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    Uncle Tetsu

    4.5 (115 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Uncle Tetsu Takeout or Delivery

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    UNCLE TETSU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Uncle Tetsu

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    Carol C.

    Very good. This was my first time trying Japanese cheesecake and i really liked it. I got the oreo flavor which was very fluffy not too sweet and the perfect touch of oreo flavor. The customer service was amazing. We were greeted since the moment we walked in. Will be back soon.

    Outside
    Elise B.

    I love their cheesecake- it is light, fluffy, & not overly sweet. They have multiple flavors to choose from- original, strawberry, pandan coconut, cookies & cream, and ube. I went with the small cookies & cream. It's personal sized so you can eat the whole thing or share it. It was empty inside so service was quick. Parking- street parking or $10 self park in plaza parking

    Uncle Tetsu: Located in the Chapman Plaza in Mid-City Koreatown, Los Angeles.
    Cindy S.

    Japanese Cheesecake store. Uncle Tetsu specializes in LIGHT and AIRY soufflé-like cheesecake known as Japanese Cheesecake. It's not as sweet, rich, dense, and tangy as American cheesecake- which I prefer. One of my best friends insisted on getting me Japanese cheesecake because she loves it so much, I didn't have the heart to tell her no, so I came home gifted with 3 cheesecakes (facepalm)! Lol. I will say that the service at this location is fantastic and if I had to recommend any flavors, my Japanese in-laws loved the: Original, Pandan-coconut, and Ube. If you love Japanese cheesecake then Uncle Tetsu is your place!

    Estele K.

    Food 5/5: cake melted in my mouth it was so fluffy. The cheesecake was really good and the cheesecake tart was the best one. Wow, perfect sweetness and texture. Cake also comes in a huge size as well as the high quality to-go packaging. I highly recommend if you like Japanese pastry!

    Pandan Coconut Cheesecake
    Pauli M.

    Amazing cheesecake! It is not too sweet, and it is insanely fluffy and custard like. It's not like american cheesecake. The service is great, they let you sample the flavors so you choose one you like. It's really cute in the shop with the displays and it's a big cake for the price. A must have spot in K- town

    Store front
    Ko Ko M.

    Unfriendly service. Very rude. Didn't want to help. Don't come here. Maybe it's friendly elsewhere? I wanted to buy 2 cakes at least but why bother when service is unfriendly.

    Original cheesecake flavor
    Ashley C.

    I found this spot because of a video I saw on tik tok! Im normally not a sweets person but after seeing a video of the cheesecake, I had to try it out. Parking: this location is in a very busy part of the city, i parked on the street with my hazards on (i don't recommend!). But then realized there is paid parking in the center of the plaza. The shop itself is pretty small, so you won't be able to eat here. I ordered the original Japanese cheesecake and the cookies n creme. I really wanted to try their Madeleine's but they were all out. I really enjoyed the original and the cookies n creme was okay. The texture of these cheesecakes are fluffy and light, not dense like a traditional cheesecake. I ended up adding some whipped creme to mine, and it added some extra sweetness to it.

    Easter Tart Special (April 2025)
    Eliseo R.

    Wow!!! Walking inside, we were greeted with the fresh smell of fresh baked cheesecakes. The lady answered our questions quickly and serviced us with our orders right away. There were trays of cheesecakes finished and ready and my girlfriend and I each picked one flavor each-- (initially was going to pick just one but the other flavors seemed so tempting!!) and we got the Original (as it's our first time trying Uncle Tetsu) and Ube. Wow!! Oh my goodness, it was so good and fluffy. The cake really melted in your mouth and made you want more. It was so soft to taste in my mouth and I was so impressed!! The little Chick egg tart had a nice creamy inside and a delicious crunch on the exterior. Best of all, the desserts were sweet but not too sweet at all. We loved grabbing bites from the cake and felt pleased. *Small font on the box says to refrigerate immediately and try to consume within 3 days

    Bag secured
    Sean S.

    Love uncle tetsu!!! I'm a big original fan but they have so many flavors now! Service was good (helpful) Not much space for sitting but it's okay TO GO works

    Kislev A.

    This Uncle Tetsu branch is located in the Chapman plaza on 6th Street between Kenmore and Alexandria. As usual, street parking in the area is not easy but this center has their own parking lot. Uncle Tetsu staff opened the store on time and had cakes ready to go, which is great because our parking meter was running out. There was no line go get in the small shop, no line to order and no wait to get our cake. I know this is supposed to be a "cheese cake" but I really want to call this "sponge cake". They have the yummiest sponge cake ever. Even the plain one tastes great. They have other flavors like ube, pandan and oreo.

    Ube cheesecake
    Anjeline R.

    Friendly person at the front who helped us, delicious cheesecake, and super cute logo. Can't ask for anything more! No frills spot and they gave free samples. Excited to try another flavor cuz the ube was so good!

    Ran N.

    This place is amazing. Always love Japanese cheesecake. Would definitely come here again and often.

    Sherry W.

    Omg an Uncle Testsu! We were hoping it would be much better than the NYC branch. And they have MORE Flavors! Omg they have so much different flavors!!!!! Small shop, and abit of a wait as there was a large tourist family still deciding on the flavor. We waited outside as there wasn't much space inside the door. Was so excited to look at the different flavors but we decided on the classic original flavor. Perhaps next time will try other flavors but we just wanted to see how this taste. Ended up having it later when we went to visit a cousin and we shared. It tasted good but never that same taste/feeling the very first time I had it in Osaka, Japan. Maybe, USA's isn't the same... Also, is it just me or did the cake size got smaller? I remember it was bigger in Japan but can't remember if the Toronto and NYC one is also this small.

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    4 months ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Uncle Tetsu

    Original cheesecake OR Burnt basque cheesecake?

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    Budonoki

    Budonoki

    4.6
    (363 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    Ambiance: Casual/Dress-up…read more Service: Sit-down -- Super friendly staff. The staff is really knowledgeable about the menu and ingredients, very attentive, and fun and conversational. They definitely add to the experience and make you feel comfortable asking questions or getting recommendations. Drinks: Fun and refreshing. Joshikai: Refreshing and on the sweeter side, but really good. If you like the mug and decide to take it home, there is a $150 fee. Food: Fun Japanese fusion. Lots of creative dishes and flavor combinations, with familiar Japanese dishes given a fun twist. I recommend: Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls: Comes in a bowl with rice on the bottom and seaweed paper on the side so you can make your own hand rolls. Fun way to eat it and you can make each bite as big or small as you want. Yakisoba: These noodles are really well seasoned from the sauce and wagyu. Lots of flavor and definitely something I recommend. Negima: Chicken skewers that come with a sweet and savory sauce. The sauce adds a really nice flavor to the chicken and makes this an easy one to order. Soft serve: must try Their homemade ice cream is delicious and captures the essence of the strawberry flavor. Parking: Street/meters. There is ample street parking around the area, but make sure to read the signs carefully because the restrictions can vary.

    I really enjoyed Budonoki! Ambiance was chill/casual, loved their R&B playlist as well. It was…read morekinda dark inside, but didn't take away from the food. There is valet parking for $17 OR street parking. It can be a little tricky since the area is busy. Service was great, and food came out pretty quickly. It was just me and my friend and we ordered (6) dishes. Portion sizes are on the smaller side, but it was perfect for us. Curry Pan - Absolutely loved it and probably my favorite. It was packed with so much flavor and the aji verde sauce paired well with it. The bread was so fluffy. Spicy Tuna Handrolls - Fresh ingredients, and you're gonna have to hand roll these yourself! I would have much rather preferred they come rolled already. Maitake & Arugula Salad - Super refreshing salad and added a great balance to our meal. Charred Japanese Sweet Potato - OMG I loveeeeed these sweet potatoes! Who would have that chives paired so well with it? Scallop Crudo - We really enjoyed this dish A LOT. The cilantro vinaigrette paired with slices of pear gave this dish such a refreshing taste. I'd definitely order this again Tokyo Banana Soft Serve - A big portion to share and tasted just like the actual Tokyo Banana from Japan. Overall, a great place and I definitely recommend. Enjoy!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Seafood pancake
    Seafood pancake
    Quarter sheets x TOMATO PANZANELLA: munak ranch heirloom tomatoes, focaccia croutons, chickpea-miso dressing | $18

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    Quarter sheets x TOMATO PANZANELLA: munak ranch heirloom tomatoes, focaccia croutons, chickpea-miso dressing | $18
    OTOTO

    OTOTO

    4.2
    (218 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    I would give Ototo 4.5 stars, but went up because of their great sake selection…read more My friend and I loved this meal. The chicken Katsu sandwich was soooo good. A little messy at the end, but so worth it. 8.5/10 The ode to MOS burger was also great! The bun was soft and pillowy, the burger was perfectly cooked, all of the flavored married well together 8.5/10 Rock Shrimp Okonomiyaki was delicious. HUGE, but delicious. I actually took some home and had this as breakfast the next day. It was soooo yummy. 9/10 Black pepper tofu was also really good. The standout was the Kanpachi Sashimi. Wow was that next level good. 9.5/10 The service was really attentive, really kind. It's a tiny little restaurant but we loved how intimate it was. The same selection is incredible as well. I loved it so much! They had a perfect cloudy sake that I loved. We ubered there, but they do have valet parking for $13, I will say, you'll definitely want to use the valet - parking looked rough!

    Established and well adored proper sake/izakaya place on the east side. Ofc sake here is dope…read more Food is delicious and straight forward. Very good quality (from the crisp of the batter to the tenderness). Although as a soft shell crab geek, I didn't enjoy the new addition of this on the menu (sorry) maybe it was the hint of spice that I didn't expect or the thick sauce instead of classic ponzu/kanopy alternative? Service can be a little iffy and I can't quite describe that's a disconnect to the Japanese or East LA culture but Ryan is awesome and saves the day with his chill laid back approachable but quitetly confident taishō swagger. This place deserves recognition despite some of (my perception of) its low key elitist vibes. They're committed to the craft and that's really hard to not admire.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Kaki Fry
    Kaki Fry
    Private Dining Room

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    Private Dining Room
    Sushi Zanmai

    Sushi Zanmai

    4.6
    (209 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    Food 5/5: we enjoyed sushi here more than expected. Fresh quality sushi, served quick, good portion…read morenigiri. What else could you ask for? It was the first time I felt full, happy, and satisfied with affordable price at the end of our meals. Sushi? Full? You would think impossible right? Well? Not here. Service 5/5: it was really enjoyable and we were laughing the whole time with chef and with the man who we thought was Tiger who was not, was very funny and attentive. All well mannered and you just feel welcomed there. It's a goof feeling because diners today don't deliver a good experience anymore, esp in LA. Ambiance 5/5: Very spacious, clean, good for hangouts with friends and family. They have valet parking, or street parking. Highly recommend here!

    You order from an Ipad, at the bar. The chef will tell you the freshest shipment of fish that just…read morecame in. You can order Nigiri in one piece. Robert, one of their servers, was super hospitable, and made some solid off the menu recommendations. Tiger, the manager, is also super kind, and always heard me out my requests, like putting quayle eggs on my sea urchin. I am a self-described sushi snob, and have made a point to go to the top spots. I am a regular in Little Tokyo, including Sushi Takeda. But the most important thing I have learned, just like movies and music, is that there is no one single best sushi place. Get off your couch and give Sushi Zanmai a try!

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    Sushi Zanmai
    Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice. 5/5
    Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice. 5/5
    Lunch special... what a treat!

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    Lunch special... what a treat!
    Tsubaki

    Tsubaki

    4.1
    (510 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$$

    My precious friend Amelia G. treated me to dinner at Tsubaki for my 40th birthday last month. I…read moreloved this place went I went before kids and pandemic, apparently almost a decade ago. It was as good as I remembered, and probably even better. I can't imagine letting another eight and a half years pass without going back. The only negative is that parking is either difficult or $15, which feels bad in a pretty quiet residential area. Better to take a car in any case, so you can enjoy the extensive selection of sakes. We shared a full-sized bottle, I forget which but I think it was a junmai daiginjo, and it was lovely. Tsubaki is such a nice, welcoming little izakaya. Service is great, the atmosphere warm and easy. You just want to sit back and drink at a leisurely pace. The food is excellent, with a robust menu of creative Japanese food. We shared everything, starting with a stellar kanpachi crudo with ume ponzu, shiso, sweet onion and habanero pickles, and furikake. My favorite dish of the night was the tsukune katsu. I love tsukune, the tare-glazed chicken meatballs you'll find in any yakitori place. This was my first time having them in katsu form, panko-fried and served over cabbage with Kewpie mayo and tonkatsu sauce. The chawanmushi was delicious, silky steamed egg custard topped with Dungeness crab, truffle salt, and mitsuba. Likewise the kinoko tempura, an array of maitake, shiitake, and enoki mushrooms fried light and crispy, with yuzu shichimi and tentsuyu for dipping. We got a skewer of bonchiri from the yakitori menu, delightfully chewy bites of charcoal-grilled jidori chicken tail. Finally, a plate of yakisoba, pan-fried noodles with house-cured Peads & Barnetts char siu, pickled green garlic, and cracklin. We got the hojicha parfait, and it was more or less my ideal dessert. Roasted green tea soft serve with sesame black sugar burnt miso and candied walnuts with cornflake dust. Cold, light, sweet. I could eat a whole one by myself pretty much any time. After nine years in business, Tsubaki feels like an Echo Park institution, and the kitchen is as strong as ever. This was a wonderful dinner, one I hope to repeat soon, with more sake, more yakitori, and more hojicha parfait.

    I did have the most amazing Caesar salad at tsubaki, maybe it's because of the little fish…read moreingredients they are adding to the salad. It's not fishy at all tho, but there's just the flavor from the sea that really elevates the salad. The whole time I'm looking for the fish lol, but in the end I just finished the leaves with great satisfaction. The skewers are pretty tasty but too pricy when I know that at the same price Nan Ban Kan in Sawtelle just does it with 20% better flavor, 30% less wait time and maybe 10% cheaper. Didn't like the fried rice at the end. It'd be better if only they kept the braised beef with the sauce. The fried rice is way too dry to enjoy on its own. Living on the west side, I'm definitely in no time to visit again

    Photos
    Tsukune - chicken meatballs
    Tsukune - chicken meatballs
    Fruit tomato kimchi
    Fruit tomato kimchi
    Tsubaki

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    Uncle Tetsu - desserts - Updated August 2026

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