Izakaya Tora

(5 Reviews)
8908 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA

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Contacts

Category: Restaurant,
Address: 8908 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
Zip code: 90069
Opening hours (Edit)
Monday:12:00 – 10:00 PM
Tuesday:12:00 – 10:00 PM
Wednesday:12:00 – 10:00 PM
Thursday:12:00 – 10:00 PM
Friday:12:00 – 11:00 PM
Saturday:12:00 – 11:00 PM
Sunday:12:00 – 10:00 PM

Customer Ratings and Reviews

  • Ryan Tonthat on Google

    (January 21, 2020, 5:54 pm)

    Looking for a quality sushi or Izakaya restaurant in the West Hollywood area? Izakaya Tora is definitely worth a visit. My sister and I went to this new gem and tried their sushi dishes last weekend. Immediately we were impressed with how we were greeted with amazing hospitality. Located in West Hollywood and facing Santa Monica, the location is second to none. With outdoor seatings and plenty of natural lighting, they got the perfect spot in the area!

    Let's talk fish... TENDER! Flavorful! MELT IN YOUR MOUTH! So good. My favorite is definitely the fresh uni and the Omakase. The texture was incredible and words can't describe how yummy everything was. The umami flavors in all the dishes will satisfy all taste buds and bring you to foodie heaven!!

  • Emma H on Google

    (December 31, 2019, 3:21 am)

    The people who work there rock! We had a great time chatting with the guys who were making our sushi. We watched them prepare sea urchin which was a pretty intriguing experience. It's kind of small place, but pretty typical of sushi restaurants. Normal price for the area and for sushi in general. I'd go back!

  • Michael Christopher Lukasik on Google

    (December 18, 2019, 7:36 am)

    Best sushi I’ve had in Los Angeles - period.

    Unsuspecting from the outside. Beyond memorable on the inside once food starts to arrive. Service was fantastic. Quality and selection of fish - incomparable, flown in from Japan, Spain, etc.

    Ben (Owner and Chef) and his team have really done something special.

  • James Cornerdh on Google

    (July 29, 2019, 11:22 am)

    Izakaya Tora is a new small izakaya in WeHo serving up quality Japanese food and sushi. It's an intimate spot perfect for a date or a small group, so it's not ideal for large groups, but if you insist on coming with a group, make sure you call ahead to make a reservation.

    I came here for lunch during its soft opening and I was impressed. Here's the list. We ordered so much and I'm pretty sure I'm missing some stuff. I have bad memory, so I'll have to update this review later. Here's what I remember.

    Food:
    1) Eggplant tempura - I don't even like eggplant but it's pretty damn good here. I absolutely loved the crispy texture from the tempura batter combined with a slightly sweet sauce. I only wish I ordered more.
    2) Sashimi Salad - loved the dressing and the sashimi pieces were pure buttery goodness.
    3) Chicken Karaage was fantastic! The skin was very lightly crispy and the meat was one of the juiciest and tender pieces of karaage I've tried. They need a costco size version of this dish or offer a frozen version so I can take it home and cook it myself.

    Sushi:
    Fish quality is on point here! Every piece I was able to try was excellent! Buttery smooth goodness with the perfect amount of firm. I traditionally am not a fan of halibut, but I'll order the halibut here. The sushi with sauces were well balanced as to not mask the delicious quality of the fish.

    Skewers:
    1) Pork - super tender and the sauce was incredible. There was some yuzu and some other addicting substance in there. The sauce was pretty pungent with a great balance of spicy (not an overwhelming kick) and salt. The yuzu was a nice touch as well.
    2) Sea bass - Great flavor and texture.
    3) Beef - reminds me of some homemade Korean galbi. It's not as sweet as some of the galbi at other spots but I prefer it this way as I'm sensitive to sweet. In other words, the flavor is more subtle, but texture and quality is on point.
    4) Chicken Skin - out of this world! The edges were crispy like chips while super tender everywhere else.

    Service:
    Solid service. The sushi chef is pretty cool and friendly. If possible, sit at the bar and strike a conversation with the chefs. It'll be a good time.

    Parking: Typical limited metered street parking in the WeHo area.

  • Chris Yu on Google

    (July 27, 2019, 3:51 pm)

    Izakaya Tora is truly an exceptional Japanese restaurant that's located in the heart of West Hollywood. The restaurant looks quite small from the exterior so you may miss it walking by but the signs there. When you enter, the restaurant is brightly lit up by natural light, thanks to the large windows in the front. As you walk in, you have the option of sitting at either the sushi bar or at the tables. I definitely recommend you sitting at the sushi bar so you're able to witness how all the dedicated chefs here prepare your meal in a very meticulous manner. You'll be able to see the amount of concentration and energy they put in to make your plate presentable.

    Omakase: Every single fish that was served was perfection. The amount of flavor and umami melts in your mouth at first bite. Although I forgot most of the names of the fish, the Santa Barbara uni (sea urchin) was decadent. When the chef was preparing the omakase, I could see how detailed he was in terms of presenting the dish and topping each fish with a garnish; whether it be gold flakes, caviar, or yuzu.

    Chicken Karaage: lightly fried but immensely juicy on the inside. Unlike most places who serve the same dish, the skin is typically fried well done so it tastes dry and unpleasant. Whereas here, it tastes light but still has the same composition as a heavily friend chicken. The sauce it comes with also adds a good kick in the flavor.

    Miso Eggplant Tempura: I personally hate eggplant with a passion because I can't stand the taste and texture but the Miso Eggplant Tempura blew my mind. At first glance, it doesn't remind you of an eggplant because of the tempura batter covering it. My initial bite of the tempura made me believe it was some type of tofu because it didn't really have that eggplant texture and taste I abhorred. In addition, the miso and yuzu sauce that was drizzled on the top of the eggplant was more overpowering that it completely negated the terrible taste. It was the amazing sauce that made me enjoy eggplants again but then again, I can only enjoy it if I only ate at this restaurant.

    Okonomiyaki: Unlike the okonomiyaki's I've had in Osaka, the one served here is very different in terms of taste and looks. At first glance, the portion size is smaller than a typical okonomiyaki restaurant but then again, it is an appetizer and not a full entree. The texture is more on the crunchy side which I extremely enjoy. Every bite was as crunch as the first so I think they've perfected a great okonomiyaki dish to serve.

    Salmon Carpaccio: favorite part of this dish was combining the fried onion and salmon into my mouth. I've never had a dish quite like this where they serve sashimi with fried onions. The sauce that is served with this dish was more on the sweeter side but I have a more sensitive palate when it comes to sweetness so it may be just me. It's beautifully served with a flower on top. I thought the flower was edible but I realized I was wrong, whoops.

    Pork Belly Skewer: great in taste and with a hint of yuzu as a garnish on top of each pork belly. Each skewer comes with 3 pieces and at this point in my meal, I was already stuffed but I had to sample some skewers before I left.

    Miso Chilean Sea Bass: Holy fish this was a melt in your mouth foodgasm. By far my favorite skewer at Izakaya Tora. The portion size of this sea bass was generous in my opinion, especially for the price of it, you can't get that size anywhere else. The glaze paired well with the sea bass with a hint of sweetness. You can't go wrong with sea bass with any dish but how it's prepared can be a struggle. I would most definitely come back and order more of this skewer because it's worth my money.

    If you haven't tried Izakaya Tora yet, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you trekking out to West Hollywood and giving it a try. I cant stress enough on how wonderful this restaurant is and the quality of seafood they bring to the table. I guarantee you that your experience will be amazing and no matter what dish you order, you won't be disappointed.

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