Asuka Japanese restaurant

A serious restaurant for serious restaurant lovers. Michelin-star chef. A welcoming maître D' (wearing a suit and tie, nice!). Yet a casual and friendly environment. Innovative (have you ever had edamame tofu? You should.). Professional service (too rare in LA). Exceptional fish (isn't that why we're here?). The balsamic-caper reduction on the perfectly-cooked salmon was other-worldly. The Japanese eggplant with sweet red miso is perfectly balanced. Not possible to have only one spicy tuna handroll. You're worried that the sashimi is too thin? Get over yourself...if you want giant portions, go to McDonald's. If you want quality Japanese food and an exceptional dining experience, come here. Thank you, Vincent.

I came here last year for a business dinner and we had 5 course omakase. I was pleasantly surprised how fresh the fish was. It's a traditional Japanese approach, the food is really delicious. I'll definitely return when I'm in the area.

**4.7/5 Asuka Japanese Restaurant Westwood (Since 1974): O.G. Sushi Royalty Still Reigns** Hidden on **Westwood Blvd since 1974**, **Asuka** is the quiet legend where **Nobu Matsuhisa** *and* **Kazunori Nozawa** (the “Sushi Nazi” behind Sugarfish) cut their teeth before global fame . Walk past the unassuming storefront and enter a time capsule: dark wood, paper lanterns, and the rhythmic *thwack* of knives on cedar blocks since Nixon was president . The **omakase ($120)** is a masterclass—12 pieces of pure poetry. Toro melts like butter, uni bursts with briny sunrise, and the **live kuruma ebi** (sweet shrimp) arrives still twitching before becoming nigiri heaven . Chef Toshi-san (30+ years here) torches binchotan-seared sawara with a whisper of yuzu salt . Even the **tamago** is silk-sponge perfection. Classics shine too: **spicy tuna hand roll** ($12) packs wasabi punch, **miso black cod** ($38) caramelizes like Nobu’s signature but somehow *warmer*. Sake list? 20+ premium pours by the glass . Service is **old-school Japanese hospitality**—warm towels, paced courses, zero rush. Only quibble? Tiny 30-seat room books weeks out—call early . Street parking is a hunt, but the $12 valet next door saves sanity . Westwood’s changed—boba shops, poke bowls—but Asuka remains **unchanged, unapologetic, unbeatable**. This isn’t trendy sushi; it’s *heritage*. Nobu and Nozawa learned here. You should too. I’ll be back for the next 50 years.

Yummy sushi, friendly service, fantastic experience! This sushi restaurant was recommended to me by a coworker friend. I'm a novice sushi fan and I tend to stick to the more Americanized rolls like shrimp tempura and spicy tuna rolls but this time I wanted a more authentic and adventurous Japanese experience. A group of four of us made it to the restaurant on a Friday night. The restaurant was clean with perfect lighting, the staff welcoming. For the first time ever I sat at the sushi counter. I've always been intimated by the sushi counter in Japanese restaurants thinking it was only for "real" sushi lovers, not a novice like me. The sushi chef, Taishi, was so welcoming and put me at ease right away! Instead of choosing my own sushi menu items, I went with the Asuka Sushi Omakase (Chef's choice) and I'm so glad I did. I mentioned that I was open to anything except salmon and Chef Taishi accommodated my request. My dinner also came with soup and agedashi tofu appetizer. The server came by and I chose the clam miso soup which was fantastic and contained a surprisingly large number of clams. I've never had agedashi tofu before but it was amazing! Loved the taste, consistency and texture. The sushi was amazing! The sushi rice was perfect, the various fish both fresh and flavorful. My favorites were the toro, bluefin tuna, and oddly enough the salmon roe even though I don't like salmon. The perfect accompaniment to dinner was the Oka sake and Suntory beer which I've never had before, but both highly recommended. My perfect food experience was topped off with an amazing mochi dessert filled with vanilla ice cream. Overall, it was a great dining experience with an amazing and friendly staff. The food and drink were fantastic and I can't wait to revisit Asuka soon!

What's unique about this place is the people, I mean the whole crew who are all Japanese. The owner is a real character. He loves to chat with customers n I enjoyed the conversations. The ingredients were high quality n the chefs took their spin on them to a true omakase level. I gave 3 stars to atmosphere as the main dining area is a bid dated n the lighting is not helping. However it was really roomy n comfortable so I am not complaining. The sushi counter side is much better n brighter. Will go to eat every time I visit LA.

This restaurant got the unusual conviction of sticking to the best in terms of food quality. Every piece of sashimi, every single appetizer, even the kind of rice they use, the quality is top notch. It is a rarity in America these days. The chef is Michelin rated. Asuka displays a passion to serve the highest quality of Japanese cuisine that you could hardly find elsewhere.

Literally my favorite sushi restaurant of all time. Atmosphere is friendly yet professional and the food is absolutely exquisite. Every time I visit Los Angeles I always come here. There’s an $80 kaiseki course and $150 premium kaiseki course. Both are phenomenal. The $80 is a complete steal. I cannot believe they are charging so little for such amazing food. The owner, Vincent, is a delight to talk to and he has plenty of cool anecdotes to share. Definitely do not want to miss this spot.

Asuka was open four years ago in Westwood Los Angeles. It offers an $85 or $150 kaisaki menu and a la carte. I like the good pacing of foods with very fresh raw fishes and a nice ambience. We love the small outdoor dining environment. Currently, the sushi bar is not open due to the pandemic. The restaurant inside is very clean.