(626) 744-1751

927 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91106 34.146 -118.1313

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Neighborhood: South Pasadena

Years in business

Established in 2003

Hours:

Mon 11:30am-2:30pm

Tue-Thu 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-9:30pm

Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-10:30pm

Sat 5pm-10:30pm, Sun 5pm-9:15pm

Price:

$$

Last updated 6.04.11

Category:

Restaurants, Catering

Payment Methods:

Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Lunch Spot, Romantic Dining, Date Spot, Group Dining

Cuisine:

Sushi

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Japon Bistro

Featured Review

Randi Schmelzer

Contributor

In Short – With its earth-toned wood floors, bonsai trees and colorful tapestries, this bistro-style dining room is stylish. Diners sit at the crowded sushi bar in back or at private tables along the side wall. Along with ample sushi and sashimi options, the large menu features several varieties of miso soup and assorted cooked entrees, including the Super Power bowl, a combination of barbecued eel, tuna, garlic chicken and mountain vegetables over brown and white rice.

Editor's Tips

Parking:
Validation is available for the Mentor Avenue garage, just down the block and across the street from the Ice House comedy club.
What to Drink:
Japon Bistro has one of the most extensive sake and soju menus in Pasadena. Your server can explain the nuances and recommend appropriate food pairings or suggest a house-specialty cocktail.
ambiance
87.5% positive
  1. “Sake selection is outstanding and the ambience is cozy.”
  2. “The service was wonderful, and the atmosphere was inviting.”
  3. “The service was superb and the atmosphere was welcoming.”
  4. “Overall, Japon Bistro is a nice Romantic, Fusion Sushi Bar, with some fun entrees, wild Rolls, and the 2 most important things: Fresh Fish (good quality), and a Warm, Humble Attitude (which is shocking for an upscale Fusion Sushi Bar).”
  5. “Also, the service is not extremely attentive and the overall atmosphere feels a bit detached.”
  6. “Nice atmosphere, good food for a decent price.”
  7. “The atmosphere was delightful as well as the friendliness of the waitstaff/personnel in this fine establishment.”
  8. “WARNING - parking is horrible, and the place can be tough to find.”
  9. “The ambiance is pleasant the staff is nice but not trained well (denny's level at best).”
  10. “The restaurant has decent ambience, but would never go back as both the quality and quantity are better at Gin Sushi, a dive restaurant 2 miles East.”
  11. “The atmosphere is very romantic and perfect for any date.”
  12. “The parking can be tricky but shouldnt be an issue if one was to look for a decent sushi bar.”
  13. “the sake is plentiful, the atmosphere is pleasant and the food is great.”
  14. “The small store front may be misleading but once you enter you are pleasantly surpised by the inviting atmosphere.”
  15. “the ambiance of the restaurant is nice and romantic but that's about it at this sushi restaurant.”
  16. “I've been there a couple of times and the one thing that stands out is the friendly atmosphere and service.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “Fresh sushi & unique ice cream”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “The waiter was attentive and knowledgeable - kept our water and tea glasses fill and answered all questions.”
  2. “The little fountain and green tea colored walls were calming and inviting, but immediately I was wondering about the "yet affordable" claim.”
  3. “The parking can be tricky but shouldnt be an issue if one was to look for a decent sushi bar.”
food quality
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. “It made me love sushi!”
  2. “The service is customer friendly and very knowledgeable on the dishes they serve.”
  3. “Ate at Japon Bistro April 2008 and had a fresh and delicious meal.”
  4. “Extremely overrated, less than average sushi that is overpriced for both the quality and portion size at $50 per person.”
  5. “the ambiance of the restaurant is nice and romantic but that's about it at this sushi restaurant.”
  6. “My sister (a hospitality management major) was thrilled to find carpaccio's and tar tars on the menu, my husband has simple tastes and loved the sashimi, and my father and I loved the more outlandish dishes.”
  7. “We had to go to the Valley before, but now we can stay home and eat great Japanese cuisine.”
  8. “The sushi chefs are always smiling, will make fantastic suggestions when asked and the presentation is always perfect.”
  9. “It's not for people who really understand sushi and good food.”
  10. “Nice atmosphere, good food for a decent price.”
  11. “Delicious extra fresh fish artfully and attentively served”
  12. “the sake is plentiful, the atmosphere is pleasant and the food is great.”
  13. “You can have a Japanese dinner on the more traditional side or you can experiment with their more contemporary dishes, which are also very tasty.”
  14. “In addition, the sake menu is the best I have experienced at any restaurant, sushi or otherwise.”
  15. “Fresh and tasty is their motto.”
  16. “There are so many great sushi restaurants and Japon Bistro rates towards the bottom.”
  17. “each time we've been there we've been awed (literally) by the fresh fish and the unique offerings.”
  18. “The Maguro (Tuna) was solid, Hamachi (Yellowtail) was amazing, Amae-Ebi (Sweet Shrimp) was fresh.”
  19. “The Seabass marinated in Yu-An sauce (Ocean Combo) was melt-in-your-mouth delicious!”
  20. “They tried to come up with "creative" dishes that just fall flat on its face.”
  21. “While the sushi is incredibly fresh, the variety of dishes and fish they serve is what sets Japon Bistro apart from other sushi restaurants.”
  22. “best sushi ever.”
  23. “Sushi about a C+, cooked food was awful.”
  24. “Great food - I'm going back :)”
  25. “The sashimi was fresh and of good quality.”
  26. “We mostly selected the speciality items off the fresh menu, Kampachi, Spanish mackerel, premium California roll made with fresh crab, ankimo and more.”
  27. “Nice portion sizes and always, always great quality food!”
  28. “The food is delicious.”
  29. “If you are a serious sushi eater, this is a great spot.”
  30. “The sushi is good but not of extreme quality and the cut rolls are not as crisp as they could be.”
  31. “Everything on the menu is unique, fresh and delicious.”
  32. “had the Shokado Bento (premium lunch box) which was delish, and several others ordered the cooked fish (black cod, yellowtail collar, & sea bass) and the all loved it.”
  33. “The parking can be tricky but shouldnt be an issue if one was to look for a decent sushi bar.”
  34. “My mother doesn't like raw fish, but she has a great variety of cooked rolls to choose from.”
  35. “The fish were fresh but whoever is buying must have taken some bad classes on choice of fish or is too trusting with his fishmonger.”
  36. “The sushi is fresh, and the presentation not pretentious.”
  37. “am a great fan of food and Japon Bistro is not only below average, it is dishonest in the way it conducts its business -- I would agree with one reviewer who believes that this rating was rigged.”
  38. “the fish is selected based on freshness; specials change regularly based on the best fish available.”
  39. “The restaurant is very inviting, the staff is friendly and attentive and the food is great.”
  40. “have a choice, and in either case the food is always great!”
  41. “best and freshest sushi in LA”
  42. “certainly recommend Japon Bistro for the discerning diner seeking top notch Japanese specialties and a wonderful meal.”
  43. “Recommended: crispy rice, southwest roll (if you can handle spicy).”
  44. “The Toro is to die for and all the fish is extremely fresh.”
  45. “The fish is very fresh and they often have choices that are to find in other well-know sushi bars.”
  46. “The sushi is always fresh and tasty.”
  47. “Go to any good sushi restaurant and you will see true sushi aficionados, including real "Japanese" people.”
  48. “And we love sushi!”
  49. “The sushi was excellent.”
  50. “While visiting Pasadena from the East Coast a few weeks ago, several people highly recommended Japon Bistro as the best restaurant offerring sushi in the area.”
  51. “However, the actual quality of the food is not as outstanding.”
  52. “They have quite extensive selections of sushi and sake.”
  53. “My boyfriend ordered the chicken and mushroom entree which was polite to the palate, and almost apologetic in lack of flavor.”
  54. “The only place I've had sushi as good cost about 250 dollars a person.”
  55. “don't even like sushi and this restaurant made me a fan.”
  56. “They have the best sushi ever and excellent service in Los Angeles.”
  57. “Having gone there frequently over the past 3 years I can say the food and service are consistently great.”
  58. “The chicken teriyaki came out good, although personally I would have prefered breast meat.”
  59. “Fresh sushi & unique ice cream”
  60. “The sushi is always fresh - we love the yellowtail, tuna and Spanish Mackerel.”
menu variety
95.83000183105469% positive
  1. “They have quite extensive selections of sushi and sake.”
  2. “We mostly selected the speciality items off the fresh menu, Kampachi, Spanish mackerel, premium California roll made with fresh crab, ankimo and more.”
  3. “My sister (a hospitality management major) was thrilled to find carpaccio's and tar tars on the menu, my husband has simple tastes and loved the sashimi, and my father and I loved the more outlandish dishes.”
  4. “First, the menu is great and their selection is varied and interesting compared to what the local Japanese restaurants offer.”
  5. “And the Sake Menu is pretty impressive (a nice selection, however my 3 favorites from Japan were sadly missing).”
  6. “In addition, the sake menu is the best I have experienced at any restaurant, sushi or otherwise.”
  7. “The fish is very fresh and they often have choices that are to find in other well-know sushi bars.”
  8. “Everything on the menu is unique, fresh and delicious.”
  9. “My mother doesn't like raw fish, but she has a great variety of cooked rolls to choose from.”
  10. “Sake selection is outstanding and the ambience is cozy.”
  11. “like to think of myself as a "sake connoisseur," and I highly recommend others to experience the fabulous tastes their sake menu has to offer.”
  12. “While the sushi is incredibly fresh, the variety of dishes and fish they serve is what sets Japon Bistro apart from other sushi restaurants.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “the ambiance of the restaurant is nice and romantic but that's about it at this sushi restaurant.”
  2. “While visiting Pasadena from the East Coast a few weeks ago, several people highly recommended Japon Bistro as the best restaurant offerring sushi in the area.”
  3. “In addition, the sake menu is the best I have experienced at any restaurant, sushi or otherwise.”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “The restaurant has decent ambience, but would never go back as both the quality and quantity are better at Gin Sushi, a dive restaurant 2 miles East.”
service
82.58000373840332% positive
  1. “The staff was friendly.”
  2. “The worst service ever.”
  3. “The service is customer friendly and very knowledgeable on the dishes they serve.”
  4. “Slow service”
  5. “The service here is wonderful and friendly.”
  6. “Koji is extremely friendly and willing to give you loads of info on sake and will sit with you and enjoy it as well.”
  7. “They have the best sushi ever and excellent service in Los Angeles.”
  8. “The ambiance is pleasant the staff is nice but not trained well (denny's level at best).”
  9. “Staff is very friendly and attentive but on a recent busy night, service was a bit slow.”
  10. “there is no overselling - everything is great, but the waiters are well-informed and make honest recommendations designed to satisfy the customer (not to run up a check).”
  11. “The service was wonderful, and the atmosphere was inviting.”
  12. “The waiter was attentive and knowledgeable - kept our water and tea glasses fill and answered all questions.”
  13. “I've been there a couple of times and the one thing that stands out is the friendly atmosphere and service.”
  14. “While visiting Pasadena from the East Coast a few weeks ago, several people highly recommended Japon Bistro as the best restaurant offerring sushi in the area.”
  15. “It's not for people who really understand sushi and good food.”
  16. “Having gone there frequently over the past 3 years I can say the food and service are consistently great.”
  17. “Go to any good sushi restaurant and you will see true sushi aficionados, including real "Japanese" people.”
  18. “The service is excellent.”
  19. “Also, the service is not extremely attentive and the overall atmosphere feels a bit detached.”
  20. “The restaurant is very inviting, the staff is friendly and attentive and the food is great.”
  21. “customer service is great but can be slow at times.”
  22. “The service was superb and the atmosphere was welcoming.”
value
71.4300012588501% positive
  1. “Extremely overrated, less than average sushi that is overpriced for both the quality and portion size at $50 per person.”
  2. “WAAAY overpriced taro!”
  3. “Nice atmosphere, good food for a decent price.”
  4. “like my Sushi traditional, as most "Fusion" places I go to have been so watered-down, fake, pretentious, or over-priced that it's a huge turnoff.”
  5. “The only place I've had sushi as good cost about 250 dollars a person.”
  6. “The little fountain and green tea colored walls were calming and inviting, but immediately I was wondering about the "yet affordable" claim.”
  7. “The prices aren't too bad.”
wait time
58.33000183105469% positive
  1. “customer service is great but can be slow at times.”
  2. “Staff is very friendly and attentive but on a recent busy night, service was a bit slow.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/04/11

Simply the Best

by Cherry Blossom Festival

Excellent service and excellent food. Japon Bistro conducts Sake Pairing during the year you don't want to miss.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/20/09

Sake Pairing Events

by Sensei Ron

The Sake Pairing events give an opportunity to taste different types of high quality sake along with the food being served. It is something you really don't want to miss and bring along some of your friends. I guarantee you will have fun...as long as the sake keeps flowing!

  • Pros: Great fun, meet new people, delicious food, Excellent Sake!
  • Cons: Too small?
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/25/09

Right around the corner from the ICE HOUSE

by Evilrabbit

I'm not really into seafood but went here with some friends who really enjoy sushi. We ordered quite a bit of food and drinks and the check was very reasonable ($200) for a dinner party of four. Everything was good and I surprised myself by tasting everything. I especially liked the drunken rock shrimp. The waiters were very helpful and offered suggestions which were great.

  • Pros: Good quality food
  • Cons: Floors are slippery and bathrooms are in need of updating
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/30/09

Great food - I'm going back :)

by JanieDee

I went to Japon Bistro for lunch with co-workers last week. I was surprised at how good the food was. I had never been there before but my co-workers have. Most of our are Japanese, but I didn't bother to ask the person from Japan if it was authentic, so I have no input there. I had the Shokado Bento (premium lunch box) which was delish, and several others ordered the cooked fish (black cod, yellowtail collar, & sea bass) and the all loved it. My Bento Box had a little bit of everything, sashimi, katsu, etc and everything was perfect. The sashimi was fresh and of good quality. The owner came over to say hello to my co-workers which I thought was nice. We had a great time. We were in and out within our one hour lunch and very satisfied. I'm taking my family back there for dinner on Friday evening, so I'm a soon to be repeat customer. I'll have to try to sushi when I'm on my own tab so I can comment on that next. Overall, very happy. Good place for couples on date, small groups, etc. Lunch was priced between $10-$15 which I thought was more than reasonable given the quality.

  • Pros: Quick delivery at lunch, high quality food, good variety
  • Cons: Smaller restaurant so prob crowded on weekends or prime time
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/08/08

Bogus Reviews on Japon -- Don't believe it.

by chubby777

Who the heck voted Japon Bistro as the Best Sushi in Los Angeles??? Where's Go 55? Where's Sushi Gen? and Sasabune is number 3? how about Matsuhisa? There are so many great sushi restaurants and Japon Bistro rates towards the bottom. Their fish is simply not up to snuff and it's way overpriced for what you get. A fast food sushi join is better. The guy who wrote that this place is just like Japan must be insane. Are you nuts??? Have you even been to Japan? Next time, go to Japon Bistro and see how many Japanese people actually dine there -- no one I saw was Japanese. Go to any good sushi restaurant and you will see true sushi aficionados, including real "Japanese" people. This goes to show you that this rating system and the vote is completely bogus and all of the review are FAKE!!!! I don't usually write this but I'm angry these so called "independent" reviewers are misleading others. I am a great fan of food and Japon Bistro is not only below average, it is dishonest in the way it conducts its business -- I would agree with one reviewer who believes that this rating was rigged. Japon Bistro simply cannot be on top sushi restaurant list in Los Angeles or anywhere -- if it were true, Los Angeles is in serious trouble. Thank god for real sushi houses.

  • Pros: It's in Pasadena
  • Cons: Dishonest reviwers

The Details on Japon Bistro

Place Categories:

  • best restaurant offerring sushi
  • slow customer service
  • inviting atmosphere
  • great food
  • friendly staff
  • fresh fish
  • love place
  • pretty impressive sake menu
  • romantic japon bistro
  • very inviting sushi restaurant
  • willing koji
  • nice fusion sushi bar
  • overpriced average sushi
  • nice ambiance
  • delicious meal
  • attentive waiter
  • perfection sushi sasabune
  • great dining experience
  • fabulous taste
  • very knowledgeable customer
  • cozy ambience
  • polite entree
  • decent price
  • light tempura
  • unique everything

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