- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Arashi Sushi
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
1111 S Hope StSte 100
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Neighborhood: Downtown
(213) 749-1900
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
160 reviews for Arashi Sushi
Review Highlights
-
"And don't miss the fried green tea ice cream." In 7 reviews -
"I like the Spicy Tuna Tataki roll and enjoyed their Lemon..." In 3 reviews -
"We ordered 5 different kinds of rolls and yogurt sake." In 5 reviews
Loading...
160 reviews in English
-
Review from Hannah A.
Los Angeles, CA
5/6/2012
My husband and I moved to the area recently so have trying some places we can walk to. Went here last night.
We got 2 sushi roles and a BBQ platter thing. I am no sushi gormet so I am probably not as anal as most people. I thought everything was very good! The BBQ platter was especially surprising since I don't typically stray from sushi at a sushi place.
Best part: Saturday night around 9 PM and there was plenty of seating. Got in fast and the service was great. When we finished our waiter offered us complimentary dessert since our food took a while to come out. Huh? We didn't think that it took very long at all and we hadn't said anything to him or even each other. So that was a very nice unexpected bonus.
We didn't have any but it looked like they had a large saki menu and there were plenty of food choices too.
There is a valet right there too if you drive over, we walked form our place a block away. -
Review from Lisa M.
San Diego, CA
5/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thank you yelpers for having yelped this for my boyfriend to find when we were in search of food in LA before a party we were going to. This joint is located blocks away from the Staples Center & LA Live.
Appetizer: Tataki Tuna Sashimi - Thumbs Up (BF got two orders of this...yeah it was that good)
Sushi: Arashi Special Roll, Screaming Roll, Downtown Roll - Good stuff
Drinks: Water
For a Saturday night around 8:30pm, it wasn't too busy so seating was quick but as the night progresses, the place fills up.
Enjoy! -
Review from Andrew L.
5/1/2012
So my friends and I were aimlessly wandering for some lunch. We happened to stop by Arashi Sushi (through my use of yelp.... haha). The reviews seemed to be love/hate. I'm going with the love here. :)
Their rolls were really good. We had the
Dragon Roll:
The eel was soft and just the right temperature.
4/5
Salmon & Spicy Scallop Roll:
The salmon was fresh and melted in your mouth. The spicy scallop was spicy, but not overwhelming so (a good thing).
5/5
Albacore Special Roll (Mixed Garlic Albacore Roll Topped w/ Avocado, Albacore & Crispy Onion)
I usually prefer salmon and eel, but the albacore was really good for this trip. It was also fresh and the avocado helps balance the roll's taste.
4/5
Shrimp Tempura w/ Creamy Spicy Sauce (Fried Shrimp w/ Shiitake Mushrooms in Creamy Spicy Sauce)
4/5
I liked how they added mushrooms to this dish, as it gave it a contrast between itself and the shrimp.
Unexpected great sushi? Check! -
Review from Anna K.
Los Angeles, CA
5/23/2012
friendly attentive service and yummy sushi!
Definitely try if you're in the neighborhood~ *thumbs up* -
Review from Pepper C.
Los Angeles, CA
4/22/2012 4 photos
From "Smooth Operator" all the way to "Soldier of Love," I've sang every word, lived every word, felt every word. After many nights of parking in open lots with the windows down and the radio turned up, singing to the stars, tonight was my turn to experience it in the flesh.
Like Phil Collins, I felt it comin' in the air that night.
Sade. At the Staples Center.
With my homegirl,
my best friend,
my partner in crime:
Anna B
Soft, pretty and pink...you couldn't tell us shit.
We looked good.
Smelled good.
Felt good.
And we were "third world" HUNGRY AS HELL.
I swear my stomach was eating itself.
Both of us realized at that moment that being pretty and geared up to see Sade didn't mean an ounce of anything if stomachs were growling. Off to find some grub. Fumbling through our Yelp apps, and fumbling around by foot, we somehow found our way to Arashi. Thank you, Fate.
Arashi embraced us with open arms and an atmosphere of peace. Totally opposite of the anxiety leading up to the concert. We were able to walk right in and order. Food so fresh, so good, so colorful, so artistic! I will never forget the amazing seaweed salad or the crispy rice/spicy tuna. The service was beyond unbelievable. The restaurant, so chic.
What an experience. When time permits, I'm coming back to try the rest. -
Review from Mia H.
Whittier, CA
5/15/2012
Came in a few days ago for the first time, nice decor/ambiance, server was nice, sushi was good no complaints. All in all I would come back, wasn't the worst nor the greatest.
-
Review from Dani S.
Los Angeles, CA
4/17/2012
Happy hour spot! 4-7pm.
Location is great, close to Staples center and my friend's place. Happy hour prices are decent, but still on the pricey side. Sushi $2-4/order. Rolls $5-8.
Quality of fish is mediocre, tastes mediocre, overall not impressed. $45 later, we weren't even half full, or remotely satisfied. -
Review from Todd N.
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Truly a place tucked away in Downtown LA (DTLA what I like to call)
I'm sure I've said this a million times, but again, the one thing you want to know about me is that I LOVE SUSHI!!! I actually came here for a friend's birthday because she also loves SUSHI.
I don't have too much to say about this place because I wasn't the one who planned this venture out to LA Live, but rather my friend organized the whole event. Upon entering, our party of 6 was immediately seated. I felt bad for the waiter because some people at my table took forever to order and couldn't decide. Anyways, i ordered the caterpillar roll, and it was good. I say just good because the amount of avocado was so overwhelming (I love avocado but it was just too much). And i didn't really taste the fish. My friend ordered the Dragon Roll, and that was a GREAT roll.
The service was great as well, as I should mention I only noticed 2 waiters (there might've been more), but they worked so efficiently and quickly that I never felt that I had to call them and wait for a long period of time; they really know how to treat their customers. -
Review from Brad S.
4/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
While this sushi restaurant wasn't bad it also wasn't the best. I would have given it 3 stars but for the sole fact that they couldn't roll our sushi rolls properly (they fell apart) I'm downgrading the rating to 2 stars. They should be able to get that one aspect right given that they are a sushi place. The restaurant is in a pretty good location / proximity to the Staples Center so it has that going for it. I tried three different rolls and I would say that they were pretty standard or slightly below standard as far as taste goes. I'm not an avid sushi eater but I've eaten enough to know the difference from subpar to good to great sushi and I believe 2-3 stars for Arashi Sushi is fitting for what I tried.
-
Review from Crystal G.
Lake Forest, CA
4/18/2012
The sushi is tasty! My husband and I split 4 things for dinner and we really enjoyed them:
-Yellowtail Sashimi w/ Cilantro & Jalapeno
-Spicy Tuna Tempura Roll
-Crunch Shrimp Roll
-Tataki Tuna Sashimi
The yellowtail and tataki were "melt in your mouth" delicious! The fish was really fresh (both for the sashimi and the rolls) and the sauces had a well-balanced spicy-sweet combination. Yum!
After dinner, the server recommended we get the tempura green tea ice cream.... fried ice cream, yes please! The ice cream was good. It had a really light, green tea flavor. My husband couldn't taste it, the flavor was so light. The "tempura" batter was a little less than good... it was okay. The batter was doughy and cold but we ate some anyway. The server asked how we liked it and I said the ice cream was good but the batter was "interesting".... He offered to make it again because apparently it wasn't fried like it should have been. We declined though because we were getting stuffed. I will try it again next time.
The staff was great! They were very attentive and had fun attitudes.
Price wise, I think it's pretty standard... the bill was roughly $110 for a bottle of sake, Asahi, edemame, 2 soups, and the 4 items. They didn't charge us for the ice cream even though we said we would pay for it.
I didn't like that they charge for edemame and/or soup. Most places with these prices (that I have been to) offer the edemame and soup with the meal. But I suppose this is LA... -
Review from Amy S.
Los Angeles, CA
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tried this place for the first time the other night and I have to say, this place is surprisingly good! If you're looking for a place in downtown and don't want to drive all the way to Little Tokyo, this is a nice substitute.
Things I tried:
Spicy tuna tataki roll: one of my favorite rolls of the night. There's a piece of tuna tataki on top of each roll and the spicy tuna is actually pretty spicy! Definitely lived up to the hype
Protein Roll: I've always been looking for something like this, because I don't really like rice. Loved the roll, just thought the imitation crab was a little too creamy. Other than that, really good!
Lobster Roll: This was alright. The lobster was a little tough and you couldn't even really tell the lobster from the mushrooms on top of the roll. Not really my fave but my friend just LOVES lobster rolls.
Overall, it's not the best sushi I've ever had, but it's pretty good.
OH! Also, I don't know if this is common for most nights, but we fortunately came on a Soju tasting night so they gave out free shots of 4 different types of soju's. That was definitely a plus! -
Review from Mike F.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 3/14/2012
This is a follow up to the two previous reviews.
In short, I was given a coupon because of a bad experience we had at Arashi. I went back a few months later incognito and was extremely satisfied. Didn't order oysters (of course) but everything else was fantastic (especially the hot night roll, spicy scallops, shrimp tempura roll, and chicken gizzards). Service was great as always. Arashi is committed to customer satisfaction. I will bring friends here in the future!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
1/8/2012
After reading my first review, the owner of Arashi contacted me and offered her sincere apologies. … Read more »
-
-
Review from Mark C.
2/27/2012 4 photos
Arashi Sushi's strongest characteristic is that their food is of an ineffable quality. Unfortunately, you'll have to dole out copious amounts of money just to be able to satisfy your hunger. If you wanna come out of Arashi Sushi feeling full, you'll have to drop an extra $15-$20.
The lighting and small, cozy interior gives the impression that this place would make a great date place. These impressions of mine were shattered the moment I attempted talking to my buddy and realized that I had to raise my voice just to be audible despite the fact that there was only about six other people in the restaurant at the time.
The waiters are convivial but absent minded. It took a long time for our order to get to us and I caught the waiter on his phone texting from time to time.
In the end, our check for two ramped up to $55 (this includes tax and tip) and we weren't even full. I'm sure there are other sushi places that have better service, acoustics, and cheaper prices. The only time worth coming here is during happy hour or lunch when they have deals on a handful of their menu items.Listed in: Late Night, Overhyped Establishments
-
Review from Alexandra B.
Los Angeles, CA
4/26/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The lunch special here is AWESOME. It's either 11.95 or 10.95 for 2+ rolls of really good sushi, plus soup, edamame, and salad. I really like Arashi. I've been here multiple times and they are definitely my go-to sushi place in the area. I usually get take out, but the restaurant itself isn't bad. Love this place, I'm a regular. All of their rolls are good.
-
Review from Mike C.
Northridge, CA
Updated - 3/15/2012
Today I went here to grab a quick bite. I got the spicy tuna on crispy rice, half & half, Crazy Roll, and the lunch special Beef and Chicken teriyaki served with rice, soup and salad. I also got Echigo for my selection of beer which is AMAZING.
FULL and AMAZED.
This place really knows how to handle their customers and also leave an impression with the delicious menu that will want me to come back for more!!
Thanks Arashi for the GREAT food and Excellent service! I will be back again & again... and again and again... and again some more!
chao~1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/7/2012
LOVE THIS PLACE!!
On the happy hour menu, my favorite is:
Grilled Scallop w/ Squid Legs w/ Shitake… Read more »
-
-
Review from Athena L.
Newport Beach, CA
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here because Yojies was too packed due to restaurant week.
Um, it was a weekend night and we were the ONLY ones in the restaurant. Something is wrong here.
The prices were average for the rolls, but they were nothing too special. I've had better sushi. Maybe that's why it was so empty?
Overal... Mehh. By reading other reviews, I guess happy hour is the only time it's crackin'.Listed in: SUSHI
-
Review from Julie Y.
La Canada Flintridge, CA
This is my first review for the very first happy hour session ever :DD
I came here with some fellow cast members as a way to relax and chill over some good food --- and trust, it was good :)
The place is kind of small and located awkwardly in the middle of a smalls street in Downtown LA but I love that there is a parking lot RIGHT next to it on 11th that charges a flat rate of $4.00. Seriously, it's not a terrible a rate for a lot in Downtown LA.
I ordered the Miso Eggplant, the Crunchy Unagi Roll, and a few orders of salmon + halibut sushi. Word of advice: just stick to the fish containing food items here. The grilled eggplant slices had ridiculous amounts of miso just dolloped on top, and it was so salty that my tongue was screaming for water.
The Crunchy Unagi Roll was DELISH! Yes the roll itself was sort of small, but I enjoyed just taking my time chewing through the fresh lovely eel snuggled inside bite -sized rolls. :) And the salmon was SOO GOOD! For the price you're paying, the sushi was ADDICTING. I was tempted to order more, but my guilty conscience held me back. :P
I also ordered the yogurt sake which in all honesty, the drink had the potential of being yummy, sweet, and delightful, but failed. My boyfriend mixes yogurt sake at his place whenever he and I just want to share a drink after a long day, and his drinks are a bit more tasty than Arashi's.
Either way, the bill came out to be ~25.00 for me because our group was ~15 people, but hey! Isn't it encouraging that Arashi's can accommodate for a large group, so long as you make reservations ahead of time? :)
I'm coming back here again for those addicting rolls/ sushi pieces! I may just order from the main menu too! -
Review from Wes Y.
Los Angeles, CA
1/27/2012
I come here for the lunch specials all the time. Very fair prices and very fresh sushi.
They have a combo $12 that gives u 5 piece rainbow sushi + your choice of another 8pc roll sushi. The taste is excellent! Ambience is very nice as well.
One warning is... THEY CHARGE FOR TEA!! So order water, not tea. -
Review from Rob W.
2/10/2012
Really good lunch specials not quite as good happy hour deals.
Its hard to find any real bargain for lunch downtown other than at a dive taco stand or something in that realm, but the lunch specials here are tasty and good for the price. I'm not blown away by the sushi here, but I'm also not really offended. I enjoyed the cooked salmon dishes and the rolls were fine.
Came here for happy hour, the only happy hour beer they have is Budweiser, but having said that, there non-happy hour beer prices aren't going to break the bank, so its not as bad as it seems. The $2.50 price for sushi is a superb deal and pretty good for the price. In the end, I ordered sushi that probably fit that price, a nice mixed scallop sushi dish and some smelt that was pretty tasty in a really nice seaweed. I also ordered the mackerel, which was super disappointing, but its hard to make a serious complaint after only paying $2.50.
Service happened to be slow on the evening we came, but I don't think that is par for the course as I've had super good service at lunch time.
Wow, just viewing some of the photos of that Slovenian looking cream cake. That looks tasty. I'm coming back again just for that. -
Review from Benny K.
Los Angeles, CA
4/26/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Not a bad sushi place if you want to avoid the full traffic crunch of central downtown LA. Its south, near Staples Center. Valet parking is great. A good lunch spot.
-
Review from Tracy W.
Woodland Hills, CA
1/18/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Super quick service..do yelpers have it all wrong?!
I'm questioning yelp, yet again. My people- what is so wrong these days? Do I stop trusting one of my favorite communities? I think it may be time to....
Arashi was...AWESOME. Quick walk from my office at LA Live to Arashi. The place has roughly 20 tables and a big sushi bar. I can imagine it getting a little busy during happy hour or dinner, but lunch at 1:30 was entirely ideal- about 4 or 5 other tables and a few people at the sushi bar. I ordered one of the lunch specials- which had a PLETHORA of options, from sushi rolls to meats and teriyaki, and included soup and salad. My sushi was fresh and fast and my server stopped by almost too often. My total? $14. My stomach? STUFFED.
I'd love to give 5 stars, but I tried the basic menu and was at the restaurant a little after peak times, so I can't fully admit perfection, but my meal was amazing.
100% will be back. -
Review from Yangmun C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's very good, got the dining specials.
Quality of fish is great, service is awesome, hurrah. -
Review from Betty B.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 2/1/2012
Probably my favorite downtown lunch place. Their albacore sushi and white tuna are TO...DIE...FOR...DELICIOUS!!!
Friendly people, including the host, waitress, sushi chefs and busboys: thanks, Guys!
Only took off one star because the music they play sounds like a radio station that is endlessly blasting Bad Top-40 music.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
4/30/2011
Super-fresh and beautifully presented sushi!
The staff greets you warmly when you enter and leave.… Read more »
-
-
Review from Hazel Y.
Irvine, CA
2/24/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
On the advise of other Yelpers my hubby and I went to Arashi before a concert at the Nokia center.... Great ambiance! We came in as they opened so no waiting. I tried the yogurt sake... Yumm! I love love the Korean BBQ roll!
A must place to go! Prices are reasonable too. -
Review from Alex B.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2012
DAAAAAMMMNNN.....Okay first a disclaimer: I have worked for two years behind the bar at a very good sushi restaurant...so if I sound full of hot air I apologize, but I feel like my taste in sushi is relatively developed.
Food: Truly excellent. We ate mostly nigiri. Every cut of fish was damn near perfect, with the right amount thickness to fully experience the fish's flavor, the right size to fit one's mouth and right shape to be visually appealing. We even got the last two pieces of Ono and pulling off the above with the last slices can be a challenge but our Itamae knew his craft completely. Each piece was also seasoned with a variety of sauces and toppings that perfectly suited the fish's flavor. Dipping in soy/wasabi was not even necessary. We only had one roll, a spider roll. It's hard to make a roll that is so universal and baseline good stand out; Arashi managed to do so. The Tempura batter was perfectly mixed and applied The crab had that perfect crispiness and crunch while still retaining its flavor, all without being to doughy and battery as tempura so often is.
Drinks: An excellent selection of filtered cold sakes. Also bonus points for Koshihikari beer, a japanese micobrew that is truly the best beer for sushi.
Atmosphere: Not bad. I hate having TVs in restaurants as I don't have one at home so whenever I see one I'm like a moth to flame and can't focus on other things (dates, friends, food, etc.). But if you sit at the bar it's out of your line of sight. Service was just fine and personable. Modern decor wasn't groundbreaking but who gives, it's the food that counts and they earned every five of those stars.
This place is now my go-to sushi bar in LA, without question. Truly excellent. -
Review from Seb W.
Los Angeles, CA
2/17/2012
Food was excellent... fresh..cut well..
My friend and I came on a Thursday night.. not too busy at all. All I can say is service was pretty decent and the the food was really good. Came out quickly. Nice little Sake selection as well! I would def go back. -
Review from Tina L.
Los Angeles, CA
Great lunch spot with good specials in a range of prices from $9.95 to $16.95.
The sushi is fresh and service is grand. -
Review from Brian E.
Los Angeles, CA
2/15/2012
Amazingly fresh, great happy hour prices and great service.
Much better food than more expensive competitors around LA.
Strongly recommended! -
Review from Mitch W.
12/17/2011 15 photos
Very good food. My sister found this restaurant through Yelp.
I had the two item combo ($10.50) and it was a lot of food. I chose the salmon teriyaki and tempura udon. It comes with miso soup, white rice, and side salad. My lunch was very good and I would eat at Arashi again if I was hungry and in the area.
The service was quick, friendly, and efficient by the three ladies who worked during our lunch.
I posted pictures of my family's (mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law, and niece) meals. They all got the lunch special combos. -
Review from Thanh L.
Came here during happy hour because it was close to the Staples Center and LOVED IT!
We ate so much for 2 people and finished ALL of it, it was that good. All of the rolls and sushi were fresh and smooth going down. I didn't even use my soy sauce most of the time!
We got:
Crunchy spicy tuna crab
shrimp tempura (x2)
Philadelphia
Korean bbq (Surprisingly good!)
White tuna (Yum! Order 2!)
Scallop (Just okay)
Drinks: Nigori sake, pineapple and yogurt soju (So good!)
We spent ~$80, which isn't bad considering how much we ate. Their happy hour menu is limited, but you can still get good sushi and rolls off of just that menu. The servers there tag team and were on top of everything. Our main waiter was super helpful and just an overall cool dude.
Definitely try this place if you're in the area! -
Review from Casey C.
11/21/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Great place and worth a try in the area!
Great service. Beautiful plating. We did a girls night out dinner there this past Saturday and we all enjoyed it. We ordered a mix of cooked foods and sushi (rolls and nigiri). The fish was fresh. The rolls were prepared well. The only thing I didn't like was the monk fish liver. It wasn't fresh and extra fishy. But other then everything else was pretty good.
Just some notes on the food... spicy tuna on crunchy rice was pretty good and pretty big. Arashi roll was so-so. The hot night roll was good. The dynamite roll is better than others I've tried though it had way too much mayo-sauce. But note that I'm not a huge fan of mayo on my sushi so I might be bias. The miso sea bass was tasty and cooked just right, though I'm surprised they didn't debone it that well. We found a few thinner bones in the fish. It wasn't anything too bad, but I was surprised. The nigiri that came out was good. The sushi rice was just right and the amount of rice balanced well with the slice of fish. I hate sushi (rolls or nigiri) that isn't proportioned right... The rolls also weren't too big and held up well.
I don't eat out in downtown much but this was a good find for us.
They also comp'd our dessert. It was a huge sampler plate of their various dessert items (mochi ice cream, deep fried green tea ice cream, cheese cake, tiramisu). The fried green tea ice cream was a bit heavy on the batter, but still good. The tiramisu had a slight cheese cakey flavor to the cream and still good (and no it didn't taste like cheese cake b/c I had some cheese cake on it :). -
Review from Linh X.
Rosemead, CA
11/29/2011 2 photos
I have been here numerous times with my co-worker and I still LOVE it...
I get the usual $12 Lunch Special includes miso soup, 5 pcs of sushi and your choice of a selection. I tried several rolls here:
#25- Salmon & Spicy Scallop Roll- My favorite dish here. Salmon roll is top with spicy scallop and orangy sauce.
#30-Spicy Tuna Takai Roll-Very delicious & no mushy stuff. Spicy tuna roll is top with seared tuna.
Screaming Roll- Spicy Scallop Roll topped with Fresh Yellow Tail & Sliced Jalapeno. It is comparable to the Salmon & Spicy Scallop Roll but don't got the orange sauce and different fish on top. Still yummy.
I really enjoy their food and it is at a VERY reasonable price for the amount they give. The restaurant is simple and modern. =) -
Review from Jennifer H.
Los Angeles, CA
11/5/2011
Surprising to find a casual sushi restaurant in this isolated stretch of 11th.
Go for the sushi rolls. The best bet is to ask for recommendations. Loved the texture of the rice, and the Korean bbq roll hit the spot! Was disappointed by the appetizers. Decent but not as impressive as the rolls.
A bonus about the joint: it's a nice alternative to a sports bar. Two flat screens are positioned, so almost every seat in the house can get a glimpse of the TV. Was here last night during the SC game, and it was the perfect way to unwind on a Friday night. -
Review from Diana I.
5 stars for GREAT service! :)
I came here with two of my friends for a mini bday celebration for one of them. We brought a cake and they were super nice about it and stored it in their fridge for us and didn't charge us extra. And when it was dessert time, they brought it out, lit the candles for us and sneaked up behind the bday girl and helped us surprise her! :) So nice! Our waiter was very friendly and provided great service throughout the night too.
As for the sushi, I'd definitely recommend the fusion rolls (not nigiri which you can get much better quality in Little Tokyo at Sushi Gen, etc). The presentation of the dishes here was great! We got the takoyaki (octopus balls), Screaming Roll, Albacore Special Roll, another roll with shrimp, spicy tuna and avocado that I forget the name of, and Tostaditos with chunks of spicy tuna on top. (We ordered way too much and took leftovers home). Everything was plated well, tasted delicious and the fish was pretty good quality. They also have a great deal for their yogurt sakes during happy hour. I forget how much it was but I just know it was a REALLY good deal! Around $3 or something like that. It was yummy too!
Overall, 5 stars for the great food and more importantly, the awesome service! I would definitely come back!
Note: if you come at night for dinner, you can find a lot of free meter parking on the nearby streets!Listed in: Downtown LA, Sushi in SoCal!
-
Review from Justin F.
Los Angeles, CA
10/2/2011
I have probably eaten here a dozen times. I'm never blown away, but I'm also never disappointed. The lunch and happy hour menus offer great value (happy hour goes until 8). Portion size is always significant, and the quality of the fish is always good.
Sushi/sashimi - I generally avoid premium items (toro, uni) and order cheaper, more reliable dishes (albacore, salmon, octopus, salmon roe). If you like the new style sashimi dishes (yellowtail with jalapeno, etc.), Arashi is comparable to Katusya in quality, but much better in price.
Cooked dishes - If you like robatayaki, come here during happy hour. The prices are great. Not as tasty as some of the places in Little Tokyo (Koshiji), but you can't argue with the value. I also enjoyed the grilled yellowtail collar.
Service is always friendly and attentive.There have been times where the kitchen/sushi bar gets backed up when it is really busy. Obviously, this is much more likely to happen right before or after an event at Staples or Nokia.
Food - 3.5 Stars
Value - 5 stars during happy hour and lunch, 4 stars any other time.
Service - 4 stars
Ambiance/decor - 3 stars -
Review from Sandra C.
11/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
The presentation was lovely, the food was decent, and the restaurant looked pretty fancy, even though it was casual.
My friend and I were craving sushi, so we came here since she works in Downtown. The parking was meh--but it was doable. It wouldn't have hurt for our server to pay a little bit more attention to us, but it was also pretty busy when we arrived...so I'll forgive him because I'm understanding. :P
Oh. Don't come in here with sweatpants and a hoodie unless you want to look like a fool. But then again, this is LA...why would you walk around wearing that in the first place? -
Review from Jeff L.
8/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
8/20/2011
I wanted so badly to give Arashi Sushi a five star...
What started beautifully ended in chaos...
We ventured out from behind the orange curtain for the Sade concert at the Staples Center on this Sat. Based on positive Yelp reviews, I selected Arashi for dinner at 6:00 PM.
The location is ideal for a show at Staples, it is literally a block away on foot. The restaurant is nestled on the first floor in one of several residential towers across from the Staples. the decor is modern, clean, and bright.
Was a little surprised at seeing the empty restaurant given that it is a show night on Sat. Asked the waitress and she warned that it "might get a little busier" later in the evening starting around 6:30. She wasn't kidding.
Lets get to the food.
Highlights:
Arashi Roll, Screaming Roll, Monk Fish Liver, Scallop Sushi with Uni, and the star of the night was the Chilean Sea bass Robata Yaki. So good we ordered it three times between the two of us. Chicken meatballs and wings were well seasoned and tasty. We just kept ordering as we went...
Hamachi off the menu was very good. Nabe was a good finishing touch to the night.
Around 7:00 things started getting crazy and service kind of fell apart. They were simply overwhelmed. and I didn't think it should have been... its not a big restaurant and quiet a few tables were only there for drinks. So while the food was fantastic, I was disappointed at how they handled the dinner crunch. Our last few dishes took way too long and we had to go find someone for our bill.
I would come back... just not during the rush. book your reservation for early dinner... -
Review from Tiffany C.
Los Angeles, CA
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mehh.. The food here was just ok.... and by food, I mean mostly cooked food. In terms of sushi, we only got the salmon sushi ($2.50 during happy hour!!) and the seared scallop with uni (around $7). The salmon was really good for its price, but the scallop + uni was just ok. For cooked food, we got the yellowtail kama (not bad... but a bit dry), miso sea bass (good, but again... dry and salty!!), the shoyu green beans, grilled shishamo, and the crunchy spicy tuna crab roll (its technically cooked! haha).
The service was good... very friendly (plus, we were basically the only table there for a while... on a friday night too!). The only downside was that we found a metal spiral in our miso soup (from the dishwash metal sponge). Not gonna lie... we could've been injured or even died!! (well... maybe?) Anyways, the management was really nice about it and showered us with complementary desserts to make up for it.
Overall, order off the happy hour menu!! Only then, is the food worth it. We ended up paying around $40 bucks per person and though I was ridiculously full, I felt like I couldve gotten better food elsewhere. -
Review from J T.
New York, NY
11/26/2011
This place is great! Food was excellent, especially the vegetable tempura roll. Arashi has a lovely atmosphere and the servers were very attentive and polite. The one thing I didn't like was that they charged me $2 for a cup of hot water.. lame?
But all around a great meal. -
Review from Yunie C.
Los Angeles, CA
I had a feeling it was a bad idea to come to this place once I stepped into the restaurant. First off, no one greeted us for 10 mins. Then, there were no sign-in list at all so 4 parties were standing waiting by the door and the only way to know who's first is by our honor system. Luckily no one was a jerk and everyone got their table in order.
When we sat down, we were given the menu and sushi list but no pen. Then after 15 mins, the waitress took our order. She was nice but services was slow. So I thought to myself...the food better be good to make up for it. Well that's was a lost cause too....
We ordered off the happy hour menu and got salmon, white tuna, albacore, oyster, and beef tataki sushi. The sashimi were cut into really thick pieces which made it hard to chew. The fish was not really fresh and taste like it was in the fridge for a few days. When we got our sushi, we had to ask for the wasabi....so I wonder to myself...this is a sushi place right? How can they serve sushi without wasabi. Then it took another 15 mins before we got the wasabi. The only thing good was the beef tataki sushi which my hubby liked but otherwise the sushi was horrible.
The bill came out to be 80 bucks including tips for 2 people. I could've had great sushi at sugarfish at this price. What a waste.....
I guess it's not a surprise that I won't be returning.
