I love friend dates here :) After the most DELICIOUS homey meal, I love walking through Little Tokyo to Hauser & Wirth.
Karen Ishizuka
Always consistently excellent food and friendly service. LA hidden gem!
KKK KKK
Food tastes good, but the portion is small while the price is high. There are too many people but too few waiters. Barely no service at all. It is a very small restaurant so prepare to sit outside without reservations ahead.
Julia M
Loved the Japanese breakfast at this restaurant! All the food was so flavorful, and the staff were excellent!!
Kyoo Jin Lee
I had Japanese breakfast w/ miso black cod, it was tasty.
April Y
It was not a good sign to see no Asians from cooks to customers in this restaurant after we stepped in. Not to our surprise, the food was not even as good as bento box in grocery stores but prices were double to triple. If you are looking for authentic and good Japanese food, it is not recommended.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
Sakiko Reuterskiold
Lovely family run restaurant for healthy delicious Japanese and French food made with high quality ingredients. Being half Japanese and having lived in Japan, I appreciate the authenticity of Azay so much. Many other pseudo japanese izakaya/casual restaurants in LA use chilli and mayo and super sweet sauces on everything. Azay is lovely lunch and brunch japanese and french food. So good and prepared with love. I’m grateful they exist.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Japanese Breakfast, Matcha Crème Brûlée, Miso Soup, Asari Clam Soup, Mackerel, Daily Bento, Breakfast Bento
Sue Oda
This place is a gem! We love the vibe, love how the art on walls is uniquely related to the history and development of the restaurant. Philip is a delight, it meant so much to us that he shared the history of this family restaurant and what inspires its menu. It’s unassuming on the outside, which I really like about it. The inside is bright yet understated. In the world of Japanese tea ceremony, I would say this place has wabi-sabi. (Not a place to go if you expect a flashy scene.) Also the food is intentionally seasoned with complexity, subtlety and unexpected delights.
We had dinner here and from the first bite everything was delicious. Their food is like an orchestra, with highlights and depth. Every detail of the meal was intentional. We started with a couple of appetizers: Crab and uni milk toast, and Sunchokes w/ dengaku miso. The crab and uni milk toast was rich and creamy on top with a crisp crunch of toasted artisan baguette below. Sunchokes were perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The miso glaze added a savory highlight.
We had Chilean sea bass and Jidori shio koji chicken. Both were excellent and cooked to the perfect doneness. The chicken thigh had passion fruit seeds which added a sweet surprise to balance the savory honey nut squash. The sea bass, which was one of their signature dishes, is served in a hand-painted dish reminiscent of a traditional Japanese kaiseki meal. It was cooked to tender and delicious perfection.
Desserts were equally delicious and thoughtfully prepared. We had a soy milk panna cotta (big thanks from lactose-intolerant Asian) which was rich and creamy and topped with a pear granita, yum! The apple tarte had a traditional French crust, flaky and delicious.
Service is excellent. We noticed they pulled extra staff out when serving our entrees so everyone at our table received their meals at the same time. Small detail, but it's these quiet details that really made us feel so well thought about.
Their menu changes weekly. If we lived in the area we would definitely put this place on our regular rotation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jenny Chen
We went Azay for dinner 5 days ago and after arriving and sitting down, just realizing that it's set menu only, at $75 per person. I personally do not like set menus because I like the flexibility and freedom to choose. In addition, we weren't made aware of the set menu only for dinner when I made the reservation online. Just as I was discussing about alternative dinner options elsewhere amongst us, the waiter came and really politely relay to me that he had overhead our conversation and completely respect and understand it if we were to go somewhere else because of the circumstances. We then decided to give it a try anyways due to the glowing reviews online....and boy, we were happy that we stayed!!
The food was amazing, everything was super fresh and tasty, the service was also top notch. They really took the time to explain the origin of the ingredients and technique. They also gave us a couple complimentary tasting appetizers, expressing gratitude for staying and giving them an opportunity to experience their food. We felt seen and valued as first-time patrons, which is so very rare these days!
All in all, I can't recommend this place enough! Usually for great food you have to put up with subpar service and vice versa but Azay, is a real gem because you get to have both!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
JO Na
Food is always scrumptious! We had super delicious karaage, pate, grilled salmon, and black cod. The desserts, matcha creme brulee and apple tart, are also superb. Wine selection is also great. Fantastic service, as well. We drive from south OC to dine here, and it's so worth it!
long wait if you didn't reserve ahead + sit outside , food was amazing, highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Shane Li
I love Japanese breakfasts for their variety, fresh flavors, and healthiness, and this place seamlessly blends that with a wonderful Japanese/French twist. I’ll definitely have to come back and try their dinner sometime.
The restaurant is relatively small. We arrived right when they opened and were seated immediately, but it filled up quickly afterward. The service, while friendly, felt a bit disorganized—three different staff members tried to bring us the bill while we were still waiting for dessert, likely due to how busy they were.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Japanese Breakfast, Housemade Rillette and Pate
Kelvin L
I had found this lovely place for brunch on my last day of my LA trip. We walked up and put our name on the list and waited around 20-30 mins. We got seated outside and we ordered our food. My cousin and I ordered the beef curry, brother ordered the salmon and ikura donburi and my friend had the daily bento with the black cod. It was all super yummy and nothing left behind. Super good and highly recommend for brunch. They close at 2pm btw.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Phillip Kim
we enjoyed the prix fixe dinner tonight. food and service were excellent. ingredients were incredibly fresh. we especially enjoyed the stories about who they collaborate with and how they connect to the family farms to get seasonal ingredients. the commitment to sustainability and community make this small family owned restaurant a favorite go to for date night. would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
llle lll
Took a bus and came all the way from the west side this is what I got. I thought maintaining consistent business hours is a fundamental responsibility that should be provided.
I love friend dates here :) After the most DELICIOUS homey meal, I love walking through Little Tokyo to Hauser & Wirth.
Always consistently excellent food and friendly service. LA hidden gem!
Food tastes good, but the portion is small while the price is high. There are too many people but too few waiters. Barely no service at all. It is a very small restaurant so prepare to sit outside without reservations ahead.
Loved the Japanese breakfast at this restaurant! All the food was so flavorful, and the staff were excellent!!
I had Japanese breakfast w/ miso black cod, it was tasty.
It was not a good sign to see no Asians from cooks to customers in this restaurant after we stepped in. Not to our surprise, the food was not even as good as bento box in grocery stores but prices were double to triple. If you are looking for authentic and good Japanese food, it is not recommended.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
Lovely family run restaurant for healthy delicious Japanese and French food made with high quality ingredients. Being half Japanese and having lived in Japan, I appreciate the authenticity of Azay so much. Many other pseudo japanese izakaya/casual restaurants in LA use chilli and mayo and super sweet sauces on everything. Azay is lovely lunch and brunch japanese and french food. So good and prepared with love. I’m grateful they exist.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Japanese Breakfast, Matcha Crème Brûlée, Miso Soup, Asari Clam Soup, Mackerel, Daily Bento, Breakfast Bento
This place is a gem! We love the vibe, love how the art on walls is uniquely related to the history and development of the restaurant. Philip is a delight, it meant so much to us that he shared the history of this family restaurant and what inspires its menu. It’s unassuming on the outside, which I really like about it. The inside is bright yet understated. In the world of Japanese tea ceremony, I would say this place has wabi-sabi. (Not a place to go if you expect a flashy scene.) Also the food is intentionally seasoned with complexity, subtlety and unexpected delights.
We had dinner here and from the first bite everything was delicious. Their food is like an orchestra, with highlights and depth. Every detail of the meal was intentional. We started with a couple of appetizers: Crab and uni milk toast, and Sunchokes w/ dengaku miso. The crab and uni milk toast was rich and creamy on top with a crisp crunch of toasted artisan baguette below. Sunchokes were perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The miso glaze added a savory highlight.
We had Chilean sea bass and Jidori shio koji chicken. Both were excellent and cooked to the perfect doneness. The chicken thigh had passion fruit seeds which added a sweet surprise to balance the savory honey nut squash. The sea bass, which was one of their signature dishes, is served in a hand-painted dish reminiscent of a traditional Japanese kaiseki meal. It was cooked to tender and delicious perfection.
Desserts were equally delicious and thoughtfully prepared. We had a soy milk panna cotta (big thanks from lactose-intolerant Asian) which was rich and creamy and topped with a pear granita, yum! The apple tarte had a traditional French crust, flaky and delicious.
Service is excellent. We noticed they pulled extra staff out when serving our entrees so everyone at our table received their meals at the same time. Small detail, but it's these quiet details that really made us feel so well thought about.
Their menu changes weekly. If we lived in the area we would definitely put this place on our regular rotation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We went Azay for dinner 5 days ago and after arriving and sitting down, just realizing that it's set menu only, at $75 per person. I personally do not like set menus because I like the flexibility and freedom to choose. In addition, we weren't made aware of the set menu only for dinner when I made the reservation online. Just as I was discussing about alternative dinner options elsewhere amongst us, the waiter came and really politely relay to me that he had overhead our conversation and completely respect and understand it if we were to go somewhere else because of the circumstances. We then decided to give it a try anyways due to the glowing reviews online....and boy, we were happy that we stayed!!
The food was amazing, everything was super fresh and tasty, the service was also top notch. They really took the time to explain the origin of the ingredients and technique. They also gave us a couple complimentary tasting appetizers, expressing gratitude for staying and giving them an opportunity to experience their food. We felt seen and valued as first-time patrons, which is so very rare these days!
All in all, I can't recommend this place enough! Usually for great food you have to put up with subpar service and vice versa but Azay, is a real gem because you get to have both!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food is always scrumptious! We had super delicious karaage, pate, grilled salmon, and black cod. The desserts, matcha creme brulee and apple tart, are also superb. Wine selection is also great. Fantastic service, as well. We drive from south OC to dine here, and it's so worth it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Matcha Crème Brûlée, Miso Soup, Matcha Creme Brulee, Mackerel, Daily Bento
Restaurantji Recommends
long wait if you didn't reserve ahead + sit outside , food was amazing, highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
I love Japanese breakfasts for their variety, fresh flavors, and healthiness, and this place seamlessly blends that with a wonderful Japanese/French twist. I’ll definitely have to come back and try their dinner sometime.
The restaurant is relatively small. We arrived right when they opened and were seated immediately, but it filled up quickly afterward. The service, while friendly, felt a bit disorganized—three different staff members tried to bring us the bill while we were still waiting for dessert, likely due to how busy they were.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Japanese Breakfast, Housemade Rillette and Pate
I had found this lovely place for brunch on my last day of my LA trip. We walked up and put our name on the list and waited around 20-30 mins. We got seated outside and we ordered our food. My cousin and I ordered the beef curry, brother ordered the salmon and ikura donburi and my friend had the daily bento with the black cod. It was all super yummy and nothing left behind. Super good and highly recommend for brunch. They close at 2pm btw.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
we enjoyed the prix fixe dinner tonight. food and service were excellent. ingredients were incredibly fresh. we especially enjoyed the stories about who they collaborate with and how they connect to the family farms to get seasonal ingredients. the commitment to sustainability and community make this small family owned restaurant a favorite go to for date night. would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Took a bus and came all the way from the west side this is what I got. I thought maintaining consistent business hours is a fundamental responsibility that should be provided.
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