Traditional Japanese Favorites & Exotic New Cuisine

(818) 763-3910

11920 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604 34.1429 -118.3912

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Years in business

Established in 1979

Hours:

Mon-Sat 12:00pm-2:30pm

5:30pm-10pm Fri-Sat. 5:30pm-10:30pm

Sun 3:00pm-9:30pm

Last updated 10.14.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Romantic Dining

Cuisine:

Japanese, Sushi

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Kiwami

The Owner

Kiwami

Owner

Sushi, sashimi, tempura and other traditional Japanese favorites are joined by new signature dishes such as halibut wrapped with uni, calamari with pasta, Kobe beef in bamboo leaf, and Kobe-style filet with foie gras. Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner nightly.

CityGrid

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – Upon arrival at this Katsuya-helmed restaurant, you won't be fighting a gaggle of trendsters for a table, nor will you see a space that looks like every square inch has been combed over by a Hollywood designer. With only about 14 tables and a small sushi bar, this humble but upscale restaurant focuses on just one thing--its food, especially the unbelievably fresh sushi.  The cold and hot seafood dishes, such as sunomono, halibut wrapped with uni sashimi, rockfish yuan-yaki and sea bass baked on cedar board, are the house specialties. And for the aficionado, the restaurant…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
Throw your own fish function in one of Kiwami's private rooms.
Know Before You Go:
The restaurant is not open for lunch on weekends.
Parking:
Valet is $3 at lunch time, $4.50 during dinner. Afternoon metered parking on Ventura Blvd. is usually doable.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Good sushi in a cozy place.”
  2. “It's a nice cozy place and dining is always really good.”
  3. “great omakase, pleaasing atmosphere”
  4. “Great food, very fresh and deliciously tasty (especially the spider rolls and the spicy tuna rolls, my favorites), and an awesome atmosphere with good crowd and service.”
  5. “From the Japanese style decor and delightful service, to the sake nesting in hot water filled pottery.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “we started with this sashimi sampler that included those crispy spicy tuna cakes & blue crab roll.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “My favorite new sushi bar!”
  2. “Order the Yaki appetizer and grab a seat at the bar.”
food quality
85.32999992370605% positive
  1. “Excellent sushi but a bit overpriced”
  2. “My favorite new sushi bar!”
  3. “The Unagi is particularly wonderful and always has the perfect texture and sauce.”
  4. “The food ain't bad, either.”
  5. “Would not recommend as other sushi places, including the all-you-can eat places (though not recommended), are almost as good.”
  6. “Teru sushi provides excellent sushi and very traditionally”
  7. “Great food, very fresh and deliciously tasty (especially the spider rolls and the spicy tuna rolls, my favorites), and an awesome atmosphere with good crowd and service.”
  8. “this is a good spot for sushi rolls.”
  9. “Good sushi in a cozy place.”
  10. “The fish is always very fresh and the sushi chefs are friendly and helpful.”
  11. “we started with this sashimi sampler that included those crispy spicy tuna cakes & blue crab roll.”
  12. “Great authentic Japanese food here but they clueless staff have no idea what is good.”
  13. “That said, still great food can be had here.”
  14. “the fish didn't seem fresh, they had YMCA playing in the backround, which would have been amusing had the food been tasty.”
  15. “Order a spicy tuna hand roll with avocado on soy paper, then order a baked crab hand roll on soy paper, then order the yellowtail.”
  16. “the food was delicious.”
  17. “Delicious food, excellent service, great price!”
  18. “Service was terrible, hot food was horrible, sushi was decent”
  19. “This is NOT good sushi”
  20. “the chefs all yell a greeting when you walk in, it's noisy, cavernous & if you like California roll, cooked shrimp & 'dynamite', then you'd”
  21. “Always great sushi with a good slection and a fair price - service is good also.”
  22. “The toro and hamachi were the best, while the other fish was not of high quality.”
  23. “Hot food was bad and overpriced.”
  24. “the best part about it: you can relax from your day, enjoy your conversation and don't have to think, you're always getting one amazing dish after another.”
  25. “Just returned from dinner at Teru sushi, was a terrible experience.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “It's a nice cozy place and dining is always really good.”
service
77.77999877929688% positive
  1. “staff are very nice and friendly.”
  2. “The server was rude, slow and didnt seem to care.”
  3. “Delicious food, excellent service, great price!”
  4. “Great authentic Japanese food here but they clueless staff have no idea what is good.”
  5. “Great food, very fresh and deliciously tasty (especially the spider rolls and the spicy tuna rolls, my favorites), and an awesome atmosphere with good crowd and service.”
  6. “The fish is always very fresh and the sushi chefs are friendly and helpful.”
  7. “From the Japanese style decor and delightful service, to the sake nesting in hot water filled pottery.”
  8. “Always great sushi with a good slection and a fair price - service is good also.”
  9. “Had to request help from manager several times and he made no apologies for the bad service.”
value
75.0% positive
  1. “Always great sushi with a good slection and a fair price - service is good also.”
  2. “Hot food was bad and overpriced.”
  3. “Excellent sushi but a bit overpriced”
  4. “Delicious food, excellent service, great price!”
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. “The server was rude, slow and didnt seem to care.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/08/11

Best food in town

by sean danke

Best food in town

Food is amazing. Every time I come here, I feel like I never want to leave. Very chic atmosphere with a relaxing mood.

The service is great and the staff really does a terrific job at taking care of you.

The appetizers are delicious.

Theres plenty of places to park: theres a parking lot across the street and a parkin garage up the street within walking distance.

Most of the time I find myself looking at my watch waiting for the food to come, but here I was so entertained with the fun atmosphere that I was pleasantly surprised when my food arrived

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/08/11

Best food in town

by sally marks22

Food is amazing. Every time I come here, I feel like I never want to leave. Very chic atmosphere with a relaxing mood.

The service is great and the staff really does a terrific job at taking care of you.

The appetizers are delicious.

Theres plenty of places to park: theres a parking lot across the street and a parkin garage up the street within walking distance.

Most of the time I find myself looking at my watch waiting for the food to come, but here I was so entertained with the fun atmosphere that I was pleasantly surprised when my food arrived

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/08/11

An Excellent place for Japanese

by sarahmelsen

I came across this restaurant based on all the reviews from citysearch and I agree this place is a great place for Japanese and it is yummy. The food is great.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/15/10

Good authetic Japanese

by weho333

Great authentic Japanese food here but they clueless staff have no idea what is good. Don't even bother asking them unless they are Japanese.

The American waiters who work here don't really know their stuff.

That said, still great food can be had here.

  • Pros: Nice hot dishes
  • Cons: Waiters not knowledgable
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/04/10

n/a

by Owner TPN

n/a

  • Pros: n/a
  • Cons: n/a

The Details on Kiwami

Place Categories:

  • good new sushi
  • bad service
  • bad overall experience
  • bad hot food
  • divine cozy place
  • rude server
  • great food
  • helpful sushi chefs
  • great pleaasing atmosphere
  • great fair price
  • always very fresh fish
  • best toro
  • very nice staff
  • crispy spicy tuna cakes
  • authentic great
  • good slection
  • always really good dining
  • enjoy conversation
  • amazing dish
  • order yellowtail
  • amazing confetti tempura
  • fave haunt
  • good spot
  • best hamachi
  • not like lively scene

Message from Kiwami

  • For Fun
  • For Anniversaries
  • For Every Occassion

Sushi, sashimi, tempura and other traditional Japanese favorites are joined by new signature dishes such as halibut wrapped with uni, calamari with pasta, Kobe beef in bamboo leaf, and Kobe-style filet with foie gras. Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner nightly.

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