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Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Studio CityMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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Say it once, say it a million times...
Katsu-Ya has some of best sushi in L.A. The place might look a little underwhelming from the outside, tucked away in the corner of a Studio City strip mall, but the food is without fault. Try the seared tuna salsa "tower" (ask for it if it's not on the menu).
Take advantage of the valet parking and be prepared to wait for a table if you don't have a reservation.
For weeks, I've heard nothing but high praise for Katsu-Ya from my co-workers. The reviews have ranged from delicious to, "it's like sex in your mouth!" After that last comment, how could I not give it a try? So I went on a quiet night with two very attractive friends and finally found out what the fuss is about.
So is the food like sex in your mouth? Well, I wouldn't go that far but eating a few pieces of crispy rice with spicy tuna can be quite...pleasurable. Actually, the best word to sum up the Katsu-Ya experience is umami, which is roughly Japanese for tasty.
The food really does speak volumes about the place. Everything is fresh which is the most important thing about a sushi restaurant. The plates are beautiful to look at and the attention to detail is evident. Every piece of fish is folded or rolled carefully. Each has the right amount of garnish or sauce. It's all balanced, not only aesthetically, but also in taste.
I ordered a few things to get a good overview of what Katsu-Ya had to offer. The yellowtail sashimi was the winner of the night for me. Nothing fancy here, other than the presentation. Just pieces of yellowtail splashed with some sort of sauce and topped with a jalapeno sliver.
Second place went to the crispy rice with spicy tuna. Very rarely do I go to restaurants and really experience something I've never had before. Warm sushi is now something I can say I've had. It's a novel idea, fry the rice ball in some soy sauce and instead of placing a piece of fish on top, they put a dollop of spicy tuna. It's an odd mix of flavors and textures that succeeds on so many levels. You get a nice crunch, hence the name, followed up by the savoriness of the spicy tuna. My only complaint was that it wasn't spicy enough but that's what the wasabe one the side is for.
Third place went to the Salmon w/ caviar sashimi. It's a perfect combination of saltiness from the caviar and fattiness from the salmon. It was kind of hard to eat cause it looked so pretty on the plate. The only reason it was my least favorite of the three dishes was cause I'm not a fan of cucumbers so it's an A- instead of an A.
In a distant fourth place had to be the pieces of sushi I ordered. I only did it to give it a try and I easily could have done without it. It did give my meal an added level of excitement because some pieces contained more than enough wasabe in it. Eating the sushi was like Russian roulette and I definitely got my head blown off a couple times.
Call me crazy, but maybe the best part of the meal had to be Katsu-Ya itself. The place is small and with the food being so good, I can see now why it's usually crowded. It's cozy and intimate which are two qualities I always enjoy. Whether you're sharing a plate of sushi with someone special, some friends, or just by yourself at the bar you will be surrounded by a wonderful atmosphere.
So many sushi restaurants try to be too Japanese by over decorating with plants, artwork, Godzillas, furniture, etc. While they're guilty of having a few of those things, everything just seemed so simple. The walls didn't tell you that you were in a Japanese restaurant, what was on the plate did and that's one of the best qualities this Katsu-Ya had to offer.
If there are bad things to say about Katsu-Ya, I could make the case that the portions are kind of small and it's a little expensive. However, I left with a smile on my face and a full stomach so I really can't complain.
Is it the best sushi I've ever had...well I really can't go that far but it's definitely near the top. It's not exactly "sex in your mouth" but I'll be returning for more umami.
This Katsu-ya location is my favorite out of all the other locations in LA. Not for the decor obviously but the sushi seems fresh here and the service is fast. The vibe is casual and I've seen a mix of studio people and actors here, last time I saw Kate Hudson posted up at the sushi bar.
This is my favorite lunch spot. I always order the same things: albacore with crispy onions, baked crab handroll, crispy rice with spicy tuna, green beans, panko seared tuna with mustard sauce, rock shrimp on spicy tuna, 41/2 roll, robert roll and sometimes I order one last baked crab handroll for the final round.
Everyone I have taken to this restaurant love it and for good reason, the sushi is damn good.
I visited Katsu-Ya this weekend while in town based on the high rated Yelp reviews. I'm wondering what is wrong with me because I wish I could agree with my fellow yelpers and give this place 5 stars..but I can't. The sushi was good but not great. I went with 3 other friends who frequently eat sushi, and none of us were moved either way. We had the tuna with crispy rice-which was pretty good. We also had the crab hand rolls, sockeye-salmon nigiri, blue fin tuna special, albacore with crispy onions, hamachi sashimi, scallop with foie gras, and crab stuffed tuna. With 2 large sakes and a large Kirin the bill came to $200 dollars after tax and tip-which is not bad at all. The food to us was just decent-not mind blowing. Since I am such a huge fan of sushi and eat it almost ever other day, I cannot give this place more than 3 stars based on my one experience there. I've had much better sushi for the same reasonable price. Perhaps its what we ordered. Either way I recommend trying it since I seem to be one of the few who does not give this place 4 or 5 stars.
At any rate, we saw Andy Garcia there getting take out and leaving in his big baller escalade. Hey, if its good enough for him.. then maybe we should all give it a try.
Always great!!! I love that when I eat here I know it will be great.
Consistent great Sushi. I highly recommend the Tuna with crispy rice.
I had been to two of the other Katsu-Ya locations before coming to this little gem. It was around May of 2009, and my boss and I had just finished a production meeting about something or other. She had wanted to take myself and another gentleman out to eat, but unfortunately, he could not come along. What a crying shame. Seriously. I think he would have died if he had tried some of the lovely fishes they had prepared for us.
I must start with the fish. It was solid. I mean really solid. Not like a brick solid, but like the surfer term that means I enjoyed it like I enjoy my lover, or a sunset over the Santa Monica pier. I mean, I was a little hesitant to order a massive amount of food on my boss's tab, but I was seriously considering it. I should have, because after we got the bill and the meal was incredibly reasonable, I just about smacked myself for not offering to pay.
I mostly stayed with the sushi, but I did try the crispy rice spicy tuna appetizer, and it was incredibly yummy. I've tried the same dish over at Izaka-Ya, and for some reason I liked it more at Katsu-Ya. Go figure.
All in all, perfect 5 stars. Thanks!
One of my favorite sushi restaurants of all time.
You definitely need a reservation, or at least try. Trying to get a reservation at Katsu-ya involves a lot redialing. You'll quickly become acquainted with the busy tone but being persistent truly does pay off.
Food is absolutely delicious. Some of my favorites include the baked crab hand roll, creamy rock shrimp on spicy tuna, honey hand roll, and of course the spicy tuna on crispy rice. Yes, it is always crowded and yes, you may feel a bit rushed. This, however, is a very small price to pay for excellent food.
One of those places where you don't mind being early or having to wait for a table because the atmosphere and bar sell itself.
Great time with friends and the food didn't disappoint. Loved the spicy tuna and crispy rice appetizer.
A little disappointed that their sake bowls didn't fit inside the beer glasses for a true sake bomb, but it got the job done.
A while ago I decried Sushi Gen for serving mediocre sushi at the tables. Katsu-Ya took a big slide in my book based on my meal at the bar tonight.
Katsu-Ya's always crowded, and that's fine, (or at least it was). My wife and I sat at the bar by choice. It's a sushi bar, so the bar is where you go for the best of everything. You get the chef's personal attention and are in your own little sushi eating world.
What if your own sushi world was on a crowded subway, with servers constantly reaching over you to take food from the bar to the tables? What if the sushi chef was so busy serving the tables that they pay only cursory attention to you? Well, then you'd be in Katsu-Ya Studio City.
It's not that the food's bad. The food's still good, but tonight's rush-rush-crowd-crowd feel has ruined it for me. There's way too many other good places in town (Mori, Shintaro...) to settle for this sort of thing.
I'm sad I have to demote them, but at least they're not the only game in town.
Straight up ruined casual Sushi for me. I've been all over and the only place that still has a leg… Read more »
This place is straight up a joke and garbage. I don't think I've EVER walked out of a restaurant so disappointed.
I parked my car at the lot and the rude valet parker runs up to my car and asked "are you eating here?" Takes my car key and leaves it on top of my back tire.
The restaurant was way too crowded but whatever because it is supposed to be good right with 4 stars on yelp.
My bf and I asked the waitress what she recommends and she ordered 3 of their most popular dishes for us. They gave us old dried up ginger. Yeah, a lot of people don't eat the ginger but hello you should still serve fresh ones. The first plate was a kind of sashimi with a piece of jalepeno in their special sauce, which tasted like soy sauce. The fish was not fresh at all. The next plate was their crispy rice with spicy tuna. It was really not all the special because I believe any Asian can make rice like that. Third plate was another type of fish covered in fried onions. It is an imitation of the Vietnamese raw beef salad. And again the fish was not fresh. I thought japanese food was about fresh fish. It was so smothered with the fried onions that you can't even taste the fish at all. My friends who saw my picture of it thought it looked like shit.
Next the waitress shoves a white board at you with their menu on it. I mean wtf do you guys not make enough money to print menus? BTW I was only 10% full off all three plates. I was so disappointed that I decided to go somewhere else to fill my hunger. I was only in the restaurant for 20 mins.The bill was $36. I am never cheap with food, but I wouldn't want to spend a single dollar here. I would much rather go to a french restaurant and throw down a few bills because it was that horrible!
I was going to give this place 2 stars because the waitress had great service but when I went to my car I saw my car key still on top of my tire. My car was still at where I parked it. I went in my car and I was about to drive off when the valet parker runs up to me and demands $3.50. I know they say valet parking only outside the restaurant but HELLO I ALMOST DROVE OFF WITH MY CAR AND ANY OTHER PERSON WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE OFF WITH MY CAR. SO RIDICULOUS. NOT TO MENTION I COULD'VE PARKED MY CAR FOR FREE ACROSS THE STREET.
This is definitely a tourist restaurant. RIP OFF TO THE MAX. If you don't know what good Japanese food is then this is the place for you. Oh yeah, they don't list prices for their food. If you are not a baller then don't be surprised when you get your bill. MY ROOM SERVICED PIZZA WAS EVEN MORE SATISFYING THAT THEIR SPECIALS AND THAT IS HOW GREAT IT IS.
Ahhhhhhh!! Amazing food here. Truly made with the right intentions of making japanese food unique, delicate, and incredibly tasty. The sushi dishes are all very fresh. I crave for the yellowtail & jalapeno sashimi. It's a fantastic rendition of something very simple like sashimi. Their unagi on rice is just amazing. The grilled eel has a nice crunch to it, reminding you that it was freshly made.
I love this place and will continue to return to it. Amazing food!
I had a chance to check out Katsu-ya in Studio City the other night. Ill start off by saying it was far better than the Glendale location. No it wasnt as trendy but the food and service was miles better. It was very crowded but we didnt have to wait too long for a seat. I did not like the valet service who were very aggressive once I pulled into the parking lot...they came up and wanted my keys right away. Overall..i look forward to another visit.....85/100
Wow... I'm reviewer 296.
With so many reviews and the popularity of this place I knew I had to make reservations to forgo a long wait. We came here on a Saturday night and the place was full of people. The energy inside the restaurant high and the pace felt fast.
Once we sat down hot towels were provided and our drink orders were taken. Then *bam* a white board magically appeared next to our table. It was a listing of the sushi they were offering for the night, which was not on the menu.
We ordered:
01. Tai (snapper) sampler 4 pieces - 3 stars; mild, clean flavor
02. Big Eye Tuna - 3.5 stars; it was good melt in your mouth
03. Salmon sampler 4 pieces
2 Atlantic salmon - 3.5 stars; the plain was okay, the one topic with a hint of spice was nice
1 white salmon - 3.5 stars; very delicate, subtle flavor
1 wild salmon - 4 stars; soft firmness and sweeter than regular salmon
04. Panko crusted tuna with mustard sauce - 4 stars; a nice twist on tuna
05. Uni - 3 stars; not as bright and fresh, better than most. Urasawa's was way better
06. Sweet shrimp - 3 stars; a little gumy. Urasawa's was crisp and sweet.
07. Scallop with foie gras - 3.5 stars; the sauce definitley pulled the dish together
08. Soft shell crab - low 3 stars, too much sauce which made it heavy
Most of the pieces were good non-fishy and clean. The down fall for most of the pieces is the sushi rice. The sushi rice was overpowering the sushi (tang too strong) and a bit mushy. Also, if there was a little less rice under each piece of fish. Overall, I'd give Katsuya 3.5 stars. This place is good; better than most sushi joints. I think it would've been more enjoyable if we sat at the bar. Then we can chat and watch them create the pieces.
Located inside of a strip mall, you have to Valet Park your car, unless you want to search around for street parking (which is tough around here) We figured we'd valet since it was free.
We had a reservation for 7:30pm but got there closer to 6:30pm. We have no trouble getting seated right away (mind you, this was on a Friday night.)
They had a huge selection of different rolls and sashimi's. We went with some of the recommendations:
Lobster Dynamite roll-Good piece of lobster inside but wasn't too impressive.
Creamy Salmon roll-I enjoyed this one the most, unfortunately the hubby found it to be too slimy (he doesn't eat any raw fish, unless it's smoked.)
We had the baked crab roll which was OK but nothing special.
The best dish we had there was the marinated miso black cod absolutely delicious and so buttery it just melt right in your mouth. I only wish they put more miso sauce on it. They give you two decent sized pieces of it, which we split. We had the entree version that came with the miso soup and salad. The miso was pretty good and so was the sauteed green beans that came with it were very delicious in that sauce.
Overall, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of flavor in some of the rolls. I guess, I was also used to eating rolls wrapped with seaweed rather than rice paper and missed that crunch factor. I wanted to get the fried green tea dessert but we had already planned on going to get ice cream at Scoops later on.
Our total was around $40 something with tax and tip. For that we got 3 different kinds of rolls and a miso cod entree with soup and salad. Prices aren't too bad here and there's a wide selection to chose from. Service can be a little slow, especially on weekend nights.
I'll probably come back and try some of the other items they have but for now, I'm only giving them 3 stars.
Great "fusion" sushi. If you're expecting the classic sushi bar, this is definitely not the place for you. I've honestly never seen so many female "sushi chefs," working behind the counter than I did here, the last time I was there. I've always heard that women have a higher body temperature than men, and their body temp somewhat "cooks" the fish. I suppose since this is less traditional, more fusion, it really doesn't matter.
Their crispy rice is divine, as is their rock shrimp. Try their crispy sesame tuna for a slightly varied menu. Most of the dishes here are pretty good. However, I was there a few days ago, and tried their lobster dynamite roll for the first time. Nasty! It was the mayo part of the dynamite, and it was definitely over-salted. This was the first dish that ever had leftovers.
Always a long line, and long wait so go with good company and conversations.
BTW, parking is valet only, for $3.50 service charge. If you're gonna try, just know it's really hard to street park.
Katsuya is great! After coming here the second time, I had the kind of experience that I remember fondly the next day and want to repeat sooner rather than later.Although I feel that nothing can beat the quality and freshness of Chiba, Katsuya is a pretty close second. You come here for the specials - um jumbo scallop with foie gras, thats what dreams are made of.....
I have never sat at the bar, and I imagine thats where your mind really gets blown, but everything is consistently delicious here and I love the creativity. The spicy tuna crispy rice and blue crab handroll are outstanding and the uni is very good here. Also, friggin miso soup with clams and enoki mushrooms!!!
Overall this is one of the best sushi places in the valley. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up.
This was my first foray into Studio City's sushi row. This is the original Katsu-Ya. There is another one in Encino. I think they also just opened up one in/or/near downtown. Located in a strip mall, there is parking for the other businesses, but you have to valet if you are going to Katsu-Ya. The valet was complimentary when I went.
The inside was pretty simple. Kind of bright with a lot of whites and lightly tan, varnished wood. There was a sushi bar as well as a few tables--a small restaurant. There were a few Japanese decorations and curtains throughout the dining room.
The lunch menu was reasonably priced. You can also order sushi a la carte. Finally, there was a lengthy list of specials on the dry erase board above the sushi bar. Lots of non-Japanese Sushi restaurant things on the menu from the expected (California Roll) to the unexpected (fried calamari and other common appetizers).
I went with the lunch special. It was a lot of food and very reasonably priced (under $15). Edamame was served complimentary. The miso soup was good. The salad (a mix of greens, iceberg lettuce, frisee, cherry tomato, wonton chips, and a ginger dressing) was actually quite refreshing and vibrant. The sushi (8 pieces or so) was fresh. It came with salmon, yellowtail, tuna, and whitefish, which I liked. I have never really been a fan of shrimp or egg. The sweet egg omelette here though had the name Katsu-Ya branded into it (kind of interesting). It also came with California Roll--I'm just not a big fan of California rolls; this one was very creamy.
The meal also came with shrimp and vegetable tempura. I've had much better--it was kind of greasy. I also tried the seared tuna with stuffed crab. The stuffed crab was essentially the California Roll mix. In terms of the searing, it was barely seared. The searing actually looked like the skin of your hands when it has been exposed to water for long periods of time (swimming, surfing, etc.). Considering Katsu-Ya's reputation, I was expecting something a little more inspired with this dish. Overall, this seared tuna dish was really disastrous. I should have went with the toro.
Their dessert menu was small. I did have the tempura ice cream, which you can get at a lot of Japanese restaurants. Cold vanilla ice cream stuffed into a warm, fried sponge cake shell (there were hints of brown sugar, cinnamon or coffee cake in the tempura shell). It was good, but it could have used some chocolate or fruit to give it a little more personality.
The service was very good and friendly. Considering Katsu-Ya's esteemed reputation, the prices were very reasonable--I was expecting much more expensive. The sushi was good though with the abundance of good sushi restaurants in Los Angeles, Katsu-Ya may not be worth a special trip (you may have something just as good in your area).
I've been to katsu-ya about 10 times, and I have to agree with fellow yelper Andy D about the service at the bar. The sushi chefs are pretty awful. They don't talk to you at all. They are very busy making food for the tables, and they're yelling toward you all the time calling out to the waiters or saying bye to the customers. It's constant yelling. The last time I went, the sushi chef in front of us totally ignored us, so the waiter came over and asked if we wanted anything bc he can tell the sushi chef for us. Kinda pathetic, huh?
But, I crave their honey roll, spicy tuna atop crispy rice, the fried shrimp covered in hot sauce/mayo, and their spicy tuna on top of these crispy sesame won ton things, every month. So I go anyways, feeling guilty, because I don't think we should support establishments with bad service.
Hence, I will go again. But probably not as often as i would if the service was better. But I would try to sit at the tables...the waiters have always been nice. Or I would go and eat at the bar if there's no room, but duck my head so the sushi chefs can yell over me.
Katsu-Ya is like dating a girl who's a hot mess: she might look and taste great, but she's gonna be high maintenance.
First, the food. Ever pop something in your mouth and start laughing cause it's so good? The spicy tuna salad on the menu was the perfect starter, and the specials were all phenomenal: the yellowtail with jalapeno, the lobster dynamite roll... this is definitely among the best sushi I've ever had. When your server drags the specials board over, ask her to recommend some things. Everything will probably be awesome.
Unfortunately, I can't really rave about the rest of the stuff. The place is really bright and really loud. I can usually stand one without the other, but together was a little annoying. The service is as frantic as the crowd - and this was on a Monday night. I can only imagine what it's like on a weekend. But this is pretty typical for sushi in L.A., I guess. I'm beginning to think it's more trouble than it's worth; there's so much other great food out there that isn't as fussy an experience.
Finally - and I've complained about this several times before in other reviews - but I can't help thinking how unclassy the $3.50 valet thing is. It's not the amount so much as the idea behind it. Is this just an L.A. thing? One of these days, I'm gonna bring four dollars and fifty cents, and tell the guy to keep the change. I just threw down for sushi, you really need to hustle me for fifty cents? Oh, and I witnessed one of the valets scrape the car behind me all over the curb.
The sushi here gets five stars; everything else gets two. But I rounded down cause of homeboy's car.
a friend took me to KatsuYa in Studio City the other night. it's small, and in a strip mall type location, so i expected it to be like every other sushi place i've ever been to: mediocre to good in quality, tasty raw fish, nothing too spectacular. but i was very pleasantly surprised!
it was a little crowded, but when you walk in the door the entire staff shouts a greeting at you in japanese. we sat at the sushi bar, took a minute to actually get a menu but Ken, the sushi chef serving us, handed us one. i was able to get rolls that i like WITH soy wrap, thankfully, since i can't stand nori and some places don't offer soy wrap. when i saw a roll called "creamy salmon roll" i assumed that it was a pilly roll, so i got that. also a shrimp roll and i think yellowtail. the chefs were working on other orders as well, but ours came out in perfect timing i felt, and i have honestly never had sushi like this before. instead of rolling up a piece of shrimp with that gross crab mixture, the had like chopped the shrimp up into slivered pieces and mixed it with something creamy and delicious, and the texture and flavor was to die for. they also roll their hand rolls differently, like in the pictures, a long log instead of a cone. when the philly roll came, it wasn't just salmon, cream cheese and cucumber, it was chuncks of salmon mixed with this same creamy substance rolled in with cucumber, and it was unbelievable. we also tried a special they had, creamy rock shrimp tempura, and let me just say it was really difficult not to order seconds. battered and deep fried, hot pieces of shrimp with a stunning and sweet glaze over them.
my mouth is watering from talking about this again but i will not only go back whenever i'm in town, but i will tell everyone and be dreaming about it until i do!
I've been wanting to try the original Katsuya for a long time now, but the drive all the way to Studio City has always kept me away. I finally made it out there last week, and I wasn't disappointed =)
We had the Tuna Steak w/ Japanese Salsa - which came with about 12 slices of tuna in a ponzu-like vinaigrette with diced tomatoes and a tower of sliced avocado. I highly recommend this dish, especially if you like tuna. We also got the jumbo scallop w/ yuzu (which comes slightly seared), albacore sashimi, and yellowtail cut roll - all of which were very fresh. The baked crab roll was good - except I would have preferred it without the mayo mixed in.
I also ordered the tamago sushi because I have yet to find a better tamago than the one at Sushi Gen. Katsuya's was very good - still not quite as good as Gen, but definitely close. Another thing worth mentioning is that Katsuya's sushi rice is perfectly seasoned and a lot better than other popular sushi restaurants such as Hide or Komasa.
Parking is basically non-existent on Ventura Blvd, but valet parking is available in their lot for $3.50.
I don't remember exactly what I ordered but it was some type of sushi and soup (miso?) that was filling. I also had a cold green colored drink that I assume was green tea or some type of imitation. The place was packed when we went so its popularity is immediately obvious. The food that I ordered was okay but I'm sure there are much better items on the menu.
My all time favorite sushi dish is here!
Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice with Jalapeño - Hands down the best sushi creation! They take the sushi rice and fry it which adds texture and also slightly sweetens it which gives it a quasi mochi feel. They add the spicy tuna and top it with a tiny slice of jalapeño for additional kick.
However, I do agree with the other reviews, the parking situation / valet can be awkward at times but hey... it's complimentary (no charge)!, and the service could....."should" be better. I gave this place a 4 because it does serve pretty good/creative sushi dishes.
Hint #1, if you plan on eating here. Try some of the items on the special menu. Yes, it's going to be more expensive, but that's why they have expensive sushi chefs,... this is also where they shine,... you just may find a new favorite dish somewhere on that list.
Hint #2, if you plan on having lunch here, save yourself some grief and headache and try dodging out of work just a tad earlier than usual and aim to get there before noon. The lunch crowd rolls in between 12:30- 1:00p.m.
Enjoy!
300 reviews have been written, nothing more needs to be said other than the food is fantastic, and so is the sake.
Katsuya, studio city has to be the best katsuya if you're looking for something chill, not too up tight and a great environment. Go to katsuya, studio city for some amazing spicy tuna on crispy rice, jalepeno yellowtail sashimi, seared albacore with dried onion and the baked hand crab roll!!
Its not super expensive either, i'd say 100 bucks between two ppl with drinks! Valet is complimentary during lunch and only $4 during dinner. This place is never a fail! =)
j.ellis
Wow. Fantastic. I've eaten sushi/sashimi around the country & found Katsu-Ya (Studio City) to be the best in the continental U.S. The decor is simple & stark, the food is anything but! EXCELLENT quality fish, creative combinations and just a delicious experience, start to finish. And for a reasonable price. Couldn't recommend more.
I had heard of Katsu-YA from friends and have been dying to try it. I finally tried it last night and was so happy! The fish was fresh and delicious. The foie gras & scallops was amazing and I also loved the Lobster roll with soy paper. It was a bit crowded but the service was amazing and the sushi came out incredibly fast (we were a party of 9 too!).
Can't wait to go again.
I love Katsu-Ya!! Stick to the specials menu and you'll certainly be in for a treat. This sushi is FRESH and the prices are great for LA. Just make sure you get a reservation on the weekends since the wait can be rough.
Best sushi in the universe!!! I am a sushi snob and I am addicted to this place, but only the studio city location, not the more trendy versions in Hollywood that focus more on the social aspects than the food. Katsuya in Studio City is the one that started the trend and there's a good reason, the food is outstanding.
Must try the yellowtail with jalapeno, baked crab rolls, crispy rice with spicy tuna, creamy rock shrimp tempura. but everything is amazing. Ordering a la carte can get pricey so order the sushi nigiri lunch special when you can. Only $15, delicious and you will leave full.
Absolutely delicious, took a co worker there and they loved it and wanted to make it a regular stop.
We had two Tuna Steaks with Japanese Salsa, Tuna Sashimi with Arugula salad, Tempera Shrimp rolls, and a interesting salmon California style roll (salmon in the middle, fresh sliced avo on top and a dob of creamy sauce on top)
Two people for lunch $90 including tip plus the valet guy.
Is this Katsu-Ya the same as all the other trendy Katusya all over LA?
We all went here today after my sister's graduation from Harvard-Westlake (apparently, if you pay $20k a year for education, you can't just go to a Mexican joint around the corner.. lame..) and we got here 45 minutes before our reservation time so we had to wait for awhile. It was pretty crowded for lunch and the place was tiny. The adults stood around chatting and the kids and I sat there eating Jolly Rancher.
We all ordered a bunch of different rolls.. some from the menu and some from the special menu. The waitress was helpful and recommended some popular, good dishes. We chose out some plain, boring rolls and the waitress suggested similar alternatives with more flavor. I'm glad we listened to her because all the dishes were good.
HOWEVER, the restaurant was crowded so the service was horrible. I asked for ginger about 10 times and had to wait over 40 minutes for it. They refilled the waters but never refilled any of the tea and when I asked them to bring me extra water for my dad, we never got it. The waitress also came back and said that all our dishes were out and if we wanted to order more food. So we ordered a few more dishes because we were still hungry.. and the next thing you know, 4 more dishes from our first order came out. Before you come back and tell a table that all the dishes are out, shouldn't you make sure?? But whatever, I ended up eating it all cause apparently I can eat A LOT these days.
Overall, the food was good but I doubt I would come back. The service sucked, the place was ridiculously crowded and we could barely move. There are other places in LA that are just as good.
BTW, what's up with no prices on the special menu? Yeah, my dad paid for lunch so doesn't matter (I took a peek at the bill and it wasn't cheap..) but I kinda want to know how much everything is!
(Oh, one more thing.. The valet is not very bright. My bf's car was parked in the lot and they took everyone's ticket and got EVERYONE'S car except ours. And even as everyone was leaving, my bf's car was still sitting there. We ended up going up to them and just asking for the keys. What a waste of time.)
"Oh my god, I've died and gone to halibut cheek heaven."
"Oh my god, I've died and gone to spicy tuna on crispy rice heaven."
"Oh my god I've died and gone to albacore carpaccio with arugula salad heaven."
Every plate that was dropped off, those were the first words spoken afterward.
I really really wish that I had written this sooner. I've forgotten some of the things we ordered, but EVERYTHING was amazing. So good. So creative. And its really not TOO expensive either! of course your gonna drop some coin at a place like this but its worth every penny. Considering places like Koi and Nobu, this place is quite affordable.
Ok. Ok. Ok. Seriously, if I haven't convinced you to go there, I don't know what else to do... GO. NOW!
Oh oh oh, I almost forgot. MAKE RESERVATIONS! You'll wait forever if you don't.
I am sorry to say, I was not impressed and I run counter to all these 4-5 star reviews. perhaps living in Japan for close to 10 years on and off since 1981 made me a sushi snob. I dont mean to infer that one has to be in Ginza/Tsukiji for great Sushi. Katsuya is not a sushi place. it is a japanese restaurant.
Pros. they use fresh fish, fusion creations ie. Nobu.
Cons. They pack people in like sardines. I felt like they were milking the hype beyond reason. The owner is no longer there as he is busy being a restaurant administrator ie. similar to Mr. Matsuhisa at Nobu
Sorry but the chefs behind the counter does not speak Japanese and they have not trained or have the same experience like the other chefs in Los Angeles. they are trained well but its like painting by the numbers. This is basically a chain restaurant that one would find in Japan. and chain restaurants are not able to charge the prices this place does. there is value for money and this place does not deliver for the price paid. Gomen Nasai( I am sorry). wont recommend this place for clients. It really felt like a zoo at lunch could not enjoy the food..
This place is special. It doesn't have all the glitzy and glamour, it actually looks pretty worn, but the food is amazing. Service was great. The chefs, on the quiet side, but very friendly otherwise. I asked the chef to pick a couple things for me on my first time. Everything was super fresh and delicious. Be warned, even on one Tuesday night, this place was packed. Can't wait to get back there.
It's been a few years since I have been here.. but in my opinion, the quality of this place has gone way down. Dissapointingly enough.
The spicy tuna on crispy rice is good.. but much smaller than a few years ago. And I think every place in LA has taken it to copy this same dish.
The scallops on foie gras were good.. .but I am surprised they just use regular scallops and not fresh large ones instead. Pricey too! I was hoping that their assorted sashimi platter would be better. They have cheaped out! The slices are paper thin or tiny.
The cajun salmon... was a disaster. Way too salty and gross. Same goes with the cajun halibut cheeks. I thought they'd be tender and light. Nope.. oily, salty, and gross.
Maybe I picked the wrong things.. but it was not good. I won't be returning.. time to try a new place to go.
I really like this place. I've been here many times.. but it's not a place for rolls in my opinion.… Read more »
I didn't realize that the wait at this restaurant could be an hour long! After not having anything to eat all day, I made the mistake of coming here only to spend time in the waiting area, looking over the sushi bar where four sushi chefs were busy dishing out countless fancy looking sashimi and nigiri plates. I typically enjoy people watching, but the experience with sushi deprivation was too much to endure.
Even though the restaurant is subdued in its structural layout, the packed crowd, food presentation, and their movable dry erase board with the listing of daily specials are what make up the splash and flash. Each dish was fresh, petite, and colorfully presented, and I had all kinds of trouble making up my mind about what not to order. Everything looked and sounded so good!
My friend and I finally decided on the following:
--Scallop nigiri: A little small but super fresh and tasty.
--Albacore sashimi with crispy onions: Petite but thick cuts of albacore with tasty crispy onions with ponzu sauce--very addictive and one of the highlights of my dinner.
--Yellowtail tasting: Four different types of yellowtail nigiris ranging from the conventional grade to baby yellowtail. I can definitely taste the difference in the quality between each piece. They also have other types of fish tasting but I couldn't stomach everything.
--Grilled marinated spicy prawns: Three grilled jumbo prawns that were smokin' good on top of fresh greens with miso dressing. The shells were crispy and edible. Very good but the number of prawns could be more.
--SSC Roll: This looked like a simple concept with a bed of California roll at the bottom topped by an asparagus stir fry with shrimps and two different kinds of mushrooms. Initially I thought I had made a mistake in order this dish but it turned out to be amazing.
--Spicy tuna with lobster tempura: One of the larger items we got and the tempura was lightly breaded while this sushi roll rocked with every bite.
--Yellowtail with jalapeno: Portion was small with each yellowtail pieces thinly sliced with an even smaller piece of jalapeno served as topping. It was tasty but not worth the price.
Parking was difficult up and down Ventura so valet ($3.50) is a must. I also suggest for anyone to make a reservation in order to avoid looking desperate in the waiting area. With a demanding crowd, I thought the food came surprisingly fast and service was solid but not as attentive as it could be. With a $85 bill plus tips for two, I thought the overall experience was worthwhile but it's not something I would frequent on a regular basis. 4 stars for the fun and amazing experience, food presentation, exciting menu, and great food.
Everything I had here was amazing. I would've never expected a sushi joint tucked in a little strip mall by a pet store to be so good. I'm pretty certain this was the best sushi I've had in my life. Must have: Toro, yellowtail with jalapeno, uni, foie gras and scallop.
We were in LA for the weekend and our friend suggested Katsu-Ya, a non-flashy, unaffected LA restaurant. Well, I'm glad we took her advice and made the trip to Studio City for this tiny, unpretentious joint tucked in a little plaza on Ventura boulevard.
From my experience, Japanese restaurants with a specialty white board is always a good thing. It tells me the following: 1) they carry a variety of fish 2)has prime parts of tuna such as Toro and 3)has an innovative flair to their traditional/classic sushi dishes. I think I was right on the dot.
Here's what we ordered from the white board and each one of them is a MUST-TRY:
-Oyster spoon (piquant)
-Baked lobster (i wanted to lick the shells clean)
- Crispy rice spicy tuna (creamy goodness with a bit of crunch)
-Scallop kiwi (palatable)
-Jalapeno tuna (stimulating on the palate)
-Kobe beef with mushroom and asparagus (good filler)
-Tuna tartar on crispy chip (nice combo of textures)
-Seared garlic toro with fried herbs (the bf and i fought for the last piece)
- Super Toro (heavenly... the marbeling of the fat is mouthwatering!)
Check out the pics so you know what the actual dishes look like!
Hands down my favorite Sushi Restaurant. The creativity and freshness of the fish are what keep me coming back. The Tuna Tartare on crispy rice is awesome. This is the OG Katsu Ya that I have been going to for years, not the overpriced trendspots.
You gotta make a rez here and don't complain if you have to wait. This is not a large place people.. it's not their fault.
I joined Yelp just so I could review my favorite place to eat, Katsuya Studio City. The sushi here is mouth watering. It is like your mouth having an orgasm. I dream of it at night. I annoy people during the day by talking about it constantly. A list of my favorite things...
-Baked Crab Hand Roll
-Yellowtail sashimi with jalapenos
-Albacore sashimi with crispy onions
-Creamy rock shrimp tempura
-Spicy tuna on crispy rice
-Spanish mackerel sashimi
-Lobster dynamite
-EVERYTHING ELSE
Oh god, I want it right now. It should be illegal it's so damn good! Good luck getting through to their constantly off the hook phone, but other than that, you are in for a treat! Also, this location has better food than the rest of them (not to mention-no struggling actors serving your food), so it is worth a drive to the Valley.
All Drinks Half Price Thu. &…
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Happy Hour and Tapas Menu
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Neighborhood: Studio City
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Studio City
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: North Hollywood
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Studio City
Category: Sushi Bars
Studio City, CA
Category: Sushi Bars
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