Asuka Restaurant

Recommends

Robert P.

Joined 2 years ago

Always Great, Recommend the Sushi bar. Asuka has been consistently good since I've been coming (years and years now). You can always count on fresh and well cut sushi and sashimi. I particularly love the albacore platter with ponzu sauce. Their tuna and yellowtail (hamachi) is always tasty and melts in your mouth. The eel and sweet shrimp are always a nice treat.

I never really eat the cooked dishes but they look and smell great.

In addition to the delicious Japanese food, what I love about Asuka is coming and, even if I am alone, I can spend the lunch hour talking to the sushi chefs, who are all good-humored and funny. On weekends it can get crowded but small parties can usually get a place at the sushi bar. Large parties should come early in the evening before the rush.

I don't understand the review rating average but it seems most people are complaining about parking and the interior design of the restaurant. Of course parking in Westwood is a disaster but it's not the restaurant's fault. With regard to the interior, I prefer a simple interior and great food over an ultra-chic and modernly decorated place with mediocre food (often you pay for the decor).

Come to this simple, down-to-Earth sushi restaurant expecting to eat well and be treated with kindness by the personnel. Ideal for right before or after a movie in the neighborhood.

Recommends

Runner82

Joined 3 years ago

One of my favorite Japanese Restaurants!. I know they have been in LA for a while a long time before a lot of the trendy Japanese restaurants. Therefore, there is much more of a focus on the quality rather than the scene. I suggest getting any of their tempura dishes.

Recommends

jdtinla

Joined 5 years ago

excellent sushi and robata. Asuka hasn't always been great, but it certainly is enjoying excellent quality now. The sushi is absolutely excellent. They don't have a huge variety of fancy maki rolls, but they have consistently fresh, delicious fresh sushi which I enjoy often. The teriyaki, robata and other food is also excellent. Not the cheapest, but a fair value. They should dim the lights a bit to improve the ambiance. Service is quite good. With a slight nudge in making it more cozy and romantic inside and a better-looking sign outside, this place would take off. I'm somewhat glad it's not bustling, though, as I can always find a spot at the sushi bar or get a table and enjoy excellent food.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Editorial Review. For fresh Japanese cuisine, sushi and sake come to Westwood's Asuka Restaurant, a landmark since 1974.

Doesn't Recommend

losangelesdiner

Joined 6 years ago

Do Better Elsewhere. Definitely give this one a pass. You can do way better for sushi just a few blocks away on the other side of Wilshire Blvd. The fish was of average quality and had nothing special to recommend it. The restaurant's prices are in line with food and a dining experience that is much higher in quality than the restaurant actually delivers.

Our total tab was over $200. Several minutes after signing our credit card slips, the waitress came back and pointed out that she had mis-added the bill and undercharged us by FOUR DOLLARS. The combination of average/boring food, over-ambitious prices and offensive customer service ensures that we won't be returning.

Recommends

sdticks

Joined 6 years ago

The food is phenomenal. The sushi here is just phenomenal. I wish I still lived close to this restaurant. I still make a trip there whenever I'm in LA. It just keeps getting better and better everytime I go. This place was mediocre just a couple years ago, but then they changed owners or managers or something, as well as, the sushi staff and it's steadily improved to where it is now. I eat sushi everywhere I travel to. I've eaten it at many famous sushi places in the US and the quality of the fish at Asuka is among the top and the price is very reasonable.

However, I do think the decor could be upgraded.

Recommends

whitney21

Joined 6 years ago

Totally fresh sushi!!!. This sushi is so good. I have eaten at a lot of sushi restaurants in LA, and I have been to Japan and had sushi there. This is one of the best sushi restaurants I have ever been to. The sushi is very fresh and almost melts in your mouth. I highly recommend the yellowtail; they have the best yellowtail I have ever tasted! This restaurant is very reasonably priced and the service is excellent as well.

Recommends

tokyoite

Joined 7 years ago

Impressive specials, fresh sushi; seriously authentic Japanese food -- budget lunches!. I'm Japanese and I have to say that whenever I go to Asuka I feel like I'm eating homecooked food. Not the sushi! I don't know anyone who makes sushi at home ;), but the robata bar (enoki mushrooms, grilled eggplant, beef shiso!!) with miso soup and steaming white rice make me so happy.

The sushi~

The fish is so fresh compared to other sushi places in the area and I found out recently by chatting with my sushi chef (Aki-san!), that he goes to the fish market every week to pick out the freshest and best fish..which brings me to the specials -- Asuka has such an extensive sushi special list nowadays: going to the market enables the chefs to employ a lot more creativity than is normal. The favorite is the Sweet Shrimp (Ama-ebi), but my favorite is the Orange Clam.

Recommends

koko2

Joined 8 years ago

Great Sushi - Reasonably Priced. It's not a fancy upscale Japanese restaurant, but it's authentic and has great food that's moderately priced for sushi.

Recommends

SupraTT

Joined 11 years ago

Better Sushi Restaurants in LA. For the price, I expected the sushi to be alot better. The fish here was chewy and the pieces were small. The service was good though, but wished the sushi was better.