Overall the food was great. Valet parking offered. Japanese Ceasar Salad - very flavorful but a bit too much dressing. King fish crudo - my least favorite dish. Would've preferred the fish to be served as slices & not diced. It lacked acidity! Clams - chewy & yet so tender. Chicken wings - tender & perfectly marinated. Pork jowl - might taste better if the pork jowls were sliced thinner. Like how they do it at the Korean BBQ. Chicken oysters - my favorite skewer & dish. Must try. Lamb sirloin - hubby savored every bit of it. Garlic rice - kind of wished it came with the skewers to balance the salty & the butteriness of the rice. read more

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One of my new favorites! Tsubaki is a small Japanese restaurant tucked away in echo park. We stopped by for dinner - would make a reservation in advance since it gets busy and there's limited seating. I loved everything we tried. They course it out well, starting with lighter, cold dishes progressing to grilled/ braised dishes. There's a great sake collection as well. Would love to come back! read more

Tsubaki - japanese 'caesar' salad - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Near the Victorian houses of Echo Park, Tsubaki is a modern izakaya for LA with self-proclaimed Japanese roots and a California state of mind. Bring a group to share small plates and sample sake and drinks. Kani Chahan: This is a fantastic bowl of fried rice. They have gently flavored the firm grains of rice with bits of crispy fried garlic, seaweed slivers, and scallions. The shredded Dungeness crab adds sweetness and tenderness. Soriresu: They have grilled these chicken yakitori skewers to perfection over charcoal. The oyster is a prized piece of meat near the thigh. Tsubaki has taken these gems and have created the most tender and juicy morsels ever. The skin is crisp and there is just enough shoyu to enhance the natural flavor of the chicken. The dot of yuzu kosho adds a splash of delicate citrus, chili, and salt flavors. Dining Area: This little spot provides a relaxed atmosphere with small tables and counters. There are a few tables on the sidewalk for al fresco dining. Parking: While there is valet parking, you can find residential street parking a few blocks away. read more

Tsubaki - Chicken oyster skewers - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Visited Tsubaki after learning about it via it's Michelin Bid Gourmand rating. The food is excellent (bit a little small in portion) as we tried a assortment of dishes. Good thing we made reservations the location is on the smaller side, with lots of people. We ate outside, and overall the ambiance is good a nice cool summer evening in Los Angeles. Tip: The restaurant doesn't have a parking lot, and the area around the restaurant is pretty congested (with regards to street parking). However, Valet (which we used) is available. Making reservations ahead of time is a good idea. read more

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I had a solo dinner here at the counter and it was so lovely. The service chatted me up and left me alone the perfect amount. The pacing of the dishes really worked for me - I never had to wait too long for the next dish but they weren't all plopped down at once. The restaurant is small and you need a reservation. Street parking is hard but there's valet. Every bite was delicious. Next time I want to start with the hojicha parfait because I was too stuffed to order it read more

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Took my parents here for an anniversary dinner! They were super accommodating and even brought out a little dessert for them. Staff were very friendly and informative, the vibe was nice - very la read more

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I came here when they first opened. And a few times since then. The Food is definitely good tasting. Interesting Menu not classic. Mostly assessable to all. Using basic Japanese cuisine with their own spin. Sort of hybrid. The service is good, friendly servers. Ambiance is appropriate for the cuisine. What's not so good? I Couldn't give 4 stars due to: Parking. It's non existent. They have Valet parking for $13 + tip. Mandatory. Prices. In my opinion the price points were simply too high. The quantity is very petite servings. You need to order many more dishes than you think. I've been to countless izakayas in Japan and here. I can say the price to food ratio is a little unbalanced. Suggest you scope out a McDonald's so you can drop in for quick quarter pounder. read more

Awesome Japanese Cuisine. I'd best describe it as Japanese-American fusion. Please try the Japanese Latkes and the Japanese Caesar salad. Just trust me, you'll thank me later. The Japanese Caesar salad was life changing. I think it was the best salad I've ever had. The miso Caesar dressing was amazing, with tangy and umami flavors. The bonito threads and crispy bits were a great alternative to croutons. And you get a really big portion. Great for sharing with the table. We also tried the chicken oysters from the yakitori menu. They were super tender & juicy and had a nice smoky flavor from the grill. The branzino with pickled lotus root was super fresh. Loved the crunch from the lotus root. And the cod with tofu was so soft and buttery. I could have eaten 2 portions of each. The restaurant itself is pretty small so be sure to make a reservation. The service was excellent. Our waitress was super attentive and gave us recommendations for some great sake to go with our meal. I'd say this restaurant delivers an authentic Japanese dining experience with a nice American twist! read more

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This was honestly one of my most memorable and outstanding dining experiences of the year! Created by Chef Charles Namba and Courtney Kaplan, Tsubaki highlights Namba's repertoire of raw, steamed, fried and grilled dishes, matched equally by Kaplan's extraordinary sake program. This is a small, intimate restaurant with a very cheerful and peaceful vibe. We went for dinner around 5 pm and were warmly welcomed. Service was friendly and exceptional, and ambience and decor is great. Among the dishes that we tried were: - Japanese Caesar salad: Market lettuces, bonito threads, panko, miso Parmesan dressing; - Soft shell crab tempura; - Corn salad; - Kyabetsu miso kushiyaki: cabbage skewers, carmelized leek - miso butter; - Tempura vegetables; - Yakitori: Charcoal grilled chicken skewers - "Soriresu" - chicken oysters; - Fried rice; -Hoji-cha soft cream: Roasted green tea-infused soft serve - Blueberry + Calimyrna fig crumble with ginger crème fraiche, Sanontou brown sugar streusel. Everything was absolutely delicious. Seasoning was delicate and perfect all around. I had been wanting to try the Japanese Caesar Salad, which I absolutely loved, and it did not disappoint. Such an amazing and unique take on one of my favorite salads, and so refreshing! The tempura was perfectly fried and the yakitori chicken oysters were great. We ended a great dinner with the Blueberry and Calimyrna fig crumble with ginger crème fraiche and brown sugar streusel--- so delectable --- we loved it! Overall a wonderful dining experience. They do have valet parking, but I found street parking up the hill. Highly recommended! read more

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The good: Latkes stuffed with wagyu ground beef and a pepper cream sauce on top. The cream was slightly spicy but made the dish creamy and complex. Wagyu skewers caramelized but still pink inside melt in your mouth bites of heaven. Chicken oysters skewered unctuous bites of chicken (loins?) with a umami soy glaze that lightly coats each piece. The service was super attentive and friendly. The bad: it was pricey although it was an excellent experience the bill was a little higher than what I would expect to pay at this type of restaurant. The space is small and a bit too loud ( due mostly to the music being turned up so high). The parking is rough. We opted for the valet service and my door had a 4" long scratch when I got it back (womp womp... car is dark metallic blue and only 3 weeks old). Overall the food was excellent but with everything else I probably won't be back. Definitely worth a visit but can't recommend for repeated visits. read more

This restaurant is good for having drinks with izakaya-style dishes. The place is quite small, and parking nearby is difficult. The food was just average, and the service was okay. However, I don't think I'll be going back. read more

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My first time back after coming here 7 years ago. Food was great back then and still very good food albeit now at a fairly high price. But if you come definitely get their Wagyu skewer, kinoko tempura and yellowtail collar (special). And consider UBER because parking is difficult and because they have a very good sale selection that you'll probably drink too much of. read more

came here with a group of 5 and was very impressed on the food side. i feel like i went through an experience of flavors. service was neutral, not stand out but also nothing bad. at the time we went (earlier on the weekend) it wasn't very packed but they were fully booked as the evening went on. the food came out at a steady pace and was presented really well and tasted great! THE FOOD: -chawanmushi ($22) - steamed egg custard with dungeness crab... this one blew everyone away at the table! it was really delicious and my first time having a chawanmushi. HIGHLY RECOMMEND -asari saka-mushi ($28) - clams were a surprise for everyone at the table as we werent sure about how stand out they would be but the broth had lots of flavor and clams were cooked to perfection. RECOMMEND! -kinoko tempura ($19) - tempura was uniquely fried in a light batter and the dipping sauce was sweet and to die for for. i enjoyed this one for sure! -soriresu ($18) - charcoal-grilled chicken oysters that come with 2 skewers per order with a nice sweet glaze and flavoring on top. solid but pricey. -bonchiri ($7) - charcoal-grilled jidori chicken tail was solid but pricey for one skewer IMO -buta rosu shio koji-yaki ($34) - koji honey peads + barnetts pork loin, parsnip artichoke puree, apple mustard and it was solid but didn't blow me away -short ribs ($45) - nanban-style with market squash, mixed beets, pearl onions, jujube sweet + sour glaze... HOLY MOLY MY FAVORITE of the entire night and I think about it often since I had it. short ribs were fall off the bone. HIGHLY RECOMMEND of all the dishes. goes well wth kani chahan too! -kani chahan ($33) - garlic fried rice with dungeness crab MUST GET if ordering the short ribs. thought they went really well together as it was flavored rice and crab but went well with the short rubs PROS: -was able to find street parking even after a dodgers game -FLAVOR was in every dish CONS: -on the smaller side (make sure to make a reservation) -auto adds service charge to bill (prefer to just have it built into the food price) -dishes on the pricer sides for small amounts OVERALL: highly recommend if you are looking for delicious small plates packed with flavor! read more

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Food quality: 3.75/5 Presentation: 4/5 Attention to detail: 3.75/5 Service: 5/5, great! Vibes: Date night vibes, but a little small inside Value: 3.5/5, expensive for the quantity of food considering the quality Times been: 1 Return? Maybe While the experience overall is nothing to rave about, there are certain dishes, such as the crab cakes, that are wonderful. A lot of the skewers are really tasty, as the meat quality is high and the sauces compliment the meat well, but some dishes were very, very salty (I also consider myself as someone who likes saltier food). Food quality aside, sitting at the bar was nice and the restaurant has a nice selection of sake and cocktails--my dad and I really enjoyed the yuzu-sake cocktail. But the restaurant is a little small, which could make it too loud for certain occasions. Overall, if you're in the area, and want to risk eating very salty food, this is a good spot (the non-skewers were not salty). However, I would lean towards going towards KBBQ or something of that nature if I was craving something like this restaurant. read more

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Let me start by saying that I'm grateful that they offer valet. lol I couldn't imagine having to try to find parking in this area, especially at prime dinner hour. The place is small and cute. And we were greeted by friendly staff when we walked in. The food was made very well everything was seasoned perfectly and everything tasted very fresh. The chicken oysters were amazing, and so was the tuna Crudo. The prawns I think were a little overcooked for my liking, but because it was seasoned very well I didn't mind. They had so many options for sake, and our kind server took her time explaining them to me based on what my taste was and even gave me a couple to try before making my decision. I told her I liked more light and fruit forward drinks so she suggested Abe. And it was so good, perfectly balanced, and I'll definitely be looking for that next time I come. We also ordered a couple beers which is normal for us, however, when we got the bill, we realized that they were priced pretty high compared to other Japanese restaurants we go to. I would definitely only come back here for chill dinner and not really for dinner and drinks bc our bill at the end was a lot higher than what we had expected. read more

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Made a reservation about a week in advance on Resy (note: account for babies in the reservation!) for 3 for our anniversary. Highlights: - Charwanmushi: the best charwanmushi I've ever had! Adding dungeness crab to anything makes it taste good tbh. But the egg was perfectly cooked and delicious! Definitely recommend. - wagyu skewer: I think this was my favorite dish of the night. Perfectly cooked melt in your mouth goodness with the perfect sauce. I'd order 10 if we could! - Japanese Caesar salad: definitely recommend. It's a simple dish, large portions, and I've never tried anything like it before. Loaded with bonito flakes! - Japanese latkes (potato cakes): perfect balance of flavor, i really enjoyed this dish. Just ok: - cabbage skewers - black cod - hojicha parfait: I'd recommend just getting the soft serve Service was great, I was anxious bringing a newborn with us but the staff was so friendly and kind to us that it was definitely manageable. Note: no changing tables in the bathroom! Parking is a bit difficult, came at 5 and the valet wasn't open (but I also didn't see a stand). Ended up street parking which was ok. FYI: they charge a 4% fee for healthy LA for benefits for their employees. read more

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I spent my birthday celebration here last night and wow, if that's how they do a birthday dinner I don't even want to know how they'd treat someone on a regular night. The server was contrarian and rude, the food was slow to come out and bizarrely coursed, and to top it off they brought out no cake or any kind of dessert for the birthday (not always expected, but I've never not had this at a bday dinner?). Stay away. read more

Food was delicious, the highlights were the skewers which were cooked to perfection! Would definitely recommend trying this place. read more

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Lovely deft service that was attuned to experienced food related questions to provide the best possible experience. I enjoyed each dish but ask had small ideas that may have elevated each slightly more. For example, the greasy heaviness of the latke overpowered the fish when the salmon tasted alone was fantastic so the ratios seemed off. Also the Cesar salad was delicious but became too creamy as we ate and increased acidity would have benefited it. The scallops appeared simple but with strong umami that made them feel more substantial. We were recommended one dish too many for our appetites too. read more

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Definitely one of my go to spot when i want to enjoy a good japanese izakaya without driving all the way to Torrance. Love the food, interior and exterior vibe and the service. Lots of Sake to choose from as well! Love it! read more

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Our group of 7 had dinner on the patio on a Thursday night and had a fantastic time. Service was pretty good for a larger, louder party. Our waiter was excellent and friendly - and patient with our group. Food came out slowly, but surely, and was worth the wait. We ordered a lot of different items on the menu, but what stood out to us the most - Dragon Tongue Tempura, Buta Rosu Shio Koji-Yaki (pork loin), Tebasaki Yakitori (chicken wings), and the Hojicha Soft Serve. We also enjoyed the Japanese "Caesar" Salad - but who doesn't enjoy a Caesar! The patio is the perfect place to dine on a cool, summer night. Watching the sunset and enjoying food with your friends - drinking sake during golden hour - Tsubaki is the place to dine! Service 5/5 Atmosphere 4.5/5 Overall 4.5/5 read more

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perfect for date night! delicious food and great service! we definitely enjoyed everything here read more

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We finally got the chance to eat a Tsubaki! We came with a party of seven and got to enjoy many dishes. The restaurant itself is not the biggest, so come with small parties or make a reservation in advance like we did. There is valet or street parking. Our large party was sat outside, and we were more than happy to dine al fresco. Summer nights are the best in LA and we were all comfortable, even late into our dinner. Some standout dishes for our table were the Japanese Caesar salad, the pork loin, and all the different traditional Izakaya meat skewers. Some of the girls shared the hojicha soft serve to end the meal and really enjoyed their dessert! The sake selections were excellent. Big shout out to the staff for making great recommendations - we went thru at least 4 bottles. Food (imo) is meant to be shared like this - with a large group of friends, outdoors in great weather, over a bottle or four of good liquor, plus many laughs and wonderful conversation. We had such a good time Tsubaki! We will be back. read more

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" ok! come on! Silverlake ? From WeHo? Really???" I say to my friend who made this suggestion. But what a great suggestion it was Tsubaki, an Izakaya in Silverlake is the place to dine. Even if you have to drive, Uber, Lyft or Public Trans to get there, DO IT! I had the pleasure of meeting Courtney Kaplan, owner and Somalier of Tsubaki (and also OTOTO next door). She was polite and explained her concept of Sake and her Izakaya dishes. Food 5 stars- I can't recall all the dishes as I just did my job of eating the yummy food, Ambiance 5 stars- Pretty open air type feeling, Service 5 stars- our waiter did an excellent job of serving us and making recommendations on what we should try Pricing 4 stars- pricey; but good. And I'm not sure because I was a guest here but maybe they already add tip to the tab when you check out. Be sure you ask; only because I overheard my host talking about it. Location? well it depends of whether or not you are a Silverlake resident and its a small Establishment on the corner of Allison and Sunset in Silverlake. Note that parking is an issue so you'll have to hunt for street parking or, they do offer value parking service. I suggest reservations as they appeared to get busy as the hours ticked by. (TIP AND SUGGESTION- go early like 4:30 or so on the weekends and try the Sake School recommendations next door at OTOTO, then go to TSUBAKI for their Izakaya.... look at it this way, if you valeted your vehicle, you got to enjoy 2 establishments for the price of 1 valet) read more

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Good luck finding parking in the area, so be prepared for $12 valet. The restaurant is tiny, so not ideal for big parties. The food is excellent though. We enjoyed every single dish. The standouts were Japanese Caesar, King Trumpet Mushroom Skewers and Soy- Simmered Black Cod. The salad was ginormous (too much for us two) and burst with flavor. The mushroom, in a generous amount, was perfectly grilled. The cod was flakey and surprisingly big. Who would've thought that Cabbage Skewers could be so delicious? Japanese Latkes/potato pancakes were on point topped with a generous amount of salmon. Unfortunately, I did make a mess. We also tried Juicy Lucy Burger/Potato Croquettes which were very good except that I'm not a fan of the cheddar in the center. The trio of Japanese Pickles was appetizing. We preferred the radish and pears over the cabbage with a hint of bitterness. Of course I had to try the Hojicha Parfait. The hojicha flavor was very subtle compared to the real deal, and the inclusion of miso was interesting. I personally could do without miso, but candied walnuts were a nice touch. I highly recommend Tsubaki. The service was personable and attentive. read more

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An absolutely wonderful and intimate restaurant serving up phenomenal Izakaya plates with an excellent wine list and great service! We opted to let our waitress order dishes for us in an omakase style and she nailed it! (Kudos to Madeline) Below is what was tried: Japanese Caesar Salad - 5 Stars. Rich in flavor, this is one of the best Caesar salads I've had! The dressing has a hint of miso, and the panko worked perfectly! Japanese Latkes - 3 1/2 Stars. I admit to picking this dish since I love latkes, but thought the latke could have been more firm with a crisp to it -- the salmon crudo on top was delicious though! Asari saka-mushi (Clams) - 4 1/2 Stars. The clams were rich in flavor and the broth was earthy and savory. The only thing that could have made this better would be a grilled piece of bread to dip your broth into. Aspara Tempura - 5+ stars. They transformed simple asparagus into a delicious tempura moment making them like asparagus fries with a tart and delicious dipping sauce. Ebi sumibi-yaki - 5 Stars. Head on prawns that were plump and rich in flavor! Chicken Oysters - 5+ Stars. This skewered dish was tender and so flavorful! Short ribs nanban-style - 5+ Stars. The short rib was served in a rich but light sweet and sour broth, and the short rib itself was so tender and tasty. Kani chahan - 3 1/2 Stars. Garlic fried rice with dungeness crab. This was mild and a little basic compared to the other dishes, however my two friends that I was dining with absolutely loved this! Scallop Skewer - 4 Stars. Admittedly, I'm not a huge scallop lover but this was done well. Onigiri -- 4 Stars. Sesame Rice balls that my buddy insisted on getting, and he couldn't have loved it more. This was intentionally a bit plain and also quite comforting at the same time. Ginger Poached Apples & Pears - 4 1/2 Stars. A light dessert to finish the meal, packed with flavor and tasty streusel bits. The ambiance is upscale with a minimalist and modern vibe. They add an automatic 18% gratuity to all checks, and we added more to the tip since the service was phenomenal the entire night from the moment we walked in, to the moment we left. I found a parking spot up the street, but love that they have a valet option. I'm still dreaming about this meal and can't wait to come back to continue eating through the menu since there were so many more dishes that I want to try. read more

Tsubaki - Menu as of 5-14-2024 - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I love this restaurant. The food is unique and high quality. Every time I go, though, something tempers my enjoyment. Is it the upselling? The pushing of an additional menu item? Maybe it is the bill, which always feels high. For a long time, Tsubaki would add a 20% service fee, which was explicitly noted as not counting towards the tip. They've since discontinued this practice and, while I'm sure it was well intentioned, it was confusing. Even now, I scrutinize my bill at Tsubaki more than I would anywhere else, and I don't like to! I will weigh my options in the future, especially when it is my birthday dinner. read more

The dining area is quite small but they do a good job of utilizing their space without making the restaurant feel too cramped. The decor and overall ambiance was warm and inviting. They serve their dishes as they're made so be mindful of that when ordering. They also add in a 18% service charge that is not a part of the servers tips. It goes to their wages. 'mapo tofu' sukui-dofu - The mapo tofu is served cold. My biggest issue with this item was the consistency of the tofu. It looked and tasted like the silken tofu was churned and then put back together. I'm not sure if that was intentional or an ingredient issue. The taste was alright. Good amount of heat. My main issue was with the consistency. kani chahan - Super tasty. A good amount of rice. I'm a vegetarian and they were able to accommodate me by making the fried rice without the crab. I really appreciated how this change was reflected in the total bill as well. It went from $26 to $14. hojicha soft cream - Tasted almost like chocolate. It was served inside of a teacup looking vessel. Sort of a strange presentation and made it difficult to share. This dessert also desperately craved a crunchy aspect. The ice cream itself was too one note to stand on its own. yuzu panna cotta - Extremely citrusy. Almost overpowering. The presentation was pretty but the functionality was off. This would have been great served like a sort of parfait, especially with the strong citrus flavor. The curd and citrus would have balanced out perfectly with every bite and the pearls on top would have added such a nice texture. taka nama - This was actually my first time drinking sake. Our waitress recommended this one so we got a carafe. I thought it tasted just like chardonnay. After talking to someone that does drink sake, it seems like this flavor profile is not typical. I really liked it though. Also the carafe is actually the size of a regular cup. They serve water out of the smallest cups I've ever seen. I felt like I was drinking out of a shallow dog bowl. It definitely fit the vibe, but I'm not sure how functional they were. The water carafe they leave is also small. The service was great. It doesn't seem like the waiters have sections as we were seen by multiple people. They were all equally friendly and helpful. I'm a vegetarian and the waitress marked up my menu to show what I could order. She even asked specific questions to make sure that I was vegetarian and not pescatarian or vegan. We celebrated a birthday here and they brought out dessert (we ordered&paid for) with a lit candle. Overall, I think the rest of my party enjoyed the food more than I did. And to be fair, I was limited in my choices. With what I could eat, I had at least one issue with it. If I could give a rating instead of stars, I would give this place 3.7. I'm rating 4 because of the experience my friends had. read more

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Personally I'm not big on Izakaya. I don't hate it but it's just never been my vibe because the portions are small and the dishes cum out slow. I do believe that people who do get excited about it will like this tho, as there was quite a long line of people waiting after we arrived. Personally I love Japanese flavors so there were a couple dishes that I did enjoy. The staff was friendly and gave us blankets to keep us warm on the patio. I think the ambiance was mid but that's mostly due to the location. If you're into Izakaya, this is one to consider if you're in the LA area. read more

Tsubaki - kimchi cheese korokke - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The dishes here are very unique and flavorful! The portion sizes could be bigger, however. There is street parking but can be limited. Recommend the latkes and somen! read more

Tsubaki - hiyashi yamakake somen - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California