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Asanebo
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
11941 Ventura BlvdStudio City, CA 91604
Neighborhood: Studio City
(818) 760-3348
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Bistro Sakana offers various sake, soju, beer, and wine with over 60 appetizers and of course excellent Japanese dishes including sushi and sashimi.… read more »
229 reviews for Asanebo
Review Highlights
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"Halibut Sashimi with Black Truffle." In 6 reviews -
"We had the chef's "Omakase" course." In 75 reviews -
"GRILLED CHILEAN SEA BASS ($10 - 2 pieces) - 4.5 stars." In 11 reviews
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229 reviews in English
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Review from Mike M.
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, CA
5/15/2012 2 Check-ins Here
If i can give this place 10 stars i would. Sushi experience here is plain and simple, "EPIC" . I'd come here every day if i have the money to spend. This place is very traditional and wicked good when it comes to sushi. Also the place is superior when it comes with the selection of fish.
If you like American style of sushi, e.i. california rolls, and all the baked rolls then this place is not for you.
But if you're a real sushi eater, then the restaurant is simply the best place for you. You'll appreciate every simple details and work that they put into every single piece of fish.
Also ask for Kazunoko (Herring Roe) handroll, it's really good. and if they have firefly squid, it's simply the best. -
Review from Lana M.
Studio City, CA
5/14/2012
Seriously the best Sushi I've had. I love the staff and if you sit at the sushi bar they'll give you the freshest catch. But even if you sit at a table its just as fresh.
If you're hardcore into sushi like myself, when they have Uni, get the Uni Sashimi. Their Toro nearly makes me melt into my seat each time.
Seriously anything you order is amazing! I've give this place 10 stars if I could. -
Review from Amanda G.
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Easily and hands down, Asanebo is the home of the best sushi I've ever had in my entire life. I know that's a pretty bold blanket statement, but hear me out - because it's absolutely 110% the truth.
Asanebo is one of the few places in Los Angeles that's rated with a Michelin Star - which is definitely something to take note of. Beyond having exceptionally fresh fish and sushi that simply melts in your mouth, Asanebo also boasts a wide range of authentic Japanese dishes that are beyond phenomenal.
To celebrate the purchase of my first car, my family and I came here the other weekend to get our feast and toast on! Typically, we stick to the fish - but with a restaurant as highly rated as Asanebo (28 from Zagat's), we decided it was worth it to branch out. For appetizers, we went with edamame and toasted ginkgo, then we moved on to the succulent sauteed baby abalone (which, word to the wise - if you have a shellfish allergy you might want to skip this one; trust me, I now have first hand experience...). Finally, we ended with some fresh fish menu, where we ordered the usual - Uni, Shiro Maguro, Hamachi, Toro - and their special fish of the day, the Golden Snapper.
Asanebo is definitely on the pricier end of things, but with dishes like they have - it makes absolute sense to me. I will definitely be coming back here for special occasions, birthdays and celebrations - a meal here is not to be passed up :) -
Review from Michael E.
Santa Monica, CA
5/16/2012
Amazing; returned after not eating there for over a year and I wondered to myself, "where the hell I have been?" Great for lunch, it's easy to get into, quiet and the same amazing dishes as dinner. Expensive, but very well worth it. The valley version of Urasawa.
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Review from Jun Y.
Pasadena, CA
5/18/2012
This place gets better and better because the menu is always changing / adding new items. You could practically eat / try each item on the list and you will not be disappointed. The Michelin star is proof but aside from that the owner and the chefs are friendly and always ready to have a drink with you.
The way to go is of course, "Omakase" = or "Chef's Choice" They will present their best dishes to you so you don't have to pick and choose off the menu.
Although like i said, everything on their menu is EXCELLENT!!!!! -
Review from Maya T.
Sherman Oaks, CA
3/29/2012
So it's so unique and delicious I had to give it 5 stars, but it's a break the bank kind of place... so technically it might be a 4.
The kobe beef and eggplant is so savory, hearty yet delicate, tender and amazing. My mouth is watering just remembering it and I have put it on my list of death row meal foods.
The portions are tiny and expensive, but each morsel is a mouth-watering delight. So be prepared to come here on a special occasion, spend a small fortune, delight the tastebuds and then head to taco bell to fill up.
I had peach and kobe beef, tuna sashimi (amazing), some white fish on a butter lettuce cup that was lightly warmed.
We had a tuna roll and veggie roll, both good but nothing to write home about. Stick to the main menu and the waiter recommendations.
Service was very attentive and quick. The ambiance was bright and airy, with a very clean and zen/sparse feeling.
I'd say go! -
Review from Kevin M.
La Quinta, CA
4/13/2012
I know this place is expensive, but of all the sushi bars on Ventura. This one is worth it. Everything on the blackboard is good if you are seated at a table. Eating at the bar, letting the owner decide what you get is special. A few years back I went with friends for dinner and Emeril Lagasse was there. Given that this place is in a neighborhood shopping strip mall corner,,,,that isnt bad.
This is worth the $... A true LA food legend -
Review from Anne A.
Encino, CA
3/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wow.
That' some really pricey sashimi. I ordered three small plates (kanpachi with serrano peppers, blue fin tuna, orange clam) and total with tea (I had to ask for refills -- not that great of service), tax, and tip was $107.
Michelin rated is why I have always wanted to eat here ordering whatever the chef recommended while not even asking about the cost -- I just wanted the best.
Decor is your typical Japanese restaurant included their framed prestigious Michelin-star awards.
The service was great and attentive, until a large table sat behind us in the bar that required much more attention from the staff. Service slipped as soon as that party arrived. I can tell that in the beginning there was the effort to make you feel special with their service. Sushi chef was very attentive and ready to take my order at all times at the bar.
The quality is excellent, but for $107, and being hungry still, I would return here every once in a while. It's not my daily or weekly type of restaurant unless I have Megan Fox money (who eats here). I had In-in-Out after dinner because I got really hungry two hours later.
I can now say that I have tried Michelin-rated sushi at Asenebo. Check mark off my list of places to eat in LA. -
Review from Carol H.
Studio City, CA
4/7/2012
Love their Omakase, which came with the most gourmet miso soup I've ever had. You get to pick a seafood to go into the soup. I had seabass, and it was so fresh and tender.
The sushi was so delicious. Definitely go back again. -
Review from Anthony N.
Playa del Rey, CA
***Asanebo is not as good as Sushi Zo, but there are some exceptional dishes here; maybe it was the day we went, but the sushi did not hold up well against sushi dishes I've had here previously (sashimi was great though)***
Asanebo was the first really great sushi restaurant I ever tried. Since then, I have been to Sushi Matsumoto in Kyoto and Sushi Zo in Palms (two places that showed more exceptional quality from course to course). Asanebo has a big menu so I think there is more likelihood that you can get a just okay dish here than at those other two places. Also, I think since Sushi Zo only does omakase, they probably do a much better job of managing quality control because supply is being used up so quickly.
Still, we had several great sashimi dishes at our recent trip to Asanebo. Here is the rundown.
(Halibut sashimi, white truffle) This dish was amazing as the halibut was very soft and moist while the flavor from the white truffle was incredibly fragrant. The dish was garnished with a cherry tomato and some micro greens.
(Toro sashimi) The toro was very soft and had some good marbling. Great flavor too. Better than the toro I had at Sushi Zo. This dish was garnished with some seaweed.
(Blue fin tuna sashimi with miso and salad) The blue fin tuna was great--great flavor, very fresh and soft. The miso was strong and sweet. It also had kind of a nutty mustard flavor to it. The cold salad sides like the leeks and seaweed were also good.
(Miso Chilean sea bass with daikon in a butter lettuce cup) This was great. The lettuce was crisp and fresh while the sea bass was sweet and very moist.
(Grilled chicken wings) The chicken wings were very good. They were very moist and had a great flavor. The wings had a slight but not uniform crispiness on the skin. The fattiness of some parts of the skin was not off putting though.
(Kanpachi sashimi with miso and serrano pepper) This was not my favorite sashimi dish here, but the kanpachi was fresh and soft. The miso and serrano pepper were not that strong and were merely just accents here.
(Baby spinach with portobello mushrooms) This was a nice though not great salad. The spinach was fresh and lightly dressed (good crispness and not soggy). The mushrooms were sauteed and were very good.
(Rock shrimp tempura) The tempura batter was light and crispy and the shrimp was moist. This dish tasted good, but it was something you can easily find elsewhere.
(Roasted gingko nuts in sea salt) These nuts were very hot but were nicely seasoned with the salt. They had a mild flavor (the salt helped a lot) and had a texture similar to potatoes.
(Yellowtail and kanpachi sushi) I have had the wild yellowtail sushi here and it was incredible. This yellowtail sushi was not that good. It was not that fresh and was something I would expect to find at a much less expensive restaurant. The kanpachi sushi was okay though it did not hold up well to sushi dishes I have had here in the past.
Service was friendly, quick and attentive.
Prices are high. Similar to Sushi Zo, Asanebo is more expensive than most Los Angeles sushi restaurants (even good ones).
The decor at Asanebo is nice. Despite the strip mall location, Asanebo has a high-end look with a warm wood color scheme.
I like Asanebo and despite the large menu, they put out many excellent dishes (though there are a few misses here and there). While expensive, you can definitely find sashimi dishes here that are so much fresher (and with better flavor combinations) than what you will find at most LA Japanese restaurants. Asanebo is definitely one to visit if you are a sushi/sashimi fan and while they have many great cooked dishes (like the Chilean sea bass and the chicken wings), you should probably start with their excellent sashimi dishes.
Asanebo is in a strip mall, but parking is valet only. There is also street parking, but it might be difficult to find in this busy area.Listed in: Ranking Restaurants In The 09…, Ranking The 75 Best…, Ranking Michelin Starred…, My 25 Favorite Restaurants, My 25 All-time Favorite…
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/9/2011
There are quite a few Los Angeles restaurants putting out good sushi, but Asanebo is noticeably… Read more »
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Review from Lilly N.
Sherman Oaks, CA
1/29/2012
Excellent fresh fish. I like almost everything I ordered here, especially the kampachi sushi! It was excellent. Their toro, I can live without. It was fresh and tasted good, but there was something about the texture of it I didn't like. Non the less it was good.
We also ordered:
Shitake mushrooms stuffed with ref snapper (it was ok, it lacked something to make it delicious)
Tempura crab (good)
Tuna scallion roll (excellent)
California roll (excellent)
Pork steamed wontons (excellent)
I did not try the signature dishes, but I will next time, maybe then I will give them 5 stars, for I feel that the overall experience was good buy not excellent.
However we are happy to know that we don't have to drive to matsuhisa in order to get good sushi. -
Review from Jr L.
Los Angeles, CA
4/4/2012
Good but overrated. I don't get it. I'm not saying the place is bad, very good.....but nothing extraordinary. On top of that, the place is small and parking is a hassle.
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Review from Kari C.
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Always wanted to try out this snazzy restaurant where diners can rub elbows with famous people. We got the sushi omekase, which was a pretty good deal. Tip: even though it's omekase, you can make requests. We didn't find out about this until the end of our meal. We ordered 2 pieces of anago (sea eel) which cost $12. Omekase is definitely a better value. Tea was included, but rather bitter.
First, we started out with fancy miso soup. I got the seabass, which was tasty. Fiancé got the spiny lobster miso soup, which was "nice with really nice flavor." "The spiny lobster was a low-meat-for-effort-thing, but that's what it is." We both got a salad, which was okay, but not spectacular.
Our first tray of nigiri consisted of toro, albacore, scottish salmon, baby yellowtail, and octopus. All of the fish was super fresh and portion sizes were great. The rice was "fluffy" and fell apart, which is the way sushi rice is supposed to be. I even liked the octopus, which was snappy and not chewy. Toro had a tiny hint of fishiness, but I'm very sensitive to that.
Second tray: red snapper, Spanish mackerel, shrimp, mackerel, monkfish liver. We wouldn't have ordered monkfish liver on its own, but it was surprisingly light and delicate. Like a mousse. Red snapper was sweet and refreshing. Surprisingly good. That's another one we don't normally get. The two mackerel pieces didn't seem that "fishy" (mackerel is supposed to be fishy) and went well with the ponzu garnish.
Third tray contained aoyagi (orange clam), baby blue fin tuna, herring roe, ikura (salmon eggs), uni (sea urchin). The orange clam did have some orange flavor to it. Interesting. The salmon eggs were silky and delicate. Uni was among the best I've ever had. Creamy and briny, without being overly "fishy".
Their menu is huge. They have a lot of fancy Asian Fusion dishes for those who don't like raw fish. We could smell the truffle oil coming off our neighbor's salad. I haven't had any of those items, but I heard they are also excellent. Service is friendly and warm. The restaurant is tiny and parking is difficult, so it's not good for groups. We opted for the $3.50 valet in the lot. We were super lucky we got in without a reservation. -
Review from Muhachka K.
Sherman Oaks, CA
1/24/2012
Bea-u-ti-ful)
Superb service and great food. staff very attentive but not pushy. def be back very soon. -
Review from Kei T.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2012
Sat at the counter and had the Omakase. This place is expensive but it all makes sense when you notice the quality of the food here. Had a total of about 14 dishes come out and each one was perfection. From the Aji Tataki to the Kobe Beef Tongue, the king crab legs. Every dish was great and I had not complaints. Definitely go there at least once to taste for yourself. Highly recommended.
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Review from Y C.
Berkeley, CA
4/30/2012
just amazing! i go to a lot of sushi restaurants of all price ranges and this is my favorite one. go with omakase. choose which set. the sushi chefs are real pros and the servers are great. make sure to buy the chefs a round of either beers or sake. make a reservation and sit at the sushi bar. pricey but worth it
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Review from Elisha G.
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
At this point, I'm going to give Asanebo 3.5 stars. For a michelin star restaurant, you gotta give me a little more...
We came during lunchtime to celebrate my birthday and ordered the Omakase B for $125, hoping to be blown away. I don't mind paying a lot for really great sushi, but for some reason, I felt ripped off. We only had 8 courses in our Omakase, and one them included a spinach & mushroom salad, which from the reviews/pictures, seems like they just didn't give us the scallop on top! Another dish also included a cooked daikon radish with some sloppy joe "kobe beef" on top. It was not great.
The rest of the meal was good, fresh, and made with a lot of care -but there wasn't anything absolutely amazing or even memorable, which is a problem if you're supposed to be served the restaurant's best dishes. We also only got 4 pcs of sushi, one of which was ebi, and there was no toro in our meal. I guess I was expecting a little bit more sushi? The sushi omakase was $60, so I felt like we got half as many items for double the price.... At the end of it all, I still felt a bit hungry.
I can see the potential in this place, but next time I think I will just order off the menu or go for the sushi omakase bc all in all, I was a little disappointed. -
Review from Arden C.
10/14/2011 1 photo
This is one of my favorite sushi spots in the Valley. I live in Studio City so it's pretty convenient if it weren't so pricey I'd be in there all the time. But it's sushi, good sushi with nice ambiance so what do you expect! :)
It's a great date spot, or a good spot for a nice quiet dinner w/ friends. A pretty small restaurant so I'd recommend making reservations but you can get lucky some nights just walking in.
I've tried just about everything on the menu and it's all really delicious, just ask them whats fresh that night and what they recommend. Everyone who works there is really sweet and very helpful.
I prefer Asanebo from a lot of the other sushi restaurants in LA because it's less "Hollywood". It's not so loud/packed, it's really quiet and intimate. Call me an old soul but I don't like to party when I eat :)
Few dishes I love:
Albacore anything albacore!
Yellowtail Sashimi w/ spicy yuzu
Grilled Black Cod (melts in your mouth)
Grilled Chilean Seabass
Halibut sashimi w/ fresh truffle -
Review from Jean L.
8/23/2011
Someone once said, "Eating sushi has become the new Russian roulette." He wasn't far off. Only sushi sears our memories with sublime dishes curated by none other than a good hand, and the ocean itself. It dances on our tongues, fills our hearts, and carries us into a realm of everything marvelous under the sea.
The four of us settled into a corner table on a Friday evening. It was fairly empty on arrival and packed by the time we left. Our server was out of the ordinary for a hole-in-wall/no frills/unassuming strip mall/Michelin starred resto -- he was funny, sarcastic and completely helpful. We loved him!!
If more than one party at a table of say, four, chose omakase, then the entire table had to do it. They will accommodate if only 1 person in a party went for it. We decided on B of A, B, C because at $25 more ($150), it offered sushi and dessert.
Forgive me for not remembering (or taking pics) of every dish of the night. It was whirlwind of tastes and by far one of the most unique I've ever had.
: uni and marinated watermelon in a martini glass. A huge kick to the tastebuds starting us off. Its dressing was the amazor, but the uni was unworldly.
: spinach with portobello mushroom and seared scallops. The scallops were dollops of meaty butter! The mushrooms gave a soy-like kick. It was refreshing.
: halibut with truffles. Black truffles. Hefty slices of them.
: throughout, paper thin slices of sashimi folded over in or tipped with sauces perfected with masterful pedigree. Bonito, spanish mackerel, salmon, big eye tuna, snapper. Each bite touched with spice, sweet, or tang. The work put into defining each piece was evident, but the fish themselves never lost their pristine quality.
: dashi broth, of goma tomfu (homemade tofu), eggplant, and shredded nori. Imagine a rainy cold night, a hotter than coal soup, and flavors rememberance of miso and umami. yeah.
: the broth was accompanied by sweet shrimp. The head fried to a crisp. Each bite of both delicious in every way.
: grilled alaskan king crab leg. Fall off the shell white meat, bursting with sweetness. The little pick was barely used to nudge the crab.
: tri-duo of bluefin tuna, toro, and halibut sushi. Each one perfect, the rice warm, and the toro my fave - a butter equivalent to fish.
: I chose chocolate ice cream with black truffles. I've only had ice cream with truffles once before - years later, this did not disappoint. The homemade dessert was creamy and heavily spotted with finely chopped truffles. From afar, you would've thought it was choc chip. :)
I also tried the creme brulee. Divine. Creamy, but not teeth-hurting sweet. Flambeed just right and small enough for one person not to share. ;)
Green tea was oft refilled. Sake and soju was plentiful. Everyone was sweet, and as noted above, our server was awesome. HIGHLY recommended! -
Review from Cynthia S.
N HOLLYWOOD, CA
2/25/2012 11 Check-ins Here
This is an experience not to be missed!
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Review from Mary W.
Hollywood, CA
1/20/2012
This place is really small and not that fancy inside but the sushi is amazing! My favorite dish is seasonal, it's the baby crabs that they fry and you eat like chips. You can even have them bring them out alive before they fry them. It's best if you just ask the waiter to give you the specials when you come instead of ordering from the menu in my opinion. It's a good date place or a small group. There are celeb sightings here but let's be honest the main star is the sushi!
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Review from Dylan W.
Santa Monica, CA
3/1/2012
A true sushi gem. Wonderful and eccentric flavors accompany very fresh sashimi. One of the best in LA.
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Review from Frank A.
La Verne, CA
11/23/2011
This is a late review from last week. I remember the service, food, and beer was excellent. It is a bit on the pricey side, okay, a lot on the pricey side. Maybe it was so pricey because it was so good I ate and drank so much of it.
Tab was $200 without tip for two people.
Would I do it again? Definitely. -
Review from Wendy H.
Brooklyn, NY
4/13/2012
The omakase was ridiculous. Had a blast and enjoyed every bite - literally. It was definitely expensive but every now and then you have to indulge!
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Review from evan d.
Brooklyn, NY
7/13/2011
Writing a super positive review is really way less fun then being snarky, but what can I say? This place is hands down the best sushi I've ever had. On either coast, or in Japan. I'm sure i'm asking for someone who either lived in Japan or is there now to give me the SMACKDOWN, but for real. The freshness factor here is through the roof and I like how they boss me around like a little bitch. YOU EAT THIS ONE BITE! DO NOT USE SOY SAUCE! Yes sir! I will pay your insane prices because it's THAT GOOD. Randomly been easy to roll into as well without a reservation!
heart u Asanebo. -
Review from John K.
Northridge, CA
11/3/2011
Pros. Cooked food
Cons. Sushi is not that good considering their michelin star restaurant -
Review from James G.
Studio City, CA
6/5/2011
I've eaten a lot of sushi over the years, at some of the finest restaurants in the world, and this rates among the very best. On sushi row in Studio City, it's one of the two best, along with Kazu down the street, and definitely in the top five in Los Angeles. The food is slightly showier than some straight sushi places, which makes it a good spot to bring people who aren't sushi connoisseurs (but they still have to be slightly adventurous - this isn't Katsu-Ya where every dish is a dessert in disguise). Last year this was Zagat's top rated food in L.A., and it deserved it.
I'd recommend the kanpachi sashimi and halibut with truffles sashimi, both of out of this world amazing. The seared toro sashimi is also dynamite.
Asanebo is not inexpensive, but considering it's in the same class as the 350-bucks-a-person meal at Urasawa, it's well worth it. But, if you're doing it right, it will run you almost a hundred bucks a person without drinks.
You can't go wrong with omakase, or with doing your own thing. It's a friendly atmosphere; wait staff is charming and attentive. Although it's another sushi in a storefront location, the insides are a bit more elegant than most, which makes it appropriate for a date or serious business meeting. -
Review from Brian U.
Sylmar, CA
6/12/2011
This is the eleventh time dining here - with the first visit in 2001. Recent visits have all been 5-star experiences involving some great dishes using Matsutake mushrooms, conch, cherry salmon, and bonito.
Saturday night's dinner was no-holds-barred with a $314 final tab (two people with alcohol, tax, and tip). I don't mind the cost because it was another fabulous dinner, but it keeps me from coming here more often. The food was also the most consistently even that I've had here. Although there were no star dishes like before, the worst dish was still good. I ordered ten dishes that were a mixture of specials (the first page of the menu) and house favorites (the second page). I had the baby spinach mushroom salad with blue crab, pink momotaro tomato with seared kanpachi, wild yellowtail special with onion and jalapeno, halibut with black truffle, marinated asparagus with raw salmon, saba (Japanese mackerel) sashimi, tuna poki with onion and jalapeno, grilled kobe beef served sashimi style, grilled pork with two sauces, and tempura fried shiitake mushroom with ground red snapper.
If your idea of great sushi are rolls covered with eel sauce, then this probably isn't the place for you. Asanebo pleases with Michelin-star presentation and skill, but doesn't clutter the menu with Americanized rolls and combination dinners.
The business hours on Yelp used to be wrong and now there are no hours. Over the many years, their hours haven't changed. They are Tue-Sun 6-10:30P. The valet parking charge is $3.50. -
Review from Jason M.
Los Angeles, CA
My brother is a total sushi snob (which is a good thing). He hit me up and wanted to grab some sushi....(he was paying) ..so I said "lets go!"
He suggested Asanebo.
We went in and it was fairly dead. We ordered the Omakase ..$60/person.
Omakase is basically chefs give you what they want to give you. I think this is a great way to try new things and not order the same sushi that you usually get.
Plus we got an order of blue fin tuna sashimi!!!!
Of course ordered a few beers to wash all the sushi down!!
The service was awesome. We were always checked on by different employees to make sure everything was good! -
Review from Michael V.
Philadelphia, PA
4/16/2012
I heard that Ashton went here with Mila so I had to run down immediately and sniff the chair cushion. The Chilean Sea Bass and Miso was delightfully delicate on the soft leather seat. I ordered some fabulous Japanese stuff and woofed it down like a sea otter eating a clam... then I dashed for the toilet when I saw a celeb on the move. I waited outside their stall, and when they finished, I slid in and placed my cheek on the toilet seat. The warmth of their butt was such a perfect finish to my meal that I didn't even have to order desert. I escaped with a reasonable 400 dollar tab, but I did give the waiter another 200 dollars in cash with instructions that he should use it to comp celebs drinks if they come in later. I then went home and wrote this review. By the time you read this, I will have ritualistically disemboweled myself on top of a National Enquirer magazine. There's this great article about Ashton on page 4. Mila is on the cover. Don't worry, I'm going to a better place. Five stars all around.
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Review from Kevin W.
Los Angeles, CA
7/16/2011
Pros:
-Fish is very fresh.
-Cooked dishes are good too! I would love to make recommendations but there's so many that I like. Always ask the server for recommendations. So far they have been spot on every time!
-Totally worth the price
-Service was extremely efficient and attentive. They came over and helped us out so many times before we even had to ask.
-Extremely skilled chefs
Cons:
-Small restaurant so that means hard to get reservations on busy occasions. Restaurant feels very cramped on busy days.
-Valet parking in the small plaza can be a wreck at times.
Overall this is the best Sushi place I have ever dined at in Los Angeles. I prefer this place over Urasawa, Nobu, Sushi Zo, Mori Sushi and Sushi Gen. The prices are not exorbitant like it is with Urasawa either. I have been there about 5 times this year alone and definitely this is my favorite spot to go to whenever craving for fine dining sushi!
On average it costs me about $180 per person (including tips) every time I come. I have never tried the omakase because I often end up ordering more than what is included in the omakase menu. For most people it probably will cost around $100 though. I pretty much go all out because the food is just so good. -
Review from Helen P.
Sherman Oaks, CA
I am what you call a sushi snob. I've been to a lot of great sushi restaurants including Nobu, sushi Gen, and Matsuhisa, but this place trumps all.
If you're looking for tasty and fancy rolls, go to Katsuya across the street or Yuzu sushi in Toluca lake. If you're looking for amazing sashimi dishes or just plain great sushi, keep reading.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in the whole wide world. I go here about twice a month now and the fish quality has been consistent. The key for me is to have Shige as my sushi chef. He is amazing!
Don't get me wrong. This place is pricey, but you get what you pay for. Great service, consistent great fish, and cleanliness. Love it here!
My recommendations:
Albacore sushi
Tai red snapper sushi
Golden eye red snapper sashimi
Kanpachi with miso and jalepeno sashimi
Halibut with yuzu sashimi.
Spinach salad with mushroom
Miso soup with clam
I've done omakase here 2x and they are pretty good, but I rather pick and choose what I like. Try the recommendations above. You will not be disappointed! -
Review from Aiko S.
Los Angeles, CA
6/12/2011
I ordered omakase here.
The service is really good and the food is fine.
Again, another high-end sushi that has pretty much the same items as others do...Listed in: Sushi in LA
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Review from Steve D.
Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2012
This place is really great, but if you're expecting to find lots of interesting rolls (like at kiwami across the street) you'll be disappointed. The menu is quite extensive and includes a lot more cooked dishes than at most sushi restaurants. I had the sea bass in butter lettuce, Kobe beef carpaccio, halibut sashimi with black truffle, and rock shrimp tempura. The tempura was very good but nothing special. The other dishes were fantastic. We also had a few simple sushi and sashimi dishes. The fish was very fresh and tasty. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that for these prices I would have liked a little better decor and parking was a pain (it's in a strip mall).
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Review from Eli G.
Michelin Star #24 - Meet Danbo
To celebrate our one year marriage anniversary, we decided to not go overboard and to keep it simple. Sushi seemed to be the right decision. Like most amazing restaurants, Asanebo was hidden in a tiny strip mall with unnecessary valet parking. Once inside, we sat at the bar and my wife talked Asian with the chef and soon the goodies began to roll out.
First up was a beautiful scallop atop a bed of spinach. Lucky for me the wife doesn't do cooked scallops so I got to have hers.
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Next was an oyster with caviar, a classic and always delicious combo.
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I don't care how it gets in me, but I'll take uni from any source. The chawanmushi was mild enough to let the natural sweetness of the uni shine through.
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I can't recall what the fish were but I will never forget how good they were with a thick slice of black truffle on top.
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Since crab was in season, we were served quite a bit of it that night, starting with a crab "cocktail." It was very clean, light, and refreshing.
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After that came a nice plate of random munchies; ankimo, tako, shishito, etc. All of it was very good.
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Then came some fire grilled crab that was so perfectly cooked it was unreal. The crab was bubbling in its shell, bursting with flavor, and wasn't chewy or overcooked at all.
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Next came... more crab! At this time I was hoping for more variety but this preparation was too good. It was basically little crab dumplings sautéed in butter. You simply cannot go wrong with that.
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Then finally came some sushi and all of it was excellent.
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Then some very well done dobin-mushi.
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Amazing uni.
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And lastly was the more unique ice cream I've had at a Japanese restaurant; black truffle chocolate ice cream. We couldn't believe how well chocolate and truffles went together! It was superb!
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Overall it was a great meal. The only shortcoming I saw was the overuse of crab, but it's in season so I'll go with it. I'd go again.Listed in: Sushi Sushi Sushi, Stars Stars Stars
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Review from Kim V.
Los Angeles, CA
3/16/2011
Don't be fooled by the strip mall location and tacky sign, this is the real deal. Some friends and I took another friend to Asanebo for dinner, trying to make a sushi convert of her. And we suceeded! Although the portions were small and expensive, the taste of everything was so heavenly, it made it worth it. We asked our waiter for recommendations, and each dish was amazing!
If you like edamame, you have to try the edamame with truffle salt. It takes edamame to a whole new level. It may also ruin all other edamame for you in the future. On second thought, maybe don't. Try it at your own discretion :) -
Review from Jesus P.
San Fernando, CA
4/21/2011
I brought my girlfriend here to celebrate her making it through her 2nd year of medical school and I have one word for the experience, AMAZING!! I say experience because that's exactly what eating at Asanebo is. My cousin's wife had recommended this place to us a few months back but noted that we should save it for a special occasion because it was pretty pricey. That it was, but worth every penny of the $212 tab (tip included). Here's a list of the things we had.
Nameko Miso Soup, 4 stars (a miso soup with tiny japanese mushrooms, since I love mushrooms)
Red Snapper Sashimi with Sea Salt and japanese citrus yuzu, 5 stars (this was probably my favorite dish, the citrus yuzu was really tasty)
Kanpachi Sashimi with sesame miso and serrano pepper, 5 stars
Asanebo Seafood Ceviche, 3.5 stars (my least favorite of what we had, I wouldn't get it again)
Halibut Sashimi with black truffle, 5 stars (my first encounter with black truffle and it really complimented the fish well)
Yellowtail Sashimi with spicy yuzu sauce, 5 stars
King Salmon Sashimi, 4 stars
Echigo beer, 5 stars (Since discovering Total Wine I've been trying all kinds of beers and I ran across this beer at a little Japanese Market in Mar Vista and fell in love with it. I was pleasantly surprised to see they had it here and proceeded to order 2)
The service is amazing. The waiters would not let my beer glass get too empty before they stepped in to refill it for me. For those of us who don't have the money to eat like this every week, Asanebo is definitely worth the money for an annual visit. I can't wait for my girl to get through 3rd year to come back here to celebrate. -
Review from Ann N.
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
There's a good number sushi restaurants along Venture Blvd, but the one we ate at was Asanebo since we heard it was good. We were seated at the table by next to the sushi bar. We ordered a la carte:
01. HOUSE SPECIAL BABY SPINACH SALAD ($12) - 4 stars
Light and refreshing salad. Scallops were seared perfectly, the bits of mushrooms added a nice salty bite and the crispy pieces of fried noodle was a nice touch.
02. GOMA TOFU (HOMEMADE SEASAME TOFU) ($3) - 4 stars
Served in a bowl with dashi sauce and topped 3 pieces of uni and pea size of wasabi. The tofu was nutty and silky. Uni was fresh and creamy.
03. DEEP FRIED MUSHROOM - 3.5 stars
Mushroom battered in tempura and stuffed with yellow tail then deep fried. It's paired with pink salt and wedges of lemon. It was good, but lower on the goodness scale compared to the other dishes.
04. HALIBUT SASHIMI ($24 - 6 pieces) - 4.5 stars
Thin slices of halibut were fanned on a plate sitting in yuzu and topped with slices of black truffle and a sprig of baby chive. On the side are mico greens and a baby tomato. The flavor combo was divine. First I tasted the yuzu, truffle and lastly fish. Each flavor on the dish shined through.
05. BONITO SUSHI ($8 - 2 pieces) - 5 stars
OMG... melt in your mouth goodness! It's a relative of tuna. The pieces were seared and topped with scallion , sesame seeds, miso jelly and sesame miso.
06. KANPACHI SASHIMI ($24 - 6 pieces) - 4.5 stars
Again, each flavor on the dish shined through. The pieces of kanpachi was set in a fan shape and topped with a slice of serrano pepper and with sesame miso. Nice, delicate and tasty flavors with a subtle kick.
07. GRILLED CHILEAN SEA BASS ($10 - 2 pieces) - 4.5 stars
Sushi size sea bass on top of a single leaf of butter lettuce topped with julian daikon. The sea bass was so soft and buttery with a slight char. Our server told us it was marinated overnight and basted with more sauce while it's being grilled... so tasty.
08. BROWN TEA ICE CREAM ($3.5) - 3 stars
A single scoop of house made ice cream with a dallop whipped cream and garnished with mint. The texture is more like an icy sorbet, sweet with a hint of tea.
All of the sushi chefs here are calm, collected and precise. Our chef kept an undercover eye on us while we eat to gauge our expressions. The servers are super friendly and attentive without being overbearing and most importantly, they know the food because they get to eat the dishes before it goes on the menu.
P.S. If you don't like something just send it back at not charge. They are serious about their food. The sushi menu is different than most restaurants catering to a Japanese clientele. I'll definitely come back here when I'm in the area. -
Review from Maki T.
La Habra, CA
3/23/2011
My family and I come here maybe once every 2 years for special occasions. We had the chef's "Omakase" course. "Omakase" literally meaning "to be taken care of" in japanese. and oh boy, DID HE EVER!!!
we had a ten course meal, including a delicious and sumptuous dessert platter.
let me just say, I've never wanted to cry while i ate something, besides my mother's cooking that is, until I ate at Asanebo.
the food was so good, i wanted to go into the kitchen and punch the chef.
to eat here is a revelation. -
Review from Alvin S.
Los Angeles, CA
6/24/2011
Pros
+ Fish was (of course) very fresh
+ Chef was very skilled and took great care in his craft. One of the most important things for me.
+ Service was excellent. As soon as we finished a plate someone was grabbing it.
Cons
+ I was hoping for a few more non regional fish and vegetable selections.
+ We ordered the Omakase Sushi and the chef mixed in some really good fish were some sub par ones.
The place is great, but definitely not the best place I have been to for traditional style sushi. The best I have been too not only had fresh sushi, great chefs, and great service, but the chef had to explain where half the fish/vegetables came from many were from Japan or some other far region of the earth.
