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    Kaiju Sushi

    4.2 (849 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    Order Kaiju Sushi Takeout or Delivery

    Kaiju Sushi Photos

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    KAIJU SUSHI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Moderate noise

    Recommended Reviews - Kaiju Sushi

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    Reviews With Photos

    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...

    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.

    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.

    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!

    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.

    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.

    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.

    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.

    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.

    Lucy D.

    I really like this place. The edamame and salmon crispy rice (in photos) are really good. I've been here 3 times and it was good all 3 times. Place gets really packed on fridays after work, because its pretty small, so i recommend having a reservation. Overall, i would highly recommend.

    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!

    Salmon sashimi with truffle sauce
    Mary A.

    Had an amazing experience, staff are very very professional. The food is amazing. I will definitely come back and refer others . Thanx to the owner for being so carrying he was walking through the restaurant to make sure if everybody's happy. Great job that means a lot to a customer. cute little cozy place to dining in.

    The inside

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    26 days ago

    Jinyoung was a great server and the food is super good top tier so many choices to chose from, great prices

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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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    3 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

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

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    5 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… Read more

    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

    Kaiju Sushi - sushi - Updated June 2026

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