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Akasaka Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
14926 Clark AveHacienda Heights, CA 91745
(626) 336-0871
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 2 pm
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
456 reviews for Akasaka Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Had the yuMmy Chirashi bowl that everyone recommended."
(in 163 reviews)
"Their sashimi literally MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH."
(in 186 reviews)
"The rolls are HUGE and impeccably fresh."
(in 25 reviews)
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456 reviews in English
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Review from Iris H.
Los Angeles, CA
1/31/2012 3 photos
If you love lots of seafood and sashimi, this is a place that you will have to visit at least once in your life. It is ALWAYS packed so remember to make a reservation! The last two times I went, I waited around an hour even with a reservation. The only reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the wait.
Their famous chirashi bowl ($35), which is sashimi with sushi rice under, is a must. It has everything from seared tuna, salmon, fish eggs, scallop, sweet shrimp, to sea urchin and fish liver (and others, I can't remember everything). There are so many delicacies in one bowl that every bite is to die for. It may seem a little pricey, but all the seafood in it is definitely worth the price, plus it is so much food that 2, 3, or even 4 people (if order something else) can share it!
Everything at Akasaka comes in big portions, so don't order too much!
Their seafood yakiudon has more seafood than udon. This may sound like a good thing until you run out of noodles and don't know what to do with the rest of the seafood. My mom made a meal for two of out of the leftover seafood. It was that out of balance.
If you are a katsu lover, DO NOT ORDER IT FROM HERE! I guess this place specializes in raw seafood, but their pork katsu was so thin and dry that my mom and I regretted ordering it the moment we saw it. Their shrimp tempura was not good either. It was lots of breading and the shrimp was small.
Bottom line, stick to seafood and sushi rolls. -
Review from Karen C.
2/6/2012
ACK for Akasaka! Their lack of fastness incited my fury, if you catch my (Tokyo) drift!
Came here lunch time on a Friday with my brother, he choose this place since he's a fan but for my first experience here I was far from impressed. It's not that Akasaka lacks table space, the problem is super slow service and/or under-staffing. I saw tables in their patio area just sitting waiting to be cleared/used, but staff was only seating customers inside because that's all they could handle. =/
We ended up waiting for 50 minutes just to be seated, and during this time I've came to realize a few things other than "Should've gone to Foo Foo Tei":
-Most jobs allow for a 30 minute to an hour lunch, there is NO way you can come here for a sit-down lunch within that time.
-Just order takeout, I saw a woman get her food in less than half our wait time.
-Seriously just order takeout, it's the FOOD you come here for. Sure ain't the service or ambiance.
-If you are okay with eating a late lunch (after 3pm) you won't have a crazy wait.
-Come alone, that way they can hopefully sit you at the bar.
We ended up with the dreaded corner table, I HATE these tables because you are essentially invisible. What did I do to get such bad restaurant juju?! Even after letting our server know we were ready to order she just nods her head and wanders off! She doesn't come back till I'm just about ready to go up to the counter and order there. The wait for food to arrive after placing our order is just as tedious!
We got the Chirashi Don, at $35 it's on the pricier side for one person, but not so bad when split since it's big enough. Sushi is just raw fish, it's not like you're baking a souffle, so why was it taking so freaking long? Chop chop! As I waited and watched, I saw that with our order that the chef had waited to assemble multiple Chirashi Dons at once, instead of making orders as they come in. Efficiency for chef at cost of customer wait time. How about training another person? =/
The only thing keeping this rating afloat is the food itself. Large portion size, cuts were about 1-2cm thick and good variety. The fish seemed fresh and had melt in your mouth softness.
Waiting for the bill was another trial, even with raised hands and waving them around wasn't enough to garner the attention of staff. We gave up after 15 minutes of this and went up to the counter to pay so we could finally GTFO. Almost 3 hours of lunch is ridiculous! As Jet Li said in Lethal Weapon 4, "In Hong Kong, you'd be dead". -
Review from Jireh H.
Temple City, CA
1/27/2012 5 photos
Summary
- Slow service
- Great quantity (close to just being ridiculous)
- Cost matches quantity - $$$
- Food is rather pathetic [fish is *TASTELESS* - stfu if you use/abuse sauces]
*******
I'm thoroughly out of words for describing this place. I'm definitely confused as to why previous reviewers would rate this place so well.
It is a zen moment for me when having sashimi. It is a moment of tranquility as I allow the flavors of the fish to slowly tingle each of every taste buds on my tongue. It is a peaceful moment of meditation on the beauty of life and for the existence of mankind and their purpose in this world.
Yet, I found myself more disturbed and further than the peaceful meditation after the visit. I found myself disappointed and even feeling an ounce of rage towards the trickery that led me to visit this establishment.
*******
I'm assuming this place is Japanese-owned. The staff are Japanese. But two main factors made me seriously question whether it was truly Japanese-owned.
1. The ***B*** Health Rating. Japanese culture and emphasis on cleanliness and quality is exceptionally high so that really threw me off after I noticed it about 10 minutes after I ordered my meal [if I noticed it earlier, I would not have ordered any raw cuts at all].
2. The sushi chef is female. I'm far from sexist and I totally love women and all their capabilities. But sushi and practicing female chefs is more than just *RARE* in the heart of Japan. In fact, there is only one place in Japan that has a female sushi chef and many consider that a blasphemy. Although, it threw me off for a second, I ended up joking with my colleague that that is probably why she's here in the US. ^_^
*******
Service is heavily on the slow end of the spectrum. We came at lunch and the place was only half full. The snail pace among servers and those preparing food was rather frustrating. I could only imagine how much worse it would be if my colleague and I had chosen to wait it out yesterday for our lunch meal instead of bailing and going to Foo Foo Tei. I cringe to think what I would have done then.
40 minutes passed before I got my chirashi and I truly wished my experience after was immaculate.
********
1. WHY ARE THE PORTIONS SO FREAKING MUCH? Whose bloody idea was this? Seriously? I mean, it's *justified* because you charge freaking $35 for it. But HELL, why not charge $18 for half the amount instead? It's just ABSURD. There is no zen here...just freaking rock & roll, lol.
- As it came out: http://s3-media4.ak.ye...
- Taking out some to fill one side plate: http://s3-media4.ak.ye...
- Taking out more to fill another side plate: http://s3-media3.ak.ye...
- Eating some and still MORE: http://s3-media1.ak.ye...
2. Fish quality is SUB-PAR. I wish it wasn't but it was absolutely *TASTELESS*. Once again, stfu if you use/abuse sauces. Sick of idiots who drink ponsu sauces or wasabi-soy marinades like it was gravy.
3. On a lighter note, I was seated in such a way that I was able to observe the cashier, the inside of the kitchen and the sushi chef all at the same time.and kitchen.
- Sushi chef - your knife skills is... *lol*
- Inside the kitchen, the guy line-cook/helper with the long hair and wearing a beret....seriously, you microwave unagi? [Yeah, I saw you do it.]
*******
Sad. I wanted to like this place. Never coming back.
P.S. - If this was in Japan, I'm sure the whole female sushi chef thing will become further impossible. Meh.
/rant complete -
Review from Clovah L.
Buena Park, CA
Updated - 1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Last time I went back with my mom and my boyfriend, what an awesome time we had there. We had what I always loved about this restaurant, the HUGE CHIRASHI BOWL. The sashimi very fresh and delicious as usual. In addition to that, we ordered a rainbow roll and dragon roll. The rolls are $12+ per roll. The stuff in this restaurants are all very high priced comparing to a lot of Japanese restaurant. But EVERY DOLLAR & BITE is so worth the money. The rolls are so big you can't even stuff one piece in your mouth. Every piece you have to eat in 2 bites.
We also had some sake, as my mom suggested, it kills the germs when you're eating raw fish. The sake was pretty yummy too!
Overall, this place is quite phenomenal :D Like I said always about this place, I would eat here everyday if I had the money!
Clovah ^m^V
How I base my ratings:
5*: Dying to go back
4*: Regularly go back
3*: Go back once a month
2*: Only goes if my friends go
1*: Never EVER want to go back1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/26/2009
This place has THE FRESHEST sashimi that I have ever had in my entire life! I definitely love and… Read more »
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Review from Corina L.
Irvine, CA
1/13/2012
Pros
+ chirashi sushi was delicious! the fish was fresh and each piece of fish was cut in huge chunks. you really get your money's worth here!
+ chirashi sushi bowl that we ate had: salmon eggs, monkfish liver, sea urchin, tuna, yellowtail, salmon, fresh water eel, sweet shrimp, green fish eggs, octopus, scallop, albacore
+ the rice in the chirashi bowl is flavored with spices from the octopus salad. they also put tempura batter on the rice. yum!
+ i really like the tempura batter that they make because it doesn't taste heavy and it's still very crispy too
Cons
- the restaurant itself looks like a run down house in a residential area
- we were seated in the patio so we didnt have to wait 1 hour for a table inside, but try to sit inside because service is pretty shoddy outside
- couldn't find parking in the private lot. park on the street! -
Review from Mike C.
Rowland Heights, CA
1/12/2012
Pro: $35 Chirashi bowl is totally worth it.
Everything is so fresh.
Service is fast and efficent.
Con: parking is very limited.
Wait is long. Must make reservation before going. -
Review from Emily S.
Alexandria, VA
Yes, the chirashi bowl lives up to the hype!
We came here for lunch on the Monday after New Years around 1PM and there was about a 30 minute wait. I think the wait staff was short that day (or regularly?) so it took awhile to seat customers even though tables were empty. The waitress that seated us in the patio area seemed super busy but we were patient, knowing our holy-chirashi-grail would soon be coming. It was the perfect sunny, warm winter afternoon in Hacienda to enjoy our food.
Finally our $35 chirashi came. Loaded with tuna, yellowtail, roe, uni, salmon, albacore, unagi, 1 scallop, 1 sweet sweet (heaven!), octopus salad and creamy fish liver. The sushi rice was mixed with masago and tenkasu. I love that they gave so much attention and flavor to the sushi rice.
For 3 sashimi lovers, we had 1 chirashi bowl, 1 sashimi platter and 1 small uni bowl (+extra order of rice). The 'small' uni bowl was not small at all! We were all salivating as we ate all the uni-goodness.
Based on the plain bowls and plates and the cuts of sashimi, you can tell the place isn't trying to be all frou frou . It's all about their FRESH, fresh sashimi. I heard they get fresh shipments everyday. :) -
Review from Jeffrey M.
Whittier, CA
A definite hidden gem that's conveniently close to my house.. Thank goodness, I was tired of traveling so far for decent fish..
Don't show up here if price is an object you have to worry about.. While this is no $300/guest sushi spot, this isn't a place to find discount rolls for $5 a pop.. No, this is a place where you get what you pay for..
My sashimi & chicken teriyaki lunch combination was huge and definitely filling.. The unagi sushi that I ordered alongside it was not necessary but I have to say, that unagi was probably the best I've ever had.. It was tender, tasty and oh so melty in my mouth!
I'll definitely be coming back here again and again and again.. That is, when I feel the need to spoil myself.. What? You didn't here? We're in a recession people! Delectable sushi is definitely a luxury! -
Review from Lillian C.
Arcadia, CA
1/5/2012
My mom and I were in the area and decided to come here for lunch. I haven't been here in like 7 years!!! This place is a like a little hidden gem... it's in a random street that's surrounded by warehouses. They have a gated parking lot with outside and inside seating.
Now onto the food! We ordered the chicken teriyaki with salmon and the kama (collar). The free salad was ok, but not fresh because I can tell the lettuce has changed colors. The dressing was really good though and the miso soup was hot. They weren't stingy on the seaweed or tofu! The collar was nicely grilled and it was a big piece! The teriyaki sauce tastes a little like alcohol so that was different! I would have to say that the prices aren't CHEAP... but they do give you a good portion. I think I need to try their sushi next time since a lot of other people ordered it and it looked pretty fresh!
Note that they're open for lunch and dinner but not in between! -
Review from Jason S.
Berkeley, CA
12/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This has become my favorite sushi place. It's a little pricey but well worth it. Very well worth it.
Made a reservation the day before and arrive about 10 minutes early and was seated 5 minutes later. Have to mention that most of the time I was waiting to get their attention to tell them that I was there.
Everyone comes here to order the chirashi bowl, which is exactly what we did. The contents typically change depending on what the chef has remaining but it's always high quality fish. Under that is a rice that some of us like to call "crack" because it is so wonderfully good and addicting to eat.
We also ordered the spicy tuna cut roll. It was interesting that the cut roll had whole pieces of tuna instead of the typical minced form, but that's not too much of a big deal. It wasn't that spicy though. The menu said it gave 6 pieces but we got more than that. However, this cut roll was a lot smaller in width than the other cut rolls which is why I believe we got more pieces.
We wanted yakisoba but they were out of soba, so we ended up with yakiudon with beef. It was okay, maybe a little on the oily side. -
Review from Chris C.
Irvine, CA
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was a place that my friends and I went to for a friend's birthday, and the food was delicious!! never have I seen sushi rolls SO GINORMOUS! Seriously, it's at least 1.5 to 2 times as big as a normal sushi roll! Even if you're absolutely starving, you can order one roll and that should really fill you up. Be willing to share, as there's about 6 pieces in each roll, and that allows you to share with other people.
But what was the kicker here was that somehow... someway... they knew it was someone's birthday (probably the birthday balloons tied to the birthday girls' chair), and when they came out with a "little something" for her birthday... it was like a full on HUGE asian cake!! Seriously, my friends and I started pointing at each other and trying to figure out WHO IN THE WORLD bought the cake, because NO ONE would take credit for it! "you did it!" "No, i didn't, but SHE could have" "no, she was with me, and i couldn't do it cuz ____". We probably argued, accused, and tore at each other in what could've been the greatest possible mafia game ever until someone searched on previous yelp reviews, and they too found out Akasaka provided their large party with a birthday cake too.
Honestly, i'm curious if that was the case. My birthday is coming up, and I'd like to come back here to see if i get a birthday cake like my friend did... if not........ one of my friends is still lying... and mafia is still alive.......... -
Review from Hyerim L.
Chirashi bowl, I'm sorry I doubted you.
You must forgive me, I'm a frugal girl by nature. I saw the waitress passing by with the famed bowl of goodness and I thought, "That tiny thing for $35?!"
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," says my wise friend. So with that challenge I ordered, sat, and doubted. And got owned.
Sushi's not filling, right? And it's a pretty small bowl, right? WRONG. I split my order with a friend and we two hungry hippos could barely finish it off. It's piled high with all the fresh, thick sashimi you could want - yellowtail, tuna, salmon, uni, albacore, masago, etc. on top of rice. You're a beast if you could polish this off.
AMAZING quality sushi. Chirashi, you definitely lived up to the hype. Parking sucks but I'll be back for this baby otra vez.Listed in: Sushi
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Review from Mel k.
Burbank, CA
1/8/2012
Next time I'm splitting the Chirashi bowl. Amazing variety of fish and lots of it. $34 bucks is a lot for a meal but there's enough fish to justify it (and they give you a good portion of practically every fish they have) and I could only finish half. Gifted my mother with the leftovers since I had to drive back to Burbank.
Next time I'm visiting family I'm going back for more. -
Review from Janet M.
Temple City, CA
1/2/2012 1 photo
When you talk about fresh sashimi, I would say come to Akasaka for their chirashi bowl. I mean everyone comes here and for sure order a chirashi bowl.
I think it's about $35. it has my favorite Salmon, Yellow tail, fish livers!, fish eggs and other fishes like tuna, octopus. The chief likes to cut them into big pieces so you can taste the juice out of every single piece.
I personally really like the sushi chief. I went there twice recently with my son and the sushi chief enjoyed playing with my son because he reminded her about her two adult sons when they were young. She shared her amazing story with me. Not to mention, she gave me some free plates too :D!
This place is very busy and it's hard if you just decide to go and will get a table right a way. I would recommend that you call and make a reservation. For sure your wait will be much shorter or even no wait.
I think at the end they give you a free bowl of ice cream. Everyone is very friendly there so it's super plus on top of good foods!!! -
Review from Daisy K.
12/6/2011
3.5 stars, but I'll bump it up to 4 for the female sushi chef and the freshness of the fish.
I came here lusting after the $36 Chirashi bowl, so that's what I got. It was pretty expensive, but there was a lot of variety in the fish you received and the freshness of it. The bowl included your expected salmon, tuna, albacore and also items like octopus, sweet shrimp and uni. Overall, a huge bowl and definitely a way to fill you up for dinner. Was it worth $36? That's up to you to decide. It was delicious but I think I'll be skipping the high pricetag next round.
Be sure to make reservations. I came on a weekday and it was packed around 6:30. Also note the place is essentially a converted home so it's very small and cozy -- so don't expect a lot of privacy.Listed in: Delicious Sushi Places
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Review from Jennie V.
Alhambra, CA
I came with a friend for dinner we arrive about 8:30 there wasnt much of a wait...we waited about 15 minutes, I remember the first time I came a group of 4 it was over an hour wait so we decided to go elsewhere.
My friend and I were seated with a couple at table one and two, it was almost lik a private room, we were kind of close to the other table where, we could hear one another's conversation =/.
We decided on an order of surf clam, sashimi combo consist of scallop, salmon, and eel, we also got the famous chirashi bowl. I got to say it was a lot of food for the two of us. I have to say I like my cuts of fish to be a bit thinner, they were all pretty thick. I really liked everything, but I can not put my finger on it but it was not like WOW, maybe I had too my much expectations, and I have to say I eat a lot of sushi, and the fish was not the best best. I would come back again, but then again for this price my friend and I could have enjoy ayce sushi at Joe's.
When we were finished and waiting for the check, we had to wave and wave to get our waitress, the other table did the same. I have to say there was not much service, they just sat us down got our orders and left us alone. I think because we brought the checks to the front we did not get anything for dessert. We paid and were give the really cute sushi lollipops.
Overall the experience that day was good, we found parking, we did not wait that long, and food came in a well mannered time. -
Review from Jon K.
Foothill Ranch, CA
12/8/2011
I've heard of Akasaka from friends who live in Hacienda and Rowland Heights. Apparently it's the "place to go" in the 626 area. Their claim to fame was their ridiculously priced chirashi bowl (wtheck! $35 bucks!). But all my friends assured me that when they tried to tackle "The Bowl" alone, they failed miserably. Apparently It's a dish to share. I was a little weary about trying this place since it was far away from my usual stomping grounds in OC for Japanese. Ikko and Taiko have been staples to my raw fish consumption and since I have a bit of a .. sensitive stomach... quality is always really important to me. It's location in a random ass industrialized street not too far from Foo-Foo Tei didn't help that fact either.
But needless to say, I finally had the opportunity to try this place and their famed chirashi bowl, and let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint. A special lady friend of mine and I went when the winds were going all crazy and Akasaka was either affected by the rolling blackouts or doing their part to prevent one. Most of the restaurant was illuminated by candle light... TALK ABOUT AWESOME! :D bowchickawowwow. We had to wait a little while even though we had reservations, but it wasn't a big deal. It's a small restaurant, so EXPECT to wait.
Anyway, I'm pretty picky when it comes to Japanese food, so this bowl had to live up to some pretty high standards. When it came out, I was expecting something much bigger. But the variety of fish looked amazing! It had the generous portions of salmon, tuna, spicy tuna, uni, albacore, yellow tail and fish liver (delicious!). Also included was a piece of amaebi, scallop, a little bit of salmon roe, bits and pieces of tako, and what appeared to be fried tempura batter bits which added some texture. Everything served on a bed of sushi rice. All the fish was fresh which is the MOST important thing when it comes to sashimi. Service was excellent and all the servers were friendly and attentive!
Other than a single order of uni costing $22 and accidentally setting our "to go" box on fire (stupid candle) , the rest of the night was pretty drama free (including the activity from my stomach). Akasaka was a huge success. Will most definitely return! (for a chirashi bowl challenge... knowadamean? :D) -
Review from Jennifer K.
Hacienda Heights, CA
12/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
A true hidden gem in the HH area.
This is the one place that I had heard so much about, but did not get to visit until a few weeks ago when my best friend from NY was in town. We decided to come here because she was craving for Japanese food.
When we arrived on a rainy and cold Saturday night @ around 6, there was no available table. We were told we could have a table outside, but we declined because it was really windy and cold. We were informed that an inside table is available but that we must finish eating by 6:30. We did not like the idea of being rushed since we wanted time to catch up, so I opted for the bar.
And this is when the fun started.
The sushi chef at the bar was super friendly. Made us lots of recommendations. We ended up ordering 1/2 a dragon roll + the sashimi combo, with some hot sake. The sashimi combo came with 3 different types of fish, which you can choose. The house hot sake was great, too. I also really liked the dragon roll...the fish here tasted fresh, and the service is really good. I highly recommend this spot! -
Review from Michelle T.
Monterey Park, CA
1/16/2012
Thumbs up to the Chirashi bowls! :) Think fatty fish! Flavorsome variety packed with plenty of omega 3s! lol. Great bowl to share for a company of 2 or 3. The sweet shrimp was delicious. I highly recommend making a reservation because this place is always packed, even on weekdays.
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Review from Fu W.
Houston, TX
1/24/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Akasaka is a totally awesome place for Japanese food. Their chirashi bowl is pretty insane and the best I've seen. It has a huge variety of sashimi - salmon, tuna, hamachi, seared white tuna, maguro, tobiko, uni, ebi/shrimp, scallop, monkfish liver, and squid. They also sprinkle some tempura bits for the extra crunch without the greasiness. We usually have to ask for an extra plate to set aside the sashimi so that we could get to the rice, which is cooked to perfection. They also have monster rainbow rolls that have a diameter of about 2 inches. Instead of laying the sashimi on top of a California roll, the roll itself also includes healthy servings of sashimi as well.
Granted their sashimi might not be the best best, but they are still pretty decent quality, and pretty good bang for your buck. Just watching them make a chirashi bowl would show how generous they are with their servings. If they have a few extra pieces of sashimi, they also toss them onto the bowl instead of saving them for the next bowl. If the pieces have undesirable linings or parts, they toss them without hesitation so you would never have to come across those pieces.
All their dishes are pretty solid. I have kept on coming back here even though they are always busy! You just have to persistent on asking them for stuff - the staff just never seems to get any down times. -
Review from Tina and tim C.
Orange County, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tina: 5 Stars. "I demand that Akasaka be an exception to our diet!"
Tim: 4 Stars. "There's so much fish, that it's kind of wrong"
I'm pretty sure this place contributes a disproportionate share to the rapid depletion of marine life and plants, but I seriously don't care. The fish cuts here are enormous and the plate/bowl portions are equally impressive; the quality, superb.
Tina and I have tried their CHIRASHI BOWL and their RAINBOW CUT ROLL (half order).
The chirashi bowl is simply something you have to order every time. Every imaginable cut of fish is piled into this bowl ("piled"!!), from tuna to salmon to octopus, sea urchin, salmon roe, and scallops. For a time, we were convinced there was no rice. (No worries, there is rice, it's just at the very very bottom of the bowl).
The rainbow roll is a dream come true! Each cut is the size of a small cheese burger. Their non-traditional approach makes a small half order more than enough for a single guest. In place of crab or imitation crab meat as the primary stuffer, they use whole cuts of various fish and other delights, i.e. a California roll on steroids... FISH steroids! And the top is layered not just with a single sliver of fish, but on every occasion and cut, at least two or three varieties of fish. A true rainbow roll per every cut.
The experience was truly a glutton's paradise.
*Cautionary note: This place is very very small and somewhat shady looking (it looks like it would be in violation of several fire codes/regulations), but it's worth the long waits, awkward seating, and risk of death. -
Review from Nora A.
Los Angeles, CA
1/20/2012
My husband and I shared the chirashi bowl and 1/2 rainbow roll, and we were impressed with the quality, quantity and variety of fish. We also ordered the sukiyaki entree but the sushi ended up being more than enough so we took the sukiyaki to go. I would have given this restaurant 5 stars if it were more spacious and there were more wait staff-the space is tight, and you have to call out wait staff if you need something. And like others have mentioned I recommend making reservations and arriving on time or else you'll have to wait or have your meal outside. For a great sushi dinner, we'll definitely return to Akasaka.
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Review from Tiffany T.
Arcadia, CA
11/3/2011
5 stars well deserved! I always come here for the famous Chirashi bowl. Whenever I come here with the idea that I'm going to try other things in this restaurant, I always end up drooling over the Chirashi bowls that litter the tabletops of many other dining patrons and then change my mind.
For the steep price of $36 per bowl, the food is nothing short of spectacular. The Chirashi bowl is filled with fresh, thick slices of sashimi piled high atop a bed of sweet vinegared rice, fresh ginger and wasabi. The variety of sashimi doesn't just stop at fish, as it also includes sweet shrimp, uni, masago and other items. I usually share this with another person because the bowl can easily feed two people. Or if you're a big eater and don't want to share, then this will make a hearty meal.
If you don't want to shell out $36 for the Chirashi bowl, I hear the sushi is very delicious too. It's a little more expensive than the average sushi place but I suppose you get what you pay for.
I highly recommend making reservations because this place gets packed on the weekends very quickly around dinnertime. The waiting area is very cramped and when you have 15+ hungry people packed together like sardines, it can make the wait a little unpleasant.
Parking is also limited. The restaurant is near a residential area so you can try parking alongside the street if the parking lot is filled.Listed in: Cuz Baby, You're a Firework!
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Review from Adrienne C.
Philadelphia, PA
1/6/2012
The only thing you need to know is the chirashi bowl - seriously, that's all you need to get. The portions here are HUGE...but sadly, so is the wait. Went on a Wed night during the holidays, and we were waiting for nearly an hour. The rolls weren't very impressive, but the chirashi bowl - with tons of fish, UNI, etc. - was amazing. Enough to feed 2-3 people, easily...and the rice is so so great. They add some really yummy fried bits and some other goodness to the rice. So yummy!
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Review from Pauline P.
El Monte, CA
I have been frequently Akasaka for the past 5 years and have always loved their generously-portioned sushi. The fish is fresh and its awesome supporting female chefs!
// LOCATION // Basically a house located on Clark Ave.
// PARKING // The parking lot is teeny tiny and causes a lot of door dings, fender benders, and general headache. Save yourself the trouble and just park on the street. Street parking is a breeze because the restaurant is located in a residential area.
// WAIT // Can be horrific. Make reservations!! If they tell you there are no reservations, tell them you are willing to sit outside! You will only wait 5-10 minutes with reservations, but 30 min to an hour without!
// FOOD // Must get items:
+Small side salad, miso soup, and vanilla ice cream: Free for everyone who dines in.
+ Rainbow roll: As big as a small CD and stuffed with tons of fish. None of this california roll business!
+Sashimi combo platter: Mix and match 3 types of fish
+Chirashi: Best bang for your buck. Loaded with an assortment of fresh and delish fish on a bed of soft sushi rice.
+ tip: make reservations! -
Review from Marie K.
Whittier, CA
1/13/2012
Was taken to this restaurant tonight, and it will be my first & last visit. Even though we arrived shortly before opening, the service was deplorable: 4 in our party and only 2 were served in a timely manner. After waiting so long, and with a line out the door, the phone ringing incessantly, I thought the food would be worth the wait, but it was insipid and very expensive.
I'd recommend Tokyo Lobby in Industry near Puente Hills Mall or going a bit further, Amachi in Uptown Whittier. -
Review from Fiona F.
Concord, CA
12/4/2011
I was visiting relatives in the area and they took us here for dinner. There were many people waiting, and it took us a good 5-10 minutes to be seated even with reservations, and a few empty tables available. They weren't really on top of seating people and stuff.
The food was amazing though. My aunt ordered the fish liver, sweet shrimp, unagi roll, and a bunch of other things. Everything was sooo good. While the prices may be a bit higher than most sushi places, the portions are pretty huge. The rolls are like ginourmous. At least double to triple the size of a normal sushi roll.
I would give them five stars, but like I said earlier, the service wasn't that great. I don't think they could keep up. There were always a few empty tables and people waiting to be seated in the front. We also had to ask for a few things multiple times before they brought it out to us.
Side note: It's pretty cool that they had a female sushi chef. C: -
Review from Jennifer K.
Yorba Linda, CA
10/6/2011 2 photos
This is a hidden gem! It's in this residential area and I would have never guessed there would have been a restaurant hidden in between all that. I've got to say, one of the best sushi restaurants I've had in awhile! Everything might be quite pricey, but good food comes with $$. Don't get mistaken. This is the one on CLARK and not GRAND (the street).
Chirashi bowl. WOW. was I mistaken how big this bowl is! its $35 of goodness and all the sashimi you know, its in here! Tuna, spicy tuna, salmon, masago, uni, albacore, yellowtail, etc w/ rice on the bottom. The chunks of sushi were huge too. I had to share this with my other friend and (mission successful) we were quite full.
Spicy Tuna Handroll: $8, but full of meat and super huge. Worth the moneyz.
All the sushi rolls are huge as well, so make sure to have a big appetite when you come in this restaurant. Or ask for half and not the full order.
Good quality fish.
4 stars, cause the restaurant is incredibly small for the amount of people you have. So make sure to make reservations if you come in a large group. Some people like to cram by the entrance of the door when they are waiting. Also, the waitresses gets super busy, so it was hard to get there attention at times. Other than that, ENJOY!Listed in: Best places to GRUB
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Review from Cono W.
Rosemead, CA
12/23/2011
I phone ordered a chirashi bowl on 1pm, now already 2:10 I am still standing here waiting.....
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Review from Hua F.
Hacienda Heights, CA
1/5/2012
I have been to akasaka for more than 10 times, this is the worst case ever.
If you want to wait for 1-1.5 hour without any attention by the waitress, and extremely expensive sushi, welcome to today's akasaka!
Compared to a couple years ago, the service is much slower, the food is much more expensive with a lot smaller portion. -
Review from Kate S.
Irvine, CA
11/14/2011
CHIRASHI BOWL = aMAZING!!! that's all.
you get the whole ocean in that bowl! and sushi cuts are so chunky and delicious! -
Review from Ellen C.
Updated - 12/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
So I came back here again since last time I just got a tuna roll and really wanted to see what the hype was about. It's definitely about the LARGE LARGE portions of sushi they give you. They are like..3x the normal size of regular sushi. I had ordered 2 uni rolls, 2 uni sushi, 1 albacore salad, 1 appetizer, 1 order of sweet shrimp, and a crab roll..and let me just say I wish I only ordered 2 uni rolls and another appetizer or entree. The portions were WAY too huge and I felt that I was overwhelmed with the sushi. Also the sushi itself was okay..a bit better than the average sushi but not better than sushi gen. After that meal, I couldn't eat sushi for 2 weeks (I eat sushi on a weekly basis) just because it was wayyyy too much.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/25/2009
ehhhhhhhh...Friend recommended this place after we went snowboarding because the ramen place down… Read more »
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Review from nancy w.
Cambridge, MA
10/17/2011 13 photos
Came on a relaxing Monday evening. Parking relatively easy on the small parking lot in front of the restaurant, no wait time since we called in advance for a reservation. Party of five. Ordered:
Chirashi bowl - 5/5
Dynamite appetizer - 5/5
Roasted eel roll - 5/5
Shrimp tempura and chicken yosenabe udon soup - 4/5 (soup a bit on the salty side)
Baked mackerel with chopped dikon and sliced oranges - 5/5
Free of charge:
5 bowls miso soup - 4/5 (soup lukewarm)
5 cups tea (unlimited) - 5/5 (ok)
5 plates salad - 3/5 (salad was really not fresh, looked a week old)
Service: 5/5 (prompt, courteous, and the waitress spent time to take photos of our table and food for us)
Total bill: $104 without tips
After the meal we were so full we decided this restaurant should only be visited once every six months. -
Review from Andrew N.
Fullerton, CA
1/28/2012
Been here 3-4 times. Was recommended here by a cousin.
Tried the Chirashi bowl the first time and was blown away. I really like it, esp the rice in it, they put something along with the rice- it was crunchy and sweet.
As others have mentioned, this bowl is gigantic. Most normal person won't be able to finish it, unless you've starved yourself. Not to mention, its kind pricey (requires 3 Alexander Hamilton's approval).
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I'd recommend coming here with a friend and splitting the Chirashi bowl, since usually you can't finish it on your own anyways. That way you can also split the cost. (plus, this thing is only good when fresh- its sashimi after all, not good to take home and eat next meal).
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the downside to this place is, their parking lot is very small. Unless you arrive very early, you're gonna need to park at the streets. Also, the restaurant is small, you pretty much have to come early if you dont' want to wait 30-50mins to be seated.
As one yelper had mentioned, the bar's lap shade is pretty dirty, they really should clean it. So i wouldn't recommend you sit there, despite being able to see the sushi chef. Also, the restaurant is located in the middle of nowhere (a residential area)....so not very convenient to find for 1st timers.
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personally, i didn't find the service as horrible as other yelpers have found. Maybe its just me? ....their service wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible. It was just avg. -
Review from Mr. S.
Walnut, CA
9/19/2011
Quality sushi at a decent price.. try reserving a spot at the bar if you can so you could chat with hisako and actually get a full experience
People compare this place to Sushi Koyos, but they're whole different leagues. Hiro at Koyos is a real down to earth sushi chef and his sushi is probably the freshest you could get. Hisako at Akasaka has fresh sushi as well. BUT they do get their fish from different sources.. both fresh though and never frozen.
Everyone says the chirashi bowl is for two - four people.. lolwut.. I finish a chirashi bowl by myself everytime I go here and I'm not even big or anything. But this place is really decent to get a filling meal of sushi. People.. sushi koyo is not cheaper, but they do have more variety. For the same amount of fullness at Akasaka, it would cost about $100 for me at Koyo (oh trust me, I get Koyo's omakase all the time.. I should know)
Both establishments are dericious but it really depends on the selection of fish you want to eat and how much you're willing to spend.
Now if you want the best deal you can get for sushi.. go to Sushi Asahi (korean owned, not jap owned like Koyo and Akasaka). For $20-$25 you can eat some of the freshest fish you'll ever have.. but it lacks the ambience and experience you could get at the other two establishments -
Review from Connie L.
Arcadia, CA
12/29/2011
Love this place. The bowl is amazing. You can share it and then order another side. There is no way someone can finish a bowl by themselves. The fish is fresh and abundant. They know what people want. I highly recommend this place for the food. Atmosphere is okay. Very small place, intimate setting. Tables are very close to each other.
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Review from Cathy Y.
Pasadena, CA
4 stars because I am now a fan! I just went on Monday evening and decided this will be the first place I will actually write a review for.
At first, I was completely startled and surprised at the prices on the menu. Usually, $12 for a rainbow roll is average, here for 8 pieces it's $27.50! I ordered it anyway since I wanted to see why it was so expensive, I found out soon enough. The roll was GIANT, bigger than my hand! I have never seen a roll that HUGE, so it was definitely worth the price with fish slices that were 3"x2", INSANE sizes...therefore this made me HAPPY to be eating it! We also ordered the sashimi plate for $28 and there were 21 pieces on it and totally worth it :)
Next time, I will be ordering the chirashi bowl as it seemed everyone had an order of that on their table and shared it! -
Review from L P.
Whittier, CA
10/15/2011
LISTEN UP! NO OTHER SUSHI SPOT COMPARES!!!!
Call ahead and make reservations if you want a great seat at the bar, if not it's worth the wait! You definitely get what you pay for! The portions are enormous and super fresh. I also love this spot because it has a rich family history. It's been passed on from generation to generation.
Kirin Light + no.2 + Charlies' balls = Heaven ;) -
Review from Dieu C.
Santa Ana, CA
8/15/2011
Rude and snappy service in America? That's blasphemous. Getting scolded by a server is something unheard of, but not until you come here to Akasaka. How this place has 4 stars from almost 400 reviews is beyond me. If you cntr-f'd for "service" on this page, you will see that every single Yelper on here has nothing good to say about the service here.
Akasaka = Worst service of my life
My friend and I came here on a Monday night. Once we were seated, it took some time until we were given menus and another forever and a half to get our Chirashi bowl. All I asked our waitress for was some extra ginger and a soon. When the waitress came, I asked her very nicely to take a photo for us. NICELY. She glared at me and shouted, "Can you just give me a minute?!"
Did she really just say that to me? Am I hearing correctly?
So she was probably stressed out. I get it. But it is not justifiable to take it out on a customer. At times, I can understand and let it slide that a restaurant can get extremely busy trying to manage everything that they're doing. I get it. I really do. Unless a patron was hostile, there should never be a reason for a service to become mean and snappy, especially for unjustly reasons. That is absolutely inconceivable.
The waitress never came back to take the photo nor apologize for being a bitch.
The check never came, so we went to the front to pay. The workers did not acknowledge us and skipped us many times until they finally calculated our check.
They seriously need to hire more employees to help out or put their workers through anger management classes. No joke.
I swear that what I'm about to say is out of pure objectivity and honesty and not spite.
The Akasaka Chirashi bowl was alright. Not great and definitely not worth $35. The fish was overly salty and rice was soggy. For $15 less, at Sushi Koto, you can enjoy a much tastier Chirashi bowl, much better service, little to reasonable wait time, and will never get yelled at.you won't get yelled at.
Now on a more personal note. If you're my friend and you truly love me, you will not go here. Hahahahha kidding. Um no, not really. -
Review from alan r.
Corona, CA
8/23/2011
The quality of the fish that they have is very good and the owner/sushi chef is very pleasant and nice. So why aren't I giving a higher rating???
The answer is that it was about expectations not being met. From what I heard prior to the visit was that restaurant had been a fixture in the Hacienda Height area for a very long time, was very popular, and had a Japanese owner that was in charge of the sushi bar.
Having a veteran Japanese sushi chef in front of us I was expecting delicate and artful preparations and possibly something that I had never tried before (every skilled sushi chef has a specialty that they like to show off). This is what I expected, but the reality was that of a frantic/frenetic sushi preparation. Slabs of fish were being tossed around and orders were cut and prepared in seconds rather than minutes. I get it, because of the crowds and only having one person preparing all the sushi orders there is now way she could have all the attention to detail that I was expecting and get all the orders out in a timely fashion. I'm just saying that wasn't what I was expecting.
The other turn off for the place while sitting at the sushi counter was the condition of the lamps. It looks like they haven't cleaned them for a long time. I don't know how long the restaurant has been open, but it looks as though about 10 years of dust is sitting on the lamp shades!
I think I understand their concept, offer a high quality fish that they can turn over through volume. Although the quality of the fish that they carry is very good, the problem is that their selection of fish is limited.
So in conclusion, if you're looking for more of a traditional sushi experience. Once that you gain a relationship with your sushi chef and admire the skills, creativity, and presentation of his/her offerings. I would say do not go to Akasaka because you will be disappointed like I was.
