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Musha Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Asian Fusion Japanese, Asian Fusion [Edit]
1725 W Carson StSte B
Torrance, CA 90501
Neighborhood: Torrance
(310) 787-7344
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 6 pm - 11:30 pm
Sun 6 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
579 reviews for Musha Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Cheese Risotto (SOOOO GOOD, nom nom nom."
(in 183 reviews)
"Try the Ebi Mayo Mayo and the Gyu Hire Ponzu."
(in 57 reviews)
"Black sesame ice cream-great end to a delicious meal."
(in 41 reviews)
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579 reviews in English
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Review from Maureen C.
San Diego, CA
2/9/2012
What a fabulous place!
I was in town for work, and staying around the corner from Musha. As usual, checked Yelp! for "nearby" restaurants, and Musha was on top of my list. In a shopping center, along with a dozen other Japanese/Taiwanese/Chinese restaurants, it looked cozy inside on a rainy evening, so I parked and walked in.
The owner? kindly asked if I wished to sit at the low bar that faced the kitchen and sushi chefs. Though they were very busy this evening, it was still a good choice for a solo diner. Ordered an ice cold Kirin on drought, and tried to decide on food - there were so many enticing choices.
Everyone was so amazingly sweet! The owner even offered to 1/2 some of the menu choices for me so I could try a few different things without being wasteful or overly stuffed. After 7pm, this place gets seriously busy, so if you are truly hungry - go early or grab a snack beforehand!
After I ordered, the chef handed over a beautiful mini platter with a banana leaf topped with Japanese pickled vegetables, with the explanation that my food orders may take a while, so I should try these to hold me over - again, so sweet! And, very tasty :-)
I enjoyed:
Takotama omelette - one of their signature dishes, it is a thin omelette with yakitori-style noodles sandwiched in between, a sweet sauce, topped with salty/tangy radish - yum!
1/2 Yaki Oni - sauteed rice triangles that are so much tastier than my description. 1 (the true order comes with 2) is more than enough for 1 person.
Miso soup - their version is the kind with portobello mushrooms thinly sliced, and hearty cubes of tofu. On the perfect side of salty, and nicely flavoured.
Many other tables were ordering the Shichirin grill dishes (mini open-coal grills with your option of meats/veggies to grill), and for a group (of even 2), this would be a good option to go with. Their hamachi sashimi also looked delicious, but I will have to return to Musha's other offerings.
They bring a small cup of plum tea at the end of your meal to aid digestion that was icing on the cake - a kind gesture, so soothing. And the cherry on top? My server wanted me to try their sesame ice cream, so he offered to bring out a taste for me - I felt so spoiled here!
It was a lovely experience, wonderful people and good food. I will be back :-) -
Review from Tim E.
Arcadia, CA
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
My friend raved about this place like it was hands down the best thing he's ever eaten.
I tried the Pasadena location and that place SUCKED!
Upon coming here another friend told me this is her favorite place. We met up here after the super bowl and I had happy hopes I would be amazed. Since it was after the super bowl I was stuffed from the earlier snacks.
We ended up ordering some Sake that was forgettable, mainly because the bad after taste. The Buta Kakuni which I forgot I got in Pasadena which was much better than Pasadena with but overall just okay. The last item was the Cheese Risotto which was similar to Pasadena and probably their best dish.
The only A rating was my dinner companion otherwise the food was A-okay. -
Review from Chung L.
South El Monte, CA
2/3/2012
i was recommended to this place by my friend. i came here twice last year , and i can tell u that this place is a great place for food, friends and family.
if u are into japanese / fusion then why not give this place a try -
Review from Caroline W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/27/2012
I seriously heart this place. Love!
The more I come here, the more I love it. The more things I try, the more I love it. I can't even try all the items I want, because there are just too many things that I already love.
My faves and must try:
Cheese Risotto - OMG... sooo good. Even if you're lactose, you gotta try this... the pleasure will be worth the pain. Love that it's mixed in a block of cheese and you can tell them how cheesy you want it.
Seared Mackerel - Amazing!! They bring out the mackerel and sear it with a blow torch. So fresh, so tasty, so juicy... too damn good.
Baguette Gratin - Fluffy, soft bread filled with cheese and scallops. You wouldn't think much of this, but trust me, this is simply divine. Lovely and love!
Rib Eye on the Charcoal Grill - High quality beef, love the charcoal flavor, yummy sauces.
Cheese Tofu with Honey - One of favorites just because it's so freakin cute with the honey pot and the wooden dipper. The cheese tofu is light and almost refreshing and the combination with honey is unexpected, but delightful. It's like a treat in your mouth and will make you happy.
Service here is excellent and always very friendly.
The perfect environment to eat, drink and be merry.
P.S. I think this location is much better than the Santa Monica location - both food and overall ambiance. It's bigger, more laid back, more of that authentic japanese vibe with good people looking for a good time. -
Review from Angela A.
Los Angeles, CA
Musha is an izakaya restaurant so the food here are Japanese tapa-style. They open at 6pm so I highly recommend making dinner reservations the day before. Dinner time gets packed, since it is a small restaurant. And wait time can be 20-45 mins dpo the size of your party. Also if you are sensitive to smoke, then bring your inhaler because the venue has really poor ventilation. There's sizzling plates and Shichirin grillers on tables that make it really smoky inside.
If you have not eaten an octopus, you must try it in the takotama. Musha's signature dish is an omelet with octopus, onion, shititake covered with noodles. It is delicious that you forget you are eating something with tentacles! We always get Musha's cheese risotto. Everybody loves risotto and the best part here is that they serve it to you in a giant block of parmesan cheese. It's best to eat this alongside with a veggie dish like the mushroom and asparagus and oshinko (Japanese pickles).
Other goodies are the Ebi mayo mayo (definitely not your Chinese restaurant's honey walnut shrimp), the buta kakuni (must get if you are a pork lover), yaki udon, and the Gyu Hire Ponzu - which they a Shichirin griller is placed on your table and you cook the meat yourself. You feel like you are cooking in Edo Japan.
Please leave room for dessert. The black sesame ice cream with black honey is sooooooo to die for. Two heaping scoops of black sesame ice cream is drizzled with black honey, and frosted flakes!
Good for groups, but again, please make reservations. -
Review from Jenn Y.
12/13/2011
i really thought I wrote a review about this place a long time ago but I'm dropping it now...
Musha is an izakaya or as I like to call it where Tapas meets Japan!
I always end up coming here for Birthday dinners; they do this cool thing where they shut off the lights here and everyone in the restaurant sings "Happy Birthday" and they light this huge fire in the kitchen which lights up the whole place!!! I love it! It's so cool!
Okay, let me get to the food. The service in this place is so friendly and they show you a great time. They are always quick to recommend the good stuff to you!
Some stuff I love here...
CHEESE TOFU:
They bring a a dish with crackers and bread and this spread
that's "supposedly" made of cheese and tofu with honey. DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!
JIDORI YUZU GOSHO YAKI:
The leg of chicken is soooo tender and flavorful. I can EAT A WHOLE CHICKEN LIKE THIS! The pepper and the yuzu combo makes it oh so good...
CHEESE RISOTTO:
See a trend here? I guess I love me some Queso. This dish is awesome because they serve it tableside in a Parmesean Wheel. I really enjoy it with the chicken but really, with everything here.
BEEF TENDERLOIN (prepared on the mini Japanese grill)
The meat was sooo tender and juicy, only problem is that it's tapa sized :(
Can't wait for my next visit! Lot's of stuff here so I'm sure there's a lil something for everyone! -
Review from Jon H.
San Pedro, CA
12/14/2011
There are not a lot of restaurants where i have a problem of what to choose to eat, but this place always makes me so indecisive. I have tried almost everything on the menu here and I have yet to find anything on the menu that I do not like.
My personal favorites are the butta kakuni, ebi mayo, snow crab salad, and cheese risotto.
Service here is nothing but excellent.
Musha is by far one of my favorite restaurants and I would definately reccomend this place. -
Review from Shan S.
Livermore, CA
1/2/2012
One of the dishes we had was the ebi mayo mayo and like everyone said it was very good. One note is don't go there looking for any standard Americanized dishes such as teriyaki chicken, bento boxes etc. The person I went with wanted items like that and of course those types of items were not available.
I would go back again! -
Review from Cici C.
Torrance, CA
12/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Been here many times and love it every single time.
Some of my staples here are: cheese risotto (it comes to your table in a giant cheese wedge), MFC, gyu hire ponzu or tanshio, and tonjiru! I've had many other items on the menu and they're all very good. I also try and check out what their specials are as well.
Usually I get their Calpi-chu (Calpis w/soda & shochu) or hot sake. They have a variety of alcohol to choose from as well.
The atmosphere can get quiet noisy when the place is packed, but I do enjoy how lively it gets. It's a nice cozy place, especially if you get seated at the center table with other groups!
Definitely recommend trying this place at least once. Probably one of my favorite modern izakaya restaurants. -
Review from Regina S.
Updated - 12/12/2011
Their menu has changed. That means so did their prices. That means I ordered less items freely. That brought down my Musha experience.
What else they changed is the ingredients in their food. The mushroom and asparagus tasted saltier and brimmier. Not the bacon kind, but as if they used bacon grease on some poor vegetables. But they didn't. I confirmed through their cook.
The ambiance is family style, if you consider sitting around a big table with other parties a family style. You still get your own elbow room and don't feel like you have to make eye contact with others next to you, which is cool.
I high recommend their cheese risotto, mushroom and asparagus, green tea, beef tongue (super expensive though, because we had 2 orders to a person), noodle ___(blanking on name, but it has fish flakes and octopus), and a few other items that I regularly get there, but didn't get last time because of the disappointing prices. I have to say---this is the best of ALL Musha restaurants in the LA county...for that reason, I give them their 5 All Stars! Tehe. I'm definitely coming back :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/16/2010
Wowowowow. What a show. They make everything so entertaining. From the fire from the chef's window… Read more »
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Review from Grace K.
11/4/2011
4.5 stars
This place kicks it up a notch from classic izakaya to fusion dishes. I've been here a few times and everything I've tried is tasty. It's just a matter of preference for what kind of flavor combinations you are looking for. Service is solid with suggestions on what to order.
Their black sesame ice cream is a good treat to end with. -
Review from rachel c.
Hermosa Beach, CA
1/9/2012
So good. A perfect example of new Asian fusion combined with classic dishes. I went here with my Dad and like usual, we over-ordered...it was a blessing! Everything had a great balance of flavors, and the dishes were well thought out but not over the top. A very fun experience, I highly recommend to anyone.
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Review from Sunny L.
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Torihei had an hour and half walk-in waiting list, so we walked across the plaza to Musha for a 40 minute wait.
Once we got seated, we sat on a communal booth, and shared a large long table with several parties. It wasn't bad for a casual dinner.
We first ordered the Hamachi yellowtail jalapeno, ponzu sauce, and peppercorn. I loved the quality of the fish, ever thing was nice, but i could do without the peppercorn. I rate it a 4/5
Beef tongue was total perfection. I almost died that night from eating this. I rate it 5/5
Cheese Risotto was so cool, it was entertaining watching them mix our risotto straight out of a giant cheese bowl and delicious to pair. It seemed like the thing to order here, every couple minutes a server would come out and mix up a cheesy bowl of risotto for some party. 4/5
Chicken leg 3/5
The Baguette cheese scallop was so amazing. The cheesy bread with scallops and scallions on top was flavorful and filling. Definite reorder, and its perfect for 2 -3 people to share. -
Review from Janice M.
San Francisco, CA
11/21/2011
Can we say scrumptious??? :). This is what we ate:
Lobster roll
Cow tongue
Hamachi Kama
Cheese risotto
Fried chicken
Pork belly with potatoes
Mushrooms and asparagus
Spicy tuna with rice crackers
Black sesame ice cream with black honey
We left after a wonderful 3.5 hours of dining happy and full. I would definitely be getting the lobster roll, fried chicken, pork belly and the black sesame ice cream again. So spoiled to be from l.a. And to be able to eat awesome Japanese food! :). Me thinks this place is way better than Izakaya Sozai in sf! ;) -
Review from troy h.
11/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Don't believe the hype.
Came here with some friends recently. Heard lots of great things about it. None were really true.
Yes, their seared saba is off the hook, everything else is so-so.
Grilled mushrooms, and all of their Izakaya style dishes were nothing to write home about.
Too many other places in the area to try.
My recommendation, skip it... -
Review from Ayumi S.
Torrance, CA
10/22/2011
Musha has good udon, yet, I STILL prefer Nijiya's udon!
Been coming here since I was a littile youngin' as well, and I miss being able to get the kids meal.
Had a little Doraimon set with a surprise dessert at the bottom! Which was super delicious btw.
Their vegetable tempuras are very good though.
That is all. -
Review from Lauren T.
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Reservation for 12 people at 8:30 last night. Didn't get seated until 9:10 pm...but they gave us free pitchers of Kirin all night to make up for the delay. Our host/server was very informative, attentive, and friendly. All in all, I really enjoyed our experience and meal.
Buta Kakuni: Pork belly boiled for 4 hours to tenderize and reduce fat. I didn't try this dish but my bf and his friend did and they really enjoyed it.
Cheese Rissoto: Not a fan. Japanese grain brown rice cooked with chicken broth later pan fried with bacon, onion, and heavy cream served in a quarter cheese wheel. I was not at all what I expected, but then again it's a Japanese restaurant's attempt to make an Italian dish. You can decide for yourself. I didn't like it.
Ebi Mayo Mayo: Battered shrimp with sauces. Really good. It had a buttery/creamy taste to it.
Green Salad: A heaping pile of leafy greens, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumber. Very light. A good precursor to the evening's selection of Japanese dishes.
Gyu Hire Ponzu: Raw pieces of beef tenderloin served on a plate with a portable charcoal grill to cook your meat at your table. The ponzu sauce was awesome.
Musha's Fried Chicken: Winner of best dish of the night. A definite must for your visit. Really Awesome.
Baguette Gratin: Another success at the table. Scallops, bread, cheese. It all worked together, especially for the bf who doesn't care much for seafood.
Tuna Poke: Really good. Served with a rice cracker. The tuna and its soft tender salty pieces married well with the dry, crispy rice cracker.
Yaki Udon: A nice dish of meat, veggies, and udon. I liked it, but there were better dishes at the table.
Takotama: Omelet with octopus, onion, shititake covered with noodles. With all these ingredients, I was surprised to find this dish very tasty. It works somehow. It's a really good dish.
Negitoro Menchi Katsu: Pork katsu with egg on top served over a bed of rice. A friend at the table said it is the best dish at the restaurant. I am not sure about that, but I can see why he would feel that way.
Ai Kamo Ponzu: Duck in a light ponzu sauce served cold. Yum! Very light. A nice appetizer for the table. Really enjoyed it.
Asari Sakamushi: Steamed clams in a broth. The clams were great and the broth was buttery goodness.
Creme Brulee: Our waiter made this big production to sing happy birthday to our friend. They turned off all the lights and sang happy birthday along to the happy birthday song they played on the restaurant's speakers. After my friend blew out his candle, one of the chefs from the back lit this huge fire on in the kitchen that made it look like fireworks. We were entertained.
Despite the 40 minute wait with a reservation, Musha did a great job trying to accommodate our large party. Free pitchers of beer throughout the night? You guys know how to keep a party of 12 happy! At first we had an issue with seating, but they immediately corrected themselves and gave us the huge table in the middle.
The service was great. The plating was beautiful. We all enjoyed ourselves. I definitely look forward to my next visit to Musha. They ran out of sting ray last time so I am hoping to try it during my next visit.Listed in: Asian Restaurants, I heart Seafood, Souff Bay
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Review from Yuka Y.
San Jose, CA
11/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
My bf and I stopped by before our disneyland trip. He's been here before when visiting LA so he knew what to order.
I would have given this place a 5 if they didn't give me the check 30min before I was leaving. We didn't even ask for it and we were waiting for 3 other dishes. I guess it was lack of teamwork among the servers. Other than that drinks,food,atmosphere was great :)
We ordered the karage, cheese rissotto, shichirin Yaki w gyutan and squid, maple syrup creme brulee. Everthing was to die for! Menu is small so easy to order. They have their recommendations on top so its easy to order for an indecisive person (like me!) -
Review from Cynthia B.
San Pedro, CA
11/22/2011
Love this restaurant!
I feel like I'm on holidays for a few hours when I go to Musha.
Food is fun and excellent.
Service is very nice and pleasant.
I enjoy sitting at the "Stamm Tisch" (group table)
You can enjoy small plates to share with your dining companions along with a beer or glass of wine/Sake.
Really a great place to escape and relax. -
Review from Brian P.
Rosemead, CA
9/21/2011
[Brian's take on star ratings (restaurants): 5 - I'd request my last meal from here and service was spectacular, 4 - A shortcoming or two but still fabulous, 3 - Not my cup of tea but definitely may be someone else's, 2 - I would not return here, 1 - Not only was the food bad but the service was poor.]
Yes. I would request my last meal from here. I can't fathom giving any restaurant I've been to a higher rating than Musha. If you disagree with me, you are wrong. 5+ stars, period.
The wait can be long...because their food is awesome. What else would you expect?
The tab can get expensive...but the food is well worth it! Every dish is prepared fresh, and the quality is bar-none amazing.
The ambiance, in two words: crowded / loud...because it's a freakin' IZAKAYA style restaurant! Google it, or read the front of their menu. It's supposed to be crowded and loud. Of course you wouldn't want to bring a first date here, seeing as you'd probably want to talk & get to know each other. Come here with the people you already like/love. It's all about the camaraderie baby.
Some fail-proof recommendations:
Tanshio: thin slices of salted gyu-tan you grill at the table. If you're a tongue fan, this will hit the spot, and if you're not or never tried it, give it a chance here.
Itarime: dried squid you also grill. This + butter sauce + sriracha = holy $#!+. Amazing.
Udon vongole: this has some amazingly tasty broth, coupled with a generous helping of manila clams. Savory. Triple brownie points for the sliced garlic.
MFC (Musha's Fried Chicken): great staple dish, and the breading is light and not overwhelming. Juicy chicken within.
Baguette gratin: personal favorite. The filling is amazing. I could probably eat an entire foot of this.
I pretty much haven't been disappointed with any item I've tried there when I feel like experimenting, but the above are my go-to's. The staff is amazing amazing amazing, & the menu can be intimidating for first-timers so that's a good thing since you'll probably want to ask a few questions.
Oh, and try not to order rice. Not that their rice isn't good, but trust me, you'll want to try a LOT of things on the menu and you don't want to fill up on rice.
Do it. You won't be sorry you tried this awesome place. -
Review from Pauline L.
Rosemead, CA
Ack! I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet!! Gasp! I LOVE this place! Came here again tonight for dinner for a friend's birthday. I've been here quite a few times and have never had a bad experience. Service is always friendly and the food is always delicious! My favorite dishes here are the pork belly and the cheese risotto (that comes in that huge block of cheese!!). Close seconds are the beef tongue, the cheese tofu spread and the garlic butter clams. I've never had a disappointing dish here. Only thing is that it can get a little pricey if you get carried away with ordering everything, haha. I kinda like the big communal table in the center and they actually take reservations, which is a big plus! I have to say this Musha is better than the one in Santa Monica though. Not sure what it is...it's just better.
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Review from Fuji K.
Seal Beach, CA
11/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is a great drinking, social and eating place. Quality of the food is wonderful and the menu has a great variety of food and drinks. I recommend attending with a group of buddies as this is a place to share many dishes and enjoy company with great food and drink!
So far everything that I have ordered off the menu has been nothing less than amazing. I definitely enjoy the beef tongue, the pasta and steamed clams. I always have a craving for this place every time we are in the area. It is just so hard to choose because Torihei is literally 10 yards away. -
Review from X B.
Redondo Beach, CA
Updated - 11/7/2011
OMG, they made their own chicken liver pate! yummy!
yellowtail sashimi-yummy with fresh red peppercorn.
stingray on grill-yummy1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/27/2011
This is one of our favorite places. We pretty much had everything on the menu. It's all good, some… Read more »
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Review from Vikky D.
Long Beach, CA
11/28/2011
So disappointed by Musha. Not sure why over-priced but mediocre Japanese izakaya food warrants a constant line for a table at this place. We ordered 5 dishes and 2 non-alcoholic drinks for a total of $46 before tip. We seriously had the worst seat in the house, at the end of a long bench across from the dishwasher and right beside the cash register. We were hungry after our 40 minute wait for a table so Husband quickly ordered 5 dishes for us to share...pork belly (big portion, sweet, not bad) eggrolls with some Mochi cheese concoction inside (weird and meh) yaki udon (gray meat, gray gravy, gross) potato crochette (just okay), and spicy tuna (good but needs more rice crackers). We ate as much as we could stomach and got out of there in about half an hour. Never again!!
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Review from Ami T.
9/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Why haven't I reviewed Musha till today!?!? Maybe it's because I have nothing to say, except.... it's AWESOME!!!
I've been coming here for the last 10+ years and the food is the number one reason why I keep coming back. They have many delicious original dishes. It used to have mostly Japanese clientele but thanks to the magic power of Yelp, I see more and more non-Japanese people at Musha. But what's great about this place is that even though they see more American customers these days, their menu is still very Japanese and all the servers are Japanese, offering great service. In short, they keep it real. I hate it when Japanese places become really popular and they slowly become more and more Americanized! (hello gyukaku!)
My favorites:
- Salad with crab meat on top (I forget the name of it, even though I get it all the time... I think it might be called Musha salad... but not sure)
- Cheese Tofu (delicious mixture of tofu and a few different kinds of cheese, served with baguette and crackers).
- Kabocha dip (pumpkin dip served with crackers).
- Tako-tama (Japanese style omelette with yakisoba inside, this is my hubby's absolute favorite).
- Ebi mayo mayo (deep fried shrimp drizzled with yummy sauce and mayo).
- Cheese risotto (the famous risotto)
- Black sesame ice cream (mmmmm! soooo freaking good!)
One drawback is that it is pretty loud in there, so at times it's hard to hear what your friend is saying to you from across the table, especially if you go with a big group. Definitely not a romantic date spot kinda place.
Lastly, they have a cool birthday celebration here. I won't say more than that. Just take somebody for their birthday and you'll see. -
Review from Diane N.
8/15/2011
If I made six figures, I would frequent here more than McD's. The food is creatively delicious. My list in order from top to least fav so far.
SALMON SASHIMI w/ JALAPENO SAUCE -love it
KABOCHA DIP -very different, the crackers go smoothly with the squash dip and whip cream
BAGUETTE GRATIN -very rich and creamy. Scallops and seafood in baguettes baked with cheese.
FRIED RICE w/ PORK and MUSHROOM -commonplace sort of dish, but still very tasty
LOBSTER ROLL -(no rice) small rolls with creamy pieces of lobster
EBI MAYO MAYO -the thousand island-like sauce and mayo was overpowering. This was the one dish I disliked.
I wish I wasn't too full for dessert. Service can be unattentive at times. Also, word to the wise, do not get seated at the tiny table for two by the wall because it won't hold many dishes and the feeling of being cramped may ruin your dinner.Listed in: Japanese
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Review from jacky k c.
Fremont, CA
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
tip: pure izakaya place (loud, beef flowing everywhere), even has asahi black!
Take a look at the pictures and you'll have to order the beef, beef tongue on that makeshift grill with japanese charcoal. the tenderloin beef sticks to the chicken wire mesh, so one hand tongs and one hand chopsticks. the prices are too inflated for most items, and many of them were sold out when i got there (8:30pm, friday night). baguette gratin was too rich for me cuz it was really cheesy (also have to eat right away or the bread will soften). not a fan of cheese items in asian places, so did not try the cheese risotto. best dish of the night had to be the mackerel seared right in front of your face w/ hand torch. slightly blackened skin and seriously tender inside. sesame ice cream dessert was crap (didn't have the pronounced sesame flavor, just creamy), avoid.
i'm sure next time i'll order different items and items that'll be available for the night. this place deserves a 2nd chance. overall taste of all food is just okay, so 3 stars. -
Review from Saya V.
Los Angeles, CA
8/7/2011
Hey, a girl's gotta eat, right?
Cheese Tofu...
Yeah, I know. When I first read 'cheese tofu' on Musha's menu, it sounded questionable to me too. In fact, I skipped right over the description and mentally crossed it off the list of things I wanted to try. Luckily my savvier dining companions knew better and ordered one for the table despite my doubtfully furrowed brows. The rest, as they say, is history.
Mozzarella. Cream cheese. Soy. Add some crusty bread and a drizzle of honey and it's instant guilty pleasure for your palate. Who knew?
Aburi Shimesaba...
This is fresh mackerel seared tableside so the skin is charred and the fish lightly warmed. It's served with a dab of what appeared to be hot mustard but I say no dipping required for this little guy. It's flavorful enough to stand on its own.
Ai Kamo Ponzu...
Grilled duck marinated with ponzu. That's right. Duck. Deliciously silky, buttery duck. So decadent when paired with the light citrus of ponzu.
Jidori Yuzu Gosho Yaki...
It's just a grilled leg of chicken if you think about it, but somehow so much better. The skin is crisp and salty, the meat juicy and tender. Try it at least once with the yuzu pepper. Although enjoyable enough as is, the citrus pepper paste really elevates it to another level.
Cheese Risotto...
Musha does their cheese right. Others have commented on the texture of the risotto but I have no complaints. Then again, I'm a fan of chewier rice which I think lends well to the bacon-laced creaminess of this dish. Another nice touch..they bring the risotto to the table IN A BLOCK OF CHEESE and scrape it around, infusing more cheesy goodness before serving.
Tanshio...
This dish is prepared at the table--by you--on a shichirin, or small Japanese charcoal grill. Beef tongue probably doesn't sound like the choicest cut of meat but the thin slices fresh off the charcoal were tender and savory.
Musha offers a variety of shichirin grilling items..for next time, the beef tenderloin and grilled squid are definitely in the queue.
We all know a girl's gotta eat..but it's a great meal indeed when she can eat like this. -
Review from Anthony N.
Playa del Rey, CA
Updated - 7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
***Musha's take on Japanese food is different, but the food is not as good as the many satisfying Japanese restaurants in the Torrance/Gardena area (Yuzu, I-naba, Sanuki No Sato)***
Musha is a Japanese tapas restaurant in Torrance--an area that has more than its fair share of good Japanese restaurants. The restaurant is small and a little bit smoky (due to the crammed space, the exposed kitchen and a lot of tableside and do-it-yourself cooking). The dining room is quite crowded and the atmosphere is lively.
There are a wide variety of dishes on their menu (both cold and hot) and we tried a lot. Here is a rundown on some of the dishes we had.
(Kanpachi yellowtail sashimi) The yellowtail was somewhat fresh and soft, but the sashimi here would not be up to the quality and freshness you will find at sushi places on the westside.
(Fried chicken) The fried chicken was a little bit fatty, but it was a good mix of crispy outside and juicy inside.
(Tuna poke) This tuna dish was not that bad and was reasonably fresh, but it was a small portion.
(Somen noodles) These noodles were very fine and light and served in a light garlic sauce.
(Duck breast) The duck breast was served cold, but it was okay.
(Pork belly) The pork belly was served braised and with tender pot roast-like potatoes and a boiled egg. The pork belly here lacked both the contrasting texture (crispy and tender) and the richness featured in several pork belly dishes throughout LA.
(Cheese risotto) I think this dish is a lot more about the tableside presentation than the resulting flavor. It was creamy and cheesy but just okay.
(Kabocha squash dip with crackers) This was a little weird. It consisted of Kabocha squash that was shaped like a cheese ball-- and served with Club-like crackers. I thought it was a little bland.
(Crispy rice) Kind of like spicy tuna over crispy rice without the spicy tuna. It was a little lacking in flavor.
(Fried shrimp with mayo) The shrimp was crispy and not dry in the center. I'm not a fan of mayo on a lot of dishes (especially hot dishes). There was a little bit too much mayo here.
Service was okay. It was a big group so (not surprisingly) some dishes (or exact number of dishes) seemed to be forgotten.
Prices were not too high, but as with any type of tapas place, prices can really start to add up if you are not careful with ordering.
The food here is okay. Nothing really stands out, but there were also not any really bad dishes. Musha's family style Japanese food concept is different, but there are many other better options for Japanese food in this area (I-naba, Yuzu, Sanuki No Sato).
Parking is available in the free lot adjacent to Musha (easy to find a parking space here).1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/20/2009
This tiny Japanese place serves small plates family style. The place gets quite loud. But more… Read more »
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Review from Agustin K.
Summit, NJ
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Interesting dishes... not sure if anything really stood out though. Maybe only when the risotto wheel came to the table I was excited but not for long.
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Review from Eunice J.
Torrance, CA
Updated - 8/22/2011
This place doesn't get old. I came here with a bunch of my high school girlfriends tonight and we ordered the Sparkling Sake, Albacore Tuna Sashimi, Takotama, Gyu Hire Ponzu (grill), Eihire (grill), and Cheese Risotto.
even more COMMENTS:
1) The service was still pretty dang good. Fo'sho.
2) The Albacore Tuna Sashimi MELTS in your mouth. It's pretty thick too! I don't know how Musha keeps doing it, but the fish here is always so good!! (It's even better than Sugarfish)
3) No more Lemon Salmon. T.T2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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7/4/2011
Went again this weekend with a friend late at night and we got the chilled sparkling sake (tastes… Read more »
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Review from JoAnn H.
Los Angeles, CA
10/4/2011
We just moved to Torrance from Hollywood area and we came here on a double date. A friend of ours recommended it and I really loved it. Everything was really good and the ambiance was very low-key and just a fun little place to go and have some sake and good food. We ordered a lot of food too, and 2 bottles of sake and 2 bottles of beer and it was only $100 per couple!?? Did they calculate that wrong??
We had:
Yellow Tail Cheek (My husband and my favorite! Could eat another plate of that) Came with 2 cheeks
Grilled chicken leg (It was tasty but it was ok, you can get this anywhere)
Musha's fried chicken (It was tasty and crispy)
Cheese Risotto (YUM! I can see why this is a popular dish! Do they use brown rice in this?? IT was a little chewy, not like al dente rice chewy but like brown rice chewy. I loved it and loved the presentation)
Cheese tofu (loved the actual spread but didn't like the bread it came with. Very bland, cold bread.. But we loved the cheese tofu)
Crispy Rice (Least favorite, kind of a waste of tummy space... It was so bland, not even that crispy and boring)
Mackerel (grilled at the table. It was really good and I love the smell of burnt mackerel at our table, yum)
Salmon Sashimi in Ponzu sauce with lemon slice and red peppercorn (one of my favorite. I love Ponzu sauce anyways)
Braised pork belly (I loved it! My husband thought it was too sweet but I thought it was yummy! The portion was nice too)
Kimchee Udon (we ordered this last to finish our drinking night with something spicy. The taste was good, but it was just udon with kimchee on top. I don't understand who they can get any taste from what we saw so my friend thought it was MSG... I tasted some cheese too, like parmesan... But she's convinced it was MSG. .It was ok, probably wouldn't order it again) -
Review from Allan Jay G.
Rialto, CA
8/30/2011 8 photos
Wow ... Musha is a very Unique Japanese restaurant. Usually we eat at places where they have Bento boxes and a large selection of Sushi but not this place. Musha has different dishes that you will have fun eating. Despite the majority of the dishes being in small portions, you can always order more. On a busy Sunday night, we kept ordering more dishes as we pleased and the food came right out of the kitchen faster than the speeding bullet.
Goods
1) Service very good and servers very knowledgable.
2) Cheese Rissotto ... a Japanese/Italian dish you gotta have.
3) Mackerel .. they burn it in front of you too.
4) Sesame Ice Cream ... you have to have this dessert
Downs
1) Small Restaurant ... You can wait for awhile if busy. Reservations recommended.
2) Small Portions ... Not good of you are a budget eater. They serve practically Comfort food so if you only have $25 not a place to eat.
3) They serve beer on Wine Glasses. Make sure you get either a Regular Glass or Mug, hahaha. -
Review from Alda C.
Los Angeles, CA
8/29/2011
I've eaten here three times, and I have found myself licking every last morsel off my spoon, chopsticks, and fingers. Everything seems to have such a unique flavor, but somehow still manages to taste like Granmama's comfort food. If that's at all possible. Come with a large group of people, order many pitchers of beer, and try a lot of stuff on the menu. You really can't go wrong. Unless you're too drunk to operate the grill. Split the bill equally and it will be quite reasonable for all the food you'll get to try and how full your belly will be. Go in a couple and HOPE to sit at the bar to watch the chef in action. Don't forget to offer to buy him a drink ;) Above all else, no matter how full you are, TRY THE CREME BRULEE. You'll have to eat it slowly, but not because of a full tummy, but because you'll want to make it last for as long as you can!
The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and you're greeted as soon as you walk in, in a foreign language. Parking is a big lot and if you're lucky and get tipsy you can stumble over to Maxx Karaoke, woot! Side note, the Torrance location is much better than the SaMo location. The customer service and menu will make the drive worth while, trust me. ;)
Favorites: Buta Kakuni, cheese risotto, yaki udon, ebi mayo mayo, creme brulee. -
Review from alexis b.
3.5
I may have to agree with Troy H. just a tad. This place is borderline of http://Hype.com. Came in on a Saturday evening and was happy we didn't have a wait. But then again RSVP's were made :D We had a great seat got to watch all the action in the whole dining room.
So we started off with some Sake, I forgot the name of the bottle but that was goooood. We started with the spicy tuna and these rice crispy cracker lookin thingys LOL. That was blah, the spicy tuna was fresh but no flavor and no spice at all! Those rice crispy things have no texture and no taste to them at all , I don't get it. Just switch that dish up to spicy tuna on crispy rice and jalepeno like most places do. The pumpkin dip was way to hard and not creamy, if they added some sort of smooth cream it would have been a nice spread on those Club crackers we love to eat, you know those crackers in the green box hehe . Next dish the Pork belly SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!! Very good, tender and that broth nice and sweet and savory. Perfect! Next dish, the albacore sashimi nice and fresh with yummy crunchy sweet onions. NOW for the cheese risotto dish. The presentation is pretty cool, coming out with this HUGE block of cheese with a scooped out tunnel comes to your table and the waitress is scooping out your hot risotto and as she does that your getting the carvings of cheese from that cheese block wall. That was GOOD and cheesy and would get that EVERYTIME I come here. We also did the whole hot rock cooking thing. The beef tongue sooooooo good! That was perfect. The beef tenderloin was fresh and a good piece of meat but they should give you seasoning to come along with that. That could have been a perfect meal. For dessert we had the red bean green tea ice cream dessert. That was tasty as well. I saw a family with that table blow torched Saba and I wish I would have gotten that!
I would give this place another chance after I start my tour of the South bay asian eateries with my new Foodie hubby. -
Review from Jessy M.
Palm Springs, CA
12/10/2011
I went to this place around 1996 when i was working with an awesome band from Japan (eastern youth) and then promptly forgot how to find it, and then... the other night my hubbie got drunk on accident cause he got a grammy nod and he was so hungry and drunk that he needed to eat and in the recesses of my mind i remembered this awesome place and we went here and it is still awesome! try the pippies sooo tasty. better to bring baby or drunk hubbie but not both together.
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Review from S K.
Torrance, CA
12/5/2011
The service was excellent, but the food wasn't really that spectacular, certainly exotic.
Kakuni Porkbelly - This is like a japanese version of adobo! This was probably the best dish ordered, served last. I was however with Filipinos and they would NEVER order adobo from a restaurant! It did not go well with the gal who ordered it. lol.
Udon Yaki - This was good and tasty.
Udon Vongole - This was a bland butter/garlic udon with clams. The Yaki was soooo much better than this.
Takotama - Octopus omelette, covered in mayonnaise and sauce, covered in noodles. The mayo was a bit overpowering, but the dish was certainly tasty and had that "umami" vibe going on.
Negitoro Menchi Katsu - Tuna patties fried and cut in halves served on a plate with a side sauce. The sauce was tasty, was necessary to enjoy the patties. Didn't care for this dish.
At the end of the meal you are given hot tea. -
Review from Jan S.
Long Beach, CA
8/12/2011
I was taken here for my birthday as I had been wanting to try it for a while, and I was not disappointed.
Now I was a little hung over from the night before, so my tummy was not wanting the food stuffs all that much, that was until I tasted it. First we ordered the Takotama, which is kind of a takoyaki-noodles-okonomiyaki type dish which is what you should order when you go here if you don't wanna be a big chunce puh-dunce.
We also ordered the risotto which had a great presentation, the baguette gratin, and a few other roll type things. All of it was great and I look forward to eating here again. -
Review from Linda C.
Redondo Beach, CA
9/23/2011
First time I visited this restaurant with friends, I thought the food was great.
I brought my husband and his parents back to this restaurant about a month later. It was about 6pm on a weeknight and the restaurant was a quarter full. I walked into the restaurant and told the server/hostess that I had a party of four and he told me to wait. Two men in suits walked in right after me and the server seated them immediately. After seating the two other men, the server/hostess comes back to me and tells me that it would be at least a half hour wait.
1. It was incredibly rude to tell me to wait while seating other people that walked in right behind me.
2. The restaurant was not full and there were many empty seats and tables available. The server/hostess could at least offered us a seat if we had to wait. Like most evenings in the South Bay, it was pretty chilly out that night. It would have been nice to wait somewhere warm.
My husband and I have never encountered this lack of service and would advise all of our family and friends never to return. -
Review from Barnabus N.
Torrance, CA
8/14/2011
Love this place!! Can't believe it has been just down the street from my house! My friend found this place through yelp and it's located next to that one all you can get bbq buffet which isn't so great.
If youre looking for a place to just hang out with your friends have a few beers and nibble on some food, then look no further! I can't recall all the jp names of the dishes from the top of my head ..but I can tell u this. Almost everything we ordered was delicious!!
MUST GETS are the risotto and yellowtail! This was just way too tasty!
WHAT YOU SHOULD TRY the asparagus & bacon (super small portion though -_-), the clam soup, that tender pork thing with egg and potato, & the mackerel fish where they use the little torch (personally never liked mackerel but it wasn't too shabby!).
WHAT YOU COULD LIVE WITHOUT the $15 dollar charcoal tenderloin. (Not a good cut of meat and too chewy.)
DON'T BOTHER with the tempura shrimp with jp mayo. (it was eh.)
oh and the service was great and there's a really cute waitress.
