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A Thousand Cranes - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Kyoto Grand Hotel & Gardens120 S Los Angeles St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Neighborhoods: Downtown, Little Tokyo
(213) 687-0200
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Validated
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
67 reviews for A Thousand Cranes
Review Highlights
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"Absolutely indescribably delicious tempura." In 34 reviews -
"...looking to ordering from their multi-course kaiseki menu." In 8 reviews -
"BEST Sunday brunch I've ever had." In 7 reviews
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67 reviews in English
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Review from Jose W.
Los Angeles, CA
5/31/2010
also saddened by the news that this place closed down.
It was one of my favorites. Loved the omakases here. The nigiri was excellent, and since they had the Garden Grill (teppanyaki) next door they would offer Japanese beef nigiri.
Beside the great food, it had a relaxing atmosphere that let you "escape" and experience a mini-vacation while in there.
- sometimes they'd serve you a fried and crispy aji backbone, great beer companion:
http://www.flickr.com/...
- one of the few places in LA where I found shirako:
http://www.flickr.com/...
- amaebi is served as more commonly served in japan:
http://www.flickr.com/...
- miyazaki beef nigiri was a highlight sometimes:
http://www.flickr.com/... -
Review from Muriel J.
Pasadena, CA
5/11/2011
IT'S CLOSED!? Noooooo...
Damn it. -
Review from Nick H.
6/1/2010
Damn! I never use bad words..but DAMN!
I have been meaning to come to this place forever. Finally, I made it. Guess what? GONE FOREVER. CLOSED! Don't believe me? Go ahead..go up to the third floor and you will only find a garden. NO TEMPURA BAR! CRAP! How do I even rate this? I guess it doesn't matter since they no longer exist.
Since I parked, I went ahead and ate at the other restaurant.Listed in: Little Tokyo aka J-Town
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Review from Kayla V.
5/20/2009 7 photos
My experience at Thousand Cranes was lovely from start to finish. The restaurant is small and quaint, definitely not the type of restaurant to take uncontrollable children or obnoxious girl friends. All the servers are dressed in traditional Japanese attire, too cute! And all the tables have a view of the beautiful Japanese pond outside.
I ordered the seasonal Tenshin lunch ($25.50)
Course 1: Light broth soup, couldn't tell what was used to make the broth but it was lovely.
Course 2: Soft tofu in light ponzu sauce. Tofu was really creamy and paired well with ponzu.
Course 3: California roll, hamachi nigri. Probably the most enjoyable California sushi I've ever had. The hamachi was so fresh! Yum!
Course 4: Asparagus, shrimp, and mysterious vegetable salad in light creamy mustard dressing. This was amazing, I couldn't have enough!
Course 5: Baked cod with miso soy glaze. This was by far my favorite course. The fish was perfectly baked, tender and juicy on the inside. Sigh. I want this now!
Course 6: Steamed egg with udon, mushrooms, and shrimp. Another favorite of mine, this was so decadent! Light, creamy, and the combination worked really well.
Course 7: Shrimp, code, vegetable tempura. I'm not too big on tempura but the chef did a nice job. It was not too crispy with just the perfect amount of batter, and easy on the oil.
Course 8: Sushi Sashimi, tuna and yellowtail. Served a little too warm in my opinion but the freshness made up for that.
Course 9: Green bean concoction, not too sure what it was but it was delish! Reminds me of the ice cream my aunt used to get me at the asian super markets!
Rice: Perfectly cooked fancy rice with seaweed and onions.
This was a solid meal; everything was paired well and each course complimented each other harmoniously. All the ingredients were thoughtfully prepared. Down to the little details, they did not overlook a single thing! I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Tina L.
Pasadena, CA
1/16/2008
A Thousand Cranes use to be one of the nicest sushi restaurants in Little Tokyo. Lately.. I'm not sure.
Recently it changed ownership and is now Korean owned. WTF? My Japanese friend Miki was there last week and she told me that the fish was so bad she almost threw up!! For 3 orders of sushi (one of them a vegetable hand roll) she paid over $30 plus!
Japanese sushi prices with Korean standard fish..eeeeeeew!!
**My friend Miki is a pretty reliable source as she hardly ever exaggerates..... 2 stars only because I haven't tried it myself since they've changed ownership... dont think i will either** -
Review from Leonard A.
Los Angeles, CA
9/27/2009 4 photos
NAME: Thousand Cranes
TYPE OF CUISINE: Japanese and American cuisine
ADDRESS: In the Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens, 3rd Floor, 120 South Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
PHONE: (Reservations) 213-253-9255
WEBSITE: http://www.thousandcra...
RESERVATIONS: A very good idea
GENERAL LOCATION: East side of Los Angeles Street, just below 1st Street
HOURS: Lunch: M-F 11:30am-3:00pm; Dinner: 5:00pm-10:00pm Daily; Sunday brunch: 11:00am-3:00pm
SUSHI BAR: M-F Lunch: 11:30am-3:00pm; Dinner: 5:00pm-10:00pm Daily
TEMPURA BAR: Dinner: 5:00pm-10:00pm Daily
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
BANQUET FACILITIES: Yes
CATERING: Yes
TAKEOUT: No
NOISE FACTOR: Excellent
VEGGIE FACTOR: Not recommended
KID FACTOR: Adults only in general, OK for private parties
OUTDOOR SEATING: Yes
AMBIANCE/ATMOSPHERE: A very beautiful place to be, especially at night, looking out on the Japanese gardens and waterfall views.
We were there for a very special occasion: My father-in-law's 100th (!) birthday, and we had invited about 40 people, so we took up most of the room. The room's acoustics are excellent: Lots of people can make a lot of noise, which is soaked up by the carpeting, the linen tablecloths and the acoustic tile. The room is surrounded by traditional Japanese rooms used for private parties: Traditional Japanese architecture: squares, rectangles, clean lines, parchment paper, bamboo. One sits on the floor or on low stools there.
FOOD: I was starving. Thank God my cousin Grace came down from Oakland for the party with her usual gift of home made cookies, which I made short work of before hand. When the meal actually started however, we had the Gozen (three course) Dinner. It started out with a small green cold salad with a pungent dressing which was very tasty. Then came sashimi. I am not a raw fish guy, nor a shellfish guy, nor a seaweed guy, so I didn't do well on this one. My wife says it was delicious. After that came a hot appetizer called Chawan Mushi. It was like a hot egg custard, but with a flavor something like miso broth, with (to me) mystery items floating in it of various shapes, sizes and textures. Very tasty (I did recognize a piece of fish cake). Then came tempura shrimp and veggies with a ginger-tinged dipping sauce, all done just right: Not greasy, very light and crisp.
The main entree was a choice of Deep Water Cod (which my wife had) or NY Steak (which I had, because my father-in-law didn't want his. (Hundred-year-old tummies don't do well on heavy food. He stuck to the veggies and the sticky rice.) All of this came with steamed sticky rice, miso soup and bancha (green tea). I of course went to the bar and fortified myself with a couple of Jim Bean bourbons and 7-Up.
FOOD PRESENTATION: All served very artfully by an efficient, courteous wait staff consisting of charming women in kimonos and men in black.
DRINKS: As I said, I went to the Genji Bar which is near the dining room. For such a lavish hotel, this bar leaves a lot to be desired ambiancewise. Dim lights and liquor bottles lit from below are not enough for real atmosphere, and I wouldn't have trusted the young barkeep to do anything more than knock well drinks together. He did ask me which bourbon I'd like. I really wanted bourbon and ginger, but they didn't carry ginger ale -- I was singularly unimpressed.
SERVICE: Excellent service, all Johnnies and Janies on the spot!
PRICE RANGE: This was a banquet, so the payment structure was not the same as a small party. Each meal was $45.00, not counting alcohol.
PAYMENT: Cash, check, CC
PARKING SITUATION: Valet parking in the hotel. This was the only bad part of the evening. The parking guy told us to pick up the car on Level C. Fine. We took the elevator to level C, and no valet station. NOTHING. We found our car, opened it with the alarm remote, and I stayed in the car while my wife went back to the valet station and got our keys. Then we had a rigamarole with the exit guard who thought we were trying to sneak out. So if you go there, beware of the parking people. They don't seem to have their heads on straight.Listed in: Almost-First Choice Eateries &…
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Review from Caroline Y.
Los Angeles, CA
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Review from Anna W.
Arcadia, CA
5/10/2010
CLOSED: The Iranian investors took over what was formerly the New Otani Hotel in Little Tokyo, now Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens in 2007 or 2008. The 30-year-old Thousand Cranes Restaurant (on the third floor of the hotel), was then sold to a Korean restaurant operator. Since then, the food quality had gone down. Now, I'm saddened to report that this restaurant is closed for good.
Thousand Cranes was one of a few remaining restaurants in Los Angeles that serve Kaiseki dinners, a multicourse traditional Japanese meal. It is served in tatami rooms overlooking a garden that's a replica of the one in the New Otani Hotel in Tokyo. It had been one of my company's and my family's favorite Japanese restaurants. If anyone knows where it will be reopened, please post it. -
Review from Nathan J.
Los Angeles, CA
12/26/2007
On 11/30/07, the New Otani Hotel changed ownership. When that happened its restaurants, including A Thousand Cranes, took on new owners. The owners are not related to the hotel; in fact, you can't even bill your meal to your room!
My wife and I recently went to A Thousand Cranes for an anniversary dinner. We have always had a great time here - it is a nice, very laid back place. We were looking to ordering from their multi-course kaiseki menu. We didn't know that the restaurant was under new ownership, but we did notice that the price for kaiseki was up about $10 or so ($58 per person vs. upper $40's last year). No bother, since the food has always been worth it.
The first dish, monkfish liver, was right up to par. But after that, something seemed off. The dishes lacked the delightful subtleties and intricate blending of flavors that we had come to love 1KC for.
One of our favorite things about 1KC in the past was that it exemplified that traditional Japanese rigor in everything from the layout of the dining room, the movements and actions of the servers, and, most importantly, the preparation and delivery of the food. The dining room remained the same, but the rest was lost.
Our server was a nice gentleman and his service would have been competent in virtually any American or European upscale restaurant in LA. HOWEVER, if I am going to spend $58 per person for kaiseki, I want authentic service that can really tell me what I am eating. This gentleman was a good-natured chap, but failed Sashimi-101 when he pointed at my piece of hamachi and called it albacore.
In the past, they had middle-aged Japanese women in kimonos serving here. They knew what they were serving you, how to eat it and any other details necessary. They epitomized the rigorous culinary culture of Japan because they had been raised in it.
In the past, these servers would place the dishes in front of you with the meticulousness of a Japanese tea ceremony; it seemed that every movement was regulated. They spoke to you in polite hushed voices and shuffled along with exceptional care. Our server-under-new-ownership, not a Japanese man, was not clumsy but lacked that exactness and diligence that is an absolute requirement for a traditional Japanese meal in such a hallowed environment as a restaurant adjacent a beautiful Japanese garden. Later he spoke and joked loudly to other guests about his parents' hot chile.
In the past, each dish was a delicate concoction, served in stringently discerned proportions. I know that we Americans think that bigger is better and more is merrier, but it is always refreshing to go to a serious Japanese establishment and see that quality trumps quantity (it is never too little, either). This time, we had large, ham-handedly prepared proportions of food lacking the labyrinthine blending of subtle and simple flavors. We were served a piece of black cod, overcooked, twice the size necessary and completely lacking in any real flavor but fishy flavor.
I could go on, but the bottom line is, A Thousand Cranes, this time around, was a colossal disappointment. It will be another sad story about new ownership ruining a beautiful thing. -
Review from Michael M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/21/2009
On the upper levels of the Kyoto Grand Hotel (formerly New Otani Hotel). I've never dined in the restaurant proper or the sushi bar. But...... They have something I've never seen anywhere else. TEMPURA BAR.
Now, if you're thinking... "Tempura is always kinda gross. It's greasy and soggy and has thick batter and is really oily and heavy" Then you haven't had real tempura yet. This place will fix that.
This bar is run by 1 chef. About 8 seats only so make reservations. Just like a sushi bar, you can look at the glass display window and ask for whatever you want to be tempura fried. Veggies, all kinds of seafood, meat, and things you would never imagine frying. Best tempura shrimp EVER. Literally explodes with juice in your mouth when you bite into it. Other really good ones... Uni (bet you didn't think you could deep fry that), chives, japanese yams. I still have dreams about that tempura uni.
$75 pre fixe a person for enough to fill most people's stomachs. Comes with soup, apps, accompaniments. -
Review from Hiro S.
6/23/2009
I had a business meeting/dinner here last night. I ordered Grilled Canadian Deep Water Cod (marinated in miso) which came with rice, sauteed vegetables, and miso soup. The meal was okay, but the presentation was pretty. The restaurant have a nice setting - Japanese style garden and you don't feel like you are in the middle of downtown LA.
The servers were attentive and we received good service until...Jackie Chan brought his crew of 40 people and we were completely forgotten ever since. Jackie was very down to earth (just like you see him in his movies, I guess) and taking care of his crew.
They were so busy eating sukiyaki. Jackie must have been so hungry as he could not sit and wait until meat was cooked and he was standing and eating sukiyaki beef while everyone else was seated... :o
According to the restaurant staff members, the group called only 15 min ahead that the 40 guests were coming for dinner - no wonder the whole restaurant was panicked and turned upside down... -
Review from Takechiyo L.
Los Angeles, CA
8/19/2009
OK, are you ready for the brutal truth?
Senbazuru used to be "the place" for me; used to come here on a weekly basis. That all changed after 2007. Late in 2007, its ownership changed, for the worse. The whole atmosphere sunk with it. Even though the chefs are still Japanese, and that they try hard to maintain the traditions, the new ownership has gone Korean. It's not the same anymore. Heck, they even got rid of the cool host at front desk who would always politely escort his guests and give a 90 degree bow until the door of the elevator shut...and even after elevator was descending we'd still hear the host saying goodbye to us from the floor above. This is the atmosphere I am talking about, not some waiter from North Korea singing to us at the tempura bar (although he was nice, but it's not what I'd expect when dining at a traditional Japanese restaurant with a caliber like Senbazuru's).
The new management also got rid of Yama san, the true master of tempura. The tempura bar remains "omakase", but the price has gone up by $10 (used to be $60 or $65 per person, $5 extra for the big eaters). We used to be able to get rare ingredients such as ayu (fresh water sweetfish imported from Japan) from here, but no more. One time I asked for raw uni, the next thing I knew was that Yama san immediately opened a new box of uni and gave me half of it! The new chef is not as skillful (I didn't even care to ask what his name was), and they've gone from generous to stingy on ingredients and meal sizes. Yama san, where are thee?
Nevertheless, it is still a decent restaurant with a view of the garden and nice ambiance. Kaiseki courses and Nabe (soup-based hot pots) are served here. I'd check ahead of time for their seasonal ingredients though. During the winter, they serve Anko (angler fish) nabe. Ladies, care for collagen? Yum o!
A 3.5 from me. -
Review from Wesley W.
1/1/2009
Went here today to celebrate New Years Japanese style. I went for the brunch which I must say was very traditional and most excellent. This is truly a japanese buffet with sashimi, sushi, soba, along with freshly shucked oyster. The salads included a chicken salad and the very good salmon skin salad and a tsunemono/shrimp salad. They had the traditional ozoni soup (my spelling may be off) along with other traditional new year's dishes which I have no idea how to pronounce and name. In addition, they had tempura, NY steak teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, tonkatsu and a decent dessert table with flourless chocolate cake, tiramisu, and manju.
Food was all tasty and i recommend to those of you that love japanese food. The regular brunch is $49 and has most of the items mentioned above less the new year's dishes. I'd go back for a special occassion. -
Review from Garrett L.
Los Alamitos, CA
1/4/2009
I went here for New Years with my family which was about 13 people total. We had the 12pm shift so people were already going in and out grabbing more and more food. It's located on the Garden level of the new Grand Kyoto Hotel which was really nice inside. When you get up to the Garden level, there are lots of banzai trees, flowers, and a small lake. It's a really nice place to take pictures and i think my aunt had her wedding here...
When we entered there was champagne, orange juice, and some cookies to sip while you waited to be seated. From observing i could see that it was very organized where people were seated and in what order.
The food was pretty good. I like eating as much sushi as i can. I think i tried about everything from the 3 different types of salads to this squishy yellow thing that tasted a little funny. There were about 5 different types of sushi and pieces of tako (octopus). There was chicken and beef teriyaki, tempura, and all sorts of yummy and nasty Japanese food. After i got tired of eating the Japanese food i just started eating fruit.
Since this was a special event, it was $59 dollars a person and our group ended up paying around $900 including the 20% gratuity and tax. That is one expensive ass buffet meal. Also i wouldn't recommend parking in the underground parking structure because the valet people park the cars in the driving lanes and it's really easy to get in an accident. I would just park outside and pay the $8 for all day parking. My father ended up paying $19 and the max is $30. lol. We got it validated and saved $11, woohoo!.
So if you have a heavy wallet, then you should check this place out for brunch. If not, then i would go to the plaza and eat for cheap. :) -
Review from Dean N.
2/28/2009 1 photo
I went to A Thousand Cranes last Saturday night for dinner. I was craving Japanese shabu shabu and did not want to wait in line at other shabu shabu restaurants in Little Tokyo. I happened to find A Thousand Cranes using Open Table and checked out the menu while I was waiting to get my haircut.
First I was amazed at the Japanese garden setting A Thousand Cranes has outside. It is simple beautiful. It's definitely a picture worthy shot.
Second, I found the service to be very good. The wait staff and hostess were very accommodating.
Now for the food. It's funny that I was craving to eat shabu shabu since growing up, I thought of it as a disgusting food that you cooked in a shared hot pot. But, who would have known my taste would change. The shabu shabu was very delicious. The choice of meat and vegetables were fresh and cooked nicely in the hot boiling broth.
if I was a drinker, I would have order sake to compliment the meal like the table in front of me who apparently had more than they could handle.
All in all, I found A Thousand Cranes to be a good choice and recommend it to others. The price to dine there is a little high, but it is worth it. -
Review from Lesley C.
9/22/2009
Excellent spot for business lunches. It is on the restaurant level of the Kyoto Grand Hotel (formerly New Otani) and a very traditional restaurant. It is styled in light wood with a beautiful picture window/wall that opens onto a Japanese pond and garden. The waitresses are even dressed in kimonos!
I had the TENSHIN lunch (~$25) which is a series of dishes created by the chef made of seasonal ingredients. The appetizer was a dish of thick julienne of eggplant in a sesame sauce (very good), two pieces of CA roll (fine), a light mushroom broth with shimeji mushrooms and radish sprouts (excellent), and a piece of sushi (I can never discern the type of fish. I suck, I know.)
The entree was made up of various tempura (pumpkin, shrimp, broccoli, yam), miso marinated black cod (tasty but a bit salty), 4 pieces of sashimi (tuna and again, my sushi idiocy means I don't know what the other 2 were), rice, sunomono (pickles), two marinated shrimps.
I liked the variety of cooking techniques and tastes. Also interested in the kaiseki lunch ($45), which is a great bargain compared to the $75, $95, and $125 versions at dinner.
Self Parking at the hotel is $4 with lunch, with validation, I only paid $1, not sure how that worked out.Listed in: Sushi
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Review from Michael L.
Gardena, CA
10/13/2006
I've gone here probably once a year either for sushi (good but expensive) or for lunch (slightly expensive, but good combinations and good sized portions). But finally, for the first time, I went here for dinner.
They had just implemented a full a la carte menu, which didn't seem like a big deal at the time, which is full of your standard Japanese fare. First, the view is still great. You're on the 3rd floor of the New Otani, next to the Japanese garden. The interior is full of Japanese wood and there are even tatami rooms. Second, the tempura is great. This is one of the only places in LA that has a tempura bar. Although we didn't sit there, the tempura was cooked very well - not too much batter, and almost shatteringly crispy. Of the 5 of us who went to eat there, three of us ordered tempura and were all glad we ordered it.
Now, as for the prices, the a la carte menu is just that - A LA CARTE. Dishes are anywhere from 15 to 40 dollars. But, miso soup and RICE are not included in your meals. That ended up being another $5+ on top of the entree price. Also, some of the dishes are small, e.g. Salmon Shioyaki. And corkage is $25.
I'm going to try the tempura bar next time. Dinner in the dining room is just not that good of deal pricewise.
Wine with dinner (that we brought): Jacquesson. Good overall balance with crisp acidity and fine bubbles. However, nothing overly spectacular and not inexpensive.Listed in: Top Sushi Bars (so far) ...
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Review from Gregg M.
Torrance, CA
7/5/2007
I'm only reviewing the tempura bar. Next time I'll hit up the sushi bar. We walked into the summer beer garden for a while, that looked like fun. Maybe I'll be back and expand this review.
Tempura bar: Everything I expected and so much more...and very expensive.
We ordered the omakase, which runs $65 and you get a series of about 12 types of tempura. It could have been more, I really lost track. there is an assortment of seafood and vegetables, each cooked to perfection and carefully laid out on a piece of paper. Good tempura doesn't leave a lot of grease on the paper and is crispy and light. You cannot get tempura like this elsewhere.
It comes one or two pieces at a time. You can make special requests any time, but we just went with the flow. We had (not in order) eggplant, halibut, salmon, Japanese pepper, sweet potato, squid, asparagus, some other white fish, garlic, prawns (twice), oyster, king crab claw, okra, and maybe one or two more. Yamazaki-san was working the tempura bar and gladly slipped me tidbits I was curious about that he was preparing for others. He was very good about explaining the items he served and careful to warn about how hot the ones cooked a long time were going to be.
The omakase comes with miso, rice, pickles, edamame, the best watermelon I've ever had, and I don't usually even like watermelon. If it was always this good I would change my mind.
We split a bottle of Bishonen sake, which was also excellent. The sake list is extensive and very long. There are sakes by the glass and at least 4 sizes of bottles. I didn't count, but looked like 30 varieties or maybe 40. Wow.
OK, the bill was really damned expensive, but every once in a while you just have to do it. -
Review from Mei M.
Pasadena, CA
8/3/2007
This review is also only for Tempura Bar only....
OMG.... tempura from heaven ... it's the omakase style and not cheap.... $65 dollars per head... but the shrimp is just phenomenal... the fish is fresh... I feel bad to doubt my friend's word before I came... The sauce is just right and you won't have any greazy feel after you have the meal here even though most of everything you have is tempura-style fried...
The other things you must try are the tempura sweet potato and eggplant... The chef fried the whole eggplant. Amazingly, it's crispy outside but steamy and juicy inside.... Never taste something like that..
The chef doesn't look friendly but actually is a very nice person... He would also provide you tasty small dishes, which are not fried but also tasty.
Even though it's not cheap, I will definitely go back again.. BTW, reservation required....Listed in: My Japanese Food Craze
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Review from Funky M.
Glendale, CA
5/4/2009
We reserved a Tatami Room and ordered the Premium Kaiseki Dinner. It very much exceeded my expectation. The food quality was awesome. The service was excellent and very attentive. When I was complimenting the quality of the dinner, the waitress/server told us that we're lucky because the main chef was in to prepare the food for us.
Honestly, for $85, I think we got more than we paid for in terms of amount and quality.
Their sake menu is very good and all priced reasonably.
I will definitely come back to try other items in their menu. -
Review from Jacqueline H.
Arcadia, CA
6/5/2009
My friend and I came here because he always wanted to try this place and he had a gift certificate;0. There was no one in the restaurant at about 7:15 pm, so we got a nice table in front of the little cascade. The view is wonderful and relaxing, but the restaurant itself is a little dated, with marked carpeting, and a little stagnant smell. Our waitress was a Japanese grandmotherly type, with a thick accent that made it difficult to understand her. She was nice, but not very efficient, spilling a little as she put away food, and we had to remind her to refill our green tea. Sometimes she would go away for periods of time. In short, service could be better.
We each had a different combination special, beginning with sashimi of yellowtail and tuna, which was fresh, and nicely presented, but average tasting, with a dowdy salad. There was a custard w/onions and mushrooms, which reminded me of my father's custard dishes. Then, the tempura came and it was disappointingly oily. The miso soup was salty and had little miso taste. My friend's appetizers came out, then my entire plate came out, while he had to wait a while for his steak. My fish(I think it was sea bass) was nicely seared and had a nice taste. There were a few side items I couldn't recognize, which tasted a little weird. His NY steak was small, but it was tender and flavorful. All in all, it wasn't a bad dinner, just not that memorable, kind of American flavor Japanese food. I didn't think the food was worth the price. But we did have a nice time. -
Review from Penn T.
El Segundo, CA
9/14/2009
I'd give me 4.5 for the 4 times I've been to this place but my last experience which was this past Saturday night would probably warrant 5 stars.
The brunch on Sunday that I've been to before is good but again, maybe a 4 star at best. Their price fix menu for lunch was pretty good but again a 4 star.
However, this past Saturday night was my 2nd time at the tempera bar and man, the chef was awesome. Started out with a small salad that was very good. Had eggplants and other yummy stuff in it. Then followed by a sashimi sampler. Very fresh. Then was the parade of tempera items that got better and better. Each item fried up individually right in front of you. And ice cream to top it off at the end.
The chef (I think his name was Shiono-san) was very accommodating and even engaged us in conversation throughout the meal. Also liked an interactive experience. Service was outstanding as well. -
Review from John W.
Park La Brea, CA
10/3/2009
Nice garden view from the restaurant, perfect for a nice romantic dinner or a sunny afternoon. Service was excellent as the water was filled quickly, server was very friendly and prompt and very polite.
Started out with fresh oysters in lemon and ponzu sauce. The oyster was fresh and smooth going down. Had the 9 piece nigiri combination with most of the pieces being quality in taste for a combination order. Liked the Salmon the best as it was soft almost buttery and flavorful. Also ordered uni which was very good. It had a smooth and creamy texture with a little sweet taste to it.
The Chilean Sea Bass was covered in sauce with two shrimps. Never had the Sea Bass before but the taste with the sauce and texture was better than I anticipated. The shrimps were nothing special.
The vegetable and shrimp tempura was not soggy or oily compared to what I'm used to since most of my tempura experience at restaurants have been at cheaper korean joints. Honestly I think my grand aunt and grandma makes much better tempura than the korean restaurants. Grandma's know how to cook. I will have to try the tempura bar on another occasion to get the variety of tempura items.
The only thing that tripped me up about the restaurant was the parking as the self parking area only posts rates of $4 with validation up to 3 hours but ended up paying only $1.50 for about an hour and a half worth of parking. I will come again and hope to try the Sunday brunch buffet with all the variety of items available to fill my ever aging stomach while I still can.Listed in: Sushi Bars
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Review from Debbie P.
Orange County, CA
3/16/2010
I know this place is popular with the Japanese since all the Japanese ladies in my office love the place so I was happy to finally try it when my boss took us here for a thank you lunch.
It's very for lack of a better word "prim and proper" like the Japanese so I can see why they find this place appealing. Everywhere I looked everyone was in a suit looking as if they were getting ready to negogiate an important business deal.
Almost all of us opted for the $20 something bento box special that came with sashimi, beef or chicken teriyaki, vegetable tempura, egg custard, and miso soup.
The food wasn't bad, but I'm just not really into the stuffy decor nor it's stuffy patrons. Unless I'm coming here with a client I probably wouldn't return on my own for lunch. -
Review from Shing H.
Los Angeles, CA
4/1/2007
This reviews is for the tempura bar, which is only open for dinner. I went tonight with a friend and it was a great experience. We got there a bit early so we walked around the rooftop garden, which was really nice - a tranquil setting with views of some downtown LA buildings. We went into the restaurant and were immediately greeted and shown to the tempura bar.
There, we were greeted by the chef, who told us to let him know if we had any questions. As with many sushi bars, the deal seemed to be that the chef would prepare a set menu, but if we had any requests we could make them. Since neither of us had been to a tempura bar, we decided just to follow the program. As each item came out, the chef kept warning us that it was very hot - as if the hot oil bubbling on the surface wasn't enough notice. Still, I did nearly burn my tongue a few times by underestimating how long it took certain pieces to cool.
The first item was my favorite- dover sole tempura, topped with onions and soy sauce. Simple but delicious. Next came a shrimp and tuna sashimi, served alongside the fried shrimp head; followed by a piece of regular shrimp tempura. After that, green chili pepper tempura which was a little spicy but not too much. Then came a seemingly endless succession of various types of quality seafood (calamari, crab, sea smelt, scallop, abalone) and fresh vegetable (cucumber, asparagus, pumpkin, and sweet potato) tempura served alternatingly.
Another favorite worth mentioning was the lotus root and mochi tempura - fried separately, with the mochi placed on top. The lotus root was crunchy and good, and the mochi was delicious - just sweet enough, with a perfectly gooey texture under the crispy batter.
The chef also offered us oysters, and probably could have gone on, but we had to tell him we were stuffed. We each got a large strawberry which was extremely sweet and juicy, the perfect end to the meal. The damage was $65 each for the food, and neither of us had ordered drinks - only green tea. I thought it was a pretty good deal considering the quality of the food and the overall experience. Definitely worth checking out. -
Review from Jeffrey W.
Pasadena, CA
3/8/2010
Sunday Brunch review-
Unless you are going to have champagne, don't bother.
The uni was good and the toro as well. Aside from that the rest of the sushi was the same quality as Todai. My salmon sashima was slightly frozen. One of our glasses of orange juice tasted like it had been blended with green tea.
The service is superb, but the bill man this was too much.
I recommend Sunday Brunch at the St. Regis. its worth $$ to spend more.
Next stop will be Maison Akira's Sunday Brunch. I wish I had gone there yesterday.
This isn't a reflection of the management and service, but of a foodie's disdain for the quality of the food and $ associated with it. -
Review from Matt M.
Los Angeles, CA
8/25/2008
After checking in with the Ramen Gods at Daikoku on Saturday night I was in for quite a shock, 15 parties of two and four tops all waiting for one of the limited spots inside this small Little Tokyo ramen shop. At least an hour, I thought to myself. Then I recalled the tempura bar at Hotel Kyoto I had read about. So we decided to head down the street to Thousand Cranes and try it out.
Through the hotel lobby and up the elevator to the garden terrace, we arrived in a delightful and relaxing garden setting. Waterfalls, ponds and a Japanese garden welcome you into either the Garden Grill, a Teppan-Yaki style restaurant, or Thousand Cranes, a Japanese cuisine, sushi and tempura bar.
We inquire about the tempura and we are seated at a table near the window. Quite a nice view of the garden, although the music coming in over the airwaves was smooth jazz. I thought some traditional Japanese music would have been more apropos.
We look over the menu, in English and Japanese. I find the tempura selection. Not as much as I had hoped in terms of choices and go with the shrimp tempura ($27.50) selection. Large prawns, with some other vegetables sprinkled in. A shiitake mushroom cap, small sliver of carrot, a broccoli floret, lotus root, tomato, zucchini and eggplant. Hot oil bubbled out with each crispy bite.
Unfortunately, I've come to find out after doing a little proper research, there indeed is a real tempura bar but we were never offered that choice. At least according to the website, the tempura bar should have been open on this Saturday evening. Perhaps chef Hiroyuki Shiono was out? Sigh. It was good regardless, but I feel a little cheated, having not gotten the whole experience.
The Canadian Deep Sea Cod ($29) was succulent, moist and flavored with miso and soy. It came with a side of sweet, slightly dry, pumpkin mash and grilled veggies.
It's a very authentic Japanese experience, the waitresses in traditional kimonos, the decor inside, the gardens outside, and even the Japanese patrons having dinner there. Overall a good meal but with small servings at a stiff price (we paid $12 for two servings of rice and miso soup), I might try something a little more down to earth (i.e., less expensive) next time I have a craving for deep fried fish and veggies. -
Review from Judy H.
Beverly Hills, CA
7/16/2007
A little sparing on the food, but overall a terrific place to drink and eat with friends. The garden is meticulous and beautiful in detail. You feel transported from the urban streets of DTLA to a serene garden.
Definitely spend at least one summer evening here to wind down and appreciate the long days and the warm weather of LA! -
Review from Maniac W.
South Bay, CA
6/11/2009
Took my parents there on Mother's day for brunch.
Overall, not as impress as I was told, not sure if the quality drops due to Mother's day crowd or if it is its standard.
I was told that most stuff were made to order.
But for $49, you get all you can eat sashimi and mochi, what more can I ask for, afterall it's only a buffet.
For those who likes champagne, it's a champagne brunch
Will try it again on a regular Sunday.
Overall the food is good and the Japanese garden outside is nice .
Staff and waitress are very friendly and polite.
As for parking, if you wanna walk around J town after the brunch, recommend to park across the street. It was $5 flat, whereas you only get 1hr free at the hotel valet parking . -
Review from Erin S.
3/26/2009
This is probably my favorite sushi restaurant in all of LA. I recommend sitting at the bar and talking it up with the chefs. They end up making you things that aren't on the menu based on items you "usually like". The result - expanding your sushi horizons. Really fun.
The garden outside is amazingly beautiful. You are transported to Japan when you come here. -
Review from Akiko I.
4/15/2009
We were here once for my bf's bday party and few times after. This place is descent but nothing special. If you want classy, traditional, ryokan style Japanese restaurant, you just have to go to Japan. This place is trying but it's definitely not the same.
*Food = descent
*Price = ok
*Ambiance = ok
*Service = I'm used to better service at a Japanese restaurant. -
Review from Jenni C.
Los Angeles, CA
4/4/2010
Situated on the second level of the New Otani Hotel in little Tokyo, a Thousand Cranes is a mini-escape from the hustle and bustle of LA.
The ambiance is calming, refreshing and soothing; and the instrumentals playing in the background, ultra zen. The Senbazuru Kaiseki is visually appealing and perfectly appetizing. The service is impeccable.
The dining experience is only magnified by the entrancing view of the Japanese Garden.
A perfectly romantic date locale. -
Review from John B.
Long Beach, CA
9/2/2008
My wife and I have been to many ryokans (traditional Japanese hotels) in Japan. Kaiseke is the common dinner in the better ryokan establishments. We've also eaten excellent Kaiseke in high-end restaurants. It's a must try. It takes many hours, as small artistically arranged dishes with the best, freshest seasonal ingredients are served. It's very relaxing, delicious, and it makes you feel very special for the evening.
We've also eaten Kaiseke in America and have realized there is a distinct difference. Even if the American restaurants are Japanese owned and traditional, our experience has been there seems to be something deficient about the meal. The fish isn't quite as fresh, the taste or service isn't quite as good, or the restaurant tries a strange infusion (as was the case with Yuba in Westwood, now closed for good reasons). We have had decent Kaiseke in America, but at this point not great.
That said, we were cautiously optimistic with Thousand Cranes. The restaurant has a good past reputation for their sushi and tempura (albeit on the pricier side). I thought this would be the perfect compliment for a good Kaiseke meal. So, while enroute to a Gershwin Opera (Porgy and Bess) at the Dorthy, we stopped at the Thousand Cranes for a pre-show dinner.
Our first observation was the restaurant was a little worn (kind of like a cheap Chinese restaurant). No biggie, there's not necessarily a correlation between the food quality and the restaurant appearance. Besides, we had a nice view of the waterfall on the roof top garden.
So we ordered the Kaiseke at $110 each. I have to say, we were very disappointed. The fish was just not good quality. It had a slightly fishy smell, evidence of aged fish. This carried over from the sashimi set to the tempura set. Tempura requires the same freshness as sashimi, or the fishiness can be exacerbated from the cooking process. The dishes were very plain, uncreative, and haphazardly placed (I know.. this is just being critical. But, this is also an important element in a good Kaiseke meal). Kaiseke consists of several small dishes. This experience was more of a few larger dishes. So, the disappointment was multi-faceted. Taste, appearance, and food quality.
Sorry Thousand Cranes. I've heard great things, but experienced the worst. I'll be watching my fellow yelpers reviews on your tempura bar. If things improve we may give your bar a chance. -
Review from R. K.
San Francisco, CA
4/6/2008
The tempura bar here is near the top of my list of L.A. Food Places I Miss, that I Wish I Had in S.F.
Absolutely indescribably delicious tempura. I almost want to drive down to L.A. right now, to be there in time for lunch tomorrow. -
Review from Samantha G.
San Marino, CA
11/7/2008
I came here for a lunch meeting with one of my professors three or so years ago. He had asked me what kind of food I liked and I told him Japanese - he brought me here. I was originally going to order the chicken teriyaki combo because I felt bad for suggesting such an expensive type of food (even though he was the one who chose the place), but my professor insisted I go with the seasonal box lunch (It was called "heavenly" something-or-other), which was the most expensive thing on the menu. I went with it at his insistance and was totally impressed and satisfied. There was sashimi and a bunch of other little dishes, all of which were absolutely amazing.
The first thing I thought when I stepped off the elevator to come to this restaurant was, "Where am I?" The garden that the restaurant overlooks is beautiful and it's easy to forget you're in Downtown LA. The waitresses are all dressed in kimonos and they speak Japanese too (I know because my professor ordered in Japanese).
Another surreal thing, which isn't really attributed to the restaurant, but it gives you an idea of the type of people who frequent it, is that my professor knew a lot of the other customers at the restaurant, most of whom were bank CEOs or other financial big-wigs. They just came up to our table and started chatting away, which can be quite intimidating for an undergrad student.
Anyway, I would love to come back here again for a nice lunch or romantic dinner with my hubby. It just has a very elegant and delicate atmosphere. -
Review from Paul L.
Los Angeles, CA
9/17/2007
Best tempura I've ever had! Sushi is good too...but the place is a bit pricey.
I've been there on two occasions. The tempura bar and sushi bar are good. The tempura bar is "omakase" and the sushi bar can be the same if you wish.
Although it's pricey, I had a great dining experience on both occasions. -
Review from Diana V.
Los Angeles, CA
9/29/2009
I came here for my birthday and boy was it a treat! First time at a tempura bar and I will admit I was a bit skeptical as I try to stay away from fried foods for the most part. I am so glad we came to this place.
We sat at the Tempura Bar and did the Chef's Selection for our dinner. Started off with a small eggplant salad and ordered a bottle of nigori to pair the meal. Fried foods + alcohol, hey it was my birthday.
The tempura selection was amazing, lightly battered, fresh (when i say fresh, I mean FRESH. The crab was alive before he was tossed into the boiling pot!), and it was done right in front of you.
The chef we had was very funny and I loved that he interacted with us. So as a token of my appreciation, I gave him a drink ;)
Finished the meal with some ice cream and a walk of the Japanese gardens but the best part was after all the food I ate, I didn't feel like I was 300 lbs. What more can you ask for?! -
Review from Keita U.
New York, NY
6/7/2010
I come to L.A. several times a year and I've always enjoyed the abundance of wonderful Japanese restaurants.
I had the opportunity to dine at Thousand Cranes a few months ago and was very disappointed by the mediocre service and quality of food considering the amount of money I spent. Other reviewers have posted the change of ownership being the reason.
There are so many great Japanese restaurants in L.A. Many of them are as expensive as Thousand Cranes, but they are better both in service and the quality.
It doesn't surprise me that they closed their operation. If it ever re-opens, hopefully it will be with new owners and/or new management. -
Review from Mei Mei S.
Happy Valley, OR
12/28/2007
This is a real Japanese restaurant. The food is yummy and good service. Its great that it over looks the Japanese Gardens. They have very good bento boxes for lunch. The cool thing is that the girls wear Kimonos. Its usually filled with Japanese business people and tourist.
Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Brianne K.
San Francisco, CA
9/19/2007
Since I was staying at The New Otani, I decided to try out the sushi bar at A Thousand Cranes. I was not disappointed! The sushi chefs were very skilled, and extremely nice. The fish was really fresh, albeit expensive, and the fish was cut to perfection. Their house chardonnay was nice enough...not bad for $6. This restaurant is the best thing The New Otani has going for it.
