In today's restaurant market, there are many Japanese restaurants that are good and occasionally…read moreyou find one that is fantastic. How does one determine that a Japanese restaurant is fantastic? First you start with the ambience, then you start with a selection of the menu, then you look at the presentation of each plate and dish and the creative reiteration of that dish. At Taisho which is located in the heart of the Valley in Sherman Oaks, is a wonderful restaurant with great creativity and presentation and ambience... And it hits all the marks of a truly wonderful Japanese restaurant. This restaurant is so good that even living in Orange County, what desires to go back into the valley, which is quite a jaunt. We occasionally go to the valley for family and friends and events... And from now on, we will be stopping by this wonderful Japanese restaurant. I'm going to post some pictures and let the pictures speak for themselves. If you're ever in the valley, you gotta make this one of your stops.

In the interest of fairness, I have to lead with the fact that the food is really quite good. The…read morehostess was very sweet, and even helped us change tables when we learned that we while were sitting at an indoor table, it right next to the entrance to the open patio where they have an additional 10 tables or soy. Long story short, my wife was starting to sweat so she wanted to be inside with some A/C. So far, so good. Our waiter was so awesome, but it was his first day, so understandably, he made a couple of very minor mistakes that were easily fixed. He brought out a dish we did not order (which he swapped for the correct one) and he forgot to bring the cocktail that my wife ordered. Again, no big deal. Now... the food. If you are looking for a sushi restaurant, this is not for you. They do have some sushi, but it is very limited, and frankly the options they did have were wildly overpriced. Selling salmon sashimi for $40 is a huge ask. As for the atmosphere, it's a pretty sharp looking space, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, but they leave all the windows and doors open at all times, so if it's a warm evening, you're going to be hot even if you sit outside. Also, the music gets progressively louder as nightfall progresses, so it can be tough to have a conversation without shouting. Bottom line, if you're looking for a good sushi spot, there are half a dozen other places within walking distance that are, in my opinion, much better. If you're looking for a wider variety of Japanese cuisine, and have a few hundred extra dollars lying around, then go ahead and give Taisho a try.

Picture of you guys are nothing but the best they have the best service and the people here are…read moreexcellent and of course the food is good

Delicious, delicious, delicious. Fresh and delicious. I haven't been here for a while and I've been…read morecraving sushi. Tonight I had BSCR roll. YUM. Don't forget to do a yelp check in for free steamed edamame. I love how we are always greeted with a smile and a personal welcome.

I never knew about this chain of restaurants until yesterday when we were expecting to be in…read moreHollywood too late to return home to Thousand Oaks before they roll up the sidewalks. They "close" at 10:30 (the place was still hopping at 10) and we arrived at a little past 9:00, figuring at that hour we wouldn't need a reservation. Think again, the place was just one click shy of a madhouse. The bar was lively and the tables were occupied mostly by 20-30 somethings in crocks and belly shirts, jabbing food in the mini fire pits and shoveling it in their mouths with the authority of hungry guard dogs. We had to wait 10 minutes or so, for a table and another 7 or so for our server to appear. It gave us a chance to peruse the menus. Yes, menus, plural. There are three laminated ones and a book with pages. Given how extensive the food menus are, the drink menu was a little unimpressive. The sake list had a few things listed, not including a Nigori. The white wine had two, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. We like Sauvignon Blancs but ordered the Pinot Grigio. Mezza Corona. That's what casinos comp pour at the slots in Vegas. It was fine, but not optimum. Overwhelmed by the menus and not particularly craving one thing, we decided to order the "Anniversary" dinner for two. It was a set combination of mostly proteins with the house salad and miso soup. The "poke" wasn't the usual gooey stuff seen in most raw places. It was perfect little cubes of ahi and marinated onions over a bed of pickled seaweed. The salad was large and simple, with a sesame dressing. Then... omg the proteins started to appear. Every single one was delicious. We found that putting the pork belly on the grill helped to keep the following proteins from sticking. The rice was beautifully steamed. The miso soup was even the best I've had in a long time, with lots of tofu and seaweed sinking to the bottom. I can see how this would be a great place for a group, and I can't wait to go with more friends; albeit my husband and I really enjoyed the respite. Our server, Cole, was cool and real. He didn't seem to need to pretend to be nice. He was just a sincere, caring young man. Their happy hour times are worth noting. They're happy throughout the day and night with the exception of 6:30 - 8:30 pm. There is a happy hour combination menu you might want to consider, especially if you've never been here and just want to see what's going on. There are AYCE choices which might come in handy if you're really into some favorites. There's also a big thing about Wagyu. Eh. Different strokes I guess. We'll definitely be back. We really enjoyed the experience. We reduced one star for the silly valet parking and the not-so-great wine list.

The food is always great when I come here. The consistency is what brings me back. Bistro hangar…read moresteak is always my favorite. Their kimchi and cold tofu are also 10/10. Our server today, Fallon, was nothing but stellar. She would check up on us when she saw our food getting lower. It was nice to see how proactive she was. If you can, definitely ask to be seated in her section. Great dinner and will be back again.

I attended an elite event here a few months back. Well they got me back. I loved it then and I…read moreloved it even more the second time. I brought two more people with me and everyone said they will come back again and again. I got the same thing. The Kao Noodle soup with chicken. We dined in and I didn't finish it all. Which was great because I was able to take it home. Then after I finished it. I kept the broth and grilled my own chicken and added it to it. Just a fabulous dish. We also had the chicken pad Thai and a vegan noodle dish. Excellent levels of spice. Excellent service from the staff. I just love this place and honestly I'm not a curry noodle fan, at least I wasn't.

I'm very picky with my Thai food and let me tell you, the first time I tried Dek Sen's was through…read morea Yelp elite event and I was hooked. I drive past often mostly before 11 which is when they open so I can't stop in, but this time I was able to stop by for a late lunch early dinner which I got to go. Parking is in the back and you can enter through the back door. Staff is so sweet and kind when they take the orders. I got the Kai Soi Noodle Soup because I loved it so much before, and I got a side of rangoon, a side of Roti, and a side of chicken Sa te. The Kai Soi Noodle Soup stayed hot for the drive back home and it is so delicious. I love how it's packed in a bowl with the soup on bottom and the noodles and veggies seperated at the top. The noodles taste incredibly fresh and just amazing. I loved eating the soft flaky roti on the side with the soup. I saved the rangoon and chicken sa te to eat for another meal and they were both delicious, however I felt the chicken was so thin so it was a little dry. Probably next time I should eat that immediately. Dipping it into the peanut sauce of course elevated it and it tasted very flavorful. Overall Dek Sen's is my favorite Thai food place in socal! I can't wait to try more from their menu soon!

Just went back for a second time since the new ownership and it was pretty much back to how it was…read moreunder the previous owner...which means it was great! Tried some new dishes too and was pleasantly surprised! Love their potstickers and dumplings!

If you like rubbery orange chicken then this is the place--yuck!! But the beef steak in black…read morepepper sauce was tender and delicious with only a mild kick to it. I won't say this place earns a bam-BOO but rather a bam-MEH.

This is the first time I went to this locations. It's larger than the NoHo location, but equally as…read morecharming. The service was excellent. We got there just when they opened, but they filled up quickly. Ordered the Happy Hour dumplings, and Pad See Ew, Ko Soi noodles and yellow curry. All were delicious. Portions were also generous and the leftovers tasted just as good the next day. This is my go to Thai spot when I'm in NoHo, now I can add this location as well!

Heads up! This is neither bad nor good- but you should know- the Pad Thai recipe has changed…read more Now granted, Pad Thai is known as the dish that will guarantee vary from place to place cause it's street food, right? But there is a key variable- it can either be the browner version or the redder version (Pad Thai fans know what I mean). Anajak (if you're an LA local) is the 'browner' version for context. Authentic Central Thai Pad Thai is actually light golden brown, not red. The natural brown color comes from the caramelization of palm sugar combined with tamarind pulp and fish sauce. Many restaurants- especially in Western countries- use ketchup and paprika and a chili paste as a shortcut to add both sweetness, tang, and bright red color. I can't say that's specifically what happened here- but the grainy grit of the sauce plus the color and sweetness was not the best. Rustic Spoon used to serve the browner version- you'll see it in the photos listed above from as recently as a year ago. I visited recently and discovered they've switched to the redder version. I'm not a fan personally- flavor, texture, etc. But if you love it- that's good news for you- but if you a fan of RS, they changed the recipe about 3 months ago. I switched my order to a Pad See Ew after noticing - and they were gracious and kind about it (which is why I didn't go hard in my stars review)- however the Pad See Ew wasn't flavorful, and lacked Wok Hei, it gave bland rice noodle, steam broccoli and a separately fried (unseasoned egg) thrown together quickly in a wok- no curation of flavors at all. Sigh. I'm not inclined to be a complainer at all, and don't fancy myself a tough customer at all- and compliment as highly and loudly as I critique... But in the age of inflation and local businesses struggling- I am happy to financially support- and just hope they're happy to meet me in the middle with a good meal, made with care and attention. That wasn't the case here. There are a lot of options for Thai in the Valley- I'll have to go elsewhere.

On a rainy day, loved a Crispy Tofu, Crispy "Chicken" Garlic Rice (with brown rice), and Yellow…read moreCurry with Tofu. Did I take pictures? The food didn't last long enough this time to remember to do that. It's THAT good! There are many V/V+ options in town, but this little hideaway tucket into a strip mall, with quite a bit of parking, but can get pretty filled like most of the Studio City versions, is an easy choice for fascinatingly delicious meals, super-friendly and attentive service and an ambiance that is truly relaxed and peaceful.

Great vegan food!…read more Obsessed with the green curry, and add broccoli for some extra bulk. The pad see ew is great, but to me the pad Thai is a bit on sweeter side. I usually order to go

Chicken and waffles. Always…read more Perfectly crisp chicken tenders, juicy white meat, fluffy waffle, and the most amazing cinnamon honey maple butter of your life.

Every time I come here, I tell myself I'm going to order something new, but then every single time,…read moreI can't help but order the delicious bibimbap in a hot stone bowl. I'm sure this restaurant has many other wonderful dishes, but for now, I'll never know. The wonderful service and friendly atmosphere is just icing on the cake!

Immaculate, woody, cozy yet large atmosphere. I've been…read morehere countless times over the past year and not ONCE have I been disappointed. Quick, straightforward service, and some of the best pho, fried rice, and Pad Thai I've had in the valley. Come here. Please. Experience the beef Pho and the holy basil fried rice for yourself. You WILL walk out a different person.

I love the pho at this place! The food is amazing, the prices are very reasonable, and everything…read moreI've tried here has been delicious. The staff is always friendly and welcoming. The only downside is that the seating area and atmosphere are pretty simple, but the food more than makes up for it. If you're looking for delicious pho and great value, I highly recommend this place.

My wife and I went to spicy the other day, after having driven by 1000 times, and we were shocked…read moreat how great the food was. Super flavorful, super fresh, at a reasonable price. We are now fans of spice season, and we will be regulars from here on out! If you guys out there have not tried spicy, and you like Vietnamese food, do yourself a favor and check this place out. You can thank me later, and you too, will become regulars!

I'm very conflicted about this place. It's between 3 and 4 for me, at the high 3's. I just wanted…read moreto love it since it had great reviews and the photos looked promising. The ingredients used were so fresh, you could really tell they use high quality ingredients. The food came out very quickly, and the server was attentive enough. I didn't expect it to be completely authentic, as its fusion of course. But it just really didn't have those bold Thai flavors you get at a usual mom & pop restaurant. It was sort of, for a lack of better description, a watered down version of Thai food. Nothing wrong with the food at all! Just, didn't completely wow me. Again, ingredients were incredibly fresh though, and it shows.