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 for date night and it was excellent... Food and service was amazing... I ordered the Salmon roll, Yellowtail roll, Spicy Black cod, and the Pork Jowl... They were all GOOD!!!! BOMB!!!!
Ryan C.
Great service, food and ambiance. Food fairly priced, unique and approachable. I would definitely go back with a larger group next time!
Jen C.
Great place for tapas. Feels like eating in a club because it's so dark and loud, but at least you can have private conversations. Food is great, though we did end up getting tacos afterwards.
Tansu Philip
This is exactly what LA needed! Reminds me so much of the izakaya’s in Japan, with an LA twist. FANTASTIC food, super fair pricing, impeccable service - this place can’t be beat! Follow them on Instagram to stay up to date with any specials they’re doing as well. Cannot recommend highly enough. Can’t wait to go back soon! Try the sweet potato, you won’t regret it!
An intimate yet vibrant restaurant space, Budonoki gets 10 stars - 5 just doesn't do it justice. Welcoming, expert service, engaging staff, charming seating area, small but oh so enticing menu. And the food! Holy Budonoki! EVERY SINGLE menu selection was a culinary adventure. Presentation and bursts of flavor that lift dining out to pure art. And DON'T skip dessert. The flavors of their soft ice cream are unique and transformative. Share if you must, but I think this was my favorite part.
Jeffrey C.
This place had been getting a lot of hype and I was seeing a lot of TikTok videos on it and thought I'd check it out. Unfortunately I don't fully understand the hype behind this place. While nothing was bad, nothing really impressed me. I thought the restaurant's vibe was a bit off as it was an odd fusion of Japanese Izakaya decor with a dimly lit dive bar. I found the food decent, but nothing was memorable. Probably the best dish we had was the naem, which was the one thing I would definitely get again if I ever went back. The budo-gnocchi was decent but it was a small portion given the price. The agedashi tofu and aburi salmon sushi were disappointing. The drinks were fun and the service was fine, though I thought they brought out the food too fast for my liking.
Rachel T.
Wow is this place freakin' cool!! The vibe inside this izakaya is *immaculate* and I've never experienced anything quite like it. Everything is so stylish, from the menus to the cups to the interior, and the great music is the cherry on top. If you're coming here for their instagram-worthy animal themed cups you have to order the Girls Night Out! I've never tasted a drink like this but it was so unique and packed with flavor. We got a cute Polar Bear and Yeti cup, but beware there is a $150 stolen mug fee for those of you who like restaurant souvenirs lol. For food we ordered the Spicy Tuna Handrolls, Scallop Crudo, Wings, Yakisoba, and the Abura Salmon. The scallops in the scallop crudo were so fresh and tender, I would highly recommend getting this dish. The Aburi Salmon sushi was also amazing. The salmon was very lightly cooked and was so tender. My favorite dish though was the Yakisoba. This dish was so packed with flavor and the beef was so fresh and tender I could sit and eat three plates of this!!! My least favorite dishes were the wings and the spicy tuna handrolls. The wings were a little too dry and salty for me and I just wasn't a fan of the spicy tuna handrolls in general. We ended the night with the Pandan Coconut Vanilla soft serve which was delicious! I'm usually not a fan of coconut but it was so mild I think it added a lot of flavor, and the little shovel spoons were a cute touch. The service was very friendly and the food came out gradually. This is such a great place with a vibrant, youthful energy. If you're into more quiet settings this probably isn't the place for you, but I would recommend it to everyone else! They do offer valet parking but I was able to find street parking in the surrounding neighborhood quite easily.
Kingsley L.
My new favorite eating spot. Food is delish, we literally tried the whole menu and I would order everything again. Don't forget to get the pandas soft serve to top off the meal!
Laura P.
Outrageously good. Casual ambiance with off the charts flavors. We loved everything we tried: the naem was the winner, followed by yellowtail sushi, and the specials of the night black cod and agadashi tofu. Interesting/fun cocktail menu (sake/soju). Great for groups (there were many) but also quite loud and dark, so not great for kids or older crowds. Can Absolutely not wait to come back
Visited on a Wednesday night around 9:20 as a group of 3. Seated us at the bar as most tables were taken. The kitchen closes at 9:30pm so we got in just in time to place a food order. Drinks: Hyoketsu - tried a sample of the frozen slushy which was sweet, slightly bitter and a little boozy Food: Negina - comes with two skewers, perfectly grilled with a nice bit of char the satay like peanut sauce was a delicious compliment, chicken was juicy and succulent Wings- fried and crispy with a delicious sweet sticky slightly spicy glaze, very tasty order a round for the table Naem - favorite dish of the nice, fried rice balls served with Thai sausage and a refreshing cabbage slaw, get all the compliments in one bite, great combo of textures flavors and temperatures, give it a try Yakisoba - pretty good, generous with the waygu beef, noodles had a nice and chewy texture, sauce was sweet and creamy sauce Yellowtail oshizushi - 6 pieces per order, a bit soft, fish was fresh, pretty light in flavor Salmon oshizushi - 6 pieces per order, salmon is gently torched topped with a pickle chili, savory from the shiro miso, prefered this to the yellowtail, also a bit soft and hard to pick up Grill salmon collar - a specific that evening, collar was fairly meaty, fatty and rich, definitely top with a good squeeze of lime would be great with a bowl of warm rice Black sesame soft serve - so good, very sesame forward, well balanced sweetness, great way to end the evening Coconut pandan soft serve - also delicious, nice fresh coconut with the depth a hint of vanilly pandan Service was awesome, everyone who served us was so warm and friendly, with great recommendations. Water was never left empty, they check in on our group throughout the meal, food came out fairly quickly. We sat at the bar and they offered us a taster of the frozen cocktail which was such a great touch! Thoroughly enjoyed our meal here come with a couple others to try more dishes on the menu, the Neam, Wings, and black sesame soft serve are not to be miss! Service was excellent and I'd recommend grabbing a seat at the bar if you can.
J A.
amazing food. the rice cake gnocchi dish was fantastic. love the crispy rice thai sausage dish too. seafood pancake a tiny bit greasy but very tasty. pork jowl awesome. wings were pretty good/fine. other than those, everything else was top notch. this place is loud w real loud music. younger crowd. not somewhere i'd take my parents. reservations open one week in advance which is a little tough, but i got my pick of times once they immediately opened.
Lauren Emerson
Loved it! Especially the yellow tail sushi - what a treat. Drinks & service were also awesome. We were visiting from Denver, but if we lived closer, we would definitely be back!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wagyu Beef, Yakisoba
emily greene
One of my new favorite restaurants in LA! Carefully curated, incredibly creative and delicious dishes. Whether you order the mind blowing sweet potato with miso butter charred to perfection, or the citrus infused scallop crudo, the creamy yet smoky salmon sushi or the spicy chicken… every single menu item is a win win. Foodie approved. Ambience was delightful- festive and lively yet not so crazy that you can still have a conversation. I cannot recommend Budonoki enough!
One of my new favorite restaurants in LA! Carefully curated, incredibly creative and delicious dishes. Whether you order the mind blowing sweet potato with miso butter charred to perfection, or the citrus infused scallop crudo, the creamy yet smoky salmon sushi or the spicy chicken... every single menu item is a win win. Foodie approved. Service impeccable, everyone who brought our dishes kindly informed us of the ingredients as well as the best way to enjoy the dish. Ambiance was delightful- festive and lively yet not so crazy that you can still have a conversation. I cannot recommend Budonoki enough!
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.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wagyu Beef, Charred Sweet Potato, Pork Jowl
Came for date night and it was excellent... Food and service was amazing... I ordered the Salmon roll, Yellowtail roll, Spicy Black cod, and the Pork Jowl... They were all GOOD!!!! BOMB!!!!
Great service, food and ambiance. Food fairly priced, unique and approachable. I would definitely go back with a larger group next time!
Great place for tapas. Feels like eating in a club because it's so dark and loud, but at least you can have private conversations. Food is great, though we did end up getting tacos afterwards.
This is exactly what LA needed! Reminds me so much of the izakaya’s in Japan, with an LA twist. FANTASTIC food, super fair pricing, impeccable service - this place can’t be beat! Follow them on Instagram to stay up to date with any specials they’re doing as well. Cannot recommend highly enough. Can’t wait to go back soon! Try the sweet potato, you won’t regret it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charred Sweet Potato, Soft Serve
An intimate yet vibrant restaurant space, Budonoki gets 10 stars - 5 just doesn't do it justice. Welcoming, expert service, engaging staff, charming seating area, small but oh so enticing menu. And the food! Holy Budonoki! EVERY SINGLE menu selection was a culinary adventure. Presentation and bursts of flavor that lift dining out to pure art. And DON'T skip dessert. The flavors of their soft ice cream are unique and transformative. Share if you must, but I think this was my favorite part.
This place had been getting a lot of hype and I was seeing a lot of TikTok videos on it and thought I'd check it out. Unfortunately I don't fully understand the hype behind this place. While nothing was bad, nothing really impressed me. I thought the restaurant's vibe was a bit off as it was an odd fusion of Japanese Izakaya decor with a dimly lit dive bar. I found the food decent, but nothing was memorable. Probably the best dish we had was the naem, which was the one thing I would definitely get again if I ever went back. The budo-gnocchi was decent but it was a small portion given the price. The agedashi tofu and aburi salmon sushi were disappointing. The drinks were fun and the service was fine, though I thought they brought out the food too fast for my liking.
Wow is this place freakin' cool!! The vibe inside this izakaya is *immaculate* and I've never experienced anything quite like it. Everything is so stylish, from the menus to the cups to the interior, and the great music is the cherry on top. If you're coming here for their instagram-worthy animal themed cups you have to order the Girls Night Out! I've never tasted a drink like this but it was so unique and packed with flavor. We got a cute Polar Bear and Yeti cup, but beware there is a $150 stolen mug fee for those of you who like restaurant souvenirs lol. For food we ordered the Spicy Tuna Handrolls, Scallop Crudo, Wings, Yakisoba, and the Abura Salmon. The scallops in the scallop crudo were so fresh and tender, I would highly recommend getting this dish. The Aburi Salmon sushi was also amazing. The salmon was very lightly cooked and was so tender. My favorite dish though was the Yakisoba. This dish was so packed with flavor and the beef was so fresh and tender I could sit and eat three plates of this!!! My least favorite dishes were the wings and the spicy tuna handrolls. The wings were a little too dry and salty for me and I just wasn't a fan of the spicy tuna handrolls in general. We ended the night with the Pandan Coconut Vanilla soft serve which was delicious! I'm usually not a fan of coconut but it was so mild I think it added a lot of flavor, and the little shovel spoons were a cute touch. The service was very friendly and the food came out gradually. This is such a great place with a vibrant, youthful energy. If you're into more quiet settings this probably isn't the place for you, but I would recommend it to everyone else! They do offer valet parking but I was able to find street parking in the surrounding neighborhood quite easily.
My new favorite eating spot. Food is delish, we literally tried the whole menu and I would order everything again. Don't forget to get the pandas soft serve to top off the meal!
Outrageously good. Casual ambiance with off the charts flavors. We loved everything we tried: the naem was the winner, followed by yellowtail sushi, and the specials of the night black cod and agadashi tofu. Interesting/fun cocktail menu (sake/soju). Great for groups (there were many) but also quite loud and dark, so not great for kids or older crowds. Can Absolutely not wait to come back
Restaurantji Recommends
Visited on a Wednesday night around 9:20 as a group of 3. Seated us at the bar as most tables were taken. The kitchen closes at 9:30pm so we got in just in time to place a food order. Drinks: Hyoketsu - tried a sample of the frozen slushy which was sweet, slightly bitter and a little boozy Food: Negina - comes with two skewers, perfectly grilled with a nice bit of char the satay like peanut sauce was a delicious compliment, chicken was juicy and succulent Wings- fried and crispy with a delicious sweet sticky slightly spicy glaze, very tasty order a round for the table Naem - favorite dish of the nice, fried rice balls served with Thai sausage and a refreshing cabbage slaw, get all the compliments in one bite, great combo of textures flavors and temperatures, give it a try Yakisoba - pretty good, generous with the waygu beef, noodles had a nice and chewy texture, sauce was sweet and creamy sauce Yellowtail oshizushi - 6 pieces per order, a bit soft, fish was fresh, pretty light in flavor Salmon oshizushi - 6 pieces per order, salmon is gently torched topped with a pickle chili, savory from the shiro miso, prefered this to the yellowtail, also a bit soft and hard to pick up Grill salmon collar - a specific that evening, collar was fairly meaty, fatty and rich, definitely top with a good squeeze of lime would be great with a bowl of warm rice Black sesame soft serve - so good, very sesame forward, well balanced sweetness, great way to end the evening Coconut pandan soft serve - also delicious, nice fresh coconut with the depth a hint of vanilly pandan Service was awesome, everyone who served us was so warm and friendly, with great recommendations. Water was never left empty, they check in on our group throughout the meal, food came out fairly quickly. We sat at the bar and they offered us a taster of the frozen cocktail which was such a great touch! Thoroughly enjoyed our meal here come with a couple others to try more dishes on the menu, the Neam, Wings, and black sesame soft serve are not to be miss! Service was excellent and I'd recommend grabbing a seat at the bar if you can.
amazing food. the rice cake gnocchi dish was fantastic. love the crispy rice thai sausage dish too. seafood pancake a tiny bit greasy but very tasty. pork jowl awesome. wings were pretty good/fine. other than those, everything else was top notch. this place is loud w real loud music. younger crowd. not somewhere i'd take my parents. reservations open one week in advance which is a little tough, but i got my pick of times once they immediately opened.
Loved it! Especially the yellow tail sushi - what a treat. Drinks & service were also awesome. We were visiting from Denver, but if we lived closer, we would definitely be back!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wagyu Beef, Yakisoba
One of my new favorite restaurants in LA! Carefully curated, incredibly creative and delicious dishes. Whether you order the mind blowing sweet potato with miso butter charred to perfection, or the citrus infused scallop crudo, the creamy yet smoky salmon sushi or the spicy chicken… every single menu item is a win win. Foodie approved. Ambience was delightful- festive and lively yet not so crazy that you can still have a conversation. I cannot recommend Budonoki enough!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charred Sweet Potato, Seafood Pancake, Yakisoba, Scallop Crudo, Takoyaki
One of my new favorite restaurants in LA! Carefully curated, incredibly creative and delicious dishes. Whether you order the mind blowing sweet potato with miso butter charred to perfection, or the citrus infused scallop crudo, the creamy yet smoky salmon sushi or the spicy chicken... every single menu item is a win win. Foodie approved. Service impeccable, everyone who brought our dishes kindly informed us of the ingredients as well as the best way to enjoy the dish. Ambiance was delightful- festive and lively yet not so crazy that you can still have a conversation. I cannot recommend Budonoki enough!