Written by Venice locals who have lived and dined here for 13 years. AVOID if you want a romantic date night, an elevated dining experience, unique dishes, popping flavor, and an atmosphere where you don't feel like you're in a meat market on display. In summary, only go on a Friday or Saturday night if you're a single, young girl dare I say self absorbed "influencer type" looking for attention seeking, cheesy Venice guys- you know the type... they just finished an ayuahsca retreat in the Peruvian jungle and are heading to Tulumn for a DJ next week and spent their morning hanging at Erewhon detoxing from the ketamine and mushies from the night before. Age range is typically late 20s to late 40s. Food, not that great. Surprisingly underwhelmed after all the hype. Same Japanese sweet potatoes at Erewhon, for example. Nothing unique. Most dishes were just "ok". Cocktails: good but lacking a variety of spirits in the cocktails. Atmosphere: tables and bar seats are literally JAMMED, No space between tables, zero privacy or opportunity to have an intimate experience. Staff: our first experience with the young hostess at the door was absolutely abysmal. The hostess was rude and almost offended we had arrived for dinner. Lol! Our waitress was WONDERFUL! She was the highlight of the night! I felt bad for her bc she had to squeeze herself in between us just to take our order less than a foot in front of our faces bc the place was so packed like a college bar. Details: we ordered at least 6 dishes and 3 different drinks. Literally NOTHING made us say wow. The only "wow" we spoke was, "wow I can't believe this place gets good reviews for food." The set up is AWFUL!!!! We were seated at the seats along the open air wall that face AK. At first we thought it was great bc we had a beautiful evening to look at AK, but around 8 PM, the local Venice cheesy guys and influencer girls arrived. You know the ones... Obnoxious girls, underdressed for the temps, who haven't looked up from their phone except to run in the middle of the street on AK and pose for photos, consciously obstructing traffic, but of course entitled to do so. When you sit at the counter facing AK, be prepared to share your dining space with people like that who are lingering outside the restaurant just having a drink. When you sit there you have about a 8 inch by 8 inch space in front of you, enough for a drink and a small plate, if you order different items you have to place them on the counter top just above the lower counter in front of you. This counter top, is apparently shared with those who linger outside the restaurant on AK! RVR allows these guys to get drinks from the bar inside and move outside and hang out joining our meal, facing us, a foot from our face, while my husband and I are trying to eat. They ended up talking to us, asking us about our food and when my husband got up to go to the bathroom they attempted to hit on me. Quite comical. DO NOT GO HERE ON A FRIDAY OR SATURDAY FOR A DATE unless you want to share your date with everyone else. My legs and feet were touching the girl next to me if I crossed my legs bc there is literally no space between bar stools. The waitress at one point had to squeeze herself between our barstools to take our order bc of the crowd behind her. RVR does nothing to control the outside folks from ruining the "inside diners" experience. Wow! I didn't know this place was so COMMUNAL, but then again, based on the crowd, "everything in life should be communal, including your spouses" lol. 2 top tables are jammed side by side so there is zero intimacy or privacy if dining at the tables. People were walking to the bathroom and stepping on the backs of coats hanging from the chairs at the tables. Honestly, do better RVR. This feels SO cheap, like you've packed us in here to make your margin so you can pay rent. It feels like a college bar. And the food. Seriously. No standouts, not worth it. Will not return, but glad to see this place is attracting those people so we can continue to dine at our other favorite spots! read more

Stumbled in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and was able to be seated right away. The vibe of the restaurant is very cool and had great food to match. Everything we had was delicious and tasted like it was thought out. The crispy chicken karage was a stand out. Only thing was something happened with our order and it came out extremely late. But our server was apologetic and they made it right by comping us drinks and a dessert. They gave us a sorbet which was absolutely delicious! Will 100% be back! read more

Oh my absolute foodie heaven. Before I dive face first into the food, I must give wild praise to the exceptional vip treatment from gregarious Brazilian Bartender, Vinnie. He was incredibly attentive, witty, engaging with the menu, gave thoughtful recommendations and made the night so magical. Now the food that makes me drool in memory of. The shrimp dumplings were sensational, vibrant ginger, plump shrimp, al dente skin, and a wickedly addictive chili oil / vinegar. Then came the tempura fried parsnips with daikon aioli - so aggressively seasoned, thinly sliced; nothing like the boring thanksgiving mash it normally arrives as. The mixed rice with duck confit and pork belly hand roll were tasty but both dishes found the meat a little dried out (perfect if you like well done). The skewers of lamb shoulder and duck meatballs are must tries. Finished the night with a heavenly scoop of almond mascarpone gelato. The ambience was delightful, and when you go, request the upstairs bar. Wow. read more

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Treated myself to a solo dinner last night and sat at the bar. It's a beautiful space with a huge bar, right behind it is the kitchen where you can see them cooking the skewers. I started with the kanpachi hand roll and vesper martini, maitaike mushroom in miso butter, clam ramen, and ended with the chilled grenache and carrot cake. The food was all great, very fresh and flavorful, my personal favorite were the mushrooms. The ramen tasted a bit plain to me (ask for the chilli paste). Overall it's a great date/girls night spot, but definitely on the pricier side for izakaya. Service is also really great, shoutout to Sabrina for being the sweetest host! read more

Absolutely deserving of 5 stars. I was honestly surprised they don't already have a perfect rating. The food was exceptional, beautifully executed, full of flavor, and clearly made with care. Every dish felt thoughtful and balanced. The service was equally impressive. Attentive without being intrusive, warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming. The team made the entire experience feel effortless and elevated. The ambiance ties it all together. Stylish, comfortable, and vibrant without being overwhelming. RVR Venice absolutely delivers on food, service, and overall experience. Highly recommend and looking forward to coming back. read more

Major bummer eating here. Really nothing special about this place, other than it's located on Abbot Kinney. It's not really even an Izakaya. Katsuya is light years better than RVR. So don't be fooled. The food is immemorable, over-salted, over-sauced, over-priced, or just gross. There were some bright spots, but in totality, RVR is a waste of money. The tuna hand roll was fishy and I could not eat it. I spit it out, it was so gross. The veggie tempura was a crispy, over-seasoned, oil bomb. Chicken karaage was over-cooked, hard, brown, way over salted, but the sauce it came in was a nice sweet and sour. The gyoza were very tasty and cooked perfectly. The two salads we got were WAY over-dressed, swimming in mayo-based pool. I love duck, but the duck meatballs did not taste anything like duck. It paired really well with the mustard, but the texture was off, and tasted like chicken. The wagyu skewers were under-cooked. They should be plated medium rare with a nice sear. Unfortunately the sear was so timid, the inside was raw. Wagyu has the fat content that allows a good sear while retaining both the flavor and texture. Finally, the black cod was an epic revolting disaster. It had a slight fishy profile, but the main problem was the mushy texture. It was probably cooked at a too low temperature, or was thawed improperly, directly in water, i.e., it was not thawed overnight in the frig. Both of these can lead to high water content in the fish, causing mushy texture. These are amateur mistakes, indicative of a rookie chef and/or a weak manager. This should never have been plated and sent out. Either way, they missed the mark by a mile. Will I ever return? No way. read more

Service made the entire experience! Great staff. It was our anniversary and we had the reservation for two weeks and they sat us 40 mins late at the worst table. They didn't move us until i told a server what happened and they then felt bad and accommodated us. The food was okay, wasn't blown away by the ramen. Oysters were a highlight as well as our server. Food and cocktails aren't anything to write home about. Definitely wouldn't be going back (sorry). read more

RVR's chef is a local dude. It's run like a Japanese place and maybe with way better service. The food is truly delicious and makes me happy. The prices are weirdly reasonable for a high-rent Venice location. Everyone who works there seems content. You can sit anywhere and have a unique experience. There's a bar, there's a counter, there's a community table, booths, two-tops... there's good soap in the bathroom. People are doing business. People are on a date. People popped over from the Valley. Everyone's stoked. Mostly though, people care, they give a shit, and you can feel it. I go for the ramen mostly but I've seen people devour every dish with smiles. Great wine list. Exciting to be there. Always stoked to go back. Top notch. Whoever runs this place knows what they're doing. read more

Yes this is a place we're everyone loves come to enjoy a meal with a family member o drink with friends this is very nice place I'm sure recommend this beautiful restaurant read more

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Good food, but extremely poor service. Half our food was forgotten, then half of the missing food was forgotten again. Add-ons to dishes were brought out separately because they were forgotten too. Our server ignored us frequently and we had to flag down other members of the waitstaff to get anything. read more

Wow.. this place has an incredible lineup of beautifully crafted dishes full of flavor. Not sure why some of the older reviews say the service is slow - maybe they don't appreciate the way dishes are brought to the table in sequence rather than all at once, but I think it adds to the experience! The top 3 must-haves in my opinion were the karaage, sweet potatoes, and the duck confit fried rice. The hand rolls are also stars of the menu, but I wasn't as impressed with the grilled skewers (duck meatballs & chicken thigh). Ultimately, the vibe here they created is immaculate. They have a DJ hand picking & spinning vinyls one by one & servers constantly checking in on your needs. Be sure to make a reservation or get here as soon as they open otherwise prepare to wait! Can't wait to come back & try more things. read more

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Travis brings a beautiful Venice take on Japanese fare back to Abbot Kinney where you'll find handrolls, veggies, yakitori, and Japanese bites. RVR is absolutely popping where you'll be hard pressed to get a table without a reservation though they have some tabletop seating. Service is excellent as they are staffed well and even have a dedicated person manning the Vinyl station that is paired a top tier speaker system. Kaarage was excellent - good crispy bite on the exterior and very moist tender chicken on the inside. A very nice Californian take on kaarage Handrolls - both the kanpachi and pork belly were excellent, can never go wrong with the pork belly though between the two The maitake mushroom were prepared well and the duck fried rice was a nice filler. Duck meatballs and chicken thighs were decent. Duck meatball was a good bite and chicken thigh was cooked to perfection - wish I had a glaze or complementary sauce. Good ambiance where while restaurant was packed, you can hear your group and there's good music playing in the background read more

Overall I would say this is good not great. Loved the atmosphere! But food just didn't match up. Best item we got was the chicken karrage in my opinion. Everything else was fine, but not worth the price. Do NOT try to walk in!! We got there on a Friday at 530 and host told us we would be seated at 7. By 730 she said it would be at least another hour and never ended up getting seated but also never told us a realistic time. Came back next time with a reservation instead. read more

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Tried to go to the bar today and was turned away because of a private event. The host was so smarmy, like a character on Curb Your Enthusiasm. There was nothing on their website or Instagram saying they were closed. They have contempt for their regular patrons. read more

I wanted to love this place especially after all the hype but as another reviewer already posted, "it's Japanese food for white people." Overpriced and mediocre. There was one dish, the fish sandwich, that I liked and the black sesame/matcha ice cream was delicious. The rest (we had like 5-7 dishes - karaage, gyoza, beans, duck fried rice, bok choy, duck meatballs) were ok, but they just don't live up to traditional Japanese izakaya. I will say the atmosphere is nice with a good Venice vibe. So, go for the atmosphere but manage expectations when it comes to the food. read more

Unfortunately, this place was a bit of a disappointment. A week and a half out, I could only get reservations at 9pm on a Sunday. We ordered an orange-hi, which was like a flatter and less sweet fanta. Their menu is split into several sections, such as small plates, hand rolls, gyoza, and more. We ordered the albacore handrail, pork gyoza, beets and fava beans, shiitake wild rice, duck meatball, and lamb skewer. Honestly, everything was underwhelming. The duck meatballs were good, but nothing else was very flavorful and the lamb even came out cold. read more

This place sucked. Be prepared to pay a lot of money for a little bit of food. The service was great. But the fish in the hand roll had no flavor. The pickles weren't pickles. And the highball whiskey wasn't a highball whiskey. This place should be called DCPTVE. read more

This was my first time trying RVR. Let's start with the drinks: very impressive selection on sake. I also really enjoyed the plum Negroni. I HIGHLY suggest getting an order of the duck meatballs. They were the best bite of the night. I also really enjoyed the baby bok choy. I did not enjoy the lamb skewer. It was really chewy and not very flavorful. The uni hand roll was good - but maybe not worth the $25 price. The timing to get food was weird. It took about 20 minutes for the first dish to be served (uni hand roll). The next dish following took another 30 or so minutes (whitefish) and then another 30 minute wait for the final dishes. It's a very viby spot that's great for a date night or dinner with the girls. The entire restaurant was packed (I dined on a Tuesday evening). I recommend going for a happy hour (instead of a full dinner) and making a reservation in advance. read more

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Had such a memorable "date night" meal here, already looking forward to going back to try Ramen. Highly recommend the wagyu steak, sashimi, and shrimp dumplings -- all incredible. Veggies were delish (we tried the cauliflower, brussels, shiitake mushroom, veggie fried rice), cocktails were also great. The small bistro tables are meh....BUT the entire meal and staff made up for it, and kept the experience overall, elevated. We'll be back for the food. read more

RVR Venice - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

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In case you were wondering if this is actually a good restaurant or yet another place surrounded by typical undeserved LA hype. I assure you it is that latter. The food is fine. You can get better chicken pretty much anywhere. The hand rolls are no better than sugar fish and the grill dishes are just a plate of meatballs or lamb.... Genuinely you could get the same thing at a shawarma joint. The place is crowded. The seats and tables are small, reminds me of manhattan. Half the seats are bar seating not tables. The service is slow. Dishes come out and the time between courses is entirely too long. We had an 8:30 reservation on Sunday night and by 10 a bunch of loud drunk people came stumbling in from roosterfish across the street and just huddled around the bar/our seating and no one did anything. All and all the food is average. The vibe is bad and the service is slow. No reason to come here. read more

This is the newest spot on Abbot Kinney and they're serving up some great and modern izakaya dishes! Must gets are the duck meatball, lamb skewers, and pork color were all so tender, and their kanpachi and tuna sashimi apps were delicious. This place was packed on a Tuesday night so definitely recommend making a reservation! The staff is super friendly as well, and the interior is great. read more

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The vibe is A+ and the drinks are great. The food is mostly delicious, especially the gyozas and veggie dishes. Some of the "stand outs" like the tuna and black cod were good, but I was not as impressed. This is a fun place to go with a group of 4 and do tapas family style. The hosts were very friendly and the service was excellent. read more

I had high hopes for this restaurant, especially since our new house is just a few blocks from RVR. As a trained chef and part of a family that owns several restaurants--including bars, izakayas, and ramen shops--in Tokyo, I often struggle to enjoy Japanese fusion restaurants that aren't Japanese-owned. However, I was optimistic because I used to love MTN. The ambiance at RVR largely retains MTN's charm, with its open kitchen, vinyls on the wall, and a warm, dimly lit interior. The dark wood beams and candlelight create an elegant yet cozy atmosphere that I truly enjoyed. Unfortunately, I noticed they no longer use the delicate hand-blown glassware and clear, cubed Japanese ice for their shochu. Instead, these details were replaced with mass-produced plates and glasses, which felt like a step down from the original experience. Regarding the food, there were some hits and misses: Skewers: Creative and flavorful, but the chicken lacked the crispiness and smoky wood-fire aroma that defines a good yakitori. On a positive note, their Japanese mustard ("Karashi") was excellent. Tuna and Uni: Fresh and high-quality, but the tuna slicing needed more precision and care. Nori was Decent (a B+), though in Japan, the quality of nori varies greatly, and this didn't quite reach the level I was hoping for. Gyoza: Outstanding. The crispy, light "hane" (wing) was on point. House and Clam Ramen: Broth was complex and noodle had buckwheat characteristics which made the dish interesting. The most disappointing dish, however, was the mazemen. As someone who grew up in the neighborhood where mazemen (or mazesoba/aburasoba) was popularized in 1990s, I have so many great memories. By definition, mazemen is a soupless mixed ramen, yet RVR's version had a watery tare (sauce). It's like American person ordering a smash burger in Japan and being served a saucy meatball sandwich--it completely misses the mark. The experience was so disheartening that I found myself in tears. For context, it's worth noting that in Japan, ramen is not traditionally served at izakayas. Metropolitan diners typically start their evening at a bar, move to an izakaya, and end their night with ramen at a dedicated shop. While I understand that ramen is a common menu item at "izakaya-style" restaurants in the U.S., the fusion of these concepts often sacrifices authenticity. While there were moments I enjoyed, the overall experience left me yearning for the true izakayas and ramen shops of Japan. read more

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loved the vibe here. food was great, went for brunch. servers really try to sell you one getting more food lol. Defs would want to try for dinner! Street parking only. read more

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japanese food for white people restaurant was packed. but there were zero asians in the kitchen and zero asian customers. not a good sign if you're searching for authenticity compared to mitsuwa food court, RVR is half the flavor at more than double (maybe triple) the price read more

I live in Venice and RVR has been my favorite restaurant since it opened. Only second to Gjelina (Chef Travis has blessed this street- Abbot Kinney blvd). I try to go as often as possible. Always something different to try. Always perfect ambiance...vinyls playing, tastebuds poppin, happy people. It's Venice, chill and enjoy. read more

We sat there for a almost 40 minutes waiting for someone to take our order and we're being completely ignored by the servers. After a full hour we gave up and left. I'm not the kind who complains about this kind of thing, but the experience was unbelievably disrespectful. read more

RVR in Venice completely exceeded expectations. We tried four dishes--two different ramens, the broccolini, and the charcoal-grilled beef tongue--and every single plate was a standout. The flavors were bold and balanced, nothing felt overdone, and each dish had its own personality. The atmosphere is fun and eclectic with a lively energy that makes the whole experience even better. Great food, great vibe, and genuinely one of the more memorable meals we've had in Venice lately. Highly recommend. read more

The good: vibes, service, food (duck meatballs, shrimp dumplings and sweet potatoes were amazing). The bad: small portion size (I know it's an izakaya, but c'mon), high prices, and awkwardly cramped seating. read more

Celebrated my birthday at RVR tonight. 1. Waited outside (with many others) 45 minutes for our table reservation. 2. While waiting, we ordered drinks. They never came. 3. Host told us we'd be given some complimentary items for having to wait so long for a table. They never came. As a message to management, you should never offer complimentary items to your customers if you aren't going to stand by it. (To the hosts credit - they were extremely kind and very apologetic for our long wait.) 4. Finally got seated... at the bar. Not ideal for a birthday reservation, but no big deal. 5. Food was all good, but my ordered hand roll never arrived. We had to request this be taken off the bill. 6. Service was average. Restaurant seemed very busy so we didn't get much attention. 7. My biggest issue - and reason for writing this review, was what I witnessed with the couple sitting next to us. The man told the waiter to cancel the remainder of his order since the food was taking too long. A different waiter then interrupted and very rudely in a harsh tone scolded the customer saying something to the effect of "I already told you your food is almost out!" The waiter made me extremely uncomfortable, and I could tell the customer was also taken back by his attitude. Some time later, I watched this poor couple get all their dishes (about 7 plates) brought out at the same tjme - rather than spaced out to enjoy their meal. There is no excuse for a waiter speaking to a customer like this over a fair request after a very long wait. The ambiance is great and the food is good, but the combination of issues that occurred over what should have been a special occasion dinner was extremely disappointing. I hope management can learn from this and do better for future customers. I will not return. read more

Food is great but very busy and they need more staff. When one person doesn't show up it throws everything into chaos.

I loved RVR. From the vibe, to the food, to the staff, I thought it was all amazing. Being a pescatarian, I was really happy to have so many options. They elevate the simplest of vegetables to another level. Someone in our group wanted to order the lettuce. I thought, lettuce? But it's LETTUCE. It was delicious. I was lucky enough to go with a group, and therefore, tried maybe 15 dishes. I loved them all. The staff were very attentive and so kind. The chef came to our table during our meal and he was very welcoming and so nice. I have already told people at work that they have to go. Hoping to return soon! read more

Decided to take a trip through Abbott Kinney and just enjoy the window shopping. Got a little hankering for something and stopped in at RVR to sample something new. The ambience and decor were fabulous. Sat at the bar and Andrew was the bartender. This restaurant went above and beyond to highlight and identify the kinds of foods on the menu that I could eat or modify given my capsaicin allergy. They were fabulous. Andrew was so kind and professional. The entire restaurant rallied around, coming up with a menu that would be safe for me. You felt welcome. The food was fantastic and the sake was delicious. It was a very sexy space and I will be back again. read more

I normally don't write bad reviews but we had the worst service here. It took RVR 30 minutes to sit us even though we had a reservation. It took another 30 mins for our drinks to come out, and they messed up our order 5 times and kept bringing out things we did not order. Our server was extremely rude and did not apologize one for any inconvenience. It was my best friend's birthday dinner and we were very disappointed. Will not be returning read more

Food is pretty decent. I ordered the veg ramen and a couple handrolls. It definitely on the pricey side though. 2 out of 3 times we came on time to our rsvp, but we had to wait 25+ for our table. they don't have a good spiced paste or sauce for the ramen read more

Coming out of retired elite-ness to write this review. EVERYTHING about this place was terrific - the decor, ambience, the service, the FOOD. We lucked out on last minute reservations on Valentine's day! The food was delicious! The menu, while a bit lengthy, was a bit overwhelming but the server was spectacular -She took her time, giving recommendations and suggestions. We ultimately settled on the Tempura, Sea bass, pork rib and belly gyoza, broccolini, roasted maitake mushrooms, Monterey squid and the tongue. We like to rank the items from best to worst and it was the most difficult task. Everything was memorable. The tongue was the best we've ever had. Tempura was light in its breading and crispy. Both of the vegetables could be the best bites of the night, and for a hardcore carnivore, that speaks volumes. We have another reservation next month that I thought about cancelling since we've already been, but I'm for sure keeping it. Go, go, go! We'll see you there! read more

One of my favorites on the westside! Rvr is a cozy izakaya with a warm, comfortable atmosphere; their dishes do not disappoint & the cocktails are incredible. Service is always on point despite them being super busy every time I've been in! Duck meatballs are a must! read more

My girlfriends and I went to RVR last night and it did not disappoint. The restaurant was packed from the time we arrived until we left and I understand why. What we ordered: - Chicken thigh karaage: would recommend, a hearty/shareable dish - Kanpachi handrolls: would recommend, a burst of bright flavors - shrimp gyoza: would recommend, one of our favorite dishes - pork gyoza: would recommend, served with fun dipping sauces - gem lettuce salad: was good, but we were regretting not ordering the chicories salad that our waiter had recommended - turnips: would probably swap for another veggie, nothin super special - mixed rice with mushrooms: would recommend, another favorite, its simply but full of deep herby and cozy flavors - japanese sweet potato: would recommend, a classic Can't wait to go take my husband here! read more

lively spot, terrific food (including dessert, which we might not normally order at an izakaya restaurant), absolutely GREAT service. Definitely make a reservation if you like to dine at popular times. We'll be back! read more

TLDR: This place absolutely has a place at the top of my fave LA restaurants list. Was skeptical trying RVR for the first time, as I am always doubtful of places that brand as anything close to 'Asian fusion', but came away feeling really impressed with our experience. As soon as you walk in to the dimly lit space, you feel warm and cozy - the space manages to be bustling but not feel crowded. I love the design of the wrap-around bar, the open view into the kitchen, and the sound system/records lining the back wall. We sat in a comfortable, spacious booth. The menu has many interesting items, so was glad we came with a group so we could try a bunch of plates. Some standouts for us: - Sea bass sashimi: fresh, bright, delicious. - Handrolls: Our group tried the kanpachi, tuna, and natto, and we all loved our choice. Perfect ratio of ingredients to rice, and the seaweed was thin and crispy. - Pork gyoza: perfect balance of thin crispy skirt with soft dumpling skin elsewhere. - Charcoal-grilled bluefin tuna: best bite of the night! Thanks to our server for recommending this. - Ramen: We shared the manila clam ramen and the pork ramen, both exquisite. Noodles were thin and perfectly cooked, broth was flavorful without being overly rich. I had never had clam ramen before, and was really impressed. - And not to forget their drinks - I ordered the sake goldrush cocktail and really enjoyed it. Every single item we tried got rave reviews from our table (high praise, especially with all of us having eaten in Japan before) and we all commented that we couldn't wait to come back for more! Whether you're here for drinks+small plates or a large bowl of ramen, you truly can't go wrong here. I also want to shout out the service. The plates came out at different times, which to me added to the low-key vibe of the restaurant, and I appreciated how our server timed the ramens to come out last. Our waters were constantly refilled, our empty plates were taken away, and multiple bowls/utensils for sharing dishes were bought without our having to ask. Overall, absolutely loved this spot! Tips: Make a reservation beforehand to avoid long waits. If you can't find street parking, there is a public metered parking lot behind the restaurant. read more