We drove so far to eat here. At first I was skeptical because the bar would have to be really high…read moreto make 1+ hour of driving worth it. Surprisingly, the food here actually surpassed my expectations. If you love Japanese food, you have to try the food here. Dishes were almost on par with fine dining, but at lower costs. My favorite items were the fish tempura, scallops, and uni with sweet potato. Everything was delicious, and reminded me of being in Japan. The only thing that was a little inconvenient was the parking. It's street parking, no parking lot or valet available. The restaurant is tiny so make sure you make reservations in advance, unless you come here outside of regular dining hours. The interior is very simple, so if you are looking for somewhere fancy looking, this is not it.

Ine modern casual Japanese food along the popular York Blvd in Highland Park. I've driven by here a…read moremillion times so it was about time I tried this place! This spot is a bit pricier, so a dinner for two would be something to treat yourself to. Loved how they have a wide selection of fresh sushi hand rolls, nigiri, and entrees. During a warm summer evening back in the beginning of June, we had a glass of white wine to pair with our meal. We loved their crispy little hand roll appetizers. The sauce on their scallop entree was just flavorful and divine. Loved how they had their nigiri on a ceramic serving spoon to eat cleanly. And their fish entree (was it a halibut or white fish?) was just perfectly cooked with great flavors and texture and crunch of the little corns and veggies they added on top. Overall, the flavors here are great. Could be a bit of fine dining experience made more casual. They were a bit busy when we came for a walk up but they were able to seat us in the back near the kitchen hallway (the waitress so kindly was always near us lol). Overall it's a cool spot, classic HLP cool dining ambiance, lots of staff and can see the chefs cooking behind the bar. Since it is a bit pricey don't think I would go here regularly, but their cooking and flavors were nice and fresh and fulfilled our craving.

I finally made it to Ikigai in Eagle Rock to see Peter, who many of us in Alaska will remember from…read morePeter's Sushi in Anchorage. If you were a fan of his sushi before he left Alaska a few years ago, you'll be happy to know that he's still doing what he does best: serving incredible fish with an amazing variety and quality. I tried pretty much everything I could from the menu, and honestly, it was some of the best sushi I've had in a long time. The fish was fresh, beautifully prepared, and every piece had its own flavor and texture. The uni was rich and creamy, and the specialty fish were definitely worth trying. The oysters were also fantastic. Being used to Alaska oysters, these were different in a really good way. They were slightly sweet with a tender, delicate texture without being too soft. It was also really cool to see a couple of pieces of art from Peter's old Alaska restaurant displayed at Ikigai. It felt like a little piece of Alaska had followed him to Eagle Rock. I even ended up sitting next to a regular who has been coming since Ikigai first opened and now visits several times a week. Clearly, Peter has built quite a following here just like he did in Alaska. I'm so glad I finally made it to see him. This was definitely one of the highlights of my LA trip and honestly, probably one of my food highlights of the year. If you're anywhere near Eagle Rock or Glendale and love sushi, go see Peter.

My girlfriend and I have been coming to Ikigai since they first opened, and it never ceases to…read moreamaze us just how incredible our experience is every single time. We absolutely love sushi, and hands down, Ikigai serves some of the best and freshest sushi in town. The quality of the fish, attention to detail, presentation, and consistency are outstanding. This past Sunday, we decided to try all of the specials, and every single one was awesome. It's always fun coming here because there's something new to discover, yet the quality never changes. A special shout-out to Peter and his family, the owners and chefs, who do such an excellent job. You can tell they genuinely care about the food they prepare and the experience they provide to their customers. There's a warmth and personal touch here that makes every visit feel special. If you love fresh, beautifully prepared sushi and appreciate a welcoming neighborhood restaurant where the owners truly take pride in what they do, Ikigai is definitely worth discovering. We're so happy to have this little gem right here in Eagle Rock and look forward to many more meals!

My husband requested for his birthday dinner this Thursday 5/21, so after a long day at work I…read moreattempted to place a delivery order via DoorDash but the restaurant was showing "temporarily closed" on the app. Puzzled--I gave them a call and learned they were just slammed for dinner (6:30ish) so they turned the app off. The gal that answered was happy to take my order over the phone for carry out though, and the wait was about 45 minutes which was fine since I had a 20 min or so drive. Not sure if they turn the app off as-needed, but it was a bit annoying ;) I wouldn't have gone out of my way to order if it wasn't my hub's bday. Needless to say, their food is delicious and consistent but I wouldn't rely on it for delivery again due to this random occurrence. I look forward to dining in one of these days!

The food was okay -- we got the sashimi deluxe and the lunch special tempura plate. The sashimi had…read morescallops and unfortunately it was too fishy, the rest were ok. Also, the tempura sauce tasted way too watered down and didn't really have much flavor. The servers were nice and attentive, and the place itself was clean. Just keep in mind it's street parking only, so parking can be a bit limited depending on the time.

I had the Tonkotsu Shabu with my friend, and we both absolutely loved it! The broth was rich,…read moreflavorful, and so comforting. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. The service was wonderful, friendly, attentive, and welcoming. We felt very well taken care of throughout our meal. The atmosphere was cozy and relaxing, which made it perfect for enjoying a meal with a friend. We had such a great experience and will definitely be coming back.

We went on a Sunday around 7pm. Short wait. Outdoor seating was very nice…read more Our server was very good to us. Food itself was very good. Fish tasted fresh and I thought they pairings of toppings and sauces on the sushi was very well curated. Overall very good experience.

The ramen is crreamy and rich w beautiful juices thst stick to the spoon. Yum. The hand rolls are…read moresimple but taste amazing. The fish is really fresh like its swimming in the mouth. Best japanese flavors in pasadena for sure.

This "sniffs in" at 4.5 stars…read more.. Helpful and kind STAFF. Restaurant also has the name "Izakaya" per indoor signage. Very open and spacious authentic Japanese design without being overly traditional. They have small art pieces for sale on the walls. SALMON SASHIMI: -- big thick fat slices of pristine salmon -- wedge of lime gets utilized; nice touch -- $17 for 4 pieces is no bargain but the slices are thick enough to be two pieces at some sushi joints and this quality is "A" grade -- very tender, not next level tender RATING = A- The wife got the HAMACHI KAMA COLLAR FISH (yellowtail?) and was a fan. It looked good. The yellow thin creamy sauce was great. Citrusy? Familiar taste of sorts. SEARED SCALLOP SUSHI: -- good smoke, not great smoke -- nice texture -- $7 for one piece is hefty for sushi RATING = A- GARLIC SALMON HAND ROLL: -- garlic pop errs on underdone but that is safer RATING = A CHIARASHI DON BOWL was a wife order. Very appealing visually and she downed it. REAL CRAB HAND ROLL: -- A little simple and flat but solid RATING = A- or B+ GARLIC SEARED SALMON SUSHI: -- creamy wasabi sauce on it; visually appealing and equally delicious RATING = A+

This never fails to be a good date night spot. We went late at night on a weekday so there was no…read morewait. One of my favorite non-sushi dishes are the skewers, the miso sea bass in particular. It's so delicate, savory and so buttery. I also loved the new take on the spicy tuna crispy rice by serving thin slices of tuna on a wonton chip. The silverlake roll was just alright and I'd probably not order it again because there's so many more outstanding dishes worth my stomach space.

Ordered the wagyu and mushroom, make sure the squeeze the lemon on top…read more Great selection of fake And the 12 pcs sushi platter fed 3 comfortably - the inside is on the smaller side The out door area is a bit more spacious which we preferred

This place never misses and the consistency is what earns another star for me…read more We ordered the same great hits: Corn Rib Appetizer Chicken Katsu Plate Cheese Katsu Plate Side of Curry We usually come for lunch, but we came for dinner. Keep in mind they stop seating 30 minutes before close! I love the service and again, consistency is key! The quality remains the same over time. I also want to point out how toddler friendly they are. They take note if you have a little and bring out a special plateware for them.

Katsu Jin is a chain Japanese noodle and Katsu restaurant. This location is on Fair Oaks Blvd in…read moreSouth Pasadena. We went early right when they opened and ordered the following items: Cold Soba Noodles and tempura 4.5 stars served with a small cup of dipping sauce Spicy edamame 2 stars under cooked under seasoned. Fried squid legs 2 stars soggy and greasy Tonkatsu ramen 4 stars nice broth added corn topping the chashu was good Could have been more temperature hot. The restaurant interior is basic. In a busy strip mall so parking spaces are a premium. Service was ok.

The Nozawa Group is one of my favorite restaurant groups. Consistency across all their restaurants…read moreis key for me. While I've been to Kazu Nori before, this is my first time at this location. Parking: Street Parking is available surrounding perimeter, but they also have parking in the building itself, the entrance is on El Molino Service: Amazing and fast, we came during lunch, we were sat immediately and were in and out within 35 minutes. I imagine this is a solo lunch person's dream. Food: I always get the 5 handrolls, I think it's the best deal. I always sub out the crab for the scallop as a preference but it's my favorite roll at Kazu Nori and should not be missed!

Absolutely love Kazunori! So much so that we're here once a week, sometimes more…read more Consistently high quality, casual yet classy ambience, delicious authentically Japanese hand rolls, and great value! We love bringing guests to Kazunori too!

Menu update~ i decided to try the carlos jewel box and i loved it. They already have sauce in the…read morerice so you dint need to add anything else. It comes with miso soup too. Fish was fresh. Nexr time ill check to see if theyll let me do all salmon. But even if they donr, the tuna didnt taste bloody either. Its such a hard choice between carlos jewel box and the udon soups. Parking lot in the back but make sure you get validation!!

Came here around 5 on a Friday. Practically empty and easily got a table for five. By the end of…read morethe meal, it was crowded and there were small groups waiting outside. Service was very friendly. Pretty proactive. Food wise, the salmon sashimi was good. The California roll was a pretty decent size for my youngest kid. My older kids didn't love the udon soup though. The noodles were fine but the soup itself tasted off. The tempura was pretty good. This was our second time at this location, and forth across all locations. Not bad, as long as you come when there's no wait.

Came here with a friend right after seeing the Supergirl movie, as it's conveniently located right…read moreacross the street from the Americana. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by the very friendly staff, who took us to a table. The restaurant is so clean and bright with gorgeous decor and the comfiest seating. The service was so prompt and our server was fantastic at answering any questions we had. I inquired about the vegan options, as the menu didn't specify which items were. The waiter was so knowledgeable and vividly described all of the options to me, saying which ones did not have any fish sauce or egg. I ended up ordering the Green Goddess sushi roll and the Agedashi Tofu. The tofu was brought out first and it was so delectable. It was coated in a lovely batter and fried and the sauce was just the right amount of tangy with the slightest sweetness. The Green Goddess sushi was equally amazing and beautifully presented on a leaf. It was true to its name and was very green with some lovely avocado, cucumber and asparagus. It was even topped with jalapeño to give it some added spice and add even more crispiness to it! The servers were on it, bringing us more ginger and wasabi as needed and consistently checking on us to ensure we were satisfied with our meals. My friend really enjoyed his fish sushi as well. We both left very satisfied and energized. I would definitely return again for more delicious veggie sushi and to try more of their vegan appetizers!

Was at the Americana the other night and feeling like sushi, so decided to walk across the street…read moreand try out Seabutter. Started out with the beef gyozo, scallop with uni and wagyu with uni. The gyozos were your basic gyozos, you know what you're going to get with them. The scallop with uni was decent, feel it lacked a missing flavor profile that was needed. The wagyu with uni, on the other hand, was really tasty. We also got the salmon collar, which was pretty big in size, and had a decent amount of meat on it. But it was your standard salmon. For rolls, we got the Mr. Crab and Miss. Crab. The Miss Crab has blue crab and avocado topped with seared scallop, masago, kewpie mayo, sesame seeds. It was decent but really felt like something was missing with it. The Mr. Crab has crab mix, shrimp tempura & baked freshwater lobster in soy paper topped with eel sauce. This was more flavorful and would be the one I recommend among the two. Overall, decent sushi spot that didn't necessarily stand out amongst the items we ordered. I would recommend the Mr. Crab and A5 wagyu with uni, but you can skip on the other items.