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    Kaiju Sushi

    4.2 (858 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Kaiju Sushi Takeout or Delivery

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    KAIJU SUSHI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

    Recommended Reviews - Kaiju Sushi

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    Reviews With Photos

    The "sizzling sauce." Meh
    Evan W.

    I hate to give any place such a bad review, but I genuinely hated my dinner at Kaiju. I really did. My wife and I had been here before and had a good meal, which is why I returned tonight, solo, as she was dining elsewhere with friends. The ambience is quite fine, with lovely decor, and the entire restaurant is very inviting. Staff is uniformly friendly as well, and they tend to you nicely. Yes, all the bells and whistles are nicely in place, but the food lags behind... way, way behind. I began by ordering Toro sushi and Saba (Japanese Mackerel). The chef misunderstood, serving me Toro and Salmon. They immediately tried to take back the order, but I refused, saying I didn't want to waste the food. However, the salmon was of the very cheap, very pale, factory farmed type, and had zero taste. The toro, while looking its part with lots of marbling, also had very little taste, and was quite chewy. Both a total disappointment. To everyone's credit, I was brought 1 piece of Saba sushi on the house, and it was the best bite of food I had all night. Looking at the extensive menus of rolls, I decided to order the Sizzling Albacore: supposedly spicy tuna and cucumber inside, with albacore and a wide variety of herbs and spices on top. Quite interesting. However, I was delivered a wan-looking roll with an accompanying bowl of sauce to apply myself, which I found annoying: isn't it the chef's job to decide how the sauce is deployed? Well, aside from the fact that the sauce (including not-at-all "sizzling Serrano peppers") had all the kick of a sidelined soccer player, there was an overwhelmingly unpleasant taste of mildew. Yes, it was as if the towel the chef was using was mildewed, and by wiping his knife on it the funk was transferred to any food it thereafter touched. I was repulsed. And so, while I wouldn't stop anyone else from offering these folks business, I will not be returning. There are way, way too many sushi spots in the neighborhood to waste time and money on this place. Sad, because the staff is really quite nice.

    Gyoza (Chicken 5pcs)
    Raya M.

    I really enjoyed our visit to Kaiju. The location is great, and they have valet around the side which is super convenient. I loved the authentic Japanese vibe and decor, it really adds to the experience. The service was wonderful too, everyone was so nice and attentive. We didn't try a ton of items, but everything we had was really good. The yellowtail roll, spicy tuna crispy rice, and miso soup all hit the mark. My husband got the ramen and gyoza and liked it as well. Overall it's an easy, casual spot for dinner and we'll definitely be back.

    Brenda M.

    Stopped by for an early lunch with my son to try it out and it didn't disappoint. First the restaurant it's self is very cute and well taken care off. Super clean and the staff were very friendly. The food was delicious! We shared two rolls and he had the chicken teriyaki plate which he enjoyed all but the side salad that comes with it. It was just a little wilted. I had a hot green tea that was just perfection. I would definitely go back.

    Orsolya D.

    My boyfriend and I have been on a hero's quest searching high and low for a sushi spot that we can call our go-to regular, dependable choice; that feels comforting with a special edge and offers delicious, high-quality sushi. You would think that with the billions of sushi restaurants in Los Angeles; this would be on easy task but it is much harder than you'd imagine - or perhaps we are sushi snobs and very hard to please (probably). We decided to try Kaiju, located near the Woodman/Ventura intersection in Sherman Oaks, and see if it wins the coveted gold spot in our sushi Olympics... Kaiju, which sounds like it is a sneeze of some sort; translates to the genre of Japanese monster films (i.e. "Godzilla") or the monsters themselves which serve as metaphors for anxiety. This is fitting with the anxiety I have been feeling looking for my 'regular' sushi spot! Kaiju seems like it would be a winner as the owner Jerry Starkman comes from eatery fame (second gen of now defunct Jerry's Deli) and has enlisted sushi chef Go Nakabayashi of celeb-adored Koi in Hollywood. Kaiju has the esthetics mostly in the bag with a trendy outdoor patio area, an interior with wooden trim, lighted lanterns everywhere, private booths and an overall 'cool' vibe. But obviously the important part is the sushi. My boyfriend and I actually gave Kaiju TWO tries because we weren't impressed the first time but wanted to double-check if we were being too restrictive but no: both visits were poor. Allow me to try to mesh our two experiences: Our first visit was during an extremely busy and loud Sunday night where I started with a Salmon Skin Salad ($14) while my boyfriend ordered the 10-piece Chirashi bowl ($32). We went date night wild with the Sexy Roll (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, crabmeat, gobo wrapped in cucumber - $20) while also ordering Black Snapper Sushi ($8.50) and Baked Salmon Roll ($17). Although our dishes weren't plated terribly; we noticed that the orders at other tables were much better. Hmm. My Salmon Skin Salad was actually delicious with perfectly crisp salmon skin and a delicious Asian vinaigrette. However, my boyfriend's Chirashi Bowl was 'odd'. The fish pieces were too large and irregular and seemingly no special fish included. Meh. The Sexy Roll was far from sexy and more like Napoleon Dynamite. It was the weirdest thing ever: just nasty with huge pieces that fell apart and the cucumber 'wrapping' was way too thick with skin on! Just no. The savior was the Baked Salmon Roll which my boyfriend claimed as one of the best he's ever had without a mayo overload like most places. The overall rating was that Kaiju was 50/50 which with half being great and half being awful which is why we decided to test them and return. Our return visit was a calmer weekday evening and we decided to re-order the Baked Salmon Roll to see if it was still 'amazing' plus the Soft Shell Crab Roll ($19), Cali on Fire Roll ($17) and Zen Roll ($18). To begin, the wait created that Kaiju anxiety as it seemed endless and there were barely other patrons! We were waiting so long that other staff was asking us if we've ordered yet. What the heck?! Once our dishes FINALLY arrived, we were pleased to have beautifully plated sushi this visit with artful style and tropical flowers adorning the plates. Oddly, the Baked Salmon Roll looked way different from the first visit making inconsistency an issue (see photo comparisons) AND it was NOT mind-blowing in flavor and simply average. The Soft Shell Crab Roll was also just 'okay' along with the Cali on Fire Roll which was not on fire - meaning not spicy as all. Plus, these followed suit with the Sexy Roll from the first visit being way too large making it difficult to consume and falling apart! The only savior was the Zen Roll (Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, Cucumber roll topped with sliced avocado, masago, green onions, soy mustard sauce) which was bright and refreshing making this visit 1 for 4 and not worth the wait. Consensus? Kaiju is a fail: inconsistent both in presentation and flavor and from one roll to the next and crazy long wait even when not merited. I guess our quest of eating our way through Los Angeles by way of sushi to find the "go-to" spot continues...

    Such a cool interior
    Sophie B.

    Tonight we walked the neighborhood in search for a chill dinner spot that opens past 9pm here in Sherman Oaks. Seemingly not an easy task. We wandered down Woodman Ave. And Randomly walked into Kaiju. We were warmly greeted, quickly seated at a booth and the interior was cozy with wonderful lights everywhere, and packed to the gills with folks. We sat at the only booth open and ordered our two ramen bowls. The service is quick and efficient. My vege ramen was super yummy: creamy, with thick noodles, mushrooms+bok choy. I asked for spicy and they added a yummy chilli oil. My husbands was seafood ramen, but somehow the noodles were missing. He later found out our waitress mistakenly gave him the miso, seafood soup bowl. Later we were some of the last folks to depart closing out @10pm. We appreciate the later evening hours, the cozy ambience with cool tie-dyed ocean, blue curtains, lanterns strung about, and efficient service. Will wander back and try other vege rolls and the tempura ice cream, at a later time. :) Thanks guys.

    Randall B.

    We were greeted warmly and quickly. We thought we wants sushi but then saw their ramen menu and done and done. Ramen it was. And it was so good. The added carmelized onions and the broth was amazing. The onions look like seaweed, but onions they are. The tonkatsu was spectacular. The chicken was a bit hard to eat as the pieces of meat were very large but it was superb. Great lunch. Well done!

    Sunkist Roll
    Melissa M.

    We were a large party of 10 and Kaiju took great care of us. Good communication up front, assisted us with questions on parking (valet was great) and Jackie, our server did a great job. Some food came out quickly, others were a little slow. Overall the food was really good. Great selection of various rolls, which is what we mostly had for our meal. Prices are a little high but expected in this area of LA. Definitely recommend.

    Lamb Chops w/Truffle Mash Potato
    Tess l.

    Mustafa is really friendly all of them. The mango tango roll was very refreshing and the mango was so fresh. It tasted like overseas mango. The sea steak melts in my mouth! The charcoal in the rim give it an interesting twist. The lamb also had great flavor and not gamey at all. The lobster roll was good a bit on the lighter side as far as not a lot of Mayonnaise, sweet sauce. If you prefer healthier it's great.

    Jolie F.

    We popped in for some lunch on a weekday and was immediately greeted by the staff. We were seated at a cute little booth on the side of the restaurant. The restaurant is decorated very nicely inside and offers an outside patio as well, but unfortunately the patio is not shaded. Too hot during the daytime in the summer. There is also a sushi bar. We ordered a couple of rolls and salmon belly. For rolls we order the shrimp tempura and the rainbow roll. Both rolls were good and nicely presented. As for the salmon belly, I think it should melt in the mouth, and unfortunately the pieces that I had did not do that for me. Perhaps it was an off day or maybe this is their standard fish quality at this restaurant. The ginger on the side was good and plentiful. The wasabi was not overly powerful. Pricing for the sushi is standard. The service was good while we visited. Of course, at lunch time on the weekdays the restaurant was quite quiet. I hear at night-time the restaurant gets a lot busier. Parking can be found on the streets- metered parking. There is also parking behind the restaurant. Valet parking at night.

    Menu
    Johanne R.

    This venue is unassuming. It looks tiny from out. Inside is actually a decent size. There's metered parking and valet. It's on Ventura Blvd so take your chances with parking, LOL. The prices are reasonable. This is a great way to try different sushi selections. There are many creative options. I've been here several times. The food has always been fresh and well presented. The portions are large enough to share. The staff is always pleasant and accommodating. So," will I return?" もちろん means, "of course" in Japanese.

    Jeremy L.

    7/10/2025 - Kaiju Sushi has both indoor and outdoor dining. The ambience at indoor dining is very good. The items I ordered are 4 stars. The Wasabi looks not good as others'. The valid parking is $5, which shares with another restaurant.

    Sayuri 300ml
    Jessica G.

    Whenever we go here it's been really zen inside! Not only do they have an amazing atmosphere to chill out in, they also have amazing rolls. You can probably find any sort of combination on their menu, and it always tastes fresh. We particularly always enjoy the service here. My parents became good friends with a waitress that ended up moving to Chicago (go bears!) but our most recent time here our server was also fantastic. I really enjoy their cold sake which is an unfiltered milky sake with a mango/banana aftertaste. Definitely try them out!

    Fatty Toro Sashimi
    Fallon B.

    5 stars all around The sushi was phenomenal, the wait staff attentive, and the ambience was spot on. Definately give this place a try.

    Salmon sashimi with truffle sauce

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    1 month ago

    First time eating here. Very neat experience especially with the food rotating around. Roxanne was extremely helpful.

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    Business owner information

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    Daniel L.

    It's not a review. It's an essay!

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    6 months ago

    A great small sushi spot in the heart of Sherman oaks. This one feels so cozy and the rolls are fantastic. Great service and friendly staff

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    3 months ago

    From the rolls to the sashimi...everything is fresh and flavorful. The Yellow Tail Belly is out of this world!

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    6 months ago

    Absolutely incredible sashimi! The Uni, Toro, and scallops are unreal! Service was on point and will definitely be going back!

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    8 months ago

    Great food, great service, great staff. Definitely recommend. Owner very engaged with service and accommodation.

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    Page 1 of 22

    Ask the Community - Kaiju Sushi

    Do they have outdoor dining?

    Yes, we do have outdoor dining.

    Do you currently offer Valet parking?

    Valet offered at dinner hours

    Is this Japanese owned?

    Guy Starkman (son of the Jerry's Deli empire) is the owner, but Go Nakabayashi and Mark Hayashi, who oversaw the kitchen at Koi for many years, are now the chefs at Kaiju.

    How much is valet?

    complimentary valet Tips only

    Can anyone share happy hour details with me? Is there a certain percent off of the listed price? Or a set menu?

    We just uploaded happy hour menu to yelp page please check it out !! hope to see you soon !!

    Hours of operation today ?i called and voicemail says 530 and Yelp says 5 pm

    Lunch 11:30am - 2:30pm Sunday - Thursday Dinner 5pm - 10pm Saturday - Friday Dinner 5pm - 10:30pm… 

    Is there Happy hour?

    Yes! 5-6:30... it's really good

    Does this place have all you can eat sushi and if so how much is it and what doea it include?

    It is not an AYC sushi restaurant.

    View All 10 Questions

    Bacari Sherman Oaks - Lentil Stew

    Bacari Sherman Oaks

    4.5(1.2k reviews)
    0.5 miSherman Oaks
    $$$

    Amazing service. Server was Destiny and she was so welcoming and friendly. She made us feel…read morecomfortable and taken care of throughout our meal. Definitely added to the experience. The food was great per usual.

    Absolutely a fan of my local Bacari…read more This super cool and inviting eatery is located on Ventura Blvd and Hazeltine across from Ralph's and a beat away from the central Whole Foods in Sherman Oaks. Extensive menu with so much variety including lots of delicious finds for all. Team green falafel all the way!! Their vegan pizza pie with caramelized onion, mixed green, roasted garlic and so many yummy flavors is a win as well! The tofu scramble and salatim make brunch the best. And let's not forget about that vegan double chocolate cake :) Enjoy the full dine in experience as well as delivery or pickup - Bacari does it all yall. Incredible cocktails as well as mocktails, inclusive wine, beer and non-alcohol beverages which include classic like juice, cold brew, other coffee like favs and teas. Super gluten free friendly, vegetarian friendly and vegan friendly across the board. Indoor cozy seating as well as intimate stylish patio seating that's beyond dreamy when the weather is nice. It's casual, trendy, and enchanting all at once. Service is typically pretty great. ADA entrance, restrooms and paths. Parking is valet or local street and lot, typically meter or flat rate. During the week they're only open for dinner at 4:30PM until 10:30 PM which makes a weekday lunch craving unfortunate. Friday through Sunday is a different story as the AM to PM is abundant, with a small gap between 230PM til 4PM where they close on Saturday and Sunday only for the change over. Large parties should absolutely make reservation in advanced as this is a very popular and frequently busy location. Bottomless mimosas are available (for a 90 minute time window during you meal)!!

    Photos
    Bacari Sherman Oaks - Interior shot

    Interior shot

    Bacari Sherman Oaks - Bottomless Brunch - Mimosas, Bellinis, Sangria, Bubbles, Beer & Wine

    Bottomless Brunch - Mimosas, Bellinis, Sangria, Bubbles, Beer & Wine

    Bacari Sherman Oaks - Outdoor space

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    Outdoor space

    Pialon Restaurant Tapas and Bar

    Pialon Restaurant Tapas and Bar

    4.8(100 reviews)
    2.8 miEncino
    Women-owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    Outstanding experience at Pialon! I celebrated my 39th birthday here and was impressed from start…read moreto finish. A special thank you to owners Ella and Michael for the excellent service and warm hospitality. The happy hour menu had a great selection, and the champagne and espresso martini were fantastic. Honestly, everything was on point! Nima and Jesse provided exceptional service and deserve special recognition. They were attentive, friendly, and professional. The spacious atmosphere, beautiful chandeliers, and butterfly-inspired decor create a unique and memorable setting. Booking was easy, and the service was fast. Pialon is a standout and deserves to be widely recognized, including on TV. Highly recommend for celebrations or simply enjoying a great dining experience. Thank you for making my 39th birthday special. My guests and friends loved it too. God bless!

    I had such a great experience at Pialon Restaurant & Tapas in Encino last night. The food was…read moreabsolutely amazing--every dish we ordered was flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented. You can tell a lot of care goes into both the menu and the overall dining experience. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. The aesthetic is modern, inviting, and perfect for a date night or dinner with friends. The outdoor patio adds to the ambiance and makes the whole experience feel even more special. What really stood out, though, was the hospitality. I believe the owner was outside greeting guests as they arrived and made a point to thank and acknowledge everyone as they left. That personal touch is rare these days and made us feel genuinely appreciated as customers. Excellent food, beautiful atmosphere, and outstanding hospitality. We'll definitely be back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great night out in Encino!

    Photos
    Pialon Restaurant Tapas and Bar
    Pialon Restaurant Tapas and Bar
    Pialon Restaurant Tapas and Bar

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    Butterfly - Dining Room

    Butterfly

    4.0(123 reviews)
    8.6 mi

    Was staying at The Shay hotel this week and went up to the Butterfly for dinner which is also next…read moreto the rooftop pool. Really chill vibes and excellent margaritas. Ended up sharing chicken enchiladas, guacamole with chips, cheese fondue, tuna tostadas, and fish tacos. Everything was very tasty!

    Butterfly, in Culver City, is a Mexican Restaurant run by the well known, Jose Andres Group. It is…read morelocated on the top (6th) floor of the Shay, in an open air layout by its very small pool. It is a small space, but well appointed, candy to the eye, very high up there in summer ambiance, a cool breeze, toe tapping music and the relax vibe. It is difficult to imagine that you are actually in the Los Angeles area. I came here for their 4-course $35 Dine LA Lunch menu. Always looking for something different, I started with the Papas Al Mole. It was overdosed with Crema and Queso Fresco, burying the papas. Less of Mole, thats okay, yet this concoction sogged up the whole top layer of fries and made them worthless. Why do eateries do that? For the second course, Aguachile De Sandia Y Tomate. The star here were the wedges of heirloom tomatoes. They blended well with the watermelon cubes and light touch of Aguachile (not too acidic). Exactly my style, a superb dish. Perfecto. For the main (a hand held choice), for me, the Carne Asada Taco. The Arrachera marinated flank steak pieces were soft, tender, juicy and bursting with flavor. Think dissolution on the taste buds. A well orchestrated combination of a few condiments to highlight the meat (as it should be), all housed in a fresh, lightly toasted tortilla shell that was both crisp and soft. Though a very simple presentation, this taco was a masterpiece in culinary construction and prowess. For the final and fourth course, a no brainer, Churros with chocolate sauce. They could have ended on a high note but did not. Why? The 3 small churro cylinders were cute and ideal, but they were accompanied with a chocolate paste (not a sauce, as per the menu). Thus, taking away the thrill and viscous liquid pleasure of chocolate. As it transpired, this was the last restaurant on my Dine LA "To Do List". And I knew I would pay a price for it, in terms of travel. Getting there, the parking, and the slow, choking traffic crawl back to the SFV, more than lived up to its expectations. The whole round trip, with dining, took almost 4 hours. And yes, the Butterfly was worth it. A fitting finale, for new discoveries and creative eating, during these 2 fantastic weeks of Dine LA. If only they could modify the first and last courses. Oh well.

    Photos
    Butterfly - Queso Fundido

    Queso Fundido

    Butterfly - Salt Air Margarita

    Salt Air Margarita

    Butterfly - Patio

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    Patio

    Kaiju Sushi - sushi - Updated September 2026

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