Great food and a nice space, Nate was super kind and helpful with all of our questions.read more

This is why all the locals line up here. You'll get it in 3 seconds…read moreTheir Premium Sushi Combo has uni, scallop, salmon, tuna - the uni literally melts, the scallop disappears in your mouth. Every table next to us was ordering it. The eel roll is HUGE and the salmon roll just hugs your mouth perfectly. No wonder all the LA trendsetters are here - chic vibe + insane sushi.

takuma is the owner and chef and he was so accommodating and kind. it was lovely to know that my…read moreserver was the also the chef. i got the soboro gohan which was hearty and filling and great for lunch. would definitely return and try their other dishes! they have a really varied and unique menu.

I've dined at Takuma in person, but their standout in my opinion is their bento boxes, which I…read morealways order off delivery apps! It's hard to find a truly authentic Japanese bento box, but Takuma does it SO well, with lots of delicious protein options ranging from sashimi, tempura, teriyaki/sukiyaki beef, tonkatsu, and more! Their bento boxes are HUGE in portion, and always come with sushi-quality rice topped with ume salt and a selection of side dishes such as salad, gobo, black seaweed, potato salad, and pickled radish. They're also packaged VERY well for transport, and are easy and still tasty after reheating. Highly recommend checking them out if you see them on delivery apps such as UberEats and Postmates for some of the BEST authentic Japanese bentos I've had in the US!

The food is always delicious the service is great as well. Definitely recommend this place they…read moreeven have vegan and gluten free options.

My first time being here & I got the mentaiko & spicy salmon and it was sooo good! Everyone in…read morethere is also so nice & friendly!

Parking: Easy metered street parking or Santa Monica public parking garages have reasonable rates…read more Reservation: Easy to make online using Tock but walk-ins also doable Service: Really on top of it - menus provided right away, no long waits for food, friendly servers and hostess, my water was always refilled, and plates were taken away as soon as they were done Ambiance: The front is a nondescript black door right next to the Chevron along Wilshire and inside is a nice atmosphere with a Samurai in a display case, bar seating along the side, and dark minimalistic interior. Food: Really appreciate that there are plenty of non alcoholic and mocktail options since very few places have such a variety. The poppin' lychee with mint was delicious. Mentaiko udon - very light, subtle flavor; wish it had a stronger mentaiko presence though not too creamy which I liked Toro sushi taco - good amount of quality toro though wasabi is mixed inside which wasn't my preference Sunomono cucumber salad with wakame seaweed - not bad though even with the HH price, the portion was small and not worth it in my opinion Aburi shime saba - seared cured mackerel that was torched tableside was fun and the searing to order gave a freshly smoky flavor while the fish itself was cold so it had good contrast Sashimi mori - thick portioned cuts of good quality fish served on ice to keep cool and they're able to accommodate the amount to the number of people sharing; fish changes depending on availability but salmon, scallop, and yellowtail were good, wasn't crazy about the sweet soy sauce for the chutoro, sea bream not bad, bonito was smoky Kakuni pork belly taco - not overly heavy and really good flavors Corn ribs with shoyu butter - such a delicious glaze and crisp texture outside, super unique in flavor Hojicha creme brulee - really love hojicha and they infused it so well into the creme brulee with solid tea flavor that balanced really well so it wasn't too sweet Wagyu meatballs with onion soy reduction - personally love caramelized onions and they did such a good job getting the rich, sweet flavor out; it wasn't overwhelming since I broke down the meatball to soak up the sauce Edamame - sea salt and lime gave it good seasoning and portion was worth it for HH Honmaguro salmon - sashimi was good but pricey for the small portion Honmaguro bluefin tuna - sashimi was good but also pricey for the portion, though the cuts were thicker than the salmon so slightly preferable Poke taco - good amount of poke on a seaweed "tortilla" which was really worth it for HH Bluefin tuna nigiri set - good flavor and quality though toro chewier Premium nigiri set - absolute favorite from here though sadly was only a seasonal special; toro with caviar was amazing, sweet shrimp melted in my mouth with how tender it was and ikura was great, and the seared scallop was smoky with uni on top Negitoro with garlic bread - solid though prefer without cream and wasabi personally Karaage - super juicy and flavorful with dark meat used so it didn't need sauce Garlic shrimp - good with garlic chili crisp on top and great size Wagyu curry - good curry with a spicy kick that's not overpowering though the wagyu is ground beef so hard to distinguish the quality Dan dan noodles - prominent peanut flavor Omakase - Caesar's salad was great without cheese or heavy ranch and crisps on top for texture, seared cured mackerel always good, sashimi was thick cuts of sea bream, bonito, and bluefin tuna which were good, mussels and clams had great flavor from sauce, corn rib in shoyu butter and tempura battered shrimp with chili mayo was one of my favorite courses since the shoyu butter flavor and texture on the corn is so delicious and the shrimp was well cooked, the black cod was subtle in flavor and I was pleasantly surprised that it came with a sweet potato puree and roasted tomato as well as crispy skin and had that smokiness, wagyu meatball was great as usual, wagyu curry was super filling, miso soup great palate cleanser, and mango sticky rice sorbet was a bit too hard in texture for me personally and not enough mango Skip: mentaiko udon, sunomono cucumber salad with wakame seaweed, honmaguro salmon and bluefin tuna, dan dan noodles Would order again: HH edamame, HH poke taco, HH kakuni pork belly taco Must orders: hojicha creme brulee, aburi shime saba (seared cured mackerel), corn ribs, wagyu meatball (if you love caramelized onions), karaage I've been here four times now and have to say the $70 happy hour omakase (typically $80) was my favorite experience here so far although my favorite bites were from their seasonal special when the $20 nigiri premium set was offered. They have all day happy hour on Sundays and Mondays which is really nice to not worry about a cutoff and late night on Fridays and Saturdays from 9-10:30pm in addition to Tuesdays - Fridays 5-6:30pm and Saturdays 4-6pm. The omakase does end 30 min before happy hour does though!!

Stumbled on this amazing place when we were in the mood for Japanese. It had a small sign out front…read moreafter parking and we hopped inside. It's a cozy place with great service and unique options. If you're looking got rolls here, don't bother because it's a traditional place and they don't mess with rolls. Everything was delicious and they had a lot of vegan options. The vegan curry was amazing. They have a regular and late night happy hour as well with all day on Mondays and Sundays. Everything is made fresh and the kitchen is right in front of you over the counter. Highly recommended place for everything. Food; traditional, fresh, lots of variety Prices: $6-$30 Parking: lots of meters on Wilshire and side streets Dietary: plenty of vegan and vegetarian options Atmosphere: cozy for dates, but also tables for groups, and a bar area. Service: very helpful and fast

The food was absolutely amazing. I didn't have much, just the ramen but it's one of the best I've…read morehad. The servers were really nice and service was quick. The food came out quicker than expected. The whole vibe of the place is so cool. I really like the pink flowers and the Japanese drawings by the booth I was sitting in. 10/10 absolutely recommend coming here

This was the best sushi my husband and I have had in a long time. I am honestly really sad that it…read moreis located all the way in Santa Monica while we live in Northern California. We came in for dinner on a Sunday night with a large group and were seated within 15 minutes. From what we could tell, there were only two servers, and they were responsible for running their own food while also handling takeout orders. They did an AMAZING job for only two people managing so much. As soon as we were seated, we got waters and let our server know we would be paying separately. She was very friendly and worked with us perfectly. We were able to split the bill into four checks, which worked great for all the couples in the group. I ordered the Bento Box with salmon, and my husband got the Bento Box with chicken. We also ordered the Crunch Roll. The Crunch Roll came out first, and it was delicious and definitely lived up to the name--it was actually crunchy! I loved the size of the Bento Box. It came with so much food and included a starter miso soup. The miso soup had great flavor, although I personally prefer larger tofu pieces. That might just be a personal preference, though. I usually have a lot more to say in my reviews, but everything was absolutely delicious and the service was truly 10/10. I do want to mention that one of our friends ordered the ramen, and she felt the flavor was a little bland. Her parents own both a Mexican restaurant and a sushi restaurant, and one of her dad's rules is that if you're a sushi restaurant, stick with sushi and do it well instead of trying to do too many different things. One thing done really well is sometimes better than trying to do everything.

One of my favorite sushi places!! You don't have to think…read moretoo hard about what you're going to order, just go with the flow. I love getting the "THE NOZAWA TRUST ME" and treat myself when visiting LA ($48 for dinner and fullest of the pre made omakase menus | $40 at lunch). If there is a fish you don't love, you can ask to substitute. But I highly recommend you try them all. The fish is so fresh, I love eating there the most because the fish is super cold, and the rolls are crispy hot on the outside and cold inside. BUT, their to-go and delivered options are just as nice and very well presented (see my pics). It's a must when visiting LA!!

We visited this sushi restaurant yesterday and had a mixed experience…read more The sushi itself was very fresh, but overall pretty basic. There wasn't much variety for kids, and substitutions/additions were not allowed, so I wouldn't recommend bringing children or vegetarians unless they're comfortable eating plain sushi or single ingredient rolls. The crab roll was not my favorite, but the lobster roll was excellent. Overall, this is a good spot if you want high quality, fresh sushi, but it may not be the best choice if you're looking for spicy, creative, or unique rolls.

I came to KazuNori for the first time with a friend, and we were seated before the big rush came in…read moreon a weekday afternoon. At the bar, we had good service and attentive waiters when it came to ordering, serving, and getting the check. I tried their 4-hand roll set with toro, yellowtail, salmon, and crab. I started with the toro, which was rich and buttery. I also liked their yellowtail which had a strong flavor. My personal favorite was the salmon which tasted fresh and had a good texture. Finally, the crab hand roll was a good ending, as it was light and refreshing. This is also a no-tip restaurant, so the final price includes all.

cute sushi bar experience…read more whatever you order, it comes as you finish the previous. this keeps the nori fresh and crispy. fish is fresh, and dare I say this might top Sugarfish? The portions are great, too. I was full off of the regular

These chicken dumplings are FANTASTIC. Delicious, tender, chewy, perfectly sized. I have not been…read morefeeling well so I ordered ramen to feed my newly revived hunger. The broth is good, but mainly I need you to know that these chicken dumplings are perfect. Order the *chicken dumpling ramen* right now. You'll thank me later. (Apologies! I've been sick and only ate a half of a plain bagel all day so I forgot to take photos.)

First time trying JINYA! When visiting this location, expect to find street parking. It wasn't that…read morehard to find parking but maybe because it was Super Bowl Sunday? We were lucky to find a metered parking that already had money in it, yay! There are a bunch of eateries on this street as well. It's a small restaurant inside, but more space outside. Not that busy at all, there were only 2 other parties dining at the same time as us during prime dinner time. I saw they were running a Demon Slayer promotion and I wanted the free spoon haha. So I ordered the Tokyo Yatai Ramen and my friend ordered the Birria Ramen. The waiter or owner(?) who talk our order was also very nice! Very quick and efficient with our order. It didn't take too long for our ramen to be prepared. First glance, it doesn't look like your traditional ramen. It actually looks more Chinese style ramen. Especially the noodles? The texture is not quite the same as traditional ramen shops (and I have been to Japan). The ramen bowl itself was pretty simple, strong flavors from the chicken broth, the pork itself was pretty alright. It's honestly pretty standard but does not have a Japanese feel to it. I tried my friend's Birria Ramen and it's literally tastes like a taco in a bowl haha, which is pretty accurate. So even my Chinese friend likes the birria ramen because it reminds of her this Chinese instant noodle she always has lol. So I guess meaning in a good and bad way, but she still enjoyed it. Overall, the whole experience was not bad. I do only see JINYA in the more 'whiter' communities, so I find this to be not very authentic Japanese ramen. Also it's pricy for what it is when I can get an authentic bowl for $16.