“A next level dining experience. The ability to deliver dish after dish that could stand alone as signature dishes at nearly any other restaurant while combining the refinement and attention to detail that comes from years of experience in fine dining with a fun energetic atmosphere is truly special. I wish I could have tried even more. Well worth a trip. I will certainly be back again and again to share this experience with many friends.“
“Came here just before seeing a show at the women's center across the street, it was pretty hard to find without looking in the window, which was pretty cool. The food menu was delicious, but we couldn't stay long enough to finish our meatballs! They were still good when we got home, next time we're there we'll try more of the sake and sushi collection!“
“First time here tonight (on a Friday) and what a cute place! Love the little wooden bridge as you enter the restaurant, cherry blossom faux tree and Japanese decor. There's even a couple of cute private dining rooms & a small outdoor eating area. Service was attentive and friendly. Shout out to Jose. Food was great! Miso Soup - Seaweed Salad - hubby said it was meh as he didn't eat much of it Black Cod - flavorful, tender & perfectly flaky Mixed Green Salad - great Truffle Salmon Carpaccio - hubby said it was good & fresh Yellowtail Jalapeño - hubby said it was good & fresh Albacore Sashimi - hubby said it was good & fresh King Salmon Sashimi - hubby said it was good & fresh Would definitely come back if in the Santa Monica area again. Oh and love the cute "wallet" the check is placed in & given to you. @travel_lifestyle_chow“
“We popped into this gem to have a spot of lunch. We instantly fell in love with the atmosphere. We ordered the Teriyaki Burger (which was SO DELICIOUS!) and the Fried Chicken sandwich (perfectly juicy and tender with delicious dressing), and Hawaiian Fries. We had the frozen Maui Wowis, which were refreshing and sweet! If you’re looking for a cool place to eat delicious food, LOOK NO FURTHER. Here it is!“
“This is a fairly new location for this restaurant. They have another established location in Santa Monica. This location is in Marina Del Rey right off Washington and Lincoln. Their food and service is excellent. This place is a hidden jewel.“
“For the price it’s a 10/10 meal!!Service: 10/10Note: make sure to put ur name on wait listWhat I ordered:Scallop sashimi - 10/10, fresh, vibrant flavours.Nigiri sampler- 9/10 very fresh and good quality fish. A little too much rice for me.Burnt garlic ramen- 8/10 I’m more traditional in my flavours. But it’s peoples favourite.Tuna crispy rice 10/10. Can’t complain“
“Can't believe this has been around the corner for years and we didn't know. Neighborhood spot, quirky but unpretentious, friendly waiter Daniel and the food was great. Fish was all quality, the karaage was flavorful, and the shrimp tempura in the bento set came out of left field as some of the best I've had between sawtelle and gardena/torrance. Have not been when it's slammed, but this will easily replace our go to's in Manhattan Beach.“
“Bit of a pricey spot, but so worth it! Got the intestine hotpot, gyoza stuffed wings, and oysters. Hotpot comes only with intestine, cabbage, chives, and noodles, so we ended up adding tofu pork meat. Such a good choice for a cold night. Fattiness of intestines was umami and not overwhelming, especially when paired with the yuzu kosho. Noodles were thick and the perfect texture. Wings taste exactly what the sound like and had a nice grilled flavor. Oysters were very fresh and refreshing.“
Sushi • $$
“Absolutely outstanding! Some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. It didn’t taste like it was boxed or frozen at all! It was simply delicious. The atmosphere actually felt like a restaurant in Japan. The service was excellent, with some of the staff actually being Japanese, so I pulled out my skills and tried to speak the language. Overall: everyone was kind, the food was delicious, and I couldn’t find anything wrong with this restaurant. Highly recommend!!“
“Went there for a quick lunch. Ordered $22 bento box. Decent quantity with quality food. ? friendly and professional service. The environment was good too- not a lot of people. Not the cheapest quick lunch in this neighborhood but worth the money as the food was diverse and delicious. Would come back again! ☺️“
“This is an old Japanese soba restaurant. I had a good time visiting. Both for entertaining and personally. The staff at the store are Japanese, but of course their English is no problem. I used it yesterday for the first time in a while, and 80% of the customers were non-Japanese. Soba is becoming more and more recognized. I love the soba noodles, but I also love the ginger-yaki set meal. I love the spaghetti salad that comes with it. It's not on the menu, but it comes out when you order.“
“Excellent food, service, and overall quality. Personally I have not had a more authentic and enjoyable experience with Japanese cuisine than I have had at Toku Unagi & Sushi. Both the wait and kitchen staff take pride in their work and truly care about its quality.“
Japanese • $$
“I love this restaurant and have been a fan since it offered free bento boxes with a stay at the New Gardena Hotel which is adjacent. The food is flavorful: the bacon fried rice DOES NOT MISS! Neither does the Beef Spareribs, nor grilled sliced pork with ginger. Love the Macaroni/Potato Salad. Flavorful food. Quaint hidden gem in Gardena.“
“Spur of the moment found ourselves here for a late Thursday lunch. Excellent service and extensive menu. We tried the sushi lunch and the seared saba over rice bowl. Both were spectacular. Very delicious. They came with small side dishes that were also tasty. We ordered eggplant and pineapple grilled skewers, too. The sushi selection was fairly diverse with large portions of fish, great rice and well thought out flavor preparations. The saba was particularly marinated with thinly sliced ginger. Wasabi appeared to be chunky and milder than most US Japanese places and possibly the freshest I’ve tasted in a long time.More American Japanese restaurants need to use fresh wasabi, as it is easy to source in California and fairly easy to prepare and serve; and it tastes much better than the pseudo-wasabi horseradish mix usually served.Osen is a great find and should be experienced for an exceptional, traditional, Japanese experience.Highly, highly suggest you dine here.Parking: Small lot with valet. $7 withvalidation.“
“The service was phenomenal. It is rare to have a waitstaff that is so attentive and knowledgeable. We ordered 4 types of sushi and each one was delicious. We'd never head of lime roll and decided to try it. I'm so glad we did. It was refreshing and delicious. The hand made tofu was a real treat. They pour it right at your table and it solidifies before your eyes. I'd never seen that before. I absolutely recommend this place. It is a rare and wonderful experience.“
“This was our first visit. Our family lives in Santa Monica, and they recommended this restaurant.It was by far the most authentic delicious cuisine.Really amazing flavors.We all ordered a entrée and sides to share.What a food experience!!!“
“We just learned about Sola a couple of months ago and we've gone five times already.The food is outstanding, the restaurant is nice, with a cool mellow vibe, and the owner is friendly and fun to talk to.I've tried almost everything on the menu by now, from the sizzling mushrooms to the grilled onigiri, to the special salad covered in fried onions. It has all been great.Try the grilled mackerel and mixed dumplings, too. Seriously, everything there is delicious.Fairly quiet, so it's a perfect place for a date or meet-up with friends. And there's free parking downstairs!“
“seaweed salad and gyoza were great to start! the ambiance feels moderately dedicated towards japanese culture which is always a plus. they may have been understaffed when I came, but service was a bit weak. The ramen entree left a bit more to be desired flavor-wise, but I do really appreciate the vibe in the establishment. I would come again!“
“The service was wonderful, we had a big party and came in about an hour and a half to close, the staff was so kind and gracious in letting us stay a little after close. Such wonderful prices for the quality and service, cannot recommend enough.“
“This place is wonderful. Friendly and attentive staff, delicious, high quality fish, an intimate date night spot. It can get noisy, but it's an Izakaya! That's to be expected. My husband and I have tried many other popular local sushi spots, but Izakaya M is by far our favorite. After coming back from Japan and eating some of the best sushi possible, Izakaya M is our way of getting a bit of that quality back home. Not only do they have delicious fish, but their robata items are delicious as well.“
“This place is so cute! The food is so good. I’m kind of poor so I can’t come here often. I walk by here every day and no one is inside. It makes me sad because you can tell the owners put so much love into this place. I’d hate to see it go. The sushi is fire and unique. You won’t regret trying to place. Praying for Keith Lee to come visit this place. ?? “
“So I've had their food a few more times now. This is just an excellent restaurant. Delicious and pristinely fresh nigiri, gracious and smart service, a menu to please almost any taste. And the best ponzu I've ever tasted. If they don't make it in house which I'm assuming they do, then I need to know where they get it. It's the most intense umami flavor ever. Always happy after a meal from here.“
“3rd time here and it's always a pleasure. You'll find us at the chef table. One of the best deals for sashimi in my opinion. So fresh and the cut is nice and thick. I love that it's a hidden gem under the stairs lol. It's laid back and very chill. Services is on point and the workers know what they are doing. I wish they they would serve more from the old menu but everything is good so I can't complaint. This is my go to for late night eating and relaxing.“
“I ended up getting the Tonkotsu Ramen at level 2 spice and it was really delicious, the broth was very flavorful, chicken was delicious and I also got some California rolls which were pretty good. Funny side note, I think I was the only one there cause it’s that weird time between lunch and dinner so it was better for me lol but yes 5/5 definitely recommend this place if you are in the area.“
Recommended
“I come to LA from the east coast once or twice per year and I make my travel schedule around eating at Moto once per visit. The tan tan men ramen is absolutely the best ramen I have ever had. The broth is pure perfection... The side dishes are solid as well and the sushi is simple, but out of this world fresh and tasty. Sam is a great host. See you on my next trip Moto!!!“