I know many people are saddened by the pivot of Gozen to bento boxes. I really enjoy this new menu and sometimes go in for their special at 6:50 pm for 50% their bento boxes. The staff is friendly and this business is trying hard to survive in this post-fire environment. Come and support them. read more

I rmb I was browsing around on Yelp when I came across this place. It has great reviews and the food looks good so I decided to give it a try. I went there on the weekend at night time. The place was spacious and played really relaxing music. Some of the tables are on the smaller side though. I ended up ordering the deep fried pork curry and the sukiyaki set. Both are pretty good. The deep fried pork is crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The curry is not particularly, although I still think curry house (not longer in business) was better. The sukiyaki beef came with a few side dishes that was nice. I have to say though, I didn't taste much of the truffle that was mentioned in the menu. Aside from the food, I particularly like the plates and bowls since they use good quality ceramics which enhance the dining experience. As far as service, there's only 1 waitress mainly. She's still kind of new but pretty friendly, so there may be a bit of a wait if you need assistance. Overall, if you want a nice relaxing quality meal, this place would be a good option. And of course, it might be a bit pricy like others mentioned but I guess you get what you paid for read more

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Ordered hamachi sashimi bowl, plating presentation is fine but it was just a bowl of dry rice with few pieces of sashimi on top. Not worth of the price for lunch. Servers also could be better but felt they were rushing us to leave, even in a start of the week empty lunch time. Parking is also not validated within the premises fyi read more

Gozen Shun - Hamachi Sashimi Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Super friendly service...very Japanese...in the best possible way. This location has gone through several iterations of fast casual fresh Japanese food prepared with all the care and detail as you would expect from a restaurant in Japan. I love unagi (fresh water ele) and it was spot on, very good portion with all the proper sides in a bento box that serves as a take away box. Second time I ordered the jidori chicken tonkatsu, perfect execution as well, juicy and well portioned. If you eat in they also provide a wet hand towel. read more

Got to transport back to Japan for a quick lunch eating here! Gozen Shun offers some different Japanese dishes than your typical sushi! They have a salmon ikura bowl, other sashimi bowls, sukiyaki beef, udon, curry, and all their main dishes come with side dishes which reminded me so much of dining in Japan plus the offerings are on the healthy but not healthy gross side if you know what I mean! Their staff was also really sweet and the restaurant is very clean and aesthetic. I felt great after eating here! read more

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Simple menu of Japanese fare that is reasonably priced with decent portion size. Parking is either paid lot or metered but it is only short walk from the free 90 minute parking at the shops on lake if you can find parking there. I ordered the curry beef and while I liked the flavors the curry sauce needed to be heated up hotter. It included a small bowl of miso soup, pickles, and salad. We were a party of 4 and everyone enjoyed their food. The unagi in particular was very tasty. Service was friendly and efficient. Simple and comfortable decor with option for outdoor seating. I would come back for another quick lunch. read more

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If you love Japanese food this place is a must-go in Pasadena. Gozen Shun was found through Yelp and I have to say this cute place has amazing food. I'm so shocked that they have something like this in the area. The menu is simple to understand and read and I love the gozen style boxes. In Japanese, it means set meal and it comes with miso soup, rice, mini salad, pickles, and two small sides. I ordered the grilled black cod and it was cooked perfectly! The egg, and potato salad that came with it reminds me of Japan. Overall if you want to visit Japan but can't go to the country you should check this place out. They also have a selection of udon noodles, steak, and Japanese curries. The next time I come here I do want to try their curry. read more

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Great quality and delicious food even as a quick take out option. Will definitely come again! read more

Gozen Shun - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

they changed the concepts 2 times already, and both times it was good. I need to go back for their concept change again! What's consistent is the quality of the food. Price point is okay just for the neighborhood. read more

Highly recommend this spot! It's super cute for a weekend lunch ideally. The menu is a bit confusing as there are a lot of different combos and sets but I don't think you can go wrong! I ordered Katsu curry (Katsu was decent, curry was rly good). We also shared the box sushi which was a nice appetizer! I'll order the eel next time - my friends said that one was amazing! Parking is street parking or you can pay for the small lot. read more

Gozen Shun - What we ordered - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Gozen has been my go-to restaurant ever since they opened in 2021. The quality of the food is always impeccable. Although prices have risen a bit, I think it's justifiable given how much care is taken into each dish. Everything they create from the main meals to little side dishes to the desserts are always amazing. I've tried nearly every item on the menu and haven't been disappointed by anything. Service here is usually excellent and I never have to wait for a table. I suggest making a reservation if you have a party larger than four. My personal favorites: black cod gozen, salmon ikura bowl, jidori chicken (juiciest chicken ever!), and the matcha tiramisu! read more

Alert: this is authentic Japanese food; the real! Restaurant has reinvented itself re-opening in January 2024. New menu, new decor, and alcohol. Service is same attentive and friendly. Food continues to be exceptionally good. Had the Hitsumabushi eel and it was wonderful. Followed the suggested 3 step protocol and savored the flavors and texture of the unagi, rice, fresh wasabi, green onions, nori, and dashi broth. A delightful journey. Definitely 5/5 highlight. Also had the tofu hot pot that was light and tasty, 4/5. Had to try the Katsu shrimp because the tempura shrimp that they used to serve was all time good. The shrimp was good but didn't like the heavier katsu batter as much as the light tempura batter, 4/5. Had very tasty chicken wing tips 5/5. Like in Japan, portions are small for Americans but quality is large. Savor the goodness. Search for free street and lot parking or pay for lot parking. Will definitely be back! read more

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Made a reservation for my party of 8! The restaurant is quite small so if you have a larger party, definitely make a reservation. Their style of meal is Gozen which consists of miso soup, your choice of white/brown rice, mini salad and seasonal selections. You just choose your entree and then a beautiful little tray comes to your table! I chose the seasonal tempura which was crispy and lightly battered. The side dishes were all great. This time we had potato salad and a radish dish along with the mini salad. Two other people in my party had the Jidori fried chicken in the bowl and in the Gozen. Both mentioned that the chicken was slightly overcooked leaving it dry with little to no seasoning for flavor. The whole style of this place is traditional and simple flavors, but the chicken just missed the mark. I've come to Gozen Shun a few times now, and the Sukiyaki beef is also a great choice! Overall, I love the aesthetic of the place and service is great. read more

Gozen Shun - Seasonal Tempura Gozen - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Yay! I love this place and it got even better! They updated their menu so you can customize your meal with addon curry or udon. The best part of the update is that all the delish little side dishes are offered with 1 free refill! The proteins are always amazing, but tbh side dishes are my fave because they're all tasty but it's fun to try something new and different every time we eat here! read more

I am a fan! I love lil Japanese spots and this one just makes my day. I always get a gozen set. I've gotten the sukiyaki beef gozen before, which was a lovely combination. the beef is thinly sliced and sweet. I've also gotten the pork loin katsu and enjoyed that very much. All the little side dishes that accompany the main protein dish are well portioned and compliment the meal. The food is delicious. I think the portion size is just right. The environment sitting indoor is calming. I've sat outdoor too, which wasn't bad, but you do see and hear cars zipping by, so if you can, I'd suggest indoor seating all the way! If you're coming for lunch during work, I'd say it's not your "cheaper" option. The sets are about $25ish each, so they're on the more expensive side for a quick lunch. Parking is available right by the restaurant. There's an underground parking structure and they validate 30 minutes. I think I was there for a little over an hour and paid about $6. There's also parking across the street (diagonally) that's free for 90 minutes. read more

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I have never been to the previous version of this restaurant so my review is simply reviewing the current iteration. As someone from Osaka, I can confirm this is an authentic Japanese restaurant with home style dishes and legit kushikatsu (of which is a bit lighter due to less batter and more panko crusted instead). The portions are normal (not "small") and is intended for various items to try and share. We went on Valentine's Day for a special meal, recommended by my foodie friend, and it was packed. The staff set the tone with a glass of complimentary champagne! The ambiance was much nicer and modern than I expected -- so cute, dim and vibey. My husband and I ordered: - 6x kushi katsu skewers: onion, mushroom, scallop, mountain yam, shrimp -- all v good and lighter than what you may get at other spots. The condiments were also unique (I have never had matcha salt before!). - Unagi yanagawa: first time trying this Fukuoka dish, made with simmered eel with strips of burdock root covered in egg. It was very comforting and tasty. Next time we will ask for a small bowl of rice on the side to enjoy it with. - Cabbage salad and Shishito peppers were perfect veggie sides. Big portion. - Chicken wings were also excellent and ate them fast bc they were hot and crispy so no photo haha - Ichiko yuzu drink was delicious and refreshing! It was surprising they couldn't accommodate hot water with ichiko so hopefully they buy a electric kettle for those who'd like shochu with warm water. ~ Pricing was fair for 2 people with drinks ($116 not including tip). We were satisfied and did not have room for dessert! "Onaka ippai" hehe Eel is expensive so the pricing is totally fair for this delicacy. It's doubtful you can make that at home! Service was relaxed and reminiscent of Japan. For those who are in a rush, please be considerate. This isn't fast food and it's a cultural difference and potential language barrier - not a personal dis to you. Also to note - much of Japan menus are seasonal, so this may be why items change or perhaps they are also testing to see what people like. Thank you for the delightful and memorable meal! We will see you again soon! read more

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One of the few Japanese set (gozen) meal options around LA. Taste was good, a little on the light side. I ordered the Jidori fried chicken gozen ($25). The chicken itself was juicy, well seasoned, and crispy. My friend preferred this to their teriyaki grilled jidori chicken. The set came with a refreshing side salad and two more sides of pickled mushroom and burdock root. The latter tasted fine, albeit too similar to each other, so I felt that variety was missing. The short grain rice was chewy, miso and pickled daikon were standard, but good. I liked mixing the dipping sauce with the rice. I couldn't tell what it was exactly, maybe a blend of goma and something else. The interior of this small restaurant was aesthetic and cozy. Due to limited space, most diners made reservations. My friend and I were lucky enough to grab patio seating at 7 pm on a Friday night; hopeful diners who arrived after me were turned away. While it's out of the restaurant's hands, note that this location is kind of a pain to get to. It's on the part of Cordova St / Lake Ave with only street parking. I didn't dare back up Lake Ave with my subpar parallel parking; instead, I opted for the garage in the way back, entrance on Cordova St with a concrete sign saying "175 S. Lake Parking". Gozen Shun validated for 30 minutes, so it was $9 for parking when I got my car before the lot closed at 11 pm. However, their website also points to the Municipal Parking Lot at 198 Shoppers Ln for 90 min free. read more

Gozen Shun - Jidori fried chicken gozen - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've been coming here for a few years and still really enjoy this place! Yes it's true the menu has changed over time and management has changed, regardless the food is still tasty and good quality at a fair price. I personally love bento style meals, so this is why I come. I think their tempura is one of the most well done in the area, it's extremely light and crisp but not oily. The presentation of the food is still very thoughtful and cute! read more

Order the sukiyaki beef with truffle flavor and the mackerel box sushi! You will not regret it! When I saw that I had a macaroni salad served with my gozen set, I was disappointed but when I tasted it I was actually pleasantly surprised and ate all of it! I really enjoyed every little dish that it came with. Feeling adventurous? Try the matcha beer. It sounds so weird but tastes so refreshing. You may be tempted to mix matcha with beer at home! Probably best to just get the pre-bottled stuff here. If you are BIG hungry, the portions may not fill you up so order more than what you think you need. We added an extra entree before their kitchen closed. Service was great too. We asked the server to turn down the fan that was going at full blast during dinner and he accommodated our request. Park across the street at the outdoor lot by the veggie grill plaza instead of the underground parking next to the restaurant. They only validate 30 min for dine in customers who use the garage. read more

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We tried out many items on their menu starting with the gozens with beef, pork katsu and codfish. We also tried out the sashimi bowls. They were all very good and fresh. Each gozen comes with its specific sauce and 3 side dishes that will change seasonally. We got pickled lotus root, macaroni salad and some veggies. All the food was really good, rice was fresh, lovely presentation, the only downtown was how pricey each meal was. I'll come back but just not often. read more

Gozen Shun - Little bit of everything - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

The food is good and filling with the new bento change. I appreciated their grand opening event where they offered free meals to first 100. Enjoying their bento options a ton! Had a good experience first two times but recently, the service/workers in the front have not been as keen or understanding of the deals. They no longer offer a deal but it wasn't an updated post until after that incident. Secondly, I went in earlier and called them to get the updated deal and the waitress stated that it was completely fine. Only for me to walk in and say that through the phone was not okay. To me, the front desk/ordering folks seem to have little clue of what the manager is trying to do. Overall, giving three stars due to the service changes and waiters/staff being out of the loop regarding what the restaurant is doing. Food isn't enough to make it 4 stars. read more

Excellent. Met up with some old coworkers and they chose the place we'd meet and this place was suggested to them by a current coworker of theirs and we couldn't have been more pleased. Nice casual atmosphere, simple yet, full menu, very professional staff and everything that was ordered was well-plated, very tasty and raved about by all of us and we left very full for a fair price. read more

Gozen Shun - Fried chicken appetizer - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I loved this place. My wife and I came for dinner and we really enjoyed the food. She got the sukiyaki and I got their miso cod and both entrees were outstanding. All the side dishes were solid as well. The main thing was that service was a little slow so it took forever to get waters, utensils and the check. But no biggie since the food was great. read more

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First time trying this place and it was a nice dinner. I enjoyed the assorted sushi plate I got. The pickles and side dishes that came with it were nice too. You can get refilled on soups and salad which my friends loved. Staff were attentive and helpful. Would come back ! read more

Gozen Shun - Sashimi Assortment Plate Bento - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Just discovered this place and really enjoyed their food. The type of casual lunch or street food that you don't find often in Japanese restaurants. I had the chicken katsu sandwich and 3 pieces of their tamari sushi. All delicious. Took my meal to go but the service and atmosphere were great too. read more

Gozen Shun - Chicken katsu sando - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great selection of delicious meats and veggies on a skewer! The scallops and chicken thigh were my personal favs read more

Gozen Shun - Great selection of delicious meats and veggies on a skewer! The scallops and chicken thigh were my personal favs - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Heads up that it is completely different from their old concept after the remodel, just be aware of that you are getting something different from all the photos from before (check their website)!! Their service was amazing like a restaurant in Japan. They offered a box for my bag so I can safely store it under the table. The food is fresh with a very good mild flavor. Portion size wise, it might run a little small for most people but relatively perfect for us. This is more of a 3.5/5 for me because I came expecting the old gozen shun menu with homely food but got something more similar to a fancy izakaya. I'll miss their sukiyaki gozen read more

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While shopping around on Lake Avenue, you often find yourself feeling hungry. I wanted to try something new, and decided to see what was around. Then I remembered a cute little Japanese restaurant recently opened up and I have been wanting to try them for a while. We arrived just in time, and got a seat right away. They offer Gozen Meals, bowls, and curry! We decided to treat ourselves and each ordered a delicious Gozen meal set. I was craving sukiyaki, so that had my heart. My husband ordered the ribeye steak with steak sauce. The meal was beautiful. Everything was plated perfectly, and the colors made the food look vibrant and fun. Not only did my eyes eat, but the flavor was just as delicious. The sukiyaki beef was perfectly sweet, and the rice was so soft and fluffy. I loved mixing the egg into my sukiyaki, giving it an extra tasty flavor. The salad was also very fresh, and the seasonal veggies helped create a balanced meal. I also tried the seasonal dessert, which was a deliciously light panna cotta topped with fruit. The pudding was very soft and went well with the berries. Loved my meal here at Gozen Shun, not only was it visually appealing, but it also tasted phenomenal! Can't wait to come back and try some of their other meals. read more

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Food 3/5 Service 1.5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Took my dad and family here last month since he likes fish and I saw on the menu that they had several dishes of fish choose from. Unfortunately we were informed when we were ordering, not when we sat down, that they were changing their menu so they had no seafood that day. Skewers were all prepped by frying. Most of the dishes were fried. Wagyu steak was chewy. Place was empty, not more than 2 other tables max, but service was still bad. Never walked over to check on drink levels, clear plates, or check on us basically. Always had to call out to them as they were always chatting to each other at the counter. Check took 10 minutes after asking for it. Embarrassed to have been the one to make reservations and choose this place... read more

Easily ordered in advance and our food was ready for pickup on time! We ordered to-go and everything was boxed/packaged beautifully. This was for a casual birthday lunch so it was the perfect balance of casual/comforting food that was very delicious and presentable. We enjoyed the sukiyaki beef gozen, seasonal tempura gozen, and jidori fried chicken gozen. Service was very friendly and efficient. We parked for free in the small lot in the back for our quick pick-up. read more

Gozen Shun - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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First time coming here and was excited to try their sukiyaki udon as not many restaurants in the area have it close by. My family in addition ordered sashimi plates and a katsu curry dish. The sashimi was fresh and had the perfect texture. Presentation of our dishes were beautiful and cute. Sadly my sukiyaki udon was nothing special. It lacked in taste. I was quite sad as I was really hoping for more. The katsu for the katsu curry dish had the perfect crunch when biting into it and was very tasty. I would say if you have money to spare and want a cute presentation meal consisted of some sushi or a nice crunchy katsu come here, but skip out on the udon. read more

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Quality of the food has gone downhill. It seems like the owner has changed or something is being done different. Everything tastes different, and the sukiyaki beef comes out not warm in the center, meaning they don't heat it up enough. Also they only validate for 30 min which is not enough time. The previous employees are also not there anymore... probably will not return. So sad! read more

Gozen Shun - Sukiyaki beef gozen - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

My husband happened to find this place on a whim when the other place we were hoping to dine in had a very long wait. Gozen Shun was wonderful in many ways. Service was quick and friendly. Food was exceptional - beautifully presented and had such good flavors. Yes, it's not the most affordable bento, but you do get quality. We left the place full but not feeling gross. Parking situation wasn't the best and we ended up paying for a spot in the parking structure, but it wasn't too bad. read more

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Not the best time to go, according to the (very nice & attentive) waitress the restaurant has been going through a lot of menu changes. So what we saw on Yelp is not all available. I ordered the udon tempra bowl. It came on a tray, bowl with broth and noodles, plate of fried veggies, shrimp and some leafy greens. I've never received fried leaf greens before..... didn't taste bad but very random and kind of felt like i was skimped out on more veggies. Miso soup was OK, hot green tea was nasty, small salad came with a sesame dressing that was very tasty. My BF ordered the beef udon soup and it was nasty. The flavor was very strange and the beef was overpowering in a bad way, it came w a "poached egg". The egg somehow had NO egg flavor and absorbed all the beef flavor.The beef itself was almost shredded. My bf thought the soup was "ok" but only ate the noodles Appetizer we ordered the crispy rice with tuna. It was MID rice was a little too crispy, flavor was whatever nothing special. We also got the hamachi carpaccio, It was also OKKK it was completely drenched in soy sauce but not bad, if it had less sauce it would've been a LOT better, fish was very soft had never tried it before. Very light soft fish. Wouldn't go back but all the staff was very nice and the restaurant was nice and clean read more

Gozen Shun - Crispy rice Carpaccio - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

A casual restaurant in Pasadena that serves tasty, home-styled Japanese meals. Perfect for hanging with friends and enjoying healthy and tasty foods made with fresh ingredients. The food here reminds me of the meal sets you get in Japan, except a bit on the pricier end. We arrived at around 6:30pm on Friday, only to find that the tables inside were full and that the wait inside was 40minutes. Theres a few tables outdoors with no wait that we chose to sit at instead. I got the Sukiyaki beef gozen (beef bowl set) and OMG! The meat was thinly sliced and tender, and their poached egg was golden orange and very rich in flavor. It came with sides, which consisted of seasonal veggies, rice, and miso soup. I like to mix my egg with the rice to create golden rice- yum! you have to try it! The quality of food is amazing for what your paying. Though be prepared to find that their portion sizes is smaller than traditional American restaurants. You are more likely not to have leftovers, but will feel satisfied by the quality! read more

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Elizabeth's Star Rating System 1 star = Terrible, would not recommend, will tell family and friends to avoid 2 stars = I won't be back but you might enjoy it 3 stars = I'll be back eventually 4 stars = I'll definitely be back 5 stars = I'm telling my friends and family about this place! PARKING: I always find street parking. FOOD/DRINKS: I've been to Gozen Shun multiple times and I have to say, I'm always blown away by the quality of their dishes. I tried the Sukiyaki Beef Bowl, Salmon Sashimi and Ikura Bowl, Grilled Scottish Salmon GOZEN, and Ribeye Steak GOZEN. Every dish was cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor. The salmon sashimi was particularly fresh and the ikura (salmon roe) added a nice pop of texture. The Sukiyaki Beef Bowl was a standout for me with its sweet and savory broth and tender beef. SERVICE: The staff at Gozen Shun are incredibly friendly and welcoming, making you feel right at home as soon as you step through the door. They're also very knowledgeable about the menu and are happy to make recommendations or answer any questions you might have. AMBIENCE: The restaurant has an indoor seating only, light, bright, and airy atmosphere that I absolutely love. It's perfect for a lunch date or even just a casual meal with friends or family. OVERALL: I can't recommend Gozen Shun enough. The quality of their dishes is truly exceptional, and the staff are some of the friendliest people you'll meet. If you're looking for a fantastic Japanese meal, Gozen Shun is the place to go read more

This was our first visit to Gozen Shun - and we had a lovely experience! Really delicious warm food on a cold rainy night. The ambiance is cozy, minimal, and clean. Our servers were really nice, friendly with recommendations and prompt with service. The menu isn't massive, which shows they have a refined set of flavors they have developed really well. Our food was delicious - we ordered the variety of kimchi, pork loin, yam cake, several of the skewers, and dessert. Our favorites were the chicken thigh skewers, pork loin, and yam cake that was served in a hot plate - really tasty, especially with their yuzu ponzu sauce! But the winner was the Matcha Mont Blanc cake - wow, really lovely textures and perfectly balanced flavors. We will definitely be back again to try more of what we missed! read more

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Delicious and so unique! Their gozen set has seasonal sides and its so yummy. It makes for a really unique dining experience. I absolutely love their miso cod gozen. So soft and melts in your mouth. The udon here is authentic and reminds me of the udon dishes I ate in Japan! I believe their menu is seasonal and changes every so often so I definitely will be coming back to try at least one dish per change. Service is polite and attentive. The restaurant is clean. Parking is kinda hard to find (street parking). read more

I love the presentation of a Gozen - reminds me of my travel time in Japan where you get a little bit of everything! The idea of Gozen is: side dish, soup, rice and main dish for a well and a balanced diet. The idea is so simple, but when you present it together, it just feeds a positivity to your body and mind. Hubby and I ordered: Deep Fried Pork Cutlet plus a side of salmon sashimi-the cutlet was not as tender as I hope, but love the presentations and all the side dishes. Especially the one with the shredded mushrooms. Sukiyaki Beef Bowl - beef very flavorful and tender Grilled Miso Cod - great appetizer. The portion is just right and only looks small because it's serve in a bigger plate. Service was friendly and this place is great for a cute date! read more

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Great service, great food. Would definitely come again. Such a friendly vibe. The beef plate and gyoza were wonderful and the udon was incredible! I was a little thrown off to see an employee using the tables as a computer work station that they had to clear for us when we walked in - as if they weren't expecting customers? A little confusing. Thought maybe that's more of a back office situation. Very family friendly and wonderful to our small kid! Again, I recommend. read more