Really loved this spot! Easily top 5 in LA - great food, ambiance, friendly but not imposing staff. Highlights: sashimi, chicken karaage, kabocha squash. Lowlights: mushroom rice, tuna handroll (just not as unique). We also enjoyed the duck meatballs and beef tongue. Impressed with the cocktails and n/a selection as well. Can’t wait to try the duck ramen!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eric Watson
Food was pretty good, not great. I'd heard great things, so maybe my expectations were really high. That said, very clean and tasty. Service as excellent. The place was a little loud and crowded, but good for them. I'm sure I'll eat here again, mostly because my friends eat here a lot and know the owner.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Nicole Wharry
Best dining experience in LA! The iconic chefs leading the way have created such an incredible menu and atmosphere. From the fresh California vegetables to the ramen and hand rolls, every bite is delightful. Our servers and everyone we chatted with at RVR were so amazing. I can’t say enough good things about our experience. I can’t wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jim Baudino
This was a fantastic birthday dinner. Our waiter, Ben, was excellent and had a deep understanding of the menu and history. It was worth coming just for this. The food quality was very high and you can't go wrong with any of the dishes. Lots of options for vegetarians/pescatarians. The music is an eclectic mix.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chayma F.
We loved the hand rolls! I’d probably skip the vegetables next time, but overall it’s a really cool spot with a great atmosphere. A nice date spot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thaisa Viegas
The only downside for me is that the portions are extremely small, considering the price (which isn't cheap). Otherwise, the quality of the food and the atmosphere are excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
stavros tsibiridis
Delicious eggplant salad. The ramen and the Kobe beef skewers also delicious
Eunice Lee
my boyfriend and I made a reservation the day of at 10:15 and there was no wait when we arrived. ambience was lively. host and staff were so friendly and welcoming. we ordered a total of 6 dishes because they are small portions: mixed rice with duck, squid plate, duck meatball, broccolini, pork gyoza, house ramen (total came out to ~100$)
everything was so amazing (especially the squid) and as someone who doesn't eat much, I could've honestly kept eating forever.
Tomas De Antoni
If you are looking for a restaurant that accepts reservations and then simply ignore them and let their clients waiting outside while all the locals walk alongside and are seated immediately, this is your place. I prefer the places where reservations are respected. Old school maybe.
Sofia De Antoni
Worst service ever! We had a reservation for 8 pm, they told us to be there on time (the whole party) or we would lose the table. They had us waiting for more than half an hour until we decided to leave because they treated us horrible just for being tourist and they would not give us the table, while letting locals go in like nothing, totally discriminating us without even apologizing for the service or delay. Please do yourself a favor and don’t go.
The service was extremely bad and the menu only had a few options. Unless you are a friend of them, they treat you horribly.
Richard Slade
The vibes are some of the best in west LA. The food is very good but not worth the price
The service is some of the worst I’ve ever experienced. It took an hour before food or apps started arriving. They forgot two of our dishes and gave us the wrong app
Won’t be in a rush to go back, but might be good for a solo drink by the bar
Natalie
日本人向けではありませんw Not authentic Japanese so I wish there was more emphasis on that — my fault for not taking a deeper look into the menu. As a Japanese I don’t recommend Japanese ppl to come here — geared towards Americans iykyk😓 But ambiance was nice and so were the waiters! Food was interesting too I liked the sweet potato and the tsukune. Kinda pricey though. And the mackerel I can make better 😭 20$ for that was not good esp when how small it was. Maybe I’m too biased but I like the simple curated Japanese taste for the mackerel not all these sauces and it’s so small too. Putting furikake on everything doesn’t make it Japanese either 🥲 Oh my other complaint, not a single Japanese server or owner or any one…. So that was off putting for me 🥲😭 I personally wouldn’t come here but seems popular with the local people around here so if you want a cute date night and are not an Asian food expert then this place is for you.
Paul Morris
RVR is everything I missed about MTN and more—an instant favorite that manages to feel both elevated and effortless. It’s got that unmistakable Venice vibe: moody lighting, bustling open kitchen, and a crowd that’s casually stylish but still here for the food. And the food delivers.
It’s Asian fusion in the best way—creative, craveable, and deeply satisfying without feeling heavy or fussy. The yakitori, noodles, and grilled dishes all hit, with layers of flavor that feel thoughtful but not overworked. You could make a meal out of just small plates and be perfectly happy, but the mains are strong enough to anchor a full dinner if you’re hungry.
The only hitch? It’s not a secret. Getting a table can be a bit of a mission—plan ahead or show up early and hope the universe is on your side. But once you’re in, you won’t want to leave.
RVR is a perfect blend of casual and special, nostalgic yet fresh. An easy five stars.
Motsu King (Motsuking)
This is a really trendy restaurant! It's a popular restaurant that is always full of people no matter when you come. If you go once, you'll understand why it's so popular. The seats aren't spaced far apart, but that doesn't bother you at all. It's a very stylish and nice space for an izakaya. I think it's also worth visiting for tourists as a stylish izakaya in LA. The dessert menu is separate, so please ask for one if you want one. The servers will happily assist you with everything else. There was even a server who spoke Japanese! Thank you for the free tea! It seems they serve keema curry for lunch on weekends, so it's a restaurant I'd like to go back to soon! Thank you for the meal!
Really loved this spot! Easily top 5 in LA - great food, ambiance, friendly but not imposing staff. Highlights: sashimi, chicken karaage, kabocha squash. Lowlights: mushroom rice, tuna handroll (just not as unique). We also enjoyed the duck meatballs and beef tongue. Impressed with the cocktails and n/a selection as well. Can’t wait to try the duck ramen!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was pretty good, not great. I'd heard great things, so maybe my expectations were really high. That said, very clean and tasty. Service as excellent. The place was a little loud and crowded, but good for them. I'm sure I'll eat here again, mostly because my friends eat here a lot and know the owner.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Best dining experience in LA! The iconic chefs leading the way have created such an incredible menu and atmosphere.
From the fresh California vegetables to the ramen and hand rolls, every bite is delightful. Our servers and everyone we chatted with at RVR were so amazing. I can’t say enough good things about our experience. I can’t wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was a fantastic birthday dinner. Our waiter, Ben, was excellent and had a deep understanding of the menu and history. It was worth coming just for this. The food quality was very high and you can't go wrong with any of the dishes. Lots of options for vegetarians/pescatarians. The music is an eclectic mix.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We loved the hand rolls! I’d probably skip the vegetables next time, but overall it’s a really cool spot with a great atmosphere. A nice date spot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The only downside for me is that the portions are extremely small, considering the price (which isn't cheap). Otherwise, the quality of the food and the atmosphere are excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious eggplant salad. The ramen and the Kobe beef skewers also delicious
my boyfriend and I made a reservation the day of at 10:15 and there was no wait when we arrived. ambience was lively. host and staff were so friendly and welcoming. we ordered a total of 6 dishes because they are small portions: mixed rice with duck, squid plate, duck meatball, broccolini, pork gyoza, house ramen (total came out to ~100$)
everything was so amazing (especially the squid) and as someone who doesn't eat much, I could've honestly kept eating forever.
If you are looking for a restaurant that accepts reservations and then simply ignore them and let their clients waiting outside while all the locals walk alongside and are seated immediately, this is your place. I prefer the places where reservations are respected. Old school maybe.
Worst service ever! We had a reservation for 8 pm, they told us to be there on time (the whole party) or we would lose the table. They had us waiting for more than half an hour until we decided to leave because they treated us horrible just for being tourist and they would not give us the table, while letting locals go in like nothing, totally discriminating us without even apologizing for the service or delay. Please do yourself a favor and don’t go.
Restaurantji Recommends
The service was extremely bad and the menu only had a few options.
Unless you are a friend of them, they treat you horribly.
The vibes are some of the best in west LA. The food is very good but not worth the price
The service is some of the worst I’ve ever experienced. It took an hour before food or apps started arriving. They forgot two of our dishes and gave us the wrong app
Won’t be in a rush to go back, but might be good for a solo drink by the bar
日本人向けではありませんw
Not authentic Japanese so I wish there was more emphasis on that — my fault for not taking a deeper look into the menu. As a Japanese I don’t recommend Japanese ppl to come here — geared towards Americans iykyk😓
But ambiance was nice and so were the waiters!
Food was interesting too I liked the sweet potato and the tsukune. Kinda pricey though. And the mackerel I can make better 😭 20$ for that was not good esp when how small it was. Maybe I’m too biased but I like the simple curated Japanese taste for the mackerel not all these sauces and it’s so small too. Putting furikake on everything doesn’t make it Japanese either 🥲
Oh my other complaint, not a single Japanese server or owner or any one…. So that was off putting for me 🥲😭
I personally wouldn’t come here but seems popular with the local people around here so if you want a cute date night and are not an Asian food expert then this place is for you.
RVR is everything I missed about MTN and more—an instant favorite that manages to feel both elevated and effortless. It’s got that unmistakable Venice vibe: moody lighting, bustling open kitchen, and a crowd that’s casually stylish but still here for the food. And the food delivers.
It’s Asian fusion in the best way—creative, craveable, and deeply satisfying without feeling heavy or fussy. The yakitori, noodles, and grilled dishes all hit, with layers of flavor that feel thoughtful but not overworked. You could make a meal out of just small plates and be perfectly happy, but the mains are strong enough to anchor a full dinner if you’re hungry.
The only hitch? It’s not a secret. Getting a table can be a bit of a mission—plan ahead or show up early and hope the universe is on your side. But once you’re in, you won’t want to leave.
RVR is a perfect blend of casual and special, nostalgic yet fresh. An easy five stars.
This is a really trendy restaurant!
It's a popular restaurant that is always full of people no matter when you come.
If you go once, you'll understand why it's so popular.
The seats aren't spaced far apart, but that doesn't bother you at all.
It's a very stylish and nice space for an izakaya.
I think it's also worth visiting for tourists as a stylish izakaya in LA.
The dessert menu is separate, so please ask for one if you want one.
The servers will happily assist you with everything else.
There was even a server who spoke Japanese!
Thank you for the free tea!
It seems they serve keema curry for lunch on weekends, so it's a restaurant I'd like to go back to soon!
Thank you for the meal!
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