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Tsubaki Reviews

Submitted by Birdie G on 12/09/2021

Birdie G 4 stars rating.

Overall Rating

Overall is good but it's not outstanding and the desert is disappointing. It was a little difficult to find the restaurant at night and the valet cost $10.

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Joseph Dombrosky 5 stars rating.

Every dish we had was spot on. My wife hated clams until she tried the clam dish in a garlic broth. The ambience was perfect, and every dish stood out and was distinct and memorable. Our server presented every dish, and guided us with every component. Thank you for a special night out and we hope to visit again when we're in Echo Park. P.S. the host was personable and very sweet.

Submitted by Joseph Dombrosky on 05/09/2022

Michael Holland 2 stars rating.

I was shocked by my experience here.

My partner and I arrived when the restaurant opened and were seated at the far corner of the bar. The restaurant was completely empty at the time but "larger parties were coming in" - they never arrived and there were open tables the whole time we were there.

The food was mediocre at best. The buri sashimi was fishy and looked like it was half a day from going off. The dungess crab fried rice was essentially flavorless. The fried mushrooms were the highlight but not really anything to write home about.

When the check came, it rang in at 174$ for 6 dishes and a drink. There is an included 18% service charge that wasn't warranted for the service we received. We had eaten at Nobu earlier in the week and it's at a similar price point. We should have just gone back there.

Submitted by Michael Holland on 05/07/2022

Nick Hodulik 5 stars rating.

Wow. Spectacular food. Fantastic music. Knowledgeable staff. The latkes are a world-class dish, something out of French Laundry. Instantly became one of my favorite restaurants.

Submitted by Nick Hodulik on 04/25/2022

Paul You 5 stars rating.

Guh, I love places like this. Cute, cozy, but elevated in the little details. Every dish was spectacular. If you’re not familiar with Japanese tapas/izakaya style, just be prepared to spend a lot if you want to be full (2-3 dishes per person). My fave dish was the buta rosu shio koji-yaki (grilled marinated pork). Parking can get tough, valet is $10. But you can park up in the neighborhood and should be able to find something.

Submitted by Paul You on 03/07/2022

Alexander Pham 5 stars rating.

Service was great and prices were pretty reasonable. Great selection sake!

Submitted by Alexander Pham on 02/24/2022

mark scharaga 5 stars rating.

So many Google searches and this place never hit my radar. Well lucky me I finally found my way to this hip little neighborhood joint. Reservations definitely recommended. Greeted by friendly faces that seemed genuinely happy to see me and my companion.

We were promptly seated at a spacious indoor table. The menu was full of so many interesting plates. It is very much a shared plate type of menu. We...okay I picked about 10 plates. All were so perfectly prepared and presented. The staff announced each plate.

It started with the uni toast. Served with a slice of seared sirloin and milk toast for its base, this was definitely a symphony in my mouth. We then progressed through two sashimi courses, both fresh and delicious. Chawanmushi with Dungeness crab was truly amazing. Reminded me of a version I had in Tokyo.

The meat courses were skewers of mouth explosions of flavor. We had chicken meatballs served with a egg and sauce reminiscent of unagi sauce. Don't skip this seemingly simple but yet totally complex dish. The A5 skewer was also buttery and perfectly seasoned. A5 doesn't need much to make it great and this restaurant nailed it.

The charcoal grilled cabbage is another dish that on its surface seems pretty basic, then it hits your lips and taste buds and you just feel so happy eating this amazing dish.

And lastly we finished with a pork tenderloin with a curry based rub. Another dish that just nails nuance of flavor and seasoning.

We were over stuffed at this point and had to pass on the housemade dessert. Next time...and there will definitely be one...I am saving room for that!

Submitted by Mark Scharaga on 02/02/2022

Marsyita Mohtar 5 stars rating.

We were here for date night and regretted for not taking more photos of the food. The food, sake and the service were amazing.

Submitted by Marsyita Mohtar on 01/25/2022

Jamie Lai 4 stars rating.

There were a few dishes that were outstanding and some extraordinarily average which would be ok except it is on the more expensive side. Service is all star here but the valet is a bit weird. When I dined here and waited to pick up my car they told me they lost the car, and had to wait an extra 15 min while they tried to locate it, and the valet had to disappear to help the other valet locate it, which made for a stressful 15 minutes. Street parking is hard though not impossible if you don't mind walking a bit.

Submitted by Jamie Lai on 12/26/2021

Erik Johnson 5 stars rating.

Excellent Japanese. Vibrant, intimate and casual dining room. Female owned business. Get the short ribs.

Submitted by Erik Johnson on 12/16/2021