Hokusai

07/28/2008 Posted by nohjoke

I must say, I have had the chance to have some amazing Japanese food from South OC to the Valley. Without question, Hokusai is top 3. In terms of Mid-Wilshire/Bevery HIlls, there is NO question Hokusai is the leader of the pack. I thought the Hamachi (Yellowtail) I have had in Little Tokyo could not be topped in LA until I went to Hokusai. Easy parking both on the street and valet, ambiance is great, the drinks are strong and the Owner/Manager Tiger is one of the best in the business at completing your dining experience. I highly suggest having Tiger prepare the Chef's choice (Omakase) so you can have the full experience. Compares to: Freshness surpasses little tokyo (ie Sushi Gen) and gourmet creativity leaves Sushi Roku in her wake.

Pros: Food, Service, Parking, Drinks

Cons: No location in Pasadena (where I live)

06/28/2008 Posted by foodgirl111

If you like sushi, then you'll LOVE it after you get served by Gin! He has got to be the best Sushi Chef in L.A. I love sushi and I've been a fan for over 26 years, but I've never had sushi that good before! Hands down. I won't be going anywhere else. The service is great! Sake selection is awesome!

Pros: Great Atmosphere, service, food, great location.

Cons: ....

06/06/2008 Posted by gartonator

Hey, I just read a couple reviews and wanted to throw my 2 cents in, because... I really do eat here everyday. Yeah, I work in the area, but you can't beat the 2-course lunch specials, tuesday's pork is amazing, and I always enjoy the jovial atmosphere and smiling service. I'll watch an NBA game here, get a drink after work, whatever... I'd recommend it to anyone. Excellent food without attitude!

Pros: Great Food, Great People, Great Atmosphere

Cons: No Pizza (what's wrong, you don't like pizza?)

03/11/2008 Posted by cometArtz

I'm not a "foodie" but my dinner at Hokusai was the best meal I've ever had. I had the omakasi-- the fish was fresh, there was a french onion soup dish... just spectacular!

02/24/2008 Posted by crysucker

food is marginal. not great. better sushi in other places. service not so bad. waiters should be more in touch with the sushi community more so then just a hobby for them.

Pros: service

Cons: food

02/15/2008 Posted by HawQi1

Went for Valentine's Day and it was painless unlike all the other "hip" restaurants which were crowded, overbooked, long waits, and bad service. Our waitress was extremely friendly and tended to us every so often to make sure drinks were filled and that we were enjoying ourselves. It was quite romantic as the restaurant was dim but the tables were a little too close. We could practically join the conversation on the table next to us without having to talk too loud. But it was fine because the food made up for everything. We ordered about 5 different items on the menu from different sections and they all came out better than we expected. My GF was not accustomed to eating anything raw so we ordered mostly cooked dishes. Their snow crab spring roll appetizer was beyond good. It was fried on the outside and was filled with crab meat and some asparagus with avocado sauce. I ordered some tuna and salmon sashimi which tasted like it came right out of the sea. One of the freshest seafood anyone can find. We also ordered their cooked scallop which was also very fresh. It came with about 6-7 pieces and was grilled lightly. It came with mushrooms, spinach, and small pieces of papaya that gave it a hint of sweetness. It was very soft and had a cream like sauce that complimented it very well. We ordered some shrimp tempura roll and a roll called KJ-Rock which was packed with lobster tail with a sesame sauce on top. The lobster I thought was a little over cooked and was a little dry so it was not as flavorful but was delicious none the less. They really do not cheap out on the seafood as every dish we had with seafood was packed and plentiful. My GF and I was very full after finishing all of the dishes. The price for all that ($100) was very reasonable and is well worth it. I will definitely be going back soon to try their other dishes.

Pros: Fresh seafood, flavorful dishes, a little twist to traditional Japanese food.

Cons: Tables are a little too close.

11/19/2007 Posted by chi_nyc

On a recent visit to LA, my fiancee and I had the distinct pleasure of dining at Hokusai. We never bothered to even look at the menu as the omakase option was recommended by our dining companions. From start to finish, this was one of the most exceptional and exciting dining experiences we've ever had. When the original Iron Chef show was on the air, I always thought being invited to guest judge would be gustatory nirvana. I believe our meal at Hokusai topped that! Since we didn't order from the menu, I'm afraid I don't know the names of the dishes we were served. Everything was phenomenal. Some of the highlights were an amazing hamachi symphony, extraordinarily tender squid with mushrooms, and a foie gras dish served over a rich soup. We actually had to request the chefs stop preparing any more food as we were satiated. The last dish before dessert was described as the "Secret Weapon". Initially, several glistening, round, black, flat objects were placed in front of us. We were puzzled as to what they were and assumed they were some type of dessert. Squid ink sweet rice cakes, perhaps? It turns out they were very hot stones upon which we were to quickly sear both sides of the exquisite slices of Wagyu beef that came out next. The marbling of the beef was so uniformly consistent it was hard to believe it was real. And the taste? There's a reason this dish earned it's nickname... You will be floored. Dessert was presented on a large tray and had several treats on it: Orange Fantasy, Red Bean Cheesecake, and a chocolate fondue type item. I rarely have the desire to eat dessert; but, after the quality of all the dishes we had just eaten, I had to try everything. All were fantastic. Go there and you will not be disappointed. Next time I travel to LA, I can guarantee dinner at Hokusai will be on the itinerary. A hearty "thank you" to Jeff and Tiger for an unforgettable evening of food and drink.

10/08/2007 Posted by sverige

I highly recommend this restaurant. I decided to take my parents their to celebrate their wedding anniversary and from the moment we walked in we knew it was going to be great. The decor is very chic and modern, but try to get the table in the little black room in the center! The staff was incredibly friendly and we were greeted by everyone. We began with sushi and I had the BEST hamachi I think I've ever had! We also had the eggplant foie gras which was possibly the best dish all night. It was flawless. For entrees we had lobster (delicious), the salmon stuffed with lobster (good), and kobe cheek stew (highly recommend.) I was so full but I couldn't stop eatting the kobe beef because it just melted in your mouth and the sauce was delightful. As if our meal couldn't get any better, we ordered dessert. After seeing all the reviews, I had to order the Red Bean Cheesecake as well as the Green Tea Tirimasu. I now understand why every person who had been to this restaurant is obsessed with the cheesecake! The flavors were sinfully good! Both dishes left us very satisfied. I think the price ranges from about $50-75 a person, but it truely is worth it! I can't think of one negative about our experience!

08/29/2007 Posted by pikacue8

I brought my fiance to Hokusai the night I proposed to her. For all of you who have planned proposals, you can relate to the commotion and anxiety. We were set to see a concert following dinner, so time was of the essence. I spoke with Jeff Nitta, Director of Operations, and Tiger Nakawake, General Manager/Partner, to help arrange this very special dininer. They were both enthusiastic and willing to accomdate my guests and I. My girlfriend (now fiance!!!) was truly impressed by their service. They even made a "special dish" for us incorporating one of her favorite sea foods, scallops. The entire meal was delicious and the ambiance was unrivaled to any fine dining experience we've ever had. The green tea tiramisu struck a chord with everyone at the table, for its taste was unique and exquisite. Every part of that dinner was exactly how I envisioned it. Tiger and his staff had my guests with smiles the entire time. The dessert platter was truly a work of art and my compliments to its creator. I will definitely be recommending your restaurant to my friends, and bringing my family to experience Hokusai's "wonders." There is so much more that I could say, but they would not do the experience justice. I am, again, forever thankful for everyone and their part in this. I extend my gratitude towards the kitchen, for they worked extremely hard to get all our orders out in a timely manner. As I watched Tiger from our table orchestrate them with every order that came in, I observed a disciplined fluidity that I've come to admire from my Japanese heritage. The entire restaurant exceeded my expectations and left all of us in a trance of exotic flavors. They will definitely be seeing us in the future.

Pros: Ambiance, Customer Service, Timely Seating, Great Food, Reasonable Prices...Basically Everything!!!

Cons: None that I experienced while dining there

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

08/24/2007 Posted by taasan

This is my first-time review; I usually don't leave any comments unless I experience speechlessly bad service or food, which has not happneded yet. For an opposite reason, I'd like to review this marvalous restaurant: Hokusai. I went there for dinner, so this is the review for dining and may not apply for lunch time. It's been a while since I had a good dining experience as a pakage. What I mean by the pakage is 1) restaurant atmosphere 2) service 3) food 4) price. The atmosphere is very elegant but not intimidating. Based on balck and white, its chic interior with some Japanese touch is the best for a romantic night or relaxing friends gathering. Serivce was the best! The waitstaff was all friendly and attentive to guests. The waiter who served our table was willing to answer any questions I had. When I was paying the bill, the pen I was using didn't work. As I tried to make it work, the waiter quickly appeared with another pen and replaced it with the pen I had. The seafood was very good. I easpecially liked the sauteed scallops. If you are a sushi lover, you can tell how much they care about everything about it: not only seafood but rice and vinegar they use. Harmony of whole ingredients makes the perfect suchi and they do it there. The food they make is delicately tasty. You can enjoy the taste of ingredients themselves with their special sauce accompanied. The price is the only thing that you may concern. It's not super expensive, but not casual, either. So I really recommend this restaurant for your special dining experience with your special person(s).

Pros: Food, Ambience, Service

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful