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Very disappointing experience. I legit hate I was taken here for my bday. Reservation was at 6:30 through open table, and was sat later than the reservation so that's an instant ding. The seating was very tight. Right up in everyone's business next to you, one of the bigger people near our table was large and he definitely bumped into our relatively small table MULTIPLE times. They should definitely space their areas better. Idt a foot distance is enough. I could hear everything they were talking they were talking about and they were mispronouncing every item on the menu. We ordered skewers and I was underwhelmed. The char was okay, but the tare was light and the chicken didn't have as much flavor as normal Japanese yakitori restaurants had. Don't get me wrong, it's meh for California but definitely not up to standard coming from Japan. The drinks are okay, probably the best thing we had at the restaurant lol let me forget! This was supposed to be for my bday but I won't be back.
Absolutely enjoyed this place and already planning my 2nd visit! Came here for a work dinner and I wasn't sure what to expect - I can be a bit picky with my yakitori restaurant - but every dish we had ordered was so tasty! The restaurant is small and cozy, for a Wednesday, it wasn't too busy but the vibe was great from the other diners too. Service was friendly and attentive, everyone checked on us in a timely manner. My favorite dishes were the tofu cream cheese (I know, it sounds weird but so good), tsukune kushiyaki, teba kushiyaki and yaki onigiri. There's plenty of metered parking available in the lot right across (4hr parking) but it might get a bit full & busy on the weekends. If you're in the area, definitely have a beach day and visit Zoku for dinner!
Zoku is a yakitori bar located in Riviera Village & Torikizoku and Hasu are sister restaurants of Zoku. Apparently there are over 600+ Zoku branches in Japan. Unlike Torikizoku, this location accepts reservation via OpenTable. [Parking]: Parking is hit-and-miss in Riviera Village, but there should be plenty of metered parking spots on a good day. [Reservation]: Our party just walked in without a reservation and waited about 15 minutes before getting seats. [Menu]: Very similar menu to Torikizoku, but Zoku offers more high-end and expensive items like A5 Wagyu Beef ($30 per skewer) and Wagyu Beef ($9.80 per skewer). Other Yelp highlighted items include Chicken Meatball, Chicken Thighs, and Yaki Onigiri. *** Yaki Onigiri (grilled rice ball with shoyu and katsuobushi - $5.50): The rice ball had a slight charcoal aftertaste. Momo (chicken thigh with yakitori sauce - $3.90): Just like the rice ball it also had a strong charcoal aftertaste. Tsukune (chicken meatball with Japanese tare - $4.80): I thought it was okay. Zoku Karrage (Japanese fried chicken with original "chick-fil-a" mayo - $9.50): Our party didn't really dip too much of mayo sauce. Wagyu Beef (with apple steak sauce $9.80): Our party didn't want to drop $30 on A5 Wagyu Beef so this was the next best option. Expensive but beef was certainly tender. *** Overall skewer quality is better than Torikizoku, but at the same time Zoku is a bit more expensive than Torikizoku. Please note that our party ended up eating dumplings afterward because we were only 75% full and didn't want spend more money. A solid yakitori spot for anyone who's willing to spend a good $$$.
OH MY GOSH. Tried it last night and knew I had to review it immediately. Yes, it's $$$, but I'd say it's worth every penny. My friends and I got the the restaurant 1 hour before closing, and the waitresses were really kind and did not rush us at all. What had drawn me into this place was that I am a sucker for yakitori. There were so many appetizers, and they even had a seasonal menu. As of 11/27, the seasonal menu included OYSTER MUSHROOMS BALSAMIC SMOKED DUCK A5 SUKIYAKI ASSORTED SASHIMI My friends and I tried it all. It was really pretty and delicious. I cannot pick a favorite out of them all. SKEWERS - I tried -Momo spicy was indeed spicy, great kick, and juicy -tsukune - meatball on a stick, I was fine with it, didn't blow my mind -waygu beef - loved it! My favorite is topped with onions Inside the restaurant can be a little small, so it can only hold so many people. I want to come back already! Everyone there left the restaurant with a smile.
I was impressed from the moment I stepped inside. From the warm greeting to the nice service. We got there a little early but was able to get sat right away. Ate at the bar and had tasty skewers that made me order more after the first round. I would definitely come back. There aren't many yakatori spots so I was happy to find this one.
Inside zoku is really quaint, they have seats at the counter where you can see the skewers being grilled or sit at tables for 4 which can be combined for larger groups. We ordered a mix of yakitori and sides and everything came out fairly quick. The zoku cucumber salad was reallly tasty, I ordered a second. The salmon carpaccio, would probably skip next time. Not sure if it's the cut we got but it was a bit more chewy than typical carpaccio I've ordered at other places. Of the Kushiyaki, my favorites were: Mune Miso Honey Mustard, Momo Spicy, and Wagyu Beef. For dessert, we got the Matcha Brûlée, had custard in the middle with matcha powder sprinkled around the dish, was a perfect bitter/sweet balance.
A couple friends recommended zoku when we were hanging in the South Bay and I'm so glad they did! They said their neighbors have all been talking about how good it is and I feel like I got that real life yelp experience - word of mouth! :) Parking all over in the lots around here plus tons of great places around to go for drinks after dinner. My friends and I actually had the Organic Matcha Beers here ($12) which were super cool, poured at the table. For starters, the Cream Cheese "Tofu" $14 was so delicious. It looks like tofu but it's creamy soft cheese surrounded by a light maple syrup that you can put on the sliced baguette pieces that come with it. If something makes your mouth water while thinking or describing it, you know that ish is good, and that is what is happening right now! Meatwise, the Wagyu Beef skewer (we just did the $10 ones, not the even fancier wagyu $40 or $30 pieces) was really tender and tasty. Same goes for the Mune Miso Honey Mustard Chicken skewer ($4.50) with plumpness to the nines. Staff was stellar, restaurant was cute, and most importantly food was so~~~~ yum! I'll be back soon!
We were looking for a protein-forward meal and made our way to Zoku. This place is right by Riviera Village, a bustling part of town. We easily found metered parking on a weekend evening. One skewer per order, and they have a bunch on the menu. We like the wagyu beef, the scallop, the chicken wasabi and especially the chicken meatball. My date enjoyed the chicken karaage, but it was a tad bit too spicy for our liking. Still a great size for multiple to share and quite tasty. The charcoal was a nice touch. The interior is a bit small, with a handful of tables and a nice, long bar. It's cozy and inviting. Service is polite and efficient. Food came out quickly and everyone was very courteous. Apparently, there's happy hour! I can't wait to come back and give that a try.
Amazing little spot for Japanese food. They have a cool matcha beer that you should try if you like matcha! It's a fun spot with lots of little dishes to try. Definitely a place where you want to share a bunch of dishes with friends. Plenty of parking spaces and amazing staff that were friendly and attentive. Highlights include the corn in the rib, mushrooms, spicy karaage, and matcha beer.
Loved the sleek, modern, and minimalist environment. We were greeted with warm hand towels, that expanded with hot water poured over them at our table. For appetizers, we ordered the salmon carpaccio, cucumber salad and pickles - all were great. For dinner we ordered the waygu, chicken meatball, chicken, mushroom, and potato yakitori (skewers) all were equally great. Also really enjoyed the tofu salad! I enjoyed the food overall, but the space was the best part - it's refreshing to see a new and beautifully designed space in the area.
TL;DR - AWESOME. Make a reservation online in case it gets busy. Friendly staff. Recommend A5 wagyu beef skewer, unagi and ebi skewers, baby bella mushrooms, and whole white peach tart. We had such a great time at Zoku. I am a big fan of yakitori and was excited to try this place. As soon as you enter, you're met with a really clean and modern interior. If I had to approximate, there's probably enough seating for 30-50 people. We went on a Wednesday evening and it was pretty full so I HIGHLY RECOMMEND making reservation (you can do it online). The staff is very friendly, positive, and helpful. I didn't get their names, but they were a step above! The food was amazing from start to finish. It came out quickly too. The highlights were the A5 wagyu skewer, unagi skewer, ebi skewer, baby bella mushrooms, and the whole white peach tart. The A5 wagyu skewer was so good I had to stop talking. I wish I got more. It was so tender, fatty, and delicious! Smoky and savory too. The unagi and ebi skewers were very flavorful and smoky too. You could really appreciate the binchotan charcoal that they use. The baby bella mushrooms were OUTSTANDING. I reluctantly had to split half with my wife lol but I'm happy she liked it. She doesn't eat escargot but I told her this was basically 90% of the experience if I had to ease her into trying it one day. The garlic butter and presentation of the mushrooms is what reminded me so much of escargots. The whole white peach tart was the perfect way to end the night. As the name states, it is a whole white peach and it sits on a bed of broken up biscoff cookies (my favorite kind of cookie). As a dessert, it wasn't too sweet, which is a HUGE compliment in culture. I wouldn't be surprised if this restaurant was noticed by the Michelin Guide. I had such an awesome time and hope this restaurant is here to stay forever.
This restaurant has a very cute clean Japanese ambiance which we loved. The staff were super kind and attentive, they made the whole experience very memorable. Everything was perfect except for the taste. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either sadly ;; the food was overall very salty unfortunately. But that didn't ruin the experience for us because of the amazing staff. For cocktails, the yuzu shochu was very delicious, and I'd order the Zoku salad again (Japanese style Caesar salad). Overall, it's a great restaurant with a beautiful vibe if you want a night out!
It was my first time at Zoku and I really enjoyed my experience. The staff was friendly and the food was so tasty. I got here at 5:00pm on a Sunday and it was pretty busy around 7pm. I would recommend RSVPing on weekends. The ambiance was bright and welcoming. I also enjoyed seeing what goes on behind the scenes. Everything was great, but my ultimate favorite dishes were the scallops and wagyu! Thank you Zoku!
4 months ago
The staff who greet you at the entrance, as well as the servers, are all wonderfully attentive! The atmosphere is great, and every staff member creates a very welcoming vibe whenever a customer walks in! Since this was my second visit, I ordered things I hadn't tried the last time. As always, every dish looked so appealing -- the plating is absolutely stunning. The overall balance, colors, and presentation... everything made me want to take photos. Compared to other yakitori restaurants, the selection might be a bit limited, and die-hard yakitori fans may find it a little lacking, but it is definitely worth visiting at least once! My personal favorite here is the Chicken with Honey Mustard! The Karaage sauce is also incredible!! And finally, the desserts -- always something to look forward to! Every single one tastes like it came straight from a fine pastry shop, and I'm always blown away. I'm already looking forward to my next visit! Next time, I'd love to come for lunch and try the Yuzu Shio Ramen. read more
4 months ago
This place was amazing!! The staff was very welcoming and attentive. I loved the ambiance and the design of the restaurant. It felt very intimate and they were playing nice chill reggae music. We order 8 skewers from the lunch menu and it came with 2 salads & 2 bowls of rice! It was a good portion for two but I would recommending ordering a few extra orders on the side if you're extra hungry. All of the skewers were perfectly cooked and the flavors were great. I loved the unagi and wagyu! read more
Very disappointing experience. I legit hate I was taken here for my bday. Reservation was at 6:30 through open table, and was sat later than the reservation so that's an instant ding. The seating was very tight. Right up in everyone's business next to you, one of the bigger people near our table was large and he definitely bumped into our relatively small table MULTIPLE times. They should definitely space their areas better. Idt a foot distance is enough. I could hear everything they were talking they were talking about and they were mispronouncing every item on the menu. We ordered skewers and I was underwhelmed. The char was okay, but the tare was light and the chicken didn't have as much flavor as normal Japanese yakitori restaurants had. Don't get me wrong, it's meh for California but definitely not up to standard coming from Japan. The drinks are okay, probably the best thing we had at the restaurant lol let me forget! This was supposed to be for my bday but I won't be back. read more
Absolutely enjoyed this place and already planning my 2nd visit! Came here for a work dinner and I wasn't sure what to expect - I can be a bit picky with my yakitori restaurant - but every dish we had ordered was so tasty! The restaurant is small and cozy, for a Wednesday, it wasn't too busy but the vibe was great from the other diners too. Service was friendly and attentive, everyone checked on us in a timely manner. My favorite dishes were the tofu cream cheese (I know, it sounds weird but so good), tsukune kushiyaki, teba kushiyaki and yaki onigiri. There's plenty of metered parking available in the lot right across (4hr parking) but it might get a bit full & busy on the weekends. If you're in the area, definitely have a beach day and visit Zoku for dinner! read more
27 days ago
Zoku is a yakitori bar located in Riviera Village & Torikizoku and Hasu are sister restaurants of Zoku. Apparently there are over 600+ Zoku branches in Japan. Unlike Torikizoku, this location accepts reservation via OpenTable. [Parking]: Parking is hit-and-miss in Riviera Village, but there should be plenty of metered parking spots on a good day. [Reservation]: Our party just walked in without a reservation and waited about 15 minutes before getting seats. [Menu]: Very similar menu to Torikizoku, but Zoku offers more high-end and expensive items like A5 Wagyu Beef ($30 per skewer) and Wagyu Beef ($9.80 per skewer). Other Yelp highlighted items include Chicken Meatball, Chicken Thighs, and Yaki Onigiri. *** Yaki Onigiri (grilled rice ball with shoyu and katsuobushi - $5.50): The rice ball had a slight charcoal aftertaste. Momo (chicken thigh with yakitori sauce - $3.90): Just like the rice ball it also had a strong charcoal aftertaste. Tsukune (chicken meatball with Japanese tare - $4.80): I thought it was okay. Zoku Karrage (Japanese fried chicken with original "chick-fil-a" mayo - $9.50): Our party didn't really dip too much of mayo sauce. Wagyu Beef (with apple steak sauce $9.80): Our party didn't want to drop $30 on A5 Wagyu Beef so this was the next best option. Expensive but beef was certainly tender. *** Overall skewer quality is better than Torikizoku, but at the same time Zoku is a bit more expensive than Torikizoku. Please note that our party ended up eating dumplings afterward because we were only 75% full and didn't want spend more money. A solid yakitori spot for anyone who's willing to spend a good $$$. read more
10 months ago
OH MY GOSH. Tried it last night and knew I had to review it immediately. Yes, it's $$$, but I'd say it's worth every penny. My friends and I got the the restaurant 1 hour before closing, and the waitresses were really kind and did not rush us at all. What had drawn me into this place was that I am a sucker for yakitori. There were so many appetizers, and they even had a seasonal menu. As of 11/27, the seasonal menu included OYSTER MUSHROOMS BALSAMIC SMOKED DUCK A5 SUKIYAKI ASSORTED SASHIMI My friends and I tried it all. It was really pretty and delicious. I cannot pick a favorite out of them all. SKEWERS - I tried -Momo spicy was indeed spicy, great kick, and juicy -tsukune - meatball on a stick, I was fine with it, didn't blow my mind -waygu beef - loved it! My favorite is topped with onions Inside the restaurant can be a little small, so it can only hold so many people. I want to come back already! Everyone there left the restaurant with a smile. read more
1 month ago
6 months ago
I was impressed from the moment I stepped inside. From the warm greeting to the nice service. We got there a little early but was able to get sat right away. Ate at the bar and had tasty skewers that made me order more after the first round. I would definitely come back. There aren't many yakatori spots so I was happy to find this one. read more
Inside zoku is really quaint, they have seats at the counter where you can see the skewers being grilled or sit at tables for 4 which can be combined for larger groups. We ordered a mix of yakitori and sides and everything came out fairly quick. The zoku cucumber salad was reallly tasty, I ordered a second. The salmon carpaccio, would probably skip next time. Not sure if it's the cut we got but it was a bit more chewy than typical carpaccio I've ordered at other places. Of the Kushiyaki, my favorites were: Mune Miso Honey Mustard, Momo Spicy, and Wagyu Beef. For dessert, we got the Matcha Brûlée, had custard in the middle with matcha powder sprinkled around the dish, was a perfect bitter/sweet balance. read more
A couple friends recommended zoku when we were hanging in the South Bay and I'm so glad they did! They said their neighbors have all been talking about how good it is and I feel like I got that real life yelp experience - word of mouth! :) Parking all over in the lots around here plus tons of great places around to go for drinks after dinner. My friends and I actually had the Organic Matcha Beers here ($12) which were super cool, poured at the table. For starters, the Cream Cheese "Tofu" $14 was so delicious. It looks like tofu but it's creamy soft cheese surrounded by a light maple syrup that you can put on the sliced baguette pieces that come with it. If something makes your mouth water while thinking or describing it, you know that ish is good, and that is what is happening right now! Meatwise, the Wagyu Beef skewer (we just did the $10 ones, not the even fancier wagyu $40 or $30 pieces) was really tender and tasty. Same goes for the Mune Miso Honey Mustard Chicken skewer ($4.50) with plumpness to the nines. Staff was stellar, restaurant was cute, and most importantly food was so~~~~ yum! I'll be back soon! read more
We were looking for a protein-forward meal and made our way to Zoku. This place is right by Riviera Village, a bustling part of town. We easily found metered parking on a weekend evening. One skewer per order, and they have a bunch on the menu. We like the wagyu beef, the scallop, the chicken wasabi and especially the chicken meatball. My date enjoyed the chicken karaage, but it was a tad bit too spicy for our liking. Still a great size for multiple to share and quite tasty. The charcoal was a nice touch. The interior is a bit small, with a handful of tables and a nice, long bar. It's cozy and inviting. Service is polite and efficient. Food came out quickly and everyone was very courteous. Apparently, there's happy hour! I can't wait to come back and give that a try. read more
Amazing little spot for Japanese food. They have a cool matcha beer that you should try if you like matcha! It's a fun spot with lots of little dishes to try. Definitely a place where you want to share a bunch of dishes with friends. Plenty of parking spaces and amazing staff that were friendly and attentive. Highlights include the corn in the rib, mushrooms, spicy karaage, and matcha beer. read more
7 months ago
Loved the sleek, modern, and minimalist environment. We were greeted with warm hand towels, that expanded with hot water poured over them at our table. For appetizers, we ordered the salmon carpaccio, cucumber salad and pickles - all were great. For dinner we ordered the waygu, chicken meatball, chicken, mushroom, and potato yakitori (skewers) all were equally great. Also really enjoyed the tofu salad! I enjoyed the food overall, but the space was the best part - it's refreshing to see a new and beautifully designed space in the area. read more
TL;DR - AWESOME. Make a reservation online in case it gets busy. Friendly staff. Recommend A5 wagyu beef skewer, unagi and ebi skewers, baby bella mushrooms, and whole white peach tart. We had such a great time at Zoku. I am a big fan of yakitori and was excited to try this place. As soon as you enter, you're met with a really clean and modern interior. If I had to approximate, there's probably enough seating for 30-50 people. We went on a Wednesday evening and it was pretty full so I HIGHLY RECOMMEND making reservation (you can do it online). The staff is very friendly, positive, and helpful. I didn't get their names, but they were a step above! The food was amazing from start to finish. It came out quickly too. The highlights were the A5 wagyu skewer, unagi skewer, ebi skewer, baby bella mushrooms, and the whole white peach tart. The A5 wagyu skewer was so good I had to stop talking. I wish I got more. It was so tender, fatty, and delicious! Smoky and savory too. The unagi and ebi skewers were very flavorful and smoky too. You could really appreciate the binchotan charcoal that they use. The baby bella mushrooms were OUTSTANDING. I reluctantly had to split half with my wife lol but I'm happy she liked it. She doesn't eat escargot but I told her this was basically 90% of the experience if I had to ease her into trying it one day. The garlic butter and presentation of the mushrooms is what reminded me so much of escargots. The whole white peach tart was the perfect way to end the night. As the name states, it is a whole white peach and it sits on a bed of broken up biscoff cookies (my favorite kind of cookie). As a dessert, it wasn't too sweet, which is a HUGE compliment in culture. I wouldn't be surprised if this restaurant was noticed by the Michelin Guide. I had such an awesome time and hope this restaurant is here to stay forever. read more
This restaurant has a very cute clean Japanese ambiance which we loved. The staff were super kind and attentive, they made the whole experience very memorable. Everything was perfect except for the taste. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either sadly ;; the food was overall very salty unfortunately. But that didn't ruin the experience for us because of the amazing staff. For cocktails, the yuzu shochu was very delicious, and I'd order the Zoku salad again (Japanese style Caesar salad). Overall, it's a great restaurant with a beautiful vibe if you want a night out! read more
11 months ago
It was my first time at Zoku and I really enjoyed my experience. The staff was friendly and the food was so tasty. I got here at 5:00pm on a Sunday and it was pretty busy around 7pm. I would recommend RSVPing on weekends. The ambiance was bright and welcoming. I also enjoyed seeing what goes on behind the scenes. Everything was great, but my ultimate favorite dishes were the scallops and wagyu! Thank you Zoku! read more
5 months ago
2 years ago
I came at lunch looking to try their yakatori but they do not serve yakatori during lunch. Which started off disappointing, they only serve it during dinner and no where on yelp or their website made it known. Stuck around and just try their lunch offering which is mainly ramen appetizers and rice bowls. Opted it for the deluxe yuzu ramen I was waiting to be disappointed once more. Surprise the ramen had a nice rich velvety chicken broth instead if a classic tonkasu and ingredients are replaced by chicken . Karaage was nice hot and moist crunchy. Cucumber salad was good and crunchy. Pana cotta is good as well if you're looking to finish off with a small dessert. I was able to try the fresh brewed matcha green tea beer which they poor a high grade matcha into the beer. Japanese St Patrick day everyday. Space is small but it has the Japanese simplicity with a yakatori bar. read more
9 months ago
This is a delayed post. Ate there two nights ago but forgot to share the wonderful experience and food. The staff was winderfully great. We thought that the serving portions were too small BUT it turned out to be the best as it is not about the serving size but how our senses were awakened. Did I mention that the prices are amazingly affordable? The place was full yet one can still hear the music, the waiting staff and servers plus the conversation with your own company. We didn't smell like the food, meaning, the smoke of food being cooked never even touched us. read more
We grabbed dinner here to catch up with a friend on a Saturday night. We didn't have a reservation, so we put our name down for a party of three and were notified that our table was ready within 15 minutes. There is either street parking or lot parking, all of which is paid (but free after 9 pm). The interior is charming and reminiscent of a restaurant in Japan. We ordered one of each of the meat-based skewers and marveled at how juicy and tender everything was, even the chicken breast. We also ordered the hojicha panna cotta, which came in the cutest cup. The flavors of hojicha and caramel were both strong, but also harmonized perfectly. The service was warm and attentive. Our water was replenished constantly, and the server offered a sample of sake while explaining the details of the drink before I committed to anything. I am usually not a sake fan, but the Hanaharu Noujun recommended by the server pleasantly surprised me. I also got the matcha beer. I like matcha and beer separately, but not so much together as in this drink. All in all, I really enjoyed our experience at Zoku. I'm not sure if I'd go out of my way to go back, since I don't usually crave yakitori, but the friendly service and unique dishes were certainly memorable. read more
6 months ago
Absolutely loved dining here. Terrific atmosphere and delicious food creativity presented. Service was prompt and super friendly. Lucky to have this little gem in the neighborhood. read more
Zoku is part of the Hasu and Torikizoku group. Have already been to the other 2 restaurants so decided to try here. The skewers here are a little bit different because of the different sauces. Chicken: 1. Momo: Good 2. Momo spicy: Nicely spicy 3. Momo teriyaki: didn't like the flavor 4. Mune wasabi: dry chicken 5. Mune ume: dry, usually like ume but didn't like the combo 6. tsukune: it's okay Beef: 1. Wagyu beef: good but not great. parts of the meat were tough Seafood 1. Unagi: ok but not memorable. wasn't expecting it to be sweet 2. Ebi: Good. 3. Hotate: Good. Vegetable 1. Baby bell mushroom: okay; probably wouldn't get again 2. Zucchini: Grilled well 3. Colorful potatoes: nicely tender Starters 1. Buffalo cauliflower. Didn't like sauce. Happy hour: 1. Japanese fish and chips: Nice mayo dipping sauce and good fry on fish. 2. Zoku wings: it's only 3 small pieces but I'd get it again. Like the spicy lime seasoning. 3. Cucumber with crispy rice balls: is okay Dessert 1. Hojicha panna cotta and strawberry basque cheesecake -nothing special. probably wouldn't get again. Looks like they had some parfaits in the past that looked more interested Overall I would say this is the best of the 3 restaurants. Parking is all metered. Service was good and food came quickly. read more
Modern yakitori bar next to the beach. Made an RSVP and were seated at the bar - was able to see the chefs grill throughout the evening. Had a few different things to eat - cauliflower was good, onigiri was excellent, and the various chicken (and beef) yakitori tasted good. Only issue was the yakitori was served sort of lukewarm - it looked cooked, but seemed like it sat for a bit before being served or was purposely cooled down. Wasn't a big fan of that as it made it seem that it wasn't fresh off the grill. Dessert was great (had both the hojicha panna cotta and cheesecake). Service was good - no issues. Would give it another try (2nd time here) as the first time was great - hoping the food will be nice and hot next time around! read more
This was a good place to eat at. The yakitori is very good but a bit pricey. The chicken yakitori, scallop, beef wagyu and unagi were very good. The staff was super nice and attentive. The atmosphere was good and very inviting. Reservations are recommended as it does get very busy, especially on weekends. I'd had some of the happy hour items it was good so I'd love to come back here to get more items from the happy hour menu. read more
First time here, friend made reservations for 7:30pm, and we were able to get seated right away. Small location but it made the ambiance great. Ordered some drinks and food and they were all great! The only downside, which I think is pretty big, is that they ran out of chicken thighs. And when their popular items are the chicken thighs, it was quite disappointing not to be able to try them all. They said they had one left, my friends and I still ordered the last one, because we really wanted to try it, however I wished that we all could've had our own skewers to try. Maybe come for lunch? Everything we ordered though tasted amazing, but I would've wished our first time experience allowed us to taste their different chicken thighs flavors. Staff were friendly and accommodating. Plenty of parking outside, however there's meters for all of them from what I saw, come prepared! read more
Zoku is a very good yakitori place if you're in the mood for something a little more upscale. The main selection is limited, but they do have interesting options on rotation. I ordered the soft shell crab to start, which was a little pricey, but good. I also ordered prawns, wagyu beef and chicken meatballs. Everything was good, but a little fancier compared to the other yakitori places around town. The ambiance felt authentic and clean. I also love that this place is within walking distance from my apartment. It would be a great place to bring family and friends when they're visiting. read more
6 months ago
First off, the service here is great! Every time I come I forget to make a reservation, but the staff squeeze me in if possible. Second, I'm not very fond of yakitori but I think it's delicious here. This restaurant made me appreciate chicken. Last time I came, they had a duck special which was a little pricey but definitely worth it. That being said, I wish they had more variety in the standard menu. I would love to have other pieces of chicken or for some of their seasonal specials to be regular items! read more
I love yakitori and based on the reviews I was so excited to try this place...but it was overall a big disappointment... First off, it's nice they offer reservations around on OpenTable but once I checked in, the hostess who sat us down said we only had one and a half hours to eat due to other reservations....i was fine with that but it seemed kind of rude to say that off the bat, especially when the restaurant was half empty....not to mention the service here is extremely slow.... Then, a young looking waitress with pig tails came by and asked us if we wanted to start with drinks and appetizers. Those came out pretty quickly but I had to flag her down to take the rest of the food order and we ordered onigiri and a bunch of skewers.... Then skewers came out and the first chicken wasabi one was VERY raw inside....i showed the waitress and she took it away and apologized but it made us so wary of eating the other chicken skewers.... And what's weird is that some of the other chicken skewers were overcooked and super dry & not very tasty.... Then, I noticed the waitress immediately bring out onigiri to the table right next to us that had literally just sat down but ours NEVER came out and when I asked the waitress she said she would check on it but never came back to tell us what happened.... Which I think is that she mistakenly gave our onigiri to the table next to us.... It took another 20 min for it to come out.... And it tasted off...the outside wasn't very crunchy and inside was pretty flavorless.... And then to make things worse, I overheard the waitress tell the specials to the table next to us but didn't bother telling us about it at all.... Overall, the food was not very good and service is awful...my hubs really liked the chicken wings and I thought the green tea brûlée was the best thing here but it looked gross and really should've been in a ramekin... I don't think I will be ever going back here....theres sooooo many other really good yakitori places in the South Bay.... What a disappointment. read more
2 years ago
High quality food executed well consistently in a quaint but busy restaurant. I've waited until we've made several visits before writing a review. I believe this is hands down one of the best restaurants in the Riviera. We've tried at least 40% of the menu and haven't been unhappy with anything we've ordered so far. Favorites include: tsukune, wagyu, spicy chicken momo, mushrooms, hotate, chicken soup, karaage, zoku salad, brussel sprouts, and raw scallop for food also a huge fan of the green tea umeshu cocktail! Interior is nice and clean and no issues with service from the wait staff. Skewers can take while to come out depending on how other tables order, if your order gets caught behind a big party, be prepared to wait a while for the food to come out. Additionally, I don't love that (for the most part) you'll need to make reservations in advance/plan around dining here. It's really hard to casually walk in for dinner as the wait times can be insane, even on random week nights. read more
2 years ago
Great ambience, friendly staff, and delicious food, zoku is a great example of an upscale yakotori restaurant without the interesting meat parts. Prices felt standard, though you can definitely get cheaper skewers at other places. I really wish they had the interesting meat parts like intestine, heart, and liver. We ordered: * zoku Salad - 9/10: their take on a Caesar salad, I love Caesar salads so this was an easy win for me * Yaki Onigiri - 5/10: disappointingly cold somehow, just tasted like overcooked rice * Momo/Mune Wasabi/Mune Ume/Mune Honey Mustard - 8/10: all solid skewers, I would recommend substituting the chicken breast with chicken thigh since it's jucier * Wagyu Premium - 7/10: juicy and flavorful, though I'm not sure if it's worth the price * Colorful Potatoes - 8/10: went well with the chicken * Chicken Liver Pate - 6/10: weird shell thing on the outside of the liver, wish it was just in skewer form If you're introducing someone to yakitori restaurants for the first time, this is a great place as an initial start. Once they get the hang of delicious skewers, I would recommend trying offal meats elsewhere. read more
7 months ago
1 year ago
Really good! I'm so happy there is another Izakaya place in South Bay, and so close to our place to boot. Everything we ordered was very good. I felt like their chicken dishes were cooked really well, although nothing was amazing or super unique, they were all very well prepared and delivered. Even their salad was yummy. Service was also very friendly and attentive. Everyone had a smile on their face even though it was pretty busy on a Sat night. Very clean and modern decor, we will definitely be back. read more
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More info about zoku
261 Avenida Del Norte
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
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(650) 376-5476
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https://www.zokuyakitori.com
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Do they take reservation?
Yes they take reservations on Open Table app also you can call them.
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