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Mon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
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Went in for a late night snack. We had kobe beef, egg & seaweed soup, & mango sorbet (tasted really fresh and more like ice cream). Waitresses were super attentive and brought out complimentary cantaloupe, hot tea and refilled our drinks without us having to flag them down! Prices are reasonable and they are open till 1 am with last call ending at 12:15 am. I'd definitely go back again ...this time for dinner.
I only gave them 4 stars because I haven't actually had the entrees. I'll be sure to revise this review when I do!
This place is legit. Goood Japanese BBQ!
Having my trusty yelp app ready, we decided to try out Tsuruhashi solely based on the reviews and I can say that we left very satisfied :)
Our order:
*Raw beef and raw egg yolk -- we just had to try it. Quite a nice flavor but the texture just doesn't sit right with me :\ Dining companion LOVED it though
*Prime Skirt Steak -- surprisingly good! medium thickness and long, one of my favorite ones, it was super tender and melt in your mouth good
*Prime Rib Eye -- a thicker smaller cut of meat, good flavor, but not as tender as the skirt surprisingly
*Kobe Boneless Short Rib -- the least expensive Kobe b/c they were out of the others. Crazily marbled and delicious
*Assorted Beef Internal Organs -- ordered by the dining companion.. I did not touch this, besides the tongue (my God it looked exactly like the tongue!) although he said the flavors of the organs were much milder and smoother. A good sign I guess :P
We were served cantaloupe for a dessert and complimentary hot tea... it was a super nice, unexpected touch! I had room for some green tea ice cream which was divine. It must be the same green tea ice cream brand served at Honda-Ya (or Kappo Honda down the street) cause they both taste the same.. really delicious. If anyone knows that brand please LET ME KNOW so I can buy a gallon... or two. :)
Service was EXCELLENT. I will say we were very well taken care of by all the staff and were consistently checked up on. My water was never empty and our grill was replaced once after it started getting charry.
Dinner for two ended up being 53 before tip, not too bad for a quality meal and outstanding service. Thumbs up from me!
People thought this was:
Boys, imagine you're at a bar and in walks a gorgeous brunette with Cameron Diaz's legs, Kristen Bell's eyes, Beyonce's bootie and her name is Toro. Then 2 seconds later... her equally gorgeous blonde identical twin sister walks in and her name is Kobe. Who do you pick? Oh the dilemma. I didn't think I could fall in love with any other food besides fatty toro...and then I tried their Kobe. Wow, it melted in my mouth! Seriously, in the food kingdom, Kobe & Toro are the hottest, two foods that every other food loves to hate. =D So without further delay...here's my Cliff's note review:
Kobe (the $15.00 one). 5 Stars
Sirloin. 4 Stars
Prime Rib. 4 Stars
Bacon wrapped asian yams. 3 stars (pretty bland)
Kim chi fried rice. 4 stars
=================
Total with tax + 1 large Asahi was $65.00
Much like I save the Toro for last when I eat sushi, I'd recommend eating the Kobe last after everything else. Everything else would just seem mediocre after the Kobe. I'd say, Sirloin 1st, Prime Rib 2nd, and Kobe 3rd.
People thought this was:
I had been wanting to try this place for some time since reading the reviews. My wife had been and was craving their Ox Tail Soup so we went for an early dinner.
Hint, the earlier you go the more chances that the families with young kids will be there.
We got there about 5:30 and were seated right away. The service is awesome. I believe they have a 1 3 table server ratio and they all will take care of you.
We started with a large cold Asahi which we shared and some Kimchi. Our first meat order was the tongue in Miso and what I thought was going to be rib eye with slices of onion. Instead the onion was finely chopped and it covered the beef. It smelled heavenly as it grilled and the tongue was awesome.
We then got the Ox Tail soup and I recommend it. It had a very subtle taste and the pieces of meat that fell of the bone were just very tasty.
We wrapped it up with a pork selection that is served with large lettuce leaves and a very good sweet and spicy sauce.
I think I liked every thing that we ordered and my only regret is that I we didn't get the kimchi fries rice. Next time.
By the time we left the wait was already quite long.
People thought this was:
Lives up to the hype.
Lot's of great selections of meats.
Great venue for a large group if you set up the reservation. We shared many types of meats (liver, salted tongue, pork cheek, pork belly, bacon-wrapped yam, rib eye, lamb chop, kalbi beef, et al), all of which were spectacular.
Also shared some kimchi fried rice and salad and PLENTY of beer.
Helpful, friendly, attentive, curteous waitstaff.
Price was reasonable for the amount we consumed and the size of the group.
A DELICIOUS VALUE.
People thought this was:
What isn't there to like about this place. The quality of the meat is quite high, and for the price, you wouldn't get it anywhere else. I mainly order the meats, but also the kimchi fried rice (when I'm lucky enough to get one of the few plates), the seafood platter, yukke, ox tail soup...and their service? Everything is pretty much FANTASTIC! They periodically have specials on bottled alcohol, and the price is pretty good. I love their coconut dessert with vanilla ice cream. What a way to end the night.
People thought this was:
My alternative when Anjin's wait is too long.
They serve very high quality meat and have awesome service. Seems to me the slices of meat are even thicker compared to other yakiniku places. Yum!
I always drive right past it when I go there since it's somewhat hidden at the corner of the plaza. Not until I see the red lantern in my rear view mirror would I know to U turn. lolz!
People thought this was:
I've died and gone to beef heaven. The absolutely best open BBQ place ever. The Kobe beef was so incredible you have to stop in your tracks and say "goddamn that is some amazing beef!!" absolutely unreal!
The tongue was also delicious (i'm not a fan of tongue and I say this.) the kimchi fried rice is right amount of kimchi and fried rice to perfection.
Friendly waitresses and quick service on top of totally reasonable prices. This place is to die for.
The food here is amazing. I'm not a big fan of eating red meat but I am hooked on this restaurant. I highly recommend the kobe beef. Even the cheap cut is good. I don't usually eat the weird organ meats but the beef tongue and pork cheek are crazy good. The beef tail soup is really good too. The price is defintely worth it for the quality of the meat. It's a very small restaurant with few tables, maybe 15 tables total. Since you grill your own food at the table, it's a smoky restaurant and your clothes will be smelly after. Service is really good too, which is unusal for an Asian restaurant. In addition, they have good ice cream. The lychie, mango, and black sesame ice cream (sounds weird) are amazingly good. I am hooked on this place and would definitely recommend it.
Delicious.
High quality, delicious meat and very reasonable prices for what you're getting. Try the Raw Beef if you get a chance, it's kind of an acquired taste but it's definitely delicious.
All in all, a great restaurant. Great service (your drink will never be empty), great food, and great atmosphere.
People thought this was:
Oh me oh my! This place is good! As good as Ralph Lawler's commentary during Clipper games and just as underrated (poor guy is stuck in no mans land commentating for the Clippers).
I don't know if I should be happy or angry. After the revelation of Tsuruhashi, I may have to put in some work. Go back and update all my previous reviews of Asian BBQ joints and take'm down a notch.
The meat here is tender, juicy and obliterates the Japanese BBQ competition.
As for the the Korean BBQ joints, yeah I'll agree that the side dishes are nice, but I don't go to BBQ for some pickled cucumber. I go for the meat. A lot of AYCE KBBQ places seem to be diminishing in quality as of late and I just feel dirty afterward. Indigestion issues and bloating, topped off with a dash of guilt.
Tsuruhashi may not be as hip as some of the Japenese & KBBQ places, but they get their meat done right.
Highly recommended, 5 stars.
People thought this was:
Beer + BBQ + Japanese Dishes + Friends = Good Times
My friends and I finally picked a date to eat here, and man...good food! Service is decent and food is served fairly quickly.
"WARNING" - this place does get PACKED so definitely try to come out early to put your name in. I waited for about 45mins to get our table for 7-8 people.
I personally didn't order any of the dishes, my friends who are well-seasoned patrons of this place ordered everything they felt was delish.
We had this Raw Meat appetizer (with egg yolk) and it was REAL good, a definite must order. Then for the BBQ, we had plates of:
-Tongue
-Ribeye
-Premium Meat
-Sausages
There was probably a lot more, but as the night went on...things became a lil blurry from drinking too much of my, uh..."water"
I'm actually coming back here TONIGHT to eat with friends and finish our bottle of soju that we have saved.
So for those of you going there tonight for dinner...see you there!!
People thought this was:
Tsuruhashi reminds me why i chose to be a 'meatavore' :P
Definitely deserves the 5 stars yelp gives it :D ...no complaints here!
A friend of mine stated that Tsuruhashi was the same owner of Anjin so I already knew the quality would be exceptional. I was not surprised when I discovered that Tsuruhashi was EXTRAORDINARY!
The wait was rather long (45 min), but worth it since there is a 'prehistoric pet shop' a couple doors down to browse at weird looking reptiles while you wait for a table- also home to the noted largest snake in the world yikes! Just remember to put your cell phone number down on the list so they can call you when your table is ready :) and go browse away!
My own rating system for each dish is at the end of each menu description.
1 = Blegh...no taste, will not order it again.
5 = Yumm! Delicious! must get it again!
We ordered:
Seafood Mix 5/5
Miso Marinated beef tongue 5/5
Petite lamb chop 5/5
yam wrapped in bacon and shiso leaf 4/5
kimchi fried rice w/ a fried egg on top 5/5
outside skirt steak 5/5
kobe boneless short rib 5/5
Kimchi Mix 3/5
The dipping sauces paired great with each protein that was given.
I can die happy now...can't wait to go back! :D
People thought this was:
We ate here twice at the end of March/2009 a week after having dinner at their sister location in San Diego. When we came to this location the first time we didn't realize they were associated with each other until recognizing that the menus were almost identical. The server then confirmed that the SD location was fairly new. So between these two locations we ate at Tsuruhashi three times within an eight day period, bringing our friends along for the second visit here the following night.
First time on Friday evening the wait was minimal. The following Saturday night we had to sit on salivating hold over 60 minutes while the manager clearly held open tables for special friends or reservations while we waited with drool running down our cheeks - grrrr. Despite this minor annoyance, that we came back so often over a short period sums up how much we enjoyed eating at this yakinuku.
I summed up our experience in my review of the San Diego location, just simpler to supply the link below. We will be back whenever we return to the LA area!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Oishi des.
People thought this was:
This place is soooo YUMMY!! makes me never wanna go back to Gyu Ga Ku which is overpriced, more fancy of course but their service is way too slow!! better get all you want to eat in the first order or else you have to wait like 20 mins for them to cut up the meat again. Tsuruhashi has great service!! I guess after they read some reviews below they improved a lot. all the female waitresses kept coming over and filling up our drinks and kept asking if we needed anything else.
Okay so the meat here really good quality even the $9 kobe beef boneless!! It was my favorite. The outside skirt steak and beef tongue was always so delicious!! I have to say they have the best bibimbap and kimchi fried rice. Even their assorted mushrooms were high quality mushrooms and not just cheapy white mushrooms we see at many korean bbq places. They actually gave you while mushrooms. the button kinds and the eringi! I think thats what its called! The only thing about this place is that its pretty small, there's only one big table with 2 stoves and if thats reserved then you will have to fit 7 on the other big table with just one stove. The rest are all 4 seats per booth. So do make reservations early if you are going in a big group. I went on a Friday and it was full after 7 PM
love this place and will definitely be back!! The prices were very reasonable too!!
Had 3 different cuts of their Kobe beef items. Practically melt in your mouth good. The cucumber with radish was pretty good too. So was the raw beef with egg yoke.
Very friendly service and for 4 people, it came out to a little over $40 a person so not too bad.
People thought this was:
Straight out Korean BBQ still reigns supreme to me. I just can't get on board the Tsuruhashi bandwagon regardless if it's Osaka/Tokyo style yakiniku. So consider me a turncoat cuz Korean BBQ is the winning side.
With Korean BBQ all the banchan dishes and flavors go perfectly together. I especially love the spicy ssamjang (soybean flavor of doenjang), and this stuff is the best with grilled garlic with a nice roasted finish and some grilled jalapeno's to give the flavors an extra donkey punch. With flavors like this, why would I ever want to eat yakinku!?! Especially when I think most of the Japanese style dishes can barely compare to the Korean stuff..... it's kind of like LG/Samsung/Hyundai vs. Sony/Pioneer/Toyota battling it out.
If I want grilled meats, I'll be eating Korean BBQ. Plus, I don't see the appeal in Tsuruhashi/yakiniku especially when all the biaaatch's are always freak'n touching the temperature of your grille!!?!? I just had to bitch out the freak'n waitress for doing this. I told her "if you touch the temperature setting again, you're paying for our food. WTF!". If I'm paying to cook my food, I'm going to cook it the way I like it, and that's on high heat - I prefer a quick sear with a medium rare/rare finish. I don't want a tepid grille where I slow cook my meat to a rubbery finish..... I worked the grille at the restaurant I worked at, so I don't appreciate the mofo's messing with my grilling. If it's going to be like that, I'd rather cut out the cost and hassle, and just cook at home vs. coming to another yakiniku restaurant. What am I paying for?? If I'm paying for it, I need some hot Japanese chica's sitting across from me, to lure me back.... school girl, gunguro, office lady uniforms, lolita gothic preferred.
For the record between: Anjin, Tsuruhashi, Manpuku, I'd have to say that I liked Manpuku the most, and if I were to be coerced back to one of these places, I choose you poke-man-ku!
People thought this was:
Keep it real and raw.
Tsuruhashi's choice cuts of meat is remarkable.
I slightly flame kissed my skirt steak and it was absolutely to die for.
Believe it or not you must get the kim chi fried rice, your meal will not be complete without the spicy pairing of the rice and your meat.
Intenstine, tripe are tender and flavorful.
The dipping sauce is a favorite among many but for me, I'll pass on the sauce and just enjoy the succulent juicy flavor of the meat itself.
Your meal is not complete without a bottle of Asahi!
People thought this was:
I betrayed my fellow countrymen because I really needed to see what's up with Japanese BBQ. Growing up on Korean BBQ and with the recent all you can eat craze, I was delightfully surprised with the utter bliss that ensued after eating a more reasonable quantity of meat at Tsuruhashi. The place is really small and almost always a wait, but it's not that bad. The location could be better since it's located in a plaza that looks like a homeless guy would slice you up into little pieces and then grill you at this place, but I'm not complaining since I practically grew up in FV's neighbor, Garden Grove.
Each dish of meat is pretty small, but if you take your time and sit there enjoying the quality of the meats with some beer and some sake, you'll leave with your wallet still feeling thick. We tried the Tsuruhashi salad, the ribeye, the tongue, intestines in miso sauce, pork cheek, outside skirt steak, etc... Everything was good, especially the intestines in miso sauce. Though it may not be your run of the mill all you can eat Korean BBQ where you gorge yourself into a meat coma, you'll more than likely enjoy yourself more with the epiphanic meat quality here. Definitely excited for the next time that I come here.
Okay, though i still don't like their thick beef tongue... i LOVE their pork cheek! so juicy (of course cus of the fat) and yummy... their steam rice and the draft beer.... my 2nd visit to this place was awesome!
People thought this was:
After seeing so many good reviews here, perhaps I should give this place another chance? Been here… Read more »
I've been here a couple of times and it hasn't disappointed.
Sometimes they run out of the Kobe Beef, but the others are almost just as good and WAY cheaper! Try the Cow Tongue and Beef Sashimi - it may sound gross, but you won't regret it ! Just don't think about it. And for dessert, go for the lychee ice cream.
The staff is really nice and very attentive. One of my favorite places in Orange County. I've been to Anjin and Gyu-Kaku and they just don't compare.
I'd recommend you make reservations or come in advance and put your name down - the place gets pretty busy. I wouldn't go here for parties of 5+ just because it is a little cramped and it might be awkward for dates because you'll smell.
People thought this was:
What a novel idea to cook your own food. Everytime I go to a place like this, I can hear my mom in the background: "Nicole, you need to learn how to cook, you can't just rely on dining out for the rest of your life."
And, as I'm carefully flipping over the sizzling beef on the convienently placed personal grill, I can't help but think: "Oh, but I AM learning. Check this out, this meat is cooked.... Wait, is it? Oh man, I really should learn how to cook. I forsee a tapeworm occuring."
Tsuruhashi is a genuinely authentic Japanese restaurant, so authentic that EVERYTHING is written in Japanese. If it weren't for my 20/15 eyesight, I probably would have never seen the very tiny English writing that showed that we ordered a plate of liver, tongue and intestine (The BF tried to pull a fast one on me, but I know better).
There are some great choices of meat to choose from, like kobe beef, skirt steak, kalbi, chicken and a variety of pork, especially our favorite: bacon. There is a seafood special that includes shrimp and oysters.
If you like kimchi, then this place's appetizers is the bees nees for your tastebuds. If you like seaweed (and who doesn't), then consider ordering a side of dried seaweed to wrap up your meat.
Every meal is served with two really delicious sauces to dip and marinade the meat. I don't know the names of these sauces, but let's just go with: "awesome-sauce" and "mind-blasting deliciousness-sauce."
At the end of every meal, you are served a couple of slices of cantaloupe and a cup of tea, that smells and tastes delightful. But, please proceed with caution as you will likely be saying: "agh, that's hot!" like we did.
The restaurant is relatively busy for a friday night. We were seated in about ten minutes and it's great for a group of four. But, any more than that and you will likely have to wait a long time for a booth or shout over air vents.
The only real objections I have---and I hate comparing, I really do...actually, no, I don't---is that the price for the meat is a little too expensive. For the amount of meat you get at Tsuruhashi's competitor Gyu Kaku, it just doesn't seem worth it to pay $7 and up for a few slices of meat. The meat quality is probably slightly better for the price.
And, my glutinous ass left the restaurant feeling a little beef-deprived as we realized how big the bill was getting and how little meat we were receiving.
However, that doesn't mean the BF and I won't add this place to our list of "beef-lover's niches."
People thought this was:
Being a die hard fan of Gyu-Kaku. We constantly search for similar places to go to, and usually the food searching job solely rest on my shoulders.
What a disappointment this place was, except for the exceptionally tasty "Prime Rib eye rolled with Perilla and Pickle Plum." Everything in here is double the price of Gyu-Kaku with half the amount. I just can't wrap my head around the idea of paying 9 dollars for 4 slices of thin meat. We spent over 60 dollars for 2 people here and left with our unfulfilled tummies.
a Side of Korean Seaweed for 3.00! Nice! We were excited until they brought out six 3x3 pieces... My god! that's 50 cents per none homemade dry seaweed~
Maybe they justified their high luxury prices by giving attention to small details in their dishes. All of the stuff we ordered were cut carefully, precisely, and beautifully. For that I applaud them. But personally, I can careless how beautifully cut or wrapped my raw meat is, as long it tastes good.
Overall, Tsuruhashi is a cool place for dining experiences, but once is enough for me.
People thought this was:
can be a highly satisfying meal if you live on trust funds or eat like a bird.
unfortunately, i do neither :(
seriously, i can't justify paying for plain white rice at an asian restaurant. we (the one who lives on his trust funds, the one who eats like a bird and me) spent over $200 and afterward, i drove to in-n-out for my usual #3.
People thought this was:
If you're looking for quality meat, this is definitely the place to go. If you are looking for all-you-can-eat and care more for quantity, then come here some other time.
Came here with a group of old friends I hadn't seen in a while. We were originally set on going to an all-you-can-eat krn bbQ so I was kind of expecting the same when the location switched to this.
Because I was expecting all you can eat, I left this place feeling pretty hungry and I wasn't full at all.
But besides that, the meat was GOOOOOOD. The sashimi beef salad is ridiculously good, all the meats good and the kimchee fried rice was okay. Each plate comes with about 7 or 8 pieces so please don't come here if you just want to scarf down as much as possible because you'll end up spending a fortune. You also get two different sauces to dip your meat in; it's pretty damn good too. Okay basically, all the food is pretty damn fantastic but it's just not filling. If you aren't full (which you won't be) get the sesame icecream, it's good and it's not overly sweet.
I will definitely come here again, but only after I ate a pre-dinner at home first.
People thought this was:
Wow this place is awesome! Great food, great environment.
Ordered the Prime Kobe Beef, Salted Beef Toungue, Yukke (beef Sashimi with Raw Egg) and Kimchi Fried Rice. All dishes were DELICIOUS.
For the Prime cuts they only give you a few small slices like 8 thin slices. You are actually probably better off ordering their special which gives you four or five different meats for 20.00 dollars or so. And maybe ordering their Kimchi fried rice as filler.
So far everything I have tried there has been delicious but keep in mind I have only tried the prime meats and Kimchi fried rice. I am thinking of getting the special next time because it is such a good deal. Great place to drink with friends or even great place to take a date. Will def visit again.
People thought this was:
Some of the best Japanese BBQ you'll ever have the privilege of feasting on! Tsuruhashi is a small hole in the wall type place (and if you've ever been to Anjin it looks practically identical on the inside). They have a total of only 11 tables all with coal-fired grills in the middle.
A group of us came for a late dinner on a Wednesday night so lucky for us the place wasn't very packed. Unlucky for us that at that late hour, they did run out of a few things on the menu. We originally wanted to order their family set, but they were already out of that.
Since it was all our first times, we asked the friendly waitress what she recommended, and immediately she pointed to the Outside Skirt Steak, explaining that people love this particular cut because it is not too pricey ($7.45), really tender, with the perfect amount of fat and richnesss. I liked how she didn't veer us to the priciest, prime cut of beef on the menu and was very genuine about the food here.
This being Japanese BBQ, don't expect huge portions, but expect extremely tender, prime cuts of beef. You really can't go wrong with anything you order - everything is super fresh (probably the reason why they even run out of food - none of it is ever frozen). Each order is only about 4 ounces of meat so order plenty!
Everyone gets two dipping sauces - one is soy-sauce based and the other is miso based. Both delicious! They'll ask you if you want garlic or hot sauce - make sure you get some of their homemade crushed garlic and dump it in the sauces. The garlic is 50% of the meal! Hahaa...
In the end this was the damage done by the 4 of us: 6 orders of outside skirt steak, 2 orders of prime kobe beef, 2 orders of prime ribeye, 1 order of miso marinated tongue, 1 veggie platter, and 1 order of tsuruhashi salad split amongst four. To top it all off - we even got dessert - 1 order of mango pudding and another order of vanilla ice cream drenched in coconut milk & mini tapioca. Both are worth the try... delish!
Is Tsuruhashi better than Anjin? People seem to always ask themselves that question and I found myself wondering the same thing as I gorged away. It's a really tough call - both offer great dipping sauces with plenty of garlic on the side, both have fresh-never frozen prime meats, both have excellent service. I would say the main difference is that Tsuruhashi's cuts of beef are thicker than Anjin's (+1 Tsuruhashi) and Anjin's dipping sauces are slightly better (+1 Anjin), but both are 5 stars in my book!
People thought this was:
I came here a couple weeks ago. And here's what I can recall.
The kimchi fried rice was my biggest disappointment. I thought it was dry and flavorless. I hate bland rice!
The meat platter portions are pretty small so if you come in a group, be prepared to order for a few of each. The tongue, short rib, and pork belly are great cuts.
But you gotta go with the Kobe beef. It is incredible!
Be prepared to drop some dough. We split it $60 per person.
People thought this was:
I have a love/hate relationship with this restaurant. If you want to try this place out for the first time, you must realize a few things:
1. You'll have to wait at least an hour to get seated...and when you do, do yourself a favor and don't sit inside where you can smell all that kobe-goodness and hear the clinking of cold beer bottles and sizzling beef-action. BUT....the wait is WORTH IT...so don't run away when they tell you how incredibly long you'll be waiting for.
2. You will spend on average $40-50 per person and that's without drinks, unless you're a beast in which case you'll.....eat-and-run?? Here's how to get the most out of your money: You MUST order the $9.25 Kobe beef platter. Don't even bother with the other Kobe beefs...this one is THE BEST ONE. You MUST also order the Jotan Shio (Salted Prime Fresh Beef Tongue). If you don't get at least these two items, you waited for over an hour in line for NOTHING...and don't say I didn't warn you.
3. Beef will never taste the same again for you after one night of Tsuruhashi. I've taken newbie friends here a few times and I think they hate me now because they're Korean and they can't eat Kalbi and enjoy it like they used to. But I say, dude I did you a favor son!
People thought this was:
I think if I'd written this review right after I eaten it, it might have gotten 4-stars. However, after eating at a couple of places I would say overall it would be 3-stars. It's a medium sized place and I was expecting the atmosphere to be a bit more Japanese. The grill that they used was the same as korean places, therefore, I was a bit disappointed since I was expecting the coal and mesh setup. I don't think they turned the fans on because the place was pretty foggy when I went, but not like that would stop you from smelling like the place when you walk out. The food was ok after comparing it to Manpuku, but maybe it was the time we went (8?) and a lot of the stuff was out that it was an ok experience.
There are two ways of cooking yakiniku. (1) Direct flame and (2) Grilling on cast iron pan. Tsuruhashi does (2), which makes the meat richer and more tender than (1) due to the meat soaking its own juice. Yes, that means including all the fat but who cares as long as it taste good? I'll just eat healthy the next day, no big deal.
Best cut, harami [outside skirt steak], is so tender and juicy and oh so flavorful that it will make you yelp out "holy cow!". Excuse me if you find it too corny or my apologies if you find it offensive. Hmm... Who else did I forget to apologize?
Moving on.
My second favorites are tied between butabara [pork back ribs] and yukke [seasoned raw minced beef with egg yolk]. Butabara is seasoned in salt and pepper. It might be a little too fatty and a little too salty so I would totally recommend it to all bacon lovers out there. Yukke is very fresh and flavorful. It's the best yukke I've had in Socal but it's an acquired taste and not for everybody. Fortunately for me, that means Tsuruhashi will never run out of yukke.
For dessert, order sorbet if you want something light and refreshing but for something sweeter, try their goma [sesame] ice cream. It's really good and the best way to conclude a great meal.
On the last note, for drinks, we had iichiko barley shochu set. The set includes slices of lemons, ice and oolong tea. I think you can ask for hot water for oyuwari [hot water mix] and fruit juices to make shochu cocktails. With our set, we made shochu on the rocks with or without lemons and oolong hai [shochu + oolong tea cocktail]. The best part of shochu set is not only its fun; I love how I can make my drink exactly to my liking and how I can be creative with my mixes.
Perfect 5.
People thought this was:
Tsuruhashi. Yakiniku. The two words go hand in hand, and could possibly be used interchangeably in this context.
But Tsuruhashi does not mean Japanese BBQ anymore than Yakiniku is the name of a district in Japan. And that is just what Tsuruhashi is - an area in Osaka that is known for its large Korean-Japanese population, and thus Yakiniku, or Korean style BBQ (thank you, Wikipedia).
The wait was quite long, since the restaurant itself is not very large. There are around 10-12 tables and the booths that can seat 4 are often seated with 2. The list was about 5 parties of two before we came in with our party of 4. We waited roughly 45 mins to an hour. During this time, we were able to contemplate over the fairly extensive list of items on the menu. We settled on Prime rib eye (2 orders), prime outside skirt steak, salted prime rib with chopped onions on top, choosing to skip over the Kobe beef, this time. We also got a plate of the seafood mix to add some variety (2 pieces of salmon, 3 pieces of scallop, 3 medium sized shrimps, squid, and 2 mussells). Along with that, we decided on getting sides of the mixed kimchee, lettuce (to wrap the grilled meat), mixed vegetables (green/red pepper, carrots, kabocha-japanese pumpkin or winter squash, onion, asparagus, mushrooms), and a miso based egg and seaweed soup. Oh, and can't forget the pitcher of sapporo.
The Sapporo was very refreshing. I almost forgot how sapporo tasted on tap. The soup was also refreshing and not oversalted. The egg was mostly flowered, though I got a couple of large clumps. The kimchee had a slightly sweeter taste than in ktown, but this was expected. The meat was very tender and slightly seasoned and you can bbq it to your own liking on that delicious charcoal grill. The dipping sauces paired very well with the meats and wrapping the meat with lettuce added a light and crisp dimension. The seafood definitely could have been skipped, as the shrimp wasn't very fresh and the salmon was a bit fishy.
The bill actually only came out less than $100 without tip, so we patted ourselves on the back for a job well done. At the end of the meal, they brought a few pieces of cantaloupe and tea. The hoji-cha, which is a nuttier and darker variety of green tea, was a great way to end the night.
People thought this was:
One of my friends too me here and it was so good. I did not realize you grill the meet on the fryer. I would suggest coming in before they open so you can order the family meal which costs $20.00. You get a good deal for that, however you can leave hungry still. So you order kimchi rice and other goodies as well and before you know it the bill can be easily $60.00. So do not come in hungry because you do not get enough. But the meet is tiny and do you do get a ton, but hell it is tasty and good. It is probably one of the best. However you will get smoked out =( and smell like bbq so you will need to take a shower afterwards.
I decided to take both of my brothers, my aunts and they loved it..
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Seriously .. SO GOOD!!!!
I took my cousin and her friend here with my bf and the bill only came out to be $140 or so, so really not that bad for 4 people, INCLUDING 2 pitchers of beer.
Okay I have to say the food was STELLAR, i LOVED their kobe beef .. SO GOOD, really melts in your mouth, we had to get like three orders of it. So at first, looking at the menu, I thought, wow the meat is cheap, because it ranged from like $6-12 per plate (compared to KBBQ where its like $15 a plate) .. but then when the meat came out I knew why .. the portions are smaller so you have to order more. But I loved it this way because you got to try more variety.
Heres a breakdown
Tongue - really good, had that gamey type of taste but very subtle
Miso Chicken - eh .. nothing spectacular, will not order again
Kobe Beef - SO GOOD, melt in your mouth, yes its fatty but so good, savory goodness. Its a very clean tasting meat, so tender, the umami flavor just coats your tongue and leaves you wanting more and more
Outside Skirt Steak - also very good the flavor was so yummy, will definitely order again
Kimchi Fried Rice - SO YUM! the tangyness from the kimchi with the saltiness from the fried rice and the richness from the egg .. GREAT mixture
Dolsot bimbimbap - Good but nothing to write home about.
MUST TRY - kobe, tongue, kimchi fried rice, skirt steak
Verdict? Definitely would go back, best JBBQ I've EVER had
OH yeah - And I came here on a Tuesday night, around 7pm and there was no wait. So I guess if you don't want to wait come on a weeknight!
People thought this was:
This place is fantastic. The meat portions are small, but the quality is great. I had the rib eye with white rice. For dessert, I had the some sort of ice cream with coconut milk. I'm a sucker for coconut milk.
The only gripe is that I'm 6'2 and these tables were for hobbits...well very large hobbits. It wasn't a deal breaker though.
People thought this was:
SOOO SOOO GOOD!!! my favorite japanese bbq restaurant ever!! me and my bf go here at least once a month sometimes two or three times!! the meat is good quality and the prices are not as high as anjins. My bf loves the liver sashimi and we always get the homemade light kim chi! YUM!!! i want some right now!
the food here is literally comparable to......smoking weed rollin off ecstasy...... no no no, its more like....
doing a line of cocaine after 3 beers..... no, i still dont have it right....more like....drinking 5 beers, smoking weed, rolling off ecstasy, and doing a 5 lines of coke...... now thats right!! its what makes this place dangerously delicious!!! its like a drug addiciton you cant kick and dont want to kick....
I have my own Sake bottle Reserve their now!!
the waiters are really nice but their accent is difficult to understand sometimes. if you speak ENGRISH you'll be just fine Raughing Out Roud!!! the wait sucks on the weekends but o well, the food makes up for it.
only down side is the place is small and they need better vents for air flow. or it would of got an 5 star :(
People thought this was:
The food here is great and the service is excellent. If you want to try this place on the weekends, go early at 5pm when they open or expect long waits. Weeknights would be suggested to get a comfortable experience without the waiting.
Don't plan to go out afterwords as your clothes will stink, but at least your tummy will be satisfied!
man this is bomb
but can be a lil wallet raper if you aint careful on your orders
prime meat! cook it yourself, its many steps higher than the americanized gyu-gaku or other jbbq places. this place is legit and you can sit for a long time cooking it and chillin with your homies. sauce is legit!
a place you can bring a gurl to show you got taste in food lol
hay guuurl want quality meat? *unzip*
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Miso sauce! Miso sauce! Miso sauce!
This has officially become my CRACK with Tsuruhashi as my dealer. I love their miso dipping sauce! I was hoping I would be able to purchase it at Mitsuwa but I was deeply saddened to discover that it is their own secret recipe and is not available for purchase =(
Anyhow back to the entrees... yes the kobe literally melts in your mouth.
However, it was a bit too fatty for my tastes (shocking I know... since my motto is "fat=flavor") but nonetheless it was still delicious. They REALLY DO sell out of kobe FAST b/c the following group who was seated after us was informed that there was no more kobe! (sucks for them) *munches on kobe with a giant smile* =D
The SKIRT STEAK was my favorite!
I didn't enjoy the tongue. I like shinsengumi's version better.
The pork cheek & belly is a nice change of flavor after eating so much beef.
I was delightfully surprised to find Korean comfort food on a Japanese restaurant's menu. The dol sot bibimbap (stone pot rice & veggies) was delicious! The stone pot toasts the outer layers of the rice and gives it a crunchy consistency while the bibimbap (veggies, rice, and hot pepper paste) is mixed by the server into a yummy bowl of deliciousness.
They have kimchi fried rice as well!! Although it won't be as flavor intense as something you would find in your umma's (moms) kitchen it still hits the spot. I ordered it with 2 fried eggs. (What?? I love eggs!)
The kimchi assortment was the only disappointment of the night. Whoever said this is the best kimchi obviously did not grow up on Korean food. Our server was nice enough to pack up our neglected kimchi assortment for us along with some miso sauce to go. This was very impressive since we did not even request it. 5 stars for service!!
Btw last call is at 12:15am (on Fri). This place is a hidden gem. No... literally... it is somewhat hidden... the sign is pretty small and even with 20/20 vision you won't be able to read the yellow sign at night as you're driving down Brookhurst St. Instead, look for "TANGY TOMATO" restaurant and turn in there b/c they're in the same plaza.
"Itadakimasu!" =)
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Costa Mesa, CA
Category: Japanese
Fountain Valley, CA
Category: Japanese
Fountain Valley, CA
Category: Japanese
Huntington Beach, CA
Category: Japanese
Fountain Valley, CA
Category: Japanese
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