Since a friend recommended Takuma earlier this year, I've become a regular and have even brought other folks here so they can experience this lovely and delicious izakaya. The menu has a lot of great options, including to-go bento boxes, lunch specials, sushi, sashimi, and lots of Japanese favorites. My main favorite, though, is the Sukiyaki, which cooks some beef and veggies in a flavorful broth. You get to watch it cook in a flaming pot! Just an overall fun and delicious. Another favorite is the torched mackerel, which they torch in front of you! So fun and a very nice appetizer. The service is also quick and excellent and nice. read more

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takuma is the owner and chef and he was so accommodating and kind. it was lovely to know that my server was the also the chef. i got the soboro gohan which was hearty and filling and great for lunch. would definitely return and try their other dishes! they have a really varied and unique menu. read more

Takuma - Soboro Gohan - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've dined at Takuma in person, but their standout in my opinion is their bento boxes, which I always order off delivery apps! It's hard to find a truly authentic Japanese bento box, but Takuma does it SO well, with lots of delicious protein options ranging from sashimi, tempura, teriyaki/sukiyaki beef, tonkatsu, and more! Their bento boxes are HUGE in portion, and always come with sushi-quality rice topped with ume salt and a selection of side dishes such as salad, gobo, black seaweed, potato salad, and pickled radish. They're also packaged VERY well for transport, and are easy and still tasty after reheating. Highly recommend checking them out if you see them on delivery apps such as UberEats and Postmates for some of the BEST authentic Japanese bentos I've had in the US! read more

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The restaurant operates within familiar expectations but subtly shifts them. Traditional elements are preserved, yet the overall experience feels slightly reinterpreted. It exists between recognition and reinterpretation. read more

Delicious and quality all in one perfectly assembled bento. I've ordered from Takuma for years and find that their level of care in putting together their dishes has always been so high, with each part of it adding a great deal of flavors and balance that will leave you satisfied and full in the best way! I've ordered both their beef and also pork katsu boxes, each time consistent with preparation. It's always so great to know that you will be getting such high levels of service and quality from this wonderful establishment! While I haven't dined in the restaurant yet, I look forward to visiting their place soon, looks like a fun and casual spot off of Wilshire! read more

Takuma - Tonkatsu bento box - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Walked into the restaurant for lunch and a mother and son were the only customers and thought oh-oh. The one person in charge was very nice and friendly. There was one take out order I picked this restaurant because of high reviews and the bento boxes. Menus arrive, no bento boxes. They are for take out only. I ordered a crab roll and chicken skewer. Roll was unremarkable and the chicken was very good, the best thing we ordered. My husband had the salmon dinner with potato salad, rice, miso soup and 2 Japanese dishes I didn't know but didn't like at all. In fact the whole plate was meh! This whole experience is so very different from some of the excellent reviews, I feel I'm in an alternate universe! read more

Portions are TINY. Even the Tonkatsu dipping sauce packet is so small. It was barely enough for one cutlet and those were small. The pork is paper thin (see photo). All you can taste is the panko. Incredibly underwhelming for $25. read more

Takuma - Tonkatsu - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

It's a cozy place with friendly service and authentic Japanese food. When the staff and patrons are speaking Japanese, that's a good sign! A significant variety of sake and not too crowded. read more

Takuma - Sushi roll and sweet potato croquette - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've ordered twice from here via DoorDash and was pleased both times. I ordered the mixed sashimi bento and miso salmon bento, adding miso soup both times. My husband ordered the pork cutlet. He said the cutlet was basically tasteless, but thought the curry was tasty and he's not usually a fan of curry! The bentos came beautifully packaged, I was impressed. The quality of the sashimi was good and the miso salmon was cooked perfectly - I just wish the portion was a tad bigger. Also, the miso doesn't contain seaweed or tofu which was disappointing to me, there was a type of thinly sliced radish. All the sides were great! We'll be ordering again! read more

Takuma - Mixed sashimi bento - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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The hunt for Japanese ekiben continues, and I will seize any opportunity I can when I spot a bento box place that offers a unique mix of dishes, all plated together. Takuma did not disappoint, and I would go back there in a heartbeat! I actually placed an order through DoorDash from this place and was surprised by the amount of food they crammed into the little bento box container. You got your rice, your salad, potato salad, egg, various pickled veggies, and your main meat dish. I had so much fun eating this! read more

A group of 5 dropped by for dinner on a Friday night and they were able to accommodate us right away. Food and service were really good and there's enough variety to accommodate kids' palates. Highlights of the meal were the "blow torched" mackerel and garlic shrimp noodles. The mackerel wasn't fishy at all and really liked that they seared it table-side. Everything else we ordered was good too, including handrails, sunomono, eggplant, tofu, okonomiyaki, etc. Restaurant ambiance is nice, clean, and cozy and appreciated it wasn't loud so you can actually have conversations. If in the area, would definitely drop by again. read more

Takuma is an izakaya and sake restaurant that specializes in Japanese cuisine. The decor has been updated and is very clean and orderly. We enjoyed a late lunch here before the dinner crowd emerged. Our server was very congenial and prompt with any needs. Starting with an appetizer of their Crab Cream Dip with buttered baguette slices, the dip was rich and very flavorful. We moved on to our main selections of sushi handrolls, which lacked imagination and quantity of fillings. The Ribeye Steak with Onion Sauce arrived sizzling on a platter with brussel sprouts and bell pepper. It was quite good yet a little too well done for my taste. The Garlic Sōmen Noodles with Shrimp was the highlight of the meal. It was perfectly prepared and presented. Takuma is a pleasant establishment for a nice lunch, a gathering of friends, or a date night. read more

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A must try Izakaya in the area!! Made a reservation on Yelp for the same day (Friday) at 7:45 pm. We were seated immediately. There were a few other tables open so I think we wouldn't have had to wait regardless but not sure if they typically get very busy. The restaurant itself is on the smaller end though so I can see needing a reservation if you have a larger party for a weekend. We were able to find street parking easily. The service was great! Super nice staff who spoke Japanese. The restaurant itself was very calming (not a traditional Japanese Izakaya environment but typical of Izakaya's in the US). Everything we ordered was absolutely AMAZING! Having been to many Izakayas and being Japanese, I wanted to order things that were more unique. If you haven't tried Jellyfish before, now is the time! I've had it before but the flavor on this one was unique. It's exactly as described (they use some sweet maybe rice vinegar). The cucumbers are a nice addition and taste good with the jellyfish which is long, thin, and not sure how to describe the texture but it's between not chewy and not crispy (kind of like a softened cucumber). The crab cream with baguette was also delicious! The baguette was soft and flavorful but the main prize is the crab cream (lots of flavor)! Scallop Risotto: haven't had anything like it before!! there were a good amount of scallops in the dish and it was also flavored very well. Mackerel: also delicious!! They blow torch it in front of you and it's so wonderful. It's good with and without soy sauce. The torched adds a nice flavor to the already delicious fish. Keep in mind this is an Izakaya so it's definitely more of a family style place and can get expensive if you go really hungry. I think the prices are standard for LA. read more

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Excellent, creative, and fun menu at this great neighborhood restaurant. We've been going there since it was opened, and it has consistently served high quality food at pretty affordable prices. They serve a variety of cold and hot Japanese dishes, including some vegetarian. Service is good, owner and chef is often at the restaurant. They also serve drinks (though we're not big drinkers). Highly recommned. read more

A gem on Wilshire. We watched a sumo tournament while listening to jazz and then enjoyed small plates. Marinated eggplant, ginger pork karaage (of course), and oshinko pickle were delicious. Not your usual sushi and chicken teriyaki joint and that's part of the joy of coming here. Definitely coming back to try other dishes. read more

All the food we had here was very good! The service was great also! We also had the noodles with chicken and salmon avocado roll. My favorite was the noodles with chickpeas and the spicy tuna dip. We will definitely be back! read more

Takuma - Yuzo honey soda - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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We did take out for the bento boxes (note these are only available for take out) and they were so worth it! They are about $21 and it comes with a lovely variety of vegetables, rice, and then the main entree of your choosing. This was perfect for a take out night when I wanted something well balanced and comforting. Will definitely be ordering again! read more

Takuma - Yakiniku Beef Bento Box x2 - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Food is great, but the miso salmon bento box over promises in the picture... ------------------------------------------- read more

Takuma - Grilled Miso Salmon Bento Box - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This cozy place offered a terrific assortment of izakaya dishes! We got so carried away with eating everything that I ended up forgetting to take pics of all of the dishes. In addition to what is pictured here the four of us also ordered the assorted sashimi, kakuni, zarusoba, miso soup and garlic noodles! Everything was absolutely delicious!! Service was also great - very prompt and timely. We would definitely return! read more

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My Mom and I met my Uncle here for lunch. We were seated right away as the place was pretty empty for a weekday lunch time. Inside they had dark tables and atmosphere, but with modern windows in the front of the restaurant brought in some much needed light into the establishment. Our waiter was soft spoken, but attentive and quick. We all got some hot green tea to drink. For my entree I got the ginger pork. My Mom got the grilled mackerel and my Uncle ordered the katsudon. All our dishes came out close to the same time. My Mom's mackerel dish was really tasty. The skin on the fish was salted and super crispy and the meat was flakey, yet tender. My ginger pork was really good. The sauce went great with the rice and the pork was fatty and flavorful. I really liked the addition of cabbage and mayo to lighten up the dish. My miso soup was good. It had a sort of tuber and carrots in it instead of the usual tofu. The potato salad was good, creamy and light but I wish the salad had some sort of dressing or more mayo because it was a little dry. We ordered the chocolate mouse for dessert. It was a little too sweet for me. Overall we had an enjoyable and tasty lunch here. read more

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Got take out from Takuma and absolutely love the attention to presentation! The Karage Bento Box was delicious, the chicken was still crispy despite the transport time, and the portion size was perfect. read more

Takuma - Karage Bento Box - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Great spot for a chill night out with friends. 5 of us came by on a Sunday night for dinner and were able to snag the last table. The food and drink menus are quite extensive, but they have chalkboards on the walls that list their bestsellers in case you need help deciding what to order. My favorites included the salmon fried rice, blowtorch mackerel, garlic noodles with shrimp, and tuna croquettes. The portions are on the smaller side, but they are perfect for ordering a bunch of dishes and sharing amongst a group. We really wanted to try their homemade panna cotta, but unfortunately it was sold out. Fingers crossed that they have it next time! read more

We ordered via Postmates; the food came in cute boxes and was delivered in about an hour. Spicy Tuna Dip ($13.95): They give 3 white rice cracker squares which wasn't that good. I would rather have the regular crispy rice. The spicy tuna also tasted weird. Hard pass. Kakuni Bento Box ($19.95): This was a rip off. They gave only one piece of pork belly with two large pieces of steamed potatoes. The pork belly was okay - not very flavorful & also a bit dry. Yakiniku Beef Bento Box ($19.95): The beef was way better than the kakuni but the portion was small. Bento Box Sides: The two shredded side dishes were not edible to us. The potato salad was good. The green beans do not go with the salad. read more

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Came for dinner on a weekday evening. FLAVOR (3.8/5): 1. OKONOMIYAKI: The okonomiyaki was slightly sweet and had more of a soft, spongey texture like a pancake. My only experience with okonomiyaki has been Chinchikurin; I liked this one but prefer Chinchikurin for its texture. 2. "BLOW TORCHED" MACKEREL: The mackerel was good! I enjoyed it. 3. JELLYFISH SUNOMONO: I think the sunomono was the star of the night. It was my first time having jellyfish and it had a nice, crunchy texture and soaked up the flavor of the vinegar base well. SERVICE (4/5): Service was good. AMBIENCE (-/5): The interior is nice, but I can't speak on ambience since we were the only ones there on a weekday night. I would imagine it's livelier on weekends. PARKING (4/5): Parking is street and easy to find. TAKEAWAYS: I liked that Takuma wasn't super busy like some places on Sawtelle and parking was easy to find. Food-wise, it's okay but I find it comparable to certain places in Sawtelle (to be fair, I think Sawtelle is overrated except for a few places). read more

Takuma - "BLOW TORCHED" MACKEREL - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Fantastic food, ambiance, and service. The torched saba (mackerel) was so delicious. The brown rice risotto was such a treat. The scallops were cooked perfectly. The brown rice in it gave it great texture. The tako wasa was super fresh and tasty. We will definitely be back! Very happy to have found this place! read more

One of the best lunch deals I've had in Santa Monica! I loved the texture and chewiness of the soba noodles. The set comes with a crab California handroll, fried veggie spring roll, and accoutrements for the soba (green onion, radish, yuzu kosho). Everything was delicious. Service was attentive, but not overbearing - especially considering that we were the only patrons. Street parking is available in front of the restaurant, but we choose to park across Chase under a tree for shade. Will definitely come back again for lunch! read more

Takuma - cold soba lunch set - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Amazing food at amazing prices. Chill spot. Nothing too fancy. Fresh, and authentic. Definitely will dine again :) read more

One of my favorite restaurants for lunch. I always get the grilled mackerel special and it's fantastic. The food is fresh and delicious, and nutritious. Highly recommend. read more

I have come here a couple of times but I have never really had the chance to properly review it!! Good place to hang out for izakaya night, girls night out, date night, or just playing catch up with friends. The ambiance is bright but yellow light that gives the intimate cool-tone vibes. The service is pretty quick! They have variety of comfort japanese izakaya menu and it definitely tastes like homemade! The portion is kinda small and yes, it is kinda pricey. But it is worth it to try! My favorite is their tuna dip with rice cracker ** love the rice cracker !!!!*** We also ordered soba , sukiyaki, agedashi tofu, and dessert! Their dessert menu has so much variety . We love the matcha parfait bowl & hot ocha. read more

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i got their karaage bento box and it was delicious! the kaarage was juicy and flavorful and there was a good portion size. paired with a ramune it is a perfect date night dinner! read more

Takuma - karaage bento box - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Good spot for a chill night out. Not crowded at all mid-week, with lots of variety on the menu. I loved the torched mackerel - you get a good delicious show at a reasonable price! read more

Reminds me of Japan:) I miss it so much, so I will come back. The food is beautifully balanced and delicious. So pretty! The place is decorated thoughtfully too:) staff is super attentive and kind! read more

Takuma - Soba - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Takuma is a cozy, intimate spot that serves an assortment of freshly-caught, diverse, and detailed dishes. A can't go wrong spot for a date night. Everything that we ordered was phenomenal. But I must say, the torched mackerel stole the show. Wow. So fresh, melty, and delicate. And some more kudos for the warm and quick service. So glad that we stopped here tonight! read more

Takuma - So many delicious plates - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This is kind of a little hole in the wall place that we decided to try because we were in the area and felt like eating Japanese food. According to their website, Takuma is named after the chef, who came from Japan and worked his way up in the restaurant industry. They opened 15 minutes late; we were going to leave but saw other people gathering by the door, so we Decided to stay. Glad we did. Their food tasted like home cooked comfort food,really nice dishes. Service was okay, the girl who helped us was sick and wasn't wearing a mask (I don't care if you are healthy and wear one or not but if you are sick with a runny nose, I think it should be on.) Other than that small issue, food was good. Would eat here again. read more

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Really good sashimi lunch special. Pork lunch good too. Best sake on tap in the world

One of The best seafood dishes taste wise and entertaining. You have to get their torched mackerel: yummy and fun to watch them cook/torch it at your table. All, and I mean ALL their other dishes were amazing. The server added to the fun, yet cool ambience in Santa Monica. Very cute place! read more

I ordered the shrimp tempura bento box and a side of egg rolls- beautiful presentation with the box. The shrimp was lightly battered, fried, fresh, delicious! The potato salad was a little bland, the hijiki seaweed salad was flavorful. I am looking forward to dining in the restaurant soon! read more

Takuma - Shrimp tempura bento box - Izakaya Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Service was good and ambience was very nice. Food wise so so. not bad but wasn't blown away. I got the katsu don and it was very rich to the point where the breading was soggy. I liked it but it was overwhelming to the point I couldn't finish it. the hand rolls are kind of small compared to other places I've been. they were also just good. overall liked it but not loved it. read more

Came in on a Thursday for lunch to an empty restaurant. Usually not a good sign but thank God, I was wrong. We ordered various dishes and shared everything. Spicy tuna dip: spicy tuna on light rice crackers. Great start to the meal. Eggplant: cold and refreshing. Good to eat between the other dishes. Yakisoba: egg noodles with sautéed veggies and large shrimp. Albacore tuna salad: thick slices of seared albacore and tuna with veggies and greens. The dressing was like ponzu or light soy sauce and seemed to overpower the salad. This was just okay and wish there was less dressing. Kakuni: 6 hours simmering pork belly. This was really good and I liked the hard boiled egg. Katsuni: egg and pork katsu over rice. My fave of the dishes. We got lucky and found metered street parking right in front of the restaurant. Overall, I enjoyed the meal and will stop by when I'm on the westside again! read more

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Food is decent, interior is clean, and service is good - maybe a little pushy sometimes? I came as a party of two on a Saturday around 5pm so we were only one of maybe 3 other tables in the entire restaurant. We ordered two appetizers and one entree because we weren't very hungry and couldn't agree on what to order to share. It felt like our server was coming up to us every 5 minutes to check on us throughout the entire meal to see if we wanted to order anything else, not to refill our waters or to see if we needed anything. She would leave for only about 2 minutes after I told her we needed more time to decide and come back again when it was obvious we were still discussing - I think this happened 4 or 5 times before I felt pressured to just randomly choose something. I told her I'd let her know when we were ready but maybe that wasn't communicated right? It just rubbed me the wrong way. Also, for everyone who comes here, MAKE SURE TO CHECK YOUR RECEIPTS! Takuma calculates their suggested tip AFTER tax and not BEFORE. That makes no sense - why am I tipping on top of tax? I calculated a final standard 18% tip based on the subtotal myself (not the suggested after-tax tip) but wasn't super happy about my experience. For food, we got the hijiki seaweed, blow-torched mackerel, and yellowtail sashimi with sumiso dressing. I was prepared for portions to be small based on reviews here but guys the yellowtail entree was only the size of my palm for $15+tax lol. This was also the only dish of the three that I did enjoy. The hijiki seaweed was alright, tasted like something I could throw together at home. The mackerel was good and fun with the blow torch, but still ultimately did not stand out very much to me. This could all possibly be influenced by my initial feelings about the service but I wasn't very impressed. An okay place for Japanese food if you're craving something and don't have anything else nearby, but I've had better izakaya and service. read more

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