* Service (10/10): * Absolutely incredible service. The staff is attentive, friendly, and routinely checks in throughout the meal. * Easily some of the best service I've experienced in a long time. * Food (10/10): * The quality and freshness of the fish are outstanding, especially for the price point. * The plating and presentation are thoughtful and adorable, with great attention to detail. * Excellent selection of alcoholic beverages that pair perfectly with the sushi. * The happy hour offerings add even more value. * What We Ordered: * Our table of three ordered the Gochiso Set and Temaki Set. We're not particularly big eaters, and it was more than enough food--we left completely satisfied and full. * Parking: * Being in Little Tokyo, street parking can be difficult to find and some private lots can be pricey. * I recommend Aiso Parking Lot, I paid just $2 for two hours, and it's only about a 5-minute walk to the village. * Overall: * Amazing value, fresh fish, beautiful presentation, and exceptional service. Sushi Asobu is an easy recommendation, and I'll definitely be back. read more

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Overall it was a wonderful going away dinner for my husband. The restaurant did happen to change the menu since I last came with a friend,they took off a bunch of things. Now they focus more on meal sets which is interesting. They were out of a couple of things but we did enjoy the shochu. We got to sit at the bar so we got to see the chef work his art. He was very quick and kind. Chefs are really talented. Servers are attentive. It's a chill spot to have some drinks and food. read more

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Absolutely amazing sushi spot in Downtown LA! The service was beyond excellent -- the girls working here are so attentive, kind, and welcoming. Everything was incredibly clean, and they constantly cleaned the table right away, even every napkin was removed immediately. You can really tell they care about every detail and about making guests feel comfortable. The staff helped us choose everything based on our taste, gave great recommendations, and made the whole experience feel special. Fresh sushi, great atmosphere, beautiful presentation, and outstanding customer service. Highly recommend Sushi Asobu if you're looking for the best sushi in Los Angeles with amazing service, clean environment, and high-quality food. Definitely coming back again! read more

Bar Asobu - Truffle Fries - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Literally feels like Tokyo once you step in. You're welcomed warmly by the staff, lighting is dim just like the real city. We ordered set menu with sashimi sides All delicious, they use real wasabi and all ingredients are from Japan including the staff. It's like I never left Thanks for setting the mood right read more

Bar Asobu - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

If you haven't tried Sushi Asobu, it's about time you have. My family friends love this spot especially for their weekly specials. Everything is extremely fresh and sourced well. I ordered the tempura set, grilled salmon set, bluefin tuna, and yellowtail carpaccio. It was a feast! The seasonal sides were refreshing and added to the flavor profile of each set. The portions are pretty big, leaving me satisfied in table service, seafood freshness and authenticity. The sake cocktail menu was fun to try as well. I loved the mango oolong tea with sake. There's a couple of tables and mostly booth seating, the ambiance can be described as intimate and cozy. read more

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I've had this place bookmarked as a place to try in my neighborhood. It's relatively new. Man, was I disappointed. The decor is nice inside, I definitely like "good vibes." (See pics). But it goes downhill from there. Service was nice but just average. If you get the curry, it looks nothing like the picture on the menu. The drinks menu is super limited and the nigiri was terrible. Everything about the nigiri was not good (portion, temp, flavor, freshness, price). Not any place can offer good nigiri - there is bad and good out there, and this place definitely f'd it up. I would say this place is decent if desperate but if not, spend the time to look somewhere else. read more

Ken, who introduced himself as the manager, explained each dish in detail, which we really appreciated. Thanks to Ken's service, our time was even more enjoyable. All of the food was fresh and delicious. The uni sushi and carpaccio were delicious. The restaurant has a cozy ambiance. We will likely visit again often. read more

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It was a cool spot. Definitely would go back. Group of 4-6 would be good to watch a big game or fight on TV. Their karaage was bomb. Only 2nd place I've found makes it like this. Be warned, "only" 4 pices but theyre huge. read more

Bar Asobu - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Damn. It's so good and the prices are well worth it. Nice little escape amongst the craziness of little Tokyo/downtown la.

Hands down my favorite bar in LA. Their shochu collection, their sake, their highballs and cocktails, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. You can choose between a variety of small bites / sushi options to pair with drinks or their fantastic selection of incredibly warm, soul-healing meals. The space is super beautiful, and the bar seating is just such a relaxing vibe on a weekday evening. If this place closes I will cry read more

Top tier omakase. i have no photos to post cause i eat it immediately upon being plated. service is very good at table or sushi bar...ive tried probably all the fish there and i have never been let down. ONLY slightly not positive is restroom area kinda small but hey. u there to eat not go to the restroom right. if Chef Sho is in expect the best on ur plate. read more

Had a last minute birthday dinner and I'm so glad we choose Asobu. They had a very impressive wine list and we settled on some recommendations for shochu which were phenomenal. I really enjoyed the Yama imo fries, curry & karaage. Will be coming back to try more items on the menu. read more

Bar Asobu - Delicious karaage - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I'm writing this review because the staff and food here has been consistently amazing, not just in quality but in creativity. As one of the few izakaya in the area, Hitoshi, Sho, and Ken made this a distinctly fun and interesting place to be with daily drink and food specials infused with their personality and unique taste. Hitoshi would always make some amazing Kyushu inspired dish which you would rarely find, and Sho once surprised me after a crazy exhausting day with an amazing demi glace omurice that I still think about. That being said, the rebranding by upper management to be this sort of standard sushi bar that has chicken and salmon teriyaki, salmon trays and sushi with Asobu decor just feels flat. Who is the competition? Zencu, Tenno Sushi and Oomasa? I'll still go because the guys make incredible food and run a great store, but the direction feels really out of touch in an area full of sushi and teriyaki. I don't know who in upper management needs to see this, but this is a massive mistake. Asobu was one of the best if-you-know-you-know spots in Little Tokyo and now the personality of the staff has been stymied. Bring back Bar Asobu!! read more

Sushi Asobu is one of my favorite spots in Little Tokyo and a place I find myself going back to again and again. Hitoshi, Ken, and Sho have created such a fun, welcoming atmosphere that makes it feel like a true neighborhood gem. What I love most is that it's not just a sushi spot -- the tapa-style dishes are excellent and perfect for sharing while you drink. Everything pairs really well with their cocktails, which are honestly worth the money. They're not overly sweet like a lot of places in LA, and they're strong in that perfect "just right" way. My personal favorite is the chicken nanban. If you go, you have to try it. It's one of those dishes I end up ordering almost every time. If you're looking for a laid-back Little Tokyo favorite with great food, solid drinks, and genuinely friendly chefs, Sushi Asobu is the spot. Always happy to support Hitoshi, Ken, and Sho. read more

Best food nicest people I strongly recommend this place Service is great and the sushi is very fresh read more

From food to service and drinks was amazing! Great vibes, cozy place! Will definitely come back

Awesome spot to grab some food, drinks, and catch the Dodger's game! The happy hour menu is great, the chicken is packed with flavor, and the staff are super friendly. read more

Bar Asobu - Chicken nanban and asahi beer - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The atmosphere and food are both fantastic; all the staff are super nice as well! We sat at the bar and the sushi chef placed the nigiri directly on our plate. It was all around a great experience. read more

Food, Service, ambiance, staff. 10/10 shout out to the big guys handling the food. Experience was so great. Very welcoming. Will come back again, 100 percent. Def recommend. read more

Bar Asobu - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We went on a rainy night. Otherwise I doubt we would have gotten a table. The food was great. Especially the saba. I wish there were more vegetarian dishes on the menu. read more

We just walked into this establishment at 10:55pm and got turned away. The outside signage clearly says they close at 12am on Sundays and on yelp it's advertised that closing time is at 1am. I walked in before my bf and the sever/host said sorry we're closed (the one in a LA hat w/ tattooed sleeves), my boyfriend walked in after me and asked if the hours had changed and the same guy told him "we're expecting a big party so we're not seating walk -ins" and then continued to say "and our kitchen is closing in 5 min" so contradicting his first statement. There was open seating at the bar and on the floor, and we saw a different party of 2 just finish ordering their food so it was a little disappointing and confusing as to why we couldn't get service. Both of us have been in food industry and have never been turned away like this with different excuses or for false advertised hours. I'm guessing the business is doing so good they don't need to make more money after a certain time. read more

Bar Asobu - Contradicting hours - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great service! Nice ambiance. It definitely looks like they're just open so menu can be a bit small. Prices reflect portions! We spent about $120 between 2 people with 2 drinks and we think that's more than fair. The drinks are strong too! read more

Bar Asobu - Yellowtail Carpaccio - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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It's rare to find a restaurant with a warm home vibe while eating out. The presentation, the food and customer service from the staff was absolutely A+ all around. Even the restroom was clean lol Salute to Ken and the whole staff! Definitely come through to the Little Tokyo location and bring the homies! read more

I personally like this place a lot. I've tried several items off of their menu and they were all good: truffle fries, chicken karaage, chicken nanban, and soft shell crabs. Their cocktails were also great. I've only been here during happy hours and enjoyed the staff's friendliness and quick service, as well as a quiet setting where I can enjoy drinks and food with my friends without deafening music. read more

Post Valentine's date with my Lady at Asobu was a great choice. Saturday nights seem very busy at this relatively new place, so glad the buzz is finding it's way. Strongly recommend reservations if dropping by on weekend, as I saw a good number of folks had to be turned away because no rsvp. Enjoyed every aspect: food, service, the setting. All really cool, real DTLA, and not touristy Little Tokyo. Star of night was the Japanese Sea Bass, a finely slit carpaccio in a light oil base. May be one of best single dishes I've had in all DTLA restaurants. And big props to Kentaro, who took care of us all evening. Excellent service. By the way, can't go wrong on Sake choices, we went through a bottle of a semi-sweet, semi-dry Sake from a small region in Japan. Solid. Maybe next time the Omakase, which based on folks who ordered it, looked really interesting. read more

The food was great but the service was disappointing. We were able to get a few seats without a reservation and were given the menus and left to look at it on our own which was fine but when other people showed up after us the service was a lot different with the staff going through each item and special they had. Our first part of our order got to the table fairly quick but our last item was delivered way after a lot of people who ordered after us had gotten their main item. Overall the service quality was noticeably different. read more

I came here with my son. Chef Hitoshi made me potato salad, sashimi, Nagoya style teba, steak and curry&rice! He also made my son fish onigiri. Three dudes at this restaurant arefantastic and have gooood vibes. Can't wait come back!!! read more

Bar Asobu - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great food, great vibes and great owners to drink with! Ordered the yellowtail and was surprised with a basil/olive oil blended sauce - not your normal carpaccio sauce- but super tasty!! Ordered the fried shrimp and mayo- perfect crunch and fried in clean oil- the batter on the shrimp was a perfect golden hue. The curry is from one of the owners' grandmother's recipe- deliciooooso! The best item we got was the bacon asparagus pasta - al dente and not too sweet! Need to go back when they have the taro balls!! read more

Gem of a spot, perfect date night place, special occasion, or casual sashimi break spot. Customer service is perfect, food is top tier, beer and sake selection is perfect, and the interior is decorated really sick. Music is always really good house music at a perfect volume, not too loud. Overall 10/10 spot. read more

I loved my experience here so much I came here two days in a row. Finding out they're associated with Sushi Enya made me expect more from this restaurant. The service and food far exceeded my expectations. The food was exceptional. Their daily items and pastas were delicious. I love their fries. I loved the idea they took inspiration from "Midnight Diner" to make off menu items if you call ahead of time. Ken was very attentive and very friendly. Even though the space was small, I didn't feel cramped at all. I loved they have one TV showing random shows. This place took over as my new favorite bar in Little Tokyo. I will definitely come back every time I'm there. read more

The food was amazing. Things I've had before like the garlic edamame. Best I've had. We enjoyed everything from the ambiance the impeccable service and the toilet that opens when you come in. Sick spot 10/10 read more

Great food, cool vibe, helpful staff. Every dish we tried was fantastic; highlights were Chili crab, Curry and the Asobu salad

COME HERE! The mojito has to be the best I've had. The pasta here is apparently really bomb. Sho and Ken are the nicest people, remembered my friend from the couple of times she has been here. Felt very very taken care of here and they made sure our big party can fit comfortably. Love this place, will be coming back!!!!! read more

Just wow. This place is fantastic. The staff is incredible, the food is just wow, and the vibes are unmatched. Please don't go here, so I can reserve a seat every weekend! read more

Bar Asobu - Unbelievable sashimi fusion - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Kind cool and attentive staff slinging dramatic and delicious "bar" food. But that was some high flavor high end fare. Truly appreciated the vibe. read more

Stumbled into this place by accident, I'm so glad we did! Service is amazing, everyone is friendly, and the tapas are so good. Definitely making it a part of the date rotation list! read more

This is a newly opened spot in Little Tokyo worth your time to check out. Great drinks and food.

This is my second time here, and the vibe is great! Chill, welcoming, full of good energy. The staff is super friendly, and the food is spot on. Plus, the chef can whip up off-menu creations based on the fresh ingredients available that day. It's the perfect late-night spot for great eats and drinks. LA needs more gems like this! read more

Bar Asobu - Pasta of the day. Delicious - Izakaya Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Food portion and flavor was pretty average. There aren't many options for food and drinks either. I wouldn't go recommend visiting for a meal. Price was also pretty expensive for tiny sized tapas. Ambiance is ok but I could smell the restroom from our table that was the closet one to it. Overall 2 stars because it was good service, but the food was just below average. read more

I went here last night (on a Friday). Super fun place, the team was great, awesome tables, great music and a lively (but not too big) bar ... maybe 8 seats. Food was excellent ... we had the special pasta, truffle fries, edamame, sea bass carpaccio and their version of a Caesar salad. It was all great and very unique. We had Japanese beers but the drinks looked good too. Highly recommend. It's not huge so I recommend calling and asking them to hold a table or some bar seats (not sure if they do that but we had a table and I was glad we did). read more