When my friend suggested this restaurant, I didn't even look at the menu because I was like, well, it's Los Angeles. Even though I have dietary restrictions, I'm pretty sure there's going to be something on the menu that I could eat. Now when I got there and I saw the very brief menu, I was stunned and I was like, oh my gosh, I should've looked at the menu before I came here This looks like I'm about to be eating a bunch of raw fish. But to my surprise when I looked closely, I was able to see that there was a whole section of grilled foods and appetizers that I could eat. I ended up ordering: - the miso soup - the edamame - the cucumber salad (for appetizers) - sea bass - oyster mushrooms - shrimp - the ginkgo nuts Every single food item that I ordered was delicious. I was genuinely surprised by how flavorful everything was and I was particularly impressed with the sea bass and oyster mushrooms. These two dishes were phenomenal. I don't know how they made that sea bass so flaky and moist and just melt in your mouth but it was so good. I don't know what sauce they put on top of it but that thing was amazing. The oyster mushrooms were so good that we ordered two more orders of it. For the edamame, the only thing I didn't like was that it was served cold. I don't know if that's like a traditional way of serving it or something but I'm used to having my edamame be served warm or hot so that was unusual for me. The server was amazing, super attentive and very kind. He always made sure we had what we needed and there was even something that was mistakenly served to us but he took it off the bill and allowed my friend to eat it anyway so we were grateful for him. He was also really good at explaining the menu and the dishes that he liked. The vibe in here is social but a little classy. There were these ladies that were sitting to the left of us and one of them just randomly started talking to us and asking us if we were from the neighborhood, which was a little odd because... why are you asking me those questions??? Other than that the vibe was fine and I would definitely come back here again. One thing to note though is that the food is served kind of like tapas style so if you're expecting massive portions and to be stuffed to discomfort, this is not the place where that's going to happen. read more

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The seats are hard the food is good. They got my order completely wrong but everything I ate was amazing so I'm not upset the atmosphere is just OK it's not excitingly beautiful or wonderful but it's not a diner either and I would definitely go back but I would be very clear with them what I wanted and make them repeat it back to me. The quality of the food is really good read more

I got the 4 hand roll for lunch and chose: - salmon - spicy tuna - albacore - bluefin tuna It was pretty good, lunch menu is a pretty solid deal. I can't remember exactly how it compares to Kazunori but I want to say comparable if not better since it has minimal wait. Seaweed was crispy, rice was good. Ambiance was nice and much larger than Kazu so you don't feel as cramped. Of all the hand roll spots, would probably come back here as a go to read more

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A friend and I came here spontaneously this week for an impromptu dinner. It was lovely! The staff was really friendly, and the food came out quickly and tasted delicious. I only got photos of a few of my items, but everything I had was delicious, including the spicy tuna, hand roll, the oyster mushrooms were incredible, I really enjoyed the shrimp and chicken skewers as well. Great spot! I'll definitely be back. read more

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Fish did not taste fresh and smelled fishy. I did not feel the $75 per person was worth the cost and I prefer the sushi at my favorite place in Thousand Oaks at less then half read more

Agree with an earlier review that overall the food is fine but nothing special, and that the pace of the meal is rushed. They would serve the next course while I had 2 courses still being worked on. The couple good bites I had were the smoked toro roll and signature but would rather have just had it untouched. Maybe this is just me but I also thought it was gross that the chefs would hand you the sushi directly while also handing other customers sushi directly without glove changes. There's a chance that other customers touch the chef's hands on accident and those gloves go on to make and serve so much other sushi. They already are in the practice of placing the hand rolls on the counter for you to grab, but not the "one bite" ones despite having the specific serving dishes for those to keep them together. read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - Signature hand roll - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We loved Saijo and would absolutely return! The wait was a bit longer than the 25 minutes we were told but it was worth the wait (plus, they let you order wine or sake while you wait)! Service was very friendly, attentive, and the space was meticulously cleaned with a relaxed vibe. Staff were consultative on the menu and had great recommendations as well! For the food: Miso was great, a little smoky, I could've drank 5 of them. Cucumber salad was light, savory, and delicious, highly recommend. Edamame was the right amount of salt, tasted fresh, really great. Lobster & blue crab hand rolls were absolutely delicious, I don't always order hand rolls and these changed my mind, can't wait to try these again! Kushiyaki - chicken wings, beef were fabulous but the A5 Wagyu was the winner, cooked perfectly, melts in your mouth! The potato left a little to be desired, it tasted pretty plain. Overall a great experience, would love to try the rest of the menu! read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is definitely in my top 3 handroll places that I love in LA. Plus they serve some yakitori/izakaya dishes. They have a variety of menu choices from 2x2, 3x3 and also an omakase menu. If this is your first time here, I highly suggest you start with the 4x4 menu. It's the right amount of food for 1 person and if you're still hungry, you can add maybe 1-2 other dishes or hand rolls. The 4x4 set comes with 4 hand rolls and 4 Yakitori/izakaya dish plus a bowl of miso and edamame. It's only a counter bar seating so may not be good for large groups but you can definitely bring a couple of friends or a good spot for a date night as well!! Service is quick and the front of the house lady is very accommodating. Also, Tatiana is my favorite server. She's very pleasant and treats her customers very well. Loves how she knows how to interact with people and not just take your order. She's just a lovely person!! If you happen to be in the LA/Culver City area, this should be part of your dining experience. Also a good spot to either have a quick lunch or dinner before heading to LAX as it's only about 15 mins from the airport. read more

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My partner and I tried Saijo last week to shake things up from KazuNori. The pricing and experience is largely comparable, however Saijo combined its preset menu to include both hand rolls and hot skewers as well. The skewers were OK, but I was a bit disappointed that the preset menu experience lacked focus on traditional hand rolls. That being said, the two hand rolls I did have (tuna and salmon) were delicious. Typical of hand roll bars, the service was accommodating without being overbearing, which I appreciated. The ambiance was relaxed, while still feeling a little bit upscale. All of the seats sit around the main bar, with the chef bringing your courses as they're prepared in front of you. It was fun to try a new spot, and I'll be better prepared to perhaps go the à la carte route next time so I can properly satisfy my hand roll craving. read more

Perfect Solo Date Spot in LA... Saijo Handroll in Culver City is the perfect spot for solo dating with delicious bites and atmosphere where I find calm and relaxation. The one bite uni was my absolute favorite along with the salmon and tuna handrolls. The grilled sausage on the stick caught me by surprise because it was so juicy and flavorful. There are many surprises at Saijo and I wish my stomach was a lot bigger to enjoy more of the menu. The service was fantastic and enjoyed eating solo because the environment made me feel relaxed. I can't wait to come back when I am in the Westside. read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I really wanted to like this place, but I feel like I'm missing something. It's rare that the food I receive looks A+ but actually tastes like a C. I placed a to-go order and upon opening it, everything was nicely packed and looked pristine. Unfortunately, the good experience ends right there. First of all, it's absolutely a sin to serve sushi rice that hard/tough. I mean, this was literally some of the worst sushi rice we've tried; it tasted just like regular supermarket sushi straight out of the fridge. On top of that, the sashimi was sliced so thinly that it felt like a joke for such a highly-rated place. I had high hopes given the reviews and the branding, but this was a letdown. Maybe the quality is better if you dine in, but I wouldn't recommend the takeout. read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great new sushi spot on the west side. I like the concept of including kushiyaki to sushi as it gives more variety. The absolute stand outs of the menu though are the one bite hand rolls which are more like 2 of fish on standard amount of sushi rice presented to you in a half rolled piece of seaweed. I think getting several of those is the best way to go. I'm also a big fan of salted chicken wings so was quite happy to be able to add that for some extra cooked protein. Definitely worth a try! Seating is all countertop so definitely more of a casual spot similar to kazu nori read more

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My friend attended dinner with a prix fixe menu, I was fortunate to be her Plus 1. The food was delicious, freshly made. The service was outstanding from beginning to end. We were seated at the Sushi Bar where we had a clear view of each handroll made individually and placed on a mini plate our place setting. MENU HIGHLIGHTS: Starter - Edamame Soup - Miso soup Cucumber Salad in a tangy sauce Entree - 1 Salmon Handroll and 1 Bluefin Toro Sushi - 1 Bluefin Tuna and 1 Albacore Kushiyaki - Grilled Chicken Skewer and Chicken Meatballs I highly recommend this classy restaurant. There was 6 of us in our section and we all loved the service and high quality of each dish. Sincerely, Rosemary read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - Sushi Albacore and Chicken Kushiyaki Skewer - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Came in on a Friday night and waiting around 20 minutes for a spot for 2. It was our first time there and the service was great!! They walked us through their menu and told us what was popular. The ambiance was lively for a Friday night as it seemed like a great place to catch up with friends or a late date night spot. The food was fantastic!! The one bites were a unique addition. I also tried the Tsukune, which was a chicken meatball skewer, and it was so delicious!! I would definitely come back to try more skewers. read more

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Saijo is seriously one of my favorite spots right now I don't even eat raw fish, but their handrolls still hit -- the crab tastes insanely fresh and flavorful. And that yuzu sauce?? So good, I could probably eat anything with it. Also, don't sleep on the yakitori -- perfectly grilled and super tasty. 10/10 would come back read more

5 stars for the west sideeee, and some of the best handrolls and yakitori in LA. You wont often find me on the west side of 405, but for one of the best lunch specials in the city you might from time to time. Saijo has some handrolls that exceed the likes of Kazu with the freshness of the fish, but even more the size is about double the protein than that of Kazu. My favorite here is the specialty with the blue crab, seared salmon, and shrimp. Its a flavor bomb for sure . Also love the scallop handroll! The lowkey thing about this place is they offer Yakitori, and its shockingly and possibly the best on the west side. Everything is grilled proper and their Tare sauce is the king here. Service is always on point and quick, and the vibes are definitely neighborhood vibes. Check this place out, come for the handrolls, but also stay for the yakitori. This is my top spot on the west side for both handrolls and yakitori. read more

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My current favorite Japanese restaurant. I've never been to a place that serves both meat skewers and sushi. If you come here for lunch, it's cheaper, but they're only open from 12:00-2:30 and then again for dinner from 5:10 (closed on Mondays) . The yellowtail sashimi is insanely good, and so are the beef skewers. Not only is everything I've tried delicious, but even the things I wouldn't usually order have been good. I like the sushi chefs a lot, and all the food comes out very quickly. It's a nice place to eat by yourself or with a friend. When I first saw a specialty tuna on ice in the middle of the room, I was impressed! read more

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Saijo specializes in handrolls and kushiyaki, and both are delicious! I came for a special tasting night with the Franki Social App, so the meal we had was a preset one. The sushi bites and handrolls were so delicious and flavorful! The fish was literally melt-in-your-mouth! My personal favorite was the ahi tuna sushi bite, but everything was so good! The kushiyaki is also very good - I tried the chicken thigh and the chicken meatball and both were great. The chicken thigh was my favorite of the two since it was so flavorful and so juicy and tender! The cucumber salad was nice and fresh as well, but in my opinion it was just a bit too salty for my taste. Service was really efficient all night and they were all so nice! Parking is also available on the second floor of the building. Otherwise parking in the neighborhood can be a little tricky. read more

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Tried the 2x2 set and addrd couple other things. * 2x2 Set: * Edamame + Miso Soup * Handrolls: Bluefin Toro*, Salmon* * Kushiyaki: Negima (chicken thigh with green onion), Tsukune (chicken meatballs) * Appetizer: Salmon Sashimi * Signature One Bite Hand Roll: Blue Crab, Shrimp, Salmon Belly * One Bite Uni Handroll (Saijo Special) The sashimi was fresh, the handrolls were tightly made and flavorful, and everything came out super fast. The quality-to-price ratio was great, especially for how premium the ingredients were. Also loved how clean and calm the space was, great for casual dates or a quick lunch/ dinner. Service was fast and friendly! Definitely coming back read more

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It's a small place with bar seats by only so get there early to grab a seat quick or you might be waiting a bit. Love the semi open kitchen concept. The rolls are being made fresh to order and handed directly to you. The tasting menu is always good and fills you up. By the end I was so full. Love the combination of fresh seafood and hand rolls with cooked skewers. There's something for even your non sushi/seafood loving person. They have smaller tasting menus available and it's well priced. read more

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Went back for some Sunday dinner eats. Wasn't busy at all - no wait. Had a few different hand rolls and skewers. Was pretty good, as usual. Would come back again! read more

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When you can't decide between handrolls and kushiyaki so you get both! Saijo is the newest handroll bar in Culver City! We got the 2x2 set, which came with a bluefin toro and salmon handroll, along with a tsukune skewer and chicken thigh with green onion skewer. If you're hungrier, then I definitely recommended getting their 4x4 set, which also comes with edamame and miso soup. They have small sashimi plates too and we got their salmon which was super fresh and topped with truffle. The A5 Wagyu skewer was cooked perfectly and it melts in your mouth with how tender it is. It's a great handroll concept that includes kushiyaki which most other places don't have, so if you're craving fish and meat then this is the place to go! The quality of the nori was great since it stayed crispy when you ate it, and the pace of your meal is pretty speedy as well. They have some options for beer and sake to pair with your meal, and overall it was a great quick bite to eat. read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - IG @snacks_with_steph - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Was craving some hand rolls so me and bf called at 12 pm and they had walk-in availability until 2:30 pm. We got seated immediately and service was fast. It was a nice and clean little spot with a special lunch menu and hand roll combos. We tried the 3x3 for $34 which came with 3 hand rolls and 3 appetizers. The salmon and blue fin tuna hand roll had a fresh crispy nori but I felt was lacking on the fish. The blue crab hand roll had a piece of shell inside which I was not too pleased about :( . I did enjoy their complimentary miso soup and edamame appetizers. The 3x3 also included chicken meatball, chicken thigh with green onion, and shrimp garlic butter soy. These were all tasty and flavorful! My fav was their perfectly cooked, juicy shrimps. A very filling order, perfect if you're really hungry. TLDR; hand rolls were lacking in fish, but pretty fresh. Found a shell in my hand roll :( 3x3 is a bit pricey but good variety of appetizers and yummy shrimp. read more

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Saijo was recommended to me as a contender for top handroll bar in SoCal. This is a big deal because I think many people can agree that that accolade goes to KazuNori. Unfortunately, I don't think that Saijo usurps the throne for best handroll bar, but it is a great meal.  I got the 4x4 Taste of Saijo meal, which features miso soup, edamame, 4 handrolls, and 4 skewers. It's a lot of food or $44. I would recommend this set you can try a wide variety of what they have to offer. Saijo's handrolls are good. The fish is fresh and the rice is nicely seasoned. When I dined on a Tuesday evening, they had a large tuna carcass in the middle of the bar to display the freshness of their fish. I appreciated it, and it was cool to see. I wish I would've gone a little bit earlier in the day to be able to see them butcher it. I think what lets their handrolls down really is the seaweed. It's very chewy and difficult to bite through, compared to KazuNori's flaky, roasted seaweed sheets. The best part of the meal is when the skewers start coming out. The pacing of this meal is a bit clunky, like sometimes handrolls and skewers come at the same time, or maybe you'll get all three handrolls before your next skewer. The service is really fast, almost too fast. Either way, eat your skewers first. They are delicious and they're best when they're hot and fresh off of the grill. The seaweed on the handroll is going to be chewy no matter what, so you can let those sit for a minute. The skewers really are the best part of the meal. My favorite was definitely the shrimp skewever. It was plump, succulent, smoky, and really meaty. The maitake mushroom, and chicken skewers were good too. Saijo is a great meal, I would recommend it for a date night. It's not the best handrolls around, but the skewers definitely elevate the experience to make it memorable. Parking is available on the street nearby, which is really difficult, so be prepared to walk. read more

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Seriously wishing SALMON told me about @saijohandroll earlier! This hidden gem hand roll bar and kushiyaki serves up incredibly fresh sushi hand rolls, sashimi and nigiri, which are prepared and served up fresh to order by their sushi chef as you're seated at the round table sushi bar. Their hand rolls are a bit more similar in concept to Kazunori, with simple flavors and garnishes that retain the focus on the incredible quality of the fish and the preparation of the sushi rice. Arguably even more impressive are their perfectly grilled skewers, which include chicken, beef (and wagyu), seafood and vegetarian options, and literally remind me of the ones I've had in Japan. Highly recommend ordering their 2x2, 3x3 or 4x4 sets, which include both selected hand rolls and skewers. If you're in the Culver City area, this hidden gem, authentic Japanese restaurant is definitely worth a visit! Featured here: salmon sashimi 2x2 set: bluefin toro handroll, salmon handroll, negima (chicken thigh and green onion), tsukune (chicken meatball) signature handroll: blue crab, shrimp, salmon belly sweet shrimp hand roll read more

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Only has bar seating - similar to Kazunori. It was raining on a Friday night and we had to wait ~35 minutes for 3 of us to be seated. Had to find street parking and neighborhood around it has permitted parking; we parked around the corner in grocery store parking lot and walked. We opted to order à la carte vs the set menus. You check what you want on a piece of paper and give it to the waitress. Flavors were great and the crispy toasted seaweed for the hand rolls were good. I especially liked the yellow tail "one bite" hand roll with truffle on top - it's basically a nigiri sushi wrapped in seaweed like a little taco. It was a little overwhelming because yakitori and hand rolls would come out simultaneously and very quickly. Luckily I eat quickly and was able to keep up, my friends had a hard time doing so - their hand rolls would get soggy. Host was friendly and waitress was very attentive. I will definitely be back! read more

In a world of hand rolls + kushiyaki, a place like Saijo has to compete with the likes of Kazunori. Luckily in our world, we get to have both exist in the same timeline. Tucked away in the suburban part of Culver City, nestled next door to the likes of Broken Spanish, Hatchet Hall & Sunny Blue, Saijo delivers some of the best bites in the city. The bar design is adjacent to a Kazunori: Clean lines, fixed high stools, and light wood. The server was knowledgeable and ready to share her favorite dishes. It's rare to dine at a place where every bite hits. The flavors are subtle and light. The Hand rolls are perfect, the Kushiyaki is simple yet sophisticated. Splurge for the omakase. Try every part of the chicken as they honor the sacrifice of the animal by presenting its parts in a beautiful and delicious way. 10/10 no notes. read more

I came here with my friend for dinner on a Tuesday. We had a reservation and were seared immediately. I've been on a mission of trying different handroll spots around LA and was super excited that Saijo opened up. The interior is typical of a handroll bar, with limited seating at the bar. But that's what makes it feel special and more intimate. I ordered the 2x2 which is two handrolls (bluefin toro and salmon) and two kushiyaki (negima and tsukune), served with edamame and miso soup. I also added on the signature handroll and the two specials, which were uni and nakaochi. The miso soup and edamame were great to start off the meal. Bluefin toro is always yummy, and it came with a mini salad. 8/10. The salmon handroll was reminiscent of the one from Kazunori. The texture of the fish was really nice. 8.5/10. The Negima kushiyaki is a skewer with chicken thigh and green onions. Super flavorful and tender. 9/10. The Tsukune was chicken meatballs and was also very delicious. They definitely know how to cook their skewers. 9/10. The Signature handroll consists of blue crab, shrimp, and salmon belly. Such a good combination - no wonder it's the signature. Lovely textures and flavors all together. 9/10. The Uni handroll and Nakaochi handroll were also delicious. I've had better uni that tasted more fresh and briney but it was still good. 8/10. They also scraped the nakaochi right in front of us, which was fun. 8.5/10. I'm usually not a stickler about service but our server was very forgetful. We had to ask for our diet cokes after we already mostly finished our first round of food because she forgot to bring them. I also asked for a straw twice. And then we had to ask about the specials that we ordered because we had finished eating everything else for a while, and it turns out she forgot to put the order in the system. She was also extremely soft spoken and it was hard to hear her answers when we asked questions about the menu. However, I understand that they had just opened so maybe some of the staff was still training. Just something to be aware of. Overall, a lovely dinner and the food was very good. Great quality fish. It's pretty good if you're craving handrolls with options for specialty meat skewers, but I would still pick Kazunori or Iki Nori as a go to over Saijo. I would recommend this place if you like trying different handroll spots though! It's fun to sit at the bar and the food is delicious! read more

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Pretty good! I like that they have other offerings here (yakitori, miso soup, etc) but I'm only speaking on the hand rolls as that's all I tried during my visit. It's in a busy area next to Trader Joe's in Culver City and you can park in the lot. I don't think they validate from my memory. If we're talking only about the hand rolls, they're great but I still prefer Kazunori. The sushi rice here didn't have enough rice vinegar for me. Again, it's still great and if you're going with someone who doesn't like hand rolls this would be a great option. Service was prompt and polite and we didn't feel rushed on a weekday lunch. I like that it's brighter and bigger here. Cute spot for a bite! read more

DELISH. Better than Kazunori (I have never been to Kazunori but there isn't a huge wait here so)!! The cucumber salad is a must. I love that their omakase style chefs choice comes in three different sizes and includes both hand rolls and skewers. The chicken meatball was a surprise in the best way, so juicy, tender, and full of flavor. The chicken thighs and green onion were also standouts. read more

Saijo is located in a kind of random area of Culver City. I actually only knew about this place because I won an Instagram giveaway from their sister restaurant in Honolulu. So on my next visit to LA, I convinced my parents to journey to Culver's city to try saijo with me. Good thing it's close to LAX. First thing: parking. I believe this place is street parking only. We managed to find a spot on a Sunday afternoon around lunch time, but the curbs are so tall. Our rental car doors wouldn't clear the curb! Crazy. The outside is kind of ordinary, but the inside is nice. It's basically just a large bar and there are only bar seats. Sunday for lunch was kind of empty, only a couple other two or threesomes were dining and there are probably 20-25 seats. This place is known for hand rolls and kushikatsu. I'm not really a fan of kushikatsu, so I was definitely going to try the rolls. One guy was making all the hand rolls kind of in the middle of all the counter seating for everyone to see. The kushikatsu comes from the kitchen in the back and there were two girls who took orders, brought miso soup and like helped bus tables. I ordered their lunch special. They have a handroll special where you can get 3, 4 or 5 hand rolls with miso soup. I think the 5 hand rolls with miso soup was $24. Not bad I guess. Definitely not bad when you compare it to the regular prices for hand rolls if you order individually. I tried the blue crab, scallop, salmon, shrimp and spicy ahi. Everything was good and I was surprisingly very full by the end of lunch. I guess in my head 5 little rolls seem like not enough. But they were pretty hefty rolls. I liked the bag scallops the best. Bay scallops at sushi places scare me sometimes because there was like a hep outbreak in Honolulu from people eating bay scallops from a popular sushi place, but saijo is fancy and would never. I also liked the blue crab. The spicy ahi and salmon were good, nothing to rave about. And the shrimp was my least favorite. I thought it would be raw shrimp or maybe like tempura shrimp? But it was made with the boiled shrimp used for nigiri. The rolls came quickly, but not overwhelmingly quickly. They messed up on one of the rolls by serving me a roll that my mom ordered. Usually this wouldn't be an issue, but since the rolls are placed in front of each person (instead of like on a communal table), and because it's hard to see what's inside the roll, it was kind of a bad mistake. If this had happened with not my family, I think I would have been more upset for like touching another persons roll. Anyway, it was a pretty solid experience overall. Hand rolls are so cool nowadays haha. My parents enjoyed their rolls and the $50 gift card really sweetened the meal. read more

Absolutely fantastic came for dinner the place is very casual but also elegant. Very friendly workers food was absolutely delicious. Also tried their beer which was good. I had the two hand rolls with a chicken thigh and chicken meatball skewer. Their miso soup was so good as well. Sitting wise it's sort of like a bar and the guy was making the hand rolls in front of us. read more

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My husband and I came here on a Thursday night in November for a casual dinner. I found this restaurant while browsing Yelp randomly and was happy I came in the end. Saijo is located on a street in Culver City near other popular restaurants like Hatchet Hall. We were able to find neighborhood parking a short stroll from the restaurant. A staff member greeted us immediately when we walked in and seated us at two stools around the counter. The ambiance here is chic with a dark interior. They have a wrap-around high-top counter in the center of the restaurant, and the chefs are in the center of this making the sushi. When it comes to hand roll bars, Saijo is unique because it offers yakitori alongside hand rolls. They have a number of set menus designed for people who want to try both, but you can also order a la carte. On this occasion, I tried the 2 x 2, which consisted of two skewers and two hand rolls. It was the perfect amount of food. There are also set menu options with more food, 3 x 3, 4 x 4, depending on your appetite. Both my skewers were perfectly tender and flavorsome. The sushi was also fresh. Our server was very attentive and welcoming. She explained the menu to us as it was our first time and checked in on us continuously throughout the night. Would highly recommend and will be back. read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I'm so glad that Saijo is just a short drive from work, because the lunch specials here are a STEAL. Seating is all bar seating (think Kazunori) but they also serve yakitori as well! The lines for dinner can be pretty long, but from our experience, the service and food comes out pretty quickly. I ordered a 5 handroll set along with 3 skewers al e carte, since it was cheaper that way due to the handroll specials for lunch. The biggest standouts to me were their signature handroll, blue crab handroll, the shrimp skewers, and the chicken thigh skewers. The seaweed they use for their rolls are roasted beforehand so they're perfectly crisp, and the yakitori skewers all have a pleasant aromaric charcoal smell while still perfectly juicy. Highly recommend, and will definitely be back in the near future! NOTE: Parking in the back is intended for employees only, but there is metered street parking out front. read more

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Saw this place on tiktok and wanted to check it out! I saw the big tuna fish online, and was happy to see it in person, haha. There's only bar seating, and they have so many workers to provide good service. They have good deals on their combos. I ordered the 2x2 which comes with miso soup, edamame, 2 handrolls, and 2 chicken skewers for $24. The food came right away, almost too soon, as the handroll came when I still had the miso soup and edamame. Wish it came out a little after because you are supposed to eat the handrolls fresh. The seaweed was flavored, which is not my fav either, and some of the fish wasn't my fav in quality. The skewers came out really hot and some of my favorites include the meatball and the beef. Overall, this is a good place for handrolls if you also want to get some other hot food as well! Would come back for their combos! Even cheaper at lunch! read more

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saijo is the best spot for a good lunch deal, which they offer everyday, including weekends! they offer 3-5 hand rolls + a miso soup for $16-24. i've only been here for lunch, and i've never had to wait long for a seat. it's only bar seating, so it's not the best spot for a large group. parking is relatively easy, with a bunch of street parking nearby. food is served very quickly! they also offer a good selection of kushiyaki. - miso soup (5/5): so yummy! it was salty and light. i enjoyed the small bits of tofu and seaweed, and there were no green onions, which i actually liked - salmon hand roll (4.5/5): this was one of my favorites! the salmon was so soft and melted in my mouth. i thought the salmon had the most flavor compared to the other hand rolls with just plain fish - albacore hand roll (4/5): the albacore was also really soft but had a little less flavor than the salmon. i thought it was relatively plain - bluefin toro hand roll (3/5): the actual toro was good and so soft, but i was actually a little bit disappointed because i thought it was bland. i had to use soy sauce with this - spicy tuna hand roll (5/5): i thought this was very good and definitely had a kick! it was spicier than other spicy tuna mixes i've tried. i'm not usually the biggest fan of spicy tuna, but i liked this one because it had a lot of flavor - bay scallop hand roll (4/5): i tried this multiple on visits, and sometimes the mayo flavor was perfect, but other times it was just too subtle. the scallops were very soft, but i preferred other scallop hand rolls because of the consistency in flavor. the savory and creamy flavor really blended well when the seasoning was perfect. the small bits of green onion contributed to the flavor too - blue crab hand roll (4/5): it was supposed to be served cold, but i thought it was colder than usual. i liked that the crab was mixed in with mayo because it was one of the most flavorful rolls. the crab itself had a strong flavor - signature hand roll (4.5/5): this came with blue crab, shrimp, and salmon belly. i thought this one was tasty, even without a lot of seasoning, which was probably due to the variety in seafood. the blue crab definitely overpowered the other two, but they did add good textures. i also liked the addition of cucumber, which added some freshness. this one was bigger than the other hand rolls - chicken gizzard kushiyaki (4/5): the gizzard was just salted, so i wanted more depth of flavor. i loved the texture though! it wasn't too tough and crunchy for gizzards - pork chashu kushiyaki (4.5/5): minus points for consistency. the first time i tried this, i thought it could've been more tender, especially because it was thicker cut. it was a little dry. the second time i tried it, the pork was literally melting in my mouth. it would be a 5/5 if it could taste like that all the time! the marinade had some wasabi flavor mixed in with a sweet glaze, which was just delicious - a5 miyazaki wagyu kushiyaki (3/5): good savory flavor, but the beef was pretty chewy, even though it was cooked well. there was a pea-sized amount of a wasabi-based sauce on top, but it wasn't too strong. i was pretty disappointed by the texture, especially because this skewer was so expensive compared to the others the hand rolls at saijo are relatively big compared to other hand roll bars, so i can order less to feel full. the rice is good and moist, although i think that there's slightly too much rice compared to fish. i love that the nori stays crispy for most of the rolls, instead of getting chewy after the first bite. this really makes saijo stand out! although i enjoyed my experiences, i don't think that this is the best hand roll bar i've tried in terms of flavor, but i would definitely come back for the lunch deals. read more

My sister and husband came here for dinner and I was honestly not impressed. Overall, the seafood quality was good but I found that the hand rolls lacked flavor. They weren't anything special and I feel like there are much better sushi/hand roll places in LA. read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Ordered the Bento Box B and was pretty happy with it but not sure if I would come back since there's plenty of better handroll/sushi bento boxes around the area for the same price, quality & more fish. I wasn't sure what was in the bento box since the online ordering site doesn't mention details but I wish it did. Half of the cut rolls were just cucumber and rice which was a bit of a disappointment. However, the sushi was fresh and the two hand rolls were solid. read more

Saijo - Los Angeles - Culver City - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I was curious about this place, so I came with my friend for lunch. Upon entrance, it is a hand roll bar vibe. It's bar seating with walk-ins only. It's a casual hand roll & kushiyaki bar. It feels exactly like KazuNori, but the quality is better, and they have kushiyaki. They will give you an order sheet with a small pencil to order. Their special lunch menu is a good deal for your choice of 3-5 hand rolls with miso soup in a discounted price. I ordered the blue fin toro ($2 surcharge), bay scallop, and blue crab hand rolls. I liked the scallop. The blue crab had a bit of the shell. I also ordered negima, chicken wings, and potato with butter kushiyaki. They were ok. Hand rolls and kushiyaki are nice and interesting combination. You can park at the meters or side streets (follow signs for parking restrictions). read more

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Definitely adding Saijo to my rotation! Came by around 5:15 on a Tuesday night. There were a couple other parties eating as well. Since we came at an off time, we easily snagged street parking right in front. We got the 3 x 3, which I think is the perfect amount of food. The rolls were good, but I think the standouts were the skewers. For those that have never had yakitori, a set like this is perfect for trying something new. Service was also super quick! Overall really impressed. It would be nice if there were hooks under the table for you to hang bags/jackets. Will be back! read more

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