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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
4371 Glencoe Ave
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5 plus 5 plus 5 plus!!!!!!!
Again, thank you jesus for YELP seriously, if it wasn't for you guys, I would miss out on so many places. Im addicted to this place and im so sad we don't have something like this in OC. I love taking my shoes off any chance I get so when I can grub in public with no shoes, im there!!! I love the sitting on the floor as well , if your too tall for indian style , they have the floor open under u as if you were sitting in a chair.
To the food, the lettuce wrapped fried clams are so good, they could do without so much cabbage, so fuckin good. The warm blue crab handroll is so goood , not a cone shape but like a cigar ,its like having a crab cake in seaweed mmmm. I forgot all the nigiri we ordered but it was super fresh fish , buttery mmmm. The tempura was so good, the spicy tuna tempura was wack, DON'T get that. The philly rolls were huge and usually those rolls are small as fuck, but these were huge and I liked it mmmmm. The menu is HUGE to many things to choose from. The service was on point at first but when you take long to order and then your ready to order and your still waiting for them to come back and since your on the floor its hard for them to pay attention lol.
I love this place so so sooooooo much. I hope I get to go again tomorrow mmmm!
Everything here is good. My wife and I use to frequent this place but the buzz wore off because we went there so much. You can get out of here for 60$ for two people with drinks.
The large salad is amazing, very fresh, and one hell-of-a-deal. Something else that is good is the chicken udon. I've been getting that lately so I don't have to stuff myself on sushi. You really can't go wrong here.
I loved the food here!
Came on a whim last week since some coworkers were meeting for a birthday lunch. I'd never heard of the place and it was actually hard to find, tucked away in the corner of a strip mall next to a couple giant stores. It's an unlikely spot to find such good food and unique dining experience.
First off, when you enter you have to take your shoes off like in traditional Japanese restaurants in Japan. You sit on a pillow on the floor with your feet dangling in a shallow pit beneath the table.
By the time I got there a bottle of sake had already been ordered and people were enjoying miso soup from one of the lunch bento boxes. I quickly perused the menu and decided on the chicken teriyaki bento with tempura. All the bentos come with miso soup, rice and some salad (which is drenched in dressing but you can probably ask for it without).
The food arrived pretty quickly, maybe within 15 minutes. The place was about half full, but people kept coming in as we ate our meals.
Everyone got a different bento box and everyone was pleased with the selection. The tempura was light and crisp and a good amount - several vegetables and two pieces of shrimp. Someone got the salmon teriyaki which they absolutely loved. Those who also got sushi with their bentos enjoyed it as well.
When all was said and done we were all happily stuffed but not overly full. It was a great dining experience. If it were a little bit cheaper I'd love to come back more often. But for 6 people, it ended up only being $20 each (and we all chipped in to pay for the birthday girl's meal) which was a great price for the amount and quality of the food. I think, though, that dinner would be more expensive. I didn't get a solid look at the menu.
Take your shoes off and slide on in to a booth for some delicious sushi.
The flavors here are more classic, great for a beginner ( i had my first authentic sushi here and became an avid fan thereafter).
Sometimes the servers get distracted but the ambiance here makes this a great impress a date spot.
Sit at the bar for some warm funny chefs who will make the meal memorable.
Can't review the sushi because we didn't order it but the homecooking was awesome. I had the nabeyaki udon, which tasted great.
Food = 4.0 (out of 5)
Service = 4.0
Atmosphere = (4.0
a bomb ass sushi joint in a strip mall??? really? really??
yup, really. irori is my new favorite sushi joint outside of little tokyo. i think that its sashimi rivals the fresh and plumpness of hama sushi in jtown.
our party of four got the 60 dollar ish omakase, and it was delicious!!! more than the warm dishes, i enjoyed the different stylings of sushi and sashimi that came out. YUM.
the place is super cute, too! although the thought of taking off my shoes at the front of the restaurant was a bit off setting at first, i began to warm up to the idea as my shoe-less feet got a rest from the three inch heels i was wearing that day. you basically sit on the floor, and the floor has holes in the middle so that your legs can dangle all night.
totally my new sushi joint recommendation. i haven't gone back yet, but i sense that i will be visiting this corner of mdr more often now.
Upon walking in you will notice a stack of small shoe holding box. This place you eat without shoes in the floor. The tables are low but when you sit down they have a hole in the ground so that your feet can fit in. It makes the place more fun and feel more authentic. Hard wood floors but you have a small cushion so your tush is comfy.
Lunch time is good. The lunch bentos are a great value. I always order the two item choice bento which comes out to about $13. So basically i order two rolls with the bento box. Spicy tuna and California roll. You have the choice of Salmon, Chicken, tempura, or the rolls I order. You get a miso soup (good stuff) served first along with a small salad (come tothink of it last time i went I didnt get a salad!)
The bento box comes with the two items you ordered along with Japanese cucumbers, some bean sprouts and something else which i cant remember.
The food quality is great.
Service: 3.5 stars
Ambiance: 3.5 stars
Value/Taste: 4 stars
Reservations recommeded as the place filled up pretty quickly shortly after 7pm.
Everything we ordered were decently good to yummy! Overall, a good dining experience.
Japanese squash tempura - 3 stars
Eel sushi - 3 stars
Scallop sushi - 5 stars (so good that we ordered it again)
Wild king salmon sushi - 3 stars
Red snapper sushi - 4 stars (very fresh that night so we had 2 orders)
Seared ono sushi - 3 stars
Uni sushi - 3.5 stars
Grilled seabass - 4 stars (mm..yumm...so flavorful)
The restaurant is located in a huge shopping lot so there were plenty of parking.
This is my absolute favorite sushi place!! Actually it is one of my most favorite restaurants in LA. I pride myself for having a very discriminating taste for sashimi and sushi (yes - I'm from Japan, in case you're wondering). I actually really like the American twist on sashimi and sushi, but I will not take bad quality fish.
My husband and I have been going here for over a year and each time we left completely satisfied and happy. I love their appetizer selections. Must try: white fish carpaccio, tuna carpaccio, snow crab tempura, spicy tuna on sticky rice. Also, if you're in luck and they have albacore *imported from Japan* you must try it! It melts in your mouth. We usually get it as sashimi and nigiri, as they are both excellent.
As for sushi, I'm in love with Baked crab hand roll!! My other favorites are tamago (cooked sweet egg - they make it really good!), hirame (halibut), tai (red snapper), and ika (squid). As for cut rolls, I like spicy scallop roll with asparagus, spicy tuna roll, and ume-shiso roll (not sure if it's on the menu, but they'll make it for you if you ask).
Their great food alone would make this place worthy of 5 star rating, but what makes it so special and keeps us coming back is the sushi chefs. We always sit at the sushi bar, because they are so fun to talk to!! Yuki (who is the owner and head sushi chef) and Kokko (spell?) are really fun to talk to and they joke around a lot. Don't be afraid to sit at the sushi bar even if you don't speak Japanese!! You will have a better time there if you do (unless you want to have a quiet dinner).
We once took my mother-in-law here even though she doesn't eat anything raw. But she really liked their gyoza and chicken karaage (Japanese style fried chicken). So even if you're not too crazy about raw fish, you can find something you like! :)
And finally, if you have room for desert, try sweet potato cigars. They are delicious! Green tea ice cream is also good.
The wait could be pretty long on Saturdays, so it's better to make a reservation. Fridays are not as bad.
Very very happy with this place. Although it was hard to find, it was worth it. Thank you Yelp! This is officially me and my bf's favorite new sushi place. It's affordable and really well priced for great sushi and sashimi. We got the spider roll, yellowtail, unagi and seweed salad. I love how you have to take off your shoes! Very authentic, and reminded me of my time in Japan :)
'saright. I came here for lunch with a colleague, and there's a $10 bento option. I got salmon teriyaki, a spicy tuna roll, miso soup, salad, and a plop of cucumber salad and another of mung beans (don't eat those, they're old tasting). All perfectly competent.
Service very nice, attentive. Friend got tempura veggies and tuna sashimi.
It's next to that atrocious CopATan in the strip mall.
I don't need to say much about this place because it obviously gets a lot of love, but just wanted to add my sugar too...
This place is GREAT! The fish is fresh and buttery, the small plates I've had were delicious (asparagus salad, black cod w/ miso, eggplant), reasonably priced for the quality and the vibe is cozy and authentic.
I'm also in LOVE with their spicy tuna on crispy rice - blows Katsu-ya out of the water.
Definitely make a reservation and go.
MMMMMMMMMMm I didn't expect such quality sashimi at a sushi joint in a plaza! Literally, the scallops in my spicy scallop handroll were some of the freshest and sweetest i've ever had.
I love the traditional feel of this place. You come in, take off your shoes, and sit on pillows on the floor.
I was only able to grab food to go, but I want to come back and actually have a sit down meal. The menu itself gets a bit creative. Not really those fake "jive ass rolls" but they've got some dishes that have the modern flair/twist to it.
my husband and I like this place. If you sit at the sushi bar ask the chef what the fresh fishes of the day are. I love uni and one night the chef was honest. He did not recommend it.
The waitress' are a little harder to deal with. They lack manner. Our waitress kind of stood there with our plate in mid air until we moved our plates over. It was an awkward few seconds. She could have easily placed the plate near by. I guess she had tunnel vision.
The ambiance is relaxing and the place is clean. I think this would be a great date place. You take your shoes off at the door so make sure you don't have holes in your socks.
this restaurant is fully responsible for making me fall in love with sushi! before my time in LA, i'd really only experienced california rolls. thanks to irori, i'm a full-blown sushi addict! i love all of their rolls and sashimi, as well as their box lunches. the service is always so sweet and nice too.
me and my friend always called irori "the foot in the holes place" because you have to take your shoes off to eat, and it's hidden in a strip center. definitely a semi-hidden treasure.
I really agree with Taz D's words of not juding restaurants due to their location. My friend has been talking about Irori since last year how there is a great sushi place near where I live and that I should visit. I didn't have a chance to go there till few days ago when I finally went with the friend who introduced me to Irori. We drove up to this place and I was disappointed in the beginning because I thought the place would have it own standing especially the way how my friend described it as.
Still having hope we entered the place and immdiately I was amazed and impressed by the decor of the restaurant. As others said you have to take off your shoes and put them in a cubby hole and walk into the restaurant barefeet. My friend told me we should make a reservation as this place gets crowded easily and fast so luckily we did not have to wait at all.
We were immediately seated to a table where there is hole under the table to put down your legs. It was fun to come to a setting where I used to go often back in Asia but I forgot about them after coming to here. I'm quite suprised and impressed that they even took this detail into their restaurant.
My friend ordered sashimi salad and the eggplant dish and finished all of her plates happily. I odered the tonkatsu and uni and was quite happy too. Tonkatsu wasn't really served the way I like it but I knew that beforehand and ordered in risk. The uni was fresh and probably fits into the top five of the best Unis out there in Los Angeles.
I think I will be coming back here often as it is close to my place and they don't do any "fusion" style of sushis.
Absolutely the best Sushi on the West Side.
Excellent service, tremendous food, and soon to remodel we hear!!!!
As you arrive at this unassuming strip mall location in Marina Del Rey, you may not expect to find some of the most unique and high quality sushi in the South Bay. But as I entered, placed my shoes in the cubby holes, and was seated at a table with holes in the ground for my legs, I realized I was not in store for a typical sushi experience.
I took advantage of some of the unique choices typically found at only higher-end sushi spots:
Hakkaisan sake caraffe - cool, with hints of apple
1. Cucumber salad - clean & refreshing, but non-descript save for a touch of seaweaed that added a little extra flavor
2. Ankimo (monkfish liver) - very rich, creamy and flavorful, served with a tasty ponzu and topped with roe
3. Blue crab hand roll - filled with a good amount of real blue crab meat, but flavor was a little too mild
4. Blue fin toro sushi - very high quality fatty tuna, practically melts in your mouth
5. Kanpachi sushi - again, very high quality, and the subtle flavor of the fish made this a stand-out
6. Seared ono - probably the best course of the meal. topped with a citrus pepper sauce that perfectly complimented the fish
7. Uni - really creamy, fresh and a touch of sweet. a good finisher. haven't had uni often so it's hard for me to compare
8. Yuzu mousse on wontons - I usually skip dessert at Japanese restaurants since they typically only offer mochis, but I'm glad I didn't here. The citrus flavored mousse, topped with a bluberry and a strawberry desert sauce made this the perfect end to the meal.
$75 for two with sake
We love this place! Very lovely decor ( good place to bring a date) and we liked to sit on the floor (with cushions) with your feet tucked under the boxy wooden "hole" under the floor. Yes, you need to take off your shoes, so be sure you wear clean socks with no holes ;-)
We used to go regularly for both lunch & dinner. The food is excellent! The fishes are great, the appetizers & Udon soups & the a-la-carts are amazing, fresh salads, tasty miso soup, beautiful presentation, good portion (you get full but not TOO full) and everything is SO delicious! It also is reasonably priced!! We miss it a lot now we no longer live in L.A.
p.s. one big bonus for some of you who need to know, yes, YOU CAN BRING YOUR KIDS!!
Came here the other night with a friend who was visiting from out of town. The place here is a little hard to find since it's in a shopping plaza. It's in a little nook of it's own. Parking wasn't hard at all since it's in a big plaza with plenty of spaces.
We walked in and there were so many people filling the room along with the waiting room! I was afraid it would be a long wait since we got there around 9pm and they close at 10. The host asked us if we wanted a table or a bar, and I told her either. Since we said either, we were seated in less than 10 minutes! Score!
She told us to take off our shoes! I was like what?? If I had known, I would have brought my cheaper pairs of shoes!! I'm paranoid like that! LOL So we proceeded. We walked up this little ramp and through these cute little doors that led us to the dining area. Every table was the kind where you sit on the ground. If you get the bar, you get to sit at this ledge where your legs will hang down so it's like you're sitting normally.
We were seated and our drink order was taken. I got water while my friend got the green iced tea. We ordered 6 nigiri which gave us 6 pieces each. We also got the sea bass that was on their entree menu and an order of the salmon skin roll. Everything was excellent! The quality of the sushi to me was great! It was fresh and melted like butter! mmmmm the sea bass was on a bed of spinach which also had a little sauce over it which was also great! Salmon skin roll was good too!
Our total for the evening was around $60 excluding tip. A little pricey but hey, we're in marina del rey! But the sushi I thought was well worth the $60 in terms of quality along with service!
Do not judge sushi restaurants by their resident strip malls. This place is very cool - first of all, the "tables" are somewhat subterranean and you must take off your shoes upon entering the dining area so that makes for a unique experience. Their fish is extremely high quality, and to be honest I thought the taste of their signature dishes was significantly better than their equivalent entrees at Katsuya (although the crab hand roll is better than Irori's), Itsikaya, and even Matsuhisa.
Don't leave without having the jalapeno yellowtail sashimi, the spicy tuna over crispy rice, and the salmon sashimi with fried onions. One more thing - this place isn't cheap (about $35-50/person - without drinks), but I guarantee you will enjoy your meal.
Hidden gem. Cute, little Japanese restaurant tucked away in a mall that I've been to countless times without ever noticing this. Went here last Friday with my friend. Right when you walk in, you see shoes on the floor. (Yes, you have to take off your shoes, so please make sure your feet don't stink.)
We started off with the grilled asparagus salad. Granted it was good, but a bit pricey considering we only got four small pieces of asparagus in our "salad." I hate that. We also ordered the Japanese eggplant, but it was a bit too sweet for my taste. I ordered the nabeyaki udon and it was really good. Probably one of the better ones I've had in LA. It was a rather large bowl with tasty veggies and the broth was very good, too. Will I come back? Probably since I went with my vegetarian friend so, I couldn't order any fish. :P
This place reminds of when I used to live in Japan. Very traditional with taking off the shoes, holes in the floor for your legs and feet, old school and funny Japanese sushi chefs. They even have traditional slippers to wear to the bathroom. Definitely brings me back.
Its usually pretty busy so I'd make reservations to be on the safe side....especially on the weekends.
Their sushi prices are decent and the quality is very good. You MUST try the seared ono! Its not chilled seared, but they sear it to order. YUM!! They top it off with a green salty and spicy spread called Yuzukoshou. They don't put a lot, just enough to give it a nice kick....I usually ask for extra. LOVE IT!!
The only thing I don't like about this place and why I gave 4 stars is their service. I've been here about 10 times and the waitresses NEVER check up on you.....even to see if you want to order anything else. They're pretty bad, but they are great about grabbing your check and credit card to get paid.
You have to either flag them down or catch them while they drop off an order at your table, which is what I have to do. I feel bad since I give them several requests, "Can I have more tea, more ginger, and another napkin please?" Its gotta be done or they're long gone. Even if my tea cup is empty you have to ask....they do not take matters into their own hands. So it might be better to sit at the bar.
So annoying when places are on top of picking up the checks and not checking up on you.
I'll still continue to go.....I love that seared ono way too much! =D
OK, I was nervous at first when we arrived and there was no one in the front of house seating people and the line was starting to back-up. I was tempted to leave as the line became longer and longer and there was still no hostess in sight. Luckily I decided to stay and because the lack of help on the floor, decided to sit at the sushi bar - this was key! The sushi chef totally set us up with fresh nigiri with the perfect condiments - big eye tuna with yuzu, wild King salmon with onions and ponzu, albacore with ginger, and I could go on and on! We also tried the baked black code in miso - it was delicious.
Irori is reasonably priced and the sushi is fresh. I will definitely eat here the next time I am in LA (still trying to get over eating in a strip mall, but Irori is helping me with this!).
I have decided to upgrade my "rating" of Irori.
This is based on a recent visit, and eating at several of their competitors...
Irori won hands down. Be sure to try the appetizer called "Sashimi News". It takes a few minutes to prepare - so order it first thing.
My wife and I have been lucky enough to have traveled Japan a couple of times, for a total of five… Read more »
This is one of my "regular" spots. Irori is hiding in a corner of a shopping center. They have a great omakase that is fairly priced. The ambiance is nice and the sitting on mats with your shoes off somehow removes you from the ordinary restaurant vibe...man, it's cool! They have Wakatake Onigoroshi here, which is one of my favorite sakes. It will get you f*cked up.
The sushi is reasonably priced, very good quality, with a unique atmosphere and great service. A great place for a group night out if you are looking for something out of the ordinary!
We went into Irori the other night, and I hadn't been there in a very long time. Now, with 3 kids, and of course, "do they have a highchair?" wasn't even crossing my mind, because it's traditional Japanese seating on tatami. So the baby crawled and wiggled, and squiggled, and we tried to keep her hostage underneath the table.
We ordered a lot of food, and I ordered a pree-tty good glass of chardonnay for a chard. It was Cupcake Winery. I find when I eat Japanese food, the red causes fishy tastes from seaweed and nori combinations, so it's best to choose a white wine if not sake. My son ordered chirashi bowl, and I ordered the salmon teriyaki, and my husband ordered a lot of sushi. We tried their nasu miso, which was decent, and the agedashi tofu, good but not outstanding. Sweet potato fries were more like donut flavor. The baby ate some of my salmon, which was excellent and juicy, perfectly done. I was happy with it. The usual green tea ice cream for dessert for everyone.
Irori is pretty good, but my Japanese native husband said: "the sushi tasted plastic". Oh well.
It's a good place to go if you aren't with someone Japanese, and better off without the almost 1 year old baby, so you can actually enjoy your meal. So, to recap: Not a good place for "clear your table" toddler action, and young kids who whine and give you a difficult time while you are trying to eat your dinner. Not good for picky Japanese people. Good for a decent Japanese meal if you are not that discerning.
"irasshaimase!" I feel like family every time I come here, either alone or with my actual family. I've been coming here since it was called 'East,' before it changed management and the quality is still there. LOVE their food. Being half Japanese I consider myself a pretty good judge of Japanese cuisine and I must say this place is great. Serves traditional dishes and yummy sushi as well. Not too pricey and an overall great place to sit down (no shoes please) and enjoy a Japanese meal.
I have been here once, but I am already a fan!
Good:
- I really enjoy their food! Especially their sushi rolls and the Yellowtail collar. Their beef teriyaki in the bento box was only OK though..
- Very fresh fresh. yum
- Very friendly service.
- You take your shoes off and sit on the floor.
Bad:
- It was very crowded when I went for lunch at 1:30pm on a weekday, and it's located in a crowded shopping center. (parking is close to none)
- The price is a bit higher than other Japanese restaurants I've been to.
My first experience un-shoeing at a restaurant (shows how little I experienced on my Japan visit). We arrived around 6:45pm and there was no wait; it got crowded closer to 8pm. My first visit so I can't rave about the food like the others, but service was good and it was a really fun experience. Moreover, it is very conveniently located near the airport.
Writing an update on this place because I feel it's been quite consistent every time I come here, even though it really doesn't cater to a JP-centric crowd! My boss and I were craving sushi and while we were just planning on going to SugarFish down the street from work in the Marina, (where it's 100% omakase), we opted to come back here instead since she's watching her carbs & Irori would be able to accommodate her sashimi needs.
Shrimp Stuffed Eggplant with Sweet Miso Yuzu Sauce (Oh my deliciousness. Excellent with subtle hints of yuzu laced into the sauce. I called my mom immediately afterward for a recipe so that I could re-create this at home, and am going to try to replicate the above yuzu sauce)
Asari no Sakamushi (Baby clams steamed in sake, a typical staple appetizer... this was just mediocre)
Hamachi no Kama (Roasted yellowtail neck with ponzu and grated daikon... melted in your mouth like buttah)
I ordered my usual nigiris: Uni (extremely fresh), Kanpachi, Hirame (not so fresh, a bit on the chewy side), Unagi and Blue Crab Handroll. (Still not as good as Echigo's but pretty decent) The boss had her sashimi fix with her assorted sashimi platter and devoured it with extreme enthusiasm.
I'm pretty fortunate because I've never met a boss who could talk an absolute storm about clothes, shoes, cooking and food in my entire life so thankfully, there were zero awkward silences. Especially after she had a few shots of Kurosawa sake ;)
My co-worker was craving sushi... and specifically noted that she didn't want the "Sushi-Roku" type… Read more »
I had the best Japanese food I've ever eaten. Ever. It's pricey, but the ambiance is great, the people are great, the service is great. The waitress helped with vegetarian options, and her choices were awesome. (You'd be surprised at where "fish sauce" can end up in some Japanese restaurants.) I can't recommend Irori enough!
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in West La...hands down. I used to be a Wabi Sabi fan, but Irori takes the cake.
I have been to Irori over 10 times and every time it is better than the last. I always start out my meal with a delicious glass of Shouchu. It is amazing!! The sashimi here is so fresh and the specials are always spot on!! The blue fin tuna and unagi are to die for!
Irori recently added spicy tuna on crispy rice and it is AMAZING! It is the best spicy tuna on crispy rice anywhere. Sorry Katsu-ya, but you're off the island!!
The wait staff is always super friendly and the service is prompt. Overall, there is not a single complaint on my end. Well...except that the delicious clams were sold out last time I went!
This is a must!!
So on my way to an event in the Westsiiiide, me and a friend decide it best to get some food instead of relying on free appetizers later on. This was one of the first places she recommends. Japanese food sounded good to me.
The front door was a little hard to spot, tucked away in a small corner at the back of a plaza, next to some pizza place. I was a bit surprised when I first walked in to find out you had to take your shoes off. I dunno if this makes a place "more authentic" or not, but my first thought was, 'the food better be that good'. Speaking of which, the tables are fixed and there are FOOTWELLS beneath each table. Honestly, this small bit of technical info completely escaped me all night. I'm actually used to sitting akimbo while eating, but found the table legs not wide enough for my knees, so I ended up hunched over quite a bit while I stared at my friend who could comfortably put her elbows on the table... only later did I find out why. how the foot well escaped me, i dunno... so much for my sensory perception.
The menu was separated by a la carte dishes from the kitchen, and from the sushi bar. I realized this was more of a izakaya japanese tapas style restaurant. Hoping to make a quick dinner to get to our event on time, and it being "LA cold" outside, we both ordered udon. She got the tempura udon, I got the nabeyaki. I also ordered an agedashi tofu.
The tofu came out quickly. Three pieces of lightly battered fried tofu sitting in tempura sauce sprinkled with thin strips of seaweed and green onions. There was a dash of minced ginger in there... somewhat of a surprise as I got it all in one bite in the middle. They served it with two spoons which did make it easier to pick at than taking a whole piece with chopsticks.
My nabeyaki udon came a few bites after the tofu. The portion size wasnt too big, but I guess thats a good thing. There was a half poached egg, one huge leaf of baby nappa cabbage, a shrimp tempura and slices of kamaboko (the white and pink fishcake stuff). Underneath all the noodles I found maybe two piece of chicken. The broth was deeply flavored, and thickened up once I mixed the egg in and the udon was perfectly chewy. Overall very pleasant.
I helped finish my friends tempura which was served on the side of the udon. It came with pretty much every piece of vegetable conceivable in a japanese kitchen. I used the tempura sauce the agedashi tofu was served in to dip the tempura, a very fortunate accompaniment.
The service was great. Servers were very prompt in clearing the table, filling our glasses and always available. As for price, the udon was $10 or so, kind of expensive to be honest. The most of the tapas weren't as lowly priced as I've come to expect either. My friend mentioned the price had gone up and it had been getting more popular. But she thought the food was still good enough to justify. With a constant group waiting to be seated (fortunately my friend made a reservation) it doesnt seem like it hinders keeping other customers from coming back either. Neither does it for me, I'm looking forward to coming back and trying their sushi and other dishes on a later date when I have more time.
Speaking of which, this would definitely be a good date place, my friend mentioned she brought many of her dates here as well. Its clean and nicely furnished (minus the seats...) and dimly lit except around the sushi bar.
Such a cool little sushi joint. Great for lunch because the bento boxes come with tons of food and the prices are reasonable. I enjoy having to take off my shoes and sitting on the floor, it adds to the experience and definitely makes it more fun. As far as the sushi goes.. At first I was a bit put off because of the menu prices, but after receiving my food It seemed to be worth it. All of the fish was quite fresh and well prepared. The rolls come as 5 pieces (instead of the 6-8 that I'm used to) but the pieces are much larger.
The service is outstanding and I have never had to wait to be seated on the weekend or on a weekday for lunch. There are tons of available parking spots because the place is located in a strip mall but most of the parking isn't directly in front of the restaurant.
Overall its a fun and delicious Japanese restaurant, worth checking out!
Irori is hiding in plain sight, in a corner of a shopping center in Marina del Rey. Irori is a tempting option on your way to the airport or as a destination in itself. I have been many times but only for lunch, which has been excellent. I can vouch for the great lunch specials, such as tuna sashimi, chicken teriyaki and spicy tuna rolls.
They also have a great omakase that involves both cooked and sushi dishes, which is fairly priced. The ambiance is nice and the sitting on mats with your shoes off somehow removes you from the ordinary vibe and transports you however briefly to a quiet stall off of the Tsukiji fish market.
Definitely an odd location for a decent sushi spot where you need to take off your shoes! Once you get over the rather large strip mall parking lot and get inside, the people are generally friendly and the atmosphere is nice.
I would personally say that this is more of a lunch spot than dinner - but then again, what is the criteria for that statement?
One of the better sushi establishments in the area in terms of food quality. Also a bit more expensive than other area sushi spots - but worth it, in my opinion.
Try the Black Cod with Miso - seriously!
The first time my hubby and I were introduced to this restaurant, we went with some friends who live in MDR. I was a fan after our first visit to Irori.
Yes, its not quite a seating arrangement most US citizens are used to...but at least they have the hole in the floor under the table, so you can actually sit on your butt and hang your legs over the edge (as opposed to sitting traditional Japanese-style like you're participating in a chado ceremony).
Sushi is fantastic, bento box is a great deal with a good amount of food...another favorite is the misoyaki black cod. YUM.
5 shakas, good stuff!
japanese food's not easy to mess up, and most japanese cuisine I eat is just at the same level of 'yum' until it's hard to distinguish really good food...
but this place just bumps it up a little. the salted mackerel practically melts in your mouth and is just the right level of saltiness for the amount of rice you're given. the fish they have isn't fishy at all, and the cuts are generally very good. the feet-under-the-table style left from the previous japanese restaurant make it a bit of a novel experience, if risky--I don't think I've ever seen a waitress slip, but plenty of customers.
don't believe everything you read on yelp. the yelp page says the price range of the place is $$. It's a lie!!!!
Definitely not a $$ place but it's more like $$$. but then again, i must have a very expensive taste when it comes to raw fish.
some of the items we ordered were "MP." i actually hate ordering market priced items because i bet that's just one of the schemes that businesses use to overcharge customers.
we ordered dynamites (scallops and mushrooms baked in creamy sauce) appetizer which was dynamically creamy and bit cheesy.
then we had our sushi: yellow tails, spanish mackerel, fresh sweet shrimps, uni and toro. overall, very fresh fish and good rice but they are definitely "market priced"=overpriced.
it kills me to know that my fellow had to pay $15 for two small pieces of fish over rice. their cold house sake tasted very water downed. i know what some of you are thinking but i do KNOW the difference between sake and soju. this sake (not comparing to soju) definitely tasted weak.
now my fellow is currently looking for a part-time job to afford my eating and drinking habit.
btw, they are open for lunch til 2:00pm and yes, we ordered sake with our lunch.
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