Great local Japanese, don't miss the happy hour menu!
I don't know why this place has gotten such a bad rap. Most of the negative reviews are old, so maybe they've gotten their act together now.
We'd been meaning to check this place out for ages and were pleasantly surprised when we did. Nice vibe, good music (DJ Shadow-esque), friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, good food. We came in with our two little kids and the staff was very accommodating and friendly. The kids loved the music and art work. A live guitar duo showed up later that just thrilled the kids.
To my surprise, our fussy pre-schooler ate everything on his plate, exclaiming how delicious it was and our younger daughter couldn't stuff her face fast enough. Those of more adult palate were also very pleasantly surprised. The sushi was fresh. But the other "tavern style" offerings on the menu were the most exciting. The Mango Albacore salad was particularly delicious. We had no problem with speed of service, but with two kids, I'm used to taking the initiative when ordering.
We were also really happy to find a Japanese restaurant that serves traditional fare other than just sushi. We used to trek out to Little Tokyo or Itacho on Beverly for this style of food. But since we've had kids, we just don't make it out that far too often, so we're really happy to add this local spot to our list of regulars. And if you make it in before 7:00 they have a $4 happy hour menu not to be missed!
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