Its not easy giving all full 5 star review. I looove this spot. Not a conventional Izakaya, they…read moredont have many small side dishes, but thats not why I come here. I come here for the Yakitori. Errmugurrd hands down my fav dedicated yakitori place. The charcoal grilled sweetness smacks you in the face as soon as you walk in. If its your first time, its like sushi for chicken grilled skewers. The best parts are the unconventional chicken parts you dont usually eat. Chicken, heart, liver, gizzards, all of that so good. Dont forget the chicken meatballs, and some pork belly omgaawd. I prefer this place over newer trendier spots, ha smore character i guess. Service has always been good. Usually plenty of parking.

The hearts are super tender! Order:…read moreHearts Liver Special shiro (special pork intestines, really good if you like intestines!) Shishamo (on the special menu) Ika yaki (think of like a deconstructed takoyaki without the carbs) Chicken meatball Chicken thigh Gizzard was also very good Duck Cartilage Chicken oyster Beef tongue (only alright compared to other spots) Pork belly with shiso Tail Everything was super tender! Would come again! Heart, gizzard and special shiro we ordered more of! Food was so good that I didn't take any pictures haha

We have been here several times and it has always been a great experience all around! Service was…read morefriendly, helpful and attentive. The food was excellent. They brought out a kids serving set for my daughter, which was a really convenient and nice amenity. We had a wonderful time, and will be back again!

everything tastes delectable, service is so smooth, ambiance is so adorable and everything is…read moreappealing

I'm already a fan of INI, RōL, NEP, and VOX - so I was really excited to try KIN for the first…read moretime! I had the following: -Beef Belly Udon: 4.8/5 - generous serving & absolutely satisfying, broth was well balanced, udon was delightfully springy! Salmon Crudo(truffle): 4.5/5 one of the better Crudos in the area Yuzu Fizz: 5/5 bright and refreshing! Another great meal by KEI Concepts! Looking forward to my next visit!

I come here often for the late night happy hour since it makes their main ramen bowls are pretty…read moreaffordable. I usually get the tom Yum Ramen, in the flavor is actually very unique. I haven't tried a broth like this anywhere else in OC. The only other place I've had a similar Broth was actually in Japan. Ramen bowls also have unlimited noodle refills. Service is usually pretty good and can be pretty accommodating for larger groups. Ambience is very modern and clean inside with a pretty large dining room room. Ample parking in the plaza is available.

You've probably read all the articles online about this place and all the reviews on here, so I'm…read morejust going to confirm that this place is indeed very good as they say. Definitely go for the nabe, and if you're here with several friends and family, the family course/set meal (which is what we got for 4 adults) is perfectly enough food for everyone. We added on the tongue as an a la carte because it wasn't part of the set and wanted to try it. Very good as well. Good service and very izakaya interior.

Loved my time at Izakaya Hachi. Went here with a couple amazing friends and my daughter for an…read moreearly dinner. A friend and I shared a pitcher of beer and a couple hot sakes. The drinks and food as well as the setting of the restaurant gives ultra chill vibes - one of the better izakayas I've been to re drinks and food variety and quality. They have some premium wines here too, including Opus One and Kenzo. What would have made this a top notch experience would be once of those semi-private booths with the lower seating that some places have, but this felt like some places we've been to in Japan as well. The only thing I didn't love was that I spent around $400 here (LOL), but we all had a great time so that was fine. Food-wise, we tried the following - Gobo Chips - a friend recommended these to us. He said eating these when drinking will prevent hangovers, headaches, any negative effects, etc. I thought it was cap, but all that beer and sake, I felt great the rest of the evening and morning despite just a few hours of sleep. Large serving of these chips, nicely seasoned, thin sliced, great texture. Even my daughter enjoyed these. Uni & US Wagyu Beef Sashimi - how decadent! Very flavorful. A bit too much sauce for me, but otherwise good. Salmon Truffle Carpaccio - this was one of my fave small plates. Fresh sashimi with ikura. YUM!! Chicken & Green Onion Skewers - Pretty good chicken. My daughter even ate the onions without realizing. Amazing. Chicken Karaage - the daughter's favorite! Goes very well with the beer too. Assorted Tempura - nice assortment of shrimp and veggies, with the tempura dipping sauce. Ribeye Ponzu Steak - beautifully cooked and flavorful. We started with the above, and the food came at various times, but the waits weren't long so we appreciated that. We were still hungry, so we ordered some more stuff - Premium Sashimi - min of 2 orders so we did that. It was good, but I expected a lot more for premium sashimi. It looked more of a single portion, but beautifully presented. Chazuke - we got some for us all - both salmon and mentaiko. Best dish to end a meal at an izakaya. Warm dashi with the riceball in there, seaweed, topped with either the salmon or mentaiko. Subtle flavors, but really delicious. We then looked at a dessert menu and decided to go elsewhere for some sweets. Would def come back to try their pressed sushi, and if we weren't all picky eaters, we'd try their set meal as well.

First, the ambience is very trendy and resembles a Tokyo alleyway. You order your food via screens…read moreon each table. Service is very fast and food is typical Japanese cuisine. The sushi rolls, cucumber salad were great. The regular dinner salad was ok. Ramen and other dishes were good. They have privacy curtains in each booth which adds a nice touch. The overall experience is good but i would have like the wow factor to extend towards the cuisine.

I Lost a Game of Reflexes, but Won at Dinner Despite living…read morea 5 minute drive away from here since the dawn of time, we somehow missed this absolute gem of an Izakaya (first timers trying it). We walked in right on time for our reservation (because we're adults who respect the space-time continuum) and were ushered into a booth with "privatey" curtains. I'm not saying they'd hide you from the FBI, but they certainly provided enough cover for us to giggle and navigate stupidly through the menu. You can also order directly to a friendly human too. The atmosphere is colorful, lively, unstuffy, and private enough to enjoy good convo but not awko quiet. You order everything via an iPad, which is dangerous because when pictures of gyoza are staring you in the face, your impulse control vanishes. We ordered "a little bit of everything," which is code for "the table was structurally compromised by the weight of our dinner." * The Highlights: The pickled cucumbers (crisp enough to hear in the next county), the pork bowl, and sushi that actually tasted like it came from the ocean. The Fluids: Cold Asahi and Lemon Chu-His. Highly recommended if you enjoy being happy. The Verdict This spot is a unicorn--it works for kids, first dates, or "290th dates" where you both just want to stare at an iPad and eat kimchi in a tent. The Heartbreak They have a "10-Second Hit It" game at the front door where you can win a free meal. We were this close. We didn't win, but we're definitely going back to seek revenge.

It was super good quality food and it tasted amazing! service was a little slow but wasn't a big…read moreproblem it was fairly busy that night

Izakaya Osen is the best spot in OC for sushi and elevated Japanese cuisine! Their service and…read morefreshness of their food is absolutely UNMATCHED. The prime beef skewers are so tender and their nigiri is DELICIOUS. But the BEST ITEM IS THEIR TORO! They also validate parking and have a giant covered lot in a structure with lots of spaces. Great for casual lunch or occasion celebrations!

The best yakitori spots in the southbay, prices are a little bit on the higher side compared to the…read moresurrounding yakitori but oh so worth the it. The inside is very sleek modern dinning vibe. They have bar and tables seats. The menu is very vast and have all the yakitori staples. I've eaten most items on their menu and each one is incredible and juicy. The smokiness is tastefully done and isnt over powering. The atmosphere is very upscale for a yakitori restaurant so a nice place for dates or a birthday. This is one of the restaurants I always recommend if someone is asking about good places to eat in the southbay!

I'm genuinely confused by the 4.4/5 rating because my experience was nowhere near that level…read more The one bright star is for the lone server, who did an impressive job managing the entire floor by herself and staying helpful throughout the meal. Unfortunately, the food told a very different story. We ordered a wide variety of yakitori since the glowing reviews repeatedly highlighted it as the restaurant's specialty. Instead, what arrived was surprisingly inconsistent. Nearly every skewer had a heavily charred exterior that crossed the line from smoky to bitter. Good yakitori should showcase careful grilling that enhances the ingredients, not mask them with burnt flavors. The proteins themselves didn't taste particularly fresh, and the seasoning was all over the place. Some skewers were so lightly seasoned they tasted unfinished, while others were aggressively salty. Consistency is one of the fundamentals of good yakitori and it was noticeably lacking here. Having visited plenty of izakayas and eaten more than my fair share of yakitori, I'm not claiming Michelin-level expectations. I simply know the difference between properly grilled, well-balanced skewers and ones that miss the mark. Based on this visit, the food was below average and failed to live up to the hype. With the volume of positive reviews, I expected a memorable yakitori experience. Instead, I left wondering if I had visited the same restaurant everyone else was raving about.

I spent my Father's Day celebration here with my family, and it was an amazing experience. The food…read morewas outstanding, the service was exceptional, and there was truly something on the menu for everyone. The staff was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive, which made our celebration even more enjoyable. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. It's not always easy to find a restaurant that can satisfy everyone's tastes, but Dash Dashi Sushi did exactly that. I will definitely be back. This has already become one of my favorite sushi spots in the South Bay. Highly recommend!

The ultimate celebration spot!…read more ​What an absolutely insane weekend for sports! With the USA getting a massive FIFA win, my New York Knicks finally taking home the NBA Finals Championship, and the Carolina Hurricanes defeating the Vegas Knights for the Stanley Cup, my friends and I needed a top-tier spot to celebrate. There was no question we were heading straight to Dash Dashi in Manhattan Beach. ​Located right near the pier on Manhattan Ave, Dash Dashi perfectly blends that laid-back South Bay coastal energy with incredibly refined sushi. We walked in buzzing from the games, and the staff matched our energy perfectly. The service here is always attentive and friendly. ​We kicked off the celebration with a round of their premium chilled sake and an order of their spicy garlic edamame. Do yourself a favor and do not skip the edamame--the hot spice blend is dangerously addictive and pairs perfectly with the sake. ​But let's talk about the main event. If you follow my channel, you already know I come here for one specific reason: the off-menu "KG Roll." The chefs know exactly how to make this custom signature roll for me, and it is a masterpiece every single time. The fish is insanely fresh and buttery, and it has the exact right balance of heat and crunch. Seriously, ask the chef if they can whip up the Kristina Farberman special (the KG Roll)--you will not regret it! ​Whether you're celebrating a historic weekend of sports sweeps or just looking for some of the best sushi in the South Bay, Dash Dashi never misses. Highly recommend! ​-- Kristina Farberman