Had such a great meal here. We did the tasting menu and everything was incredibly fresh and thoughtfully put together. The quality of the fish really stood out — clean, buttery, and clearly top tier. There was a lot of creativity in the combinations without it ever feeling overworked. The lobster roll was the highlight for me — super flavorful, perfectly balanced, and honestly just delicious.
They also had a great sake selection that paired really well with the meal and added to the overall experience.
The space has a really nice vibe, comfortable and welcoming without feeling stuffy. Service was attentive and friendly, and we never felt rushed. For the quality, the pricing felt very fair.
Would definitely come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hemmie Kang
Still thinking about this omakase spot!
The quality and creativity of the course felt elevated, yet the price point was surprisingly reasonable for the level of craftsmanship. Every course was beautifully prepared. My favorite was the spicy tuna crispy cigar and the nori scallop.
The restaurant itself had such a sexy, intimate atmosphere — dim lighting with beautiful drapery and sleek design. The location was right in the heart of Ktown — perfect place to catch up with a friend or date night before going out in Ktown.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Denise
Such a great experience, only down side is parking but overall divine experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Feliz
If you’re a fan of handrolls, Norikaya is definitely worth a visit. Each dish comes in a small portion, which is great because it lets you sample a variety of items from the menu. The seafood is fresh and the flavors really stand out. The highlight for me was the scallop cigar; fresh scallop paired with their savory sauce, wrapped in crispy seaweed. It’s absolutely delicious. The restaurant has a cozy, inviting atmosphere that makes it perfect for dinner, though the service can be a bit slow at times.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Fake Rodz
Brilliant. Creatively conceived and impeccably executed sushi- sashimi experience. We had the smaller prix fixe menu plus a couple of items. My standouts were the ikura tart-a sequence of flavors emerge as you bite into it. The strawberry unagi temaki was wonderful, the freshness of the fresa set off the gras and umami of the unagi, kinda like the sushi equivalent of Donut Man! This is grad level stuff, really excellent food and your old friends in unexpected combinations that really work. Great vibe, wonderful people, excellent service. Get the yuzu granita .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hyerin Park
I had a dinner reservation for 7:30pm and arrived right on time. When I walked in, I saw three groups waiting and assumed they were walk-ins, but it turned out they actually had reservations earlier than ours. There was no host at the front, so we were just awkwardly standing there until a staff member finally came over and told us our table was being prepared. We believed them and kept waiting… and waiting… and didn’t get seated until around 8 — about 30 minutes late. Honestly, if they can’t handle reservations properly, they really need to space them out more instead of stacking bookings they clearly can’t manage. The servers were also pretty inexperienced, slow, and not particularly friendly. We ordered the uni tart, which was $16, so I assumed it would come with maybe 2–3 pieces. Nope. Just one. And it was literally about the size of a $1 coin. I couldn’t help but laugh out of disbelief when I saw it. My friend and I split it in half thinking, “If it’s amazing, we’ll order another.” It wasn’t. So we passed. The rest of the dishes that followed were also ridiculously small for the price. If the taste had at least matched the price point, I might’ve understood — but honestly, it was neither here nor there. In fact, overall the food tasted worse than what you’d get at an all-you-can-eat sushi place. Also, if you’re thinking about ordering the seared scallop temaki, don’t if you have sensitive teeth. The fried sweet potato chips inside were unbelievably hard. For a second I genuinely thought I bit into a rock. I seriously don’t understand why a place with this level of quality tries to present itself like a Michelin-style or fine dining spot. I’m honestly going to tell all my friends not to waste their time or money here. Just really sad that my precious Saturday night ended up like this.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Rosie Mei
The food was okay — decent quality
Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. It took quite a while for someone to take our order, and the staff did not seem very welcoming or attentive. We had to wait longer than expected, which affected the overall experience.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad meal, but it wasn’t memorable enough for me to return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 1
Paula
Went for vday and honestly the whole experience was a let down :( We wanted to love it but we were rushed, the food missed the mark and we left HUNGRY!! With a pre-fix I usually get to a comfortable fullness but not here. I would have rather eaten handrolls at Yunomi or Kazunori and saved $100. The rushing was crazy… when the desert arrived the server told us he needs the table in 10 minutes which means we were in and out within 60 minutes. And we didn’t pick when the courses came out, they did and it was quick! The couple next to us also asked if they could pay for more food because they were hungry and the server said no
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Jiyoung Lim (Jina)
Tried premium tasting menu. After the 2nd dish, it took exactly 28 minutes for the 3rd appetizer. One sushi chef, full bar. Alcoholic beverages are made by the servers who were constantly referring to what seemed like a recipe book and obviously tasted horrible. Asked if it could be made again, he said “thats how its supposed to be.” Cool. 🤷🏻♀️
Not the greatest quality fish.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Debra
Intimate restaurant with single dining room where everyone sits at bar. Room is very attractive with waves of white curtains hanging over center of bar and waves of gold on black walls. Sushi is the best I ever had!! Don't miss yellowtail Serrano! Order prix fixe menu for $67. It's well worth it!
A neighborhood gem! We enjoyed the Premiere Tasting Menu, and it was delightful. The caviar tart and spicy tuna cigar were my faves. The dessert was a refreshing palette cleanser. Our server looked like he was working the room on his own - he was friendly, helpful and an all around rockstar.
Lisa
A nice surprise to find this restaurant in Koreatown that is very low key from outside; the cigars and temaki were very good and reasonably priced. Very amenable staff and chefs. Would be a good lunch spot if they decide to do lunch service.
Ying Liang
Definitely on the price of your side, but very high-quality and interesting hand roll combinations!
Always food
We had a reservation for 6 and weren’t seated until nearly an hour later, which was already disappointing. The bigger issue, however, was how the restaurant handled the situation afterward.
Staff repeatedly offered compensation for the delay, but almost every offer was later retracted or contradicted. First, we were offered free sake (which we declined). Then free food was offered, but reasonable requests were denied by management. Items that were promised later became “sold out,” including two 3 oz filet steaks that were explicitly offered and never delivered.
To make matters worse, we were told we would receive complimentary dessert, which we did—but when the bill arrived, we were charged for both desserts. When we pointed it out, we were told the original waitress had already gone home, and only one dessert could be removed from the bill.
Delays happen, and we were patient. What made this frustrating was the lack of communication between staff and management and the repeated promises that were not honored.
For a restaurant at this price point, the food itself did not justify the cost, and combined with the disorganized service, the overall experience fell well below expectations.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
Angie
We had a birthday dinner at Norikaya, and the experience was disappointing. We first ordered a 720ml Onikoroshi sake. The server said they did not have it, so we picked another 720ml. Instead, he brought two 300ml bottles, saying it would be easier for us to share. When we pointed out that two 300ml bottles do not equal the 720ml we ordered, he responded, “But this is cheaper.” We did not ask for cheaper. Only after asking directly if they had the 720ml did he admit they did not. What is with the dishonesty from the start? The food was mediocre, to say the most, and the evening felt unorganized. I had noted the birthday on the reservation and reminded the server. Despite agreeing, no gesture came. When I pointed it out, the server muttered “F***” under his breath, right in front of all four of us. We were stunned. Really? How unprofessional and rude. He probably realized he had messed up, but saying “F***” for all of us to see? We all witnessed it. Is that how you train your servers, to curse when they make mistakes? It does not matter if it was directed at us or not. The fact that he said it was just, wow. To top it off, we felt rushed at the end. He mentioned another table waiting. Overall, mediocre food, dishonesty, and poor service. All the negative reviews are absolutely true. This experience made it clear-those bad reviews are facts. It was that bad.
Had such a great meal here. We did the tasting menu and everything was incredibly fresh and thoughtfully put together. The quality of the fish really stood out — clean, buttery, and clearly top tier. There was a lot of creativity in the combinations without it ever feeling overworked. The lobster roll was the highlight for me — super flavorful, perfectly balanced, and honestly just delicious.
They also had a great sake selection that paired really well with the meal and added to the overall experience.
The space has a really nice vibe, comfortable and welcoming without feeling stuffy. Service was attentive and friendly, and we never felt rushed. For the quality, the pricing felt very fair.
Would definitely come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Still thinking about this omakase spot!
The quality and creativity of the course felt elevated, yet the price point was surprisingly reasonable for the level of craftsmanship. Every course was beautifully prepared. My favorite was the spicy tuna crispy cigar and the nori scallop.
The restaurant itself had such a sexy, intimate atmosphere — dim lighting with beautiful drapery and sleek design. The location was right in the heart of Ktown — perfect place to catch up with a friend or date night before going out in Ktown.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Such a great experience, only down side is parking but overall divine experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you’re a fan of handrolls, Norikaya is definitely worth a visit. Each dish comes in a small portion, which is great because it lets you sample a variety of items from the menu. The seafood is fresh and the flavors really stand out. The highlight for me was the scallop cigar; fresh scallop paired with their savory sauce, wrapped in crispy seaweed. It’s absolutely delicious. The restaurant has a cozy, inviting atmosphere that makes it perfect for dinner, though the service can be a bit slow at times.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Brilliant. Creatively conceived and impeccably executed sushi- sashimi experience. We had the smaller prix fixe menu plus a couple of items. My standouts were the ikura tart-a sequence of flavors emerge as you bite into it. The strawberry unagi temaki was wonderful, the freshness of the fresa set off the gras and umami of the unagi, kinda like the sushi equivalent of Donut Man! This is grad level stuff, really excellent food and your old friends in unexpected combinations that really work. Great vibe, wonderful people, excellent service. Get the yuzu granita .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had a dinner reservation for 7:30pm and arrived right on time. When I walked in, I saw three groups waiting and assumed they were walk-ins, but it turned out they actually had reservations earlier than ours. There was no host at the front, so we were just awkwardly standing there until a staff member finally came over and told us our table was being prepared. We believed them and kept waiting… and waiting… and didn’t get seated until around 8 — about 30 minutes late. Honestly, if they can’t handle reservations properly, they really need to space them out more instead of stacking bookings they clearly can’t manage.
The servers were also pretty inexperienced, slow, and not particularly friendly. We ordered the uni tart, which was $16, so I assumed it would come with maybe 2–3 pieces. Nope. Just one. And it was literally about the size of a $1 coin. I couldn’t help but laugh out of disbelief when I saw it. My friend and I split it in half thinking, “If it’s amazing, we’ll order another.” It wasn’t. So we passed.
The rest of the dishes that followed were also ridiculously small for the price. If the taste had at least matched the price point, I might’ve understood — but honestly, it was neither here nor there. In fact, overall the food tasted worse than what you’d get at an all-you-can-eat sushi place. Also, if you’re thinking about ordering the seared scallop temaki, don’t if you have sensitive teeth. The fried sweet potato chips inside were unbelievably hard. For a second I genuinely thought I bit into a rock.
I seriously don’t understand why a place with this level of quality tries to present itself like a Michelin-style or fine dining spot. I’m honestly going to tell all my friends not to waste their time or money here. Just really sad that my precious Saturday night ended up like this.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
The food was okay — decent quality
Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. It took quite a while for someone to take our order, and the staff did not seem very welcoming or attentive. We had to wait longer than expected, which affected the overall experience.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad meal, but it wasn’t memorable enough for me to return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 1
Went for vday and honestly the whole experience was a let down :( We wanted to love it but we were rushed, the food missed the mark and we left HUNGRY!! With a pre-fix I usually get to a comfortable fullness but not here. I would have rather eaten handrolls at Yunomi or Kazunori and saved $100. The rushing was crazy… when the desert arrived the server told us he needs the table in 10 minutes which means we were in and out within 60 minutes. And we didn’t pick when the courses came out, they did and it was quick! The couple next to us also asked if they could pay for more food because they were hungry and the server said no
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Tried premium tasting menu. After the 2nd dish, it took exactly 28 minutes for the 3rd appetizer. One sushi chef, full bar. Alcoholic beverages are made by the servers who were constantly referring to what seemed like a recipe book and obviously tasted horrible. Asked if it could be made again, he said “thats how its supposed to be.” Cool. 🤷🏻♀️
Not the greatest quality fish.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Intimate restaurant with single dining room where everyone sits at bar. Room is very attractive with waves of white curtains hanging over center of bar and waves of gold on black walls. Sushi is the best I ever had!! Don't miss yellowtail Serrano! Order prix fixe menu for $67. It's well worth it!
Restaurantji Recommends
A neighborhood gem! We enjoyed the Premiere Tasting Menu, and it was delightful. The caviar tart and spicy tuna cigar were my faves. The dessert was a refreshing palette cleanser. Our server looked like he was working the room on his own - he was friendly, helpful and an all around rockstar.
A nice surprise to find this restaurant in Koreatown that is very low key from outside; the cigars and temaki were very good and reasonably priced. Very amenable staff and chefs. Would be a good lunch spot if they decide to do lunch service.
Definitely on the price of your side, but very high-quality and interesting hand roll combinations!
We had a reservation for 6 and weren’t seated until nearly an hour later, which was already disappointing. The bigger issue, however, was how the restaurant handled the situation afterward.
Staff repeatedly offered compensation for the delay, but almost every offer was later retracted or contradicted. First, we were offered free sake (which we declined). Then free food was offered, but reasonable requests were denied by management. Items that were promised later became “sold out,” including two 3 oz filet steaks that were explicitly offered and never delivered.
To make matters worse, we were told we would receive complimentary dessert, which we did—but when the bill arrived, we were charged for both desserts. When we pointed it out, we were told the original waitress had already gone home, and only one dessert could be removed from the bill.
Delays happen, and we were patient. What made this frustrating was the lack of communication between staff and management and the repeated promises that were not honored.
For a restaurant at this price point, the food itself did not justify the cost, and combined with the disorganized service, the overall experience fell well below expectations.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
We had a birthday dinner at Norikaya, and the experience was disappointing. We first ordered a 720ml Onikoroshi sake. The server said they did not have it, so we picked another 720ml. Instead, he brought two 300ml bottles, saying it would be easier for us to share. When we pointed out that two 300ml bottles do not equal the 720ml we ordered, he responded, “But this is cheaper.” We did not ask for cheaper. Only after asking directly if they had the 720ml did he admit they did not. What is with the dishonesty from the start? The food was mediocre, to say the most, and the evening felt unorganized. I had noted the birthday on the reservation and reminded the server. Despite agreeing, no gesture came. When I pointed it out, the server muttered “F***” under his breath, right in front of all four of us. We were stunned. Really? How unprofessional and rude. He probably realized he had messed up, but saying “F***” for all of us to see? We all witnessed it. Is that how you train your servers, to curse when they make mistakes? It does not matter if it was directed at us or not. The fact that he said it was just, wow. To top it off, we felt rushed at the end. He mentioned another table waiting. Overall, mediocre food, dishonesty, and poor service. All the negative reviews are absolutely true. This experience made it clear-those bad reviews are facts. It was that bad.
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