One of the best I've ever been! Not many places would asked you to take off your shoes. Blue crab handroll was okay not what I've expected. Dessert was one of the kind. Must try red bean with smoked mochi! Very different!
(4)
Kevin M.
Can't wait to go back to this place!!! Love how it's so Japanese-nize where you have to take your shoes off and go to your table. The waitresses and sushimen are all sooo polite~ Love all of their dishes from sashimi to rolls to tempuras. *Another plus is that there are alot of parking space due to being in a strip mall*
(5)
Hannah L.
Really fresh fish and cool atmosphere. The waitresses are very nice and the food is served quickly. If u are looking for a sushi bar with lots of inventive special rolls this is not the place, but it does have very simple absolutely delicious sushi.
(4)
mo p.
Consistently fresh & delicious. Probably the best lunch specials around. Dinner can be busy so we opt for pick up. Their uni is always sweet, the albacore melts in your mouth & the spicy tuna has the right amount of spice. Good lighting, shoes off & traditional Japanese seating with leg room carved in. We are very happy it's in the neighborhood.
(5)
Jess B.
Sushi was great- lots of specialty rolls to choose from. Loved the Rainbow and Caterpillar rolls. The Yellow Tail Collar was excellent as well. Only downfall was our server wasn't friendly and rushed is a bit. But the sushi was good enough that we'd go back.
(3)
Min T.
This place is cool. In fact, it's KEWL. Ha, so old school. From the moment you take off your shoes and stick them into the cubbyholes by the front door (please do that, I do not want to trip over your shoes!) to either settling into cozy tables with recessed space for your legs or sitting at the bar, you are welcomed with friendly staff. If you're not comfy with sitting without a chair back, you can ask for one. The sushi chef that I love is Masa. He remembered me after a couple of visits and gave us special things. Everything's pretty good here but if you see Spanish mackerel, get it. It's the best thing on their specials menu. The toro's pretty good too but I'm more of a mackerel fan (gasp!). Don't be put off the place is in a busy strip mall, it's still MDR!
(5)
Lea Ann H.
This is was my weekly temple of sushi worship when I lived in LA. The fish is consistently fresh, flavorful and buttery in texture. Especially memorable is the yellowtail sashimi with thin slices of jalepeno in a light ponzu sauce, the halibut sushi, and the perfectly prepared California and shrimp tempura rolls. The service is friendly and attentive and the atmosphere is cozy and attractive. Oh how I miss you, Irori!
(4)
J D.
I have eaten at all the trendy high priced sushi spots in LA and I must say Irori is my favorite. Here is the good news. It is not a trendy snob spot like the places I just mentioned. What a bonus! If you go to Irori be sure to sit a the sushi bar. For the freshest fish be sure to go during the week when deliveries are daily flown in. The Japanese Albacore and baby Big Eye Tuna are the best things. Try the Sawara if they happen to have it! I would be suspect of reviews from people claiming to know fresh fish but from the east coast or mid-west.
(5)
Adam B.
I sat shoeless at the sushi bar, told the chef that I am VERY picky with my fish and asked what was best today. I ended up with tuna, yellowtail, albacore, and salmon (all sushi). The fish is much better than average but definitely not up there with best I have had. The tuna was a beautiful bright red (dyed?) but was lacking much flavor. The salmon was better than average and the rest was very good. The sushi rice was delicious although a bit too cool and hard packed. The serving size were much bigger than average with LA prices to go along with it ($5 for 2 pieces). I would go back here for sure.
(4)
Gordon B.
One of my favorite local sushi joints in the LA area. Come here for the sashimi; rolls are only moderate...although I have grown a fondness to the lobster roll...haha. Toro sashimi is usually delicious. The random location will throw you off, but definitely a good place to eat. Make reservations since the restaurant isn't too big. The service is usually excellent. Oh, and wear nice socks, i.e. no holes, since you have to take your shoes off upon entering. Must haves: yellowtail in ponzu with jalepeno, blackened fish, iced green tea.
(4)
Elise S.
My roommate and I hit this place up last night - yum! The food is great, good portion sizes and a big selection on the menu. It's tucked in one of the little shopping malls on Glencoe, and you wouldn't know it was there unless someone showed you. The inside is suprisingly nice for it's location (looks like it should be fast food from the outside, but isn't). It's traditional in the sense that you have to take your shoes off and sit on the floor - I like that, it's fun. Definitely a good Japanese restaraunt to check out if you live in the marina.
(5)
Aj P.
Yes, if you live on the westside this place is a gem - but it's really no better or worst than the myriad of other places across town. In fact, for what you get I find it a bit expensive. Make reservations for dinner, particularly if you want the sushi bar. Nice little quirk in that you have to take off your shoes to enter the dining room.
(3)
Candi W.
We have been eating here for about a year now and love it. The service is always spot on and the food quality as well as taste is pure quality. The servers are quick to offer specials, which are always unique and delicious. The atmosphere is very traditional with the raised wood floors and shoe racks at the front entrance. I recommend making a reservation.
(5)
Marisol O.
OMG. Just went to Irori this weekend and had omakase. It was pretty unreal. It left me in a food coma for the rest of the weekend, but that was ok with me. I've been dreaming of the sushi I had, it was so good. I'm not sure whether the omakase varies a ton depending on what chef you get. We got Kazu, who we love, and he treated us riiiiiight. We had a few appetizer style rounds, including Japanese red snapper that was to die for, and then a few rounds from the kitchen. Then, he just dropped bombs of sushi on us, with some fantastic toro and blue fin tuna. The desserts were pretty good too. We got the apple pie and some mango dessert - thought the mango was better.
(5)
Sam A.
Fine food
(5)
Melissa L.
This is a great lunch spot! I've been here many times for lunch and they have great lunchbox specials. I've been here for dinner as well and it's a nice spot for a date or to get together with an old friend. The restaurant is quite small and you might have to wait for a table at times. It's cool when you first walk in because you think that everyone is sitting on the floor but there is actually a big opening under the table where your feet hang down under the table, so it's kinda like you are sitting on a bleacher with a table over your lap. It's fun! anyways...impress a girl and take her here...
(5)
Jen D.
Always fresh and delicious! Great service and quick delivery time. Irori is small and a local's favorite so expect a wait any night of the week. The longest I have ever waited is 40 minutes but they also allow you to make a reservation, something we usually do on our way. Price may be a bit more than other sushi spots but well worth the freshness and consistency! Try the beef gozya!
(5)
Judy H.
Sitting at the sushi bar is a must whenever you come here. The sushi chefs are amazing and fun to talk to! Sushi chef Koko was so nice and generous with his serving sizes =) He even gave us mochi ice cream on the house! His fellow sushi chef Johnny even made a special piece of natto for me to try after I expressed my curiosity. Natto, for those who don't know is a fermented soy bean gooey mess. The smell reminds me of trash and was actually not very good to eat at all, but I guess it's an acquired taste kind of thing. The ono here was delicious and the highlight of the night. Love coming here on a lazy sunday night and enjoying great sushi!
(4)
Jeff P.
I used to frequent this place when it was called East and it is still delicious. The sushi is terrific and the atmosphere is great. They have a shoe storage and slippers by the bathrooms...really gets you in mood for authenticity. Sunken tables are fun unless you have bad knees...be forewarned. There's always the bar. Well-behaved kids are welcomed. Highly recommend.
The sweetest, most adorable, and also delicious place on the west side for Japanese food. I come here as much as I can, and almost always bring someone who hasn't been before so I can spread the good word. The service is always wonderful, and you also get/have to eat without shoes on. BONUS!
(5)
Kortney R.
"irasshaimase!" I feel like family every time I come here, either alone or with my actual family. I've been coming here since it was called 'East,' before it changed management and the quality is still there. LOVE their food. Being half Japanese I consider myself a pretty good judge of Japanese cuisine and I must say this place is great. Serves traditional dishes and yummy sushi as well. Not too pricey and an overall great place to sit down (no shoes please) and enjoy a Japanese meal.
(5)
Tricia B.
Just tried this place for the first time tonight and it lived up to the great reviews. Excellent sushi, great service and the decor is pretty cool, it looks like you are sitting on the floor but you aren't. Can't wait to return and try more of the menu.
(5)
Brett F.
I dined here for the first time 2 weeks ago. An authentic, Japanese experience. The fish....amazing. I have eaten sushi all over the world and Irori is a winner - outstanding and fresh. The chef has some very creative variations as well.
(5)
Brian D.
This is one of the best sushi places on the westside. As many other reviewers have mentioned, the atmosphere is really nice. Dark wood, nice lighting, etc. I would say that the rolls are fairly normal. And the prices at Irori aren't cheap. So if you come here, come here for great sushi and sashimi, not rolls. One of my all time favorites here, which is not always in season, is their seared Ono sashimi. I've never had any better Ono than the way they prepare it here. Amazing. Sea salt, garlic, olive oil, and a hint of jalapenos... Their enoki mushroom appetizer is also excellent. There is often a wait, so I would recommend making reservations. Especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
(4)
Morgan A.
This place was great. Albacore, crispy rice, tuna...there's nothing I didn't enjoy. Get a bottle of the kikusui sake, very smooth! The wait staff was very attentive and warming.
(5)
Richard S.
I'm not the best judge of sushi since I can't detect the thin line between good and "oh my god this is the best sushi ever ever". My girl seems to know that line well though. My impression of the food at this place was that it was fresh and on par with any other half decent sushi restaurant. My girlfriend said it was good sushi though. There is this place in my home city where I can get sushi at the mall. I think that tastes just as good but thats just because I'm a male with inadequate taste buds apparently :) I think it also tastes good because its way cheaper than a sushi restaurant. The coolest thing about this place was the restaurant itself. Other reviews say they've lowered the tables. Thats not the case. They've raised the floor. So the table is only about a foot above the floor but you can still at at the table like you're in a normal chair (they just don't raise the floor under the table). Overall, a very cool place. I like. Go just to experience the high floors.
(4)
Byoung Kyu S.
I was impressed with Irori. The "floor" tables are really cool. The prices were reasonable and the good was great. Uni, ankimo, and ikura all tasted very fresh and extremely flavorful. Also ordered a couple of rolls for the table to share and all were very good. I can't think of any negatives about this place. Only thing I wonder is how they accommodate large parties due to their floor arrangement.
(4)
Tzveta S.
LOVE! Sometimes there is a wait, but understandable. It's a little gem hidden in the very poor on food Marina del Rey. It is simple. But that's what japanese is about. It is pleasant and the food is fresh and absolutely delish. I think it is very properly priced as well as we know if sushi is cheap then it is of poor quality. I do not find it one bit overpriced as it does involve labor (from the catch to the plate). I have not been disappointed once and I go there at least once a month. Actually, come to think of it, I have given up on other sushi, now that I have this place so near by.
(5)
Tracy K.
My absolute favorite sushi restaurant. Ever. Period. When I first heard about it, I thought it was a little bizarre--"irori" in Japanese refers to a hearth that's dug into the ground where you hang a pot to cook, so I associated the word with hot, boiled food, and definitely not fresh seafood. But it's just that the tables are sunken into the ground like irori's, giving the restaurant its name. Anyway, the appetizers, sushi, and desserts are all amazing. They are pretty creative with their appetizers. I really like the spring rolls that come in a glass served with salsa and a cherry tomato. As for their sushi, the toro is to die for. It melts in your mouth. They can make all the typical rolls found in any other sushi joint, but I've never been much of a roll person, so I'm not the best judge. The sushi chefs are super friendly too...they'll strike up a conversation if you're at the sushi bar. It's a little hard to find within the plaza, but it's definitely worth it! GO!
(5)
A. C.
Went there for lunch during the week, and was very happy. My co-workers used to go all the time, and had been just the week previous. We had a group of six and were seated within minutes. The restaurant uses the "tatami" style seating where you're sitting on an elevated dining room with holes in the "floor" so you can stretch out your feet. You leave your shoes at the entrance. The decor is nice; dark wood and traditional decor. The food was excellent; we all had lunch boxes, which are combos that include a teriyaki plus either one additional item ($8.95) or two ($10.95). I had salmon teriyaki plus tuna and california roll. It also came with miso soup, excellent white rice, a small cucumber salad, a green starter salad and another bean sprout side. Very good amount of food for the price. I also ordered a side of Yellowtail sushi (my favorite), which was perfect. Lunch for six was $15 each, including tip. All in all an excellent lunch spot - just across from the (old) Vons in this strip mall next to Jerry's Deli.
(4)
Chris J.
Irori's Omakase = Heavenly I found out about Irori randomly on twitter, and when I looked into this place that had been lavished with the praise of "the best sushi on the westside", I recognized it as the obscure sushi place in the strip mall next to where I get my supercut (hold your tongue!). I read some yelp reviews and went there that night; my wife and I had omakase, and I recommend you do the same. Top quality fish, sublime flavors, and artful presentation made me feel like a judge on Iron Chef America. The uni was the best I've had, no kidding. The decor is great (see other reviews), and the dining is experience unique (sitting at Irori tables, shoeless). Be prepared to spend a bit, especially on omakase, but it's a great place to splurge. Reservations suggested.
(5)
Vincent A.
Came here on Valentines day. When I called, they said there were only spots available at the bar, and I asked them to hold a table if possible. Sure enough, I got there and they had a table ready for us. Food was awesome, and most importantly, very reasonably priced. Would definitely go back!
(5)
Thea S.
Yet another fantastic spot in the 'hood. I forgot about it for a while until my friend suggested going. And was it delicious!!! The man braved his first time having sushi with me there recently and the outcome: success. While we didn't have any blue fin tuna (which converts many), everything was top notch and we will be going back soon... well, I will go back soon.
(4)
Lilitu L.
This is one of my favorite sushi spots in Los Angeles... the others being Hiko Sushi, Hide Sushi, and the Sake House on La Brea. I've never been disappointed here... even their vegetable roll is awesome and interesting. There is typically at least a half hour wait if you come here for dinner without reservations, and at least a 15 minute wait for lunch... so make reservations! They really should take out whatever is next door and expand/add more tables. You must take your shoes off and leave them in convenient cubbies near the door. The tables have pillows to sit on on the floor with the floor lowered to comfortably let your legs down. The staff is polite and attractive (yes, my friend who took me here initially said that was one of the reasons he loves this place, I agree... the waitresses are cute!), they actually have red snapper which is my favorite next to yellowtail and not served everywhere, the food is fantastic and fresh, they have a good sake selection and will make recommendations and even know where you can obtain a particular sake outside their restaurant if you ask, and they have a pretty huge menu for a sushi place... even including things like filet mignon for your friends who might not be keen on sushi (not that I've tried it, lol). The prices can run a bit high depending on what you order... but for the quality it's worth it... two people who are hungry and enjoy good quality sake and sashimi can probably dine here for about $65-$75 each give or take for dinner, including dessert and appetizer.... and they always offer little plates for sharing. If you're just here for lunch it would be less. There is always plenty of parking given that Irori is located in a strip mall (next to the CVS tucked in the back... unexpected location for such a high quality restaurant). Thumbs up! Definitely recommended.
(5)
Amy H.
Phenomenal! THE best sushi in LA, period! Everything is fantastic! We got to know a few of the waitresses and sushi chefs and just had them bring us sushi! This place is great! We moved down to San Diego, but will frequent anytime we are in LA.
(5)
Deborah H.
Irori's the best sushi I've had... Better than Nobu, Morimoto, Katana, all them overrated joints. It's not a trendy scene kind of place, rather an unassuming strip mall joint with very good food. They have daily specials (pray they have the Spanish mackerel) that reflect upon the fresh shipments. You're required to take off your shoes (so don't forget the pedi and wear non-holey socks) and sit tatami-style. We split a couple interesting appetizers and went all-out with the sashimi. The bill for two game to about 90$ with no liquor, which is a steal for the fish quality. Service was friendly.
(4)
j c.
I ordered 8 items from the menu. They were out of 5: no ono, amoebi, Spanish mackerel, oysters, monkish, uni. And the chef forgot to serve two of our dishes. Atmosphere is fun, food was not
(2)
Hope L.
I didn't expect much since there's a CVS next door. We got here during the dinner rush and sat in front of sushi chef Johnny. And all we can say is "wow". Enough said.
(5)
David L.
It's very good. Went there because of my co-worker's recommendation and didn't disappoint. Had softshell crab roll, salmon skin roll, oyster, albacore, yellowtail, sashimi over jalapeno sausce, natto handroll, cod with miso and they were all high quality. Liked it quite a bit. My Japenese friend really loved this place and was more impressed at the quality than I was. Never tried Nigori sake before, very smooth and tasty, goes very well with sushi and sashimi, it was great.
(4)
Frederick S.
wear cute, clean socks because your shoes are coming off as soon as you're in the door. When walking to the table, with the seating recessed into the floor, I felt like a GIANT amongst mere mortals. I almost insisted on standing through dinner. I pictured it: I'd laugh- big, thunderous peels of laughter- while gesturing with an enormous bottle of saki in one fist, and my free arm draped around the neck of a large moose, which I would of course dwarf in comparison. ...and then I sat down..,or, scooted, more accurately. Oh-- and then I ate a great meal of delectably fresh fish and expertly assembled rolls. And that hot saki that i did end up having was smoother than I expected and quite good. Fair warning-- the chefs are really energetic and the waitstaff very attentive. If you're not careful, this could end up being your regular sushi spot.
(4)
Jennifer M.
Solid West-side Sushi. Cute decor, yummy fresh fish and reasonably priced. Their soft-shell crab is larger than other places with lots of meat. I've been twice and the fish has been very fresh. It's almost "super-sized" sushi, but so be it. I don't think they try and take advantage of the customer.
(4)
Cindy T.
What was I thinking? At first sight, I didn't want to go here. Seriously, D. had to convince me. I hate to admit it, but he was right. The food & service are superb. There's always a wait, but it's well worth it. Once you get seated the servers are friendly and they're always willing to give suggestions on what to order. My recommendations: Red snapper w/ shiso leaf *a must try* Seared ono Kanpachi *anything* Jalapeno
(5)
Roger B.
Absolutely the best Sushi on the West Side. Excellent service, tremendous food, and soon to remodel we hear!!!!
(5)
Kelly S.
It's rare that you find an un-Yuppified sushi restaurants these days, especially in LA. Irori is definitely one of those sushi places with reasonable prices, a reasonably authentic atmosphere, and great service. I knew it was going to be good when we ordered some edamame. For the first time in I don't know how long, it actually was served warm (as advertised) and delicious. The only negative thing I experienced was the slow sitting times due to Irori's limited space. Still for a Saturday night, a 30 minute wait is usual.
(4)
Tony C.
over-salted / under-valued omakase on the Westside. Out of the 6 omakases we had in the last 2 months, this place fell the shortest. unlike others who bothered themselves with "terriyaki chicken", i was on the mission to find the better value omakase in town because my pocketbook just can't hack it at Urasawa. all the nigiri pieces were fresh and some even exotic, but the overall level of zen cuisine which can easily be found at kiriko/tama, just wasn't there. the soups were oversalted, there were simply too many cooked dishes (often uninspiring) and not enough fish (which would've highlighted the talent of the chef who stood right in front of us.) the old/dirty/beat sushi bar + the trashed Hoshizaki freezer didn't bother us, but we really just wanted more of the buttery hamachi toro
(3)
Emily C.
a bomb ass sushi joint in a strip mall??? really? really?? yup, really. irori is my new favorite sushi joint outside of little tokyo. i think that its sashimi rivals the fresh and plumpness of hama sushi in jtown. our party of four got the 60 dollar ish omakase, and it was delicious!!! more than the warm dishes, i enjoyed the different stylings of sushi and sashimi that came out. YUM. the place is super cute, too! although the thought of taking off my shoes at the front of the restaurant was a bit off setting at first, i began to warm up to the idea as my shoe-less feet got a rest from the three inch heels i was wearing that day. you basically sit on the floor, and the floor has holes in the middle so that your legs can dangle all night. totally my new sushi joint recommendation. i haven't gone back yet, but i sense that i will be visiting this corner of mdr more often now.
(4)
Jessica F.
Los Angeles is the city of strip mall-hole in the wall restaurants. Packed in between a Radioshack and Pavilions, Irori is a bit hard to find. Irori has traditional Japanese seating, where you remove your shoes and sit on the floor. Makes for a nice atmosphere. We weren't that hungry so I ordered agedashi, deep fried tofu to start and a big bowl of tempura udon. My sister got san sai udon. It was awesome. The fried tofu was topped with some kind of radish paste and diced seaweed, went together really nicely. The tempura was crispy and not to oily, I often find tempura to be really greasy. All the veggies were fresh. We both ate the entire bowl of udon. Came out to about $26 for both of us, not bad at all. I'm definitely going to revisit this place and test out their sushi. Update! 4/9/08 - Since my first visit, I've returned twice on a Friday night. First time I waited for 50 minutes only to give up and get Indian food. Second time I had a reservation and I still waited half an hour. Minus one star!
(3)
Jeremy S.
Definitely stop in during lunch and try the lunch boxes. Really good sushi and affordable.
(4)
Alison N.
Love, love, LOVED it. The setting was nice...and I liked how everyone was Japanese or at least looked it. That was a definite added bonus. The seats were comfortable. Traditional seating w/ a twist... Remember to take your shoes off. I had the teriyaki salmon and sashimi. The salmon was good, sashimi was a little plain. Good presentation in the food.
(4)
Lauren P.
this restaurant is fully responsible for making me fall in love with sushi! before my time in LA, i'd really only experienced california rolls. thanks to irori, i'm a full-blown sushi addict! i love all of their rolls and sashimi, as well as their box lunches. the service is always so sweet and nice too. me and my friend always called irori "the foot in the holes place" because you have to take your shoes off to eat, and it's hidden in a strip center. definitely a semi-hidden treasure.
(5)
Gail H.
I enjoyed Dan's review on Irori, although he must have eaten at a different location, because the Irori in Marina del Rey only opened a year or two ago. It's located in the Von's and CVS shopping Center, off Mindanao and Glencoe. I'm definitely not a connoisseur of Japanese food, as I only started eating it less than 10 years ago. I'm so "white bread" in my choices. But, I've eaten enough generic Japanese food to know that ...what I DO order... is either good or bad - at least to me! I went in the other day with my boss for a belated Christmas lunch and it was packed! Always a good sign. After a five minute wait, we were seated at the Sushi Bar. I was starved and I ordered the perfect lunch for my raging appetite. I had the Beef Teriyaki Lunch Box, served with Miso Soup, Salad, and Rice. Then I had a choice of one or two items. Being the oinker that I am, of course, I chose two items. The choices were Chicken Teriyaki, Tonkatsu (I haven't a clue what this is), Spicy Tuna Roll, Salmon Teriyaki, Sesame Chicken, Fish Cutlet, Tempura, or California Roll. $8.50 for one; $10.50 for two choices. I chose the Tempura and CA Roll. Damn...I had a lot of food in front of me, but I ate every bite. Mmmmm, It was so fresh and tasty. This is the only Japanese restaurant that I've gone into that has low tables with the recessed area for your legs. Not bad once you've gotten your butt down, but ...geez...trying to get up is another thing. Holy moses! Don't wear a short skirt! Oh, yeah...one other thing. You must remove your shoes before you enter the dining area. I prefer to have something on my feet when walking around a public area, so I make sure I wear socks (or at least bring them) the day I know I'm going to eat here. Besides, bare feet in a restaurant is sorta icky, don't you think??
(5)
Steve O.
I will make this short. I have been there more than 40 times. I have been there 4 days in a row. I have been there twice in one day. Great Atmosphere. Great Staff. Great Food. It's classy. It's clean. It's consistent. I recomend the Eel Avacado Tempura, The Tender Octopus, and any and all sushi or sashimi. I'm not a huge fan of rolls so I can't offer any advice there. Make sure to ask the waitress what she recomends sashimi wise. It can get pricey if you splurge, which you will want to do.
(5)
Al C.
Wow--this place is the real dealio! Here you get to: --take your shoes off before seating --sit on the floor with a hole in the ground for your feet --eat like a hog for lunch for a reasonable price --savor very good quality food --experience great service --feel like you've been whisked away to an episode of "Shogun" Oishi desu nee!!!!
(4)
Misa C.
Very very happy with this place. Although it was hard to find, it was worth it. Thank you Yelp! This is officially me and my bf's favorite new sushi place. It's affordable and really well priced for great sushi and sashimi. We got the spider roll, yellowtail, unagi and seweed salad. I love how you have to take off your shoes! Very authentic, and reminded me of my time in Japan :)
(4)
Jenna K.
It was my first time here and I have never tasted sushi so fresh! My friends and I went here at 10pm to satisfy our sushi cravings. To start off, I liked how, unlike most other restaurants, we were required to take our shoes off in order to proceed to the tables. Moreover, the table was nice since under it, there was an empty space for people who can't sit too long with crossed legs. The vibe was good, considering it was even past dinner time. We first ordered a couple rolls which were spicy tuna and eel with avocado. What I liked most about these rolls were that they were soft, meaning the nori and the sushi inside were smooth. I've tried rolls at other places and the sushi inside can tend to become too chewy and you start to have some difficulty trying to break them down to the last bits. For someone who loves food that has just the right crisp, under the special menu, there is this fried rice topped with spicy tuna. This menu truly seems to be "special" since I have not tried it elsewhere. Speaking of crispy fried food, the fried ice cream is a must-try! At first, from the thought of it, I was taken aback and it just didn't sound appealing. My friends and I ordered the green tea fried ice-cream where the ice cream inside is green tea flavored. Once it came out, the first bite could have not been so great! The compound was delicious!! Overall the freshness and quality of the foods, and most importantly the service are what seem to keep the restaurant so busy even after dinner hours and definitely makes me want to go back whenever I get the chance to! I loved it here!!!!
(5)
Marina A.
sushi is ok , i am a sushi lover ,this restuarant ranks just ok for sushi , the nice thing they have you sit in a hole in the ground.
(3)
Fausto H.
Irori's service is horrible it sucks!
(1)
Sony P.
My my. You're first greeted with a non-descript facade if you're lucky to be able to find it without any devine intervention. As you step through the plain entry, you sense that they value traditions and the art of sushi as you are escorted in to a cozy tatami seating with cute waitresses (abundant) waiting to pamper your raw needs. Since I was with clients, I was able to get a great selection (thanks Sony!) of sushi ranging from king crab tempura, monkfish liver, escolar, uni, toro and bevy of other nigiri complimented by a great selection of sake. They were all good but I particularly found the appetizers and sashimi were outstanding. It's definitely a great place if you're a absolute sushi fan and discerning of freshness and quality. What are you waiting for? You go now!
(4)
Erin M.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in LA! The food is amazing and the atmosphere is fun. Make a reservation, because they get really busy. I love sitting at the sushi bar and all the sushi chefs are really fun, friendly and willing to help you to try new things. They have a lot of interesting combinations and fun things to try. You would never know that it is there, tucked away in a little strip mall in the Marina, but this place is a jem! Check it out!
(5)
Sabrina H.
the menu is hit or miss and is a bit pricey for what you get. when i saw the menu prices, i didn't think it was that expensive until the food arrived and i saw what you get for it. the service was nice but then again it was late & we were the last customers. i probably won't be coming back because I'd much rather spend my money at Yu n Mi in Beverly Hills and enjoy the food much, much more.
(3)
ivana d.
get toro, unagi, kanpachi, baked crab handroll.. they are sooo good.. i had the sweet shrimp but it's slimy.. wouldn't recommend it.. the green tea ice cream was good.. OOH uni is soo good too.. reasonable price compared to other good quality sushi restaurant
(4)
Carmen C.
my favorite place for sushi in LA. good prices and GREAT food. I am a huge fan of sushi and have had it in japan and hong kong and i would eat it every day of the week if i could, but i can't afford it so i don't. anyway, irori is a great place to go if you are looking for QUALITY sushi and great prices as well as great specials like yellowtail sashimi with jalepenos in ponzu sauce...*drool* anything out of the ordinary tasted amazing. they are generous with their sashimi slices as well. I would say their offerings reminded me of Nobu, but I like it way better because they have a larger menu and WAY better prices! i ate there with 5 other girls, we had beer and sake and ordered nothing but sashimi, sushi and appetizers, none of that chicken teriyaki nonsense (although I have no doubt that it would be delicious as well) and the bill came out to $37/person including their 18% gratuity. no complaints! don't delay! get your butt over to irori or live life without having tasted incredible sushi.
(5)
G Ride Z.
Have been there twice now and it has been quite consistent. I would recommend the Tempura Udon. The Sea Bass was nothing to rave about. However they have VERY fresh Sashimi. The ambiance inside the restaurant is worth the trip. Quite authentic, you have to take off your shoes and insert them into little cubbies before heading into the dinning area. Would advise to check your socks for holes before heading there.
(4)
Brian P.
This place serves the best sushi I have ever eaten in my entire life. It may look expensive, but once you sample their food you will find that the value is excellent. Everything is so bomb that it's difficult to recommend anything in particular. However, I'll recommend the Sashimi plate w/jalapenos b/c it's pretty unique and very tasty.
(5)
Cain D.
Great sushi and service in a traditional setting. Love sushi and Irori!
(5)
Robert N.
We returned to Irori recently and it was an utter shambles. All the old chefs were gone and so was the quality and taste of the fish. Everything we had was chewy and fishy in flavor. Gah! Never again.
(1)
jeff e.
I feel like i'm in a rstaurant far far away. From the second you walk in and take off your shoes, to when you sit on the floor to eat. The Live Sweet Shrimp are amazing as is everything I have ever eaten there. the staff is great. Cool place to go on a date or Sake bombin with friends! If you want a unique sushi experience this is a cool spot to go to.
(5)
Brandon L.
I flew in from NYC last night, and after the obligatory In-N-Out stop, I wanted some fish to balance myself out. Since I was by LAX, Yelp pointed me to Irori just up the road. Irori is one of those strip mall sushi joints that seem to blanket every square mile of LA. If that sounds like a put down, it's not - like mexican restos back in NYC, there seems to be a direct correlation between the awfulness of the location and the quality of the food. And thankfully, Irori is in an absolutely terrible location, tucked into the very back of a shopping plaza next to a giant grocery store and a hair salon. The asparagus salad and spicy tuna on rice were both really well made, and the tuna and shrimp rolls, which were $5 each, could easily go for $10+ back in the city. I hate many things about LA, but you guys are really killing the cheap sushi game, and Irori is no exception.
(4)
Marc M.
Before we get started, this place is hard to find the first time, because the way the shopping center is configured, the restaurant does not face the parking lot. No deduction for that, however. Let's recognize the whole "taking off the shoes and sitting in a hole in the floor" concept now and move on. Yeah, it is different and moderately cool. I guess. Down to business...the menu is limited. Sushi, sake, and entrees are limited. Prices are fine. Food was blah. Edamame was small and unsalted. Rolls seemed to have processed fish in them? Unfortunately, they were the best part. They tasted okay. Sashimi was not so much. Here is the real problem, however- the service. Our waiter was slow and disappeared for long periods of time. Place was fairly busy, but not too bad. Our second bottle of sake never came out, and he was gone so long that we finished eating, cleared and stacked the plates for him, and "relaxed" on the floor for 15 minutes before he came back. At that point I wanted my shoes and the heck out of here. Check came and the prices were higher than the menu indicated. I know this because I still had my menu- they never took it back. Novelty factor aside, this place is a big pass. If you want a similar experience, pick up some pre-made sushi at Ralphs, sit on your kitchen floor, and ask your teenager to ignore you for about an hour. You shouldn't even have to ask the teenager- they'll do it on their own.
(2)
janae b.
This is my favorite sushi restaurants in LA. A hidden gem with great service, menu and prices. Always super fresh, good parking. I love the authentic atmosphere where you take your shoes off and sit down into the sushi bar and tables. The entire menu is fantastic if you decide not to be at the sushi bar.
(5)
Keenan K.
Very Good Delicious dishes that you won't find in any Sushi restaurant. The price is right and I like sitting on the floor with my legs in the Irori. I am 6'2" and fit comfortable. This is one of my favorite places for Sushi on the Westside.
(5)
Leslie M.
I LOVE this place! It's very traditional - take your shoes off as you enter, walk to your table and sit at floor level. Granted, the floor is cut out so you are sitting regularly, but it appears you are sitting on the floor. The sushi is fresh! It's also a great place to go with someone who doesn't like sushi! And the price isn't too bad. They have lunch specials! I like going here during lunch with the girls, especially on pay days so I can really splurge!! :)
(5)
Lori G.
OK, I was nervous at first when we arrived and there was no one in the front of house seating people and the line was starting to back-up. I was tempted to leave as the line became longer and longer and there was still no hostess in sight. Luckily I decided to stay and because the lack of help on the floor, decided to sit at the sushi bar - this was key! The sushi chef totally set us up with fresh nigiri with the perfect condiments - big eye tuna with yuzu, wild King salmon with onions and ponzu, albacore with ginger, and I could go on and on! We also tried the baked black code in miso - it was delicious. Irori is reasonably priced and the sushi is fresh. I will definitely eat here the next time I am in LA (still trying to get over eating in a strip mall, but Irori is helping me with this!).
(4)
Joshua S.
The only sushi place I have found that I quite enjoy in the westside. Toro, albacore, salmon all are delish. Plus they have a baked crab roll that's pretty amazing. This is my go to spot. The best part for me is its semi hidden I a strip mall:).
(3)
Ellen W.
While visiting California, my firends decided to take me to Irori because I've never been to a place where I had to take off my shoes to eat before. I have to say it was a pretty cool experience. I'm not sure if all Japanese restaurants have this when you sit on the floor but there is acutally a seat to sit in and your feet dangles at the bottom of the table. So basically you are seated at groud level. It's a cute restaurant and the service was ok. The food was decent too but a bit pricey. One hand roll we ordered was about $8. And it was very small hand roll. I would definitely go back again next time I visit California.
(4)
Nancy C.
Maybe it was the food, or maybe it was the fact that my dinner companion was a [insert a not-so-nice name here], but I did NOT have a good experience at this restaurant. I really liked the irori-style tables and the fact that I could eat w/out shoes on, but besides the commendable character of this place, nothing else makes it really memorable. I ordered my requisite scallop roll, which had way too much mayo. The sashimi assort was reasonably priced at $18, and came with a bowl of rice, salad, miso soup, and fruit. Also, the white tuna w/ jalapenos and ponzu sauce is worth a try. Yum! However, I was a bit put off that they served the roll before the sashimi. Adequate sushi joint, but definitely not worth the 30+ miles it takes for me to get here.
(3)
Eric G.
I had the best Japanese food I've ever eaten. Ever. It's pricey, but the ambiance is great, the people are great, the service is great. The waitress helped with vegetarian options, and her choices were awesome. (You'd be surprised at where "fish sauce" can end up in some Japanese restaurants.) I can't recommend Irori enough!
We had reservations and upon entering, had to stand near the door and constantly move around for everyone else who needed to get to the shoe cubbies behind us but when seated, the sunken table was very fun, perfect for playing footsie ;) Our service was excellent, and friendly. I ordered the Japanese Albacore Sahimi for the table which we then proceeded to re-order 3 more times it was so good. Very large pieces of super fresh, beautiful fish that melts in your mouth with such a delicious flavor. Everything else was just as fresh and very good but that Albacore will have me coming back!
(4)
Sharon J.
After having dinner there for 7 times in 5 months and NEVER beign disappointed I can say that that's the best dine in sushi I've ever experienced in Los Angeles. Awesome service, great quality and great atmosphere. Highly recommended
(5)
Mia J.
Great fresh fish. Great staff. Sushi guys are nice and make an effort to remember names if you sit at the sushi bar. I just wish I was not a starving student so I could eat here more often. The blue crab hand roll is super delicious, and I crave it. Ask for the Japanese hamachi, as it is better (though more expensive) than the regular yellowtail. And the atmosphere makes it a great date place, but make sure you have a nice pedicure or wearing clean socks, because they make you take off your shoes. It really is a hidden gem tucked away (aka hard to find) in the middle of a mall (near Super Cuts and Pizzarito).
(5)
Tulani K.
Excellent local Japanese restaurant. The menu goes beyond standard sushi with cooked dishes beyond the norm and some challenging items for the more developed palette. The Nabeyake Udon is delicious. Many appetizers are fun to share with a group. I've tried some of the more wild menu items...the kind that the waitress watches you in amazement as you eat, then nods approvingly. But there are also standard items for the less adventurous. The staff are wonderful and very helpful. Sitting on the floor can be a challenge for the less-than-athletic, but it's worth the stretch. Going shoeless is always fun and there are slippers provided to wear to the restroom. Overall the decor borders on kitsch, but is warm and spacious enough to avoid feeling like a trip back in time. The music is always pleasant and interesting...no piped in Muzak here. Bottom line: Very good quality food in a fun environment with great people.
(4)
Nilesh A.
This place is a hidden gem. It has a great ambiance and very friendly staff. At first I was a little worried about having to sit on the mats instead of in a chair, since I am a tall guy and sitting cross legged might be uncomfortable. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out the floor was raise and when you sit down, your legs are in a hidden drop floor underneath the table - very comfortable. The sushi is very fresh and flavorful. The sake was excellent. The atmosphere is definitely more low key than rowdy. It is more of a great date place than a place to get a little drunk with the sushi chefs. I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for great sushi on the westside.
(5)
Nami I.
Irori has been our favorite Japanese restaurant for a while now. It used to be called "East" a couple of years ago and the food was mediocre at best, but when the owner changed it became a whole new restaurant! I even took a friend who was visiting from Japan there when he was craving Japanese food and he loved it! The Sushi is very good and not overpriced. They occasionally have some specials (like their Bluefin Toro) that are a little bit more expensive but usually well worth the money. I love their salmon skin roll and their spicy tuna. As for non-sushi washoku cuisine, we have pretty much tried everything on their menu so far (the advantage of going with a big crowd from time to time). The teriyaki chicken/ salmon dinner is awesome. Not too sweet and cooked just right. The Nabeyaki Udon another of our favorites. The ton-katsu is really crisp. Just writing this review makes me want to go there again! Almost everyone already commented on their nice interior. Nothing to add, except maybe that you can ask them for a back rest if you have a sensitive back. It gets quite crowded on Friday nights and weekends, so be sure to make reservations and don't forget to wear socks!
(5)
Eli G.
hot damn this place is good. granted i've only been here once so far and didn't get to fully explore the menu. but irori (palindrome) did well with my standard order. we went here for a work lunch, based off a co-workers recommendation, and it was a great lunch. the place is tucked in a corner of nice strip mall and looks like nothing from the outside. but inside is a whole other story. when you first walk in, you see a wall of cubbies full of shoes. so obviously we take off our shoes and we're seated at the sushi bar. second cool point about this place is that all the tables and even the sushi bar are just a few inches off the ground, but to get around this, there are holes in the ground around every table and in front of the bar. very cool! i liked sitting in a hole. the seats at the bar were basically seat cushions and backs that were not fixed to the floor. very unique and very neat. i order some tuna, uni, unagi, red snapper and one other fish i can't remember. all the sashimi was perfect, melted in my mouth, no chewing required. the uni was the highlight. i'm still defining my taste for uni but i really loved it here. the unagi was the only let down. i'm used to sakura sushi monster sized pieces of eel. irori's eel was good but just not great. prices were good too, seemed fairly standard for the quality of fish. i will definitely be back here to try everything else on the menu and to sit in all the holes.
(4)
sam j.
Great specials. Fish is amazingly fresh. Try the albacore pepper garlic ponzu or the blue crab handroll with soy paper.
(4)
Jess R.
my roommates wanted to go to irori, and i had never been. i'm never one to turn down sushi, so of course i was down. it wasn't the best sushi i've ever had, but it was for sure good. the best thing though, is their edamame. i know, it's just edamame, but SERIOUSLY, it was super good. i dont know how they made it so perfect! service was good, and there's plenty of parking, because it's located in a strip mall (right next to a cvs, so if you need to pick up a thing or two after you eat...) one random thing: my roommate's boyfriend loves ginger, and our server kept taking away the sushi plates right when the sushi was gone, and he got sad that she was "stealing" his ginger. but after we pointed out that he was a ginger-eating fool, she brought out a big bowl of ginger for him :)
(4)
Durif M.
I whet there like 2 years ago during my trip to SoCal and I loved this place. This is the first (and probably the only) Japanese restaurant in the US where I was told to take my shoes off. Everything we had here was very good. I hope I could go back there soon.
(4)
Julie C.
Authentic Japanese sushi and noodle. Nice interior and lighting as well.
(5)
Seichan G.
5/1/09 - I can't believe I just found this place after living in Marina Del Rey for the past 4 years. We always go to West LA for dinner and always complained that there are no good Asian resto in Marina Del Rey. Irori is awesome. First the tatami style dinner is just fun. You get to take off your shoes, put your feet down under the table, and chill. The menu can be broken down into 3 types: Made to order sushi, dinner set, or the small plate. The dinner set is a pretty good value, for about $15 you can choose a teriyaki or tempura rice plate with salad and dessert. But if you more adventureous, order the small plates. They have anything from blue crab cake, fillet mignon with truffle butter, miso marinated cod, steamed clam, baked oyster, the tofu tobanyaki (highly re commended). The small plates range from $5 - $15 per plate, so you can spend as much or as little as your wallet allow.
(4)
Ryan L.
The sushi is good, but in NO WAY worth the money they charge. Cool that they've got the floor cut out so that we round-eyes don't have to sit Indian style. I should've ordered a "combo plate" or a meal that came with extras because buying 3 individual rolls of sushi didn't amount to much.
(2)
Tony M.
yup this place has pretty bomb sushi. came here a while back with my gf and racked up 120$ bill in like 10 minutes (mostly her fault...) This place has such a wide variety of sushi, we had albacore, dragon roll and a ton of other stuff. definitely for those who can tell the difference between good sushi and great sushi
(4)
Julie N.
This place is so authentic, you may not think that because it's in a strip mall, but you can tell as soon as you walk through the door. You have to take off your shoes before you sit and there are cubby holes at the entrance for your shoes. Seemingly, you sit on the floor but there are actual holes under the tables where you put your legs. If the atmosphere doesn't provide enough of an authentic experience, the food will. The sushi is so fresh - you have to try to sashimi (you can choose the fish) and jalapeno with ponze. There is a great assortment of sake, as well, and the staff is very knowledgeable of the variety. Make a reservation - this place has become popular! 0 - 0 of 0 commentsWrite a comment...SubmitYour comment has been posted! View All Comments Read more
(4)
owen brenna i.
yea this place was fantastic. the sushi was fresh and they had some different kinds, not just the usual. the seared ahi sashi is fantastic. We sat at a cute little table put our feet in the spaces below and were served right away. our waitress was prompt and took care us from start to finish. but like the person you are going with because its hard to not play footsie under the table..
(5)
Jan B.
best sushi i've had in the westside so far. but then again i havent eaten in many sushi joints out here. the fish was fresh, the sushi chefs were personable and actually japanese, and the atmosphere felt comfortable. we sat on the floor, but rather than sitting cross legged, there were space to hang your legs down below the floor. we ordered some cold sake but i forget the name. it was unfiltered sake that was smooth. i also ordered albacore (pretty good and fresh, not the best i've had though), tuna (not my fave, the chef placed some wasabi inside and it burned), tori (i'm not quite sure what it was, but it was delicious), and unagi (delicious as always). we also ordered some smoked salmon roll with cream cheese inside. it was pretty good, but i prefer my fish raw anyday. we topped it off with some fried tempura green tee ice cream. you can never go wrong with tempura ice cream. overall the experience was great and the cost was alright. not cheap, but well worth it.
(5)
Jen G.
We were looking for ethnic food and Irori turned out to be exactly what we wanted. We shared several a la carte dishes and a sushi platter, along with an excellent fried ice cream. Waiters were great and service is very fast. Great place to go to
(5)
Milt O.
Pricey, but very good sushi, and quite romantic. You sit on cushions on the floor with your legs down in a recess in the floor. No shoes, so you get to play footsie with the person across from you. Hopefully, it's the right person.
(4)
Amanda D.
Iori was the best sushi I've had since moving to Los Angeles. The sushi was reasonably priced, very good quality, with a unique atmosphere and great service. A great place for a group night out if you are looking for something out of the ordinary!
(5)
B. ..
Excellent high quality sushi/sashimi. Had Seared Ono with yuzu kusho, Yellowtail, Kanpachi, seared tuna, halibut, wild salmon, Amaebi and Ankimo sashimi with sweet miso and wakame on the side. absolutely delicious and melt in ur mouth. The amaebi was a lil small, yet sweet, plump and had a nice crunchy texture; heads fried to perfection. I ate every bit and crumb of it. Ankimo was tasty and yummily creamy in texture. Kanpachi was one of my faves. tender and melt in ur mouth good--as fresh as can be. heck. all of the sushi was perfect. I'm going to stop right here, b/c i can't describe all the pieces in enough detail but all i can say was they were SOOOOOO good and soooooooo fresh. ambience is nice too. Different in that you have to take ur shoes off and the whole room is like a tatami with sunken wells for ur legs. . I'm definitely coming back here again. I'd give this place 5 stars, but i'm reserving my 5 stars for one that blows me away.. completely. definitely one of my top list sushi places. 9/07 came here again.. this time ordered half shell oysters, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, blue fin tuna, halibut, red snapper, kanpachi, wild salmon, eel avocado roll and spicy scallop roll. Hands down.. you gotta go w/ the kanpachi. it's got such an amazing texture--firm, yet silky smooth and ultimate freshness. my 2nd fave was the red snapper. it's served with a spritz of sea salt which really enhances the flavor of the fish ( no soy sauce dipping w/ this). the halibut again was another fave (3rd, in this case)
(4)
Kay N.
It's an interesting place mostly because of the sunken-in floor seating but the food was just average. I shared the yellowtail collar with my boyfriend and got the chirashi for myself which came with miso soup, salad, pickled cucumbers, and a mini fruit cup. The fish was nice and fresh but I thought their sushi rice was too sour and hard...
(4)
jessica c.
Irori rocks. It's sort of old school sushi and reminds me of places back in NY. Not pretentious in anyway, just great fresh sushi in a cool setting. Love the no shoe policy with the low tables. Love that there sushi is simple, sometimes inventive but in keeping with traditional sushi places. As in, there are no ridiculous oversized rolls with tons of sauce all over the place. Great neighborhood go to spot, and very well priced! Good for lunch too! And sweet waitstaff.
(5)
Tracy R.
i only have 3 words for this place....wonderful, wonderful and more wonderful....friendly staff, authentic vibe, great, fresh fish....this place is legit :) highly recommend and parking is a no brainer!!
(5)
Scott M.
Great atmosphere and friendly service. You have to take your shoes off and all the tables are inset so you are sitting on the floor with a pillow...cool. As for the sushi - somewhere between good and excellent. Not the absolute best I've had but still good and beautifully presented. The portions are small and the prices are steep, but I'll be back to this tucked away little gem.
(4)
Tara M.
An excellent, authentic Japanese/Sushi restaurant. We went for an early dinner on a week night and sat at the sushi bar. We had a wonderful time watching and speaking with the sushi chef (since it wasn't too busy,) he recommended a wonderful mushroom appetizer with 6 kinds of Japanese mushrooms in it. They also have delicious vegetarian choices in both their sushi and entrees. Great service, affordable prices and a unique atmosphere: you take your shoes off and sit on the "floor." Also close to Mar Vista.
(5)
Mike W.
This place rivals any of the better reviewed sushi spots like nozawa, asanebo, sasabune, etc. In fact, this place beats all the places I just listed. Of course, if you are a roll eater then I have no clue as I don't consider rolls part of any japanese cuisine. I can however tell you that the fish is as good as it gets here unless we're talking masa ny price/standards. I can only guess that those who gave this place 3 stars or less had dishes like teriyaki , california roll, etc so please ignore those reviews. If you are a true sushi junkie like myself then you owe it to yourself to come try this place. This is definitely your top 5 out here in so.cal , for real.
(5)
Jared N.
Provided you're in the mood to dine with shoes off, and have the presence of mind to make a reservation, Irori will treat you to some awesome fish. It's that velvety sushi that barely requires chewing, and they've got some cool choices like oni and blue crab hand rolls if you want to get beyond the usual tuna and salmon without going totally hardcore. Rolls are packed with the good stuff instead of leaning heavily on rice, but the nigiri is where you want to allocate most of your budget. After sake, an appetizer, sushi and dessert, the bill was roughly $90 for two -- more than I was expecting, but worth it.
(5)
K D.
Irori is a little hidden gem in Marina del Rey. The place is cozy and charming, with good service and flavorful food. Despite a few mishaps, we have always had a good time there. It offers a nice ambiance with good food at reasonable prices.
(4)
Marta N.
Three years ago my sister and I ran into this place while looking for something to eat before heading to the movies. We are now full blown addicts. I love this place, the Udon is sooo yummy, the staff is super friendly and I've never not liked what I ordered. The prices are fair and I love the atmosphere.
(4)
Deanna M.
I didn't try the sushi on my visit, but I had the tempura and teriyaki chicken combo plate. The food and the service were both very good. It seemed expensive at first ($15 for my meal), but I got a LOT of food: tempura, teriyaki chicken, salad, soup, rice, and ice cream.
(4)
Joe C.
We love the food and atmosphere at Irori. We go there at least 2x per month. Yes, it is a bit pricey , but really should be a $$$ rating.
(5)
Meghan L.
I went here for the first time last week with some girlfriends. I have to say I was a bit skeptical. Strip mall? In the Marina? But Shima is so good and so much closer to my apt! I went. I loved it from the minute I walked in the doors. It's totally tucked away in the corner of one of the lesser known strip malls off of Lincoln in the Marina. It's amazing anyone knows about it. You walk in and you immediately feel transported to Japan. Dark polished wook is everywhere..the lighting is perfectly dimmed so that you can still everyone without strain, but you feel calm and safe. I was immediately met by a hostess who motioned down to my feet...when I looked down, I saw around my feet what appeared to be all of the other diners' shoes. Some were neatly tucked away into cubby holes, while others were strewn around on the floor. I slipped my shoes off and found a nice cubby hole to put them in. I immediately found my friends who had gotten there before me and as I walked into the restaurant, I was impressed with how smooth and clean the wooden floor beneath my feet felt. Everyone around me was seated at their submerged tatami mat tables...legs hidden below the floor. I took a seat with my friends and was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the seating was..even w/out back support. And I haven't even gotten to the food. We got a few appetizers...the albacore sashami with cilantro and jalapeno was the best among them...and then a large assortment of sushi and sushi rolls. We also got the sesame seaweed salad...one of the better seaweed salads I have had at a restaurant. The spicy tuna was fantastic...no mayo to be found and perfectly spicey . The rainbow roll was also amazing...great flavors and you could really taste the crab in the california roll as well as the fish/avocado on the outside. And the real treat was the spider roll. The softshell crab was cooked fresh and was perfectly tender. Everything tasted amazingly fresh. The salmon sushi (wild) was possibly the best I have ever had. As was the albacore sushi, which they served with the ponzu sauce and grated ginger on top. I will defitely go back. I only wish that they had a better wine list and that they had a brown rice option. The quality of the fish though...amaizing. And affordable. A great hidden gem.
(4)
Charlene L.
I was pleasantly surprised by this Japanese restaurant. Never would have expected decent sushi in this location. When we first walked in and saw nearly all white clientele, we were a bit discouraged. But were happy with the quality of sushi and especially the service. It's rare to find servers this good in LA. Our waitress kept checking on us and asking how the food was. I would rate the sushi a B+, but the service is what earns this restaurant 4 stars. One caveat, don't wear nice shoes to this restaurant, and you probably want to wear socks b/c they make you take off your shoes in the front before you get seated. To me, that's kinda gross, but oh well.
(4)
Jae k.
Very fresh, great service, great food!
(4)
Maximillian M.
A frequent lunch place two jobs ago. I think it was for this beautiful waitress that I'd always flirt with. Anyway, it's a weird place. Unless you sit at the sushi bar, you take your shoes off (don't worry, there's bathroom slippers) and sit at these traditionally low-to-the-floor Japanese tables except you're not sitting "Indian style" because your feet are in an opening underneath the table. On to the food: the lunch specials are pretty good. I like the salmon, and I usually get it with a spicy tuna roll (and a beer, if I'm feeling frivolous), which is one of several choices for side orders (which includes sashimi as a choice!). But get there early if you can--this place fills up during lunchtime. Also, they close for a spell between lunch and dinner.
(4)
Cris K.
I found this place via another Yelp friend, and it's great. The price is reasonable and the sushi is pretty fresh. I liked the idea of sitting on the floor, my boyfriend and his friend thought it was unconfortable... they are over 6 feet... and I am asian...
(4)
Dean Y.
well the service is ok- but the fish is fresh- the prices are a bit high but thats cause of competition lacking in the area- I rather go to sakura but if you are looking for a quieter romantice place then this might be it.
(3)
Jason R.
Great place to take a date! Great food, nice vibe, fair price!
(5)
N. Q.
Came here Sept '09. Arrived @6:30 PM on a Friday and had a short 15 wait. I was surprised to see this place was not just about sushi. It's a sushi bar, izakaya (small plates, bar food), and typical Japanese American restaurant rolled into one. Standard Menu items range from kushiyaki to tempura to teriyaki combo plates. Sushi bar offers traditional sushi, sashimi, and Americanized rolls, e.g. Philadelphia roll. We had karaage (fried chicken pieces--very tasty, cooked perfectly), miso eggplant (sweet & oily), spicy yellowtail roll (fishy, not good) spicy tuna on crispy rice (fish was good, rice cake was chewy & fried in old oil), unagi (very good, served with right amount of rice), and the tonkatsu entree (fried well but in old oil). Prices are reasonable. Total meal was $50. Service was very good; waitress frequently checked on us and made sure our water and tea cups were full. Overall, good but not great. My hubby thinks it's better than Sakura. It's a good alternative if you're not close to Sawtelle or Torrance. I'd return again.
(3)
NaOH Jones ..
Wow - what a great find! This unique little place is unassumingly tucked away in the deep recesses of an MDR strip-mall complex. For a restaurant next to a Radio Shack - Irori really surprised me. The interior is very pretty, and the actual dining experience is part of the appeal - with shoes your stored in cubbies and tables recessed into the floor. The menu is really diverse, with plenty to offer non-sushi lovers. We started with the standard salmon, and yellowtail - impeccable, fresh and sweet. We tried the baby big eye tuna - which was excellent. The philly roll was a tad large for my tastes, but the lobster tempura roll was perfect. We finished off with a red-bean dessert that was a sweet soup with a coconut milk broth - new to me and really fun. Will Irori replace my local corner sushi joint? No...but it will certainly enter my rotation of great places to take guests or to go for special meals. $110 for two - (including beer) not super cheap...but we left stuffed, and we could easily have ordered less pricey items and cut the cost by $40.
(4)
Lauren P.
japanese food's not easy to mess up, and most japanese cuisine I eat is just at the same level of 'yum' until it's hard to distinguish really good food... but this place bumps up the standard. the salted mackerel practically melts in your mouth and is just the right level of saltiness. the sushi is consistently fresh. the feet-under-the-table style left from the previous japanese restaurant make it a bit of a novel experience, if risky--I don't think I've ever seen a waitress slip, but the customers aren't so graceful.
(5)
Ben L.
I'm always skeptical about trying a new place...especially a sushi restaurant. I am sooooooooooooooooo glad that I had dinner here. The sushi is great, the ambiance is awesome, and the staff was super friendly. YES, you do have to take your shoes off, which was very traditional. REMEMBER... the slippers near the restroom are for you to use, you dont want to bust a britney spears and walk barefoot into the restroom. =) Keep it real.
(5)
Al B.
I couldn't believe I lived in the area and didn't notice this place for so long. We sat at the sushi bar and talked with the head sushi man our first time. He was a nice guy and gave us some good maguro. We liked the ambiance. You take your shoes off and the place is dim but pretty cool (not fancy). Pricing is pretty reasonable. Some of the rolls I've had have been a little sloppy though. They probably think Americans can't taste the difference between good rice and bad rice. I wish the pork cutlet was thicker. They probably keep it thin so that it cooks faster, but to me the best katsu is thick and not overdone. Anyway the presentation was good. Service from the servers has been so-so. Parking is pretty easy as there is a huge lot. The restaurant is tucked away next to a beauty salon and a Radio Shack. I'd recommend it for "real" Japanese food (you can probably find better in Torrance or Sawtelle) in the MDR area.
(3)
Lauren D.
I love this place. I am a frequent customer because of the atmosphere and food. I'll be honest that the service could be friendlier at times but it obviously doesn't bother me as much because I go here at least once every few weeks. I love how they stick to the Japanese tradition of taking your shoes off, and how all tables are floor tables with square seat cushions and a hole in the floor to let your feet dangle. I'll be honest that I can't afford the sushi bar (although my friends have sat there and say it's amazing sushi) so I always opt to sit at the cozy floor tables and I usually get the Sashimi Assort or Chirashi and it's always good. I love the presentation. This place reminds me of what I used to get at my favorite restaurants in Hawaii where the Japanese culture is dominant and abundant. Just like most restaurants, if you don't order drinks you can get a great meal for a reasonable price. It will be pricier if you sit at the sushi bar but that's just common knowledge. Great, consistent, local spot for me.
(4)
karen n.
bento box - great deal, super good food! sitting on mats - comfy! taking my shoes off - fun (but i came well prepared with clean, cute socks). and dont worry there are slippers for your feet if u need to use the restroom.
(4)
sang h.
Excellent sushi and sashimi prepared by top quality chef. Fresh fish and tasty sauce make one of the best sushi in town. Little pricy ($175 for 2 including $30 for sake) but you are expected to pay for top quality sushi. Sake list is somewhat limited but the price is reasonable. I would recommend this place to anyone living west side of town.
(5)
Sabine S.
Awesome!!! As an experienced Japanese food eater (and lover), this hit the spot perfectly!! The sushi was beautiful - good sized pieces and as buttery melt in your mouth as it can get! We also tried a bunch of smaller dishes / appetizers and they were all wonderful (sweet japanese eggplant, baked oysters, crab cake,..etc.) !! The service was gracious and very attentive!! Just like everything else in the Southbay, prices are fairly high, but it was worth it every cent!! Overall: I can't wait to go back!!
(5)
John C.
Love this place, Great food, price is reasonable for a sushi bar. The sashimi is excellent. The chefs are friendly. Make a reservation. This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Marina Del Rey.
(4)
Yves L.
good variation of japanese dishes. one of my favorite japanese restaurant in mdr area.
(5)
Angela Y.
Found this on yelp and since this is pretty close to my hotel near the airport, I figured I would give it a shot. I sure was glad I did that. I ordered albacore, spanish mackerel and fatty tuna (toro) sushi and I loved them all. I would definitely recommend it to any sushi lover.
(4)
Kerry K.
My best friend and I come here maybe once a week because they do have a really great lunch special. It is not the best sushi I have ever had, but the ambiance is great, the service is great and overall the food is really good. The only thing I would stay away from is the spicy tuna crispy rice. (It's just to sauce-y). But everything else is great. It's on the expensive side if you order off the menu, so just be aware of that. I highly, highly recommend for the lunch special though!
(4)
Clara V.
Came here by myself for lunch on a Wednesday. Was going to do take out but walked in and felt like I should sit down and enjoy myself. Shoes off! Went and sat at a table by the wall. Ordered the seaweed salad to start. It was amazing! Best seaweed salad I have ever had. Ordered a yellowtail roll which was excellent. Great service as well. Fast and friendly. For sure coming here again, and will for sure tell my friends about it!
(5)
Terry M.
I liked this place. Did not have to wait at all. The seats are sunk into the ground as to give you a feeling of sitting on the floor. The tables are small, can't fit to many things on them. We ordered a bento plate, 2 sushi rolls and that was pretty much all that could fit on the table. The food was not spectacular for the amount you pay but it wasn't bad either. Everything was fresh. The atmosphere is sort of romantic. Dim lighting, cushions on floor, and pretty quiet. It's unique but I would like tastier food.
(3)
Steve C.
Great sushi place. The service is fast and food is very fresh. Some of the rolls may look pricy but they are large portion sizes. Order a few things to start with before ordering more. You may find yourself very full after a few items. I would come back to try their udon and other interesting seafood items. I been to other restaurants where they ask you to remove your shoes. I think this is the first time in U.S. I'm not a big fan of tight seating. If you have lower bad issues, ask for a chair backing.
(4)
Agnes S.
Going here was an experience I'll never forget. The boyfriend had Yelped this place on our visit to LA from the Santa Monica Pier. One, it was seriously hard to find in the parking lot 'cause it was in a tight corner of the plaza. The experience got better though... Once inside, we had to take our shoes off - different yet cool. It was comfortable sitting on small padding, placed on floors. Hahaha... my feet slightly dangled under the table. The decor was cute - not what we expected look into it from the outside. Service was nice enough. We were greeted and seated right away. We also had our orders taken and given quickly. There was nothing personable about our server though, but she did check on us once in awhile. The sushi was scrumptious though! I especially enjoyed their baked salmon rolls! Hahaha... Coming here was alright for the boyfriend. He claims that the place was "too authentic" for him. Whatever that means. It's a place you've gotta at least try if you're in that area.
(4)
Yiqing K.
This is the best sushi restaurant I visited so far! The service just makes me feel comfortable, not so fine dining type but also available whenever you need, no pressure at all. The master chef is so adorable and nice, he even kindly introduced us to other sushi chefs working there. And the salmon sashimi is THE BOMB! I literally had a pleasure moment never happened before when I devoured a piece of salmon;)
(5)
Utah F.
Marina del Rey By the amc Hot meamazing Halibut fin - awesome Baked longostino roll f'ing amazing
(5)
Michelle T.
This place was awesome. Came here for the first time. Food was great and fresh. Service was fantastic.
(5)
Nicholas P.
Just not the same as it used to be. A great disappointment. I hope your experience is better than mine :-) My wife and I were pretty much ignored from our arrival to our seating to waiting to place an order. We decided to leave as others who had arrived after us were already receiving their drinks and giving their orders. Simple as that. Just a shame :-(
(1)
Chris G.
Came here based on the reviews - believe what you read, this place is good. The ambiance is different, no shoes, and unique tables with a dugout bottom area (see picture). Warning, if you are bigger, or not agile, this can be a challenge. I witnessed someone have difficulties getting seated, AND getting out. I enjoyed my eating experience, everything they served was very fresh, and plenty large, the individual rolls are all beautiful. 1. Tuna sashimi was delicious, big fresh chunks, A+ 2. Black cod, EXCELLENT, A++ 3. Rainbow roll, A I can't wait for my next visit. The store front is tucked away in the mall near Pavillions.
(4)
Daniel C.
Very authentic and unique. Not my first time here. Better war your good socks cause you have to take off your shoes when you come in the door. Yes that's right no shoes! Sitting down is hard too so be athletic as you're sitting in the floor with your feet down in a hole. There is no support for your back as its not a chair so sitting down for a while is not easy. Don't take grandma or grandpa here as unless you're at the bar where there are chairs you won't get them up. The sushi is fairly average. I live here in the valley and there are some great places. Irori is ok .....as simple as that when comparing to other places. It's about $40 a person unless you're drinking which will bring up that total another 10-15 buckaroos. Service is good though definitely can't complain about that. All in all if you're in MDR and want something unique go here, but make a reservation in advance as apparently this place is busier thane expected. Big parking lot as its in a strip mall so finding a space for your Ferrari won't be an issue.
(3)
Jimmy S.
We moved close by and this was a sushi place walking distance to our place. So this sushi place is hit or miss from a quality standpoint depending on what night you go and who is working that night. Since we live close by we see the wait staff often and they are pretty consistently very nice and attentive. However, the hostess (possibly the owner? who kept speaking Korean to her wait staff - wait... isn't this a Sushi joint?) seems to only treat the customers who have reservations or who are long-time customers the way that ALL customer should be treated (IMHO). We recently went there with our baby in a stroller and the hostess was flat out rude. She frowned on us from the get go after we told her we did not have a reservation (even though we are regulars and the wait staff know who we are), then she frowned on us for having a baby stroller that we could not fold up (because there was too much stuff in it - we had just shopped at Pavillions) because it was "in the way of other customers". From a quality standpoint, we've gone on a Saturday and the fish was EXCELLENT; however, we also went on a Sunday and the quality was suspect. If you are planning to go on a weekend, go on a Saturday, and make sure you have a reservation. Don't go on Sunday's and don't go on Saturday if you don't have a reservation. And don't go with a baby stroller that doesn't fold up.
(1)
Sara N.
is not the best I had better, the service is ok. This place was packed when I went.
(3)
Jocelyn M.
I am with Cari T. regarding the shoe thing. I didnt think it would be a big deal, but then I got there and had to remove my shoes at the door, then walk over to the tables and plop down. people walking shoeless past our low table was a little uncomfortable, but it was what it was. ANYWAYS, on to the food. I took my brother there for his birthday and so he got chirashi rice. He was not impressed =( My parents both got Chicken teriyaki, then my mom got it with vegetable tempura as well. They both loved it! I got the veggie roll and it was ok. Honestly, I feel like it was pricier than it needed to be for the quality? but it is Japanese food and you are typically going to drop a pretty penny. Shrugs, I have other spots to hit, unless I am in the area. No real negative comments, just didnt seem super impressive.
(3)
Sharna H.
I would rate this place 3.5 stars. First the service which seems to be a common thing I was with my friend and they put our order down and we start to eat and the waitress comes back says it's not our order takes it away then they come back with another dish and then realize it's not ours lol and then realize the first dish they took actually was ours so instead of making a fresh order they instead bring the half eaten one apologize and bring us an extra sushi order to make it up. The food I feel so so about. Personally hide on Sawtelle is better and fresher. This place food quality mediocre . I probably wouldn't make this place my first choice .
(3)
Jenna T.
Great experience! Shoes required to be off and seating is traditional. Cubby holes are in the front which can cause a bit of customer traffic, people coming in and people leaving trying to retrieve their shoes. The staff need to squat to serve tables. Even the sushi bar is low. The menu is limited but their quality of food is great! The beef teriyaki was butter in your mouth. So tender and saucy. The sushi was super fresh and perfectly porportioned. The service was friendly and very attentive. Be careful when they are carrying hot dishes or hit drinks, it's likely that the waitress may spill on you. Make reservations of you're with a big group. In case you're wondering why I left one star off, it's because the seat pillows and floor should be spotless especially if you're asking your customers to walk barefoot.
We were excited to try out Irori after recently moving to Marina. Unfortunately we just weren't that impressed despite such glowing reviews. The fish wasn't as fresh as many of the claims and the service was not good. We reserved via Open Table. Seeing the crowd of people who hadn't, I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you were planning on coming here. First of all, I wasn't aware that Irori was somewhat traditional. If I had known I was going to have to take off my shoes and walk through an entire restaurant barefoot, I would have worn socks. The little hole in the floor you have to sit in is not conducive to short skirts. Unless you like to give people a free show, wear pants or a long skirt. The table is small. Too small for a waitress to rush you to order everything you are going to have in one fell swoop. We ordered a pretty good variety of food. Some items were very good and some were just so-so. The very good: miso soup, salad dressing and chicken karaage. The so-so: the rolls are small and a lot pricier then other places and not as fresh as could be. Also, the salmon sushi was not the best cut for sushi. As aforementioned, the service was very rushed. We were literally in an out within 45 minutes. That's not a casually paced Friday night dinner with your spouse. We told the waitress we weren't ready to order three times. She would come back every minute and a half or so until we were pressured to do so. The rolls were overpriced but their other items weren't badly priced. I'm not sure if they missed something on our bill but we were surprised it was less than $80. Bottom line: I'll continue my search for my go-to Marina del Rey sushi restaurant.
(3)
Mary A.
Excellent sushi!! Everything we had was fresh, delicious and melts in your mouth. I would have to say my favorite items were the Blue Crab wrapped in Salmon with Truffle Sauce and the bluefin tuna sushi....Delish!!
(5)
Rick M.
Visit this eatery if you're fond of delectable dishes served in a traditional setting. Personally, love dropping by Irori time and again. Food is simply delicious here, especially their monkfish liver and sushi. They not just taste scrumptious due to a rich flavor of deep ingredients, but also due to the sheer freshness of their seafood selection. Seriously, a delightful setting and commendable servers - always treat you right and greet you with a lot of warmth. Would always be visiting this restaurant (can't really overlook a bunch of good reasons). Oh by the way, try to taste something from their lunchbox specials. Irori has got some great prices on them, cheers!
(4)
Linda D.
I had dinner here last night and notice new management along with new staff. Our waitress did not tell us we were ordering too much food for 2 ppl. We had ordered 3 special rolls and 2 set dinner. Not only was one set dinner enough to share for 2 waitress Nancy fail to tell us. Very disappointing as it has been 2 yr since we've been here. Sushi wasn't great and bland, not the quality one expect. Would not recommend this place. Unless, it is your first time having sushi.
(1)
Andrew H.
I have been here many times over the past few years, with my parents, or with my brother and his wife and kids, but only last night, eating sushi at the sushi bar with my mom, in the little "handicapped" section, did I realize how truly good the sushi is, and how high their standards are. Forgive me, because I cannot remember all the type of sushi I had, but it was all buttery, fresh, soft, mouth-watering. The sushi chefs were very attentive and very polite, even thought the restaurant was completely full. Our bill, for the two of us, with one large hot sake and six orders of sushi...$98. But it was really worth it. For people who choose to sit at tables, remember that this is a real Japanese restaurant, where shoes are removed at the front door and one ascends onto an elevated stage of sunken seats, consisting of cushions arranged around knee high wooden tables . One's feet are kept in a sunken well below the table. The crowd is composed of many ages and types of people, and for the most part the people are well behaved. But last night, there was a table of males and females: obnoxious, baseball capped, beer guzzling.... and carousing and kissing and clowning. They had no manners and they disturbed the other diners. You can trust the chefs and the sushi here and it is a first-class place to eat and relax almost always.
(4)
Reese M.
Amazing neighborhood sushi joint, Ryan at the sushi bar is great!
(5)
Angela R.
Had a great dinner of sweet eggplant and chicken teriyaki. This place is super cute and kind of funny. You sit in these sunken tables so that it looks like you are sitting cross-legged on the floor, but really there is an area under the table so your legs can still extend down. The service is a little of an over-kill, as they come to your table every few minutes to clear stuff away. I had to stop them once. But, overall, a great little tucked away place with a fun vibe and great food. Would be fun for a small (8 people max) birthday party.
(4)
Kat L.
Irori reminds me of a restaurant in Japan. Irori is difficult to find for someone not from the Venice area. My boyfriend and his friend circled around three times before we found the place. It is hidden in the shopping plaza in the back. Yes, it IS in the shopping plaza. We were confused too. You walk in and there are shoe cubbies similar to Japan. Take off our shoes and walk to your traditional tatami table. Luckily there was an underground "dugout" for your legs to hang into, if you cannot stand sitting in cross leg position for long. The last of our party arrived a little later and walked in with his shoes. The servers asked him to take them off. It is a rather fun experience to watch if people take off there shoes or try to walk in with there shoes. We also had to use the restroom. Don't worry there are communal slippers for the restroom. The funny part was a wine glass broke by our table. This is not the best situation for bare feet. Everything we ordered at Irori tasted delicious and was fresh. We ordered: 1. Asparagus Salad 2. Seaweed salad 3. Ginza Roll 4. Cucumber Roll 6. Black Cod A la carte 7. Salmon Dinner special 8. Macadamia Creme Bulee 9. Red Bean Ice Cream 10. Red bean dessert baked crepe thing.. The desserts and sushi were amazing!! I especially liked the cucumber roll, since I ordered that and the Macadamia Creme Bulee. The quality of the fish here is fresh. You pay for what you get and my boyfriend and his two friends paid for a nice Japanese meal. We were the last to leave the restaurant and the workers did not try to hurry us up at all.
(4)
Jon L.
Beware: THE LUNCH COMBINATION IS NOT AVAILABLE ON WEEKENDS. Of course they don't put this on their menu or their website. We walked out because of this. Not cool, Irori.
(1)
Miles R.
Nice sushi place. Be prepared to take off your shoes. Food and service is great. Try the tuna sampler.
(4)
Michael M.
We visited Irori when we were visiting in laws and it was unbelievable. Hard to find in a nondescript shopping center, the fish is as fresh as I have ever had, even direct from Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley. This ties for the best sushi I've ever had and it was seasoned perfectly...to the point where no soy sauce was necessary. The Kampachi caviar dish was absolutely amazing and the albacore (caught locally) was amazing. All in all I have no complaints and only positive comments. I will dream about this sushi and promise to come back whenever possible.
(5)
Laurent G.
Good and fresh food, friendly service, nice place!
(4)
Chum W.
So good! Sashimi that melts in your mouth, a flavor rich Ginja Roll, and rock star service.
(5)
Sera P.
My roomie's birthday deserved a special date night! So glad she can eat sushi despite being vegetarian :-) Order up: Spicy tuna on crunchy rice = B+ Baked blue crab handroll = A- (2) Dragon roll (eel/avocado over California roll) = A+ Philadelphia roll (salmon/cream cheese/avocado) = A- (2) Asahi draft beer ($16) Total = $86 + tip = $100 for two. Experience: + Tuna, eel and blue crab were AMAZINGLY fresh. The dragon roll was SO good that we ordered another one right after. Still drooling thinking about how fresh that was! + Super fast/friendly service - the servers were dressed in costume on Halloween and giggled at my costume. So adorable! + Classy and romantic ambiance - perfect for dates. - Pricey! (but worth every penny) - They charge $2 per bowl of miso soup. This seems basic to me. - $12 charge for BYOB. Yikes! Tip: *I'd skip the spicy tuna on crunchy rice and go straight for the dragon rolls. So glad I read the Yelp reviews ahead! Thanks for the suggestions guys :-)
(5)
Tessa R.
Great sushi for economical prices
(5)
Eve G.
not that they need another glowing review but irori is simply spectacular. wear socks.
(4)
Laura A.
LOVE IRORI!!! The photos don't do the fish justice! Freshest fish I've had in LA so far. Their sushi (especially Toro) is A-Mazing.. Melt in your mouth. As for the rolls.. Could use some more variety. Their Irori roll is fresh and a little different. Great place to take friends or a date. Great service. Overall - amazing mellow sushi spot.
(5)
Nora S.
Best sushi dinner I ever ate. Wish I lived close by. Loved it.
(5)
Ferey F.
I have been to Irori in Marina Del Rey several times. It has always been average to good, particularly for a quiet lunch. Dinner time is a little busy due to lack of choices of good restaurants in general. Clients have to take their shoes off, although servers walking the same floor have shoes on, probably only used within the restaurant. Food is Korean/Japanese fusion and quite good in dainty portions that make them seem healthy. Service is usually attentive, but variable with a mix of staff, some of whom very inexperienced in the art of serving food, when occasionally they can't seem to serve even a table of two at the same time. On the last occasion, we were served our food at effectively different times. One came out cold, was re-plated, then the rice was missing and took too long to arrive. Eventually, the plate was returned. The restaurant did not charge for the returned item, made a slight effort of applying a 20% discount to the bill when in fact the meal was entirely ruined and a disaster. I think they are normally OK, if a little pricey for the overall experience.
(2)
Sha L.
Met a friend here for dinner and felt a little nervous about the "sitting on the floor" situation. But, when I saw the setup I was relieved of the trickery. Still, probably not a good first date place unless you're absolutely graceful! Or, maybe just sit at the sushi bar instead. We ordered two of almost everything, and I forgot how much I love nigiri sushi. Nothing fried or smothered. With the exception of trying the highly recommended spicy tuna on crispy rice. Which was delicious. But, the real winner was the Uni. Threw me off for a second that it's hidden in a shopping center. But, the environment is warm and friendly. A little too attentive at times with the multiple servers helping you, but I appreciate the hospitality.
(4)
Laura P.
One of my favorite sushi restaurants in town. Doctor's orders - sit at the bar (unless you're in a large group), and order off the sushi menu only, the sushi specials (see board right in front of you), and whatever the sushi chef dictates. If you're a true sushi lover, you will love this place. Some of my favorites - scallop, uni, sweet shrimp, seared ono, Spanish mackerel, toro, red snapper, yellowtail belly... a beer and some nigori sake! Leave your shoes at the door!
(5)
jane m.
Highlight of the meal was spicy albacore sashimi w/crispy onions. Yum. Spicy tuna on crispy rice was also really good. Good place for a family dinner.
(4)
Cory W.
This place is amazing. One of my favorite sushi places. Far superior to Sugarfish in terms of taste and variety. Definitely sit at the sushi bar if you have the opportunity. My favorite thing to do is to ask them to make me custom creations. I've never been disappointed. Keep in mind that this place can be busy at the strangest times (had to wait on a Sunday night around 8) but it's definitely well worth the wait. It's not the cheapest sushi place, but you get what you pay for. You can't go wrong with Irori.
(5)
Dawn P.
Loved everything about this restaurant from the sitting on the ground, to the service, to the sushi. We ordered the nigiri plate. That had about 10 rolls each. Their black cod is AMAZING! Def try it. THe waitresses came to our table literally every 15 mins to ask us if we were done. Each time was a different waitress which got kinda annoying by the end. I don't think they were trying to kick us out but wth? We just told the other 5 waitresses that we ARENT done. Communicate with each other!!!!! The sushi itself was good. Parking plenty. Price range - medium about $30/person.
(5)
Jay N.
THIS PLACE IS AWESOME.... everything is really fresh and tasty....strongly reccomend the baked lobster roll And of course the sashimi is great!!
(5)
Katie C.
This restaurant looked really awesome. For that, I give it a star. However, I can't review the food because we didn't even get a chance to eat. The male hostess (had a broken nose) told us that the wait was a 20 minutes. After waiting 25 minutes, he proceeds to tell us that the wait is actually going to be thirty minutes longer. If the wait is going to be 55 minutes, don't tell us when we walk in that it's 20. Seems pretty simple right? When explaining the situation, he was extremely unapologetic and bland. Ultimately causing us to leave extremely flustered, upset, and very hungry.
(2)
John V.
I like this place. I like the whole "sit on the floor" thing, this is the first restaurant where I've experienced that. The ginja roll was awesome. It felt like we had 5 waitresses at once - someone came by the table every 2-3 minutes to see if we needed anything. I'm not complaining! It was just different, but certainly better than the opposite. I'd definitely come back here.
(4)
Simone V.
I had dinner here the other night with my husband. The shopping center it's located in is currently undergoing some construction to the outside of the place, so it made it a little difficult for us to find it, but we managed to. I've never been to a sushi restaurant that requires you to take off your shoes with unique floor seating, so I thought that was interesting. It was pretty crowded when we got there, so I definitely recommend making reservations. We ordered the oysters but was told they didn't have oysters that week and the toro was sold out after we placed our order and noticed it never came out. We ordered the wild salmon sashimi. The plate was $25 for 6 slices. I'm a salmon lover, so I had to try it. I guess for the cost of it, I was hoping for something spectacular, but unfortunately, it failed to impress me. We also ordered the yellow-tail with jalapenos, dynamite, grilled fish collar, and the salmon roll. These dishes were good. I really enjoyed the dynamite. The flavor was very rich and the yellow-tail was delicious as well. I have to admit the fish collar really got us full. The dish was $8 and well worth every penny. I would have given it 4 stars, but the husband ended up with a stomach ache after eating here. Not quite sure if it was due to the food but he never had a problem before at other sushi places we've been to. Overall, it was a nice dining experience.
(3)
AJ K.
great food. the best cooked salmon i have ever had. spicy tuna was in a league of it's own. i haven't been to japan, but had an amazing spicy tuna roll in Hawaii once and this was like it. No kitschy sauces, no godforsaken mayonnaise. the ambience is great, everyone takes off shoes. the entire staff is gracious but not obtrusive. absolutely love it!
(5)
Randy S.
Walking in you will be immediately greeted in the usual Japanese Sushi restaurant style. The host was quick to seat us. As described in other reviews you will be asked to remove your shoes. All seats are on the floor with a drop-out for your legs. We decided to sit at the sushi bar, not only to check out the fish in the coolers, but to interact with the chefs. Ordered a few pieces of Sashimi, some sushi, and a couple of rolls. All were very good ! Having been to Tokyo, I can't say excellent, but very close to as good. Other reviewers talked about a Blue Crab Hand Roll, we had this, I thought it was good, but didn't see what the fuss was all about. We had also ordered some Toro (Tuna belly), the menu gave the prices as M/P (Market Price). I think it would have been wise to ask how much this was, as 6 pieces ran us $36. This was the only item we had that was M/P, and based on the prices of all the other items, I thought that this cost was way out of line. If you order an item at M/P, I think it would be best to ask the cost as to not be surprised at the end of your meal. The service at the Sushi bar was quick and attentive, and we constantly had a variety of servers refilling our water and tea. Overall I thought the quality of the food was very good (close to Tokyo standards). and the service was excellent. I'll go back again when I'm in the area.
(4)
Jerry W.
Love this place, always fresh and high quality. Great hidden neighborhood gem. I love the Japanese style seating, reminds me of my time working in Tokyo.
(5)
Mia L.
6.4.11: This place is definitely on the cool side. Make sure your toes are done, or that your socks don't have holes. You are about to take off your shoes. We sat at the sushi bar and it was comfortable. agedashi tofu: This is my favorite anywhere, I really like how they had ginger its different from all the other places I have tried. blue crab hand roll : Must try for everyone it tasted so fresh and good. Toro: Waste of money, it did not taste fresh at all Salmon: Now that's what I call Fresh Yellowtail: this was so good I almost cried... Tuna with Yucca and Quail Egg: its like eating saliva with tuna..strange but true...tuna was fresh but the yucca made it weird This place can get pretty expensive so beware what you order. Overall great experience and fun!!
(4)
Ken K.
Nice traditional japanese environment and excellent sushi - what more need be said!?!
My sushi habit usually needs to be maintained by the cheap mediocre-but-won't-kill-me place around the corner, but my cousin and I were craving some quality sashimi. A little internet sleuthing turned up Irori, which had a reputation for great fish at reasonable prices. We were seated right away on a Saturday night without reservations at about 6pm. Nice as that was, it filled up fast, so either get there early or be prepared to wait! I loved that we were required to remove our shoes, as it feels so homey to pad around in socks. The ground level seats with the recessed well under the table was also a nice touch, Americanizing the tradition of sitting on the floor. To fulfill my sashimi needs and try a variety, I went with the Sashimi Assorted dinner entree for a little less than $20. It sounded like a great deal, with miso soup, salad, and 11 pieces of fish. The salad came out with a creamy dressing that looked like it contained dairy. I hadn't thought to ask for it on the side, so I just passed it onto my cousin who liked it. The miso soup was excellent, and I enjoyed sipping straight from the bowl. The sashimi, however, did not wow me like I had hoped. Do I have ridiculous standards? None of the pieces really melted, and some cuts felt a little stringy. Not inedible by any means, and I wouldn't write them off forever, as it is my understanding that cutting fish is a delicate process and you can't hit a grand slam every time. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. They made up for it though with their divine toro roll, which I ordered when I realized I was still hungry and looking to be wowed. Gorgeous! I loved biting into the roll and letting the flavor melt in my mouth. I don't think I've ever savored a six piece roll as much as I did then. Our bill came to about $35/person, including tip, which is more than reasonable. While I'm still on the look out for sashimi that blows my mind, I'd definitely return here again for the atmosphere and to sample what else they have to offer.
(4)
Brian P.
sushi is fresh and good. I love that the unagi (eel) is served HOT and not room temp like so many other places. Everything else is as you'd expect from a good sushi restaurant...very fresh and simply prepared. I go back and forth on the take your shoes off thing. Sometimes it annoys me sometimes I like the whole different culture aspect. Minor detail.
(5)
Roger G.
Sashimi quality is the best way to judge a Sushi restaurant. The sashimi at this place is excellent with huge pieces. Be prepared to sit on the floor with authentic Japanese seating.
(5)
Tim S.
Went here with a couple friends for lunch. Pretty good, I must say. The prices aren't cheap, but the food was good, and the bonus for me is that they had gluten-free soy sauce! I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Miranda S.
DON'T GO. NEW OWNERSHIP RUINED THIS RESTAURANT!!! so sad. the service is ULTRA ANNOYING. people ask if you are OK mid-bite every 5 minutes. and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the quality of the food has become sub-par. It's just not good anymore and you can feel it. When the restaurant first changed hands, they must've kept the kitchen staff for a while, b/c the service had changed to the worse, but the food was still pretty good. My FAVE blue crab handroll was absolutely GROSS last night and so was everything else. So sad b/c this place used to be the very best quality fish and excellent service, while still feeling semi casual and non-sceney. IRORI is OVER! P.S. I never post YELP reviews, but i felt compelled to share this b/c i was so upset.
(1)
Kevin K.
First timers - food is great, the atmosphere was outstanding and the service was so incredibly friendly - we'll be back for sure!
(4)
Samuel L.
My favorite local sushi joint in the Marina del Rey area. We go about once a week. The quality of the fish obviously varies from night to night because most places are not buying fish every day (except for the really high priced places). That said, the fish quality is head and shoulders above most mid-priced sushi places. Notice that they have real crab available. That's telling. I also notice a lot of Japanese-Japanese dining here. Another tell tale.
(4)
Erica B.
Great if you want to gnaw on ginormous pieces of fish way too big for your mouth while making fun of the feet of the people walking by. Service was very warm & prompt, and fish was ok for the price but the pieces were cut waaaaay too thick and waaaaay too long (tee hee) so was very difficult to eat. I'm not a roll girl, maybe it's better if you eat rolls, but I like nigiri sushi and the pieces should be delicate & thin-ish, and you should be able to place each piece in your mouth without 2 extra inches of fish hanging out & needing to be ungracefully pushed in with your chopsticks or toothed in like an awkward kid eating spaghetti. UN-sexy. I'm down with authenticism and totally respect the shoes-off tradition but seating is in-ground so everyone's bare feet are basically at eye level as they walk by. While your chewing the too-big fish pieces. Fish, feet. Fish, feet. Ugly toes, cute toes, chubby feet, bony feet. I dunno, maybe there's something wrong with me. As we walked out, I felt the gaze of others on my own clunkers. Do not judge, lest ye be... Sugarfish nearby is way better and a tad cheaper. I missed their warm rice tonight. And the shoes.
(2)
David C.
Good Korean sushi
(3)
Chris A.
The place it a little hidden but worth the find. I only found out about this place because my favorite Sushi Chef Don moved to Irori. I didn't really know what to expect but I was not disappointed. It is a relaxed environment; you take off your shoes to be seated, but don't fret if you have issues sitting Indian style. The individual tables are low but have a sunken in the ground area underneath them for your legs. The service was great. The menu has some out of the ordinary items for a sushi restaurant such as Blue Fin which is harder to find. The quality of the sushi was extremely good and was very fresh which makes all the difference. The sake list is also extensive having hard to find sake such as Onigoroshi. I will definitely be coming back. If you decide to sit at the sushi bar make sure you sit with Don, you won't regret it!
(5)
Z. K.
Irori is one of my weekly lunch places. If I judge it with respect to fine dinning I will give it 1 star, if I judge it with respect to normal dinning I will give it 3 stars. Food is Ok, nothing special or exquisite. I like any of the teriyaki dishes and tempura. Note food is oily.
(3)
D. T.
The new Chinese owner of this place has cut ALL the quality of the fish and other food here, is serving ABSOLUTE CRAP, and has given food poisoning to dozens of patrons since he took over as the new manager of the restaurant. I came back to give them another shot after my last horrific experience, and it was EVEN WORSE than the last time! They served awful quality junk sushi, terrible smelling and tasting fish, and even the chicken tasted like the bathroom floor. We sent it back after one bit thats how bad it was!! WTF??!! DO NOT COME HERE ANYMORE OR YOU WILL GET POISONED! This place used to be great....soon it will be gone.
(1)
Michael B.
Overall, a very good choice for a sushi restaurant. The shoes off thing is a little bizarre, but once you get past that, the food is of very good quality. I found the wait staff to be similar to what I've been reading: erring on the over-attentive side. The ambiance is nice, relaxing and comfortable. I thought the sushi was a tad overpriced, given their taste and amount. The food came out swiftly and the entrees were served with fruit. I'd recommend Irori and come back, especially if I need a spot to eat before catching a flight at nearby LAX.
(4)
Najah Y.
This place is so cute! I love the authenticity of it. From having to take your shoes off before going into the main dining area to the low sitting tables, it's quite the experience. About those low tables - from a distance it looks like you'll have to sit cross-legged for the entire meal, but never fear, there's about 2 feet of space below the table to comfortably place your feet while you eat. I didn't get anything too fancy on this trip. Just a 10 piece tuna sashimi combo. It came with Miso Soup, Salad, Rice, and Sunomono (cucumber salad). It was good but I looked at the chef's specials later on and kinda wish I'd tried some of those. Maybe next time. I did try some of their plumb sake and it was very good. If you're going to try it, be prepared for a sugary sweet taste. I enjoyed it, but I can see how people might think it was too sweet to be sake. I'll have to come back here for the famous lunch special sometime :).
(4)
Joy G.
they have a wide variety of cucumber salads. the combos can be pricey, as well as the rolls. However, the prices can be a bit steep which makes me cease to be a regular. You have to take off your shoes and all the seats are sunken in to the ground so anyone with knee problems beware. Every visit I've had here, I've been satisfied, but nothing has really wowed me about this place.
(3)
Eddie L.
Can't review the sushi because we didn't order it but the homecooking was awesome. I had the nabeyaki udon, which tasted great. The dining room had tables placed low to the ground but don't worry! There are wells below the tables for your legs! Very cool seating arrangement here. One last thing: You must take your shoes off for the dinng room so wear some nice socks! Food = 4.0 Service = 4.0 Atmosphere = 4.0
(4)
Max S.
I have only been to this restaurant once, but other than service/atmosphere, the food is in need of a modest amount of improvement. Be aware that you have to take your shoes off and do sit on the floor. There are cut outs, so your legs can unfurl. The prices are reasonable and the workers are attentive. The spider roll had to be rejected and we could not complete eating eating the entire roll. It tasted like I was eating a water dipped rice cake. The best part of the meal was the sashimi (salmon and tuna). The portion was generous, thick, and melted in my mouth. The yellowtail collar had no flavor and lacked any tender tendencies. The shrimp tempura was cooked perfectly. The fried chicken karaage was like eating KFC chicken bites, although KFC is better. I expected the fried chicken to be saltier, crunchier, plumper, and juicier.
(3)
Kyle O.
We love this place except for taking off your shoes and sitting in a hole that isn't too clean. Food is amazing and fresh. Packed always so be prepared. Sushi is great. They serve fast so be ready to eat! Parking is easy.
(5)
Yuriy L.
Good food. Love the mixed vegetarian roll. But don't get the asparagus salad, soy sauce dressing doesn't work.
(4)
David K.
I have been coming here for years. YEARS. I live in the area and loved taking people here, having built up the experience, only to revel in their confused looks as I pulled up between a ghetto-Vons and a Radioshack and opened the door to...an amazing sushi restaurant where you sit on the floor. The fish was always amazing, the sake was flowing, and the ambiance brought everything together. Now, the Vons has turned into a remodeled Pavilions, the place is under new management, and more and more people have since found what was once a hidden gem. If I'm honest, some of the spirit has gone out of the place. I miss the waitresses that recognized me and some of the dishes have changed to slightly less magical. The fun of an amazing spot in the middle of a terrible strip mall has faded since the remodel as well. Having said all that, though, I STILL count it among my top 5 sushi places in LA, and still continue to go there at least once a month. Be it the great food or some misplaced reminiscence...I'll always recommend Irori.
(4)
Samuel S.
First time at Irori Sushi, what can I say at first was a bit sketchy on the place and mostly what to expect. Upon arrival you are asked to take off your shoes and place them in a shelf along with everyone else. I get the concept this place is trying to simulate the traditional Japanese custom. The dinning room is medium size with all sunken furniture and sunken bar place! There are small cushions on the floor so that you can use them to sit with. And back rest pads for those sitting at the bar. The whole feeling and setting of the location is great! Friendly and courteous staff! I personally felt a little weird going to a restaurant where you have to take your shoes off.. That wasn't much of bother but didn't like the feeling of "other" people walking next to me with their feet exposed!! Eww. While I'm eating!!! You never know where those feet have been or if they are clean! Eww. Anyhow, came here with a friend we both sat by the bar! And ordered several items from the menu! Thus far the food was great and tasty and fresh! Enjoyed the Toro, salmon and yellowtail where my favorites!!! Food is good, prices are fair! The setting of the location is great! Except for taking off your shoes! But otherwise I would come back and recommend this place!
(4)
James P.
Good traditional shoes off and seating Japanese restaurant - reminds me of my time in Japan. The Miso and Sushi (Spicy Tuna, Albacore and Yellowtail) was very good. I also like the Mochi Ice Cream.
(4)
Julianne B.
My mom came over and we wanted to order some dinner. She requested asian and since I have yet to find any decent chinese or korean in the area we opted for japanese. We ordered 2 black cod dinners, 1 salmon teriyaki and an assorted sashimi. Everything was delicious and mom was pleased. Which means I was pleased. We picked up our food and the restaurant itself looked very cute inside and busy on a Wednesday night at 8. I will definitely be coming back!
(4)
Frank V.
The peppered albacore w/ garlic ponzu was super delicious! I also had the Una-Gyu over rice which was also really good. Aside from their weird taste in music, this place has a chill vibe
(4)
Jessica L.
Here's what I wished someone had put in bold at the top of the review when I was researching this place for the first time: ***BE PREPARED TO REMOVE YOUR SHOES AND SIT ON THE FLOOR!*** OK, now that that is out of the way, onto the important stuff. I really enjoyed myself here! Cute spot, a little hidden in the shopping center though (btwn the CVS and Pavilions), but great food and great service. We ordered a 4 or 5 rolls, miso soup, edamame, and seaweed salad, plus s few glasses of plum wine (very sweet!). We all enjoyed our food - for 3 of us the total bill was about $80. Not bad for all we got. The place gets crowded so come earlier on or be prepared to wait a little. I don't know/thing they take reservations. But the food is worth it. I'll be back for more!
(4)
Geoff C.
Irori is by far the classiest, strip mall Sushi dining I have had on the West Side. Now, that should sound like a misnomer, but this is LA, and half the good sushi spots are in malls or dives. Decorum is what really makes Irori special, with sunken seating for the visual appearance of 'traditional' Japanese dining without the leg cramps. But the fish delivers, and there is a good selection of interesting items beyond the standard sushi fare. With this and Sugarfish within a block of each other, the sushi situation in MDR just got a whole lot brighter.
(4)
Chad G.
The main bar sushi chef was very good with his customers. There were locals that really supported him as well as the regional egotistic customer that he handled with panache. The sushi was very good, pretty fresh, with most of it being of the highest quality. What I mean by this is that the flesh was firm, with excellent consistency and well balanced. He understood that an oily fish should have a little bit more wasabi then a less oily fish. There was a good balance in what he presented to me when I asked him to "drive". The toro was great, and fairly priced. I did inquire about a pickled seaweed for his Spanish Mackerel (something I had learned from a Japanese trained sushi chef) and I was rebuked. However the scallops were well prepared, and not diced like I have had at a majority of places. This is a 90%'er.
(4)
Rich T.
This place has amazing ambience. First off you have to take off your shoes when you enter. The tables are cool because there are no chairs. You sit in a cutout of the floor. Although when I read the reviews, it seems like a lot of people like the sushi I have to say I was a bit disappointed. The fish is good but to be honest there are better places. It just didn't seem that fresh and I expect a bit more for the price.
(3)
Eugenia R.
Irori is where I learned to LOVE sushi. I use to be a california roll type of girl before I came to Irori. Now it's all about the Sashimi and Nigiri. Having to take your shoes off does seem a little much but it just adds to the experience. This is definately the place I think about when I'm craving great sushi. The chicken udon is the best I've had in the Westside. This is a great place for a date or to celebrate a low key b-day. Reservations are a must on the weekend,otherwise you'll be waiting for about 45 minutes.
(4)
Keith H.
Great seating area for large or small group. Tried the Lobster roll and Tempura Udon. Shared the roll as it was too much to go solo. When visiting Marina Del Rey, it's a must if you love sushi.
(5)
Barrett K.
Just so you don't think we're Sushi haters from our last review (Kaya) this place is among the best in it's league. The restaurant is presented in a very traditional style as you will (1) leave your shoes at the door (2) sit on the floor and (3) have your legs dangling in a hole below your table. For this, myself and the people in my pancreas applaud you Irori! Another nice thing is the tables aren't on top of each other. You have space between yourself and the next party which is great for romantic evenings or serious conversations. The wait staff is very attentive and on top of your table. Sometimes they have a tendency to narrate your meal as they check in frequently, but all things considered we've been half a dozen times and each time we love our waiter. The food. It's great. Some people might say they are a little pricey as their costs are along the "Weekend night out" lines. But, you get what you pay for and in this case that's a great deal! The sushi is amazing, rice is not too sweet or stale, and the fish is fresh. I'm a sucker for the rolls and have truly enjoyed everything from the California roll to the Albacore Roll. My wife likes the Tempura and is very picky when it comes to how well done the Tempura is - here she loves it. Not over done at all and the veggies are fantastic. Not sure if this is a great lunch/business spot but for a nice, romantic evening it definitely lines up!!
(4)
D B.
The food is very good. Specially the day special which was live shrimp sushi with its head's tempura. The environment was also interesting with traditional short Japanese tables. However the area under each table is lowered to put your legs. Also, they ask everyone to take off their shoes.
(5)
Craig R.
This is one of my "regular" spots. Irori is hiding in a corner of a shopping center. They have a great omakase that is fairly priced. The ambiance is nice and the sitting on mats with your shoes off somehow removes you from the ordinary restaurant vibe...man, it's cool! They have Wakatake Onigoroshi here, which is one of my favorite sakes. It will get you f*cked up. The sushi is reasonably priced, very good quality, with a unique atmosphere and great service. A great place for a group night out if you are looking for something out of the ordinary!
(4)
Steve G.
I tried this place for the first time with some friends the other night and we went back the very next week. This place is fun.. you sit on the floor but the space beneath the table is cut out so you can out your feet in there (don't drink too much are you may fall in) The sushi is really fresh and the staff is attentive and friendly. If can be crowded on the weekends so make a reservation. Sagoi!!!
(4)
Carrine T.
Great place! You are greeted immediately once you walk in. My husband and I went for Saturday lunch. The rolls are very generous with fish and other toppings. We also got noodle soup which was VERY filling. I usually don't leave Japanese restaurants feeling as full as I did. Customer service was awesome! The wait staff was very tentative. We will be back!
(5)
Chris L.
Get the black cod with miso.
(5)
Nicole S.
I used to love eating at Irori but ever since the management has changed; the food, and the service has changed as well. Very unfortunate!!!!
(1)
Samantha H.
First off, I hate the idea of my bare feet walking through a restaurant...it may or may not be my worst nightmare. I reserve that special opportunity for TSA. The albacore and yellowtail were amazing, but our sushi chef (heavier set guy) was really bizarre. Made my boyfriend and I feel uncomfortable from the moment we walked in, and he really prevented us from enjoying ourselves. The rest of the wait staff was very friendly, but we wanted to get out of there as fast as we could. The fish was good, but I would not return; the vibe was just too weird.
(2)
Marie S.
This place is super cute! But fyi, it's under construction so it's pretty hard to see the store front. It's right by the CVS in the shopping center that is near the Pavillions. (Is that descriptive enough? I'm pretty bad with directions...) Also, if you're not super flexible, be warned, the table arrangements, albeit cute, are not unflexible-friendly. But if you're a) flexible b) able to navigate with poor directions then = you should eat here! I've only been here during lunch hours, so the wait wasn't as long as I had expected. I had a lunch special and was pretty satisfied with what I got for the price and the fish seemed fresh. Definitely not blow-your-socks-off (although you do have to take off your shoes) type of sushi, but pretty good.
(4)
Christina P.
As much sushi as I've had in my life, my trip to Irori was my first time visiting a restaurant where you're asked to remove your shoes before entering the dining room. While I wished I wore socks or at least re-painted my toes to a cuter color before entering, I thought it was a really cute and novel touch to this eating experience. We were seated right away (on a Sunday afternoon) at one of their super-cool tables, where the seats are on the floor but your feet drop down below the surface of the table. It was so cool! I want a table like this in my house. Our eyes got huge as we perused the menu - I thought this was your standard sushi joint, but there was so much interesting stuff on the menu, from baked blue crab hand rolls to shu mai. In the end, I decided to go with a standard dinner of assorted tempura and sashimi, because with the miso soup, salad, rice and desserts included at $18, it seemed like a great deal. Our server was very friendly and let me substitute the standard tuna sashimi for salmon, but then I think some shifts switched halfway and we got another equally friendly and professional server. Unfortunately, the one thing that suffered was the timing of our dishes coming out. We were more than stuffed with our dinners by the time a hand roll and fried calamari came out. It was a bit of an awkward series, but at the same time I was enjoying my food so much I didn't really care much. I really appreciated the extra touches they provided throughout the meal, from the nice pickles and bean sprouts that came out with my dinner to the berry sauce drizzled onto the standard scoop of green tea ice cream for dessert. One of my dining companions mentioned how much it added to her experience that they took her leftovers to the kitchen and packed it up nicely for her instead of just throwing boxes at us. It made me realize that while food is important, it's really the little touches of good service that make people love a restaurant.
(4)
Jennifer T.
The first thing most reviewers failed to say is that you have to take you shoes off when you enter! And, all the tables are floor level! We were instantly transported into another world of relaxation and comfort. Don't worry - you don't actually have to sit in Indian style. The floor under the table is cut out so that you can comfortably let you legs dangle as if you were sitting at a normal table. The sushi bar was too crowded so we decided to wait for a table. While waiting, we asked if we could order glasses of wine. The waitress was happy to take our orders which made the wait bearable! All the reviews said the food was inexpensive. I would say that it is average priced. And it is well worth it! Our bill was $90 for two and we had a glass of wine each. What made our bill a little more pricey was that we ordered two sashimi plates. To start we ordered: -Seaweed Salad with ginger sauce. Always one of my favorites! Usually I feel portion is too small but portion here was great for two people. -We also ordered the Mixed Wakami Seaweed Salad which we could have done without. It wasn't anything special - light and leafy. For sushi, we had the following in this order: - Yellowtail Sashimi with Ponzo Sauce & Jalepenos - Delicious! - Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice - Also very tasty! It's different than at Katsuya in that the rice is square, flatter and crispier. I like that Katsuya's rice is a blander. This is very good too, just different! I like that it had a little caviar on top. - Albacore Sashimi - The waitress was pushing for us to order this. It was fresh and soft but in my opinion, there was too much sauce to really enjoy the fish. It was pricey too - about $20. - Blue Crab Hand Roll - AMAZING!!! OMG. I could have had two orders of this. We had one roll cut in half. Next time, I will get my own! We finished our meal with green tea. I would absolutely go back here.
(4)
Katrina M.
I loved this place and we happened to "stumble" upon it because we wanted sushi and it was almost 3pm. It's seriously impossible to find sushi at this time in the Marina del Rey area at least. Well...that's how we ended up here and what a great gem. We will definitely be back and want to try the lunch and dinner specials. I get sushi all over Los Angeles and Orange County (hey practically anywhere I travel I try sushi). I love, love, love that you take your shoes off and it makes for a fun and intimate experience. The sushi chef's are funny and talkative and the staff is attentive. I felt a little uncomfortable when we first arrived because my husband and I were the only ones there at "non-sushi" times and the staff were huddled behind us kinda staring at us. But we made conversation with the sushi chef at the bar and it was all good! We had the spicy tuna roll (very large and fresh lot's of spicy tuna), 2 Philadelphia rolls (our favorite and honestly this is one of my favorite places now for this roll....highly recommend it because they give you a lot of salmon) and yellow tail sushi (which was great and fresh). We look forward to coming back for dinner and I will update with hopefully a 5 star next time! I will try some "special rolls" and get back to you all. The first time at a sushi restaurant I always play it safe and order my favorites. Ohhhh....also the hot sake is great here...not sure what brand they use but it's better than the usual hot sake we get. Until next time fellow yelpers!
(4)
Lucy R.
Walk in the door, have a seat and remove your shoes.. socks match?!?! Yes, we're good.... Okay... sitting on the floor.. I may have been the only one completely ignorant to the fact that you aren't sitting cross legged on a pillow near the table.. there is plenty of space under the table.. you sit normally, the table is just built into the ground. a very pleasant surprise for this girl that would rather stand than sit "indian" style... (I won't lie, I was effing shocked) Now onto the food.. sushi was fresh, tasty and everything you'd hope for. I tried Salmon, Tuna and Yellow tail Sushi. Just a tad on the pricey side. I would not recommend this place for large groups.. appeared to be only one table that could seat 8.. nothing bigger... Also I did notice 2 seats at the sushi bar that do not require shoes being removed, they are immediately in front of you when you walk through the entrance... Come to this place mainly for the experience and EXCELLENT service.. Staff was extremely friendly and always available.. But please, leave your stinky shoes at home.
(4)
Erin H.
Finding good quality sushi in an unfamiliar neighborhood can be tricky. I like to get a few recommendations from people I know who have eaten at a spot and can attest to the quality of the fish. Because I am new to the area of Marina Del Rey and do not know that many people yet to ask for a good sushi joint, I turned to trusty old Yelp, it has yet to let me down. I really wanted to find "our sushi spot" in the Marina that night. With just a few minutes browsing Yelp, I decided to try Irori Sushi, about a mile and a half maybe from the apartment. At Irori, you take your shoes off and leave them in a cubby hole while you dine. At first glance, it appears that the tables are almost on the floor, however, what we quickly realized is that there is actually a "hole" underneath the table where your legs dangle! So essentially, you are pretty much on the floor sitting on a cushion, very unique! Always have to have my Sapporo with sushi, but this Sapporo was different, better than a regular old Sapporo out of the bottle or tin can and I owe it to these super cool glasses that the beer was served in. I'm not quite sure what they were made of, but they were real heavy, thick and chilled, which seriously made this Sapporo the most enjoyable yet. We both had a really wonderful seaweed salad to start followed by Salmon Sashima, Yellowtail Roll with Jalapeno and then a really delicious Rainbow Roll. As I mentioned, Yelp has yet to steer me wrong. The fish was some of the freshest I've had. The Yellowtail with Jalapeno was amazing (we asked to add the Jalapeno), and each piece of the Rainbow row was equally delicious. The ambience was really great as well, very dim lighting however, I felt as though the prices were a tad high. At the end of the day, I'd rather spend a few extra bucks and know that what I'm getting isn't a bad piece of fish.
(4)
Briana S.
Wow. I hadn't been to this place in several years (when it was a different restaurant). A friend recently told me how good it was, so I ventured in. We went in and left our shoes at the door. We were promptly seated and quickly brought hot tea. Service was friendly and attentive. We had a good assortment of items, but the standouts were the blue crab hand roll (thanks Yelp for calling this to our attention) and the albacore roll with crispy onion, which simply melted in our mouths. I found a small bone in my yellowtail roll, which was a bummer, but overall, I'd say the fish was super fresh and well prepared. I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Adam A.
I've had the pleasure of eating at Irori several times. Its always been a great experience, I've had business lunches here, eaten with co-workers, and love bringing dates here. The food is fantastic no matter what time of day your eating. The serice is also first rate. However, wear clean socks, they make you take off your shoes when entering.
(5)
Nicole N.
Cozy and friendly environment with nice lightening. Many choices on the menu. Had been there for a date night on Saturday and definitely will try that again later. Provided u with traditional style of sitting (can't recall the name) which u take off ur shows and sit on the floor. But remember to ask them clean the hole that u gonna put ur bare feet on it! Our floor had rice on it which was kinda repulsive for me. Don't forget to order cold sake here
(4)
Ruth M.
First review on Yelp, and you bet I picked Irori to be my first! (I love it that much) I moved to the area a year ago and was introduced to Irori by my BF. - Wear clean socks, you will have to take your shoes off, so please, no stinky feet. The food is always very fresh, which is a must when eating sushi. A must order in my book is the Bluefin toro (usually $12 for 2 pieces) and the Albacore roll (ask for ponzu sauce) We love sitting at the bar and interacting with the chefs who are always very friendly and make great suggestions when you're not sure what to order. It does get pretty crowded, especially Friday nights, call ahead ;) Oh, for those of you who don't like sushi, they have all sorts of "cooked" food. So, bring the kids and order some teriyaki chicken and rice :)
(5)
Julie K.
Fantastic sashimi, great rolls. Loved the food. The Irori roll is great. :) A+ service... Take your shoes off type of place.
(4)
Fatboy Y.
Went there for lunch Friday and found out they have changed ownership. I'm glad to find out that one of my favorite sushi chef is still there. Food and service remain to be the same. The Japanese scallops were fresh and tasty as always.
(4)
Larry F.
This is my favorite casual Japanese restaurant. It is adventurous enough for me while offering many things my wife eats. I get fried shrimp heads, Monkfish Liver, Natto while she can get veggie tempura or avocado sushi. You check you shoes at the door & sit in a recess in the floor. I have done Omakase there in the past. Not too many varieties of fish but high quality & the pieces are sauced by the master. Lots of parking in the giant lot. The prices are very inexpensive for what you get here. They have lots of sake options most at low prices. The servers do a great job here too.
(4)
Orsolya D.
Move over Katsuya! I have a new sushi lover!!! And its name is Irori! Where else do you take off your shoes in authentic Japanese fashion and put them in those cubby shelves you used in preschool? You then enter the restaurant portion which makes you feel like a small plaything in a doll house with little miniature tables and cushions to sit on the floor. The waitresses even have to bend down to take your order! Although the sushi bar portion forces your legs into indian-style mode; the tables in the dining area have holes cut into the floor so your feet hang. The best part? It DOESN'T smell like feet! Such a cute experience! The sushi is TO DIE FOR!! These are the biggest, freshest, pieces of fish I have experienced in some time and at a reasonable price (generally $4.95 - $6.95). Even the roll pieces are huge. You have to streeeeettch your mouth to fit them inside in one bite! Everything is absolutely delicious and HUGE from scallops, to yellowtail, to mackeral, to the eel. But the highlight was a recommendation from the waitress: the Albacore Roll. Sounds simple enough, right? WRONG! This was one of the best rolls in the WORLD! The contrast between the cool albacore and the crisp fried onions inside was magnificent! Garnished with more fried onions... you can't get enough. Their hot tea is also excellent served in a large mug versus the small tea cups typical to sushi joints. Irori is topnotch. The quality, serving size, prices, service, and ambiance is unmatched. It has all. Plus, it is so unassuming located in a plaza of all places. One would never suspect the amazing-ness! This is certainly a "must-go" to place when trying to impress a date or switch up your usual sushi experience. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
(5)
Lynn N.
Wonderful date location! Came here for some after work grubbing and left completely stuffed! Its a hidden restaurant in the shopping center but plenty of parking. Make sure you're not afraid to walk around in socks or barefoot since you take your shoes off upon entering the restaurant, but it gives the place a more intimate feel. I ordered the irori roll, hawaiian roll, shrimp tempura roll, and two others (can't remember) and everything was fresh and delicious! The only downside was even though its a small place, its easy to feel crowded since there are no barriers or partitians between tables. But if you don't mind hearing other tables' conversations, then this place is a great find.
(4)
Stacey W.
LOVE this place. Its so adorable - they make you take off your shoes and sit in traditional japanese dining table where you take your shoes off first. The fish is super fresh, I think its some of the best in all of LA. My favorites are - spicy tuna on crispy rice (its huge, much bigger portion that you'd get elsewhere). Albacore roll - has crispy onion inside. The Irori roll is to die. They marinate the tuna in cilantro and some oils before rolling it. Sooo good.
(5)
wayne l.
wtf comes to mind reading these reviews... sushi is a weird thing these days. I don't know how many times I've been told "i'm picky about my fish" (IPAMF) and these women over the years remain as IPAMF because they're actually really not that picky about their fish. Along with "I'm a foodie". . It's just the thing to say these days. I was more forgiving with Hakuna Matata in the 90s, 16 inch Daytons, and the stupid Rick Rolls. Onto the review. A group of us decided to meet at Irori for lunch and upon walking in I saw the cubby holes filled with shoes. Fire bells went off. Wtf is this?! There's a place for this concept in the modern age of office dwellers. Really nobody minds the stench of sweat rolling off of jammed toes, toe jams, and all matters of misconfiguration of the feet leading to sweaty socks? My mental firewalls were up for the coming onslaught of attack to make me believe. Believe! And yeah I fell for it. The menu leaned on the side of legit and rather than being smart about it by picking a few items to test the fish waters I ordered a dozen items from the sushi list and short menu. Let me cut to the chase. It was awful. Yellowtail, bluefin tuna, red snapper, uni. How do you describe bad sushi except to say it was bad. The blue crab hand roll, on the other hand, is described as soggy nori wrapped around soggy crab that looked like last weeks tuna salad... gray. We left the three rolls on the table right where the sushi chefs could see them. The chicken teriyaki was dry and rubbery... teriyaki sauce obviously made with soy sauce and sugar. Unacceptable for their price range. I don't know what gave me food poisoning that day.. the uni or the blue crab hand roll.. luckily I have a stomach of steel and I was able to make it out of the tunnel with one paddle. That night, in a cold sweat of desperation I tempted myself in calling IPAMF1 or IPAMF2 for a tummy rub but I was too sick to wash my feet for house guests.
(1)
Lougey B.
New Korean Owner with a commitment to profit not quality. Good bye Irori.
(2)
Michael P.
I checked out the Yelp ratings and I was not disappointed. The Sashimi was especially fresh. The rolls were large and delicious. The seaweed was just right, not too dry. The below ground seats were awesome, and the service was overwhelming (2-3 waitresses at any given time. Excellent experience and great food.
(5)
Ed F.
I have been going to this restaurant for a long time -- even when it was the old "East". While the food was nothing spectacular, it was predictable and I always thought I could get a decent meal here. For my brithday, my boss wanted to take me out to dinenr and I suggested we go to Irori becaue it wasn't very pricey and I knew the food would not be horrible. We had a 6Pm reservation and we were seated right away. Food was as expected. The shocker for me came when shortly after we paid the bill, we were told "I don't mean to hurry you up, but we have another reservation for this table and they are waiting outside". That was at 7:05. Surely, we should have had more than an hour for dinner. My boss said "I have never had this experience in a restaurant". It was actually quite embarrasing. The restaurant is popular but if they keep treating their guests this way -- they will get their wish and have a lot of empty tables.
(2)
Amanda S.
4.5 The whole idea of this little place makes me really happy. I love when restaurants do little things like make you take off your shoes and sit on the floor. It just makes me feel like i'm experiencing something new even though i'm really not. Something about it is just exciting :]. I really don't get why more places don't do stuff like that. Maybe they're just not as turned on by the smell of feet & fish as i am? To each his own... For my boyfriend's birthday dinner i decided to take him out for a casual, but special sushi dinner. Irori seemed like the perfect choice. I made a reservation for 2 around 7:45pm on a Tuesday night, but i didn't actually need reservations because it didn't start filling up until around 8:30. Upon entering, it really DOESN'T smell like fish&feet, haha, I was kidding earlier. It's actually quite a charming little place. We got a table towards the back of the restaurant so we had more privacy/it was a little more romantic. And like everyone else has said, it is impossible to not play footsies the entire time. We started off with sake, edamame, garlic mussels, garlic scallops and gyoza. Alllll were really delicious. The garlic scallops definitely stood out. After the appetizers, we were both almost full so we decided to split the Red Snapper w/ Plum Wine Sauce and a plate of assorted sushi (tuna, albacore, yellowtail, salmon & spicy tuna roll). The sushi was pretty good, fresh, but not the freshest i've had. The red snapper, on the other hand, was to DIE for. Definitely one of the best fish dishes i've ever had. Our service was quite attentive and friendly, although the waitress wasn't very helpful when i asked her opinion about some of the dishes i was thinking about getting. Buttttt lucky for her (and me), i ended up liking everything i got and i would definitely order it all again. The price was very reasonable. For all of the food and sake we had, the bill came out to around $80 (excluding tip). Not bad at all. I definitely suggest this place for someone who likes sushi and finds excitement in sitting on the floor and eating with no shoes on, like myself. In the words of Arnold, I'll be backkkkkkk.
(4)
Hue N.
The sushi was okay. I've had similar or better quality sushi at other places for cheaper prices. Remember to wear socks because you don't know where other people's smelly feet have been. Since you have to take off your shoes at the front, the restaurant provides slippers to wear when you use the restroom at the back. Kind of gross thinking about the cleanliness of those slippers. After all these years, my friends and I still have problems splitting the bill between a large group. We always come up short, so we have to count the money a million times. After we were confident that we had enough, we gave the waitress our cash and cards. She comes back to tell us that we were about $30 short. WHAT?!?! We counted that thing SO MANY TIMES. And you know what got us upset? They didn't bring the cash back for us to count!!! If you don't get enough money, wouldn't you bring the whole thing back to SHOW the customer that they are short? They took all the cash out and charged the cards. How were we suppose to argue with them that we paid enough when there was nothing there??? Shady...ugh. We were all ready to get the heck out of there and just put more money in and left.
(2)
Yvonne Z.
The food was indescribably amazing! The lobster tempura with spicy cream sauce is outstanding and the toro sushi melts in your mouth! The red bean ice cream tempura is so delicious! Our waiter, Kenny , was so outgoing and funny! He knew the dishes so well and recommended his favorite dishes, which are now our favorite dishes! Thank you so much! But seriously it was such an amazing restaurant!!!!!
(5)
Mike A.
Ate here twice over a two week period while in town on business. I am not a big fan of the "stick your feet in a hole" concept, as larger folks struggle and I almost had a huge guy fall on top of me, when he got caught trying to squeeze in the table behind mine. That aside, the sushi is amazing. Rainbow roll was fresh and tasty. I recommend getting a dinner (bento) combo, as for about $18 you get salad, soup and protein (I had the steak which was ok). Tried the sushi n.e.w.s ( nothing special). The best item on the menu is the scallop w/mayo: Just melts in your mouth. First time spent about $70 (1 diner), second time spent $52. Key is to get the dinner and avoid going ala carte on the menu. Plenty of parking in the lot and if you are still hungry or on a budget, grab a slice of NY style pizza next door for about $3 to fill you up.
(4)
Joseph d.
What I got: Lunch Special -- Salmon Terriyaki with Spicy Tuna Sushi & Sesame Chicken Price: $13.17 (tip and tax included) Review: So this place is totally legit! If I ever get to go to Tokyo I would imagine the restaurants there would be like this. The atmosphere screams authenticity. I love how you have to take your shoes off and the way you sit down to eat. It's totally creative. The lunch special is pretty decent (price wise) and the food is good too!! I will definitely come back here again! Bon appetite! Or as the Japanese would say Itadakimas!!
(4)
Aleja M.
BEST JAPANESE FOOD EVER! So fun! I have loved this place since I was a kid. There is something about taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor that makes it fun and exciting. Food is AMAZING! I love going for lunch. So much food, and so reasonable!
(5)
Wendy A.
I started coming to the place when I lived in the area. I've moved out of south bay, but will still make the drive out for irori from time to time. I had dinner there again tonight and again, not disappointed. Everything tasted super fresh. I tried the baked blue crab hand roll today. Nothing short of awesome. Who wouldve thought a sushi place in a Pavillions market shopping center would be so tasty. Upon entrance, you're asked to remove your shoes and place them in a cubby. (reminder of my childhood at a mcdonalds playpen..grown up styled). Next you'll be sat at what appears to be very low tables. Sneaky that the ground under the tables sinks in. It takes a bit getting used to, but definitely a cool experience.
(4)
Jonathan G.
My wife & I wanted to try the brand new neighborhood sushi joint that had recently opened, but all it took was one Yelp review and the mention of "food poisoning" to send us scurrying over to Irori. I had long heard good things about this place, but for some reason I was reluctant based on irrational fears about either A) slipping in my socks on my way to the table and cracking my head, or B) having to undergo major back surgery after sitting cross-legged for an entire meal. Luckily I was able to overcome my neurosis, and was treated to one of the best sushi meals I've had in some time (and it turns out that you do not have to sit cross-legged, but rather without back support...woo hoo!). We ordered the shrimp & vegetable tempura, fresh water eel, octopus, surf clam, yellowtail and the blue crab hand roll. The last was the highlight of the evening, and while we ordered a second helping, I have a feeling we could have continued down a very slippery crab-laden path for some time. Dessert was the white chocolate macadamia creme brulee, which was fine but nothing special (except for its portion size, which was roughly the size of a dinner plate). Speaking of which, the sushi at Irori is a bit on the small side, but I've found that I'd much rather have quality over quantity when it comes to raw fish...but that's just me. One note: the crowd was very different that what I'm used to at, say, Hide in West LA. Quite a few families, and one in particular where the father spent the entire meal loudly chastising his daughter over a clothing purchase.
(4)
Jenny C.
Best sushi place! I've dined here many times before and the food quality was never this FRESH!! I ordered my usual sushi items like uni, halibut, tuna, toro, & spicy tuna w crispy rice... and i was very amazed bc they never tasted this GOOD. I recommend this place for sushi lovers (esp. sitting at the bar) and i'll bet ya you'll keep coming back...... every week!!
(5)
Andrea R.
This place gets 4.5 stars, and is our new favorite sushi spot on the west side of LA! When you first arrive to the restaurant you have to take your shoes off (kinda weird at first, but adds to the experience), and then are seated at tables that are low to the ground, on the floor, but there is space for your legs beneath. You sit on pillows and could sit indian style, but you can put your legs underneath the table which is more comfortable and nice for taller people. I thought it was a cool set up and adds to the ambience. My boyfriend and I went with another couple and we ordered several dishes to share. Loved the spicy tuna, salmon & irori rolls. Also tried the fried chicken dish (odd choice at a sushi joint, but good), and a bowl of udon noodles (tempura style) and all were delicious. The other couple we were with tried the shrimp skewers and said those were good as well. I don't remember what kind of sake we ordered by it was light, refreshing, crisp and some of the best sake I have tried. It was recommended by our waitress and I believe it cost around $15. The only thing that I didn't love was the dynamite dish. It was good, it just wasn't as good compared to other dynamite dishes I've had at other places. They also have a good selection of Japanese beers, both regular and light. The service was fantastic, and we had several people tending to our table that were very attentive to our needs. We will definitely be back!!
(5)
Do G.
I've been here twice and am still impressed with the quality of service. Everyone is so attentive and engaging. It is always a pleasure to eat here either at the sushi bar or the regular dining area. The fish is good quality, which it better be considering it is next to a freaking marina. This is definitely on the list of "go to" sushi places when I am craving sushi.
(4)
Yelps M.
Veggie and Fish rolls were very dull and not good. When the place was operated by the original owner it was outstanding. I think the new owner is buying from different suppliers and cutting corners. We live in a city with tons of sushi joints, and I know when I taste Quality and this isn't quality.
(2)
Megen S.
Irori is my favorite sushi restaurant in the Marina, ever since my days as a student at LMU. The tables are set up so that you feel as though you are sitting on the floor, but still have leg room beneath the ground. Favorites are the Alaskan roll (though I've never met a roll there I didn't like) and the shrimp tempura with the spicy creamy sauce that you sometimes have to ask for if it's not on the menu, but they always seem able to do. The blue crab handroll is pretty bomb, too. Hmm... now I'm crazing sushi.
(5)
Dianne V.
For years this was my 'go to' Japanese restaurant. It was just wonderful and I was there several times a month. Then the the ownership changed. I've given it several more chances under the new owner, but every experience has been worse. Last night was the last time I will ever go there. The sushi and sashimi was simply not as fresh or properly prepared as it should have been. And obviously, in a sushi restaurant freshness and careful preparation is everything. I had a piece of tuna sushi on my plate that I sent back as it was cut from the darkest part of the tuna and was extremely unappealing . The very nice waitress replaced it with a piece of salmon. The sushi was sloppily prepared. Poorly sliced pieces of fish laid carelessly on top of rice that was shaped almost like little balls instead of finger shaped. The octopus was inedible. My partners sashimi tuna was mushy...again, really unappealing. I'm really sorry the old Irori is gone.
(1)
claudia L.
This is probably one of my favorite Japanese restaurants for lunch. Even though they've changed ownership (and names) several times over the last two decades, it stayed true to its quality. The offer a great selection of affordable lunch boxes, and the cooked foods as well as the sushi are always A+ quality. Service is fast and friendly, and the ambiance is very authentic with the raised floors and no shoes allowed. As usual with Japanese restaurants, the evening menu is more expensive than the lunch menu, and in Irori's case, the difference is quite considerable.
(5)
A J.
Decent sushi, but not my favorite in the area. Pros: ~Really enjoyed the Irori roll and the Jalapeno Sashimi (I think the Jalapeno Sashimi and the Jalapeno Albacore Sashimi are the same thing, but they're both listed on the menu). ~It's really cute, you have to take your shoes off to sit at one of their little tables, so it feels authentic. Cons: ~Too many people waiting on you. Literally every single waiter in the restaurant (prob 10 at some point helped us with something), which lead to repetitive questions about what we were still pending on with our order, etc. I appreciate attentiveness but this was a bit overwhelming and disrupting (it seemed to increase throughout our meal). ~Not a fan of the albacore w/crispy onion. It wasn't a sashimi dish like most places, rather like a piece of nigiri. ~There were no refills on soda which was a little weird. Don't think I will be back, but I am happy that I tried a new place, and it was a unique experience.
The place has cute ambiance. I love the whole taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor. It's a place you can get some authentic sushi. Management was nice and had an overall great experience.
(4)
Teff A.
The blue fin tuna, sweet shrimp and black cod were all delish! So far, my favorite (not crazy expensive) sushi bar on the West side. Always great service.
(5)
Kimberly B.
Don't wear your Jimmy Choo's when you come here. They make you take off your shoes and leave them at the front before you get seated, so your Jimmy's are pretty much free-for-all if they're just hanging out in front. We ate here for dinner last night and the food was delicious! I ordered their Nabeyaki Udon for $11.25 and it was probably the best-tasting udon I've ever had. The broth was simply delicious, and the udon noodles were of the right consistency and chewiness. It's fun sitting on the floor with your friends. Something about being lower to the ground makes people happier.
(5)
Susy C.
MMMMMMMMMMm I didn't expect such quality sashimi at a sushi joint in a plaza! Literally, the scallops in my spicy scallop handroll were some of the freshest and sweetest i've ever had. I love the traditional feel of this place. You come in, take off your shoes, and sit on pillows on the floor. I was only able to grab food to go, but I want to come back and actually have a sit down meal. The menu itself gets a bit creative. Not really those fake "jive ass rolls" but they've got some dishes that have the modern flair/twist to it.
(4)
Mei C.
Yummi Irori... how you have made me love Japanese food even more. They are hidden in a little plaza right next to CVS in Marina del Rey and it's easy to miss them if you don't pay attention. They just went through construction in that plaza too so their restaurant sign is not even on. They have lunch specials, which are pretty nicely priced with a fair amount of food. Their tempura is good, but my favorite thing there is the crispy rice tuna. It's sooooooooo good! Their yellowtail sashimi is fresh and delightful. Sushi quality is great - everything just melts in your mouth good. The ambiance is ridiculously cute. When you come in, you have to take off your shoes and then they walk you to your seat, where you sit on the floor and you put your legs in these holes that are been made underneath the table. It's totally Japanese Tatami style (just a bit more comfortable with the leg space). The place can get crowded but I have never waited more than 10 mins for a table (on the floor). The only reason I give it a 4 star is because the prices can be expensive if you don't get the lunch specials. I've been here for dinner and it's easy 40 bucks per person if you order several items. But then again, you are in the Marina. Maybe I'll go there for lunch today. :)
(4)
Chrissy K.
The restaurant that asks you to take off your shoes! I love it, but some people need to make sure their feet dont smell because that could be a disastrous combo with all the fish present. The sushi is so fresh! I will and have come back since my first visit. This place is definitely a marina del rey gem.
(5)
tae k.
It was 10 pm and we were headed for a Culver City sushi restaurant on a saturday night and it was unfortunately closing. Irori was close so we decided to head there and to our delighful surprise, we had a great experience. It was nice and dimly lit, and the first thing I thought was that it would be a great date spot. You take your shoes off and you can sit on the floor or sit at the bar. We sat at the bar and had a friendly and helpful chef. We had some sake that went down smooth. We had already eaten dinner but we were craving sushi. We didn't want to do a whole omakase so we decided to just go for some of the better cuts and we were not disappointed. Here is the order of things we ordered. Toro - a good sized portion that was very buttery but had the tiniest hint of something that should not have been there. It was not the best toro I have ever had but it was good starter. 3.0 stars Yellowtail - It was good but nothing special. 3.0 stars BLUE CRAB ROLL - and we have a winner! By far the best thing. 5 stars. So delicious! Wild salmon (copper river) - the chef recommended it without any soy sauce and he was right. This was so good it did not need anything. Amazing. 5 stars Albacore - a solid finale to the night. It was fresh and tasty. 4.5 stars.
(4)
Lisa C.
Both the sushi and cooked items at this place are good and reasonably priced. The waiters and sushi chefs are super friendly and helpful. Its a great place to meet a small group of friends for dinner. Be prepared to take your shoes off and sit on a cushion on the ground with your feet dangling in a hole underneath the table. It sounds stranger than it is... I promise. The overall decor, experience, and food is well worth it! TIP: If you are truly against removing your shoes or are in a wheel chair, they have one section of the sushi bar that has regular chairs.
(4)
Alexis B.
5 plus 5 plus 5 plus!!!!!!! Again, thank you jesus for YELP seriously, if it wasn't for you guys, I would miss out on so many places. Im addicted to this place and im so sad we don't have something like this in OC. I love taking my shoes off any chance I get so when I can grub in public with no shoes, im there!!! I love the sitting on the floor as well , if your too tall for indian style , they have the floor open under u as if you were sitting in a chair. To the food, the lettuce wrapped fried clams are so good, they could do without so much cabbage, so fuckin good. The warm blue crab handroll is so goood , not a cone shape but like a cigar ,its like having a crab cake in seaweed mmmm. I forgot all the nigiri we ordered but it was super fresh fish , buttery mmmm. The tempura was so good, the spicy tuna tempura was wack, DON'T get that. The philly rolls were huge and usually those rolls are small as fuck, but these were huge and I liked it mmmmm. The menu is HUGE to many things to choose from. The service was on point at first but when you take long to order and then your ready to order and your still waiting for them to come back and since your on the floor its hard for them to pay attention lol. I love this place so so sooooooo much. I hope I get to go again tomorrow mmmm!
(5)
Elle M.
Irori Sushi is the best Sushi spot I've been to in LA to date. The atmosphere really makes the place, but the food is fantastic too! I brought two friends here who were visiting from out of town and they just thought it was the coolest place ever. My favorite items are the blue crab handroll and the crispy rice appetizer. SOOO GOOD!!! My boyfriend and I usually sit at a table but sometimes it's fun to sit at their sushi bar and have the sushi chef suggest items. This place is worth the drive if you are not on the Westside and definitely a great spot to bring a date. They take reservations and if it's a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday I recommend making one! Enjoy!
(5)
Bennett O.
Looks a little weird, tucked into the corner of a strip mall, but it's actually pretty good. Chirashi and mochi.
(4)
Maithy T.
i've only been here for lunch, but plan on coming back for dinner. my usual is the sashimi lunch box with teriyaki salmon. the sashimi is always fresh, and teriyaki salmon is never too dry. i've also tried their popcorn chicken but it wasn't as crunchy as i would have liked it to be, and it felt a bit too salty. you have to take your shoes off by the door. so if you've got holes in your dirty socks, maybe try coming here after laundry day.
(4)
Courtney S.
Favorite local sushi spot. It isn't the most fancy, but it does the job. The tables are neat because they are under the floor. The service is completely hit or miss. Sometimes they are very attentive and sometimes they are sort of cold.
(4)
Marcela H.
Hands down one of my FAVORITE lunch spots! This place gets points for uniqueness, deliciousness and service. Unique: - You're asked to leave your shoes at the door (well, in a cubbyhole) - The tables are on the floor but have a hole below the table for you to place your feet in. - There are shared flip flops/slippers to use if you need to use the restroom. - Seats at the sushi bar are available. Delicious: - Spectacular lunch box specials! I usually get the beef teriyaki, spicy tuna roll & vegetable tempura box which comes with salad (love the dressing!) and miso soup. All for about $11-$12. Service: - I've been here numerous times during the lunch run and service has always been spot on! TIPS: - Located in between CVS & Vons.. don't let the shopping mall location deter you from coming here. - During lunch they don't like to split more than 2 credit cards.. not sure if it's the same during dinner so I'd recommend bringing some cash if you're coming in a large group. - The largest table can accommodate 10 people.. if you have a large party I HIGHLY recommend making a reservation as this table tends to fill up quick.
(5)
Just Nay B.
Things really have gone downhill at this place lately. Justin (everyone's favorite sushi man) left and the place doesnt have the same vibe.
(3)
Jonathan M.
Don, Eugene and Peter are bomb! Sit at the sushi bar for sure and they make the best food ever. The amber jack. And torro. Best ever. Love thinks place love the chefs. Shoes off. Brain off. Love it
(5)
Phil E.
First think you'll notice when you walk in is that yes, you do sit on the floor. But keep in mind, there is space below the table for your legs, so its just like a chair. You aren't sitting cross legged or anything. And it seems they have little cushions with backrests if you ask. I thought the food was very good, very fresh, etc. Do check out their specials and do ask what the sushi chefs recommends. I think that is the way to go. Not the cheapest sushi, but worth the price. And tea is free! I would put this into my sushi rotation, but because of its price its not an every week place. Also, parties of 6 or more, you'll have to wait a bit. There is one 6 person table and one that I think can hold 8, so you are really limited if people are already seated etc. And due to the nature of the whole sitting on the floor thing, you cannot move tables. Seemed that parties of 2 and 4 were seated quickly.
(4)
CMR L.
The food is good. The fish is fresh. Definitely worth checking out, mainly for the ambience.
(4)
Paula D.
Chirashi!! I had Chirashi for the first time here and it was unbelievably delicious. I don't know what they do to the rice but I couldn't get enough of it under the Chirashi. I added a serving of Yellow Tail sushi and a glass of the sake, can't recall the name, it started with an "H" and it was the only $7 glass of sake on the menu. It was exceptionally crisp and pear-tasting served in a small cedar box. If you want a nice serving of anything sushi and money is no object. Eat here and remember to take off your shoes at the door.
(5)
Laurie H.
Were in the area for one night after being in Arizona for 3 days....really needed some sushi. We found SO much more! Started with an appetizer of butter lettuce wrap with popcorn shrimp inside. Even though it was fried, there was a lightness to it that surprised me. I then had an oyster shooter. It came it a pretty glass and it was, what I later discovered, too much for one throwback of my head. There were 2 or 3 oysters, I believe, and it was a bit messy because I did it poorly, but the oysters were perfect....tender and small. The flavor was uniquely Japanese...not your typical raw bar oyster shooter. Delicious. There was much regular sushi had - maguro, hamachi, amaebi, unagi, etc, that was fresh and good. Some typical rolls....totally fine. Also ordered shrimp and vegetable tempura and miso soup which both were good. One of my favorites - ankimo (monkfish liver) - was simple and straightforward, as it should be. Then there were a few specials. Hubby order spicy tuna on crispy rice and I ordered albacore on crispy rice. I LOVED these. They basically seemed to have used sushi rice to make rectangles, then quickly seared them on each side or quickly fried them whole...not sure which...and then added the fish on top. Would order this every single time if I lived in the area. The only misstep with the food was the preparation of the special blue crab hand roll. This was basically just a roll, brought to me uncut. I'm used to hand rolls being conical in shape and therefore necessary to eat by hand. Picking up this roll felt like I should just cut it myself...didn't like that, but the flavor was very good. Service was good and the girls were sweet. So you can see we ordered a lot. Plus two large Sapporos and 2 green teas. Four people (2 children)....and the final bill? After tip - $190. That's why I can't give 5 stars. The prices aren't out of the stratosphere, but I do think they're a bit high. The amaebi was market price and turned out to be $12.50 each. We don't pay that in the bay area. But I have to reserve the 5th star for a price/value proposition that makes me jump up and down and I just can't quite do it here. However, would not hesitate to visit again and again.
(4)
Michael R.
The is the best sushi restaurant in the Marina, Westchester and Playa Del Rey area. The food is really good and the service is "johnny on the spot." We enjoyed sashimi and various rolls. The sashimi is the real test. Everything was so fresh. Likewise, the soft shell crab tasted like crab and not tempura batter. We washed down with the best house hot saki. If we had not been sitting right in front of the entry to the kitchen (Understandably, it was Saturday night and all other tables were taken.), I would have given them 5 stars. The service was very attentive. It was really excellent. I look forward to returning in the very near future.
(4)
Nanor H.
Everything tasted so fresh!! Just moved to this area and Ive been looking for a really good sushi spot and i found it. yum yum yum. its tucked in the corner so its easy to miss, but its right next to the radioshack in the little corner area to the left of the market
(5)
Yuri C.
after being rudely declined by another sushi restaurant, i called up this place. i said i'll be bringing in a baby in a car seat and the lady said "come on in, we'll find a good spot for you." the parking was so easy because it's in a huge plaza, and we were immediately greeted by everyone as we entered. we took our shoes off right away, which was nice. i'm japanese so i felt right at home. and the lady i talked to on the phone was at the front, greeted us right away and took us to a nice spot in the back. the server was very polite, quick, and attentive. the food was amazing! we had the yellowtail collar as an appetizer and i definitely recommend this one. it's cooked with very mild sauce, and the pieces are a bit hard to get to of course, but it's fatty and delicious. the chirashi that i had was soo good too. i want to come back asap again!
(5)
Khalid N.
Fun tables and I like the no shoes rule. Bottomless tea, albacore, and service were good highlights
(4)
Joyce E.
I must start off with saying my favorite part of the Irori experience was taking my shoes off and sitting on a cushion on the floor to dine here. It is such a relaxing place to be and everyone is so extremely friendly and so very helpful! I ordered the seared ono, which was really good and also the Philadelphia roll. Everything was really good.. The ingredients could have been a little bit fresher (like the avocado in my roll). But other than that it is a great place to have sushi.
(4)
Henan J.
Now I started off thinking this wood be an amazing ride...we got seated quickly, the staff was very friendly and responsive...we did have to take our shoes off and sit on the floor: Japanese Style. But then the meal really wasnt top notch. I have had better at many places. I tried the Tuna roll, Spicy tuna roll, Blue crab roll, a couple of albacore & tuna sushi and again....nothing that made my taste buds go bizerk Kinda expected more from a Marina Del Rey sushi spot.
(3)
Xavier P.
we sat at the sushi bar. we had a stressful/negative vibe from the fat sushi chef. it made our entire dining experience "interesting." the sushi chefs spoke China chinese, korean, and japanese which leads us to believe that it is not a very authentic japanese cuisine. the food taste and quality is average. i would not recommend this place. i've had better sushi and sashimi at tokyo lobby (if any of you know where that is).
(2)
Michelle C.
I love this place. I've come here so many times. And the experience always seems the same. Its so romantic. I love that you have to take off your shoes and you sit in these tables that are low to the ground. The sushi is great and fresh. The Ono Tempura roll is sooo good. All the rolls I always order, never seem to disappoint. And finish it off with the tempura ice cream, you wont be disappointed.
(5)
Jeannie K.
Highlights: - Great, great service - Wooden floor with the bottom carved out (your feet are dangling below the table - traditional style) - Generally decent food Dim lights: - subpar chirashi - can be a little loud with no separation between tables, but then again, we were the loudest I usually gauge a sushi restaurant by its chirashi before going omakase. I was, as is often said on Yelp, underwhelmed. Other sushis and appetizers were/looked good though - agedashi tofu, seaweed sunomono, crispy rice sushi... I just happen to lean more towards being a traditionalist. But the prices are decent and the service is excellent :) Parking's great!
(3)
Tanya D.
No shoes? No chairs? No problem! Granted, seeing that this place is tucked away and under construction, it took a hot minute to find Irori in the first place. And it was quite a surprise - no sign, no marked front entrance, and then you open the door to Japanese Narnia. First impression: Wow, that' not what I expected. Second impression: Did that lady just tell me to take my shoes off? Yes, she did tell us to take our shoes off. Thank goodness I don't have any issues with feet, and I like how it's a bit reminiscent of going bowling. Once we were seated, an incredibly attentive server descended upon my associate and I, constantly asking, checking and clarifying. We started heavy on the appetizers: miso soup, edamame, seaweed sesame salad. So, when the time came around to order mains, we didn't want our eyes to be bigger than our stomachs. Nigiri sushi with spicy tuna and a spicy scallop roll. Both were yummy, but the nigiri comes with a ton of extras. Perhaps our fortuitous ordering gave me the opposite impression of other yelpers, who complain they are not satisfied with portion sizes. After all this food and sake, I was definitely stuffed. I adore how tucked away Irori is; that along with the ambience and service made me mentally earmark it in the "definitely coming back if I'm in the neighborhood" category.
(4)
Lulu B.
The staff is friendly and accommodating towards customers'. We sat at the sushi bar and the sushi chefs were great. The sushi was great and melts in your mouth. We ordered the baked lobster roll, irori roll, blue fin tuna sushi and it was delicious. Highly recommended!
(5)
Priscilla S.
BEST SUSHI IN LA. Fresh fresh seafood, super cute atmosphere. Cant wait to eat there again!!!!!!!!
(5)
Julie C.
As a child I loved this place because the food was good and we got to take our shoes off, lol. The place is different/ cool from other jap. restaurants because like i said you get to take you shoes off, they have cubbies were you can put them at and when you sit your not on your knees but on a pillow and then have an opening for your feet to go under the table (so your in a seated positon) Anyways the food is good, my boyfriend really likes coming here for lunch and gets the luch box special that includes salad, chicken, a choice of sushi roll, and miso soup. We also like the udon soup, veg tepura roll, and my cousin tried the fried eel and liked it. Its a fun place to try, with good food, nice staff, good prices and plenty of parking. Good spot to come with a date or a group of friends. Have fun and Enjoy!
(4)
Tara F.
Stopped by Irori for lunch on the way back from the airport. As most people have mentioned, the place is tough to find - just park near Pavilions and head towards Radio Shack. The food was a really pleasant surprise for the location. We had the Sashimi Assortment ($16.50) which came with a salad, miso soup, rice, fruit, and a side of pickled cucumbers (no pickled ginger, surprisingly). The fish was good quality, and there was a generous portion. We also had the tempura udon ($10); the soup base was excellent and richly flavored, the noodles perfectly al dente; the tempura itself was pretty lackluster, as was the dipping sauce. We also have been ordering Shishito peppers everywhere we go, so we tried them here, blistered and seasoned with soy sauce. They were very good, with a really subtle flavor (make sure you get some of the garlic soy sauce that pools at the bottom), as compared to something like Lazy Ox Canteen. As with Japanese places in general, it's not super cheap - lunch ended up being $42 (including tip) for 2. Definitely a good option for an airport lunch; though I would also recommend Gardena Bowl for same.
(4)
D C.
My buddy took me here for dinner the other night. It was one of the best sushi restos i have been to period in North America. The sushi was amazingly fresh and delicious. They brought out the sushi quickly after we ordered. They have an extensive sushi menu and everything we had was awesome. You wouldn't event think that this place would be good - buried amongst a t mobile and a cvs. To be honest you would easily miss this place as it is tucked in a cul de sac in the strip mall. its a convenient sushi place for those in Marina. It doesn't have those "trendy" rolls other sushi places in Santa Monica have but that is not what I'm about. I'm all about the sashimi and this place had some of the best sashimi I've ever had! I highly recommend the Spanish Mackeral, Sea Urchin, Toro, Tuna Crisp, Salmon and the Seaweed Salad.
(5)
william p.
AMBIENCE ~5, FOOD ~10, SERVICE ~5, PRICING ~4...WONDERFUL ambience and gracious happy staff welcome you and are extremely attentive! This cozy spot has become my favorite sushi restaurant located just a few miles from LAX. AAAA+++++ :):)
(5)
Kate G.
THIS IS THE BEST SUSHI PLACE EVER. Granted, I am not an elite sushi star, but I've been around the figurative block, and this place is LEGIT. I really think this was my favorite sushi experience ever - the atmosphere unique and special (the no shoe policy and low tables) while also being homey and down to earth. The fish was fantastically fresh and oh so so delicious - shout out to the blue crab hand roll, yellowtail nigiri, and OMG THE IRORI ROLL. Okay, so I know it's not posh to be super into rolls at real sushi places, but this roll was FANTASTIC - blue fin tuna, avocado amazingness and probably one of the more inexpensive items on the menu. OH AND THE SERVICE - we were in a bit of a rush, and the waitress really did a lot to make sure our food came out quickly, and was super friendly. I so wish I lived in SoCal, because this would be my new favorite 'special outting' (hint hint date) place to go to.
(5)
Shelley C.
My date took me here since it was close to me after my long day of work then school... It was a bit hard to find because they're doing construction, it is right in the middle of Pavillions and CVS. First when i walked in, i like the setting and ambiance. Dark but not too dark, and yes you do take off your shoes so please have clean feet! You can sit on the floor or put your legs into the holes below the table. We got 4 diff rolls and sashimi assortment platter. I thought for the price the sashimi could have been more. Rolls were a bit too filled with rice. We ordered a bottle of sake which was delicious, i really enjoy sake when its not too dry. Dessert, the white chocolate creme brulee... totally delicious! and of course my fav tempura green tea ice cream. Loved it. I think i liked the desserts more than the entrees
(4)
Alyssa H.
Wonderful atmosphere. Very traditional, you take your shoes off at the front of the restaurant before they take you back to be seated. The tables are on the ground, don't let this alarm you though, there is a hole in the ground so you're pretty much sitting like you would in a chair. The sushi was wonderful. The fish was very fresh. They have great portion sizes too. My husband and I left very full! He ordered the chicken teriyaki with tempura veggies and was very pleased.
(5)
Frank F.
What a surprise and unique Japanese restaurant! No chairs, only tatami style seating with some leg "holes" so your legs can hang down. The food was excellent and the fish was very fresh and flavorful. The service was exceptional. Thank you for a wonderful and very Asian experience.
(5)
Andrew M.
I am more and more surprised about these sushi joints in Marina Del Rey. Every one I've been to has been great. Irori doesn't let me down. With all the other reviews, I'm not going to get too detailed. Suffice to say, probably the main draw about this restaurant is its ambiance. You come in, take off your shoes, put them in the cubby provided, and sit on the floor. Don't worry if you're not used to it, its really a hole in the ground on which the table rises out of the middle from, on which the floor serves as a makeshift "chair". Lighting is soft, service is quick and friendly, and most importantly, food is fresh, seasoned well, and authentic. Bento box meals are HUGE here by the way, they definitely fill you up right. The tonkatsu is very crispy and juicy inside, just the way it should be. I recommend getting the blue crab handroll as well.
(4)
Jason R.
Great sushi...great service... Overall, 5 stars
(5)
Joe C.
I came here for lunch. Their food is OK. I ordered the Beef and chicken Teriyaki. The Beef is a little overcooked and the chicken doesn't have enough flavors. I'll give it another try since it's so close to my work.
(3)
Vinnie M.
Take your shoes off and sit a spell! Excellent sushi in a very cool Japanese setting - seats and tables are sunken into the floor! Prices are very reasonable and the portions are great. Fun, casual sushi dining, great service and quality.
(4)
Nazy J.
I had no idea that the head chef came from kenpai another sushi spot down the street ..... Love him he is soooooo awesome ...... The sushi here is pretty good but on the average side meaning there is no wow factor in their dishes besides the fact that they have some traditional dishes and some not so traditional dishes. They all taste great, but most of them are very predictable. With such a talented sushi chef I wish they would put some crazy specials in there ...
(4)
Shannon E.
I don't care if the sushi chefs are Korean I love this place. Seriously I consider this some of the best sushi on the west side. I might even go as far to say my favorite sushi restaurant period. The fish is always fresh, the service is always good (the women that work there are ssssoo nice) and it's not too pricey. Some people complain about taking off their shoes & sitting on the floor. Personally I don't mind.
(5)
Yuki Jasmine S.
The owners are Korean, servers, sushi chefs, everybody is Korean here. What upsets me the most is they pretend to be Japanese. Went here with a group of Japanese people and we were all very disappointed. When we tried speaking to them in Japanese, they get very uncomfortable and acted like they do not want other customers to know they don't understand anything. I see other reviewers saying the same about trying to act like they are Japanese. Don't be fooled by the shoes-off Japanese style dining. This is not an authentic Japanese-owned Japanese-style restaurant.
(1)
Lynda L.
For some reason, I've been craving Japanese food A LOT, not that I'm an expert but something about their food just knows how to satisfy my appetite. This is my second time here and I've enjoyed my experience each time. You have to take your shoes off :) A: Blue crab hand roll - I love it cause it's blue crab! but this is very filling if you each get a roll A: Shrimp Tempura - never fails :) Creamy, crunchy and fresh A: Yellowtail Collar Fish - I can eat this dish all day long, so healthy feeling B: Softshell crab - I do like softshell but not really a fan, I think I over killed in the sauce Can't wait to come back :) Make an appointment!
(5)
Diana H.
Pretty good sushi spot in the Marina. I've been here a couple of times during lunch on the weekday. They have some good lunch specials and combinations. You get a different experience here because you get to take your shoes off and you are seated in tables that are sunken which can be pretty cool. There are certain people that can be a little grossed out about it but I guess it just depends on the person. I am all about paying a good amount of money for good food and i don't get this with this sushi restaurant. I feel that you pay a lot for the quality of fish that you get. The blue crab roll is my go-to sushi roll and their baked mussels. Another pro is that they have a parking lot so you eat in the marina and park for free.
(3)
Leanna S.
Updating my review since it's been a year since I first tried Irori and now it is our FAVORITE local sushi spot. We come here about once every 2 weeks, sometimes more. We always request to sit at the bar, because the chef's are super fun and hilarious and it just makes the entire experience better. Our favorite chef's are Eugene (middle) and Don (to the right of Eugene) It's great to order our favorites but the best meals we've had are from the chef's recommendation. All of my current favorites were introduced by the chef's - most of them are on the menu but sometimes you just dont know what's in it, what it looks like, etc. So to just have the chef's surprise us, and when we fall in love we know to order it for next time. So far there's only been one recommendation that we didnt love, and that was live shrimp. It was really, REALLY live. Some of our favorites and go-to sushis will be Ono or Escolar. It's a white fish that is seared by a torche to burn off the excess fish oil, topped with a citrus paste. No soy sauce necessary. Some NEW favorites (thanks to the recommendation of Don) are Halibut Fin (Engawa) and Salmon & Blue Crab. The thinly sliced salmon is wrapped around buttery blue crab, topped with truffle oil (only item on entire menu w/ truffle oil.) I can't say enough about Irori... its just one of those places where you want to shout from the top of a mountain because everyone should know about it, but also want to keep to yourself its so good.
(5)
Greg T.
One of the cool things about Irori is that they require you to take off your shoes. Why? Because the tables and sushi bar are sunken. Yep, that's right! Instead of a conventional chair, you'll sit on a small pillow and place your feet in a sunken area under the table. It's definitely a novelty here, but if you ever go to Japan, you may or may not find yourself doing the same at certain restaurants. If you're wearing sandals, you can opt to go barefoot or use some of the disposable "socks" available at the entrance. Whatever the case, you'll be asked to place your shoes in cubbies before being seated. Although the restaurant asks guests to put their shoes in the same row as other members of their party, there seemed to be a shortage of cubbies, so don't be afraid to put your flip flops in the same cubby as your dining companion! Irori's menu is extensive, consisting of many things you'd find at other Japanese restaurants. Most entrees, including the items listed in the sushi and sashimi section of the menu, come with soup, salad, and sunomono (pickled cucumber salad). Portions are decent, so don't be turned off by the price. But, as with other restaurants, some deals are better than others! Here's what I had the opportunity to try: VEGETABLE TEMPURA This was all right, but could easily have been better. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of included vegetables given the price: approximately 9 for $7.50. The coating was mostly crispy, but overall kind of bland. Some vegetables, like the asparagus, didn't seem conducive to deep-frying. Others, like the kabocha and the carrot, were tough because they were undercooked. The standouts were probably the green beans.While this satisfied my craving for deep-fried food, I probably wouldn't order this again. SEAFOOD SPRING ROLL This was SO much more satisfying than the tempura! The spring roll was fried to perfection with just the right amount of crispiness. Inside, the spring roll was packed with seafood, which made it unique and interesting. The two spring rolls were placed in a glass full of tomato-based salsa, which added a bit of freshness to the otherwise heavy-ish dish. My only complaint is that you only get 2 for $8. CHIRASHI The chirashi was solid, but nothing spectacular. I would estimate that there were approximately 16 pieces of fish/seafood, which is pretty good for $26.99. (This definitely seemed like a better deal than my friend's omakase, which cost $48) As one would hope, the fish had a smooth texture and tasted fresh. Several pieces, like the albacore, melted (or maybe just fell) apart in my mouth. Several types of fish probably would have benefited from a bit of lemon, as the tanginess would have heightened and differentiated the flavors. There was the perfect amount of roe - just a spoonful - to add saltiness to the slightly sweet rice. (No special accouterments for the rice; just plain ol' sushi rice.) While nothing stood out in particular to me, everything was pretty satisfying. Service was excellent. Our friendly waitress was kind of enough to substitute the ice cream that came with my friend's meal for extra fruit. And, earlier, she offered to hold the tempura until after we finished the rest of our food in case we weren't hungry enough to finish it all. Other staff members ensured that we always had enough water and tea. Parking is very easy here, as the restaurant is in a shopping center with ample parking. If you want to park closer, there's a weird circular parking area in front of the restaurant. While I wouldn't say that Irori serves the best sushi on the Westside, I think it does offer solid, fresh food. If you're eyeing the omakase, I'd probably recommend going to SugarFish instead, where you can get a similar amount of food for less(!) cost and better (read: more innovative) flavor. Nonetheless, I'm happy to have discovered this restaurant, and would definitely recommend this to others if you're in the area!
(4)
Anne C.
Obsessed! After the nail salon we came here for lunchy : ) We had the Japanese Fried Chicken, Baked Salmon Roll and one other roll I can't remember the name but it was crunchy and sweet and savory and delicious! Service was friendly and removing your shoes eating on the little mats is fun :) haha.
(5)
Juliet K.
The BLUEFIN BURRATA is amazing!!! Just tried it for the first time last night and was surprised by the flavor and texture of this dish. So good! The creaminess of the burrata w the balsamic vinegar and truffle oil and fresh wasabi with the delicious tuna... Everything was great about this dish! Will probably order this every time I go back....
(4)
Alexandra B.
Loved the freshness of their rolls and their selection menu with the chefs recommendations. Just about anything on their menu is finger-licking good. It's in the corner of the shopping center behind Jerrys.
(5)
Christina L.
I wish I could give this place a 3.7 rating. Close to 4 stars but just fell short. The hostess was nice/friendly, +1 star. The quality of fish cuts here are pretty good (I hesitate to say delicious or great) and the dining experience is a unique one, +2.7 stars. It's a more authentic experience when you get to take your shoes off and sit family style amongst your group, all while having a great conversation. I did enjoy my meal and experience, but I feel this place is a little too overpriced for the quality of fish you get, as well as the selection on the menu. Nothing I had was too spectacular or out of the ordinary.
(3)
Kayleigh M.
This place was GREAT! It's very authentic, especially because you take off your shoes as you enter the restaurant (see picture) and you sit on pillows on the floor at tables that have this unique cut out underneath where your legs can dangle. It's very cool! They offer you little sheer socks in case you don't want to be barefoot. The food was great but be forewarned, the sushi (individual pieces of two - a la carte not the rolls) is stuck together with WASABI and I don't like Wasabi so that killed the taste of all my favorite fish for me. Next time I will kindly ask that they don't use Wasabi on my sushi, I understand why they do it, to keep it together, but I just don't like it at all and I was quite surprised to get a huge glob of it in my mouth when I took a big bite of my Flying Fish Egg Sushi, it was so strong! There was no warning either. The menu does not have pictures or descriptions of the rolls so you either have to have a strong knowledge of sushi rolls or ask what each one contains. My boyfriend and I ordered the following: Garlic Edamame ( I did not try it but I heard several other tables order it so it MUST be good), Miso Soup, Philadelphia Roll, Zen Roll, Fried Tempura Salmon with Cream Cheese Filling (SO GOOD), a variety of sashimi and sushi, and the sliced raw Yellowtail. The eel was very fresh here, many places have eel with a fishy taste and lots of bones. I found one bone in my eel but that's not bad at all and it was so sweet! Everything came out looking like a work of art, I wish I had taken more pictures but I was too busy enjoying my meal. I would recommend this restaurant to friends and family. It's a great place to bring friends that are in town visiting, for date night or just hanging out with friends.
(5)
Hayley G.
I have to come back and re-review because I just really needed a snack before a movie I was going to as I waited for LA traffic to die down.. so I only got their creamy lobster (which was as much as a whole meal $20) It was really good but inconsistent. Some bites were incredible and some bites really weren't that great. SO I'm giving it a 3 for now with a promise to come back and try more things. They don't have a huge selection of specialty rolls (my fav) but the ones they do have look really yummy. I liked the atmosphere and how you have to take your shoes.
(3)
Tamara M.
The first time we went here we loved it. Since then, sad to say we don't feel the same. We've been back 3 other times and really the crux of it all is while the sushi is tasty, the service is not great and the sushi is overpriced. Plain and simple. Oh and while this didn't impact my stars at all, its worth mentioning for others considering - there are kids everywhere in this place. taking your shoes off and sitting on the floor seems to be very popular with families.
(2)
Lahaina A.
Yummm So happy to be so close to a great sushi place at work. I can't usually afford my beloved sugarfish, so irori turns out to be a perfect substitute. I have ordered the bento box with spicy tuna and salmon roll, this comes with miso, fruit salad, cucumber salad, and your two sides. I want to say it's under $12? Either way it's super affordable and they give you great options for an amazing price. Whenever I go, I always get the blue crab handroll. While the crab is excellent, I'm a huge fan of Tokyo style sushi (aka warm rice), which irori does not do standardly. Yet, they really stuff these handrolls to the brim! It's awesome! On par with sugarfish in terms of the crab quality, yet... Not with the rice. I recommend ordering it spicy, it's not actually spicy, but it's a lovely added flavor (I did not see it on the menu, I had to request it... Thank you yelp!) I also got the delicious, albeit pricey, $22 salmon blue crab "roll." There is no rice or seaweed in this roll, it's just blue crab and avocado wrapped with salmon sashimi. I ordered a side of rice to enjoy with this ($1.50). THIS WAS EXCELLENT! The salmon was melt in your mouth quality, and the crab was incredibly fresh (not fishy, just perfect). Irori is fantastic at giving generous servings. Last, but not least, I love this place because of the atmosphere. Sitting on the floor with your bare feet dangling below the table is a fun restaurant experience for anyone; it's particularly unexpected in Marina del Rey! I'll be back, needless to say.
(4)
Andy K.
Amazing sushi today. As fresh as it could get. Yellowtail wasnt as fresh as im used to having it, but it was close enough. The place is well designed and the ambience was well thought out. Fresh.sweet shrimp is my recommendation.
(5)
Laila A.
This place is a Hidden Gem !!! Nice ambiance Love the seating concept absolutely best sushi ever had great customer service
(5)
Hai Yen N.
Super cute place tucked away in the center that you may miss it like we did. You take your shoes off at the front when you come in and the tables have openings underneath for you to put your legs in which I love. We had the sashimi assort which had 3 pieces of 4 different fish. The slices were very thick so you get a lot of fish compares to other places. We also had the salmon and blue crab roll. Easily one of the best rolls I've had. It's so simple with avocado and blue crab wrapped in salmon. I could've eaten a whole roll myself if we were sharing. The roll is quite large too. It seems the portion overall here is bigger than usual which is nice. Would definitely come back here again when I'm in the area.
(4)
John K.
There is no air conditioning throughout the restaurant which seems odd for a sushi place. The service is so-so; we ordered sweet shrimp and were told at the end only after asking what happened to it that they didn't have any. Most importantly the sushi is discolored and not fresh.
(2)
John W.
Irori was a surprising last minute choice in search of a Monday night stop and boy, it was a terrific surprise to find. The first distinctive part about Irori is coming in and taking off your shoes/sandals/what have you (they have hand sanitizer available) as the restaurant is shoe-less. You'll be sitting in either short chairs at the bar or in little alcoves through distinguished tables. The second distinctive part is that...well, it's the food! At first glance, it looks pretty standard with your normal sushi/sashimi options. Look closer and you'll begin to see a lot of cool little options. For instance, we tried one of my favorite dishes, the salmon stuffed blue crab. It was literally a salmon sashimi wrapped around a lot of blue crab with truffle oil. Heavenly. The other dishes were solid too including a special uni carpaccio (loved the presentation and the uni was tasty), a fried onion sashimi dish (wish there was more sashimi here), and the fresh roll with cucumbers (not too bad - no distinctive taste but a good-sized portion). Between these, a wine glass and tea, the total came out to about $100 so do be aware that this isn't super cheap. Alcohol/drinks are pretty standard here from wine to sake to beer (and tea). For desserts, they have various mochi and ice cream available as well. Didn't get to try this go-around. Parking is plentiful by the way as it's part of a strip mall. Staff is very attentive and coming in on a Monday at 7, there wasn't initially a wait but looks like a line grew by 8pmish. Irori is a really solid Japanese restaurant that may look kind of mediocre from where it's placed to the signage but the moment you step inside, Irori was a terrific Japanese sushi escape.
(4)
stella G.
Went there after reading reviews on yelp. I have to say we weren't disappointed at all. Very excellent meal and the place was very charming! I did my research and chose dishes that were highly recommended. My favorites were ... the Garlic Scallop, very flavorful and succulent. A must is the Blue Crab Salmon in Ponzu Truffle Oil. Melts in your mouth, buttery rich in the best sense and the portion is a decent size. Miso glazed Chilean Sea Bass, very delicious! We also had 3 types of Nigiri, Halibut Fin, YellowTail Belly, and Blue Fin Toro. I would also recommend at the end Halibut Carpaccio. It was light, delicate and clean.
(5)
Judy Z.
3.5 stars rounded down. Came here on Friday night around 7:30, waited 15 minutes for a table of two. The most unique thing about this place is that you must take off your shoes before entering the traditional Japanese seating area. So if you prefer not to walk around barefoot, I suggest wearing socks! We ordered the Ginza roll, the salmon blue crab roll, hoddaiko scallop and uni nigiri. The ginza roll was just OK, spicier than I expected. The salmon blue crab roll had no rice at all, it's just a generous piece of salmon wrapped around blue crab. This would have been my favorite dish if not for the over bearing truffle oil flavor.. The scallop and uni nigiri were my favorite, both were melt-in-my-mouth delicious. The location of the restaurant was a little hard to find if you have never been here before. It's tucked into a tiny corner of the giant plaza next to the CVS. There's plenty of parking!
Fun dining experience. Everyone is required to take off their shoes and sit in low level tables where your feet are sunk into the floor. The rainbow roll was really fresh as well as the yellowtail collar. Since we were there to celebrate a birthday, they gave us green tea ice cream which was yummy!
(4)
Doris V.
I love the authenticity of this place. Their service most definetely needs improvement. It was my first time going and I had no idea I had to take off my shoes. The greeter just signal me to move forward without speaking a word. I had noticed people were taking off their shoes so I proceeded to copy them. I went during lunch and by myself so I asked to be sited on the bar. I should have asked for a table. I was ignore several times even the chef avoided to make eye contact. Eventually when the waiter took my drink order I only wanted to eat fast and be out of there. The waiter was really rude didn't even say hi, may I take your order, nothing just nodded. Upon receiving the bill I was even more disappointed with the price. The food was great and I was so happy to try real soy sauce and fresh ginger but the bad experience left such a bad taste I don't want to go back.
(3)
Jin H.
it was a regular Tuesday night when I discovered one of the best things I have ever eaten: SALMON AND BLUE CRAB WITH TRUFFLE OIL AND PONZU wow...I won't spoil it by describing it to you. all I need to say is if you leave without ordering it, that's your fault =p don't let the $24 price tag deter you, after I had my first piece, my friend and I were debating ordering a second. this place is unlike any other sushi spot I've ever been to. first off, you sit "on the floor", which I wasn't looking forward to. but I didn't know was there's a space that drops down underneath the table which you can't see until you sit down, which was REALLY cool! also, you have to take off your shoes when you enter, and when you go to the restroom, they had men's and women's slippers in various sizes, which transported me back to the summer I spent in Asia. service was warm, hospitable, and on point. the staff had the right balance of attention without without being intrusive, which was essential for the tone of the restaurant - there was an older couple enjoying a night out, a younger couple on their first date, a group of friends celebrating a birthday, regulars coming by to pick up their take out orders, and in my case, a friend sharing her favorite sushi restaurant with me. now the food. the sushi was FREEESH. I'm talking room temperature, melt in your mouth. an addition to the salmon/blue crab concoction *DROOL*, we also got the ginzo roll, which had fresh, thick-cut albacore placed on top of the most tender spicy tuna I've ever had, garnished with freshly-sliced jalapeno and finished with ponzu sauce. the chicken karage was good, ask for a side of miso dressing for dipping! this place is the real deal. amazing food, warm staff, great ambiance. looking for reasons to be around Marina del Ray around dinner time =p
(5)
David V.
The food and service was great. I'd recommend making reservations ahead of time, even for a party of one, by myself, the wait was 25 minutes. This restaurant is unique in that they really make you take off your shoes. The tables are lifted above the ground alittle and you slip your legs in the cut out on the floor. It's actually pretty comfortable, but I'm not sure about going to restroom barefoot... I started out with the Baked Salmon Roll and blue crab Handroll. Baked salmon roll was good, really rich, probably would have ordered less if I knew how heavy it was. Like a previous review, the BCH is good but flavor is mild and gets bland after awhile. I also ordered an Uni ( Sea Urchin) Handroll as well. Soo delicious. I heard it's an acquired taste. Hard to find Uni in Texas. My next course was the Tonkatsu and Kara-age combo. I didn't realize how big it was. It was good as well, next time I would order less though. The Kara-age was better than the Tonkatsu. Came with another pairing of Cucumber salad and bean sprout salads along with miso soup and a house salad. And also a side of fruit as. Was too full for desert. Overall everything was good and if I visit LA again will return. Seems like a good place to impress others:-)
(4)
Francis S.
Good sushi, terrible service. It was hard to appreciate and enjoy the quality of fish when the wait staff just ignores you, forgets your order, and doesn't even remember to get you any water until they want to give you the bill. If the service was better, it would be higher cause fish was very good quality.
(2)
Enrique G.
I like the concept of this hidden spot, simi traditional seating, authentic interior and great hostess. But what lowered my experience were the prices. Although I do love to splurge for quality food but there are limits. I would not spend the amount of money for okay sushi. But if you are fine with the price, the food itself was good. It was my first experience having Chirashi. It reminded me of a rice bowl topped with fresh meats. Even the setup of the dish was quite decorative. Plus they had some pretty original items that are rare to find anywhere in the city. I would love to adore this place, the ambiance of the place is great. But for a veteran sushi eater, most would not be impressed. Being Marina Del Rey, I'm sure the lack of sushi spots make this spot popular. There was a wait at the door as we left the restaurant. Point being the place was okay, not bad just fine for a nice Wednesday evening in this part of town.
(3)
Nina N.
Ordered take out, paid almost $90. Waited over 15 minutes than they estimated. But no one checked in with me to update the status of my order. I felt ignored as all the waiters were busy chatting. The manager was cheerfully typing on her laptop. It was not busy, all the chefs and servers saw me. Most of the chefs even stood there. No apologies. I only write bad reviews when it's bad. There are many other great sushi places with better service.
(1)
Tiffany C.
Randomly stumbled upon this place after a gym session with a girlfriend. And it was a pleasant surprise. We ordered an albacore chef special which was soooo fresh and sooooo freakin good!!!! We also had a salmon roll with avocado which was very delicious as well. But we've had better Ono. It's floor seating which is really cute! The staff and chefs are super attentive and friendly. It's not a secret that sushi, esp good sushi, isn't cheap. But a $60 bill for 2 rolls and 2 pieces of sushi? Kinda much, but all in all, it was a solid food and dining experience.
(4)
Jonas G.
First of all, this place takes reservations and you should certainly consider to book a table as it gets pretty busy for dinner. Once you got in you'll have to take off your shoes as you sit on the floor. The table has a hole below it where you can put your feet in. I love that as it gives it an authentic feeling. Staff is also super friendly and seems to be mostly Japanese. They have not only sushi but obviously people go there to eat sushi and that's a great idea. Their sushi is fresh and portions are huge. To make it even more authentic I would prefer the slices of fish are not cut that thick, but that's really complaining on high level. Their rice is also just spot on. Really a great place with great atmosphere and great service. Worth a try or two!
(4)
Bryan W.
Hmm... I'm writing a non-plussed review for Irori Japanese restaurant. The key difference between Irori and the many other sushi places in Los Angeles is that the tables are traditional Japanese height. This means they should be eaten at while kneeling. That is painful more us westerners so the restaurant kindly has built out seats into the floor so that you can sit western-chair style while faking that you are kneeling. That is unique and noteworthy. The sushi itself was fine. Given there are so many places with amazing Sushi in Los Angeles, I can not say that the sushi stands out. I also ordered omekase without looking at the menu. Therefore I didn't realize that rather than carefully selected bites choreographed by the sushi chef based on his whims, the "omekase" at Irori is basically an assorted Sushi platter. A sampler good for a mid-western guest trying sushi for the first time, but not the artful set of creations I had envisioned.
(3)
Bobbie W.
Go there for lunch, get a bento box and thank me later. A two item combo is 12 bucks and a three item combo is 14 bucks and the amount of food they give you is ridic! I usually get the three item which feeds me for lunch and dinner. I've tried the california roll, chicken karaage, chicken teriyaki and salmon teriyaki which were all really good and fresh. Upgrading to a premium item for sushi or sashimi is only 3 bucks more and they give you pretty good cuts of fish. The nigiri sushi entree is filling as well and they gave me nice big cuts of sushi and light rice which was awesome. They were filling me up on fish instead of rice. Their uni sashimi was super fresh and they give you a generous amount. It's a little pricey but definitely worth it. We also tried the salmon blue crab truffle roll and none of us were fans. We all thought the truffle and blue crab were too overpowering which made it a little odd. They also have fresh wasabi! You have to take your shoes off so be warned in case you're not into that type of thing.
(4)
Ryan C.
Spectacular. The chirashi is enough for two portions, but it was so good and gustatorily engrossing that I felt like I had opened up a reverse Pandora's box of all the good in the world of sushi-based foods. The service is so endearingly good that I felt terrible for the waiters that had to stoop to refill our drinks on the zashiki style tables, and the decor was so pleasant that even against my usual boorishness, I had to stop and admire it. I haven't been back in a month in some perverse fear that my next time will somehow diminish how amazing of an experience I've had here. Just a minor anecdote - I got into a friendly argument with friends about the identity of one of the pickles in the chirashi box - the crunchy, neon orange cylinder that I knew well as pickled gobo was sadly misnamed by everyone I was egged on to ask (3 waiters and even one of the sushi chefs) as "American carrot."
(5)
Kiaz M.
I will start off by saying that the decor was exquisite and the traditional no shoes and sifted floor tables was amazing. The food was delicious and the sushi was fresh. But I did have an issue with a couple of things. The cuts are rather small. But nothing that can ruin the experience more than chewy sushi. I ordered toro and I'm a fanatic of sushi. I've eaten sushi all over the world and this is the first time I've eaten chewy toro which was also very firm and not as soft and gently as it should be. It was so chewy that I had to asked for a napkin to spit it out. For this reason I gave the rating I did. Plus it also played into my decision that the sushi chefs knew very well that I did not enjoy it but they said nothing. In addition, I was given a tofu broth that I never ordered so I thought it was part of the experience and then I ended up getting charged for it. Overall as I said. Decent place.
(3)
Eric F.
Such a fantastic recommendation from my girlfriend and her family, Irori truly delivered on all fronts. In addition to the traditional nigiri, the Japanese sushi chefs here offered more modern twists such as an array of bluefin tuna topped with burrata and a citrusy vinaigrette that jived wonderfully with the fish and cheese. Across all of our nigiri picks, the peppered albacore stole the show with its delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. However, that's not to say that the golden eye snapper, amber jack and yellowtail were anything but derricious. The freshness was so evident in each piece and I truly appreciated the exceptional preparation of the sushi rice. For those interested in hand rolls, the blue crab is the most well known here and definitely the one to get. And for die hards, a sushi omakase is available for just under $50. Do also note that all the tables are set low and everyone must take off their shoes at the front for a more traditional dining experience. For reference to the Bay Area, Irori certainly outdoes most every establishment I've tried at its price point with only the likes of places like Morimoto Napa being able to stack up. Perhaps it's time to delve even deeper into Japanese establishments up here?
(5)
Kimberly M.
I came here for a birthday dinner with a good friend of mine. I was surprised to find that seating was on the floor and shoes were not allowed. It made for a very memorable evening. I ordered the black cod and she ordered sushi. We both loved our meals. The servers surprised me with a birthday song and an adorable scoop of green tea ice cream (with a smiley face on it). Afterwards one of the wait staff pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a photo for us. It was so awesome. I love this place and I can't wait to come back one day!
(5)
Lisa G.
What a cute place to eat. You will have to take off your shoes when you eat here so if you are a germaphobe like me, make sure to wear socks. You can sit at the bar or at a table - both of which offer sunken seating so you'll be sitting on the floor with a short table. The floor is cut out under the table so you can put your feet there - you won't have to cross your legs. We had sushi, which was super fresh and very tasty. Rolls range from about $10-20. One of the best places to get quality sushi. We also tried the udon - flavored nicely. My husband had the teriyaki chicken and sesame chicken for about $23 for the combo. It also came with miso soup. It was fresh, not oily, and generally better than other places with similar items. Service is great and the food comes out fast.
(4)
Helen A.
Salmon sushi is to die for. I'm incredibly picky with sushi and this place faired well. Fresh sushi, reasonably priced and easy to get to. The baked lobster/shrimp roll was perfect for my non-sushi eating friend. Yes you have to take your shoes off, but they also have socks for you if needed. We ate tons of sushi, drank sake and even had the tempura vanilla ice cream. All that was about $60 each which is a steal for the fresh sushi consumed. Will definitely be back! The only issue we had was our obnoxiously drunk table neighbors. Too much sake and no home-training makes for a bad time for everyone around you.
(4)
Babie F.
The place is really nice. I loved the seating. I would definitely like to come here with my hubz I know he'll like it. The sushi is really fresh and food. However when we first walked in there was a smell, so not sure if it was the shoes( since we have to take off are shoes ) or the fish . But overall the place is worth going to.
(4)
OC Foodie O.
Nice sushi bar on the Westside with a real Japanese ambiance. Although Korean owned. Need to take your shoes off so not a day to wear your old socks. Since it has all the weird rolls I took away one star because of their need to be in with all the other sushi restaurants. The quality of fish is their trademark and I was impressed with fish from the Tsukiji fish market in Japan. The toro was incredible. Need to have the Japanese sushi chef, closest to the door serve you. My guess is that over half the customers at this restaurant do not realize the quality of the fish at a fair price.
(3)
Derek K.
Irori has been a mainstay within the repertoire of my (Japanese) company's post-work eat-'n-drink-fests over the last few years ever since we opened up an office out here in LA. Despite there being a slight yet marked drop in quality since they changed ownership (I believe they are now Korean-run), Irori still serves some darn good sushi, and I must admit, has still managed to effectively retain its Japanese authenticity, right down to the mandatory no shoes policy and the izakaya-style floor seating. Now I may be slightly biased, because whenever I come, I invariably find myself completely surrounded with food (compliments a la company), and thus have never had to flip the tab. But even if I actually had to pay for these meals myself, I believe I still would, albeit not quite as often. My only real issue with them is that they are just a tad overpriced. Still, I'd say it's not by much, and the prices are backed up by some pretty slammin' good food. And let me say now, I don't drink, so this review is based only on the food. You'll find many izakaya regulars here: edamame, yakitori, gyoza, and the likes. Of particular note is their agedashi tofu. If you only get one appetizer, get it, they definitely do this dish right. They have a long list of nigiri sushi varieties (a sign of good sushi), each priced as 2 per order. The sushi is FRESH and the cuts exquisite, the salmon perfectly marbled. The pieces are thick, and the fish cut long enough so as to effortlessly fall over on both sides of the rice: getting a full piece in your mouth with one shot is no easy task. They have a small but existent selection of American-style sushi rolls (though why one would order one is beyond me). As for sashimi, the Toro Trio is awesome, though it will set you back quite a bit. It comes with 3 types of tuna sashimi cuts: Akami (the lean part, bold red), Chutoro (medium fatty tuna; picture the akami mixed with butter), and Otoro (the fatty part of the tuna; picture a cube of pure, tuna-flavored butter). I would not particularly recommend the desserts, as they're all pretty much ice-cream knock-offs. It'd be great if they actually served some traditional Japanese desserts, but there are none to be found here. No biggie though, as I find myself eating that much more sushi instead. Speaking of sushi, of particular note are the shima-aji, the toro hamachi (fatty yellowtail), and the raw smoked salmon, three great selections I recommend that you may not find at other sushi restaurants. The staff is effective, and they constantly have a few people manning the tables for green tea refills (a must for me when eating Japanese). All of the above combines to give you a great, near-perfectly authentic Japanese experience. Sit down with a bunch of friends, order yourselves some sake, and enjoy the night.
(4)
Paula E.
Ryan was amazing and the sushi was even better. We got here early for our anniversary and we enjoy a great atmosphere. We got many patrons involved in having a good time. The staff was great. Yell TUNA when you come in and be prepared!!! Hana will bring you your desert ENJOY!!!! We will be back!
(5)
Roland N.
I had the single greatest roll of my entire life. Yeah sure the whole taking off your shoes thing and sitting on the floor thing is cool. The food was pretty decent but who cares, let me talk about this roll. It was REAL blue crab creamy filling. Not some imitation crab cheap fish. REAL blue crab. In addition to this creamy filling were slices of avocado. Instead of rice and seaweed as the outer covering. The damn thing was wrapped on fresh fatty ass salmon sashimi. And on top of this whole craziness was truffle fucking oil. What the hell. What the hell. I can't write anymore. I'm done. Just look at the attached photo. Love you.
(5)
Niloo D.
3 star sushi , i don't like that you have to take your shoes off, i find it a bit disturbing (you are guaranteed to see some gnarly feet in there which is definitely an appetite -stopper) sushi is quite pricey for its quality
(3)
Rachael B.
Omg omg omg best sushi of my life!!!! Wow the salmon blue crab roll with no rice and truffle oil is literally the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. I can't express my new found love for this place. Rock n roll was good too. I can't wait to come back and try more! Also it's so unique and traditional that you have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor. Such a cute spot! Fave sushi in LA right now
(5)
Brooke H.
Great traditional sushi and a very cool environment that has floor seats. However they have gotten several orders wrong including takeout and in house dinning. They forgot half of our order when we picked it up and took an extra 30 minutes to deliver it, and they also put crab meat in the food after we specifically asked for them not to due to allergies.
(1)
Sarah W.
After reading reviews of sushi places nearby, we decided on Irori for lunch. We were expecting the tables as described, I found it really not that bad - it wasn't uncomfortable, and it was a unique experience. We tried salmon sashimi, and as per the recommendations of the reviews on Yelp, the blue crab rolls - omg. So undescribably delicious, the balance of truffle oil with a mound of crab wrapped in salmon is just to die-for. The more I had, the more I wanted. Our service was good, and it was fairly busy at lunch.
(5)
CJ J.
Very disappointing. Came here after friend suggested it and found sushi not to be fresh. We had a reservation and were seated right away. It's the type of place where you take your shoes off at the door and sit on the floor with your legs in a cove under the table. The issue with the place was that the fish wasn't fresh. We left most of the sushi on the plate because it didn't taste good. Some of it didn't even have the skin fully sliced off. I wouldn't return.
(2)
Sandee T.
Roarin' for Irori sushi~ Fresh, inexpensive, and cute ambiance to-boot! * DRK - Hot tea (most likely Genmaicha) * GET - Spicy yellowtail roll = fresh & spicy~ * AOK - Salmon (cooked) avocado roll = good but not as enjoyable as raw rolls, noted * GET - Dinner entrees = - Each comes with miso soup, sunomono, salad, and rice - Black Cod Saikoyaki = oh-so-delectable miso-glazed cod - Chicken Teriyaki = S.O. enjoyed his dish & got fresh salmon sashimi as a side * AOK - Black sesame ice cream = not as "sesame-y" as I'm used to but still enjoyable * YES - Take yer shoes off! Here, one sits traditionally on the floor w/ cushions and cut-out pits under the table for your legs (as in namesake of restaurant). * YES - Friendly & attentive service * YES - Quaint atmosphere: perfect for dates, families or friends. Mellow, not loud. * YES - Sushi bar dining available as well * WOA: (words of advice) - Slightly hidden in back corner of strip mall (it's next to Pavilions) - Free shopping center parking - Reservations not needed, though S.O. made one beforehand (excellent Yelp choice of his again)
(4)
Hey J.
I love the atmosphere! Take off your shoes before you enter. Sit on the floor in an authentic Japanese room. The sushi was fresh so I'd recommend anything sashimi. The Irori roll was good, but not wrapped well. It fell apart before I get it to my mouth. The salmon skin roll was too salty and again also fell apart. The spicy tuna on crispy rice wasn't the best and the sweet and sour sauce really killed it for me. Overall the sushi is good, just not worth the price.
(3)
Ran C.
Yum! Favorite sushi around. The leaving your shoes thing at the door threw me off, but whatever, it was delish. The Peppered Albacore was like...the best evarrr.
(5)
Nahid D.
What a cute little find!! A hidden gem in the middle of a generic strip mall! Plenty of parking in the mall lot and you walk into a little roundabout to find the restaurant tucked away and private. Love how you feel transported as soon as you walk in! Peaceful lunch spot on a Sunday and I can only imagine that it would be great for a date! You are greeted warmly and asked to remove your shoes. Good to know if you are here trying to impress someone! Don't wear the socks with holes in them and make sure your feets aren't stinky!! :P The food was delicious! I ordered everything for our table cause the person I was with was incompetent. LOL! The Miso eggplant was interesting and had a nice strong flavor to it. I would get it again. I think the Irori roll was my favorite and the Chicken Karaage was really good too! We got the Chef's roll and some edamame also. Everything was fabulous! The service was impeccable! Such sweet, kind and knowledgeable servers working to make sure the meal was fantastic - which it was! I loved that there were families there with their kids. It does seem like a good place to bring the kids for a good Japanese dining experience. But dinner is definitely a date night kind of thing! They have small two person tables and also larger 4 person tables. You sit on the floor and there is a cut out for your legs so that you are comfortable and not sitting cross legged for your whole meal. Plus, if you are with someone you like, playing footsies is more private. ;) This is such a lovely place!! Can't wait to go back with other people!
(5)
Sherrill K.
Great food, beautiful presentation and authentic atmosphere. Always a pleasure to eat here.
(5)
Lisa W.
Irori is still hands down a great place for sushi, in this area. You just have to know that service won't be good. Takeout is the best option. Its like a bad boyfriend that you can't break up with!
(3)
Sehwa S.
Very comfortable and unique interior. The miso soup was really tasty. You get your money's s worth. The combo meat at lunch is highly recommended. I got the chicken karage, California roll, and spicy tuna roll and they completely feel me up. Also, the hot night roll was pretty good.
(5)
Kaylee L.
Very neat place! You take off your shoes when entering and sit on the ground! There are cut outs in the ground for your legs/feet so it is not uncomforable in any way. We came here with our 11 month old son, not knowing the seating was 'different'. The service was slow and Jace (sonny boy lol) wanted to crawl around since everyone was on the floor. We had to take our remaining rolls to-go. They were nice about that but when we were on the way home I wanted to eat and they left out one of the rolls. Sigh. When I got home I called them for a refund and they apologized and were so great about it, they quickly refunded the charge for the roll. Any way, the food is great, very fresh. Moderately priced and definitely better for adults or older kids, no babies! We will come back with more people, have some drinks and fun!
(4)
Sonia U.
I came here for the first time and was blown away. Melt in your mouth sushi. I'm a big fan of raw fish dishes, so I've tried a lot of places over the years. I've lived in New York, San Francisco, and now LA. I've had what I THOUGHT was great sushi. No. THIS is great sushi. Sashimi carpaccio was mind blowing and the amberjack was the best I'd ever tasted. Take your shoes off and enjoy. It's worth if.
(5)
B B.
We found this place in yelp to grab some sushi in our wedding night and it was amazing! It is tucked away but such a great japanese experience once you're inside, barefoot and sitting in the floor. The fish was so fresh! We had lots of different rolls and they were all large and made with quality ingredients. We also has the salmon teriyaki and it was a tasty generous portion. The service was great as well! This is definitely our new we need to eat as we go in and out of lax spot when we visit la!
(5)
Anastasia K.
Best sushi I ever had!!! Their rolls were 90% raw fish and 10% of rice, seaweed, and veggies. Sadly where I'm from, I'm used to the other way around. The fish was top quality; I never tasted anything fresher. It's a true Japanese restaurant where you take off your shoes and sit on the floor to eat. I loved every minute of it. Their hot sake matched perfectly with my meal. Next time I'm in the area, I'll definitely be back to Irori!
(5)
Paul C.
Amazing sushi experience...!!! I have been eating sushi since 1979, and consider myself a sushi-addict. I crave it frequently. I had not been to IRORI for over a year simply because there is another sushi a block from my house, and going to IRORI requires me to drive. Yesterday changed all that for me. I was totally blown away at how much better their sushi was compared to what I remembered. It was STELLAR.... super fresh, and some unique items. They make their own, low sodium, soy sauce, which is amazing, and they even had pickled "authentic" wasabi root. Not the imitation stuff most sushi bars use. This was the real deal, NOT made from powder. It was wonderful. Much of their fish comes in direct from Japan, as well. We did "Oma Kasi" or "chef's choice" and Chef Ryan did not disappoint. He served us a few items I had never tried before, and after 35+ years of eating sushi, that hardly ever happens to me. Can't wait to go back..... one of the best sushi experiences I've had in years. Thank you Chef Ryan.
(5)
Alexis B.
I'm ruined for any other sushi restaurant in Southern California. No one has half the quality of fresh fish that I've tried here. The staff is friendly and the sushi bar chefs are the best!! They're always so happy to make food and explain what something is for you. If you go just a few times, they'll start to recognize you and greet you with an extra smile. Their nigiri is the freshest I've ever had and they have a constantly changing specials menu that leaves nothing wanting. This is one of the few places I know that has uni (sea urchin) shooters and they're quality to boot. Fresh fish everyday or they won't serve it, which means there may be days when they don't have exactly what you want, but it's only because they refuse to serve you anything but the best! I highly recommend this place to anyone even remotely interested in fish or sushi. I am on my way to becoming a regular myself!
(5)
Sonal P.
When you walk inside this restaurant, you feel like you just got transported thousands of miles away to Japan. Before being seated at your table, you take your shoes off and place it in the cubby holes near the front. You are seated on the "floor" with a cut out at the bottom for your feet. I've come here for lunch with a group of coworkers and I've got to say the food is really good! I love their hot tea they serve and the lunch specials are great - without breaking your wallet for some good food! Great place to come for lunch if you're in the area!
(4)
Ashley Fumiko D.
I am from San Francisco and very particular about my sushi... but this place does a wonderful job! The food is great, the service fast and courteous, and I especially appreciate the Japanese greeting upon entry from the Sushi chefs.
(4)
Joshua B.
3.5 stars Service was really painfully slow but the food was good. They got swamped as soon as they opened. I had the teriyaki chicken combo, it was good with all white meat.. This place is floor seating only, you are on cushions and feet dangle. You are required to take your shoes off at the door, which is common in Japan and Korea. The sushi chefs are all speaking Korean.
(3)
Sherlyn S.
I've eaten a lot of sushi in LA and this is one of my favorite places! It's located in a strip mall and from the outside, you would never know that the interior has a very traditional Japanese flare to it. No shoes inside, guests look like they're kneeling at the tables but the tables are actually in holes in the wood floors -- don't worry if you're tall and don't like to kneel, you can come here and get the zashiki dining experience. The service is fantastic! They are very attentive and check in on you regularly to see if you need anything. Also a major plus that the food comes out pretty fast. They have a wide selection of cold sake but just one type of hot sake -- the cold sake that I had was really smooth and went well with everything we ordered. The fish is really fresh -- melt in your mouth, orgasmic and you can taste the subtle flavors of all the different fish. Even the appetizer oysters were not fishy to me. Black Cod with Miso: BEST that I've ever had, the fish was perfectly flakey with a buttery texture, not too salty, the miso was not overpowering -- even the skin was great. Omakase -- Great choice to try a variety of nigiri. It comes with 2 appetizers as well. I can't remember all the different fishes that came on the dish but there wasn't one that I didn't like. My boyfriend and I split this and we were able to order a 1/2 order of whatever we wanted so we could both have a taste. The Omakase also included Uni -- if you're scared to try this spiny sea creature, try it at Irori; it does not taste like the ocean I promise. I'm typically not a fan of Uni but I would eat it here. Lobster Roll -- it's good but I would skip this next time. Their fresh fish is just so amazing, I would rather spend the money and more importantly save my stomach space for the traditional stuff. Escolar -- aka white tuna. If you haven't had this type of Tuna before, you're missing out! It's texture silky and has a really complex flavor. You might say "party in my mouth" Don't let the location and strip mall fool you, Irori sushi is just as great if not better than sugarfish or sushi gen. Arigato to the chefs!
(5)
Mario H.
Since my first visit in the mid 90's, this is one of my all-time faves. The freshest seafood and best-looking dishes you have ever seen. Great vibe, excellent service, great food! Bring your flip-flops, put them in the cubby, and barefoot it over to your floor level table. Any time I'm in MDR I've gotta eat at Irori
(5)
Marta E.
Oh Irori...You are so good to me... not my wallet maybe, but to my soul and my tummy you are just magnificent! I am a super picky japanese food lover.. not picky as in I won't eat crappy sushi (I totally will), but I know whats good and whats bad and not growing up in an American household I have different tastebuds and love all the weird ooeygooey and umami treasures japanese cuisine has to offer. This place has been my super go to since I moved to Venice for the following reasons (please keep in mind that I mostly had delivery): -The red miso soup with nameko mushrooms *melting so hard* so delicious! -The omakese dinner special that comes with two apps, a bunch of sushi, soup and some fruit & salad. I am in love with the tuna chunks in nagaimo & quail egg app and the monkfish liver app. The sushi pieces are also great, especially when they have little special toppings and such :).
(5)
Bingjie Q.
Had a late night meal with my bf here! The decor was adorable! I love the floor seating! There's a nice little cubby to rest your feet under the table so you don't have to sit indian style. The food is delish! I ordered the sushi Omakase that included tuna, monkfish liver, and traditional sushi selection! Super fresh and plenty of fish! We also had the seafood skewers! Pretty yummy and very pleasing to the eye!
(5)
Jen H.
Wow!! This place is amazing! Bottom line: ORDER the ***Salmon blue crab avocado truffle ponzu*** !!!!!! Might have to say, but this particular dish was better than some of the sushi I had in Japan! No wonder why we had to wait for 20 minutes to be seated at 9pm on a Monday night for a party of 7 ppl. Note: Shoes must be removed before entering the restaurant, so don't wear your louboutin shoes ;) We went a little wild and ordered a bunch of things to share: 1) Ginja roll: 3.5/5 good, but nothing special 2) Miso black cod: 5/5 wow, amazing! highly recommend this dish! 3) Salmon blue crab avocado truffle ponzu: 5++/5 OMG this was my favorite dish of the night. It was so good, we ordered 2 more orders! Yum, salmon, crab. avocado and truffle are a great combo!!!!! 4) Miso soup/Salad: 2/5 could be better; nothing special 5) Crispy rice with spicy tuna; 3/5 decent, but not great 6) Sashimi jalepeno:3/5 again, decent, but not great 7) Oyster shooter: 2/5 ouch, way way too salty =( 8) Mochi ice cream: 3/5 eh, i would skip next time; the strawberry sauce was overpowering--can def do w/o 9) Green Tea and Sesame Ice cream: 3/5 eh, not that great either
(5)
Miray C.
This is one of my fav sushi restaurants!! The sushi here is sooo fresh it literally melts in your mouth!! I will keep it short n sweet!! This will sum up ur experience: You take your shoes off- You sit on the floor (traditional style) And enjoy ur meal! I'm very picky when it comes to sushi as some places don't taste so well! The dessert might need some work but I'm more for my meal!! It's beyond amazing and it's a cool date place!!! Best sushi in town! I could go every night!!
(5)
Angela S.
Been here a couple times with the boyfriend and finally got around to reviewing it. The food is decent. Service is HORRIBLE. Not just this time, but every time we've been there we've had problems with their service. They usually don't check up on customers after bringing out their food. The only time they refill water is when you ask them. You have to flag thrm down for your check because they're never paying attention to you. The food is decent, but definitely overpriced. Most place give 5 pieces of green mussels per order. They only give you 2 here. The rolls also come with less pieces.
:) I am so happy I found this place. I get a feel like I'm in Japan in LA! Staff is nice You take your shoes off n get a feeling like you're at home. Very family friendly and the food is great :) When there is a birthday (like right now as I'm writing this) all staff sings Happy bday song to you and they turn the lights down a little so all the restaurant guests feel like they're involved! I'll be back :)
(5)
Kevin S.
This place is awesome. Barefoot sit down on the "floor" (their is a place to put hang your feet down but it looks like you are sitting on the floor) and the decor is very traditional. The wait staff was really friendly and attentive to our needs despite how busy it was. The food was great. It isn't the normal amount you usually get at some sushi places for the price but it isn't super small either. 3 sushi rolls, garlic edamame, and one clam miso and one regular miso with a green tea came out to about $40. Not too bad for the price compared to Kanpai sushi which is double the price. That place is over priced and pretty much the same quality as Irori if not worse. The sushi here at Irori was delicious and fresh. Quick service as well. It was only about 5-10 minutes for use to get everything even with a full restaurant. Irori is probably the best sushi house in the area and is now my go to place. Do not waste your time or money at Kanpai when you can get the a better experience, better quality, and all around enjoyable sushi here at Irori!
(5)
Merry H.
I have eaten here twice. Once a few years ago, and most recently on 5/7/15. I had the two item combination plate (tempura and shrimp shumai) and it was ok. (Basically, I find that the majority of the Bento boxes at the countless Japanese restaurants I have ate at taste the same. No variation on taste. I also had the red snapper sushi and negri toro roll. Both tasted average to me, and not as fresh as Sushi Gen (Downtown LA) or Hiko (West LA). I do have to hand it to them for having the biggest variety of sushi, sashimi, etc., than ANY Japanese restaurant I have been to. Also, the wait staff were very pleasant!
(3)
CJ K.
I don't understand how this place got so many Yelp reviews. The fish is NOWHERE near fresh. Neither is the uni. I've hard better canned uni than what this place serves. Both the uni shooter and uni filet mignon tasted old and briney (in the way that uni should NEVER taste). Also, steak and uni do NOT make for a complimentary pairing. I wish I could get a refund for this horrible experience. The uni left a slimy putrid aftertaste in my mouth. My husband and I went for dinner tonight. The service was TERRIBLE. The waitresses didn't know that I am Korean and speak the language fluently. Not only do they try to speak Japanese to pass, but they also talk shit about their customers in Korean (which is NOT ok). Our bill came out to be over $200 dollars and not once did a waitress ask how our meal was. But on the way out, the waitresses did make sure to discomfort us by shouting in front of customers that our 15% tip was unacceptable (I would have happily tipped ofer 40% had the food OR service been alright, yet NOBODY came to check in on us). I ordered several sashimi pieces and nigiri ale cart and it was frozen and freezer burnt tasting fish. How did this place get such high ratings? Are all of the reviewers sushi newbies? Between the terrible service and unpalatable fish, I'd say save your money and go elsewhere. I wouldn't complain about spending $200 dollars on sushi if it was quality fish. To pay such high prices for mediocre (old) fish was terrible. Go elsewhere unless you want to be disappointed.
(1)
Tom C.
The sushi here is great, but the prices are pretty high. I really love the interior design as it really reminded me of Japan sitting on tatami mats and taking off our shoes. I love the Ginza roll with jalapeños on it, but it was $18. I'm used to getting this type of roll for 8-12 at other places. However, I would go back for the atmosphere.
(4)
Indu R.
TL;DR - food poisoning I had such a lovely time here. The food tasted great. The servers were a little pushy in terms of getting us to pay our check and wanting us to leave. It wasn't crowded, there were lots of open tables. We were on a girls night and just wanted to hang around and chat some more. They even cleared our tea cups. But it gets better. I got food poisoned. It would be one thing if it was just me, but I have a friend who went to Irori a few weeks before me and ALSO got FOOD POISONING. It's hellish. It's awful. It's not worth it. Campylobacter is the most common food borne illness in the United States. It occurs in children and adults usually between 5-28 years of age and the elderly. It involves bad / poorly cared for raw meats. It incubates for 2-8 days (meaning you don't get it until 2-8 days), then it's 2-10 days of hell (diarrhea, fever, body aches, hot cold flashes, SEVERE stomach cramps). Irori is responsible. If you're up for taking the risk, as long as you're over 30 and not elderly, go for it. It was pretty good food. But nothing is worth this food poisoning. Nothing. I'm on day 3, it's still hell. Up your quality Irori.
(1)
brad c.
Ordered lunch. Brought dinner portions when we specifically ordered lunch and charged dinner price. NOT authentic. Staff pretend to be Japanese, but they are all Koreans in there and if you speak to them in Korean they get all pissed. SOUR service. Maybe because I said thank you in Korean. :-) Charged extra for hot tea and white rice. Since when does that happen in a high end J restaurant? Oh yeah, I forgot the diarrhea. 3 lunches, and we only have two bathrooms. Not the first time we've had this problem. Obviously not a good choice for date night. Sorry I can't give less than one star. Never again.
(1)
Chris And Mary R.
We love this place. The price is high and it can be a long wait but the food makes up for it all. The sushi is incredible. I would love to try some of the specialties but they can be so expensive and i wouldnt get full on one. Not all the sushi is expensive and havent tried any bad sushi here. My wife usually gets the teriyaki chicken and i have to admit its very tasty and cooked well. We love this place when we have the money to eat till we drop.
(5)
Tahara L.
super delicious, great service! I stopped in here on a trip through LA. Quick travelers tips first: no shoes Japanese restaurant, located in a pocket of the strip mall, and gets busy after 8! even on a weekday! spicy tuna and fresh water eel were both perfect and delicious!
(5)
Mia H.
I've been here three times now and the food is consistently excellent, I only wish I could say the same about the service. Lets go over why I consider this my new go-to sushi place first. The fish is simply delicious... buttery salmon, excellent yellowtale, best bleu crab hand roll and langoustine in the Marina. The Caucasian-style menu items that are peppered throughout the menu are delicious (try the burrata salad with fresh seasonal fruit) and unique with sushi. The seating dynamic along with taking off your shoes adds some fun ambience and makes this place stand out among other sushi restaurants in the hood. Now, onto the service. The hosts are very friendly. The first two servers were nice, the second being the best. Let me preface, before I continue that my sister and I have to eat gluten free- this is not by choice or to follow the latest trends. When we told our (second time) server (and I wish I remembered his name) he carefully and patiently went through our selections and adjusted them accordingly by having the chefs put glutinous sauces on the side and changing a few appetizers that we had ordered to other things equally delicious. Fast forward to last weekend. Met the same friendly hosts, sat down and the beginning of a slightly not so great server experience began. First, we grabbed extra cushions from another table to sit on (for those who haven't been here you sit on the floor). When our server Sarah came over we told her this, as to not be too presumptuous and she paused with slight irritation and replied "it's ok I'll just have to get more" ok, gee thanks for letting us know that, was that supposed to shame us? make us feel bad? Too much sharing, a simple "no problem" would have done. Then after we fill out our sushi menu she comes back and I tell her we have to eat gluten free to which she says with more irritation "well, WHAT do you mean?" and not in a good way. It went on from there with defensiveness, blaming us for her lack of communication to the chefs, etc. it's too bad one person -lets give her the benefit of the doubt- having a bad night can make or break your dining experience. Since it's been made 2/3 times, I will be back and hope I get a more polite server or that Ms Sarah is in a better mood.
(4)
Brian W.
No idea how this place has four stars, frankly. The atmosphere is nice and family friendly, however, so maybe that's why people like it. Sushi quality is mediocre at best, although very very expensive for the quality. If you are just DYING for sushi, I would suggest driving another mile or two to somewhere else before succumbing to your craving at this place.
(1)
Cheyenne Y.
The atmosphere was beautiful but the food was just average. The service left a lot to be desired. The staff was unorganized and slow. However, I really want to believe in this place so I will be back to try it again. I'm hoping it was just an off day and things will be better next time.
(3)
Jana-Maria S.
Their sushi is great. I love the ikura here! You really can't go wrong with the food at this place. And I love that they offer natto! Not too many japanese places do that these days, which is unfortunate. I took off one star because their customer service/waitresses are a hit or miss. Sometimes they're super friendly, sometimes they just have a bad day and make you feel it. But it's alright. I come for the food not for the waiters :) Always love coming back!
(4)
Ms J.
I took my SO here for his birthday celebration. We loved it. The food was great! I love sushi and they were able to accommodate me not being able to eat fish. I was able to order a Zen roll with vegetables instead of fish. It was wonderful... We definitely plan on going back!
(5)
Mario O.
This review is mostly based on service which is apparently slipping. So if you want to pay a good chunk of money for marginal service come here. The food is great but they lack in the basic service department. I brought a couple friends from out of town here that can really appreciate good food. And we're always cherry picking places around LA that are worth getting on our rotation of places we regular. I thought I had a real winner. Our water got there after 4 tries. I think they teach this the first day of training. Second, they served a dish that is the chefs special creation. 2 completely surprise appetizers (found out later: fish liver/ tuna in mystery white gooey sauce and quail egg) I want to have a brief explanation of what it is I'm about to eat BEFORE hand. It left me questioning what it is I was eating and I didn't enjoy it trying to figure out the tastes. Lastly and most importantly, I didn't appreciate being rushed. We had reservations and there were not many people at the restaurant. Our meal was about 1 1/2 hours, which I think is normal. We were asked to please make room as the restaurant was getting busier. We would have been going no more than 10 minutes later. We dropped $450 on our meal to get rushed out of there. "Hey! Thank you see you next time!" Yea right! I'll be looking for this restaurants replacement. I only gave it 2 stars because the sushi chefs work hard and the bus boy was really polite.
(2)
Eric X.
[ August, 2014 ] Great sushi and fantastic special rolls. The service is also wonderful.
(4)
Titleist B.
I love the ambience, the food and staff. The sushi is so yummy and fresh. The downside is "expensive".
(5)
Ariel S.
Fantastic fish quality and nice atmosphere for a random spot in a MdR strip mall. I loved the shoes-off policy. Great service, and overall good value. Sushi chefs were quite friendly at the bar. Will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Erica B.
This is one of the best sushi spots in the area. PERFECT for a date spot! Cute ambiance. You take off your shoes at the front so it's really relaxed and comfortable. The sushi is really high quality and good as well. The only complaint is that it was a bit pricey.
(4)
Tiffany R.
Irori Sushi deserves 5 stars hands down. It's a quaint little restaurant In Marina Del Ray tucked away in a shopping center between Pavilions and a little yogurt place. It was a little difficult to find, but please look for it, you do not want to miss out on this place! Traditional Japanese style restaurant where you are greeted warmly by staff, they kindly have you remove your shoes and place them in the cubby and walk you to your table. You sit on a comfortable Japanese style embroidered pillow, there is space for your feet inside the floor and it gives off the illusion that you are sitting on the floor. The food here is amazing, I sat at the bar and was greeted by all of the sushi chefs, they were all very friendly and offered me a complementary tuna salad to start out with, the colors of the tuna were amazing, a bright red and it had a gingery glaze that was drizzled on top that was to die for. I ordered the sashimi Assortment and was astounded by the bright colors of the perfect cut sashimi. It was delicious, melted in your mouth as you took every bite. With my sashimi meal I received a delicious, refreshing cucumber salad. A fresh spring green salad and a hot delicious cup of Japanese style Miso Soup. The service here was excellent, very attentive, refilled my drinks without even having to ask and made sure I was well taken care of. Definitely a one of a kind experience, one that I will never forget. Thank you Irori Sushi for the amazing experience, I will be returning soon!
(5)
Lucy Y.
This cute sushi restaurant is tucked away in the corner of a shopping center, which meant lots of free parking (yay!). When we came here on a weeknight I was glad we had reservations, because it was packed! We had requested a table, so they waited for us to remove our shoes & put them in cubbies before seating us. Tables are low to the ground but a hole in the floor makes for a more comfortable situation. A cushion to sit on helps - but it could've been a bit cushier imo. Our server was mostly polite, although other servers were clearly warmer. She forgot us for about 10-15 mins at one point & it was hard to flag her down, but she genuinely apologized afterwards. The food was all very good - sashimi cuts were thick & generous with a yummy bit of seaweed served with each, fish quality was good, and with the exception of the one lag, everything came out steadily: Salmon sashimi Yellowtail sashimi Ankimo sashimi Sweet Shrimp sushi (the blazing hot fried heads came out a split second before the sushi, yum!) Albacore sashimi Unagi sushi Uni sushi Ginja roll (riceless, cucumber wrapped) Bussers were consistently gracious throughout dinner, removing plates and refilling waters. The one thing about this place that surprised me was the decibel level. There were several families with little kids there, and the overall din was louder than I expected. Plus, a few of the kids were running around - which was a bit distracting, but could have been just a thing on this particular evening. They also have a sushi bar, with seats that have backs, for those who prefer that over a table. Overall, it's a fun experience to sit on the floor in the hole, and the food is very good!
(4)
Jane C.
Since I've moved, this is my local sushi restaurant & I would say I've enjoyed my dinner.. All 5, 7, or however many times I've been here The salmon is amazing, & I'm actually NOT a salmon fan. Actually, I avoid salmon sushi but I noticed an entire family order maybe 10 (20 pieces) of salmon. Made it a point to revisit just I try the salmon. & now I'm hooked. It's fresh, creamy, fatty, without being fishy. Trust.. You must order Other items I tend to order & reorder - Japanese albacore sushi - yellowtail sashimi - veggie roll, love how generous they are with the sprouts - spicy tuna roll - teriyaki chicken dinner, love the sauce here - tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) dinner - sweet miso black cod dinner, yes as good as they say Items where I've had better - agedashi tofu, it's just fried and tastes oily. I like it when the batter is a sticky goo. - Tuna sushi, yes it's quite mediocre here. I no longer order it after being disappointed 3x - albacore sushi or sashimi, as disappointing as the tuna. Make sure to order JAPANESE albacore - specialty rolls, I'm quite ambivalent with all the extra toppings & sauces (& chiching $$ you pay) when the fish here is solid & doesn't need all the distraction Happy eating Don't forget to wear socks & oh! They take open table reservations, so convenient
(4)
Jody F.
Great food, great service. Great date place. I took a girl here on a first date and here it is a year and a half later and we are still seeing each other and very happy. Thank you Irori!
(5)
Scott M.
I dropped in one evening while recently on the coast. Put myself in the hands of chef Ryan and was not disappointed. I find I can always count on this place to deliver a good experience. I left my phone in the car and forgot to check-in.
(4)
Tamara E.
Used Yelp to find a sushi restaurant on our previous visit to the West Side last year, which brought us here. Returned by choice after our arrival into LAX last night. We didn't have a reservation, but found immediate seating at the sushi bar. The restaurant was full and when we left there was a bit of a wait. Had no idea a reservation would be suggested on a Thursday night, but we're not from the area. Maybe that's common. Or, maybe it's just that the food is worth the wait. The first thing you notice is that there are cubbies for shoes at the entrance. No shoes allowed. Next is that all seating is on the floor, at low tables. Even the sushi bar is low. Fortunately, there are openings underneath all so that you can sit on your bottom, with your legs in a position as if you were in a chair. In fact, chair backs are provided. If you have problems getting up and down from the floor, it's probably not for you. What makes it worth a visit is the quality of the fish. Seriously, it's the best nigiri I've ever had. The rolls are good too, but the nigiri is melt-in-your-mouth fantastic. The sushi menu isn't incredibly extensive; I've been to many other restaurants with a long list of roll choices, and that isn't the case here. Also, it's very expensive. But, you get what you pay for. If you want to splurge and enjoy amazing nigiri, it's worth a visit. Quality over quantity.
(5)
Wander A.
Seriously the best sushi I've had in a long time. I ordered carryout and it was still amazing! Super fresh, reasonably priced, and super cute!! How did it take me so long to find this place!
(5)
Kris T.
I have been here several times, and I love their food. This time is no different. We have a party of 4 and was seated quickly upon arrival (perhaps it was a weekday). We ordered deluxe sashimi, blue fin tuna toro, yellowtail sashimi, uni, and five rolls. I love sushi and I know good sushi. And this place delivers. Food - 5 star Service - 1 star (Crystal). She never smile. She looks as if she was always angry. We asked for some napkins and she brought one. We asked for some more and she brought just one more. So some people didn't have any napkin. She made us feel like we were bothering her for asking for some napkins. I wanna throw a lamp at her to lighten her up hahaha (jp) Our bill: $225 Tip: $45 (20%) We tipped generously because everyone else beside Crystal was great.
(3)
Alexa B.
I believe the best way to tell the quality of a sushi restaurant is from their sashimi. The sashimi here is ok. While they give you a lot, it's really thickly cut. Additional, the tuna tastes a but off. I like the restaurant itself and how they present food but if I'm looking to enjoy sashimi, this is not the place I would go.
(2)
Todd A.
I've come to the conclusion that west coast sushi is just better than on the east coast. The uni is always fresh and tastes like the ocean, real toro and imaginative rolls. The raised floor provides the low table experience without the aching knees and back. Reasonable prices but a little hard to find tucked back in the alcove of a strip mall.
(4)
Kristen L.
Irori was excellent! Everything was reasonably priced (rolls between $6-$20 and sashimi $4-$10). The service was incredibly fast...we were done with our meal in about 40 minutes! The atmosphere was unique as everyone has to take their shoes off and sit on pillows. I will definitely be coming back to this place!
(4)
Tony M.
This little gem, tucked away between Pavillions & CVS in the Marina, has been discovered, and, unlike others who can't handle the heat that comes with success, Irori has upped the ante to boot. I won't go into individual dishes, only to say that no matter what your sushi style, from classic rolls to Omakase adventure, Irori will not disappoint. On our last visit, the yellowtail and tuna was of such exceptional quality that it melted in your mouth. If you can get to the bar, just let the chef do his thing, sit back with some high-end sake and get ready for the real deal. Reservations are a must these days, and if you're on time you'll be seated quickly. Wear shoes you can slip off easily as they're not allowed in the dining room. Don't be confused by the tag-team service; all the servers are on the ball and crisply efficient, quick, helpful and pleasant. Irori is the best sushi deal on the West side, and stands up to bigger names that command twice the price. We're going tonight : )
(4)
Paul B.
Third time here. I live 40 miles away. One of my all time favorite sushi bars! Enjoy!
(5)
Denise W.
I have no idea why the second time I came it was a different experience. I am updating my review now at the restaurant as I speak. For some reason the bus boys came over twice and tried to take away the dishes when it was clearly not finished. First time was when we were eating agedashi tofu there was a huge chunk left just chillin on the middle of the plate and he asked if were done.. What. And then when there was one piece of salmon sashimi left on the plate. I forget if it was the same person or not but again asked if we were done and wanted to take it away. Um a 17$ 6 piece sashimi dish with 1 piece left and you're asking me if I'm done. No sir I am not. The tofu maybe i can understand it blended in with the plate. BUT THE SALMON IS BRIGHT ORANGE. Worst of all... As my mom was picking up a piece of daikon from the plate of toro. There was a piece of thick black hair. My mom and I both have thin brown hair so we weren't mistaken that it wasnt ours. The waitress asked if we wanted another one and we said yes please. Was waiting on the manager to come and say something because that's usually what happens. Guess not here. Our waitress apologized profusely though so that counts for something. The toro that we first got was super fatty, tender, and delicious. Melted in my mouth. Unfortunately the replacement toro they just gave us was a different cut and is still slightly frozen. Oh yeah and the hamachi kama I ordered. Never came. They said I never ordered it. It was the FIRST thing I ordered. I saw our waitress write it down too. Hmm.. Now I have mixed feelings about this place.
(2)
Luba L.
Really cool place!!! You take off your shoes as soon as you walk in, seating is on the floor, but there is a hole in the floor for your feet to dangle. The Food is great! Fish is extremely fresh (and they have new types all the time), and the rolls are pricey but pretty big and filling. Love this place!
(4)
Rick S.
All I can say or tell any one about this place is simply, WOW! If you love sushi and an experience of quality while eating then this would be the place to go to hands down! I search high and low for toro (fatty belly) served and this place not just one type but three!!!!!!! Go to this place and just surrender to the fact you will be in love with your choice of going to eat there.
(5)
Geordynne U.
So much fun! I've had this placed bookmarked for awhile now and I'm so glad that I finally checked it out! When my brother and I walked in we asked to sit at the sushi bar. The lady responded by telling us to take off our shoes. We were kind of taken back but we really enjoyed the experience. You sit on half chairs (best way I can think to describe it) and out your legs through holes in the floor. The service was very good and the sushi chefs chatted with us about the specials and what they were currently making for other people. We came at 2:00pm on a Tuesday and stared to really fill up when we were leaving so I'm guessing it'd be a good idea to get reservations for dinner. The rolls were very good and pretty big. The sushi was very tasty as well with a good amount of fish. The place is pretty reasonably priced considering the atmosphere, quality and quantity of fish. I'll be back.....very soon.
(5)
Sherri D.
This place is awesome! My friends and I ordered the pick three combo specials and we were not disappointed in the slightest. Everything was fresh and the restaurant is extremely clean. Taking shoes off was a little inconvenient but it was a nice experience.
(5)
Jean-Paul P.
I've tried many Sushi Spots, but this is the BEST hands down! Very polite staff, beautiful authentic layout, I love it!
(5)
Brittany F.
Behind the walls of what looks like your typical strip mall sushi joint is a Japanese oasis, where you dine on pillows on the floor and remove your shoes, known as "zashiki" style dining. I've never eaten in this style so was so excited! I was afraid the food wouldn't be as good, since so much focus was put on the environment, but these people know how to cook. I started with a perfect miso soup. Not too salty, just smooth and soothing with seaweed and tofu. There was a depth to it that many miso soups lack and I appreciated that. I tried the hot night roll and the ginja roll and both were spectacular. Great fresh fish, loved the crunchy onions on the hot night roll and the perfect amount of sauce. We finished with the toro sashimi and all I can say is butter! It melted in my mouth and I don't even usually like toro. This may be in an ordinary strip mall but it is several levels above ordinary.
(5)
Erica H.
I walked into this restaurant expecting a lot more based on the Yelp reviews. I ordered the chirashi and was thoroughly disappointed by the quality of the fish. The fish did not taste fresh at all and the cuts of the sashimi were pretty poor. Not sure if I ordered the wrong thing or just came on a bad night. The atmosphere of the restaurant is great but if you are expecting fresh sushi, I wouldn't suggest coming here! You can definitely get a better bang for your buck elsewhere.
(3)
Brittany F.
Absolutely loved this place. First off, I was so excited when I heard they have a low table with sunken floors for your legs, my dad used to take me to a place growing up that was like that and I loved it, brought back wonderful memories. Now sushi has been my favorite since I was a kid, if I get to choose I always choose sushi and this place, the fish was so tender and the flavor, phenomenal. I mean I love squid and even their squid was tender. I could not believe how absolutely delicious it all was. I definitely will be coming back, recommending and taking everyone I know here.
(5)
Gia B.
The fish here is super fresh. I came here on a date night with the boyfriend. He wanted to impress me with the no shoes experience that Irori offers. He got points for that and I thought it was a unique idea/setting. The ambiance was intimate and slightly romantic. I ordered the nigiri sushi (6 pcs) combo with the spicy tuna roll at $21. It seemed a little steep for me, but it was a special occasion. Somehow I didn't even see that it came with soup and salad. Definitely worth the $$. The boyfriend got the chicken terriyaki with a salmon roll. Fish was of high quality and melted in your mouth. I will be back.
(4)
Evelyn C.
A phenomenal experience! I made reservations at 7:15pm and were seated at 7:20. (Not bad for the best area near the paintings) We ordered the dinner specials that came with three choices of entrees plus rice, soup and salad. The salmon was outstanding. Prices were fair and servings more than generous. The service was the best. We had a bit of trouble with angry customers who were apparently waiting longer. Despite their earlier reservation they sat us sooner bc we had 5 people and they 4. (FYI the tables are diff sizes so ours was already set up prior to the 7:15 res) I'm very anal about customer service. If it's crappy- I don't tip (And this has happened once before) Our bill came out to $156. I tipped them $20 not only bc they made my sister's bday beyond pleasant but we had the most attentive servers and fast service! The experience overall was amazing. It was fun, unique and delish! Highly recommend!
(5)
Mike A.
I came here for the fabulous location and I was mortified by the terrible food and service. APRIL FOOLS!!! ohhhh I so got you!!!! I came here because a friend of mine had mentioned it to me and I figured I'd check it out because like the people who run this restaurant, I hate shoes too. But I also don't like sitting without a seat back. I have bad posture. The idea of the holes in the ground for me to put my feet was good, I liked that. But the fact that I have to keep myself vertical under my own strength is something I am not that excited about. I'm not lazy. In fact, I have a stand up desk at work. In fact, I am standing at my counter right now as I write this. And it's 12:37am. How dare you call me lazy! I just have bad posture. I need a seat back. Otherwise, this place is legit. No shoes, good fish...that's all I really care about for dinner. We got the omakase and a few bottles of hot sake. There wasn't THAT much food served (i.e. I made myself some rice and eggs about an hour after I got home) but it was all good. The bill for three of us was $180. I guess that's alright. Felt kind of expensive for what it was. But it was good enough. I'd go back. Mostly because I hate shoes. Really. I just don't like them. I don't know what else to say about it.
(4)
Kenza B.
We had a really nice experience here! The service was fantastic & we loved the fun seating arrangements. We didn't get to try a lot because I'm not able to eat too much raw at the moment but loved all the simple stuff we got. Definitely worth a try.
(4)
Nicole B.
This place was off the charts! Make a reservation, it was super crowded even on a Sunday at 6 PM. Everything was fresh and delicious and the service was courteous and fast.
(5)
Cindy T.
I've been going to Irori on and off for years and have always valued it as a reliable, quality place to eat. Unfortunately the last few visits the quality of the food has really declined, which is disappointing because it also seems to be getting more expensive. I love the atmosphere, but my sushi fiend daughter and I have decided we won't be going back anytime soon.
(3)
Anna K.
Boyfriend and I came in to get an early dinner. The ambiance is very cute; love that they make you take off your shoes. The appetizers we got were pretty good- gyoza and grilled chicken skewers. The sushi was a tad disappointing. My California Roll had real crab, but it was bland. There was virtually no avocado in the roll, which was very disappointing because that's arguably what makes a roll a California Roll. The Philadelphia Roll was better, the salmon was fresh. My boyfriend got a beef teriyaki entree. It was decent but overpriced for the portion. I'm willing to give this place another shot, but will definitely only be coming back during lunch hours. By the way- LUNCH ENDS AT 2PM. WTF?!
(3)
Lina P.
Was looking for a new sushi spot in the area and Irori came up. Came here on a Saturday for lunch. From reading previous reviews I knew that we would be sitting on pillows but I had forgotten that everyone must also take off their shoes. Luckily I was wearing socks but they have little foot socks if you forget. Also, I didn't realize until about 5 minutes of sitting cross legged that under the tables they actually have a space where you can comfortably put your feet down. We ordered miso soups, the oyster mushroom & asparagus appetizer and the ginja roll. Everything came out pretty quickly and was really fresh and flavorful. After we ate I could have easily ordered another round of everything, not because it was small portions but because it was so good. Overall it was fun and the food was great. Would definitely recommend if you are looking for a unique dining experience. Only downside was that the roll was $19. Not really in my usual price range for sushi, but nice for an occasional treat.
(4)
Lisa U.
Umm nasty. Who messes up a California roll? This place does. Also, their tempura was soggy and fish is not good quality at all. This is the first time yelp has let me down. Ginger tasted like soap. It's also the cost. You can have OK sushi if you're sushi is cheap. But this place isn't even cheap! And it's not even OK, it's nasty. I'm really grossed out, never returning. Service met the minimum standards. Wasn't horrible, was meh.
(1)
Vardan O.
Very nice place. Love it. Good food. Fresh fish. Very cozy place and warm atmosphere. We didn't expect to take off the shoes, but it was fun ;) everybody do, including the stuff.
(5)
Aubrey S.
3.5 stars. - It's in a strip mall, but it's not really priced like it. - They try to go for a more traditional feel here, so you have to remove your shoes and sit down at low tables that have cutouts under the floor (so they appear lower than they really are). Still, probably a little irritating if you come here in a pencil skirt or a short skirt. Or, if you wear flats/heels and have chippy toenail polish. #girlproblems - The sushi was good, but not everything I tried was amazing. For instance, the yellowtail and whitefish were really buttery and easy to bite through, but the tuna was a little stringy. - The price of the rolls was way out of whack with the rest of the menu. My 6 piece nigiri combo with a spicy tuna roll was $19.50, but some of the special rolls were close to $30. Very odd. - Service was very attentive. Fine sushi place, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to come here again.
(3)
Getafix O.
Wonderful sushi restaurant. Fresh as it gets in terms of quality of fish and great size of cuts as well. Loved every last morsel I had on my plate. The scallop and uni were my favorites! They charge for green tea which is unusual for a Japanese restaurant. This was the only nit if any.
(5)
Meagan M.
Went last night and split two sushi rolls and edamame. I loved sitting in the floor. The only bad thing was that they brought us the wrong sushi, but it was tasty so we didn't say anything.
(5)
Anh P.
I was Yelp'ing for a new place to try out with my girlfriends last night for dinner, and stumbled upon Irori. The first review I saw said that you take off your shoes when you enter and the seating is Japanese style, which I think is totally cool! So I made a reservation for 2 at 7:30pm online. I had to change it to 8pm later, so I called them, and the girl on the phone said no problem. My girlfriend and I arrived there around 8pm, and there were people waiting inside and outside. We told the hostess that I had reservations for 8 under my name, and she said it'll be a 5-10 minute wait. There were some tables outside, so we sat outside and waited. So, we had a miscommunication and it was going to be 3 of us instead of 2, but I thought she called and changed the reservation but she didn't.... so when the hostess finally came out around 8:30 and saw there was 3.... she said another 10 minutes. Good thing I'm with my girlfriends and we can talk all night. It was near 9pm when we finally got seated. There are cubicles to put your shoes in, and there's some little socks you can put on. The seating is super cute. We sat and got our drinks in. And then we ordered our food. We asked the waitress for another water, but it never came. And after bringing our food to us, she never once came and asked how our meal was. To think about it... the whole time, she never came by at all until to give us our check. But the food was good, and I didn't drink much of my water, so I didn't actually need her. I ordered the Sashimi Assort: 3pcs tuna, 3pcs salmon, 3pcs white fish, 3 pcs yellowtail + miso soup + salad + rice bowl + susomono $19.50. Plenty of food, I didn't eat the miso soup (salty) or the rice (grains) but all the sashimi and salad filled me up. Tasty! The fish is definitely fresh. My girlfriends seemed to enjoyed their meals too. One of them got the una-jyu (unagi over rice) box and it was a big serving and looked sooo good too! It also came with a small little fruit cup (grape + watermelon + orange + honeydew). I loved the food, and I loved the whole seating style of the restaurant. It's super cute and fun to be in there. However, the service was not up to par with the restaurant. Waitress can smile and act more friendly and come by and check on us. I would like to feel invited to come back. The place can be hard to find! It is near Yogurtland, next to the huge CVS. If you're facing CVS, it is hidden on the right side of the store around the corner so you can't really see it. Next to RadioShack :) Easy parking because the lot is huge!
(3)
Mimi M.
EVERYTHING IS FABULOUS AT IRORI JAPANESE RESTAURANT!!!!!!! It's pretty rare in Japanese restaurants in America that they have you take off your shoes and sit in the floor, but they do here. I think the food at Irori is beyond incredible, they have a wonderful sake list, and the service is always exemplary. One of my favorite things here is the Rock N Roll! I try to visit here every time I'm in Marina Del Rey, and I plan to continue that tradition in the future!
(5)
Christina K.
I was hankering for a chirashi bowl. Nice presentation served in a clear container. They don't overload you with an over abundance of rice like other places. The salad was crisp and fresh. Good dressing! Service inside was a bit curt and disengaged. I grabbed my sashimi to-go, but the interior was cute. They have traditional low rise tables and pillows to sit on the floor. If you have back problems or a fat ass that's going to be hard to lift afterward, you may want to think twice on indulging in the quaintness and go for the table where you legs drop below into the open space or sit at the counter. I'm little and this place makes me feel like a giant! Parking: Large private shopping center lot. Restaurant is located in the corner next to a Pavilions.
(3)
Chris A.
LOVE this restaurant!!! We have been coming here once a week now for a month and it gets better and better every time. Ji Hoon is an incredible chef, and the service from everyone is always great!!!
(5)
Monica W.
Worth it! Traveling on business and found this place based on yelp reviews near my location. Glad I tried it. Ginza roll with spicy tuna was great. Also tried a blue crab hand roll. Good stuff.
Authentic Japanese food. Make sure you wear sox if you're a germophobic :-) Come before rush hours. Wait time without reservations can be 45 min to an hr long. We prefer to sit at the bar. We enjoy watching the chefs prepare our dish and we always end our dinning experience with an Omakase :) We love the ambiance but most of all we enjoy the fresh sushi!
(5)
Susanne W.
I didn't like the surprise of having to remove and leave your shoes out of sight--I'm not terribly paranoid, but what if someone takes your shoes just to mess with you? And then a bunch of people's bare feet. . .ecch. I get what they're trying to replicate, it's just not my kind of thing. The food is also middling--not inedible, but somewhat bland and old-tasting. And somewhat on the expensive side. The service is fast and pleasant, but that's not enough to make me ever want to return.
(2)
Mandy L.
A friend and I had reservations for a Friday night (definitely a good idea to make reservations). We sat at the sushi bar and were immediately met with a warm hello and a sushi amuse bouche to get us started. We ordered some specials, Salmon Blue Crab in T ruffled Ponzu, Albacore Special Roll and Spicy Tuna Roll. They were all delicious. It is a little pricier than most places I have been but they also give you more sushi. I feel most sushi places go heavy on the rice with their rolls. Not here, it is truly sushi based and very flavorful. We also tried the Japanese Red Beer they had (I don't see this option offered often) and was really impressed with the flavor. We paired this with a hot saki and really enjoyed our meal. The chef even topped it off with a mochi ice cream dessert. Overall, its a great sushi spot with friendly service and I would definitely go again.
(5)
Ron M.
3.5/5 First time here. Didn't read up on it so it was a surprise to ditch my shoes at the door. I'm on the taller side and my knees aren't what they used to be so when we got to the "table" I wasn't sure I could fit in the hole-that's what she said. Not a fan of this configuration. Should have sat at the bar. Anyways the sushi was pretty OK. The albacore was really good. We got two plates of 6pc each salmon and tuna that was all sauced up. They weren't that good and when I got the bill they definitely were not worth $28 each. Ended up throwing down $171 for $100 worth of sushi at most other places. Ambiance? Maybe. They are nice enough to have slippers outside the bathrooms so you aren't walking in the bathroom in your socks. Soft shell crab roll was remarkably not great, plain salmon and albacore were fantastic. Had one of the signature rolls Hot Night Roll. That was pretty good too but nothing super fancy. Service was attentive but they did not want us to linger too long as the check was plopped down before the mochi ice cream. Might come back of I'm in a odd mood but I wouldn't search this place out.
(3)
Cecilia D.
Word to the wise: if you're going to eat anywhere on the Westside and they take rezzies, you should make rezzies. Otherwise, you'll mad dog me as I breeze in past an angry line of 10 plebs waiting, go right up to the hostess, and claim my table for two at 8p without a hitch. Cute place and love the Japanese seating. Even the shoe cubbies are adorable. But what should bring you back is the food. I'm never one to dismiss mini-mall locales; I mean one of my fave haunts is The Nook. So the fact that this place exists within one of the largest mm's in MDR shouldn't be a turn off; just think, more parking. The food is fresh and cheap for the quality. We ordered the pricier Omakase menu and even that was cheaper than most sushi places in the Westside. And it was a lot of delicious hot and cold food. The best had to be the toro two ways, the uni two ways, and the seafood Japanese custard served in this precious little jar. There were a couple of misses, like the course with Japanese pickle and cheese (yep, cheese) but I appreciated the inventiveness. Also, the fish was served a little too cold which kind of messed with the texture of the other components. But we left stuffed! There had to have been over 20 dishes. Insanity! I'll need to bring the hubster here or he'll never forgive me. Cool place but make a reservation as it's hopping.
(4)
Gabriel C.
amazing local sushi place with cute seating
(5)
Don S.
I am with the other yelp reviewer on here. How this place gets good reviews is beyond me. If you want quality sushi, this is definitely not the place to get it. The nigiri is god awful here. The fish is not fresh at all. You would be better off getting sushi from ralphs. They are really getting over on people here with their food and using the funky seating style to distract people from the nasty food. In addition to all of this, the service is so bad! The waitress took my menu away before I could finish ordering! This Korean owned Japanese sushi establishment is just like Kabuki but way more expensive. If you are in the area and want sushi there is another place close (Sugar****) that blows this place out of the water. I was going to go there again but after reading all the positive yelp reviews decided to give this place a try. Boy was that a big mistake!!!!
(1)
Kirsten S.
Pretty cool spot. You sit on the floor, take your shoes off like a real asian place! But it isn't gross...they have these holes on the floor for your feet so you're not uncomfortable. Food was good...service was great.
(4)
Jonathan P.
Love the ambiance here! I come here for lunch regularly and enjoy the 3 item combo with Sashimi, sesame chicken and gyoza. So delicious!
(5)
Devin S.
Few places I can say I am comfortable being a regular to. I'm always trying new things at new places. But Irori is my sushi staple. They have great quality fish, without a four digit bill. And they have free parking! I have been coming here about every other week for over 5 years, and it is still my favorite spot around. Tips: - Ask what the chef recommends. They get fresh fish in every day, and its not always the same fish. Or even on the menu. - Clean your feet. You will need to remove and check your shoes to enter the dining area. - Make a reservation on friday or saturday for dinner. It can get pretty crowded. - Sit at the bar. The chefs are great company, and are great at customizing your experience with your sushi preferences. You will also get faster service on those busy friday or saturday nights. Some of my favorite food items: - Toro nigiri. Always fresh and always fatty! - Uni + Oyster shooters. Never let down. - Spicy tuna roll. Basic, but they do a fantastic job. - Live shrimp. When in season. - Otokoyama sake. Great price for a great sake. - Echigo Premium beer. A little more flavor than your typical Japanese import beer. Typically when I go to sushi I order rolls. But not at Irori. Their fish is great quality, and it's a pleasure to try what the chefs want to feed me. I advise you to do the same! They have also recently added an omakase menu that is wonderful.
(5)
Michelle D.
good sushi but only get 6 pieces instead of the standard 8 pieces u would expect when paying upwards of 8$ a roll. Friendly service but a tad slow. Allow 25 min for a to-go order even when it's not busy.
(3)
Meems P.
Right next to a shopping center Free parking Bring socks Wear comfortable clothing Be sure to RSVP Customer service was on point Love the omakase. Fresh and no soy sauce needed.
(5)
Ada L.
Came here on a Friday night and the place was packed. I made reservations for 8:30pm, arrived early, and couldn't be seated until at least 10 minutes past our reservation time. I think some people waited over an hour to get seated, so I highly recommend calling ahead of time to make reservations. I ordered the 8 Piece Nigiri + Spicy Tuna Roll combo, which also came with miso soup and a small salad. Overall, the food here wasn't bad for the price. The fish tasted fairly fresh and the portions were fair. Everything was also plated nicely. The service was a mix of bad and good. Our main waitress was slow and didn't seem very experienced. On top of that, she coughed on me during one of the few times she came to our table. The other waiters, however, were quick to refill our teas and water. This is one of the Japanese restaurants that makes you take off your shoes before entering the main dining area. I didn't particularly like doing this, because the entire staff was walking around with their shoes both inside and outside of the no-shoes zone. Overall, I enjoyed the food here, but the service should be improved. I'm glad I tried the food here, but I will probably stick to other sushi places closer to where I live.
(3)
A F.
Awesome restaurant to eat! 100% on everything Love the Japanese style tables, it is very clean and neat. The service was outstanding. The food was delicious! Totally recommended, will go eat lunch again! very soon!!
(5)
Suzan B.
So done with this place! Food is good, but if you go toward's the end of the night, they rush you and clear the table as you eat. Then they want you to pay while you are trying to eat. Never again!
(2)
Shay H.
So yummy. the lobster roll was amazing. It has lobster pieces on top with a sauce that is so good I want more. Although my bill came out $85 it was totally worth it. The octopus roll came with wasabi in it and it didn't say on the menu, some other rolls had it too so be warned. Other than that it was amazing and I would definitely go back. I love the fact that I feel like I'm in Japan sitting down to eat in Tokyo.
(5)
Moe A.
They do it every time , these guys are simply amazing!!! I took some of my friends well ive been taking many friends to irori for the past months...never a dis appointment. Chefs ,eugene,sasaki,don or ryan they always take care of us and serve us the freshest stuff!! Irori has become part of my daily diet Awesome team ..keep it up!!! P.s..give them a shot of sake and watch the love :)
(5)
Bonjour K.
Started coming here about 7 years ago.This place used to have really good sushi. But even back then, it wasn't a contender with the best sushi restaurants on the Westside. We've eaten at some of the best sushi restaurants and some on the "middle" scale that still provide good, quality sushi. Back in the day, it was good. Our last dining experience left us so disappointed, we had not been back in years. Because we were in the area (literally in the same strip mall to buy some stuff) and craving sushi, we decided to take our chances and try it out again. Sigh...we shouldn't have given in to our hunger. First of all, as soon as we walked in, the lady demanded that we remove our shoes. She didn't ask politely. She said, "You need to take off your shoes." We already knew the drill, but we barely walked through the door before she made the demand. No bearing on the rating, but it wasn't a pleasant start. Again, no bearing on the rating, but I will say this - the customer service was terrible. We sat and waited for someone to take our order for 15 minutes and the restaurant was not crowded. We clearly were ready because our menus and order sheet sat at the corner of our table, as we continued to make eye contact with the wait staff that would look at us and walk by. After we got fed up and flagged someone down, our water glasses finally came. Okay - onto the food. We ordered a lot for 2 people. --Oyster shooters (2): these used to be sooo good. They were forgetable. -Yellowtail sushi (2 orders): disappointing. Not even a hint of the smooth, rich and buttery taste yellowtail should have. It tasted washed and dried. As in, washed in water. -Halibut sushi (4 orders): I regretted ordering 4 orders. It was tasteless. The ponzu sauce was not detectable, so it just tasted like dry, chewy (sooo chewy), white fish decorated with a tiny sliver of dry green onion. A waste of a dish. -Japanese mackerel (2 orders): this was okay. Just dry. -Uni (2 orders): this wasn't good. No taste to the uni. Soon after we finished eating this, the waitress was announcing in a loud voice to the other staff that there was no more uni. I love uni. Sometimes even mediocre uni will satisfy my craving. I wish we didn't order this. -Ikura (1 order): again, totally forgettable and not good. The ikura was dry. Hard to explain, but the eggs should be juicy and delecate. These stuck together and did not even pop well. You know what I mean if you like ikura. -Yellowtail cut roll (1): This was surprisingly large. It was okay. The yellowtail was mushy like paste, though. -Anago (4 orders): this was okay. Probably the best out of everything we ordered. The 2 orders that came first were good. But the 2nd 2 orders that came weren't. I think the first order was left in the broiler longer. It had a nice crisp to it. The 2nd order did not. The 2nd order cut was also noticeably smaller. We also noticed that there were so many large pieces of bones in each one. Bones in anago don't bother me, but these were quite long and plenty. All the fish for sushi is cut super small. That's expected when dining in a quality restaurant, but this just wasn't. We also noticed there were a lot of families dining with kids. The kids probably like the novelty of sitting on the floor. Anyway, it definitely seemed more like a lower-scale restaurant in taste, as opposed to the Irori we remembered. Without any drinks or the tip, our sushi bill for 2 came out to $140. Won't be back again.
(1)
Christine T.
Irori is definitely a hidden gem! It is tucked away in a corner of a shopping center. So for first timers, it can be a bit tricky looking for this restaurant. Once inside, you will be asked you remove your shoes. The host will walk you to your table where you will dine sitting on these mats with shoes off. It was a different experience, but I enjoyed it. I had the toro sashimi. All I can say is this was heavenly. It was like butter! I also tried the yellowtail in ponzu w/jalapenos. This was oh so good! Refreshing and delicious with a perfect citrusy kick. Service was excellent! Our server seems new but was thorough with explaining everything on the menu including the daily specials. Kudos to him! I can't wait to be back!
(5)
Shayne P.
I loved the service, the food, the interior!! I had salmon and yellowtail sushi with hot knight roll. It was really delicious. Hot knight roll is just a bit spicy but it tastes great. I sat at the bar and I got to watch the the chefs. They were super nice to the customers as well as to servers. I loved the fact that we take shoes off to go into the restaurant haha. I would definitely go back!
(5)
Stacey B.
Obsessed with the Salmon Blue Crab W/ avocado and truffle ponzu! When I lived in the area, I'd try to make it here weekly. A lot of the chefs knew my boyfriend and I and would comp us desserts! Always sit at the bar, the chefs are amazing. I moved earlier this year, so sadly I can't make it out there as often now. Definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone if you like good sushi and will continue to come back as much as possible!
(5)
Sarah T.
This might be my new favorite restaurant. The salmon blue crab is one of the best dishes I've had in LA! And I like that the proportions aren't skimpy. The toro was amazing of course and I liked the extra smokey seared pieces they added. The halibut fin was also to die for. It's not what I had expected. It was seared so the butteriness of the fish came out and topped with yuzu koshou. The only problem I had was there wasn't real lobster in the lobster roll. It was crayfish or some miniature sized version of lobster.
(4)
Suraj R.
The waitress who served us was very warm and always there the moment we looked out for her. Luckily we went early, around 12.30 pm, before the Saturday lunch crowd arrived and I shared one Dinner special meal with my wife since it had large portions. The miso soup with its simple flavor and salad that they served before the meal was also good. We had the mixed tempura, teriyaki chicken, and sushi combination as part of the 3 item Dinner. We also ordered 2 each of blue-fin tuna and salmon sushi which were absolutely amazing !. Complete satisfaction for $65 ! Definitely recommend !
(5)
Danielle T.
Love this place! If you make a reservation, you're seated within minutes. Shoeless and tables that are low to the ground make this a well rounded experience. Favorites so far: - baked lobster roll - hot night roll - rock and roll - Ginza roll - bluefin tuna with burrata
(4)
Marshall B.
Food was okay but... my shoes were stolen. TLDR: My shoes were stolen and they replaced them with the sandals you use when using the bathroom. If you are unaware they have a no shoe policy (you have to put your shoes into little cubbies by the door). Well I think nothing of it until I go to leave, and what do you know, my shoes are gone. I tell the hostess, who proceeds to help me look for them. After searching for a few minutes and not finding them, she doesn't even seem to know what to do. I ask to speak to a manager, but he is "out" that night. Instead she takes down my number and gives me some of the "forgotten" sandals they keep by the bathrooms.
(1)
Tahoe M.
Im here,the seatin is so cool,the eviroment is a older,family crowd.super busy clean fresh sushii ever
(5)
Andy D.
I went here for the first time with my girlfriend for her birthday expecting a little hole in the wall. What I got far exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere is very quiet and traditional with customers taking their shoes off upon entry. Smooth jazz was playing in the background and the lights set the ambiance. The tables were very low, and I expected us to dine on our knees. Fortunately for us Americans, however, there was foot room that extended under the floor. The service was very prompt and the servers themselves were attentive and sweet. The food--what can I say about the food other than it is the best sushi that I've ever had? I had the nigiri and spicy tuna roll, and they almost brought a tear to my eye. The nigiri was varied and fresh, the seaweed crispy, and all of the fish just melted in my mouth. The toppings for each piece were a perfect pairing, with the tiniest dab of Wasabi to hold the two together. The spicy roll was poke with cucumber, and was sweet and spicy, with the lightest crunch from the aforementioned cucumber. The appetizers were sublime. After eating here all I can say is that whatever sushi I eat in the future will be a pale imitation of what I dined on. 10/10
(5)
Feather B.
This place is excellent. The sushi chef immediately gave us some lovely sashimi in this miso-slightly citrus sauce with some kind of cashew or peanut flavor. We ordered the following... Omakase Sushi (this comes w/ 2 appetizers. One was this super light pate. So good. Salmon Blue Crab Roll - This is incredible. There is some serious truffle action going on here, too. You have to take your shoes off so make sure your feet/socks are clean. The interior is really nice, and the acoustics are great, too. This place has the perfect murmur.
(5)
Philip L.
I've been eating here with my wife and family for several years. There have been many personnel changes but several things have remained the same: Delicious food. Nice atmosphere. Fun service.
(5)
Vina O.
Delicious and fresh sushi. My husband and I had their omakase special - 8 pieces of nigiri and 2 small sashimi bowls for $40. It was definitely worth it and both of us were quite satisfied. The pieces of fish were huge and included specialties such as monkfish liver and toro. The fish is of high quality and a must go if you're looking for a sushi place in the area (and too lazy to battle traffic to Little Tokyo).
(5)
Rema W.
Special rolls are about $20-24 each. Normal rolls are about $7-10, but only come with 4-5 pieces. They have a no shoe policy. When I first went in I was hesitant about sitting on the ground because I didnt want my back to hurt, but they have holes in the ground to put your feet. It was a fun experience. I would come here again.
(4)
Jody J.
I came in by myself and sat at the sushi bar. I was served the best sushi I've had in a long while. The atmosphere is calming and the floor seating and leaving your shoes in a cubby are nice. The sushi chefs are cool and do a fantastic job. I could eat here everyday!
(5)
Ambar C.
I was not as impressed with this place as others seem to be. It's not cheap., and they do not know how to cook squid. As with most restaurants, my fiance and I ordered calamari to start. I got bits of plastic in my squid, which I can only assume was part of the ink sack. Also, the squid itself was extremely rubbery, and the dish was covered with onions (not much squid). Off to a bad start. It got better, though. We then ordered the infamous blue crab hand roll and seared ono. Both were extremely good. The blue crab hand roll is real crab, and the ono had a nice smokiness about it. I also ordered a roll with hamachi and spicy tuna, which was delicious. I will stick to sushi and sashimi from now on. Note: This is one of those places where you sit on the floor, so wear nice socks. Also, the floor is cut out, so you can dangle your legs rather than sit cross-legged.
(3)
Kelsey C.
Irori takes some time to find. It's kind of tucked around a weirdly tiny roundabout, but the food is worth a little searching. The ambiance is quiet and authentically Japanese. You need to take off your shoes so matching socks with no holes may be something you want to think about before leaving home. We started with the soy miso eggplant which had a weirdly bitter and burnt aftertaste. The eel avocado roll was amazing, but for $7 I'll take a little less quality for a more reasonable price. The sashimi is fresh and amazingly well made. I've had a lot of sushi but I've rarely had it in such a calming, authentic environment. Marina del Rey is a long way to drive when you already live in the heavily-Japanese neighborhood of south Torrance, but still I think it's worth the drive to Irori.
(4)
Nico H.
A reasonably priced restaurant that has great food and nice Japanese atmosphere. Me and my boyfriend visit here often. In the dinner time there is usually a little line forming. The whole place is Japanese household that you will have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor around the table. You can also sit at the bar, where you can order directly from the chief and get offered a tasty sashimi appetizer with orange sauce. The sushi and rolls are great and come with a fair portion. The irori signature roll is a steal. It is also a good place if you want to get some bar food and sake and have a causal conversation.
(5)
C C.
Wonderful all the way around! It first started with the majority of our party arriving very late! 2/7 were on time and they kindly allowed us to sit at our reserved table. The draft beer was good, edamame was cooked perfectly, sashimi, rolls, fried chicken, beef, desserts were all so delicious! I was quite impressed with the dimming of the lights to sing us happy birthday and the appearance of the nicely cut out orange... all the fruit was ripe and fresh too. Our waitress was lovely. There seem to only be female servers. This was my first time and I will definitely be back. Thank you for a wonderful evening irori.
(5)
Lutgardo R.
Food on their menu is delicious! Especially I like their sushi--so yummy. I'll be coming back!
(4)
Cheryl S.
I've had some real good Japanese food and quite honestly this place is mediocre. The menu is small which made deciding what to eat a bit easier. The staff could possibly pay more attention to their diners. One shouldn't have to ask for more water or hot tea. The nigiri sushi seemed odd very small pieces cute and oddly tiny. However the dinner portions made up for it. I had a 3 combination teriyaki salmon, assorted tempura and tonkatsu. The tonkatsu was perfectly fried however the sauce did not taste like the normal katsu sauce it tasted more like a BBQ sauce so that was strange. Then the salmon was a very generous portion two filets but the sauce again too sweet or something strange. The tempura was excellent and super generous. It was a choice out of convince. Food is ok service was ok
(3)
Dauminique H.
I love the ambiance it feels like your in Japan sitting on the floor with pillows to comfort ur bum its a must try. And the have gluten free soy sauce. A plus
(5)
Priscilla P.
more like 3.5. some what overpriced but a decent place to go close to lax. not sure if it's japanese owned and operated because i heard the employees and sushi chef speaking korean. the chirashi was like $24 (overpriced imo) but there weren't many premium cuts of fish. also the fish was cut a little too big for my liking. but it seemed pretty fresh and the rice was seasoned well the tempura udon was big and came with a lot of tempura.
(4)
Joe C.
Usually love this place. I'm a regular. Came today without reservation. Told it was going to be 20 mins. Ended up waiting over an hour before being seated!
(1)
Kailani H.
Simply put,a great susi spot for the spur of the moment! Definitely enjoyed the ambiance though i do wish they prepared their uni on rice! Great time out!
(5)
Steven M.
This place is so cool, with a really mellow atmosphere and sushi that is unbelievably fresh! You MUST get the higher grade toro, goldeneye snapper (when they have it) and the fresh sweet shrimp. It is a real hidden gem - not on the radar as Hamasaku and the different Nobu places, but an incredibly satisfying experience. Another really nice feature is the super friendly wait staff, who always make you feel at home.
(4)
Ellen C.
3 1/2 stars. This place has cute ambiance - you take off your shoes at the front and you "sit on the floor." (In quotation marks because even though you technically are sitting on the floor there are built in foot wells so it's pretty comfy) The house salad was plentiful but the dressing was meh. The miso soup was a bit watered down. The sushi overall was decent. The albacore sashimi was meh and way too overpriced. (I would stick with the nigiri) Highlights were the hotate and ika sushi. The tai, albacore, and uni were good. The spicy tuna handroll was great. The sushi chef made it to order and made it extra spicy as requested, and actually made it spicy instead of just adding more mayo. The baked crab handroll was meh. The sushi chefs were super friendly.
(3)
Pasha E.
It was a perfect date night spot, fun and great food. I just wish it was closer to me!
(5)
John B.
Quality of fish is surprisingly good! Fairly priced too...Ambiance is great, unexpected location! So glad they opened up a really good sushi joint in MdR! Will def go back. Also service was pleasant
(4)
Michael M.
I had some standard sushi rolls that you can find anywhere. I didn't like it and it was more expensive than other places.
(2)
Mike Z.
Atmosphere was nice, service was good, and food was great! Line up was long though, would recommend making reservations ahead of time for dinner. Overall enjoyable experience!
(4)
Stephanie S.
Amazing fresh sushi and super friendly staff. I live in the neighborhood and I have been coming to Irori almost weekly for the past 6 months. I have never had a bad experience and the sushi chefs and staff make it a fun atmosphere. Don't forget to buy the sushi chefs a round! :)
(5)
Allison B.
i don't see why this has got good reviews, it was very mediocre. The layout and experience is worth the try (you take your shoes off and sit on the floor) but the sushi is not. the crispy rice spicy tuna ask without the ponzu sauce. The fish is fresh but a bit tasteless. I would not go back. they also rush you to order/leave.
(3)
Benjamin K.
Excellent nigiri and sashimi the place was busy but service was prompt and friendly. Great decor and top notch food. I had the 8pc nigiri + sashimi set with Miso, Sunomono and Salad.
(5)
Ramona H.
We've been eating here for over five years, yes it's very pricey but we've never had a bad experience. The quality of the sushi has always been extremely outstanding for us not to mention the Sake is wonderful.
(5)
Conor M.
This was a Beautiful place! upon entering The establishment I had to take off my shoes where I put them in a little box onto the beautiful table in the middle of the dining room which was tiny weird little tables that have big holes under them so that you could sit on the floor but have your feet lower than floor. A beautiful experience the food was delicious the server made me feel like I was literally Japanese. Also we ordered dessert afterwards it was also really good. So we haven't ordered it yet, well we ordered it but we haven't received it, so anyway we haven't put her shoes back on, hoping that there not gone but I'm hoping they will still be there when we do go. to that note, also the parking lot is a great feature it's 360° circle will you can park your car and your doors actually have them to be open.
(5)
Jeff P.
Food The quality is high. 4 or more. Atmosphere 3 Music 3.5 Cleanliness They have a policy of no shoes. You have to check them at the door. Which is fine. But the floor is nasty. The floor of the sushi bar has trash and good on it. The servers walk around with sandals that they wear in the dirty kitchen. Cleanliness of the floor and the fact we can't wear shoes is a 1 rating. Service It's non existent. 1 I had to ask to sit at a clean table because the sushi bar floor was filthy. No one came to take my order. I had to flag them down. When the good came they gave me no napkin or utensils. I had to ask for something to eat with. No one checked on me at all during the meal. Not one time. Not for water refill or to ask if everything was ok. Nothing. Frankly I would have ordered more if they did. Be prepared to serve yourself. I had to ask for a receipt. They didn't bring me change for my meal. They just assumed it was tip. Horrible. There are no dedicated servers to your table. They just roam around. Which means you sit there until you wave them over.
(2)
YC M.
Love the omakase! The fish is consistently high quality. Usually sit at the bar. Best sushi chefs! The sushi is so good that soy sauce is not required...actually I recommend not using any.
(5)
Kevin H.
This is a great sushi restaurant tucked into a strip mall. It's traditional Japanese in that they make you take your shoes off, which is fine but avoid white socks as they'll get a little dirty. The restaurant is very deceptive with its layout, you think upon walking in that you'll have to sit on the floor, and with how tight my hip flexors are sitting cross-legged for longer than 5 mins isn't happening. Every single friend I've taken there, has had 2nd thoughts until I tell them the area under each table is cutout for leg room, so it's the same as sitting on a bench at a regular place. So don't let your first impression scare you away. They have all the standard sushi fare, plus a few of their own concoctions, which were decent. Overall everything is a little on the pricey side but it's still well worth checking out.
(4)
Brooke K.
We love Irori. The Blue Fin Tuna with Burratta is my favorite. All their rolls and sashimi are excellent. Know you have to take your shoes off before they will seat you.
(4)
Eugi H.
This place is fun! They have a no shoes policy so you take them off at the front of the restaurant where they have cubby holes for you to place them, and then you walk barefoot all around the rest of the place! They also have little holes designed underneath all the tables for you to put your legs in, so you don't have to sit cross-legged for the meal if you don't want, which is great cuz my legs always fall asleep after a bit. The fun of walking around the tatami mats and dangling my feet makes this restaurant one of the few sushi places I don't mind not sitting at the bar, even though I still did for my first trip here. Food is fresh, and the amaebi is live here, not frozen! I was so delighted to see that! Fish portions here are a little larger than some other locations to, which is lovely. Prices are fair considering the quality of product. I definitely recommend coming here!
(4)
Duke G.
Came here on a dinner date. The atmosphere and decor were beautiful. I had never eaten in a "traditional" Japanese restaurant. You sit on the floor with your bare feet in a hole cut out of the floor below the table. The food was very tasty, but the portions were small for the high price. Now I realize why there are no prices on the menus. When the check arrived I was shocked by the prices. I guess you pay a lot for the ambiance. Service was excellent.
(4)
tracey c.
the sushi and sashimi were delicious. there was a good variety of special dishes (loved the lobster choices) and rolls, but very little traditional sushi. the setting was interesting in that the patrons must remove their shoes and sit on the floor, but there is space under the low tables to allow one to sit comfortably on the floor. i will go again in order to try more of the dishes, but i thought the price point was high and the server allowed us to order far too much.
(4)
Seth S.
I found Irori while in LA for the Digital Hollywood conference. Hidden away in a Marina strip mall, Irori is a great find, with spectacularly fresh, high quality sushi, Izakaya style dishes, and an urbane, slightly upscale pub like ambience with highly attentive service. It is well worth the extra minute or two to find it, and you'll leave your shoes at the front desk, too. Sushi was so fresh I thought it might have come straight from incoming Tokyo flights at nearby LAX. Standouts included a fresh tuna & burrata combo, mackerel and big eye tuna sushi, and a roasted asparagus salad. I sat at the bar and had an "omakase" type lunch. Amazing hands I was in. Irori is both a real find and the real deal--highly recommended.
(5)
Shannon C.
Loved their lunch combination. Good selections of sashimi, teriyaki, sushi rolls and etc. Very fresh, good price and portion.
(5)
Tiffany S.
If you want the real Japanese experience, come to Irori. You must take your shoes off when you enter and you seat is technically on the ground BUT there is space under the table for your feet so you don't have to sit indian style the whole time. The food was nothing short of amazing. the fish was fresh, they had some interesting (and NOM) flavor combinations I'd never tried before and their presentation was top notch. Not to mention our waitress, who was clearly off the boat from Japan, was such a sweet heart and very attentive. It was a little pricey for 5 people ($200) so just keep in mind that if you want to come here, you WILL pay more than other sushi places. come in with that expectation and it'll be 5 stars for you too.
(5)
David A.
We are dinner regulars, but today we went for lunch and had a disappointing experience. WARNING: There are lunch specials and dinner specials, priced differently. We were told only the dinner special/price was available... at 12:15pm. We were asked several times if we were ready within a few minutes time. We received our food but weren't given any plates. The albacore roll was cooked. We've never experienced this until now. Personal side note: Why was Kenny G blasting over the speakers in a sushi restaurant? Wasn't a good day for the service or the food. We're going to give it some time before we return.
(3)
Lillian C.
I would give this place 3.5 stars if I could. Came here with the bf after work. Being the germophobe that I am, after reading reviews about the need to go barefoot at this place, I popped into CVS (which was conveniently located next door) to grab a pair of socks prior to dinner. And I'm glad I did. Feet and food don't mix! The food was good but much pricier than I expected for the quality. We got: - salmon nigiri - black cod with miso - spider roll - ginja roll - some other special roll (I can't remember but it was around $16-20 I think) Ambiance: traditional but fun (I love sitting on the floor! And because there's a ginormous hole underneath the table you can let your legs dangle so they don't fall asleep on you!) Service: Attentive, and I never thought I'd say this, but perhaps a bit TOO attentive. At any given moment there seemed to be 3 pairs of eyes on us. I need some space to breathe, thank you. Food: Good, but for the price, I expected more. It was just lacking that je ne sais quoi. Btw, this place can be pretty tricky to find...it's in a circle to the right of CVS (yes, where you, too, can buy some socks if you need to!)
(4)
Gus F.
Irori Japanese Restaurant, in my opinion, is about tantalizing your taste buds as opposed to getting full and falling asleep on the couch. The sushi chefs (at least the one who I interacted with) are able to create delicious dishes that keep your palate interested and craving more. The following is what I ordered and its approximate price: - Salmon sushi: $6 - Black cod with miso: $7 (GET THIS!) - Soft shell crab roll: $12 Total came about to about $32 with tax and tip. Not too shabby! I would have ordered more but I did not want to put a dent in my wallet. I tend to get excited and overspend when it comes to sushi so I had to restrain myself :| Bottom line, I would come back if I'm in the area!
(4)
Steph S.
This place is overpriced, has poor service and the food is mediocre at best. The servers didn't want to refill my table's drinks but had no problem taking away our plates even before we were all done eating off of them. The quality of food is no where near what they charge. The spicy tuna rolls were mushy, the tonkatsu was tough, the fried calamari came with salsa as a dipping sauce, the shrimp shumai was soggy and the gyoza was underfilled with no taste. If you want real Japanese food, I suggest going to Azuma in Gardena!
(1)
Joy G.
Love this place. This is our go to sushi restaurant on the Westside and it almost always performs well. The fish is fresh, the service is quick and attentive and friendly, the sake nice and hot. I love anything with a jalapeno on it and they do a few. Highly recommend.
(5)
John A.
The quality and variety of fish here is better than 95% of the other sushi places I've visited. The experience is unique as well, from removing shoes to sitting Japanese style at the sunken sushi bar or at the tables as well. The chefs are friendly and the atmosphere is fun but the quality and variety of fresh, wild-caught and in many cases Japanese fish is very serious. Yeah, it's in a strip mall but you'll forget about that within 3o seconds of being seated as you immerse yourself in a very authentic and delicious sushi experience.
(5)
Anna P.
Irori where have you been!? I've been seeing this place for a while now especially that it's located next to my favorite dine-in theater. Once in the area I finally decided to give it a try. Once I came in I was blown away by how packed it was and how everyone had to be shoeless. A true Japanese experience! Once we got seated I couldn't decide on what to get because their menu was huge! So many options for sushi, rolls, sashimi, and hot foods! I decided to try a mix of plates and our waiter highly recommended some fish specials that weren't on the menu. We started off with the regular items like miso soup, a salad and they even had shrimp shumai, which was so yummy! Then came the sashimi, the yellowtail and salmon belly sushi, and of course for the finale the toro! All the fish was super fresh and melted in your mouth. I'm so glad we discovered this place! Also our waiter was very attentive and constantly made sure we were doing ok. He even recommended to try a great Japanese beer I've never had. Can't wait to come again to try some other dishes!
(5)
Tricia L.
Love the chicken udon. Sushi's pretty great as well. Traditional japanese style is fun an adds to the atmosphere
(4)
Cari T.
I didn't think I would've been bothered by the whole "no shoes" thing until I actually got there. Sure, I've been to many restaurants in the past (I grew up in Asia) where you would remove your shoes, but it's usually just in your own room, with the people you're eating with. For some strange reason when I was asked to remove my shoes the moment I entered the restaurant, and had to walk right by all the other patrons or have other peoples feet come really close to my table, it just felt "uncomfortable". I guess I just don't really get it? Overall, the food was fine. Nothing wrong and everything tasted fresh. We thought we were gonna try to eat healthy and ordered rolls only with a salad. Unfortunately the calamari salad came with fried calamari! haha. It was good, and it's our fault for not checking, but there was SO MUCH calamari we felt really gross after eating that much fried food. I totally agree with the previous reviewer about the somewhat overwhelming # of servers. It's especially awkward because they're all standing, while you're sitting, which means, you guessed it, their feet are really close to your food, or even your face! (because you're sitting in the sunken seats). I'm not familiar with the area so I don't know if there are better sushi options around so you should check it out for yourself to see if you're ok with the feet close to your food situation...
(3)
Jonathan N.
BEWARE - New change in management/ownership. Now worst sushi place in town considering price. Beware of older positive reviews, not the same anymore! I am trying to inform everyone who used to love this place. Ambiance is nice but customer service is over bearing and rude. Food is overpriced and poorly executed. I got a tuna roll and it looked like a 5 year old made it, ugliest sushi roll I have ever seen in my life. Rush rush rush, clear plates when I am not even finished...don't bother. Only thing authentic about this place now? Can't think of any.
(1)
Michaela C.
This place is very interesting and unique, to say the least. It's a Japanese restaurant, but the only catch is you have to take off your shoes before entering. It kind of gets everyone in a fun mood and everyone has to sit on the floor on pillows. My friend and I ordered sushi today and the rolls that we got were very good, but there were only six pieces of sushi versus eight pieces that you would get at regular sushi restaurants. The Rainbow Roll was $18!!!! It would be anywhere between $8-$12 at any other sushi place and probably just as tasty. The rolls themselves are pretty expensive, but considering the fact that this is in Marina Del Ray in a small shopping center, that doesn't surprise me. I would get your money's worth and go to Jerry's Deli across the way in the same plaza.
(3)
Jhoselyn R.
Great, fresh sushi! Great experience with the seating. We didn't want to leave! Was not a big fan of their dynamite. But the sashimi and nigiri sushi were AWESOME!
(5)
Dave H.
Came with a buddy for his birthday due to his choosing. Left with a smile on my face due to excellent service and good sushi quality.
(3)
Sam F.
For my money, best sushi west of the 405. Also, added bonus that they take reservations. Always consistent food quality. Occasionally service isn't the best, but food makes up for it. I also love that it's in a strip mall next to a Radio Shack.
(5)
Keyes B.
I stumbled upon this place on the way home from an appointment yesterday afternoon. Not too many people in the place which is normal for a Japanese restaurant in the middle of the afternoon on a Monday. Nice ambiance. Have to take your shoes off before you are seated. OK. A little different, but OK. Sit down on the floor at the sushi bar and your feet are "below" the surface of the floor. Not the easiest thing to do depending on your physical stature. Different, but still kind of cool. So OK. Order up a couple standard sushi items that I always get when I go to a new place. This gives me a feel for the quality/freshness of the product, the amount of sushi for each order, how they prepare their sushi, etc. First thing I notice: $5.75 per sushi order across the board. Well this better be good. I don't mind paying for excellent sushi. Get my first two orders and meh. Quality somewhere between store bought prepackaged stuff at my local Japanese market, and that of an all you can eat place. Defiantly not worth the price. Decide to try a hand roll and order the baked Blue Crab hand roll. Chef slaps some "Blue Crab" mush onto a piece of aluminum foil and throws it in the toaster oven. Couple minutes later and he puts the mush onto some seaweed and then rolls it like a burrito. Nothing else with the mush. Nothing crunchy to break up the textures. Nothing savory to justify the price. Nothing. Not even wrapped like a hand roll. Wrapped like a burrito. Never seen anything like this in my over 40 years of going to sushi bars/Japanese restaurants since I was a kid. Just some mush that truly tasted like oven warmed tuna melt and seaweed. Nasty. Not OK. Well that was enough for me. Was going to try a few other items, but I figured why waste my time, my money and my tummy on stuff that might make me sick. Had to go next door to CVS to get a Heath bar to get the awful taste out of my mouth. 1 star for ambiance 1/2 star for attentive wait staff 1/2 star for proximity next to CVS for Heath bar
(2)
Sandy H.
My GF heard this place just opened and we took a chance and tried it. The sushi was amazing, the service was great! The sashimi was really fresh, and Im picky being from the islands. Pricey like all good sushi places but well worth it! I will definately go back for more.
Good sushi. Sit on the floor dining room. Moderately pricey but tasty food. Have been there a dozen times maybe.
(4)
Sunny B.
SOOOO GOOOD!!! The atmosphere is fun, and the food is great! The yellowtail sashimi melts in your mouth... and my husband loves their spicy tuna with crispy rice.
(4)
LaTesha A.
I should begin by saying, I always have mixed feelings about eating places that require the removal of your shoes. Not every one has the same idea of personal hygiene or appropriate sock-matching. I choose my green argyle socks for this occasion and they were a hit with the hostess! ;-) The ambiance in this place was intimate but casual. I appreciated that while you could choose bar seating or the sunken floor tables, they still offered seats to anyone who preferred back support. The food itself was nothing to write home to Japan about, but the service was great and the offerings were decent. The waitstaff was very attentive and informative, but you did have to ask about the menu items because they didn't readily offer that information.
(3)
Erin M.
Three thoughts for Irori: long wait over-priced mediocre flavor I would be willing to deal with the over-priced, and work around the long wait, for flavor that was outstanding. Unfortunately, it kills me that a restaurant with great service & charming atmosphere can't deliver on the food end of things. I think a lot of these 5-star ratings are swayed by the authentic ambiance of Irori, not necessarily the quality of the dishes.
(2)
C H.
Not what it used to be - food not bad, service terrible. We used to go here a lot, but have not been there for a couple of years. We wanted to take some friends for a unique and delicious experience. We made a reservation for our group of seven; some of us arrived a little early and I tried to explain that we wanted to wait for the rest of our group, but the hostess wasn't having it. We were seated, and we apologized to our timely arrivals about being seated ahead of them. Our orders were taken promptly, drinks were brought out. Then the food started to arrive, but in a haphazard fashion, everything just sort of randomly placed on the table (which we expect with appetizers, but not with individual salads and soups). My order did not arrive with the others, but because this is a sushi place and we did order appetizers, everyone shared with me while I waited for my dinner, which was one of the meal "specials" (and quite expensive) that they had described for us (as in, not on the printed menu). I kept trying to catch the waitress's eye, because not only did I not have my meal, but our water glasses were empty and some of us never received soy sauce dishes for dipping the sushi. At long last, I was able to ask another server to send over our waitress. She seemed surprised I did not have my food; at this point, literally everyone else at the table had finished their meals. She left for a few minutes, came back and said my meal would be out in a few minutes. Our group was not in a hurry, so we laughed about it among ourselves. My "special" was supposed to be preceded by two appetizers, and it was - literally, she brought one appetizer, then after I finished that one, she brought the second, then after I finished that one, she brought my meal. At this point, we were feeling a bit annoyed. When my meal finally arrived, I ate some of it and shared it with the others (who politely ate it, even though they were done at that point), because, really, the whole meal process had gone quite long enough. And unbelievably, we were still having to request water refills at this point, because either they don't refill waters, or we were under a cloak of invisibility. There was no apology and no offer to comp a dessert, or take a percentage off. They did add a mandatory 18% tip to the bill. Normally, I add on to the mandatory tip to bring it at least to 20% if not more, but not this time. We won't go back.
(2)
Fiona L.
Loved it!! Food was great! Service was wonderful... But FYI: you will have to take your shoes off and leave them by the door. Will definitely be back!!
(5)
Diana H.
This is a cute place - you have to take off your shoes when you come in and leave it in the cubbies like you did when you were in pre-school. Decent service, good sushi. Aside from normal sashimi and rolls, we ordered the garlic scallops and OMG so good. Must try.
(4)
Sheree P.
IRORI - I love how this word is spelled the same front to back and vice versa. (Palindrome...per Leonard A. - Thanks for helping me find the proper term) Coolest sushi set up in LA hands down. They have these sunken seats that looked like you're sitting on the floor, but your feet is actually beneath the table...kinda like a mock tatami for those who can't kneel or squat for the entire meal true Japanese style. Shoes off is required...so please, keep personal hygiene at standards. Food here is amazing!! I am a bit spoiled by the fact that the owner is a friend so all I have to say is get me whatever is yummy and she will have kitchen whip up these delicious concoctions as I tend to get a bit indecisive when I look at their menu.....I want EVERYTHING. Yellowtail in ponzu sauce w/ jalapenos Ono/Albacore/Salmon Sushi Ama Ebi (they also make this miso soup with the giant ebi head) Blue Crab Roll (oooo....drools) What else, what else....thinking....still thinking Really, I become a gluttonous sloth when I come here and my brain stops functioning and all I can do is say "Bring On The Food" and relax and eat to my heart's content. If you don't know what to order from their vast menu selection, just ask the server their most popular dishes and you can't go wrong. p.s. Hiiiiii Saraaaah.....air kiss & wave....feeeeed meee!! :)
(5)
Alex F.
Best sushi place I've been to in LA yet, but 4 stars bc it's a little overpriced in my opinion. Got to have the crisyy rice tuna thing and the blue crab hand rool. Super fun atmosphere. You sit in the floor. Do not come here. It's mine. UPDATE: I've since been to this other sushi place on Centinela just south of Washington, and it's just as good, and cheaper--though no where near as cool to go to. For a date I'd definitely say Irori. For convenience the other place.
(4)
Jim A.
I've been going to Irori for about 10 years now. This is one of those hidden Gems that not a lot of people know of. The restaurant is located in the Marina Del Rey shopping center near the CVS store. One thing I love about this restaurant is the authenticity. When you enter the restaurant you are required to remove your shoes and then you can either choose to sit at the sushi bar or get a table. The tables are sunken which is kind of cool and many of the restaurants in Japan are like that. The atmosphere is what you can expect from a Japanese restaurant. The food is excellent..everything from the Benito boxes to the sushi, there are very few dishes that will not meet your expectations. The last time I visited was on 12/4/11 right after I went to see the Nutcracker with my friend Ariun. We sat at the bar area and ordered an array of sushi both rolls and sushi as well as edamame, fried calamari, green tea and mochi ice cream. I was very surprised by the bill considering the amount of food we ordered - the bill was less than $100. Overall, an excellent experience both from a food and setting standpoint.
(5)
Jeff Y.
This place is delicious. Good quality seafood at a reasonable price. I like it. But, beware: they make you take your shoes of which can be a bit strange if you're barefoot.
(4)
A L.
This is one of those places that I both love and hate that it's far away from me. I hate that it's far away for the obvious reason that I cannot eat it anytime I want...and I love it because I shouldn't be eating this anytime I want. Especially since a couple of my favorite items start with "Baked" or "creamy". YUM Likes: 1. Baked Creamy Oysters - I'm not an oyster fan and I like this! Just beware, they use chunks of salt to prop up the oyster shells for presentation purposes only...don't mistake it for chopped daikon! 2. Baked Garlic Scallops - these are not the tiny scallops, but the big meaty ones...comes 2 to an order with a garlicky ponzu sauce. SO good! 3. Yellowtail Collar - if you love collar, you'll love this. Better than the salmon collar IMO and I usually prefer salmon anything 4. Sashimi - FRESH FRESH FRESH! Good plus is that they're constantly busy so you know that the fish isnt just sitting back there waiting to be used. Busy sushi restaurants = fresher fish Dislikes: NONE! Things to note: This is one of those places where you have to take off your shoes and you sit on the ground, so make sure you're not wearing socks with holes or different colored socks as people WILL notice. Also...girls, don't wear short flowy skirts as many patrons may be afforded a free peepshow when you're walking to and from your table! Unless that's your thang...
(5)
Mark H.
Just ate there tonight. We were looking forward to a pleasant sushi dinner given the wonderful decor, but things didn't go so well once we sat down at the bar. The sushi chefs were Korean, and they seemed rude on purpose. We asked for the menu and they handed me a dirty, stained, and used sushi checklist / menu. Then, Justin (one of the sushi chefs), asked me to order with him when I already ordered with another chef. He then takes over one of our roll orders, and after handing it to us, leaves us without wasabi or ginger. We asked for it, and he chuckles and hands us some while asking if that was all we were going to order. We ordered an Alaskan roll, and I saw another chef make the roll, then halfway through making it stop, sighs, then dumps the meat that he touched back into the display before using a different meat. I didn't eat this roll, but my girlfriend did. Now she's a bit sick :(. Followup edit - our wait staff service was all right.
(1)
James H.
Must try the omakase!
(5)
kristie k.
Yummy yummy yummy!!! 5 stars for atmosphere and service. Take off your shoes and sit in a cozy underground floor table. Very authentic and homey feeling. We had the dinner combos, salmon teriyaki, beef and chicken teriyaki plus tempura. The combos come with miso soup and salad. Some also come with ice cream for dessert. Either green tea or red bean. The teriyaki sauce was soooo delicious! Large portions of protein and extra sides of bean sprouts, cucumber, and fruit. We left super full and extremely satisfied. This is a place that I will definitely revisit. GO TO IRORI!!!!!
(5)
Ari S.
Wow! This place was AMAZING! I came here tonight with a big group of people. I love that you sit on the floor (but with your legs in an opening under the table so it's not super uncomfortable) and take off your shoes. The service was so spot on and quick and friendly-- they were really on top of it. The sushi was sooo amazingly good and fresh... the great thing about going in a big group is we shared all different kinds of rolls and I got to try a little of everything. Everything was excellent. The spicy tuna roll with yellowtail and jalapeño on top was one of my favs. The Philadelphia roll was huge but really tasty. The salmon sushi was very fresh. Even the ginger was fresh. My water glass was always refilled. The desert was also very good-- we all shared mochi, fried green tea ice cream.. Yum yum yum. I think this may become my new regular place-- FINALLY, since moving to LA, and after reviewing countless sushi places, I've found one near me that I can truly rave about. The reason for minus one star is that it is expensive. Anyone know if they have a happy hour here? If not, they should definitely get one!
(4)
Mario R.
Came here on Valentine's day with my girlfriend never having been here. Went on nothing but Yelp reviews, took a risk and it paid off well. There are plenty of sushi restaurants in town but few have a real sense of presence. Yeah, some might scoff and say that sitting on the floor and eating with no shoes is gimmicky but I'd argue that eating out is not just about good food but good ambiance. This place possesses both. The wait staff is friendly and very attentive. Empty plates and bottles are quickly scooped away. The food was great and came to our table in a timely manner despite being very busy on Valentine's day, sushi tasted fresh, and the specialty rolls were well executed. Girlfriend enjoyed the experience as well and that is all important. I will come back and have their teriyaki dinner and some sake next time.
(5)
H C.
This place is very good. The place was clean. The servers are prompt and friendly. And the food is very very good. The sushi chefs look very serious about their sushi here. This is definitely where I will be getting my sushi fix. You have to try the Blue Fin Toro and the baked Blue crab roll! Thus place gets packed, so make reservations and don't be late.
(4)
Soly Z.
Hidden behind a dust cloud of construction and plywood, Irori Japanese Restaurant is your typical sushi spot in LA, but with a softer, more welcoming atmosphere. We came in for lunch about about 30 minutes prior to their pre-dinner closing hour, but that was pretty much lost in translation. We finally got the message when our waitress hurriedly brought our food and had the check in her hand at the same time. She stood above our table waiting for payment, even though we hadn't begun to eat yet. After she pointed to the clock and said "close", we got the message and quickly ate and paid. I wish they would have mentioned it before seating us, as we would have come back another time to enjoy the food and atmosphere for a meal that was less rushed.
(3)
Andi P.
I discovered Irori on accident one night, when my Dad and I couldn't decide what to eat for dinner. We have our usual LA faves (26 Beach, Cabo Cantina, etc.) but found ourselves with a hankering for some sushi. When seeking out help from my friends in twitter-land turned up measly suggestions, I of course turned to Yelp for help! Irori popped up as the closest option, as my Dad lives off of Tahiti Way in Marina. It is located in a strip mall which, prior to living to Vegas, I would have thought meant that it wasn't worth trying. However, here in Vegas, some of my FAVORITE places are in strip malls so don't ever let that discourage you! I digress - anyways, upon walking in you are directed to remove your shoes and place them in cubbies. Awesome. From door to decor this place is authentic! The servers don't speak very clear English but what does it even matter! They are so friendly and clearly understand 'Sake' and 'Sapporo' so we were set. We sat at the sushi bar (which is the only place you should ever really sit if you want the ultimate experience, duh) and I'm pretty sure tried almost everything on the menu. We were given tons of free things to try and stayed until they were read to close up. We've since gone back and taken other people with us and every experience has been as good as the first one. Try it! You won't be disappoined!
(5)
ashley m.
the very best sushi I have had on the westside of LA. Try "Omakase" (Chef's Choice). we didn't have one bad item. will definitely be going back.
(5)
Gabe K.
My GF is a sushi expert. She says: Sushi was excellent Prices were fair Service was outstanding (we both agree) Make sure you ask about the beer selection, as they have more than what's on the menu.
(5)
jen t.
Love the vegetable tempura roll - mmm...pumpkin tempura is delicious! Really nice interior and taking off your shoes before a meal makes it feel all warm and cozy like home (aside from the occasional stinky feet smell...ewww...) Service is super attentive and friendly! Also a big fan of their salad and the ginger dressing (I think it's ginger)...
(4)
Jocelyn S.
My husband and I went to Irori last night for our 11th wedding anniversary. We loved taking off our shoes and sitting on the floor. The sushi was amazing, so fresh, and flavorful. We are serious sushi connoisseurs & found the quality of the sushi at Irori to be high. The albacore with toasted onions was to die for! Our server was attentive and super adorable and friendly. She surprised us at the end with green tea ice cream and orange. As we were walking out, the whole staff waved goodbye. Great sushi and fun atmosphere!
(5)
Eric S.
This is the Marina Del Rey's best kept secret. I am a sushi snob, yet I never been disappointed here... The staff is polite and attentive the food is fantastic and fresh, they have a good sake selection and will make recommendations and even know where you can obtain particular sake outside their restaurant if you ask. There sushi menu is extensive as well. Request to be seated at the sushi bar and request Massa as your sushi chef for the ultimate dining experience. I highly recommend Irori for your next sushi outing, There is ample parking in the mall where Irori is located. You will find it next to the CVS tucked in the back... An unexpected location for such a great restaurant).
(5)
Blair K.
The place is a little different when you first walk in, because you have to take your shoes off and you sit on the floor. But your feet are dangling. So we sat at the sushi bar and everything we ordered was really good. However next time I go there I would like to sit at the tables so I can order from the grill also.
(4)
Carol S.
If you have athlete's foot or just came from the gym - just know that you will have to remove your shoes here. They provide shelves for your nice or busted kicks. The coolest thing about this place is the seating. Each table has a recessed area underneath so your feet just dangle (if you're a shorty). They have a wide variety of specials on the chalkboard. The dishes are small but delicious, the atmosphere is great, and the prices are reasonable. My favorite dishes: * Blue Crab Handroll * Japanese Albacore * Teriyaki Salmon * Yellowtail in ponzu sauce w/ jalapenos * Hamachi Kama * Red Snapper * Garlic Scallops (in the shell w/ garlic, ponzu, butter sauce)
(4)
Janet T.
My bf and I have been coming here for a few years now, Two to be exact. I found out about irori's during my first work related lunch. I was so blown away by the quality of the sushi and the cool chefs that I had to bring my bf here. After he tried their blue hand crab roll, he was a devoted follower. We would later frequent this place once or twice a month when we were in the mood for their yummy sushi. The moment you walk into the restaurant, you're required to take off your shoes and place them in little shoe compartments. The hostess then walks you to your table where you either sit on pillows or if you're lucky - you get to squeeze your legs into a huge open space underneath the tables (much more comfortable this way). If you get the chance to sit at the sushi bar, embrace the environment and be open to whatever they dish out. They also have plenty of specials on the chalk board that you could request directly from the chefs. My favorite dishes would have to be the: * spicy tuna on crispy rice ($6) for two pieces. * blue crab handroll - $5.5 * Slices of yellowtail in ponzu sauce w/ jalapeno's - $15 * Lobster Tempura with Spicy Sauce - $8 * Slices of Ono - $9 * Hamachi Kama - $7 * Chicken Karrage - $6 * Ankimo monkfish liver - $5.5 * Red Snapper - $6.5 * Surf Clam - 5 * Japanese scallop still in the shell w/ a little japanese ginger - $5 The list can go on but you get the idea. The dishes are really reasonable and the atmosphere is great. The only gripe would be having to use their slippers provided to go to the bathroom. I'm a little OCD so using slippers that 94792984826 people have used time and time again just seems a little unappealing. Other than that, great spot to grab a sushi dinner.
(4)
Mitra K.
I love this hidden gem in the Marina. I like the sitting on the floor thing and the cool cutouts for your legs. I really like the free-standing er.. sitting chairs at the sushi bar (reminds me of the spa in Koreatown). Our waittress was super friendly and nice, it's the kind of place that charges for jalapeños and mayo but hey - they've got bills to pay too, right? We tried a little bit of everything and it was fresh and satisfying (as sushi can get). Good spot to make a regular sushi habit.
(4)
Jan B.
I love the ambiance and the set up. Ur greeted by the host and asked to remove ur shoes. You are seated at a table that seems set on the floor but under the table is an opening where u sit on creating the illusion. The sushi quality good and it feels very authentic. I had the following: Seaweed sesame salad Garlic baked mussels Dynamite Alaskan roll Spicy tuna roll Yellow tail Baked scallop roll All very delicious. Loved their fresh squeezed lemonade. I would highly recommend this place to n e one. Very nice for a date. The plaza is under construction but don't be discouraged it's a different feel once you open the door :)
(4)
Luke R.
I have to admit, I was weirded out by the fact you have to remove your shoes to get a seat. And you basically sit on the floor with your feet in a hole in the floor. Whatever, it wasn't a big deal, just different. The sushi was very good. The size of the rolls was much larger than most places in SoCal. It reminded me a lot of San Francisco style fare. My friend and I got 5 or 6 rolls between us and the bill was about $40. Parking is abundant because the place is in a strip mall.
(4)
Dina W.
Not that this place needs another review, but it is the best sushi I have had in years. Too many great things to list but love the ono tacos and the Ginja roll. The salmon sushi was prob the best I've had. Make rezzies and clean your thriller feet because you take them shoes off! The service is spectacular, super nice folks.
(5)
Robert T.
Really nice quality of fish. Great prices. Excellent team of waitstaff that never missed a step of service after the order was taken. Only thing that was a minus was when the server asked if we have ever been there before (which we haven't) and then didn't further explain what was special about the place or gave any insight to the menu and how the "usual" dining experience works there. and now the food... -edamame, which came unexpectedly unsalted, 3 stars -seafood spring rolls (shrimp, halibut, crab, shiso, sweet and spicy sauce), 4 stars -Chilean Seabass with greens and a miso sauce, 5 stars -8pc Nigiri w/spicy tuna futomaki style (tuna, hamachi, albacore, octopus, seared tuna, whtefish, shrimp, salmon) so fresh! 5 stars - this came with a miso soup, small sunomono salad, and a green salad with a ginger miso dressing. A nice touch to round out the dish. 3 stars drinks... cupcake chardonnay small carafe of cold sake and a pint of asahi (draft) Bill was about $80 for two people and was well worth every penny definitely recommend this place! The tables are really fun to sit at since they make you take your shoes off at the door and your table top is only about a foot off the ground with your feet in a "hole" underneath. Will be back for sure!
(4)
Jess G.
Went for lunch with a friend. Service was excellent and lunch specials were decent, especially considering the quality. We each had the sashimi special. The salmon sashimi I had practically melted in my mouth and came with generous side items. My friend's tuna sashimi looked fresh and delicious. Would definitely go back.
(4)
David R.
Yelp didn't lie on this one. Lovely restaurant, friendly attentive service, fresh tasty food, novelty seating on the floor with lowered area for your feet under the table. Had the beef teriyaki and a vegetable roll. Girlfriend had spicy tuna sushi entree. Downsides are the hideous mall it's located in (but nothing atypical for southern CA) and the particle-board ceiling, but I was willing to overlook these things because of the value of the meal.
(5)
Brannon H.
This place was phenomenal. I sat at the bar and just let the sushi chef choose. He gave me single servings of about 10 things, none of which i had ever tasted and they were all delicious. I'm just visiting town, but will probably go back again tomorrow night.
(5)
LesleeShae J.
Love it here I feel so traditional at this sushi house; you must take your shoes off so I always wear my socks, then the tables are on the ground so you sit with your legs literally in the floor. good times, there is a great wine selection try the pear wine super sweet but worth a chance, sushi is traditional however there are also dinner plates with beef you may order. Service is spot on and super nice great place to try for the more trady experience.
(5)
Erica J.
The sushi gave me nothing to complain about. The hamachi melted in my mouth, and the masago was fresh and plentiful. My friend and I sat at the sushi bar, and the sushi chef was patient while we decided what to order. He even joked around with us when my friend wanted to order nothing but masago for the rest of the night. We got to try snow crab nigiri as a result. Tender and sweet, not rubbery. The spicy tuna roll had a great texture too, with an afterkick of heat without killing the fresh tuna flavor. I'd come again. But, I think that it is a bit pricy. Most of the nigiri was $5 to $5.50 for an order (2 pieces), which isn't bad, but definitely adds up if you're hungry. I've definitely had better for less, but it's still pretty good in my book. The quality of the fish, the humor of the sushi chefs, the relaxed ambience of sitting on the floor without one's shoes (with recessed wells for your legs to dangle) make it stand out from the many sushi restaurants around the westside, and I would come back.
(3)
Elizabeth E.
I lost my sushi virginity at this place. I was seriously anti sushi and would go and eat the Udon or tempura. Finally we were here with a big group for my fiance for his birthday and everyone was dying over the Japanese Albacore Sashimi with jalapeno and garlic, so I tried it and now I am HOOKED!! I love going to this place and won't go to many other sushi places because I insist on eating only the highest quality sushi out there. The only problem we have had here has been the wait when we forgot to make reservations or decide to go last minute. The service has always been great.
(5)
Maggie A.
I love this place because of it's effort NOT to be just another California sushi place. It's aiming to be authentic for the most part (there are some dishes that have that california twist which I tend to avoid). The owners have good intentions, and they have given the restaurant some personality that makes it memorable. If I have guests staying from out of town (specifically people from the midwest where they don't have much sushi, if any) I will bring them here for the whole experience - sitting with your feet down inside the floor, the well-lit sushi bar, going "shoe-less"... it's all part of the fun and makes the food seem that much better! I absolutely love the scallop appetizer. Wow. What a treat! (slightly expensive but worth it!). The sushi is a 3/5 for me.
(4)
Lindsey C.
Not sure how I stumbled upon this place since it's in a strip mall toward the back, but it's definitely a gem and makes authentic sushi (not all fried and Americanized). This place is: -Great to take guests -Have an intimate meal -Have authentic style seating (you have to remove your shoes and you sit on a raise floor, but there's a cut-out under the table to put your legs in) -Great sushi -A nice, clean classy place but you don't have to get dressed up This place is NOT: -Good for kids -Affordable TIP: GET THE OYSTER SHOOTERS. They are simply amazing!
(5)
Hannah H.
So I used to LOVE this place, but ever since they changed ownership and got all new peeps it really not the same quality, or service! It still is packed but everyone who used to go prob has noticed the difference. It used to be owned by a Japanese family and now a Korean money hungry guy owns it.
(1)
Michael S.
We've been coming here for the past 9 months about once a month since moving to Marina. It has become our go-to sushi place, in my opinion the best the area has to offer. The plusses: great, friendly service; wide selection of food (they made me an oyster shot, for instance, most sushi places don't seem to be able to do that); just the right amount of noise, not so loud that you have trouble hearing, but loud enough that nobody can really overhear you; pretty much everything we've eaten here has been great, and if we didn't enjoy something, it was due to a personal taste thing and not the food itself. Sushi experimentation is a safe adventure here. The only minus, and it really isn't one, is that it's located in a strip mall, and doesn't look like much from the outside. Once you walk inside, though, it's a whole different world, and frankly the strip mall to me is a plus because it means unlimited, non-valet, free parking! Not sure why people get all bent-out-of-shape over the no shoes thing, but a lot of people seem uncomfortable about it. I guess for that reason alone, it may not be a first or second date kind of place, but otherwise just realize that nobody else is wearing shoes and roll with it! Trust me, you won't be the first or the last to have holes in your mismatched socks there...
(5)
Karla H.
Pretty good!! Had udon....was not bad at all. I didn't order my business partner did. All I can say is that she made a lot of great selections. She ordered family style and everything was good
(4)
Parker B.
Amazing overall experience. Some of the best sushi and small plates around for the price. Brought my little one (3 years old) and she liked the food and fun, in ground, Japanese seating. Good, brisk service, and fantastic fish quality.
(5)
E L.
This used to be my favorite sushi place. But it is now under a new management. The chefs are all Korean and it's just not the same anymore. So so sad.
(1)
Kel S.
Love the atmosohere here. No shoes, tables cut out into the floor. Sushi as it was meant to be, and GREAT lunch specials... including bento boxes which will leave you full!
(5)
Tas D.
One of my favorite sushi places.
(5)
Anne W.
I have been here several times after a friend had told me this is the best it gets in LA and very similar to Japan. Beware of taking friends that don't do the raw thing.. or Asian thing. I don't think they'll like it. I like how you take off your shoes.. makes you feel very clean. The wait is long.. and right now they are under construction. Hostess is doubling as a waitress because we were waiting for a while. Tried several things.. I don't know if I got the wrong blue crab hand roll. I actually didn't like it that much... so I am hoping there was a secret roll not listed on the menu. Tried the sashimi with jalapeno.. that was good. Toro roll was pretty standard.. too ground up. I did like the tuna on crispy rice. We also tried Japanese scallop nigiri. Yum. Wish there was more of a suggestion on what to get.. maybe I needed to bring somebody Japanese.
(4)
Andrew R.
Amazing! Friendly staff, amazing sushi chef, floor seating, no shoes, just good times. Everything is amazing and incredibly fresh. All of the sushi chefs know what's going on! I love this place. It's quickly been a regular.
(5)
Ami T.
Unfortunately, Yuki is no longer there, but now Masa is the head sushi chef and Irori continues to be excellent. Although it lacks the "fun" aspect that I used to go for, the food is still good, and it has me keep coming back for more.
(5)
Natalia O.
This place has an spectacular ambiance! Nothing like these.. The food is always excellent and consistent. The Staff are very nice! Bring a good pair of socks ;) since you'll be ask to take your shoes off before entering the Dinner Area. A marvelous hardwood floors with authentic Japaneses seating style! This mean; there's no chairs! You sit in floor, but relax! there is a hole under the table where you can put your legs, and rest your knees! I've been continuously coming to this restaurant since I found it, and It never disappoint you. In fact! I'm Going tonight! I can't wait!!
(5)
Dave V.
Even though I've been in Los Angeles for three years now, I'm still tickled by the amazing food one can find in strip malls. This is exactly where you'll find Irori Sushi in Marina del Rey. I was out visiting my friend Joe who has a lovely little house in Venice. He and my friend Sherri had been raving about this place for weeks, so I finally forced them to take me there. Nestled amongst a SuperCuts, a nail salon, and a Pavilions, this unassuming location houses a quaint and authentic Japanese experience. One stashes one's shoes in a cubby before proceeding to one's table. But you won't find chairs - instead you'll be sitting on a pillow with your feet dangling into a cutout in the floor beneath your table. It's terribly cute and fun, but, unless you're sure you won't need to use the restroom, I would highly recommend wearing socks... yeah... As you might guess, the starving artist doesn't make a habit of eating sushi because it is largely not wallet friendly. But it is such a refreshing treat... especially when the weather gets hot... clearly I'm not that good at being a starving artist.... When I get a craving and find myself at a sushi place, I usually go for a combination platter, which offers a filling variety at a reasonable cost. My 6-piece combo was $19.50 and worth every penny, though I wasn't quite sure why the salmon in my California roll was ground up. Still good, though. We also shared some of the house's special rolls, including the "Irori Roll", which had smoked salmon, crispy rice, and cilantro. Nothing overwhelming to look at, but utterly amazing to eat. I also quite enjoyed the albacore on a crispy rice square (in the picture at the top right) - a lovely melding of textures and flavors. Fresh and crispy. Mmmm. Now, I never thought I would find myself saying this, but the service here is almost too thorough. I know, I can feel your rolling eyes and snickering. But check it out. At one point Sherri had taken the last piece of Sushi from one of the plates and, before she even got it to her mouth, a waitress swooped in and snatched the plate from beneath her. Similarly, I could barely take a few sips of water before someone was grabbing my glass to refill it. At first I thought this was impressive, but after a little while I began to feel almost claustrophobic - like they were hovering over me anxiously awaiting for me to make a move. And let's face it, whenever a waiter comes to the table the flow of conversation gets interrupted, which in turn just exacerbates the claustrophobia. Don't get me wrong, it was fine - the staff was all incredibly friendly. But, I couldn't help but take note... The verdict: I really enjoyed my experience here, even with overly thorough service, and look forward to returning and trying more of their house rolls, particularly the Ono, which my friends adore. If you're in the mood for something fresh, a little different, and not completely wallet-depleting, I would definitely recommend checking it out.
(4)
Lauren T.
Great sushi with a fun atmosphere Word of advice; don't wear socks with holes in 'em
(4)
Scott C.
This restaurant claims to be wheelchair accessible, but it isn't. There is traditional cushions on the floor, but no Western tables that are appropriate for handicapped or elderly patrons. Apparently, physically challenged diners are not welcome.
(1)
Kevin M.
Came here on a GrubWithUs event. I'd say it was only a moderately good Japanese restaurant... Starting with AMBIANCE, well, it's great in the sense that you get the "traditional" Japanese restaurant experience. Come in, take off your shoes, stick it in a shoe-box size hole, walk up the ramp, and then go sit down. No, you don't have to sit on your knees, they have cut out holes under the table so you can sit normally. Though, you still have to work on keeping your back straight ;) What about the bathroom, you ask? Well, it was nice of them to include 4 sets of sandals before entering the bathroom. These are single-person bathrooms, so 4 pairs are plenty. The noise level is pretty high. It could be attributed to the wooden floors and relatively low ceiling that keeps the noise bouncing around. That's alright though, it's a lively place more or less. LOCATION: It's in a mall with plenty of parking. Currently there's construction going on and it's near impossible to find the place without calling them. Give them a call, it's in a hidden corner that's currently all covered up. SERVICE Given this is an event that is planned weeks in advance between GrubWithUs and the restaurant, how could they place us on 2 different tables and not one big table? That's really an EPIC FAIL when you're out to meet new people. So they didn't reserve a big table and there were none when we all arrived (8 people). The person serving didn't have any hint of a smile, seemed like she was upset that noone ordered drinks and just wanted water. She would come with the food, and then would leave. No questions. Now I mean some of you might like that, but I'd have to say, it almost feels empty when your server doesn't ask what you think of the food, or introduce the food. I mean, the plop-down-and-go just doesn't feel right at a Jap restaurant. FOOD I'd have to say I've had better. The portions were just too small. For an event that they know has a fixed number of people (8), it would seem logical they would give enough pieces for all 8 people, right? Well, my table had 3 people. They gave 3 pieces sometimes and 2 pieces other times. That's quite stingy. I looked over at the other table and it was the same issue (they had 4 people). Flavor-wise, it was just so-so. The fish felt fresh in the rolls, but since we didn't have any sashimi, I don't know what the whole piece of fish tasted like. Sometimes, the mushed-together fish in a spicy tuna roll is not indicative of how fresh the fish is until you taste a slab of sashimi. They were stingy on the rice too... I mean, 3 people, come on, 2 rices? And they weren't even brought out at the same time! The rice bowls were not filled to the top (granted we didn't finish all the rice) but are you serious?! Overall, it was a disappointing eat, food/service wise. Except for the "experience" of taking off your shoes and all, I don't know if it'd be worth it. I might come back on my own just to try out their other dishes, but if the portions that we had are any indication, it'll be a disappointment as well.
(3)
Julie F.
Irori, your tempura and maki deserve a solid 4 stars. Everything tasted fresh and balanced. However, shitty service lost you two stars. Please.. You need a dedicated hostess, not a waitress with extra duties to seat people. I also don't like getting a serious lowballed wait estimate. We waited eons for a table, then was ignored by our waitress throughout the meal. Our order was also screwed up. The sashimi never came, but we were unable to get anyone to fix it. Maybe we were down so far to the floor, that you forgot we were there. Had to flag wildly for our bill to be fixed. Irritating service ruined the otherwise tasty sushi and nice atmosphere.
(2)
Stephanie C.
This was my favorite sushi experience in a long time. The place was under construction when i went and it seemed kind of sketchy. Once inside we were welcomed by a friendly host who showed us where our party was seated and guided us over after we took off our shoes (yeah you take off your shoes!!) from a distance looking into the dining area, it looks as if everyone is having a nice intimate dinner seated on the floor, once we got to our table we realized you actually seat with our feet under the table but it looks like everyone is just seated on the floor, hard to explain, really cool if you're there. Our friend ordered a ton of sushi, I only cared about one thing, the TORO. and it was amazing, every dish that was brought out to us was so fresh and so flavorful. I cant wait to go back. actually right now sounds good.
Great Sushi, great ambiance! I have been coming here for over 15 years now and it is always a nice experience.
(4)
Julia B.
I came here for lunch today. This place is really great! Reasonably priced with generous sized rolls. I had the spicy tuna roll which had a good amount of spice but not so much that its overwhelming. I also had a shrimp tempura roll that was definitely my favorite of the two. The most unique thing about this place is they ask you to take off your shoes before you sit down. The seating is literally IN the floor. Your legs dangle below the floor in a type of table/pit hole. Pretty cool! I'd definitely come back here for lunch.
(4)
Anita W.
I've been on a hunt for a good sushi place for awhile now...and the hunt has been incredibly disappointing the past few months. There are way too many sushi joints out there that need not exist. I used to go to Omino in Chatsworth - it was just goodness all over. But I don't go out there as often now and recently relocated to Marina Del Rey. So, with the help of yelp, I found Irori. It's kinda hidden in a little corner of the shopping center but it is totally worth looking for. Go in, take your shoes off, and prepare yourself for a tasty experience. When I went we got the agedashi tofu, chicken teriyaki entree (comes with salad, soup, a BIG plate of chicken, rice, fruit, sides of pickled cucumber and bean sprouts), spicy scallop roll, rainbow roll, eel avocado roll, and scallop sushi. Chicken was plentiful and the teriyaki sauce was right on, fish was fresh, rolls made me happy happy (sushi rice was done right and they use real crab in their CA roll!), service was attentive...I don't want to write a book but Irori just does it right. Go get yourself some awesomeness right now and try out Irori.
(5)
Mr P.
Good food but expect a wait. They don't accept call in reservations. - otherwise I would be giving a solid 4 stars over 3.
(3)
Annamarie L.
A change in ownership did not have to mean a decline in the taste or quality of the food offered but in this case, I'm afraid it does. It was good while it lasted.
(2)
Soozie H.
When it comes to sushi, I've got a bottomless pit. Being that I only order sashimi, I usually spend $100+ on myself and am at times forced to ask for a separate check. I have made it a point of stopping by Irori's whenever I am in town and have never been disappointed. I've been there a few times already and still think about their Bluecrab Handroll which is damn YUMMY! The first time I was taken here, I was a bit skeptical of how great this sushi restaurant could be given it's somewhat strange location in a shopping plaza?! Well, after having the pleasure of savoring their unique appetizers and to DIE FOR SASHIMI, I'm a total fan!
(4)
Suzanne R.
When you think of eating sushi from a place in a strip-mall, I'm sure you're quick to judge...but think again! Irori is a home of delicious, affordable sushi and sake in a neat atmosphere. Plus, plenty of free parking! There is rarely a wait, but it usually isn't long. Once your party is called, you'll be required to take off your shoes, and escorted to a table...where you sit on the floor! But don't fret if you've got knee problems or go there wearing a cute skirt, there's a convenient "leg cubby" whole under the tables where you can comfortably sit. The wait staff is very attentive, the rolls are delicious and sake is flowing. Moderately priced, great location - Irori is a sushi gem.
(4)
Victoria J.
First of, whoever designed the interior of Irori - Shout out 'cuz it's awesome. You walk in and you immediately have to take your shoes off - NO SHOES ALLOWED PEOPLE - and put your shoes in a book case/shoe holder that is by the front door. My friend and I opted to sit at the sushi bar, which you kind of have to dive into. You sit on the floor, while your feet dangle beneath. We split a Seaweed salad, my friend had a Rainbow Roll and Unagi sushi which he very much enjoyed. I opted for Sea Urchin sushi, (obviously), Eel sushi, Yellowtail sushi, and Bluefin Toro sushi as it was the special. Everything was very fresh, but I was seriously disappointed about the Bluefin Toro. Honestly, it had no flavor and this is Toro = fatty = flavor, but alas, no flavor. And at $12 an order, I would have hoped for flavor. The best part about this place is the sushi chefs. They're behind the counter, making jokes, laughing ridiculously loud, sipping on beer, enjoying themselves, which in turn makes every patron in the restaurant enjoy him/herself.
(4)
Anna V.
Best sushi in town, hands down! I've been coming here for years and the fish is always fresh and the staff is friendly.
(5)
Ernest F.
Everything was excellent! Staff was extremely friendly and helpful
(5)
Cindy H.
Oh my goooginess people, Irori is honestly a gem! Who would've thunk a place like this is sitting next to a Radio Shack & Nail Salon?! As soon as I walked in, all of my senses instantly knew this place is legit. The ambiance and aroma of fresh sushi put me in such a great mood. I love that you have to take your shoes off. It totally reminded me of Japan when I studied abroad there. The recessed seating for your feet under each table was another plus for me. All I wanted to do was try everything on their menu pretending money aint no thang. Here's what my friends and I shared: * Black Cod - Holy Lord this is to die for, try it as an appetizer, you'll die. * Oyster Shooters - These suckers are irresistable, honestly, we kept ordering more throughout our dinner. Had about 4 total. The oysters are swimming in a pool of ponzu sauce w/green onion and a quail egg in a tiny champagne flute. I'm still daydreaming about going back for more shooters. * Mackerel Shioyaki - comes with rice, soup, and salad. Love that the Mackerel comes to you in a bento box with little side dishes (pickled cucumbers). * Spicy Tuna & Spicy Yellowtail Roll * Nigiri - My bf wouldn't share (jerk), but he said it was the freshest he's ever had. If you're ever in the area, this is the place to try for sure. Make sure to call ahead and make reservations because they get crowded pretty quick. Also, don't wear stinky socks and ladies, no pencil skirts!
(5)
Adam M.
Great sushi. Traditional style. Best crab hand roll. And Irori Clams/.
(4)
Shirley P.
I'm a HUGE fan of Irori. This place really is thee BEST Japanese restaurant in LA. VERY FRESH fish, the food is absolutely DELICIOUS and all the employees are friendly and professional. Irori definitely deserves 5 stars!
(5)
J H.
I love the lunch special! It's such a great deal...sashimi with a choice of 2 items... I get the spicy tuna and the Cali roll. Plus salad, miso soup, rice, side pickled veggies...all for a very reasonable $12.50!!! Totally worth it. I love/hate the idea of removing the shoes at the door. Feels so authentic Japanese... yet I'm paranoid of other patrons' foot hygiene! Lol! Anyway, I never tuck my feet under the table and always walk tippy toe to the table if I'm not wearing socks. In my last visit though, there was a strand of hair in the sashimi, which I informed the servers. They took my plate away. I thought they'd just lie and remove the hair, but I saw them dump the sashimi and I got fresh helping! Thumbs up! Just wish these guys were closer to my home so I can try them for dinner.
(4)
Cherie H.
Still a huge fan of Irori. Usually our meal comes to no more than $50 a person no matter how much we eat or drink. Great value for delicious sushi.
(5)
Danielle B.
Great Sushi place tucked in the strip mall next to Pavillions. Plenty of parking. You know a place is great when it survives being shut down for construction/doesn't look open - yet when you walk inside is completely packed. Best Dishes: Crispy Rice - Albacore - then Spicy Tuna Yellow Tail Collar Baked Crab Handroll (though not as good as Katsu-ya in the Valley Yellow Tail Sashimi Know before you go - you will need to take your shoes off and reservations will be helpful on the weekends - although it will still be packed after 7:30 PM. The sushi chefs are super nice and there seems to be a younger one that on a few occasions has attracted the female clientele's attention. A bit pricy but worth it.
(5)
R B.
I frequent this place a lot; the ambiance, food and service are great. Although, the service at the bar is better than at the tables. The sushi is unbelievable - fresh, creamy, and cool. My favorites are the hamachi sashimi and the salmon sushi. They have a very good selection of sake and cooked items from the kitchen. I usually order the baby lobster dynamite and the calamari salad in addition to items at the sushi bar. Koko is the best sushi chef - he's hilarious and makes any roll we ask for. Sometimes the wait can be long, so it's best to call beforehand and put your name down. This place is perfect for an entertaining and delectable evening.
(4)
Justin S.
Favorite Sushi restaurant in Marina del Rey/ Venice/ Santa Monica. Extremely friendly staff and outstanding sushi. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
John A.
Great sushi spot in Marina del Rey. Sushi is fresh and delicious. Love how they make you take off your shoes too. Highly recommend Irori! Looking forward to coming back soon!
(4)
I Love Barbie B.
Wow, thank you Yelpers for helping us find this place. We went last night and it was amazing! It was difficult to find, but knowing about the construction in the Pavillions shopping center, that really helped us zero in on where it must be. The tip that it is an authentic Japanese restaurant, meaning sans shoes and a cushion for a chair helped us prepare. The table with the sunken floor for your feet was a welcome comfort to my husband and I who are both 6' tall. The staff, hostess, waiter and chefs were all so warm and personable. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the attention as we were venturing to try our first sake. The appetizers of very flavorful and warm Miso soup and perfectly steamed Edamame started the meal well. Our spicy tuna roll and blue crab roll were excellent. I highly recommend the Sushimi sampler. For less than $20 you get 10-12 premium cuts of 4 different sushimis. Great for trying different things. I loved it! Thank you again Yelpers for the reviews. It is a great place and with just a little knowledge of what to expect, we had an amazing experience! We will definitely be back again and again.
(5)
Kevin T.
The first Japanese restaurant I've tried in the Torrance area after moving here about a month ago. I usually eat at discount, "Half off sushi!" places where the half-price is basically their normal price, so this is my first time at a bit more expensive Japanese establishment. Cool thing is, you go in, and you have to take off your shoes. Then, you walk on a raised area to your table, which has a sunken spot underneath for your feet. It's pretty cool to see a very traditional Japanese setup, except you don't have to worry about kneeling or sitting indian style. Pretty smart! I ordered the una-jyu eel rice, which was a much bigger portion that I expected! The salmon roe and hamachi roll we ordered tasted fresh and crisp, and were good. My only gripe was that the eel was a bit burned, so the flavor was a bit off. Other than that, I had a great time there. The waitresses were really attentive, and the total price was quite reasonable for a Japanese restaurant.
(4)
Rob R.
Great food, good atmosphere. Me and my girlfriend went here for dinner one night. I have never been to a Sushi restaurant that features oldschool Japanese dining where you take your shoes off and eat at floor level. Also, we ordered something that we thought was a lobster roll but turned out to be a lobster tail itself. When we were surpised (and not the good kind) they promptly took it back without a charge or a dirty look... Good service.
(4)
Devon G.
Came here for dinner Thursday night for the first time with an out of town friend and loved it! It is very cute and small, very welcoming! We tried a few different rolls and BY FAR, our favorite was the Irori Roll! I HIGHLY recommend you try this roll when you go, you wont regret it!
(4)
Rosanna S.
Try the salmon skin salad. It's huge but not too filling. They give plenty of fried salmon and the dressing is delicious. I had this for dinner and it was enough for me.
(4)
Wendy P.
I love the ambiance here. This is probably one of my favorite sushi restaurants to go to, and their prices are reasonable ($7 black cod and $11.50 Chilean sea bass). Been a few times and their fish has always been fresh (yellowtail always). We got the blue fin toro for $12 for 2 pieces and that was b u t t e r. Literally melted in my mouth. Amazing. Raved about it to my friend, and now she's planning her birthday dinner there. Yay!
(4)
A Y.
We used to come here all the time. Tonight was our last time. The change is obvious as soon as you walk in the door. New owners have no idea how to run a nice Japanese restaurant. Servers were walking all over the seat cushions with their street shoes. I saw one server smear rice all over the table while cleaning it and then proceed to set the table on top of the smeared rice. Nice. I felt like I was in a fast food sushi joint.
(1)
Kimberly H.
My motto in life is that I'll try anything at least twice. Twice? Why twice? A restaurant may have a bad night, we all have our bad nights, so whose to say that a restaurant (or dish) isn't worth a second chance? The same ideology was applied to Irori. When I first moved into Marina del Rey I dined here with my roommate and her boyfriend. Provided that we didn't call in for a reservation I understood that there was a wait and provided that we were an odd number, I understood that there was anticipation of an even longer wait. However, I did NOT anticipate waiting and feeling ignored while the hostess/waitress shuffled other guests and her buddies ahead of us in line. BUT the food was great. I enjoyed the ambiance...so much that I took the chance and took my mother upon her arrival into town. My mother is NOT a diva. She waits her turn and doesn't speak against the person in authority because she understands there are rules and its their job to run things a certain way. Returning to Irori nearly 6 months later and this time coming in as a pair I anticipated faster service in being seated, ESPECIALLY since it was later at night and the dinner rush had pretty much boiled over...WRONG. We were told a wait of 30 minutes - fine. We came into an empty waiting area and happily sat down and waited our turn. While catching up on old and new news we saw the waiting area flush with people and flush out just the same and still after nearly an hour had not been seated with two tables clearly visible of vacancy. RUDE. RUDE. RUDE. It wasn't until after BOTH my mother and I had said something to the hostess and pointed out the empty tables that she finally seated us. After that point, the waitress had offered some great suggestions for things to order, but the final straw on this restaurant burned to a crisp when she forgot to place our order for our dishes which resulted us waiting an additional 30 minutes for our meal. Ambiance - great Food - great Location - meh Parking - lots Service - make a reservation or you might die waiting for a table, especially if you come in odd and/or prime numbers IRORI - I love your chefs, I really do, but please hire at least one more person to manage your waiting area and demonstrating effort and kindness in seating your patrons.
(2)
Jimmy S.
I'm Japanese and the food was good so maybe that might help some people if they're iffy about going? The restaurant has a very nice quite yet warm and friendly atmosphere which is something i like when i come here. You have to take off your shoes so make sure to where nice socks if you're going here on a date.
(5)
sylvia a.
Sophisticated and classy! Food is fresh, service is just the best. Love the seating arrangements and the dim lighting too. Great for dates and family dinners as well!
(5)
Erika S.
All I have to say is tht this place is AMAZING! Seriously, the best place for sushi hands down (so far...) Yes, you do have to remove your shoes, so it was a good thing my friend recommended I take socks! I also love the fact that they have you sit on the floor, but don't be alarmed for there is a hole under the table to put your legs through. So in essence, you are on the floor but in sitting chair positiion. I love it!!! Highly recommend the Yellowtail Jalapeno! Melted in my mouth and please please please try the lobster tempura tail!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! Overall a great experiance, I will DEFINITLEY be coming again!!
(5)
Mary D.
I have dined at other Japanese restaurants where you remove your shoes but Irori was still unique despite my experiences. So we made 9:00 reservations and thank God that we did because it was pretty crowded. Upon entering the restaurant you will see little cubbies they provide to place your shoes prior to entering the dining area. We were a about 15 mins. early but was seated about 9 o'clock (on time, that's a plus). The hostess lead us to our seats and it was a task to get into my seat lady like with a dress on. It was quite humorous watching people get in and out of their seats haha. Anyways, yuck! there was stuff on the floor that I can feel under my feet. Most likely it was crumbs that others left behind and granted it is hard for a restaurant to control that. My tip: wear socks! ;) The hostess placed 3 menus on our table that was each front and back. In addition to the specials behind the sushi chefs and all the menus... my head was spinning from all the choices. That's when yelp is totally handy to help make some choices. Ok the important stuff: FOOD! Sashimi Albacore Jalapeno Sauce: nice size pieces complimented with a delicate ponzu sauce that wasn't overwhelming and a bit of fried onions on top. Only disappointment to me was that it wasn't spicy. Life is better spicy folks! :) Ono fish tacos: Out waitress suggested this dish and I am glad that she did. We were happy to see that this dish is made to share. It was 4 servings. I think the ono fish was lightly battered and fried on like maybe a wonton shell (little thicker) with their salsa. Good flavor and texture. Try this one. Baked blue crab handroll: they have baked and not baked. we tried the baked because the waitress said it was richer. It was good! I was happy that it didn't come in that typical drenched mayo style that many restaurants tend to serve their baked dishes. You can totally taste the blue crab in it. Oysters: this was really good. shucked to perfection - clean and the oyster just slid off the shell. They serve this with a light ponzu sauce and a bit of masago and green onions. Blue fin Tuna: the color was really fresh. A nice shade of red. It did melt in your mouth. We tried other things on the menu that was all pretty good. The only meh item that we did have was the white chocolate creme brulee. It had macadamian pieces in it but it was just ok. I could have done without. Dinner for my lover and I totaled at $105. We did get to try a lot of things on the menu (receipt said 12 items). Resonably priced items for innovative and unique FRESH sushi. Funny and true story: when we were leaving some girl was looking for her shoes. Apparently, someone probably left with the wrong sandals. That sucks!
(4)
Neli S.
Love this place. Good food, good prices, good service. Make a reservation or you'll complain about the wait!
(5)
Travis L.
I accidentaly came across this restaurant one weekend, and happened to go inside. First off, the food was amazing! The quality of the sushi is really good! Second, the service was great! Particularly this one very friendly hostess made my stay more enjoyable! the atmosphere was great, highly recommend! You should try it out!
(5)
G A B.
freshest sushi i've ever gotten
(5)
Marc N.
The place looks awesome. Japanese style tables (you can kneel or put your feet in the hole in the ground), Japanese waitresses, Japanese cooks. You have to remove your shoes too if I remember correctly... could be wrong though. Food was great. The salad dressing they use would make anything taste good in my opinion. Yellowtail was very melt-in-you-mouth awesome. Tuna was... not so much. But I've frequented the same sushi restaurants several times and sometimes the fish is good and sometimes the fish just isn't as awesome. All depends on the catch I suppose? /shrug You won't have a problem parking. I had a great experience there, and would choose this place if bringing a friend out for lunch.
(5)
Nicole A.
Didn't really see what all the hype was about. Ill have to try again.
(3)
Logan The H.
One of my favorite sushi restaurants. The price is extremely reasonable for the amount of food, service is always attentive and you can tell they are working very hard, food is delicious and the atmosphere is cool and makes you feel like you're enjoying a dining-out experience. As others have posted, this is a restaurant where you take off your shoes and sit on the floor, but you don't have to sit cross-legged as they created little holes in the ground for you to comfortably put your feet. The lunch specials are an amazing value and always leave me full. Dinner is equally delicious though a little more pricey than lunch. The sushi is always fresh and tasty. I have never had bad sushi here. Parking is ample since this is in a strip mall. It is hard to find, though, if you've never been so just look for the CVS Pharmacy and Irori is right next door. I've also never had to wait too long for a seat here, even when they're packed. They do take reservations so you might want to make the call if you have a larger party.
(4)
Keiichi H.
My favorite japanese restaurant! The atmosphere is amazing. I love that you have to take your shoes off and sit on the floor. It is definitely an experience. The baked garlic mussels were delicious, I probably had 4 orders. They have 4 different Natto dishes (I love Natto). Priced well, almost couldn't find it (tucked away in the shopping center).
(5)
Jessica Y.
Muy delicious. Really this place blew me away. It's super unassuming - it's next door to a nail salon - but really delivers on all levels: service, atmosphere, quality, and value. A few co-workers and I came here for a business lunch meeting and spent about 2 hours in heaven. We really couldn't stop jabbering away after returning to the office; not to mention that it helps that we were accompanied by a charming, handsome man. Us four girls and 1 man (yes, man) each ordered a miso soup and side salad and shared the following: + 2 Eel avocado rolls + Salmon Sashimi + 2 Spicy tuna rolls + Spicy yellowtail roll + Philadelphia roll + Tempura roll + 2 Spider roll Really, we feasted and had a blast. Service as A+ excellent and they were super helpful since we got there as they were about to close for dinner prep. As a sushi lover and frequent Little Tokyo diner, I've had my fair share of quality sushi and I can confidently say that Irori is up there with the rest of them!
I can't agree more with the previous reviewer, Amy D. "Eat great sushi. Know the difference". Having grown up in Hawai'i, sushi was a staple of my diet and it was always, ALWAYS amazingly fresh. Thats what you will find at this authentic Japanese hole-in-the-wall restaurant tucked away in MDR. In my opinion, beats the heck out of Katsuya or Katana, especially what you get for the price (although Nobu still has some unbeatable hot dishes). But the sushi is totally equivalent, trust me. Its fun too! You take off your shoes, sit with you feet under the table where a space has been removed so you have the traditional Japanese Dining Experience without the discomfort most westerners would experience! How neat! I love it there and always make sure to take friends and family who are visiting me in LA. TIP: The asparagus is to die for, and the eggplant is really hot when they serve it so don't burn your tongue like I always do!
(5)
Lindsay V.
The atmosphere here is nice. Sitting on the floor is somewhat unique in that you're not sitting cross-legged--there is an empty space under the table for your toes to dangle. The hardwood floors are cool, and it's interesting how soon you get used to watching the waitstaff shuffle by. For lunch, I had the Teriyaki Chicken with California and Spicy Tuna roll lunch special ($11). The lunch special comes with soup and salad-- both really good. I thought the chicken could have been slightly leaner, but the sauce was just right--not too strong, salty, but still flavorful. The California and spicy rolls were both decent, but not the best I've ever had. I was expecting more spicy on the tuna. If you're here for dinner, I suggest getting a variety of rolls, and leaving room for the creme brulee dessert. It's a delicious twist on the classic creme brulee with added fruits and a drizzle of syrup. The rolls are typically very fresh, and flavorful. This isn't my very favorite sushi in the MdR area, but it's definitely a good stand-by; I know I'll always get great service and good food.
(4)
Kate H.
I'm a sushi snob and I finally found a local place to frequent! First, the seating is awesome. You sit on the ground, but there is a sitting space for your feet and legs under the table. The sushi is very fresh and everything we got was absolutely delicious. A couple favorites were the spicy tuna with crispy rice, spicy tuna roll, and the hot night. The only downside is that their special rolls can be expensive...$18+, but well worth it for the taste and quality. Great service as well, we had to wait only about 15 minutes to be seated on a Friday night without a reservation!
(5)
Ryan A.
Oh Marina Del Rey residents, Ye hath lost faith in y'all. 4 Stars??! My main item (Sake Nigiri) and Spicy Tuna roll, both were sub par quality. They garnish the spicy tuna roll with some four leaf clover like stem standing straight up as if it were planted in the roll. Though this is was obviously an attempt to aesthetically arouse you, it was still quite odd. Overall the service was okay and I'm ending this review here because they don't deserve my time. If you are a skeptic, be my guest and step right up. Peace.
(2)
Kathy T.
Yes! Finally! A restaurant that asks me to take my shoes off and sit on the floor. It's like being at home, but the food is better. I kept hearing about this sushi place in Marina Del Rey where you sit on the floor. All I keep thinking to myself is COOL! Sign me up! So, I grab the boyfriend and we're on a little adventure to Irori. We walked in and the very first thing they asked us to do was politely take off our shoes. So....Awesome. The waitress walked us to a wooden table approximately two feet high, where we had mats and sat on the wooden floor. Now reader, I'm someone who definitely judges a restaurant by the chairs, but this was just such a great idea and very memorable. Don't worry - you don't have to sit Indian style - there is a hole underneath the table in order to put your feet down in. We ordered Miso Soup, Spicy Tuna Roll, Eel Roll and a Yellow Tail hand roll. I know what you're thinking reader - it sounds boring. We wanted to go with the staples that we typically order as the litmus test. As you know reader - sushi gets pricey, so before we invest a mutual fund on some fish, we like make sure our staples are solid. Which, judging by the amount of stars I gave this place - each roll was delicious. So, we decided to get deep fried tempura ice cream. They had green tea or red bean flavor. We flipped a coin and went with the red bean ice cream. Heads up - it takes a few minutes for the ice cream to come out since they fry it fresh. But I kid you not - the ice cream was set down and I kid you not - gone in 60 seconds! (What was Nick Cage doing at our table eating our ice cream!) I blinked and it was gone. So yummy! Parking - oh so easy. There's so much parking space all over the place because you've got your Pavilions, the strip mall area. It's just really easy. That's a huge plus there. I'll definitely be back - the ambiance and decor is great. The staples were delicious. And that ice cream!
(4)
FiveSeven F.
Karaage rocks Some rolls have WTF price Order off menu
(4)
Jorge A.
Simply my favorite place! A little pricy but worth it. Always always get packed. People waiting by the door all the times. Nice environment.
(5)
Dhea S.
Wow, what a gem! First and foremost, you have to take your shoes off and sit on the ground, so be aware of that. The seared albacore and baked lobster roll were unforgettable. I loved that it wasn't uber pretentious like every other good sushi restaurant in LA I've been to thus far... service was on point. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Michelle L.
Been a return customer for 7 yrs. Great ambiance and excellent quality food. The yellow tail collar is always prepared just perfect tender and fall off the bone. The chilean bass is deliciously prepared in a miso (not overly sweetened) glaze. The salmon, yellow tail, tuna is always fresh and a nice portion. Shoes off at door, so remember to be considerate to your dining neighbors ;)
(4)
Brittany N.
My boyfriend and I have been here twice together, but he's been going for years. All I can say is that the Teriyaki Chicken is THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD! I am not a sushi fan, and haven't tried the sushi here, but I will continue going back for the Teriyaki Chicken or Beef meal time and time again. For $12 you get; a small green salad with dressing (it tastes kind of like Thousand Island dressing), a small bowl of miso soup with chunks of tofu, a tray with sliced teriyaki chicken/beef, a bowl of white rice, and three small dishes of tangy cucumber salsa, bean sprouts, and mixed fruit. As you will read from the other reviews, the atmosphere is so unique and novel! You will be asked to take your shoes off at the door and place them in little cubbies. Then you will be seated on a cushion on the floor; your feet go underneath the short table into a cut-out in the floor. I have never been uncomfortable seated this way. A few notes: NO FREE REFILLS! So plan accordingly. This restaurant is kid-friendly and I know my younger sisters would adore it. However, one of the times we went, a family of maybe 6-8 let their kids run around the restaurant, which is highly annoying when you're seated on the floor. So please, if you bring your children, make sure they will appreciate the novelty of the restaurant and not use it like a playground. Also, if you are going on a Friday or Saturday night, MAKE RESERVATIONS! We waited an hour once for a table (it's just that good). You can also order to go/for pick up. Another nice little detail: When you have your food boxed up to go home after your meal, they will throw in an extra scoop of white rice. :] My boyfriend and I usually get out the door for under $25.
(5)
Kia Z.
Awesome atmosphere, tables are 'ground level' and you get inside a pseudo-bunker around the tables. Very asian feel, friendly staff, super fresh fish. You'll need to take your shoes off, so prepare accordingly. It does get busy, but you can also make reservations. When it's super busy, the sushi bar is the way to go.
(4)
Lollie C.
Mmmm I love my sushi and this place does a fabulous job. I love everything about it except for two things: 1) It's unreasonable to charge and extra $3 for crunchy tempura flakes to go on top of a roll. We make our own sushi occasionally and bought a 6 ounce bag at the grocery store for $2. Now, we just get the rolls to go and throw our own tempura flakes on there! 2) Sometimes if you stay too long, the wait staff will sort of "encourage" you to hurry up and leave so they can have a higher turn over by continually dropping by your table and asking if there is anything else they could get for you. Usually, one might think this just means that they are extremely diligent workers but when they keep stopping by every five minutes after they have cleared all your plates and you're just trying to finish your drink it's a little irritating. Oh, and we totally saw Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack from Saved by the Bell) there one night with his family :)
(4)
Elaine Y.
This place gets very crowded. If you decide to go over this restaurant, i highly suggest having reservations. I am not quite sure why this place has so many stars. My issues are the following: 1. We were the only asians in the restaurant. I am kind of a sushi snob, where I would hope there are some Japanese folks in the place. 2. The service was so-so. 3. The miso soup were in these large bowls and they gave you a spoon to eat it. The miso used was wrong. it was the darker kind, which is not right for proper miso soup. 4. There are a lot of non-traditional sushi. My friend loves this, I am more of a traditionalist. To summarize my opinion is that this is a sushi restaurant where west LA non-asians feel they are being ethnic by going to an authentic place (because you have to take off your shoes to go into the restaurant). As my friend calls it- "it's a Hollywood Sushi place in MDR." and not an authentic sushi joint.
(1)
Jeanette L.
Irori is spectacular! Their sashimi is delish and their appetizers are fantastic. I sound like their cheerleader, but really...i have gone here with over a dozen different people and have never seen anyone leave unsatisfied. I may be totally off, but I don't think that even the sashimi I had in Japan was better. Maybe it was, but my sashimi/sushi experiences at Irori are at least comparable! I don't LOVE the fact that you have to take off your shoes, but that's mainly because I am a germaphobe. But, the floors are clean and I have never left with dirty socks! :) Oh ya, the butter lettuce wraps (scallops) and their wild salmon sashimi are my favorite things on the menu.
(5)
Kate R.
Absolutely fantastic! Had nigeri and green tea so good! Service was quick and polite. Got to sit on the floor. Very traditional Japanese. And great price!! Got a full meal for 30$ and that included soup, salad, 9 piece sushi, two piece side, and fantastic sweet potato dessert, plus complementary tea. Definitely going back!! With friends!
(5)
Scott C.
This visit, I never got a chance to savor the flavors of the food. I tried to eat as quickly as I could. The busser kept pacing past my table like they were waiting for me to hurry up and finish.
(1)
Janna R.
Every review I've read and everyone has said nothing but great things about this restaurant. We came on a busy Friday night but it was no problem, we didn't mind the 15 min. wait. Honestly, they were the kindest, most accommodating hosts and servers Ive experienced in a while. They really made the extra effort on everything they did for us. So I was a little disappointed when we finally got our sushi. We ordered the norm, tuna, albacore, yellowtail, salmon.. etc. I don't know if we got a bad batch of fish or what, but they were not fresh. It was a bit soggy, kind of mushy and the texture felt like its been sitting for a while.. When we tasted it we both made a face, like what is this? Obviously very discreetly. it was very fishy and just not good at all. I thought the other ones would be better after we ate the first ones, but they were all the same. Needless to say, we were very unimpressed. I love seafood and I eat alot of it so I can tell fresh from not so much. I.wanna go back to give it a chance but probably wouldn't wanna risk it and just go to our fav sushi spot. The free green tea I've cream was good though! Best I've had.
(3)
Jo Anne S.
I have to disagree with Elaine Y. My husband and I have been to Irori numerous times in the past few months and each time there are Japanese patrons, myself included. The miso is served in a small bowl, approximately 3-1/2" diameter with a lid. Many Japanese mix the white and red miso paste when making miso soup; the red adds a "depth" to the taste. I thought the miso soup was tasty. True, they serve it with a Chinese-style soup spoon, but you can always use your chopsticks if you prefer. Enough rebuttal. We all have our opinions. Irori offers a wide variety of sushi for the sushi lovers. Personally, I don't care for fancy rolls. They serve all the "usuals" to satisfy any sushi purist. The fish is ultra fresh. The teriyaki salmon was yummy and a good-sized portion. The black cod melts in your mouth. The pickles they serve with some of their meals were great. Best takuan I've ever had. On the downside, the chicken udon was a little lacking in flavor. My husband had to add shoyu (soy sauce). As everyone mentions, the seats are on the floor with wells for your legs. This is a little difficult to get down to and up from if your legs are rickity. Don't wear a short dress! If you do, I suggest you sit at the sushi bar which has normal chairs. Their prices are very reasonable. Overall, my husband and I enjoy going to Irori and will continue to visit. Although we have never had a problem getting seating (2 of us), they do recommend reservations.
(4)
Frank M.
Upon walking in you will notice a stack of small shoe holding box. This place you eat without shoes in the floor. The tables are low but when you sit down they have a hole in the ground so that your feet can fit in. It makes the place more fun and feel more authentic. Hard wood floors but you have a small cushion so your tush is comfy. Lunch time is good. The lunch bentos are a great value. I always order the two item choice bento which comes out to about $13. So basically i order two rolls with the bento box. Spicy tuna and California roll. You have the choice of Salmon, Chicken, tempura, or the rolls I order. You get a miso soup (good stuff) served first along with a small salad (come tothink of it last time i went I didnt get a salad!) The bento box comes with the two items you ordered along with Japanese cucumbers, some bean sprouts and something else which i cant remember. The food quality is great.
(4)
Juli K.
Absolutely amazing!! Be sure to make a reservation though. I could honestly live off of the spicy tuna on crispy bed of rice. Seating very fun! The only reason it is not a 5 star is because service is very slow!
(4)
marion w.
Pros All the benefits of sitting on the floor without any of the pain Sashimi yellow tail with jalapenos is incredible Surrounded by all the convenience afforded by the mall Cons Possibility of smelling stinky feet Average sushi at slightly above average prices
(3)
Michelle M.
I discovered this gem after having lived in MdR for almost two years! I don't know how it took us so long, but now that we've tried it, its become a regular in our dinner rotation. Yes, you have to take off your shoes and yes, the seating is at floor level. Very unique. The dinner meals make the experience very affordable. I would suggest you try this restaurant, but if you do you will make my wait even longer, so stay away! HAHA
(5)
Kyle P.
Okay, where to even begin with Irori. The atmosphere is nice, the short tables with an opening for you legs are nice if you have a bigger group, but I'm insane, so lets cut out the middleman and go to the bar. The ankimo here is usually really good with just the right amount of buttery notes to the aftertaste and the texture is not too firm unlike most ankimo which is steamed too long. The toro is always amazing with marbling that resembles an awesome kobe steak. Massa (spelling?) hooks it up proper too. Get there early when they still have uni and spanish mackerel, and if you can get there right when they open, even better. I think I ate one of everything the last time I was there.
(5)
Angela L.
absolutely adore this place (although hard to find hidden between CVS and Vons) but once you step in, they make you feel right at home..shoes off as homes should be. intimate enough for a date and casual enough for a group dinner. we sat at the bar, our sushi chef Justin was very friendly and paced our sushi orders accordingly. - nigiri (salmon, tuna, halibut with yuzu, tamago, yellowtail) all extremely fresh and delicious - we got the baked and regular crab hand roll, definitely opt for the baked - rainbow was was filled with real crab meat and not overly mayonnaised - mushroom salad was a nice side to share, marinated in soy - finished off with a nice scoop of green tea ice cream extensive list of sakes, wines and some beers. in general, if you're craving sushi and around the area, this place will hit the spot.
(4)
Derek D.
Everything here is good. My wife and I use to frequent this place but the buzz wore off because we went there so much. You can get out of here for 60$ for two people with drinks. The large salad is amazing, very fresh, and one hell-of-a-deal. Something else that is good is the chicken udon. I've been getting that lately so I don't have to stuff myself on sushi. You really can't go wrong here.
(4)
Spencer K.
I love this place. I used to frequently come when I was working in Venice. Here you get to take off your shoes and sit in the floor. They must have good ventilation because it's not stinky inside. The sushi is fresh here and of good quality. The waitresses are very attentive.
(5)
C W.
4.5 stars really. Fun place, I love how you have space for your legs but you feel like you are sitting traditionally! Food is pretty amazing. Black Cod Miso is soooo good you will want more. The Nigiri plate is amazing, all the fish is so fresh, it melts in your mouth. You dont want or need soy sauce, a little ponzu and your good. I cant wait to go back!!
(4)
jennifer b.
I tend to look for sushi places that understand that sushi is "uncooked meat" with rice, made to look really really beautiful. This is a basic fact that is often overlooked by many sushi places with their insane prices for raw, uncooked meat. With that said, a great sushi restaurant should be able to balance that concept with freshness, which shouldn't break your bank.. Irori is just that, affordable, fresh, high quality, with traditional Japanese ambiance. When you walk in, you know you are in a different type of restaurant. You are greeted by a Japanese greeting, then they ask you to take off your shoes and walk you to a table that sits you on the ground with your feet dangling in mid air (ok so I'm a bit short, yours may touch the floor). The servers are Asian. The menu is diverse with cooked and raw dishes. The sushi was great, colorful, flavorful and appetizing.. and finally when the bill comes, you feel like you got your money's worth. It's not cheap, but it certainly isn't expensive... Overall great value, great atmosphere, fresh and tasty Japanese food. Great job Iroi !!!!
(5)
C.M S.
The place has cute ambiance. I love the whole taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor. It's a place you can get some authentic sushi. Management was nice and had an overall great experience.
(4)
Hanna K.
One of the best Japanese restaurants in LA. It is randomly located in a strip mall, but don't judge. The food is always fantastic and I always order way too much (and finish everything)! They have great appetizers, fresh sushi, and an authentic feel due to the tatami seating (remember to get a pedicure or wear cute socks). Just go and order whatever you're in the mood for, you can't go wrong with any item on the menu. FYI, this place is ideal for smaller groups (6 people or less) due to the layout.
(5)
Diane A.
I'm a little bit particular about my sashimi because I don't like it to be too fishy otherwise I get nauseous. However, Irori's yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno was like butter; it totally melts in your mouth. The other dishes we had were: lobster claws with garlic butter, blue crab hand roll, albacore, miso soup with asari clams, and yuzu mousse. Hubby didn't like the albacore and I found the blue crab roll to be a bit bland, but I added some green onions from the albacore and that did the trick. Everything else was really yummy and definitely worth going back to the next time we're in So Cal.
(5)
Justin L.
Irori is what I want in a sushi restaurant -- great food, nice atmosphere, good service, it's not *too* pricey -- to the point where it's my go-to sushi place. Everything I've ever ordered (5 visits) has been great. They have an extensive menu, so you can take on a chance on something outside your comfort zone. Even basic items like terriyaki chicken and California rolls are done surprisingly well. But for me, the star is always the Japanese Albacore. Both the sashimi (straight-up raw fish) and nigiri sushi (fish on rice) are excellent, and I really can't get enough of them. If I had one suggestion for patrons, I'd say order your favorite thing after you've already received most of your initial order. That way, you'll have that as your final dish. See, rolls take longer to prep than sashimi, so you'll be stuck with grilled eel rolls long after your albacore sushi has disappeared. A suggestion for the restaurant: Irori tries so hard to be authentic, which I respect. One thing, however, is conspicuously absent: pre-meal hot washcloths. After all, just about every restaurant in Tokyo provides these, even lots of cheap places! Please offer hot washcloths to all customers. We would appreciate it.
(4)
Jeff B.
Let me start off by saying that before I came here, I was not a sushi fan, which was much to my gf's dismay as she is a die hard sushi fan. Irori changed my perception of sushi in a great way. First, let me start off by saying that I thought it was awesome how they make you take off your shoes and store them in cubbies prior to be seated at your table. I haven't used a cubby since Kindergarten! We had 6 people in our party and the table size was perfect. It got even better when I saw that you don't have to sit Indian style or on your knees; instead, there is an opening in the floor for you to put your legs so that you sit comfortably on a small pillow. We were immediately greeted by our waiter who was totally energetic, which is always a plus as we were celebrating a birthday for a friend. He was ready to take drink orders within a minute of us sitting. The guys (myself included) all ordered large Sapporos and everyone else split two types of Sake, but I can't remember the names for the life of me. One was at the top of the sake menu, and one was in the middle somewhere, both moderately priced (the 2nd was a milk sake served cold). Among the food we ordered, if memory serves me correct, we had some type of Yellowtail sashimi w/ Jalapenos (amazing), I had chicken Udon (also amazing), and some other type of Yellowtail roll that I wish I could remember the name of. I don't eat Tuna, so the Yellowtail was a really nice surprise for me. Just remember kids, this place gets PACKED as in line out the door. Apparently, they begin taking reservations at 5:30 PM and within minutes they're backed up for the night. Also, it's behind the Pavilions (or maybe it was Vons, I forget). Enjoy.
(5)
william c.
I have never had a bad thing at Irori. The sushi is amazing and so are the small plates. You can't go wrong with the items on the hand-written menus above the sushi chefs' heads. If you're into coconut milk and mochi, definitely try the red bean dessert with mochi. Delicious!
(5)
Samuel C.
I came here for lunch with a friend and thought it would a great place to eat considering the great reviews I read on yelp. I didn't get it. I mean ok you take your shoes off and eat on the floor... kinda (Holes in the floor for your legs so you aren't sitting indian style). That was pretty much the highlight of my trip there... Although I'm a germaphobe and had to get a napkin from the bathroom and place it on the floor so my hand wouldn't touch it. But it's all good I digress. The food was average. It wasn't bad. But I've had WAY better sushi for the price. In my opinion: the portions are small for the price you pay. And it's ok... not great. I'd return if I had to. But I wouldn't rave about this place. Or rather. I don't rave. I had the lunch special that had teryaki chicken. A variety of rolls, soup and salad. I also shared some rolls with my friend and she had sashimi. She didn't like the sashimi at all. And I wasn't wowed by the rolls or the taste of my chicken. These aren't things that are hard to mess up. But again I digress. Average yeah. Pretty much.
(3)
helen s.
Adorable set-up! It wasn't my favorite place to grab sushi but it wasn't bad either. I really love the ambiance there though. It would be a great place for dates or families or anything in between. It's clean and staff is pretty attentive. 3.5 stars
(4)
Jon H.
Irori has a great ambience with traditional Japanese table seats which requires you to sit on the floor on a cushion and take off your shoes before being seated. Their quality of their sashimi and nigiri sushi were great and fresh. Their yellow tail and albacore roll here are excellent. Service here is always great but I would recommend making a reservation if you prefer a table and dont want to wait.
(4)
Wonder W.
Oh to have been a 4 star... Irori really should have gotten a 4 star, I'd actually give it a 3.5, but the problem is that it's expensive. There are LOADS of sushi within a 10 mile radius of MDR and plenty of places have sushi as good as Irori... and do not charge as much. What gives Irori a 4 star is simply the location and the restaurant itself... I really love the "take off your shoes and sit on mats" concept. It feels traditional. I also enjoyed the low key atmosphere and the proximity to Lincoln... Sadly, the sushi is expensive and there isn't anything particular that should make it that way. The service was also ok, we had flag down the waitstaff and it was not busy enough to warrant that... I believe that this restaurant is busy simply because of location and really there are sushi places that are MUCH more deserving of my repeat business.
(3)
Dan K.
Let me start by saying this is my favorite sushi restaurant in Los Angeles and I've been coming here for at least 14 years. It was originally called "East" when Massa owned it and a few years ago when he retired the name changed to "Irori". Sarah and her mom run a top notch establishment now. It is and has always been good. That has been consistant since the first day I went there. Excellent food, well prepared, with killer service. You can't go wrong with "Irori"
(5)
Cliff T.
Great ambiance, convenient location, excellent food and service and reasonable pricing. The concierge and waitresses were all very nice! Only slight negative is we arrived 25 minutes from closing time and while we were eating one chef was yelling non-stop in Chinese about how the concierge should not be letting people in past a certain time. He was berating her for wasting his time when there was not much business late anyway. This made it rather awkward to sit and eat while listening to him make a scene so we ate fast and left as fast as possible. So, if you go there, make sure you arrive plenty of time before closing or you might feel awkward! And if you understand Mandarin Chinese, you might hear some interesting conversations you weren't meant to hear. Other than that, under normal circumstances I would expect this place to be a 5 star restaurant.
(4)
Erin and Ryan T.
Irori Japanese Restaurant in under 150 words: If ever there was a thought in my mind that a good restaurant cannot exist within a strip mall, Irori has proven me wrong. We came in on a Sunday night without a reservation and were seated quickly on the floor after taking our shoes off. The small paper menu offered more variety than the orange juice section at the grocery store including a bar selection of some interesting Asian wines and beers. We had a couple of small plates to start including a scallop lettuce wrap (I forget the actual name) that was amazing. The sushi rolls we ordered varied from good to exceptional, and the service was consistently helpful with questions and suggestions. Cheers to you Irori, hearth of the strip mall, on a wonderful dining experience.
(5)
Robert A.
Come for sushi. Stay for Radio Shack. In a small corner of Marina Del Ray you can enhance your tan, touch up your nails and get a cheap haircut. Oh, and find some great sushi. I've only been once, but I can I can recommend the vegetable tempura, california rolls,sushi (spicy tuna), nigirzushi (halibut). Also recommended is the albacore tartare over crispy rice. Advanced yoga helps when getting into and out of the seating pits, but the lowrider experience is worth it.
(5)
Chiara T.
I don't need to say much about this place because it obviously gets a lot of love, but just wanted to add my sugar too... This place is GREAT! The fish is fresh and buttery, the small plates I've had were delicious (asparagus salad, black cod w/ miso, eggplant), reasonably priced for the quality and the vibe is cozy and authentic. I'm also in LOVE with their spicy tuna on crispy rice - blows Katsu-ya out of the water. Definitely make a reservation and go.
(4)
Yuki S.
My reaction as I pulled into the parking lot: "For real? I mean really? 'Awesome' sushi at a strip mall joint?" Of course this was just going through my head as to not upset my dining companion and his selection of a sushi restaurant. My reaction as I entered and stared at the cubby holes full of shoes: "What?! This is perfect!" The ambiance is great, the service is fast and the sushi is good. Yeah Yeah.
(5)
Lori K.
A friend took me to this sushi restaurant a while back. She didn't tell me what to expect so when we walked in I found everyone takes their shoes off and puts them in a little cubby. At first I liked the idea and thought it was cute. Then I thought of all the exposed smelly socks and yucky feet and my stomach turned.... THEN I remembered that episode of Sex and the City where Carrie's Manolo's get jacked at a dinner party and I was tempted to stuff my reef flip flops into my purse just in case, but I didn't want my friend to think I was a weirdo! The tables were carved into the ground so we had to climb down into the holes. Our legs were beneath the table which was actually at ground level. At first I thought this was cool too but after 5 minutes the novelty work off and I changed my mind because when the waitress came over I was staring at her feet and then she squatted down I had her chest and behind all up in my scope of direct vision, but then I thought of how in a regular restaurant with regular seating we tend to be eye level with the wait staff's pelvic region so I was at a loss. I think if the sushi had been good I would have gotten over the exposed feet and the fact that could have gotten cozy with my waitresses's feet, bossom and buttcoks, but the sushi was bland, the seaweed smelly and chewy and the fish didn't seem too fresh. The portions must have been meant for anorexic ants. A cut roll with only 4 pieces of sushi that were the size of a quarter! At those prices you better give me a bit more Nothing we ordered impressed me...and we left hungry! I might give this place another shot but I wouldn't recommend going there on a date unless you have a fresh pedicure!
(2)
Charles H.
I'm probably going to pay a second visit sometimes soon. The sushi are great the last time I tried, and the cooked food was good as well. Will have to give it a more through rundown on the menu next time. And I believe it opens on Sunday!
(4)
Dawn K.
i can't believe it took me this long to get to Irori. The name is a palindrome. How freaking cool is that! You take off your shoes and sit on the floor there but don't worry, you won't have to sit cross-legged. There space under the table for your legs to hang. The food was outstanding and the prices were reasonable. I will definitely go back for more.
(5)
C K.
Good sashimi & rolls on the Westside if you can get over taking off your shoes & sharing feet odor & sweat with random strangers in the entire dining area. Ok - it's not really that bad but an interesting choice the owners made for the restaurant. I've been to japanese restaurants in which they make you take your shoes off in a private tatami room but not for the whole restaurant. And then to go to the rest room, you have slippers to wear. The sashimi & rolls are good, not fabulous & a bit pricey for the quantity & quality. However, a decent place to go on the Westside for japanese food.
(3)
Em G.
Our go to for Sushi...
(5)
Kristen R.
Went here on a date night with my boyfriend while vactioning in Santa Monica. I do think that you pay for the pseudorealistic experience. (I don't think Japanese people have convenient cut outs under their tables to stick their feet in.) This is the real deal though as far as removing your shoes and plopping down in the floor for the entire time. This is not good for people with bad backs for real although the bar has half seats with backs. We started with some hot sake and a sapporo. If you're looking for an extensive sake list this probably will be unimpressive to you as there's one kind of hot sake and maybe 5ish cold sake selections. The food was good. I'm from San Francisco so I'm used to fresh fish. I think that everything was mostly fresh. (Salmon wasn't exactly not fishy but still good and viable to eat.) We got the rainbow roll, fried oyster lettuce wraps, toro sashmi and spicy tuna roll. Rainbow roll was good however the crap was a bit mayo-ish and not real (not worth the price tag in my book). The oyster lettuce wraps were good but extremely messy (not a good thing to order for first dates). The blue fin toro was absolutely excellent and delicious. The spicy tuna roll was alright. I definetely would've liked less chives and maybe cucumber instead since it was a pretty large roll. However if you add anything like cucumber, roe, or other veggies they charge you! Seriously. For dessert we got this citrus ice cream on fried won tons and white chocolate creme brulee. The creme brulee had macadamias and was good. But the Yuzu ice cream or whatever was not so much my scene. It was too warm and too tart for my liking. Judging from my boyfriend's jaw dropping onto the table I'd say that we ran a pretty impressive tab. For two average rolls, 2 pieces of sashimi, a small sake and a small sapporo with 2 small desserts I don't think this was a $50 dinner. Good sushi however it's not the best I've ever had, especially in a seaside town. To keep it simple this is good place in a strip mall that has good food but charges as if they're on the strip. Go if you don't want to worry about parking and don't want to worry about running a high tab.
(3)
Gabby M.
This is to be my favorite sushi restaurant but now with the new management the quality of the food is not the same I tried given them a chance but it is just not the same and last time I went the fish taste really bad.
(1)
Christie X.
Hidden gem. Cute, little Japanese restaurant tucked away in a mall that I've been to countless times without ever noticing this. Went here last Friday with my friend. Right when you walk in, you see shoes on the floor. (Yes, you have to take off your shoes, so please make sure your feet don't stink.) We started off with the grilled asparagus salad. Granted it was good, but a bit pricey considering we only got four small pieces of asparagus in our "salad." I hate that. We also ordered the Japanese eggplant, but it was a bit too sweet for my taste. I ordered the nabeyaki udon and it was really good. Probably one of the better ones I've had in LA. It was a rather large bowl with tasty veggies and the broth was very good, too. Will I come back? Probably since I went with my vegetarian friend so, I couldn't order any fish. :P
(4)
Kathie L.
Probably one of the best sushi places I've been to around LA = deserves my first review on Yelp! Ordered the 19.95 Sashimi; the fish was really fresh - the melt in your mouth type of fresh. Will try to be back soon~
(5)
alicia q.
It was such a great visit for us that I'm giving them 5 stars. We loved the ambience! We were in search of a sit on the floor type of restaurant for something new & this was one of the few restaurants listed in L.A. with so many great reviews from yelpers. It's next to a Pavilion's & they were doing some construction on the outside building, so it was hard to find. Everything was uphill from there! We took our shoes off & sat on some thin, but comfy cushions that were on the floor. I was afraid for our longer legged company, but I realized that there was a big ditch right under our table that we could all comfortably put our legs in. Our waitress knew what to recommend & mentioned the better deal that came with rice, salads, soup, & more shrimp tempuras. They had a ton of servers that all took turns helping us & cleared our plates seconds after we finished them. We got one of the best service we've ever had! The food was very good. Prices were good, especially for dinner. There were 8 of us & We paid $140 including tax & gratuity. We all left full. I highly recommend the irori roll & calamari! Yummy! Oh, & they give complimentary green tea, as well as green tea ice cream for the birthday person. It wasn't bad, but their ice cream wasn't as sweet & rich as we've had elsewhere. Oh, & their salad was so good & refreshing! We'll be visiting again!
(5)
J H.
I've searched high and low in Los Angeles and to my dismay, until this point, haven't found incredibly fresh, beautifully executed, sushi/sashimi. Irori offers just that and without the hype of Katsuya (still haven't tried, but hear nothing but bad things from sushi lovers). Don't worry hardcore sushi fans with no reservations, I am not comparing this to Nobu yet either...I haven't had Nobu at this point. I am comparing this to about a dozen different sushi places in Los Angeles area though, including Sushi Dan which was my go-to place in recent, and Irori dominates Sushi Dan. I will be back soon, but not tonight...going back to Animal tonight! Oh, and I'll be bringing people with me.
(5)
Eunice K.
I absolutely fell in love with Irori ever since I first visited. The experience at Irori was very unique and creative. The idea of having to take off our shoes was very interesting. Don't worry if you feel uncomfortable with crossing your legs and tucking them under a table because you won't have to; every seating has lots of empty space under the table for you to tuck in your legs and feet, so you won't have to worry about anything like having your legs fall asleep, smelly feet, or anything uncomfortable... and it's even more amazing because you are able to experience the oriental culture while enjoying delicious food! The sushi was also AMAZINGG!!! First of all, Irori's sashimi was very FRESH! I love all their rolls and sashimi but i gotta say, my favorite menu at Irori was the Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna!! The sweetness of the crispy rice topped with spicy tuna was a great combination. Also, don't forget to finish off your meal with their TEMPURA GREEN TEA ICE CREAM! The clean mixture of tempura and green ice cream is sweet enough to make you want to come back for more..... even if it's just for the tempura ice cream. ha
(5)
Heather B.
Came to this place because I saw it on Yelp! Looked very cool; loved the idea of the authentic Japanese place. Got here and waited for quite some time. It was during the lunch rush, so I understand it being busy, but nobody even came over to us. Once we were seated, my friend and I got the lunch bento box with one option each. She got salmon with sushi and I got beef teriyaki with tempura. The miso soup was standard, nothing more than you'd expect. The rice was nice and sticky. The salad had a peanut dressing, which was different but very good. Unfortunately, they use mixed greens, which I could have done without. The boxes come with bean sprouts in peanut oil (decent), cucumber in vinegar (also pretty good), and the meal. The teriyaki sauce was incredible. The beef was ok, nothing special. The tempura was good- it actually came with shrimp, which surprised me. But no broccoli! Very disappointing. Also, it seems that these Japanese places never remove the vein from the shrimp, which I personally think is kinda gross. Ick. This place is fun for the experience- taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor. But they got a B. And they tried to hide it by putting a plant right over where the sign is displayed outside. To be honest, I'm not sure I would have stayed if I had known that. Bad enough that the score wasn't high; but to hide it? Sketchy. Still on the fence about whether or not I'll return. Knowing that makes me feel kinda dirty about eating here.
(3)
Dave G.
Amazing Ninja dojo atmosphere. Food was crazy delicious the Yellowtail Jalapeno Ponzu and Albacore w crispy onion blew my taste buds away. Rita and the entire crew was very friendly and on it!
(5)
Matt H.
We ordered omakasa and the chef brought out some plates. At the end we get a bill with tacked on charges even though we weren't told it was extra. We didn't ask for it either he brought it out as part of the omakasa. Pissed me off and I complained and they basically said too bad. Rip off.
(1)
Thuy V.
I love this place. My favorite is the Yellowtail Sashimi with Gohan. It's become my favorite that the chef says "Yellowtail, today?" every time I sit down at the sushi bar. My other favorites are Uni Sushi, Clam, Octopus Sashimi, Toro... very straight forward, nothing fancy or fusion. I like fresh fresh fish, and Irori has it. The service gets very slow when it's crowded. My only complaints.
(5)
alan g.
The food was pretty good, above average. I don't like taking my shoes off at the door and then having to sit at the low tables with my legs in the foot well. Tables and chairs have never been so obviously the best solution than after eating here. May come back anyway because of the food value.
(4)
Jason M.
And so it begins... The fall of Irori. This has been hands down the best sushi restaurant on the West Side, if not all of Los Angeles, for several years now. Consistently perfect fish, excellent Japanese snacks and entrees, friendly lovely service, great unique atmosphere, soothing hip unobtrusive music, entertaining chefs, great sake list, EVERYTHING you could ask for from a sushi joint. Some may know the place has recently changed ownership. The new owners have immediately set about cutting costs. The ginger is terrible, the ponzu is watered down, the Japanese eggplant is not Japanese eggplant, and I have eaten the Japanese albacore enough to know the fish seems different too... and so does the rice. THIS IS A PLEA TO ALL IRORI REGULARS! START COMPLAINING NOW! The only thing that can prevent diminishing quality and the inevitable happy hour and televisions that will RUIN the place is your voice. If it's not what you ordered last time, send it back! Ask to speak to the owner. RAISE HELL. It's worth it to stop the fall of such a special place!!! A note to the new owners. I want to bring you back up to 5 stars. Please, don't ruin Irori.
(2)
Taz M.
Do not judge sushi restaurants by their resident strip malls. This place is very cool - first of all, the "tables" are somewhat subterranean and you must take off your shoes upon entering the dining area so that makes for a unique experience. Their fish is extremely high quality, and to be honest I thought the taste of their signature dishes was significantly better than their equivalent entrees at Katsuya (although the crab hand roll is better than Irori's), Itsikaya, and even Matsuhisa. Don't leave without having the jalapeno yellowtail sashimi, the spicy tuna over crispy rice, and the salmon sashimi with fried onions. One more thing - this place isn't cheap (about $35-50/person - without drinks), but I guarantee you will enjoy your meal.
(4)
Akiko T.
Writing an update on this place because I feel it's been quite consistent every time I come here, even though it really doesn't cater to a JP-centric crowd! My boss and I were craving sushi and while we were just planning on going to SugarFish down the street from work in the Marina, (where it's 100% omakase), we opted to come back here instead since she's watching her carbs & Irori would be able to accommodate her sashimi needs. Shrimp Stuffed Eggplant with Sweet Miso Yuzu Sauce (Oh my deliciousness. Excellent with subtle hints of yuzu laced into the sauce. I called my mom immediately afterward for a recipe so that I could re-create this at home, and am going to try to replicate the above yuzu sauce) Asari no Sakamushi (Baby clams steamed in sake, a typical staple appetizer... this was just mediocre) Hamachi no Kama (Roasted yellowtail neck with ponzu and grated daikon... melted in your mouth like buttah) I ordered my usual nigiris: Uni (extremely fresh), Kanpachi, Hirame (not so fresh, a bit on the chewy side), Unagi and Blue Crab Handroll. (Still not as good as Echigo's but pretty decent) The boss had her sashimi fix with her assorted sashimi platter and devoured it with extreme enthusiasm. I'm pretty fortunate because I've never met a boss who could talk an absolute storm about clothes, shoes, cooking and food in my entire life so thankfully, there were zero awkward silences. Especially after she had a few shots of Kurosawa sake ;)
(4)
Natalie T.
Came here the other night with a friend who was visiting from out of town. The place here is a little hard to find since it's in a shopping plaza. It's in a little nook of it's own. Parking wasn't hard at all since it's in a big plaza with plenty of spaces. We walked in and there were so many people filling the room along with the waiting room! I was afraid it would be a long wait since we got there around 9pm and they close at 10. The host asked us if we wanted a table or a bar, and I told her either. Since we said either, we were seated in less than 10 minutes! Score! She told us to take off our shoes! I was like what?? If I had known, I would have brought my cheaper pairs of shoes!! I'm paranoid like that! LOL So we proceeded. We walked up this little ramp and through these cute little doors that led us to the dining area. Every table was the kind where you sit on the ground. If you get the bar, you get to sit at this ledge where your legs will hang down so it's like you're sitting normally. We were seated and our drink order was taken. I got water while my friend got the green iced tea. We ordered 6 nigiri which gave us 6 pieces each. We also got the sea bass that was on their entree menu and an order of the salmon skin roll. Everything was excellent! The quality of the sushi to me was great! It was fresh and melted like butter! mmmmm the sea bass was on a bed of spinach which also had a little sauce over it which was also great! Salmon skin roll was good too! Our total for the evening was around $60 excluding tip. A little pricey but hey, we're in marina del rey! But the sushi I thought was well worth the $60 in terms of quality along with service!
(4)
Mot Y.
This place is fun. You get to sit really low to the table. There is a well for your feet. The sashimi was decent and you also have to take off your shoes. It's always packed and the specials menu does not rotate that often.
(3)
Shirley K.
Service: 3.5 stars Ambiance: 3.5 stars Value/Taste: 4 stars Reservations recommeded as the place filled up pretty quickly shortly after 7pm. Everything we ordered were decently good to yummy! Overall, a good dining experience. Japanese squash tempura - 3 stars Eel sushi - 3 stars Scallop sushi - 5 stars (so good that we ordered it again) Wild king salmon sushi - 3 stars Red snapper sushi - 4 stars (very fresh that night so we had 2 orders) Seared ono sushi - 3 stars Uni sushi - 3.5 stars Grilled seabass - 4 stars (mm..yumm...so flavorful) The restaurant is located in a huge shopping lot so there were plenty of parking.
(4)
M T.
Masa is the man! This place is the BEST sushi restaurant I've found in all of LA and I've been here for 2 decades. When you take in consideration the atmosphere, service, quality, price, selection, and the chefs (especially Masa), this place is by far the BEST. It's still a bit of an unknown but I hope it stays that way and I hope they don't ever change a thing about the place. EVER! I did recently hear that there may have been an ownership change recently, but I TRULY hope the new owners realize that there's no need to change a good thing.
(5)
Harrison G.
I loved the food here! Came on a whim last week since some coworkers were meeting for a birthday lunch. I'd never heard of the place and it was actually hard to find, tucked away in the corner of a strip mall next to a couple giant stores. It's an unlikely spot to find such good food and unique dining experience. First off, when you enter you have to take your shoes off like in traditional Japanese restaurants in Japan. You sit on a pillow on the floor with your feet dangling in a shallow pit beneath the table. By the time I got there a bottle of sake had already been ordered and people were enjoying miso soup from one of the lunch bento boxes. I quickly perused the menu and decided on the chicken teriyaki bento with tempura. All the bentos come with miso soup, rice and some salad (which is drenched in dressing but you can probably ask for it without). The food arrived pretty quickly, maybe within 15 minutes. The place was about half full, but people kept coming in as we ate our meals. Everyone got a different bento box and everyone was pleased with the selection. The tempura was light and crisp and a good amount - several vegetables and two pieces of shrimp. Someone got the salmon teriyaki which they absolutely loved. Those who also got sushi with their bentos enjoyed it as well. When all was said and done we were all happily stuffed but not overly full. It was a great dining experience. If it were a little bit cheaper I'd love to come back more often. But for 6 people, it ended up only being $20 each (and we all chipped in to pay for the birthday girl's meal) which was a great price for the amount and quality of the food. I think, though, that dinner would be more expensive. I didn't get a solid look at the menu.
(5)
Shane S.
I've been here 2x now. The pluses: 1- Amazing ambiance. You take off your shoes and sit on the floor. 2- Super friendly waitstaff. Both times they helped with all the sushi choices, etc. 3- Some amazing pieces of fish. Japanese albacore, and the blue crab roll were awesome. The hotate was good too. Sadly, some of the other stuff is average to below average. Nothing was bad quality... however it wasn't seriously good either. They have a small-ish, but OK sake list. Wish it were larger. So, I'd go again for the atmosphere and/or if friends were going. But I wouldn't suggest it.
(3)
Alix M.
I used to come here a lot but ever since management changed, I stopped going. Service has really gone bad, one time I ordered california roll for 2 people and I specifically said 1 order only but the lady came in with a whole bunch of rolls probably 3 orders total and when I said I only ordered "1 order", she insisted that's how I ordered it and immediately left and ignored us while I was still talking. Not going back.
(1)
Mrs H.
is it just me or did i just find this too expensive. it is good sushi, but i left that place feeling hungry and not satisfied with the amount i spent on dinner. the 3 * is for the price. i know that good sushi is worth paying for but not when i leave feeling as if i was ready for another meal...so just saying. if you want good sushi, try it here. but if you are really hungry go elsewhere. oh, the decor was nice. but i'm only here for the food. ;)
(3)
saucy i.
it's true, this place is hard to find. the restaurant front door is literally a construction zone. park in the pavillion lot and walk directly into the construction area marked CVS. you'll find a supercuts and 8x10 signs pointing towards the restaurant entrance. restaurant interior is nice. there's no wait. you have to take off your shoes but the floor is very clean. no particles stuck to my feet. when seated, you can actually put your feet in a deep hole under the table, which i didn't realize at first. i sat with my feet out and the woman sitting in the table behind reached around and grabbed my toes when she got up. i couldn't help cracking up when she said "ewww" LOL!!! our order came to $60 (including gratuity) - 1 order yellowtail (2 pieces) - 1 order halibut (2 pieces) - 1 spicy tuna roll - 2 orders eel & avocado rolls - 1 order calamari - 1 miso soup yellowtail & eel & avocado were awesome!
(4)
g t.
Love this place!!! Stumbled upon this place while biking the strand. It's in a nondescript strip mall. It was a really lovely surprise... shoes off and placed in cubby holes by the host/hostess, dining on the floor with little pockets for your legs under the table for those of us who can't kneel for prolonged periods, slippers provided so you don't walk barefoot into the bathroom. But enough about the ambiance... the food was GREAT!!! Had the crispy rice albacore, baked crab hand roll, yellow tail sashimi. All were very delicious! Definitely will go back if ever in the area.
(5)
Harry H.
The Japanese food of my early years consisted of sushi in pairs served on wooden boats; dynamite served covered with foil; obligatory bowls of miso soup slurped directly from the bowl; and combinations of sushi and chicken teriyaki, or chicken teriyaki and tempura, or tempura and sushi, or sushi, chicken teriyaki, *and* tempura. It's not the kind of cuisine I pursue nowadays, but if it's your kinda thing, Irori does it pretty well. They kept the layout from the previous restaurant at this location, "East", which involves taking off your shoes at the entrance and seating with sunken areas for your legs rather than on chairs. Some people may not like this, but I think it's charming, if not a little hard on your back. The menu is of the type described above - not broad, nor particularly ambitious, but easy enough to find something appetizing. For me, it was the miso-grilled eggplant, dynamite (sorry, I'm a sucker for it), and udon. It was all quite good (the eggplant in particular - how did they get it so creamy?!?), and my dining mates likewise seemed to enjoy their meals. Prices are a bit on the high side for me, but I guess since it's Marina del Rey, I shouldn't have expected West L.A. prices. Which, I guess, kind of sums up Irori to me: it's Japanese food for Marina del Rey.
(3)
Bret P.
This place is awesome. You have to take your shoes off when you get in which is oddly exciting and fun. Must have: seared Ono, spicy tuna on crispy rice, blue fin toro. Sushi chef Eugi is the man!
(5)
Jennifer L.
I have been here once, but I am already a fan! Good: - I really enjoy their food! Especially their sushi rolls and the Yellowtail collar. Their beef teriyaki in the bento box was only OK though.. - Very fresh fresh. yum - Very friendly service. - You take your shoes off and sit on the floor. Bad: - It was very crowded when I went for lunch at 1:30pm on a weekday, and it's located in a crowded shopping center. (parking is close to none) - The price is a bit higher than other Japanese restaurants I've been to.
(4)
Ed C.
Food and price are average for a typical Japanese restaurant. Decor and authentcity may entice and enhance your visit to this joint. Here is my three assessments: (1) One thing to watch out for is the charge levied on the gratuity if you go in as a group. Some of my friends were charged 30% on the tips without prior "courteous" permission. Because of that the price may move toward above-average rather than affordable or average level. (2) One minor thing to watch for is if you have back-problem and required a chair with a back support, don't be bashful to ask for cushions with back (they are provided to those seated by the sushi bar) (3) Reservation is limited to a small party - max seating together is 12 people. More than 12 will either sit around sushi bar or in separate tables.
(3)
Scott K.
I was craving good sushi after I went on a week long K-food binge so I asked my friend to pick a place near Marina Del Rey. After driving around the center like an idiot for a few minutes and finally finding Irori (located in the nook of stores next to Radio Shack), I was eager to scarf, and that is exactly what we did... yelp.com/biz_photos/JTSJ… Overall, everything we ordered here was fresh and well prepared: Lobster Tempura with Spicy Sauce: This was phenomenal and I'm not even a fan of lobster. Squeeze the two lemon slices and pig out! Filet Mignon w/ Black Truffles: If you need your steak fix, the filet meat is decent here but not as tender as you'd like. Grilled King Crab Legs: I love King Crab! This order came in three decent sizes pieces and was perfectly grilled. Oyster Shooter: I know it's sorta ghetto to order this but once in while i crave this. Perfectly sized to shoot, the oysters were really fresh. Get this here if you're a fan. Aji: Awesome. Amaebi: It was really fresh and we had the heads cooked in red miso soup which is always a nice change of pace. Kanpachi: Excellent. Uni: Sweet and really fresh. Ono: This is one of my favorite nigiri sushis but here it was a little overcooked. Hamachi: Was average here, didn't ask for the belly which was my bad. Blue Crab Roll: They forgot to bake it like we ordered but it was good nonetheless. Umeshiso Roll: I usually order this last to wind up the meal. Had them substitute Gobo for the Kuri. They have Wakatake Onigoroshi here which is one of my favorite sakes. It's a little hard to finish between two ppl and the chefs don't really drink except for one of them. There's a coffee bean and another cafe nearby to sober up at though which is nice. Although some of my favorite items were missing from the menu, I'm definitely coming back. Make reservations and wear socks!
(5)
Aaron T.
Irori is hiding in plain sight, in a corner of a shopping center in Marina del Rey. Irori is a tempting option on your way to the airport or as a destination in itself. I have been many times but only for lunch, which has been excellent. I can vouch for the great lunch specials, such as tuna sashimi, chicken teriyaki and spicy tuna rolls. They also have a great omakase that involves both cooked and sushi dishes, which is fairly priced. The ambiance is nice and the sitting on mats with your shoes off somehow removes you from the ordinary vibe and transports you however briefly to a quiet stall off of the Tsukiji fish market.
(5)
David W.
This is a marginal four star. I went with a co-worker. He had the sushi, I had the tempura and steak terryaki dish. I had more food than one person could eat. It was good, the tempura was light and not over cooked, very tasty. My friend said that the sushi was average, not great. The experience is nice, with the lower tables and no shoes. Overall a nice sushi place, not the best, but for the price, not bad at all.
(4)
Maruko X.
Japanese style seating, good for lunch. the lunch bento has variety of choices.
(3)
Robert H.
Great Sushi! Pricey. If you want a nice dinner with some good Sushi and you're in the area, this is the place to be.
(4)
Tina L.
My first experience un-shoeing at a restaurant (shows how little I experienced on my Japan visit). We arrived around 6:45pm and there was no wait; it got crowded closer to 8pm. My first visit so I can't rave about the food like the others, but service was good and it was a really fun experience. Moreover, it is very conveniently located near the airport.
(4)
Paul L.
Could have been a 4 star, but I found it uncomfortable sitting in the traditional sink hole style seats and taking off your shoes to boot. Theres also slight tinge smell of fried food in the air, along with the a/c running on the hot side. The food however is very good and authentic. Unajyu best I've had in LA, and sushi is really tops. Service also was very quick and efficient.
(3)
Lizzy F.
Not sure how it happened, but we've become sushi snobs. This is the best sushi I have ever had. Being that we come here at least once a week I have never been disappointed! Always fresh and delish! Highly recommend salmon nigiri seared with yuzu. Only downer is now that the word is out, you need a res for the weekends.
(5)
Lily K.
'saright. I came here for lunch with a colleague, and there's a $10 bento option. I got salmon teriyaki, a spicy tuna roll, miso soup, salad, and a plop of cucumber salad and another of mung beans (don't eat those, they're old tasting). All perfectly competent. Service very nice, attentive. Friend got tempura veggies and tuna sashimi. It's next to that atrocious CopATan in the strip mall.
(3)
Brad T.
Here is how I rate my nigiri sushi (not of this mayo roll crap!)... Is the fish FIRM AND GLOSSY (fresh) vs. soft and separating at the scales (old)? Is the green tea FREE and does it STAY GREEN as the tea cools over time (quality tea vs. cheap green tea that turns yellow or brown quickly)? Yes and Yes! Good stuff, not the freshest fish I've had in LA, but better than most and good for the price point. Nice quaint atmosphere. Take your shoes off at the door and sit on the floor (except there is a hole under the tables so it is more like siting at a picnic table). Great $ for lunch set. The only small disappointment was there was no "irrashai" or "arigato gozaimasu" shouted by the staff (but, it was lunch so maybe they were saving their energy for the dinner crowd)!
(4)
Maygan O.
Hubby and I absolutely LOVE this place- great authentic food, and great service. The baked crab handrolls are ADDICTIVE, and the floor seating is really fun- our kids even love coming here : ) Great quality for a Japanese restaurant in a shopping plaza!!!! Great atmosphere, but they close early (10 PM- even on weekends!!)
(5)
Maria W.
Take your shoes off and slide on in to a booth for some delicious sushi. The flavors here are more classic, great for a beginner ( i had my first authentic sushi here and became an avid fan thereafter). Sometimes the servers get distracted but the ambiance here makes this a great impress a date spot. Sit at the bar for some warm funny chefs who will make the meal memorable.
(4)
Jackie O.
They gave me tempura fried shrimp heads with my sushi, they were so good. Sat at the bar, a little pricey because I fell for an upsell. The waitres suggested the market priced sweet shrimp. While they were good as i hadnt had shrimp before. For 2 peices of sushi it was 16 dollars. Had I stayed with the regular shrimp I would have saved money. Otherwise the prices overall are fair. Nice date spot.
(4)
Zana F.
Quick and sweet..went there yesterday after reading up on it and was not disappointed at all - this is now one of my favorite Sushi places. What i LIKED: Ambiance - love the sitting on the floor and the cozy and authentic kind of feel..not the fan of lights, spot on and all sooo light that you need glasses kind of new restaurants...which look and feel cold NOT cool! Sushi quality was great Service very nice and attentive Romantic if a couple but also great for Group/family since they have different table setting - which is great! Price - medium Parking great right in front :-) voila...what do you want more?
(4)
Timmy G.
I love this place. Where else can you kick off your shoes, sit on the floor and eat sushi? You better have GPS to find this place. It's tucked away in the middle of a strip mall surrounded by a maze of various businesses. Once you find it though you'll be glad you did. The food is delicious and the service is sexy. Last time I was there the young owner/manager had a crush on my friend and we somehow ended up very buzz on sake. Hmm weird? Still don't know how that happened. Anyhow... highly recommended.
(5)
Tyson L.
So on my way to an event in the Westsiiiide, me and a friend decide it best to get some food instead of relying on free appetizers later on. This was one of the first places she recommends. Japanese food sounded good to me. The front door was a little hard to spot, tucked away in a small corner at the back of a plaza, next to some pizza place. I was a bit surprised when I first walked in to find out you had to take your shoes off. I dunno if this makes a place "more authentic" or not, but my first thought was, 'the food better be that good'. Speaking of which, the tables are fixed and there are FOOTWELLS beneath each table. Honestly, this small bit of technical info completely escaped me all night. I'm actually used to sitting akimbo while eating, but found the table legs not wide enough for my knees, so I ended up hunched over quite a bit while I stared at my friend who could comfortably put her elbows on the table... only later did I find out why. how the foot well escaped me, i dunno... so much for my sensory perception. The menu was separated by a la carte dishes from the kitchen, and from the sushi bar. I realized this was more of a izakaya japanese tapas style restaurant. Hoping to make a quick dinner to get to our event on time, and it being "LA cold" outside, we both ordered udon. She got the tempura udon, I got the nabeyaki. I also ordered an agedashi tofu. The tofu came out quickly. Three pieces of lightly battered fried tofu sitting in tempura sauce sprinkled with thin strips of seaweed and green onions. There was a dash of minced ginger in there... somewhat of a surprise as I got it all in one bite in the middle. They served it with two spoons which did make it easier to pick at than taking a whole piece with chopsticks. My nabeyaki udon came a few bites after the tofu. The portion size wasnt too big, but I guess thats a good thing. There was a half poached egg, one huge leaf of baby nappa cabbage, a shrimp tempura and slices of kamaboko (the white and pink fishcake stuff). Underneath all the noodles I found maybe two piece of chicken. The broth was deeply flavored, and thickened up once I mixed the egg in and the udon was perfectly chewy. Overall very pleasant. I helped finish my friends tempura which was served on the side of the udon. It came with pretty much every piece of vegetable conceivable in a japanese kitchen. I used the tempura sauce the agedashi tofu was served in to dip the tempura, a very fortunate accompaniment. The service was great. Servers were very prompt in clearing the table, filling our glasses and always available. As for price, the udon was $10 or so, kind of expensive to be honest. The most of the tapas weren't as lowly priced as I've come to expect either. My friend mentioned the price had gone up and it had been getting more popular. But she thought the food was still good enough to justify. With a constant group waiting to be seated (fortunately my friend made a reservation) it doesnt seem like it hinders keeping other customers from coming back either. Neither does it for me, I'm looking forward to coming back and trying their sushi and other dishes on a later date when I have more time. Speaking of which, this would definitely be a good date place, my friend mentioned she brought many of her dates here as well. Its clean and nicely furnished (minus the seats...) and dimly lit except around the sushi bar.
(4)
Eric T.
I was on a business trip and decided to yelp a high rated restaurant. I found Irori and decided to go try. Since it was a business trip, I had the benefit to splurge a little more than I'd normally order. Location: When I went the plaza was under construction and Irori doesn't have a big light up sign. It's nestled in the back corner. Food Items that i ordered: 1) Blue Fin Toro - 5 / 5 - Fresh, melted in my mouth and sushi rice was just right 2) Blue Crab Hand Roll - 3.5 / 5 - Lots of blue crab with a little bit of Mayao 3) Irori Roll - 3 / 5 - Spicy roll with Tuna pieces and some crunchy bits. Kind of disappointed that the maki were cut in different sizes and some were breaking apart 4) Albacore Sushi with Ponzu 2.5 / 5 - The fish was not as fresh and was starting to get old since there texture was a little "mushy" 5) Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice 2 / 5 - I think the concept is good. But the sushi has missed it's marked. The spicy tuna on top of crispy rice didn't really go together. The rice was fried unevenly as one was almost fried all the way and soaked in oil while the other one was a little better. 6) Sweet Amaebi - 3.5 / 5 - The shrimp was dancing and moving when i watched the master sushi chef work on it. The meat was fresh and the texture was great. However, I dont know why, the sweet shrimp was not very sweet. I've had amaebie before and there is a great sweetness to it. This one was more lots of meat but not as sweet Food Conclusion: I would say that I would rate this place a 3 out of 5 stars. The food was good but for the price, I dont think it was as wow worthy. Ambiance and Service: I would give +1 star to the restaurant for the service. The service was very attentive to my needs. The master sushi chef that I sat in front of was a friendly and great to talk to. Conclusion: I think Irori is a good restaurant to go out with friends and significant others for a night out. Great service and good selection of food. If you're looking for wow'ing fresh sushi, I would try to find another place next time.
(4)
Shida S.
Some of the best sushi ever...the albacore & toro are to die for...I highly recommend the mushroom tepan if you are crazy about the variety of exotic mushrooms. The service is also exceptional. Be prepared to take shoes off as you walk into this joint as it is a requirement....
(5)
Shane B.
drop your shoes at the door, and settle in to a nice cubby table. the ambiance inside is great even if it felt like we were walking to a fair ride during the construction. i cant brag particularity about the fish, but it was good enough. the seafood spring rolls were nice and came with a tasty salsa for dipping. if we need a place to go for sushi in the area, i would come here again. prices seemed a bit high, buts its smell a
(4)
Tom H.
I have decided to upgrade my "rating" of Irori. This is based on a recent visit, and eating at several of their competitors... Irori won hands down. Be sure to try the appetizer called "Sashimi News". It takes a few minutes to prepare - so order it first thing.
(5)
Helenhana C.
don't believe everything you read on yelp. the yelp page says the price range of the place is $$. It's a lie!!!! Definitely not a $$ place but it's more like $$$. but then again, i must have a very expensive taste when it comes to raw fish. some of the items we ordered were "MP." i actually hate ordering market priced items because i bet that's just one of the schemes that businesses use to overcharge customers. we ordered dynamites (scallops and mushrooms baked in creamy sauce) appetizer which was dynamically creamy and bit cheesy. then we had our sushi: yellow tails, spanish mackerel, fresh sweet shrimps, uni and toro. overall, very fresh fish and good rice but they are definitely "market priced"=overpriced. it kills me to know that my fellow had to pay $15 for two small pieces of fish over rice. their cold house sake tasted very water downed. i know what some of you are thinking but i do KNOW the difference between sake and soju. this sake (not comparing to soju) definitely tasted weak. now my fellow is currently looking for a part-time job to afford my eating and drinking habit. btw, they are open for lunch til 2:00pm and yes, we ordered sake with our lunch.
(4)
liz c.
You can't judge a sushi joint by the strip mall it's in. The strip mall is already pretty unassuming - the CVS, the dry cleaners, the Radioshack. Not really Japantown (well, Marina del Rey doesn't really say "Asian flavor" to me anyway) but that's irrelevant. Irori really is tucked away in the back of the mall and to the side. I could see how people can completely miss the place. And to be honest, it was good enough that I sort of hope people NEVER really find it... Evil I know. I ordered the eel roll and tried some of the mackerel. My eel roll only came with two pieces which was a little disappointing considering it was close to $7. I also had a baked roll (cannot remember the name!) which was delectable. All the fish I had was tender and soft. Being stuck in a world of franchise sushi joints, Irori is in a class of it's own. The decor is traditional and authentic with stone laden entry way and wood planked floors. Customers are required to take off their shoes (they have slippers to wear if you need the restroom) and sit at elevated tables or iroris. With your feet dangling beneath you, it's a rare experience to eat good sushi in such a unique environment. And it feels pretty good to walk on the stones as you leave to put on your shoes :)
(4)
lynn k.
my husband and I like this place. If you sit at the sushi bar ask the chef what the fresh fishes of the day are. I love uni and one night the chef was honest. He did not recommend it. The waitress' are a little harder to deal with. They lack manner. Our waitress kind of stood there with our plate in mid air until we moved our plates over. It was an awkward few seconds. She could have easily placed the plate near by. The ambiance is relaxing and the place is clean. I think this would be a great date place. You take your shoes off at the door so make sure you don't have holes in your socks.
(5)
LeeAnn T.
My favorite sushi spot on the westside. LOVE it. everything is fresh and everything tastes good.
(5)
Sarah P.
Okay, so I have eaten here twice. The first time it was absolutely awful. I came in alone to have a quick bite to eat and sat at the sushi bar because I didn't want to take my shoes off. I got there at 1:30pm not realizing that they closed at 2:00pm. I ordered the lunch special and it was awful. The teriyaki salmon was completely dried out and had way too much sauce on it. I asked to have it re-cooked because i just couldn't stomach it, and the chef behind the sushi bar gave me serious attitude. Then I was practically thrown out at 2:00pm. I thought it was beyond rude rude and never wanted to go back there again. Well against my better judgement, i went back again and this time I ate inside the restaurant. I must say, the food way 10 times better and the service was impeccable. The quality of the sushi meat was an 8 on a scale of 1-10. this time, however, i spent a lot more money at lunch. So basically, I would say, don't sit at the sushi bar and don't order the lunch special. If you don't mind spending more money, sit inside and order regular sushi. That, my friends, was worth it.
(3)
David L.
First time and loved it. Traditional Japanese seating, no shoes and great sushi, you have to give this unassuming place a try.
(5)
David M.
As you arrive at this unassuming strip mall location in Marina Del Rey, you may not expect to find some of the most unique and high quality sushi in the South Bay. But as I entered, placed my shoes in the cubby holes, and was seated at a table with holes in the ground for my legs, I realized I was not in store for a typical sushi experience. I took advantage of some of the unique choices typically found at only higher-end sushi spots: Hakkaisan sake caraffe - cool, with hints of apple 1. Cucumber salad - clean & refreshing, but non-descript save for a touch of seaweaed that added a little extra flavor 2. Ankimo (monkfish liver) - very rich, creamy and flavorful, served with a tasty ponzu and topped with roe 3. Blue crab hand roll - filled with a good amount of real blue crab meat, but flavor was a little too mild 4. Blue fin toro sushi - very high quality fatty tuna, practically melts in your mouth 5. Kanpachi sushi - again, very high quality, and the subtle flavor of the fish made this a stand-out 6. Seared ono - probably the best course of the meal. topped with a citrus pepper sauce that perfectly complimented the fish 7. Uni - really creamy, fresh and a touch of sweet. a good finisher. haven't had uni often so it's hard for me to compare 8. Yuzu mousse on wontons - I usually skip dessert at Japanese restaurants since they typically only offer mochis, but I'm glad I didn't here. The citrus flavored mousse, topped with a bluberry and a strawberry desert sauce made this the perfect end to the meal. $75 for two with sake
(4)
The Food G.
The place has a good vibe but the food did not satisfy. In summary, we loved the blue crab hand rolls and spicy tuna on crispy rice. Everything else was meh. The price is kind of steep for the amount of fish they give you. I would rather spend more money to go to yamashiro or less for more fish in Japanese town.
(3)
Julia I.
Better than average sushi. Interesting selections of fish. Their sunomono is rather sweet. Sushi chef was great at the bar, but had a hard time getting service help from the staff.
(4)
Scott B.
My best friend and I went to this place on the recommendation of one of my friends and at first I was a little weary because it was located in a strip mall next to a 24 hour CVS, but damn if I wasn't impressed as soon as I walked in the door. We went there without reservations and it was about 7 or 7:30 on Thursday evening; when we left at about 9 or 9:30 the place was packed and there was a line for table so I'd say if you go any later than 7:30 make a reservation just to be safe. Like everyone says, you take your shoes off and leave them in a little cubby at the front of the restaurant, and it's cute and adds to the ambiance of the place. The food was amazing. Whoever said their fish must be laced with crack is spot on because I swear that I'm addicted now. My friend and I order a lot of stuff. We started off with an order of the oysters on the half shell and they were really good, it was his first time actually having oysters and he said he enjoyed them. Then we hit up the sushi menu. I believe we got: Albacore (Japanese style) which was my absolute favorite item of the entire night. I cannot stress enough how good it is Japanese style, and I hear the seared version is equally as good. We also had surf clam (tasted good but was a little chewy), yellowtail (really fresh and delicious), tamago (both of us had this for the first time, it was a little sweet and I liked it, though he said he wouldn't try it again), and we also had the tuna (tasty and fresh). Also, we ordered the shrimp tempura roll which was good, though I preferred the traditional sushi pieces to the roll. After all of that we ended up ordering a few more pieces of the albacore (it was that good) and an order of the shrimp & assorted vegetable tempura. The tempura was pretty standard in my opinion. For drinks he got a glass of wine, which he enjoyed greatly, and I got a large Saporro and when we ordered our second round of albacore we also split a small hot sake. All in all the dinner came to around $95 (not including tip) and when you look at how much food we had (and how awesomely delicious and fresh it was) you can see that it's all reasonably priced. The waitstaff was attentive and answered any questions we had. Personally, I'm going to make this my regular sushi place now and I'm so glad my friend recommended it to me. And no, it does not smell like feet at all. Not even a little bit.
(5)
Wil F.
Definitely an odd location for a decent sushi spot where you need to take off your shoes! Once you get over the rather large strip mall parking lot and get inside, the people are generally friendly and the atmosphere is nice. I would personally say that this is more of a lunch spot than dinner - but then again, what is the criteria for that statement? One of the better sushi establishments in the area in terms of food quality. Also a bit more expensive than other area sushi spots - but worth it, in my opinion. Try the Black Cod with Miso - seriously!
(4)
Lucky J.
Time warp once you enter this establishment. Make sure you are pretty confident about the socks you put on in the morning, or else you'll get funny looks from customers. The restaurant does not come close to the location its placed at. You think strip mall, CVS, pavillions....then Bam!....You get shipped to the orient. I love it. Low Key, good sushi, and decent lunch prices. If you happen to feel awkward about the socks you're wearing...have no fear....CVS sells 3 pairs for 5.99. It'll save your life when you see the place packed with people. Im definitely a fan of the Irori!
(4)
Ernesto M.
This is the place for all that people who would like to show off their funky and fancy socks that are never visible to the public. Here in Irori you HAVE TO take off your shoes in order to enter the dining area. So make sure that that day you're not wearing your favorite Winnie Pooh socks (if you are a guy) and didn't run out of socks and took your emergency, ultimate last resource pairs: the ones with the holes in them. You might think that you will be getting into some tatami area but actually the floor is a raised wood platform and the tables have an aperture around them to put your feet under them. Attractive concept, you are still sitting on the floor. Like every other person who gets off at lunch and has no clue on what to eat, this is one of the spots I end up going. They serve an abundant Lunch box with 2 choices of entrees, ranging from tempura, rolls, to beef, chicken and salmon teriyaki with miso soup and salad. Their sushi is very fresh and their rolls are made to perfection. And these boxes are worth 10-12 bucks. Not bad for good sushi. However, it gets crowded sometimes and when it does, the only 2 waiters could start to freak out. Specially the lady. The guy always gives satisfactory service but the other one can be a.. ahem, a problem. If you go in a group of four, they don't allow you to split the bill four ways. only 3 ways and hell knows what happens with the 4th person. It took her 20 mins to figure out how to keep her maximum 3-way bill policy and came back with an attitude. The food is great but I would recommend improving their service.
(3)
Oliver P.
Really great place. Had the Sushi News with tuna and halibut, tuna was much better. Also had the peppered albacore which was great. Will make another trip to try a few other things. Not overly pricey, much better then a few other subpar places in the area.
(4)
Omid T.
High quality sushi! One of our favorite spots for sushi. You wont get the fancy shmancy rolls, just quality. I recommend the jalepeno sashimi, spicy tuna on crispy rice, and the california roll.
(5)
Megan M.
This place was awesome! I came here with Grubwithus, and it was such a great time. The staff was very attentive, the food was delicious, and it was really fun taking off our shoes and sitting at floor level in the "traditional" style. I would recommend this place to anyone who likes Japanese food and who enjoys a friendly atmosphere. We were lucky enough to get Akiko as our server, and she took great care of us. Our food came out so fast, and she was always there to refill drinks and make sure everyone was comfortable. She even brought us more cushions for our bums. I loved it!
(5)
Dawn S.
The first time my hubby and I were introduced to this restaurant, we went with some friends who live in MDR. I was a fan after our first visit to Irori. Yes, its not quite a seating arrangement most US citizens are used to...but at least they have the hole in the floor under the table, so you can actually sit on your butt and hang your legs over the edge (as opposed to sitting traditional Japanese-style like you're participating in a chado ceremony). Sushi is fantastic, bento box is a great deal with a good amount of food...another favorite is the misoyaki black cod. YUM. 5 shakas, good stuff!
(5)
Stephanie K.
We went into Irori the other night, and I hadn't been there in a very long time. Now, with 3 kids, and of course, "do they have a highchair?" wasn't even crossing my mind, because it's traditional Japanese seating on tatami. So the baby crawled and wiggled, and squiggled, and we tried to keep her hostage underneath the table. We ordered a lot of food, and I ordered a pree-tty good glass of chardonnay for a chard. It was Cupcake Winery. I find when I eat Japanese food, the red causes fishy tastes from seaweed and nori combinations, so it's best to choose a white wine if not sake. My son ordered chirashi bowl, and I ordered the salmon teriyaki, and my husband ordered a lot of sushi. We tried their nasu miso, which was decent, and the agedashi tofu, good but not outstanding. Sweet potato fries were more like donut flavor. The baby ate some of my salmon, which was excellent and juicy, perfectly done. I was happy with it. The usual green tea ice cream for dessert for everyone. Irori is pretty good, but my Japanese native husband said: "the sushi tasted plastic". Oh well. It's a good place to go if you aren't with someone Japanese, and better off without the almost 1 year old baby, so you can actually enjoy your meal. So, to recap: Not a good place for "clear your table" toddler action, and young kids who whine and give you a difficult time while you are trying to eat your dinner. Not good for picky Japanese people. Good for a decent Japanese meal if you are not that discerning.
(4)
Eric B.
Love this place. My go-to Japanese fun-time spot. Great food, a lot of variety on both menu stuff and sushi bar items... just a gem. And the recessed pit seating is a nice change of pace. Maybe it's not good for grandparents... but I love it.
(5)
Happy M.
We love this place! Very lovely decor ( good place to bring a date) and we liked to sit on the floor (with cushions) with your feet tucked under the boxy wooden "hole" under the floor. Yes, you need to take off your shoes, so be sure you wear clean socks with no holes ;-) We used to go regularly for both lunch & dinner. The food is excellent! The fishes are great, the appetizers & Udon soups & the a-la-carts are amazing, fresh salads, tasty miso soup, beautiful presentation, good portion (you get full but not TOO full) and everything is SO delicious! It also is reasonably priced!! We miss it a lot now we no longer live in L.A. p.s. one big bonus for some of you who need to know, yes, YOU CAN BRING YOUR KIDS!!
(4)
Denice L.
I do like this place alot and go here quite a bit, but I have a serious problem when my friend is allergic to salmon and they charge $1.00 to substitute for tuna in the Chirashi. TUNA is cheaper and she's allergic! Since you make us take our shoes off, you save the $1.00 in electricity for not having to use a vacuum cleaner.
(4)
M M.
This place reminds of when I used to live in Japan. Very traditional with taking off the shoes, holes in the floor for your legs and feet, old school and funny Japanese sushi chefs. They even have traditional slippers to wear to the bathroom. Definitely brings me back. Its usually pretty busy so I'd make reservations to be on the safe side....especially on the weekends. Their sushi prices are decent and the quality is very good. You MUST try the seared ono! Its not chilled seared, but they sear it to order. YUM!! They top it off with a green salty and spicy spread called Yuzukoshou. They don't put a lot, just enough to give it a nice kick....I usually ask for extra. LOVE IT!! The only thing I don't like about this place and why I gave 4 stars is their service. I've been here about 10 times and the waitresses NEVER check up on you.....even to see if you want to order anything else. They're pretty bad, but they are great about grabbing your check and credit card to get paid. You have to either flag them down or catch them while they drop off an order at your table, which is what I have to do. I feel bad since I give them several requests, "Can I have more tea, more ginger, and another napkin please?" Its gotta be done or they're long gone. Even if my tea cup is empty you have to ask....they do not take matters into their own hands. So it might be better to sit at the bar. So annoying when places are on top of picking up the checks and not checking up on you. I'll still continue to go.....I love that seared ono way too much! =D
(4)
William T.
In short, the food was good, the atmosphere was enjoyable but my final bill was much higher than what I would expect for a decent sushi restaurant. Yes, I did get some specialty items such as the sweet shrimp and a soft shell crab roll but after tax and tip it cost me $60 for my meal (and one draft beer). I would go there again because of the traditional Japanese atmosphere (must take your shoes off and sit on the floor) and the food quality was good, however, I may be cautious of what I order if I am on a budget.
(3)
L G.
This place is awesome. My co-workers & I had our first dinner outing here. Thanks to Junko! Yay! It was a bit hard to find because the place is difficult to see from the street. It's near Radioshack & CVS Pharmacy. Once you enter, you have to take off your shoes. I wasn't aware of it beforehand. I was wearing sandals so I was a bit uncomfortable walking barefoot where other stranger's feet walked. Eeeww gross.. but, I got over it. I love the atmosphere & I love the dining style ( the table is low & there's a hole under the table where your legs hang. I wonder how they clean under there.... We tried a lot of dishes (recommendations from Junko). The ones that left an impression on me were: Eggplant/shrimp roll, this lobster tempura thingy, shrimp egg roll w/salsa. It is pricey but I would definitely come back & I HAVE. FYI: If you plan to go with a group of 6 -8 people, you should make a reservation because there's only one dining area for that accommodation.
(4)
Leilani P.
Went here last night and it's pretty reasonable price-wise. The sushi is actually pretty good. I was a little weirded out about the no shoe policy and the servers kept leaning over the sushi bar to get everyone's food. I wouldn't recommend sitting at the bar. I may amend this when I go back and try a proper table.
(3)
Shar N.
blue crab roll enough said it's a popular place so go early or call in a reservation. if not then the wait may upset you.
(3)
Amy D.
What a gem this place is! I love that you take off your shoes at the front door. The dark hardwood floors are beautiful as well as the tables you eat at. The space below the tables for your legs is a nice mix of Japanese and American ways of eating. The food was delicious and the server we had could not have been nicer!!! I adore this place and will be back many times in the future.
(5)
Michelle K.
I love the lunch box special. The value is great. For $8.95 you get 2 menu items including miso soup and a salad. The quality and quantity is amazing. The sushi is high quality too. I would recommend this restaurant to my friends.
(5)
Sarah B.
The food is pretty good! But the last two times I've been I didn't stay long because the sushi chef would not shut up and drove me insane. Stopping in during a hectic day, I wanted to relax over lunch and check my iPhone messages. But the whole time, this leering face peered over the sushi bar asking questions. Going back to work? (I work at home) Is that the new iPhone 5? How much it cost? How much service plan? You had iPhone 4? (No) How different from iPhone 4? (How the hell would I know, I didn't have one) Anyway, I just beat it out of there the second I could get my check and won't sit at the sushi bar again.
(3)
Ashley B.
My husband and I like to go here on our date night, cuz its two seaters are cozy and we can play footsy under the table. Its always busy because its GOOD. The service is impeccable and prompt. Food is reliably tempered, sushi is cold, hot sake hot, but not burnt, cold sake cold, miso soup - amazing, edamame- never mushy. Love the embiance, and dont worry, they have a slipper for you to wear when you go to the bathroom.
(5)
Stevo J.
Good basic Japanese izakaya food. They cater to a more "Americanized' clientele so the food isn't as tasty as places in Little Tokyo or Gardena. However, I love that they make you take your shoes off and you get to sit on the floor. I miss this about izakayas in Japan.
(4)
May M.
Ultimately, you come here for the ambiance because their sushi was just okay for me. I was not impressed. They listed their UNI at market price ($8 thereabouts) and though it was fresh, I could have gone to SushiGo55 at Little Tokyo for a dollar less and it would be as fresh yet get a tad heftier serving of uni.
(3)
Jeremy C.
Our top lunch spot for me and my coworkers! Simple and clean decor, great service, and tasty food. Try the sesame chicken if you get a bento box. The location is a little bit hidden, but after your first time there, you'll be sure to remember where it is.
(5)
Blake B.
As a senior at LMU and Marina del Rey resident, I've seen Irori for nearly 4 years now but never tried it for some reason. Finally decided to try it tonight and I can safely say I have found a new favorite sushi place in the area. There is no better sushi in the area as far as I know. I am a big fan of nearby SugarFISH, but thats not your typical sushi bar. The only other sushi places nearby that I can think of that are worth mentioning are Tsuji No Hana and Kaya Sushi, and Irori has them beat by far. It is one of the few sushi places that actually seem authentic anymore...like every has said, your shoes come off when you walk in the door. It's a pretty small place, so I imagine it fills up fast. Sat at the sushi bar and was impressed by their specials and selection of fish. I had Blue Fin tuna, Yellowtail, Albacore, Ono, Red Snapper, Spanish Mackerel and 2 Baked Blue Crab Handrolls (they were awesome...had to get 2!). All of the fish was extremely fresh and well prepared, all tasted delicious. The sushi chef was great too, I had ordered Kanpachi which is usually pretty good if its on the menu no matter where you get it, but he felt that the normal Yellowtail they had that night was fresher so he recommended it instead. I took him up on the suggestion and was extremely pleased. The service was great, both the waiters/waitresses and the sushi chefs. I felt the pricing was pretty fair too, especially given the quality. Not the cheapest but no where near expensive as some places with lower quality than Irori. I highly recommend this place! Will definitely be going back often.
(5)
Derricho S.
If you're looking for great quality sushi, and just want to eat without of the bangs n whistle, this place is highly recommended.
(4)
Sarah Y.
I really love this place! A friend of mine who used to live in this area introduced me to this hole-in-the-wall of a restaurant. I've been here about 3 times now. I enjoy their black cod miso -- to die for! The first time I had it, they ended up burning it so made it again for me. It was well worth the wait. Attentive service. Calm environment. I don't really remember their sushi.. haha but their miso salad dressing is delish! I really wish I lived closer.
(4)
Reilly L.
Such a cool little sushi joint. Great for lunch because the bento boxes come with tons of food and the prices are reasonable. I enjoy having to take off my shoes and sitting on the floor, it adds to the experience and definitely makes it more fun. As far as the sushi goes.. At first I was a bit put off because of the menu prices, but after receiving my food It seemed to be worth it. All of the fish was quite fresh and well prepared. The rolls come as 5 pieces (instead of the 6-8 that I'm used to) but the pieces are much larger. The service is outstanding and I have never had to wait to be seated on the weekend or on a weekday for lunch. There are tons of available parking spots because the place is located in a strip mall but most of the parking isn't directly in front of the restaurant. Overall its a fun and delicious Japanese restaurant, worth checking out!
(4)
Michael L.
Great atmosphere. Almost like one of those traditional Japanese restaurants where you take off your shoes. I sat at the sushi bar, had omakase, and it certainly didn't disappoint. I'm a big uni lover, but I've been told that there are other places with better uni. Regardless, I thought their food was pretty good and fresh.
(5)
Michele S.
I absolutely love sushi, but most LA sushi establishments either seem to be exorbitantly expensive or offer fish that is not-so-fresh. Irori Sushi has hit a mark that is somewhere in the middle. They offer basic rolls (e.g. spicy tuna or yellow tail) for $7.50, but if you have a craving for something fancier (rainbow roll or dragon roll) that is going to set you back $18. However they do offer pretty good deals on sashimi and sushi platters. The last time I visited I got that sashimi platter for $19.50 which came with tuna (3 pieces), salmon (3), whitefish (3), yellowtail (2), miso soup, a salad, and a bowl of sticky rice. The tuna, salmon, and yellow fish were pretty good, but the white fish was horrible. Three out of four isnt that bad. Also had the spicy tuna roll which was tasty, but only 5 pieces. Over all the food was satisfactory for the price, and the over all experience was enhanced by the more traditional ambiance and excellent/speedy service. 3.5 stars. would repeat unless something better came along
(4)
Charles S.
Take your shoes off and show this place some respect!... irori: (n) type of traditional sunken hearth My favorite Japanese, so far. And not just for the cool elevated floor seating. Staff is always kind, attentive and knowledgeable. Eaten dinner here 5 or 6 times and only had to wait once. Every time has been delicious as craap. I think there is only one table that accommodates over 5 people. Order this, run it through your guts, love every bite, pay about $60, enough for two. Yellow tail with jalapeno and ponzu (sp?) 2 Spicy tuna hand rolls Eggplant with miso Seaweed salad Hot green tea Nigori cold unfiltered saki
(5)
Alice Y.
Ok so hubs and I are HUGE HARDCORE sushi eaters..and by HARDCORE i don't mean california rolls...i mean uni and mackerel action. there's only a handful of places where we'll recommend our friends go. this is one of them. the sushi. it's fresh, it's clean, it's delicious. the place is in a random strip mall. but it's a find. a true find.
(5)
Victoria V.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in West La...hands down. I used to be a Wabi Sabi fan, but Irori takes the cake. I have been to Irori over 10 times and every time it is better than the last. I always start out my meal with a delicious glass of Shouchu. It is amazing!! The sashimi here is so fresh and the specials are always spot on!! The blue fin tuna and unagi are to die for! Irori recently added spicy tuna on crispy rice and it is AMAZING! It is the best spicy tuna on crispy rice anywhere. Sorry Katsu-ya, but you're off the island!! The wait staff is always super friendly and the service is prompt. Overall, there is not a single complaint on my end. Well...except that the delicious clams were sold out last time I went! This is a must!!
(5)
Cal C.
wow this place is a little expensive for what you get! i saw the reviews so it wasn't unexpected... but 6 pieces of salmon sashimi for $16?? i could easily eat 3 orders of that just to start my dinner. i think i will try other more affordable japanese places before coming back!
(3)
Jennifer T.
Great sushi and great atmosphere. The service is excellent and the sushi is fresh and tasty.
(5)
Ann C.
We came here a few times before and always had an amazing dining experience. However, last Saturday, we went for the gusto, made reservations for the bar, and had omakase. Omakase is a carte blanche of sorts in the sushi world. For $65, Katsu (our chef) served us a sample of each of the specials (both cooked and raw dishes)... and sometimes Yuki (head chef and owner) would step in to conjure some new creations on-the-spot. It was fun. When we'd like something, we'd tell him and he'd give us more of it in the following plate. Everything was wonderful and not too glutinous, as you had smaller portions of everything. My only cons for the evening were that I believe they were a waiter short and they served us Costco sorbet for dessert... I think they ran out of the tempura ice cream. (giggle) But, we all know that you don't go there for the dessert. Tips or Words of Wisdom: 1.) BE ADVENTUROUS! Try the jalapeno specials, they're our favorites of the a la carte menu. 2.) MAKE RESERVATIONS. Based on my experience, walk-ins are a hit or miss. I recall waiting 1hr for a table for 6 because we missed our reservation by 30mins on a Thrusday night and I recall going on a Sunday evening to wait 5mins for a table for 4. It all depends. But, if you want to be certain that you get a table for that evening without the wait, a call before 2pm (that day) should do and arrive on time. 3.) WEAR CLEAN SOCKS. Your fellow patrons will appreciate it. Now, GO... enjoy and tell 'em that you were REFERRED BY SKY of Manhattan Beach.
(3)
Justin C.
Fantastic quality at very fair prices. You will be glad you found this gem right next to Radio Shack in this strip mall. Amazing presentation, great food, great find.
(4)
Max S.
I was introduced a little while back to irori by my mom's co-worker and now seldomly look elsewhere for good sushi at a good price in the marina. The seared ono with the spicy yuzu sauce is surely the best on the menu but I have a sneaking suspicion that if you cozy up to your sushi chef you may find yourself with an array of secret menu selections. The fried green tea ice cream is also tremendous with a fried crisp outside and a layer of cake like molten ice cream before you hit the cold green tea. Just a fun experience and impressive on a first date. it is a bit of a hole in the wall so prepare to impress when you walk amongst a pavilions cvs and radio shack to open the door to an oasis with everyone cozily chatting on the floor legs dangling beneath the tables.
(4)
Jessie S.
I've been here several times and most recently for my friend's birthday. Previous to this visit I would have given them at least four stars, but unfortunately this time around the experience wasn't so great. Apparently everyone and their mother has a birthday on the same day, and they all decided to go to out for sushi. We called sometime between 6-7pm and they said they wouldn't be taking any reservations until after 9pm. (They closed at 10:30.) The logic of this was completely beyond us, and suffice to say reservations were out of the question, so we decided to trek over anyway and take our chances with a wait time. It wasn't until we got there that we found out the reason for their odd reservation policy; it was full. Completely, utterly full with people who had made reservations far in advance. I suppose I can't blame the restaurant for that, but I can blame them for this: We were told the wait time would be about forty minutes. We waited over an hour, nearly an hour and a half, and eventually were seated at a table too small for our group, which meant two of us had to sit with our legs tucked in or crossed for the duration. (shut up, we're lazy americans.) I didn't mind for the first half hour or so, but after that my legs went kinda numb. The least they could have done was offer us desserts or something for our ridiculous wait time. The food was superb, as usual, absolutely nothing wrong with anyone's order. It's just a shame that the service falls apart when they have a busy night. I may revise this and add a star back if/when I return, but until then... alas, three stars.
(3)
Katie C.
We started going to Irori about a year ago & it was fast becoming our favorite sushi place cuz we loved their wide variety of super-fresh "real" fish - uni, aji, ankimo etc. Felt like the perfect spot for those of us who avoid the CA-rolls-on-steriods spots because we want actual sushi. But the 4 stars we'd have given them went poof a month ago when my sweetie & I got terribly sick after eating lunch there. We only ordered miso soup, nigiri sushi and sashimi - no rolls, no sides & only water to drink. Hadn't even had b-fast before going in. W/in a few hours we were both doubled over w/ horrible cramps & spent a good chunk of the next 24 hours camped out in the bathroom. UGH. Am heartbroken. Had thought we'd finally found a great neighborhood sushi home. But anytime I think of possibly going back my stomach turns.
(1)
Patrick S.
Five stars because it's the best sushi in the area. Not necessarliy because it's a five star sushi restaurant. Yuki is a great guy and there are nights that the fish is stellar. Prices are actually not outrageous like most other places in the area....they're actually reasonable. Best place on the westside when you combine food and price.
(5)
Jon W.
Great food and atmosphere. We especially enjoyed the bluefin nigiri and the ginja roll (spicy tuna, avo, albacore and shaved jalapeno) we just stumbled up this place since it was so close to our hotel. Definitely a place I would recommend.
(4)
Allison M.
I wish yelp had "half-stars" because I gave this place a 3.5, maybe 3.75. It was fine, and my sushi was good but not amazing. I would go again if I was hungry and in the marina, but wouldn't drive past the 100 other sushi places between my place and there for dinner. They did have very good spicy rolls. They weren't hot-spicy, but they had an interesting blend that tasted and looked like it had green onions (scallions, if you prefer) in it. Very tasty, but again, I wasn't knocked out of my seat. (Note: it would be very hard to be physically knocked out of your seat since it is shoes-free sunken seating. More likely you could slither down under the table into the foot-pit.)
(4)
Andee T.
Everytime I go there I always fear that my shoes will get stolen or I have flash backs of a scene from an old Johnny Depp movie "Donnie Brasko" . If you dont know what I'm talking about thats too bad. Go watch the movie and then come back and read the rest of my review. To dine at Irori you have to take your shoes off. I have no problem with this but when I go there it ends up being pricier because I have to buy really cute socks to wear when I leave my really cute shoes by the door or get a pedicure but enough about the shoes and my shoe neuroticsm. This place is really all about the sushi. I always get the combination box that includes the sashimi and the salmon teriyaki. I rarely get anything different becasue I've always been really happy witht the quality of what I've been getting. The fish is very fresh and the service is worth the pedicure if you're going sockless.
(4)
Heather C.
IRORI means traditional sunken hearth common in Japan. Used for heating the home and cooking food, irori are essentially square pits in the floor with a pot hook. At Irori you do have to take your shoes off, which I think is part of the fun. This restaurant is in the Marina strip mall next to the Radio Shack and the Pavillions. I, personally, enjoy eating at the bar and having O-Masa-Son as my chef. The Japanese Mackerel is phenom! Ask for the chef's special! Love it here - BEST SUSHI WEST-SIDE! xx
(5)
Bseanmy L.
I found this place on yelp, and I must said it didn't disappointed me at all! but for those people who wants to come here and eat, I suggestion is to call and make a reservation. Sometimes the walk-in is more than an hour wait, but if you make the reservation first (same day) then you dont have to wait at all....
(4)
Blaine W.
Very good sushi and good atmosphere and unique seating. Why is it that great sushi places always seem to be in strip malls? Anyway, you can't go wrong here.
(4)
Ilana I.
Do not be fooled by the mini mall. This place rocks. Best sushi I have ever had and the prices aren't bad either. You have to take your shoes off and sit on the floor though, so if you're weird about that, don't go. Such delicious shrimp tempura rolls! mmmmmmm.
(5)
Nick K.
Great concept. Sit on the floor, eat yummy Japanese food. What else do you want in life? This place rocks, ya'll!
(5)
Ethan H.
"Dude, I found an awesome sushi joint in Marina Del Rey!" "No you didn't. There ARE no awesome sushi joints in Marina Del Rey." This is an excerpt from the conversation I had with my friend Tim when I told him about Irori and it's pretty congruous with most sushi lovers' perceptions about sushi on the westside. Us westsiders tend to groan about the lack of good sushi here and how annoying it is to have to venture eastward in order to attain that which we crave. Woe is us! Well, if you of the same ilk, this place will make you very, very happy. The sushi here is simply delectable, the sashimi is expertly cut and melts on your tongue, the rolls are creative and delicately delicious, and the nigiri is simply fantastic. The chef's specials were noteworthy as well - I recommend the baby big-eye tuna nigiri. Yum! There is a whole menu of non-sushi Japanese entrees and whatnot which I hear are quite good, but I have not steered away from the sushi to order anything of the like and I probably never will. The sushi is just too damn good and to eat anything else would feel like sacrilege. I'm actually going through an inner struggle right now as to whether or not I should press the "post it" button - I don't want this place getting overrun by all of you out there in Yelper Yelper Land. Just do me a favor alright? Try to resist the awesomeness and limit yourself to once a year. Think of how much better it will be when you finally do come back. Delayed gratification rules. :P **Update 2/22/08 - The word has gotten out. Came here tonight (Friday) and the wait for a table or even a spot at the bar was an HOUR. Apparently you have been breaking my "once a year" rule I mad e for you For shame! Heh.
(5)
trolley S.
The reason to come here is for weekday lunch. They have great specials and consistently busy. Which means fresh food. They have several bento boxes and a sushi special. It's your standard fare, decent but nothing out of this world. The fried food tastes fresh. After living out of state for a year, this place is like a fantasy for me. When I was in LA, I deemed this place medicore. Well, got some perspective now!
(4)
Wendy R.
Excellent
(5)
Masako K.
Very disappointing. Irori used to be the go-to sushi spot for me, my husband, and most of our friends who live in Venice & Marina del Rey. Perhaps due to the change in management, the quality of the food and service has plummeted. I unfortunately made this discovery when I brought my parents here - they were visiting from Japan and I had promised them that I would bring them to "my favorite sushi restaurant in LA." I was embarrassed and absolutely horrified by our experience that night. We had no waitress assigned to us, so after 15 minutes of trying to get a glass of water we had to ask the hostess to take our order. What used to be my favorite dish, the Sashimi N.E.W.S. - your preferred white fish (mine is Ono) dressed in a ponzu marinade - came out with pools of oil in the marinade. The nori used on our ikura & uni nigiri was so tough that we could not bite into it. The house salad was the only dish that was consistent to what I had in my prior visits. My parents are not food snobs but the expression on their faces said everything - "you brought us HERE on one of the few nights we have to go out to dinner with you?" I felt so apologetic. I am in the process of looking for my new go-to sushi restaurant on the Westside.
(1)
Dave D.
Excellent traditional Japanese food. Make sure to wear socks and sit on the tables. You need to take off your shoes. Great lunch deals till 2 pm.
(5)
Jennifer B.
This place has a unique ambiance because of the floor seating. Menu is a bit limited on sushi rolls, but offers all the classics. All sushi tasted very fresh and portions were good size. Vegetable tempura was very good. The salmon teriyaki entree was only on the warm side, so could use some temperature. All in all the food was good and I would go back. Only downside is that they make you the off your shoes...which at first seems ok; but then you realize the kitchen staff have shoes on because they are walking to from the dirty kitchen floor, then out into the restaurant where we are forced to walk barefoot. Why do they get to protect their feet from the floor where the kitchen shoes are bringing out the dirt/grime and we don't? My advice, wear socks!
(3)
Lauren Y.
cute place, good service! cool how you have to take your shoes off, feels very authentic. 4 stars on presentation albacore sushi, yellowtail sushi and yellotail cut roll were okay, good not great, not worth returning for. 3 stars. glad i tried it but i won't be back so i rounded down to 3 from 3.5 it's fun to try once, but if you want good food, sugarfish is much better. parking lot is easy and ample since it's located in a strip mall
(3)
Matthew R.
I came looking for the fish and not overly creative rolls. They had bit for sure, but I was pleased with my decision to trust Don to make me a most excellent custom chirashi selection. He even knew how to order the fish for consumption properly. And most importantly, there was some of my favorite Santa Barbara uni with some ikura for my final bite. Dessert! Very friendly, very clean. Might I add this was all on a Sunday night when I'd usually expect stock to be running out and fish to not be as fresh. Not a problem!
(5)
Marco D.
I ordered take out from this joint. up on arrival It seemed like a cool place. The staff was friendly and cheerful. I wish I could give them a better score but the truth is the food was average at best. There was nothing special about the rolls I ordered. If anything the tuna roll was actually bad. I have never been to a place that used actual canned tuna for a roll that was just a big No. Again, friendly staff, awesome looking place, but below average sushi.
(2)
Kerri Y.
Unexpected hidden gem located in a strip mall. I was on my way to LAX and needed food- fellow yelpers lead me to this place and you did not steer me wrong. The food was fantastic- the service was super super fast. I was very taken back by the removal of the shoes at the door - especially given that I was not wearing socks. I was also taken back by the odd table structure (located on the ground- but a cut out for your feet). Difficult to get into an out of the sushi bar if you are not expecting the setup. The seating situation could be would be difficult for older folks or those of us with bad knees!! Food was tasty and a great overall find.
(4)
Nova P.
I've come to this sushi spot a few times in the last 3-4 years and each time had a truly enjoyable experience. It's a little hidden jewel in the Pavillions/CVS shopping center (located adjacent to Radio Shack). It's a good place for dates and small groups. Leave your dirty, holy socks at home, and ladies if you come to Irori, make sure you have had a recent pedi or at least touch up the polish. Kicks come off upon entry. Why I am a fan of Irori: *Love the unique experience of eating barefoot while sitting on the elevated floor with the recessed seating. *Sushi has generous portion of fish, less rice *Food is consistently good *Very friendly and accommodating staff *Great specials *Fish is always fresh *They have both Kirin Light & Sapporro Light :) *For those worried about going a public restroom sans shoes, there are slippers available on the way to the restroom!
(4)
Alex H.
I came here about 2 weeks ago and have been dying to write a review. This place is amazing! I myself was a sushi chef in the past and the quality of the food here reminded me of back home and how good the food is on the east coast . 5 stars! Way up ! I'm a regular for life now
(5)
Gonzalo V.
Found this in YELP, had never been and probably the best sushi I have ever had and I've had lots of sushi.
(5)
Clover J.
Agree that with the new owners the service is a bit rushed, but still great atmosphere for getting sushi when your in a relaxed mood or with someone you actually want to have a conversation with. The portion size of the black cod decreased, however the portion of yellowtail served in the yellowtail jalapeño about doubled,
(4)
Summer B.
I had heard great things about Irori so I decided to finally check it out. This place has an interesting ambiance. It was quiete when I came in. You must take off your shoes and there is primarily seating on pillows on the floor with a few tables in the center with chairs. The sushi bar has regular seats. I had a Sashimi salad to try to get a good taste of their fish. It was good but not great. The albacore and tuna tasted a bit fishy. The salmon was very good! The prices for many of their menu items were on the higher end and the portion size was smaller than many sashimi salads I have had at other sushi spots. A plus side is the service was really great.
(3)
Janet L.
Really fresh, tasty sushi and sashimi . Good rolls. It can be really busy on weekend nights. Haven't gone there for lunch.
(5)
G S.
Service: 4. sat at sushi bar and chefs were having in depth convos with each other... Atmosphere: 7. I can see what they're trying to do...make it unique and exciting for people... Food: 6. not that impressed with quality vs price...good presentation, not a huge fan of sushi smothered in miso dressing. First time there in the restaurant, wouldn't go back on my own.
(3)
Tina K.
Great find for really fresh, tasty Japanese food and sushi! My friend brought me here and I loved it! Great atmosphere! You take off your shoes and eat sitting on pads with your shoes off. There's also a cutout under the table to put your feet too. The food is a little more expensive than your average sushi place but it's worth the extra $. The sushi is so fresh and nice thick pieces of fish - I ordered salmon and albacore. I also ordered the spring rolls with fresh shrimp and mushrooms. Yummy!! And my favorite was the miso black cod! So tasty and fresh.It's an appetizer size but perfect accompaniment with the rest of the food. My friend ordered the 3-item dinner combo which was tons of food with plenty to share. I finished it with some green tea ice cream, which was perfect for a hot summer night. The only somewhat negative review was the temperature of the sake. We ordered a cold one and it was just barely lower than room temp. I would have preferred it colder since it was a warm night but it was ok and the sake was tasty! I will definitely be coming back and planning on bring in more friends with me.
(4)
Jennifer L.
Came here for the omakase and I must say, for the price (roughly $50), it was really, really good! it came with ... 2 Appetizers: - Monkfish liver dish (I'm not a big monkfish liver fan, but ate this happily) - Tuna tartare dish (found this to be the blandest) 10-Piece Entree of Nigiri (includes uni, red snapper, salmon, tamago, yellowtail, tuna, toro... etc) Everything was EXTREMELY fresh, were of great cuts, and nice presentation! Would gladly come back :) The decor is nice with a traditional Japanese feel, with seating made where it looks like you're sitting on the floor, but lo-and-behold, there's a opening for your legs! (Hard to explain, but kinda nifty once you realize this gem haha).
(5)
S. A. Y.
Food quality (in terms of sashimi and the rolls) were average. The sashimi were fresh, creativity of the rolls not bad. The service and ambiance here was great. Waiters were very helpful and attentive. The hostess was fantastic. Circumstances placed my party and I at the restaurant almost two hours earlier than expected. We were greeted and seated only after a short wait, despite that it was Mothers Day. My main concern of this restaurant is that the guests (us) are required to be barefoot while the servers are walking in and out of the kitchen/ back of the house and between the dining with their shoes on.
(3)
Tristan G.
The first time I visited this restaurant I was a bit apprehensive about the location. I didn't really think I could get great sushi in a strip mall. WOW! Was I wrong! This is about as good as it gets in Los Angeles. You can find fancier sushi spots, but I challenge anyone to find fresher and more delicious Toro anywhere in LA. The Toro isn't cheap, but boy do you get what you pay for! Absolutely melts in your mouth. Try it once and I swear you will be hooked!
(5)
Marisa R.
I love this place! Great sushi, great lunch spot! Great price. I have been at least 10 times and love it when I can eat here. It makes me happy. :)
(5)
Janine K.
It was my first time here! You sit on the floor like in a really traditional (stereotypical) Japanese restaurant. I ordered the Philadelphia roll, salmon roll and California roll, which was too much. I didn't expect the rolls to be so big in such a restaurant and for that price. I thought it would be tiny. I will for sure go back. Preferably veeery soon :)
(5)
Sean H.
The place is the best sushi place I have been too in la! Food is simply amazing. Everything is supper fresh and the portions are bigger than most places. Ask for ryan at the sushi bar and he will blow your mind away! We keep on coming back!
(5)
Jessie N.
When you step into Irori you feel like you have walked into a sushi house in Japan. You leave your shoes in a cubby and it on a cushion on the floor. The staff are attentive and friendly, the sushi is freshly prepared at the bar. I recommend the Hot Night roll. The tempura fried green tea ice cream is a decadent treat easily split between four.
(4)
Maria N.
I have eaten at this restaurant MANY MANY times as I live across the street. I have seen owners change and employees change, but the food taste and quality have always stayed the same. If you want fresh and delicious sushi, you need to stop by this place. I have dined at multiple high-end Japanese restaurants such as Nobu and Katsuya, and I believe Irori's quality is just as good.
(5)
Tiff P.
Wear your yoga pants and flip flops! They ask you to take your shoes off as you enter, and seating is Japanese style, with spaces cut out into the floor. If you have a cast or leg/ankle boot, you might want to wait until it's off to eat here. They do offer pillow seats for some butt cushion. And you can ask for the seats with backings, in case you want to be more leisurely. The food. EXCELLENT and fresh! I'm mostly a sashimi and agedashi lover. Both were great, the edamame was hot and the salad wasn't drowning in dressing. This is probably my new favorite sushi spot in the MDR/LAX area. The quality and the price were very good. I can't wait to come back.
(5)
Nolan A.
Our go-to spot. Gets crowded at certain times, but this is by far the best and most traditional sushi spot within 4 miles of the location. You can't go wrong, but you might want to wear some socks if feet freak you out ;-) Yes, you have to take your shoes off, so don't be stinky! But seriously, I love that I have to wear sandals to the bathroom, and this reminds me of being back in Japan. A+
(5)
Gabrielle C.
Amazing amazing amazing !!! Every time I eat here it somehow gets better than before !
(5)
Colby P.
Irori is excellent. The atmosphere is comfortable, yet classy and simple. Cleanliness gets 5 stars! & the food was excellently prepared and garnished. Teriyaki salmon was cooked perfectly & bursting with flavor. Spicy tuna roll was extra spicy (the way it should be)! We sat at the bar & the chefs were incredibly , genuinely kind. They were also humbled by out compliments about how great everything was. Only problem for me was that it took our waitress at least 10 minutes to come to us once we were seated. However, it was lunch time and the place was packed. Once she got to us she was very attentive throughout the rest of the meal. A little pricey, but definitely worth the extra scratch. I will most certainly return.
(5)
Michelle O.
Everything was delicious however the pricing for the lunch combo menu was not clear at all so we had to pay much more than we were hoping to. If we knew we could get something else rather than the combo menu. Also it was not that fulfilling.
(3)
Tyler S.
I try miso soup and salmon sushi at every sushi bar I go to, as my "constant variable." They were both great here, and both overpriced, which seemed to be the overlying theme of my meal there. The quasi sit-on-the-floor thing is fun, but a little hokey. You can probably smell my snobbery from here, I ain't mad. Expect to pay around $6 per pair of nigiri. The fish was good, but not worth double the price of SushiStop.
(3)
Ilya N.
always super-fresh and authentic Japanese food. sushi are especially good. try uni shooters! the only problem with Irori is that you have to make reservation for dinner (as the place is relatively small and popuar), and it's noisy there.
(5)
Matt H.
Was recommended by a friend to try this out - went here with a Party of 5 heavy eaters, we ordered a ton of sashimi and rolls. The seafood was very fresh, the ambiance was very good (other than little children running through the restaurant). Favorites: Salmon Sashimi was melt in your mouth Blue Crab/Salmon roll was a hit Rainbow roll was delicious Yellowtail/jalapeno sashimi Very attentive waitress, even with the restaurant being packed. There wasn't anything we disliked - Based on overall seafood quality, I give this 4.5 stars. It's not quite as good as a Nobu, per se, but it's not nearly as expensive. Our tab came to $160/couple (we drank quite a bit of sake) and ordered enough food until all 5 of us were stuffed - whereas our tab at Nobu would normally run 250-300 per couple.
(4)
Weimin C.
I had chirashi yesterday at Irori. It's pricy ($26), but the portion is large and the food quality is really good! The fish tasted fresh and really yummy!! I love it! :-)
(4)
Nathan E.
We go here twice a month . Never been disappointed...great food and great service. Always a line. Call and make a reservation.
(5)
Caroline F.
Love Irori! I am an advid sushi lover and extremely selective when it comes to Japanese cuisine. Irori is unique and authentic. From the moment you walk through the door, you take your shoes off and get immersed in the culture. The sushi is above average, but not amazing. The service was okay, but a bit slow. Regardless, this is still one of my go-to sushi spots on the Westside.
(4)
Gregory M.
This place has never failed me! Every time I have been the sushi is absolutely amazing. Brought a date last night that has a gluten and dairy allergy. The server was so night and found us a bunch of things on menu to eat and even sake. This is my #1 sushi spot on all the westside for sure!!!!
(5)
Mark C.
Well, this place is really neat if you wanna experience an American-Japanese style type of meal. You have to remove your shoes and sit down on pillows on the floor to enjoy your meal. I say it's partly American because every single table has a hole right under it so that you could put your legs down there as if you're sitting on a chair. My friend and I were the only three people in the place so we got exceptional service. I got to try out some of the special sushi; (I wish they had a website or menu so I could remember exactly what it was. They do have a menu online but it doesn't list off their special sushi). They also have a wide variety of cold sake and I tried one of the variations but it tasted like regular, good sake. The sushi was pretty darn good but also really expensive. It costs about $18 for each set of special sushi.
(3)
Michael B.
Irori is a great date spot. They also have nice large rolls that keep coming as fast as you can order them. Blue crab is incredible. Sake is fairly priced although selection is limited. Tables are comfortable and the cutouts for your legs are very helpful when you order too many rolls. Parking is simple since it is located in a large shopping structure, but that doesn't take anything away from the atmosphere.
(4)
W C.
We had a party of 6 with no reservation, so I knew we were in for a wait. We were okay with it, because it was still early in the evening. When we told the hostess she just rudely turned us away. When we asked how long the wait would be, she just said 'I don't know' as she was walking away. That was really rude, she could have just given us a timeframe and we would have been okay with that. We left and went to Hamakaze Sushi Izakaya on Washington. The food and service was excellent. I'm going there from now on.
(1)
Greg V.
I cannot say enough good things about Irori. The quality has always been excellent. The service is more than efficient. The ambiance is spot on. Every time my Fiance and I visit another Sushi restaurant, we always compare it to Irori. We don't go anywhere else anymore. We've been here enough to have almost tasted the entire menu. The Peppered Albacore Nigiri is unmatched and delicious. The Irori Roll is well balanced and light. The broiled Black Cod with Miso is tender and savory. The Blue Crab Handroll is ridiculously good. Reservations are needed at times, but we don't mind waiting for the delicious food as it is well worth it. Check it out!
(5)
Lindsey M.
Fun environment. All patrons are too take off their shoes and put them in little cubbies. The bar and table areas have holes where your legs go so you are sitting on the ground on a pillow. Very yummy sushi with a nice variety of dishes. Casual, where whatever you want. Attentive servers and bussers.
(4)
Christine F.
Pretty good.
(5)
Mitchell A.
Super fresh fish, best yellowtail collar ever, really unique blue crab wrapped with salmon roll. Creme Brule....awesome! Ambiance was excellent. Server was very friendly My new favorite sushi place ! We will return.
(5)
Polina I.
The best sushi ever!!! It melts in your mouth!
(5)
Florence Q.
Awesome place to eat if you want a real Japanese experience. You have to take off your shoes and place your shoes in the racks provided. The sitting area amazed me! It was pretty clever how they designed it. I thought I was going to sit on the floor the whole time with a pillow but there's a hole in the floor where you place your feet.. So the floor is actually the "chair". The food here are yummy ! I started with black COD with miso soup! Omg! It's to die for! The blue crab hand roll was amazing!!
(5)
Michelle C.
Just moved to Playa Vista and I think I've found my favorite neighborhood sushi spot. Those chefs really know what they're doing. And if you're a sushi purist, they delight in making you happy. Asked for Monkfish liver nigiri and Andy recommended the bowl. If you love that stuff, highly suggest you try it. Excellent quality fish and a steady hand in seasoning and garnish. My Spanish Mackerel was outstanding. Rolls were amazing too. Service is highly attentive and friendly. I'll be coming back again and again.
(4)
Jon C.
Bomb sushi. Just don't come with smelly feet. Great service and the sushi chefs are a blast.
(5)
Celine B.
Food is decent. Not worth the prices. I really dislike having to take off my shoes that needs to change. I do love the tables and how it's set up
(3)
NH S.
We come to Irori once a week on our date. I'm Japanese and love sushi & sashimi. Ji Hoon and Sora made us feel so special, we really appreciate it. Their food is top notch and amazing and service is quality! We love it here.
(5)
N. L.
I hadn't been to Irori in over five years. The two times I'd been there before, I gave the restaurant a 4-star rating. However, the owners must have changed or something happened over the years because the quality of food has declined a lot. I don't think I'll ever return- especially for their prices and inconsistent service.
(2)
Lina W.
I love this place! This is our go-to Japanese restaurant in the area. It feels like the best hidden gem. The food is great, the atmosphere is low-key, casual and cozy, and the staff is always happy and nice. Everything in the menu is delicious. I highly recommend the oyster shooter, the rock and roll and the asparagus with shitake. Yummmm...
(5)
Elle B.
SO rude, one of the sushi chefs!! I was told he would not be working there any longer, but I have been afraid to go back.
(2)
Ela C.
Got uber excited for the floor seating and decided to try it. Did not like anything besides that. Service was poor, and the food didn't save it either. Not going back.
(1)
Dina P.
It's been a year since I've been here. It used to be a good place... But what is going on now? I eat sushi once a week, at least. They passed off chewy prawns as sweet shrimp then passed off freshwater eel as sea eel. I'm not one to confront. It's hard to do but I straight up asked the sushi chef (after comparing my "sea" eel to the couple next to me who ordered both sea and freshwater eel) and he said mine was sea eel. No way mine was sea eel. The difference is so slight - even the way it's cut. Oh and I saw him put aside a sea eel when it arrived before my fried "sweet shrimp" heads (I ordered them at the same time). Never going here again.
(1)
Bethany K.
Somehow Irori became our not-too-fancy "go to" special occasion Korean-owned Japanese restaurant... which is funny because it's in such a nondescript plaza (between CVS and Pavillions). It's not necessarily the best sushi restaurant in town, but it's more of a place with lots of options for fans of Japanese food in general, plus a cute date spot with the whole taking-off-your-shoes environment. FOOD *In general, we love the food here. I don't eat sashimi/sushi but everything my husband's had, he likes. However, I will say, I think they could go easy on the sauce (in almost every sense) and it would be that much tastier... subtlety can do no harm *We were sold by the chicken teriyaki dinner (with salad that had too much dressing, miso soup, rice, a few little veggie side dishs) *Check out the Specials board behind the sushi counter - we love the mushroom tepinyaki - though it's a little saucey (sense a theme?) - would go REALLY well with rice, but they brought it out earlier by itself *I like their veggie tempura -- green beans, sweet potato, zucchini, carrots. The Shrimp + Veggie dinner comes with 4 giant pieces of shrimp tempura (that the husband loved) and a good array of veggies. Crisp, fresh, crunchy... great tempura! *Was NOT a fan of the Japanese eggplant appetizer -- I think it was prepared with some kind of oyster sauce (that SUPER reminded me of jja jjang myun) *They used to do mochi for desserts (with the combo dinners) which was nice, but tonight we had this red bean ice cream with some strawberry syrup that was REALLY good! *I don't think the salmon is wild... and the waitress I asked (or the people she asked) didn't know *No brown rice :( *No refills on soda (or the little side dishes that come with the combo dinners... bummer!) LOGISTICS *As previously mentioned, located in the same plaza, right between a huge CVS and Pavillions. This is also the same plaza as a Jamba Juice and a movie theater, but I'd say look for the Pavillions and you should be golden. *Tons of parking. Love that you don't have to fight for parking or cough up a few bucks for valet here in good ol' Marina del Rey *Decent sized restaurant -- lots of tables for 2, a few for 3-4, and I've seen bigger groups sit in the middle, though it's more of a 2-4 person type of place. For weekends or peak dinner times, I'd recommend calling ahead or making a reservation (like for Valentine's day) *Really reasonable prices *Super, super friendly and attentive service... with lots of folks coming by to clear your plates as you finish things (which you could interpret as get-you-out-faster or as hey, the tables are small so lets clear your plates). They're not pushy or hostile, but just be okay with saying "No, I'm not done with that yet" :) On Valentine's Day, she totally brought our our check a minute too early before even serving dessert... oops? *You stow your shoes near the front, then sit down on the cushions and your feet are on bare ground. if it's weird for you--wear socks. (It's nice though, that they have slippers to wear into the bathrooms) Didn't quuiiiite sense the shift in service/quality that other reviewers had mentioned, but I'll probably keep the less-sauce in mind for the next time we're here. Either way, I'm a fan!
(4)
Michael H.
Great restaurant! I love the seating style, although I would love the option to sit next to my date!
(5)
Emily W.
This place is a low key gem that I like to come to regularly and also bring friends who haven't tried it for the experience. The service has alway been attentive and fairly swift. The sushi always tastes fresh and is moderately priced. Also, you get to take your shoes off and sit on the ground, which is relaxing and fun. I've never had any complaints -- except for the bathrooms. Considering you have to be barefoot to enter the restaurant, I don't recommended going to the restroom, which is not kept up as well as it should be. Last time I went, there were some random men's sized Crocs outside of the restroom, that I assume were from the staff. I had to bite the bullet and borrow those so I could enter the restroom.
(4)
Jessica B.
Service was piss poor. Food was decent but prices were on the high side for what you got. I won't be returning.
(2)
Kenneth B.
Great food and service!
(4)
Yonnie Z.
Quaint little place in the Marinas. I have come here a few times with friends and once myself to grab take out. Their fish is good but not the best I've had but it's not bad for the price. It's not a bad place to swing by if you're in the area and want to grab some sushi for a meal. It's different than other Japanese restaurants in the sense that you take off your shoes and place them in cubbies they have installed in the front of the restaurant. This is because their tables are set low and you sit on mats with your legs dangling in a hole under the table.
(4)
Demetri E.
Irori is over all a great place to get some authentic sushi. The vibe is traditional Japanese decor and you must remove your shoes.. the tables are on the ground. The quality of the fish is pretty good. It's about as good as you can get without going to an super expensive place. toro- pretty good but not the best I've had.. could have been pinker and fattyer.. it looked more like chu torro to me red snapper- very good salmon- good japanese scallop- good albacore- ok they were out of halibut and spanish mackerel so i didnt get to try those.. i would come back.. this place is a good west side sushi spot that is reasonably priced for the quality.
(4)
Richard K.
Not the best sushi for the cost. Floor seating experience is just that. But honestly the rolls themselves were a bit flavorless, and poorly executed. Hand rolls fell apart, and so did many sushi rolls. Granted the 8 dollar eel and avocado roll was the cheapest and best thing we got. First dish was wrong salad last dish was sent back. Good thing theres sake and Sapporo.
(1)
Stephanie E.
Pretty decent. Sashimi cut very thick, make sure to ask for thinner cut!
(4)
Stephanie S.
Went here last week for lunch since I was going to be in the area. Knowing it was by the CVS from all the other yelpers made it easy to find. Really liked the place, but will hold off on giving it 5 stars until I've been at least twice since I need to experience more of the menu. Ordered albacore sashimi, salmon, yellowtail and red snapper sushi, spicy tuna roll and blue crab hand roll. All were outstanding. Frankly, I've never had yellowtail that melted in my mouth like this did. And the spicy tuna had a great kick at the end and was stuffed with fish. Hand roll was also delicious. The place is pricey, but the quality of the fish was outstanding. Hope to find myself in this area again soon so I can try more than what I had on this visit.
(4)
Alison D.
Very good Japanese restaurant. The sushi is very close to the freshest tasting I've ever had. Enjoy the option to sit cross legged on the floor (with or without a seat-back) or tuck your legs under the table into the sunken floor cubby - very creative in their seating options! Shoeless required for customers, shoes required for staff. Only wish they had a bigger selection of sushi rolls.
(4)
Dan M.
So I was looking for a quick bite to eat with a friend before flying out of LAX and we turn to yelp noticing that there was a sushi joint which had pretty solid reviews. So we head over to Irori which felt it was a bit hidden as it is tucked away in a plaza with a CVS in it. Nevertheless we walk in and the place is set up with a cozy feel to it. I notice that the owners are Korean which does not surprise me and am able to chat away with the folks running the joint. They also asked us to take off our shoes which I felt was an interesting idea for a sushi joint. This is not strange to me given that I have had plenty of these experiences in Asia. Don't worry the floor seems very clean and its not as strange as it sounds. Haha just make sure you are wearing the cleanest looking socks with no holes in it. Anyway we were seated promptly and the folks were very friendly. We had a few rolls here along with a few sashimi dishes. Everything was fresh and seemed high quality which I did not expect from a sushi spot with the location it is in. The portions were also on the bigger side and with the prices being reasonable it was a definite win for me. This is a nice joint to hit up for a sushi dinner. Pleasantly surprised by the experience and the food. Will be back again soon.
(4)
Ana L.
I love their floor seating. Amazing Salmon Sashimi.
(5)
Eli T.
While not the nicest place on the outside, once you step inside you are transported. I loved sitting on the floor with no shoes and enjoying a great meal with friends. I am actually allergic to seafood and often times miss out when my friends all want to go for sushi. Not here! I had plenty of non-fish and veggie options that were delicious. Their beef gyoza and veggie tempura roll were super yummy. Everyone else in my party loved their food too. A highlight they couldn't stop raving over was the special of the day with the blue fish tuna and burata. I wouldn't hesitate to return.
(5)
Susan S.
This place is not bad, it's not great. I think so many people are being swayed by the ambience, which I can see would be appealing if you've never been to a traditional floor seating japanese restuarant with the legs dangling inside the cut out portion of the floor. But you also have to remove your shoes (so at least wear socks) and if you have to use the restroom, you have to use the public slippers that they provide. Overall, I'm not a big fan of this, but I do like that it's a quiet restaurant with good lighting, lots of space in between tables (good for families, kids), and the service was prompt. Food was mediocre. We had albacore, which had a mushy texture like it had just been thawed, yellowtail, salmon, halibut, uni, amaebi, japanese scallop, baked lobster roll, snow crab tempura, and blue crab handroll. Out of all the items, the blue crab roll was my favorite, with generous portion of crab. The baked lobster was so sweet and smothered in so much sauce, it could've been chicken for all I knew. Amaebi was a bit fishy, uni lacked the ocean freshness, and the snow crab tempura had a real thick coating of batter. For the price, I would definitely seek elsewhere. Decor is worth checking out, but food-wise, I've had way better.
(3)
Kim N.
Cool place, first sushi place I have been to that you actually have to take your shoes off. I was there for early dinner and there was a lot of people but food was great and fast.
(5)
Eddie O.
Delicious! A friend of mine suggested we try this place. Good call Tiffany! We started with the Shishito peppers as our appetizer, then ordered the Salmon Blue Crab roll, Yellowtail carpaccio and the Toro sashimi special with fried onions. All were very good. We then had the almond crème brulee which was creamy and tasty. The staff was pleasant and friendly. The seating was unique in that you were required to take off your shoes since the tables were tatami mats. Made the whole experience feel that much more authentic as if we were eating in Japan. A winner.
(4)
The B.
The food was great, but the atmosphere ruled. Check your shoes at the door, and sit on small pillows with your bare feet in a pit under the table. The sashimi was great. Huge portions, very tasty. Community bathroom sandals were a first for me.
(4)
Sanaz M.
Cute little sushi spot in MDR. I love how traditional it is and how homey it feels. All the fish is really fresh and good. We ordered mixed veggie tempura to start with sake. For sushi we got; albacore, spicy tuna, yellowtail roll, scallop roll and salmon roll. It was super good! Perfect temperature and fish. It gets really crowded so make resi! Also, you have to take off your shoes, so be prepared when you are checking in.
(4)
Jennifer L.
During a recent visit to LA the dude insisted that we go here, his all time favorite sushi place. I was doubtful. I don't love raw fish - I have filleted too many fish in my life to find raw fish appealing. he promised me that Irori is life changing. So we went. I am not sure I can say that it is life changing, but i did have some sashimi and I did not gag, which trust me is a huge improvement. Beyond that they do an excellent job pairing their fish with special sauces and accompaniments. Definitely the most creative and attentive sushi place I have ever been.
(5)
Gayana K.
Love this place. Starting from the service everything is amazing. The food is delicious and the ambience is superb. I am going to this place for years now and never been dissapointed. Love, Love, Love!!!
(5)
Brittany S.
7 words: Baked crab hand roll with soy paper It's heavenly. I would go to Irori just for this, but everything on the menu is great. The crispy rice with spicy tuna, seared albacore with crispy onions, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño... There aren't too many rolls on the menu but the fish is always very fresh and flavorful. Aside from the food, dining here is an experience. Upon entering the restaurant, you take your shoes off and place them in a cubby. You are seated at a table on the floor with the seats carved out. The servers are all very sweet and make great recommendations. It's in a strip mall in Marina del Rey so there's not much atmosphere outside of the restaurant but it's totally worth the trip!
(5)
Ashwin M.
Phenomenal place! I love the fact that, as vegetarians, the waitress took utmost care to confirm each dish with us. When we said that fish was also a no-no, she told us that one of the dishes has fish stock! Besides that the food was scrumptious and great. Vegetarians have a lot of choices with regards to the sushi. I loved the decor and the sunken seating arrangement of the place. FYI, when you head to the toilet, use one of the sandals placed outside,
(5)
Mirella C.
Lunch combos are a steal. You take your shoes off at the door and it's an awesome vibe :)
(5)
Sherry C.
I give 4 stars for the food and 3 stars for the service. So average 3.5 stars ;-) the food is pretty good, fish is fresh, good quality, the service is Ok, not the worst I experienced.
(4)
Brian S.
Food is average. Had the Omakase here, but it was so many dishes that I was full by middle of the meal...no one could eat this much. The restaurant favors quantity over quality and does not reserve 4 starts from me.
(3)
Jordan S.
Always a great choice for Sushi with a great atmosphere. I would recommend it if you're in the area and would like a legit, traditional sushi dinner.
(5)
Louisa L.
I was pretty impressed by Irori. Came across with Irori when i was yelping japanese close to LAX. I was glad that I picked this place. It was a very nice, huge restaurant with friendly staff. Food was amazing! I had chirashi for dinner, and my coworkers had combination dinner. I liked how you got to choose "dark" or "white" meat when you ordered chicken. Miso soup was pretty good, and the salad was superb! I normally wasn't a salad person, but I finished my bowl because the veges was so fresh and sweet. Portion was generous considering the price. Fish was pretty fresh. The chicken teriyaki was good, chicken was tender and juicy. I didn't get to try the tempura but it looked so good to me. The batter was not thick...i wish i've tried a piece when my coworker offered =P Dinner also came wtih fruits. Staff was very attentive. They constantly walked around our table and kept cleaning our table. Combination dinner served with free ice cream - green tea or red bean. I was also skeptical about green tea ice cream because I have high standard about the green tea taste. Irori did not disappoint me! The green tea ice cream was what it made me gave a 5 stars instead of 4 to Irori! The only thing I don't really like is taking off the shoes before getting seated, while all the staff around you were wearing shoes in the restaurant. O well, with this high quality of food and decent price, I will definitely come back again!
(5)
Tom M.
Great little place in an MDR shopping center, where you have to take your shoes off to dine at low tables on tatami mats. Good quality sushi and sashimi at very affordable prices. My friend recommended their bento boxes, which included plenty of food--quite the deal. A great place for a "quick" lunch.
(3)
FoodyforLife Y.
Irori is a fun experience. Everyone has to take off their shoes at the door, then you sit on the floor. The food is very fresh. The dynamite and the baked lobster roll are amazing. The staff is very pleasant but it did take longer than usual to get our food and they weren't very crowded.
(4)
Yvette D.
This place is AMAZING? Steve & I went Sunday and Monday, Thats how GREAT the Sushi is. Very fresh. Cant wait to go again. Thanks for an AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
(5)
Mary P.
Irori is my go-to sushi place when I need a fix. The place is cute, the staff is always super helpful and friendly. I've been there 5 or 6 times since we moved to the area and the fish has always been fantastic. Their Salmon Nigiri is some of the best I've had... it's just that simple.
(5)
Georgina P.
Great parking, service and food. I love the sunk in seating. I feel like I'm in japan.
(5)
Special K.
This used to be my favorite sushi place in the area until the ownership or management changed. Now, the sushi preparation is sloppy, there is no care or pride put into the food anymore. The young sushi chefs who are not Japanese were busy yapping with each other and slapping poor presentations of nigiri and rolls on the plate. I lost my appetite after seeing pieces of different fish stuck on my order of yellowtail. Apparently the chef didn't bother to wipe the knife between orders. On top of all that, the servers are brusque and rude and try to rush the meal. The place now lacks all good things I associate with a good sushi bar or a Japanese restaurant in general. I feel like the entire staff was hired from some busy sloppy Korean reastaurant and wasnt taught even the basics of food etiquette, precision, quality, and service that good sushi restaurants should practice.
(1)
Dan W.
I was reluctant to review this restaurant because I wanted it to be a "secret". It is no longer a secret even though it is literally "hidden" in the middle of a shopping center. 590 reviews! Amazing anyone can even find this place. Go to this Sushi restaurant and discover yourself how great the fish is while enjoying what seems to be way too many servers to make financial sense. You will have many people waiting on you making sure you always have what you need. Fish is fresh, atmosphere is great for business meetings or a date. Remember to wear shoes that are easily removed as this is the style here. Great ice breaker as well if meeting people you don't know...
(5)
Kam G.
Great fish in a cool setting. Tough to find, but worth it. Make reservations before you go!
(5)
Lily N.
Amazing sushi, no where else can compare! !
(5)
Saud A.
I went to this sushi after i worked out, and they told me to take off my shoes. Lol X) Don't make the same mistake!
(4)
Regina O.
Love it! Love the atmosphere here, the sitting IN the floor. It is unique and interesting. A little pricey, but not too bad!
(4)
Dan S.
*no shoes *fantastic vibe and service *sushi wasnt the best ever but quality and respectable
(4)
Elina W.
Great food, great service, great food, great prices, great food, great atmosphere. Did I mention that they have great food!!!! One of the best Japanese restaurants in town. The hospitality, right down to the taking off of your shoes is so traditional, makes me miss being in Japan!
(5)
Alan M.
I have been going to Irori for years, pre- and post-new owner. It's a nice, straight-forward sushi restaurant with a great variety. I think I have pretty much covered the range from having sashimi, to sushi, to filet mignon (scrumptious), to udon, to tempura, to hand rolls and chopped rolls. I'm not overly adventurous (e.g., no slime, no eggs), so I can't comment there. I'm also not a big fan of rolls with too many ingredients, so I also can't comment on that. My favorites: fatty tuna and albacore sashimi, ono sushi, spring roll, filet (as already mentioned), blue crab hand roll, unagi, shrimp tempura with soy paper, spicy tuna on crispy rice. Why only 4 stars? Three reasons... 1. Although the food quality has remained consistent, I liked it better before the new owners took over in the last year or so. Some of the greeting staff and the manager are too officious, and often show more regard for their paperwork than customers. For instance, if a customer is walking in or out, they deserve to be welcomed or thanked for coming, no matter what. That doesn't always happen, and it's very off-putting. You can tell the owners are corporate. 2. Shoes are to be taken off in the waiting area. God help someone who waits more than a few seconds. I have often been directed to take my shoes off even though I'm there enough to be recognized, so obviously know the drill. A short while back, the new management added a sign to tell people in the same party to keep their shoes in the same row or column of the storage boxes. That ridiculous dictate illustrates my previous point about the management. 3. The bathrooms could use an upgrade. Ending a positive note.. Most of the wait staff are over-the-top great, as are the people who clear the tables and serve water. I have always felt very well-served at the table, and the numerous friends and family, with whom I have shared the restaurant, have always loved it. The food is very consistent and I have never been disappointed. Oh yes, and for lunches, the specials are really nice -- fair prices, good quality, and large portions.
(4)
Nick S.
Awesome local sushi place. I personally still like sugar fish for traditional sushi but this place is awesome as well. Make reservations ahead of time and remember there are no shoes allowed ones seated so wear socks if that bothers you. Lots of creative rolls and a great teriyaki as well!
(5)
Mia H.
Fun atmosphere, great place for sushi. You have to remove your shoes and sit at tables cut out into the floor so it seems you are sitting on the floor. I had the hot night roll and my date had the teriyaki salmon. Fish was very fresh and well presented. We loved this place!
(5)
Amanda C.
Lovely dining atmosphere and delicious fresh sushi. Sugarfish (which we frequent) had an hour wait so we came here and ended up liking it better! Perfect salmon hand roll, amazing deal on the combination plate, sashimi was fresh and tasty. Generous portions. Will definitely return.
(5)
Clint J.
One of thee best local Japanese Sushi Restaurants, in my opinion. Perfect pieces of Sashimi, seating is unique. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. Food is very fresh and tasty!
(5)
Christine Y.
My perception of Irori has definitely changed since I first came here. My first visit here was right after college as I was still poor and thinking in college student pricing terms. Think $10 meals. So I always remembered Irori as a bit pricey. 4 years later, I'd have to say it's about normal for a Japanese restaurant. Their unique way of seating their customers is still unchanged, don't fall as you slide into your seat! And don't forget the foot powder if you have stinky feet...one way to ruin a date! You take off your shoes at the door and run around barefoot or socked. They have slippers if you need to use the restroom...hehe kind of one size fits all. You can feel and hear the servers running round through the elevated wood platform. It's always a bit fun to look round the room and see everyone else look like they're sticking out of the floor. I'd say service was okay. You have to work hard to catch your server's attention or just be prepared to wait if you are a bit lazy. But once you get them they come back pretty fast with whatever you asked for. We ordered the dynamite for the appetizer. yelp.com/biz_photos/JTSJ… It was chock full of tasty mushrooms...but the small scallops were very much bleh. Very very watery dish with just some cheese melted on top. I much prefer creamier versions where the seafood plays a bigger role. I came here craving sushi and of course that's what I ordered! The assorted sashimi for 19.50. yelp.com/biz_photos/JTSJ… This came with rice, miso soup, pickled cucumbers, fruit and 4 types of sashimi. White fish, tuna, salmon and yellowtail were all pretty fresh without any fishy taste at all, but some better than others. I was also wishing I had gotten a bit more sashimi too, but we all know sashimi can be pricey. The yellowtail was pretty stringy and was the worst of all 4. Next the tuna, slightly stringy. The salmon was pretty smooth but by no means was it melt in your mouth good. The whitefish was the best of all 4 with its freshness and smooth texture. Hehe I also snagged some food from my boy's chicken teriyaki and tempura dinner. The tempura was nice and fresh and the food he had was in big portions. Shrimp tempura, carrot, green bean, sweet potato....yummy yummyy. All crispy and lightly battered. Dark meat chicken...which is almost always better than white meat! Then I helped myself to some of his green tea ice cream (which of course he allowed) which had a nice drizzle of raspberry on the sides. Oh yeah...and Irori is open during construction by the way! It was weird walking to the entrance but hopefully construction won't last a long time. Yum yum, I guess I'll be coming here more since I live close by now!
(4)
Pauline M.
Did I hear correctly? They are under new management. I've had it a couple times since I heard someone say that. But I could be totally wrong and propelling rumors into the throes of Yelp. HA! The quality is consistently going down, and the prices are consistently going up. Scratching my head at that one. Not amused, as this was one of my faves to grab sashimi during lunch time around work. Time to search for a new favorite...
(3)
Catharine P.
I love this place. Hamachi Kama is the best there!!!
(5)
Robert C.
I've been coming to this restaurant back when it was called "East" and the sushi has always been exceptional. Still the best deal in the marina.
(5)
RM C.
This place gets really packed especially during weekends. They actually take a couple of reservations but for sure not on holidays. What i love most about this place is that their sushi and tempura are really delicious! The waiters and waitresses are really very nice..when i came in with my friends for an awesome japanese dining experience..i never regret coming in to this place. Heads up to those who havent tried irori..it is actually a barefoot sitting..wherein you are not allowed to wear ur shoes inside the dining place. The ambience is pretty fair..and the place is clean. With regards to food recommendation..i highly recommend the shrimp tempura and their lobster rolls..one of a kind!
(4)
Jason R.
I usually eat sugarfish, but decided to go here and was blown away the service was great and I had they best best of fish I've had in a long time . The aji is amazing! Must go
(5)
S N.
Fresh fish, yummy food. Service okay during busy days. Love this place!
(5)
Paul M.
All I have to say is GINZA ROLL. They could be the only thing I eat until the end. You also get to sit on the floor.
(5)
Serena J.
I'm a long-time Irori devotee, so I was worried when I heard that they'd had a change in ownership/management. No more Masa-San!?! My heart broke (I really loved Masa). So I was pleasantly surprised when we went in for dinner on Friday. We sat at the bar and were totally blown away by our new favorite sushi chef, Peter. Too many amazing morsels to remember but here's a short list of what I can recall: Salmon wrapped around blue crab and avocado Kampachi with shiso leaf and house-pickled wasabi Uni with quail egg Halibut with an ovule of pumpkin and yuzu on top! (Yes, he brought molecular gastronomy to Irori!) In short, I'm beyond relieved because my favorite local sushi joint gets to stay my favorite local sushi joint--and with some new, delicious additions. Looking forward to many more years of stuffing myself silly, sans shoes.
(5)
Elizabeth J.
Came here last week for lunch. Love the atmosphere. Was packed, but just missed a wait, sat down instantly. Fun tables, you take off your shoes when entering and you walk to table that sink down into the floor, the staff yells hello, the place is poppin. Nicely decorated, a little oasis. The food was excellent. Every roll looked awesome. We both had the lunch boxes. The Salmon was perfectly cooked, melted in your mouth. Good portion of tuna, nice salad. The fish all tasted very fresh. The service was fast. Overall we had a wonderful time. Great spot for a quick, good lunch.
(4)
Michael S.
Irori Japanese Restaurant is a hidden gem tucked away in Marina del Rey. The restaurant derives its name from a type of traditional sunken hearth (fireplace) for heating homes and cooking food in historical Japan. Irori are basically square pits in the floor with a pot hook. At this location, Irori aren't used to cook food, but patrons do sit upon small cushions on Tatami flooring at small wooden tables with a square pit for your legs under the table. It's similar to many Kotatsu setups found in Japan except without a heater. With the tone set by the decor and the seating, the Japanese staff added to the evening with extremely helpful and pleasant service from the moment we arrived until we left. The food and carafe of cold Sake rounded out an excellent evening. The waitress recommended we start with the Black Cod with Miso. She was right. This baked fish is tasty and delicate. No wonder it is popular. Along with the cod, we started with two Yelp-recommendations: the White Fish Carpaccio and Tuna Carpaccio (half orders of each). The thin slices of soft fish served in a light sauce is a nice appetizer. Surprisingly, the standout item might have been one of the most common: simple Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura. Better ingredients does make better tempura. Coating excellent quality veggies in light tempura batter and then frying them not too long is the way tempura should be made. The Blue Crab Handroll is mentioned in about half of the reviews we read, so, we had to try one, right? It was ok, but perhaps the hype had me expecting more. It came with another house specialty: an Albacore Roll with Crispy Onions. The albacore tasted a little too "tuna-y", however, the roll has potential. After a long wait, our order of Sashimi Assort arrived with 11 pieces including Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, & White Fish, The dinner comes with Miso Soup, Salad, and White Rice. I was leaning towards 5 stars until the sashimi arrived. The small pieces were cut in odd shapes and cuts and did not deliver the freshest taste I expect. It was just ok. With reasonable prices, a memorable setting, stellar service, and some truly terrific food offerings, Irori is a precious gem worth discovering.
(4)
Jeannie S.
When you first enter the place, you know it's going to be a legit sushi restaurant. It's a real Japanese style restaurant. Their sushi melts in your mouth! Everything I've tried was sooooo good. Can't stress that enough. The oyster shooters were the best I've ever tried. They do not mess it up! Not to mention their fish tacos. On top of that, service was really good. The waiters were very attentive so I didn't even need to call them. I would definitely go again.
(5)
E K.
Very good sushi near Marina Del Rey. The food is delicious, the service is friendly and prompt, and the wait times are reasonable. It has a nice traditional ambiance including taking off your shoes. Some of their sushi is overpriced but otherwise a great restaurant. Will be coming back.
(4)
jessica d.
Omakase!
(5)
Shayne S.
I understand the unique concept of being "lower than the floor" and it feeling like one is sitting on the actual floor...but it just doesnt work. I'm not fat and have an athletic, thin body, but it is really hard to get out of and into the chairs in this place! I went with a friend for our mutual birthdays and sat at the sushi bar, next to some douch bag dude who wouldn't shut up. That always sucks. And maybe it was just chance...until he informed us he'd been coming to the sushi place for dinner every day for the entire week! Fortunately, he also told us he was just visiting for the week and that was his last day. Too bad we didnt take our dinner the next night. I am a sushi connoisseur, and I alway know when sushi is fresh. It was not as fresh as it could have been. I probably won't go back. No t a wretched place but not good enough to suggest to friends.
(2)
Ryan V.
this place is better than people give it credit. my biggest complaint is also the smallest (pun intended), the portions are small. I don't go here much, but its good spot.
(4)
Allie B.
Extremely disappointed by this restaurant which came HIGHLY recommended. As a devout fan of Sugarfish, I was told that I absolutely had to try Irori. The recommender said it was way better. Well, after a less than satisfactory meal and unhelpful service, I strongly disagree.
(2)
Kait R.
Great spot for weekday lunch! The lunch specials and bento boxes are a great deal and super filling. There is a great selection too! The usual: Sashimi bento box with spicy tuna roll and chicken teriyaki for $13.50. Comes with a side salad and miso soup. You get a choice of fish for the sashimi (no mixing) and it's about 6 pieces. The bento box also comes with cucumber salad and orange segments. Other lunch specials include a choice of teriyaki and 1 or 2 other options ($10.50 or $12.50). The quality of the fish is average, but satisfying. Service is quick and friendly and there is parking in the private lot. Note: you have to take your shoes off.
(4)
Jaz Y.
I used to love eating here but it seems like the ownership has changed because the quality of the food isn't the same. The black cod is always to die for but the sushi I give it a 3/5 at most :T besides that, this is a good place for dates. Really cute layout. But again over priced for the quality
(3)
Chanel K.
Very cool atmosphere!! Not-so-good food. That's just me though. I'm sure others will love it! Am I going there again? Absolutely not. Sorry. The people were nice though:)
(3)
Flora H.
I was brought here by a Japanese guy, so you know it has to be good... It was a lot smaller than I expected from the pictures, but I actually liked that about it. It's definitely a cozy place.. you take your shoes off, and you are sitting close to the people around you... so if that's not your thing, this probably isn't the place for you. We were seated at a table at the bar, and there were a couple people dining alone that I could tell were just eavesdropping on our conversation. That was a bit annoying. Like I said.. cozy. Even though I read all the reviews and thought I knew exactly where it was, I still couldn't find it at first. Just look to the right of the CVS and there is a little cul-de-sac and it is hidden in there. The 4 stars are for the quality of the sushi. Everything was extremely fresh and albeit a bit expensive (but what can you expect for quality sushi)? I'm a fan, but realize this is not for everyone.
(4)
Pariwat S.
The place is nice and clean. The service is fast. The food is one of the best sushi places I've been. The dishes are big, lots of meat, and especially tasted great!
(5)
Wazhma R.
I felt a little weirded out when I walked in and had to take my shoes off. Their menu is so extensive it's difficult to make a decision. I like traditional sushi- a nice clean piece of fish over rice. I also like to be told how to eat it. With or without soy sauce. This place is a bit strange and too many options on the menu left me confused and dissatisfied.
(3)
Sheena Erin O.
Delicious, great service and LOVE the seating! Fun and cute date spot! The tempura dinner combo was awesome and was more than enough to share!
(5)
Christian A.
I love sushi. I crave it. Need it... It's been an obsession and one I need to fill on a regular basis. When I moved closer to my job, I had to leave the comforts of my previous spots, putting me in a slight panic. Where would I go and who would be my regular sushi chef... Thankfully, I was introduced to Irori. This spot is super close to my place and has fantastic sushi, sashimi and specials to fill the cravings of any sushi connoisseur. The fish is always fresh and fantastic and their specials are great and reasonably priced. They also have a kitchen where you can get non-sushi related items with the the miso seabass being one of my favorites. It's a must have and something that I always get when I am there. The sushi and sashimi is great with interesting creations made by the chefs on hand. Don, Eugene and the entire crew are extremely friendly and can provide recommendations for those that are squeamish or new to the experience. Their hamachi with lime caviar is fantastic, along with their omakase offering. If in season, get the live shrimp and make sure to ask for the heads deep fried. Great local sushi with an authentic vibe, friendly service and fresh fish. This addict has found his new high. Thanks!
(4)
Ziwei L.
I love this japanese hommie style place. The food is so delicate and tasty. although it is a little bit pricey!
(5)
Emilio M.
I may have found a new home to satisfy my sushi craving! I Should have read the part about taking ones shoes off before being seated. Not that I had a problem mind you but the the family with the kids next to us...well Ill keep it polite and stick to my review. But yes, the deal with having to take ones shoes off is very cool and from what television has taught me very customary. I enjoyed sitting with my feet below in a pit and everyone being the same height. The portions are a bit small but thats okay summer in near and I don't need to over do it. Overall a great atmosphere with polite and punctual service. I recommend making a reservation for the weekend, it seems to fill up quick. Damn straight, I'm a fan of Irori i i i :D
(4)
Leanne H.
It was first time eating in that type of seating arrangement. I came here while was visiting my friends in Southern California. The food portion and taste were ok. I feel like I expected more from them since I had to wait 45 minutes to be seated and many others were behind me. So I used that as a gauge "it's must be that good." I was wrong.
(3)
Nancy W.
This is a difficult review to give. Some good points and numerous negative. The food is excellent. The fish is fresh and wonderful. A bit over priced but really really good. This is the 4 star part of the review. Getting into the place is another thing all together. They do this squirrelly reservation thing that gets them 2 stars, maybe even 1 star. If you don't make a reservation two days ahead you really can't get in. We called at 5:45 Saturday night and couldn't get a reservation for the evening. They would take our names though on the wait list. She said it would be about 40 minutes. We arrived at 6:05 and were seated at 7:00!!!! Until the last few minutes, the hostess pretty much ignored us. Bad customer service. The other dopey thing is that they make you take your shoes off. And the tables are the low on-the-ground traditional Japanese things. Not necessary & a hassle especially if you are elderly or not able-bodied. This place is not worth the effort. Skip it and go elsewhere.
(3)
Eric W.
Any place that makes you take off your shoes before being seated you know means business. But once you are seated in the sunken-in-the-floor tables where you are essentially sitting on the floor and the table is a foot or so high in a dark wood environment, the ambiance is both warm and unique. The menu is quite extensive and offers a fantastic assortment of different sushi, sashimi, and other related food choices. I recommend the sauteed yellow tail sashimi (yes, I know that seems like a contradiction of terms, but it is to die for!). Baked lobster is also amazing in flavor and size. Spider roll and Irori roll are both very good. The wait staff is always very nice and pleasant, even though they do try their best to get you to order more food once you seem close to finishing your first round of sushi, and I'm sure this is because they want to both increase the amount of the ticket and also to turn over the table as soon as they can if it is a busy night. It's a big enough place where you can spread out and still feel separated from the rest of the patrons, and it's small enough to still make it cozy and romantic. For many reasons I love this place and highly recommend it.
(5)
E C.
We have been customers at Irori for several years now. I would love to give them five stars, but lately, the service has been poor. While the food is generally very good, we've had one server a couple of times recently who is not great. Between trying to upsell various menu items to completely disappearing while serving us, it's been rather disappointing. Tonight, though, took the cake. My husband ordered a baked blue crab hand roll, and marked it on the paper. She reviewed the order with us, and confirmed baked blue crab. When it was brought out, it was cold. We flagged her down, and my husband said he'd ordered a baked one. She became argumentative, and said several times, no, that's what you ordered, I'll bring out the paper YOU marked, and so on. Taken aback, we just said, no, that's okay, forget it. I have never had a server argue like that. She then said she would take it back and it'd be no problem to get a baked one, so my husband said okay. A few minutes later, she stopped by and said she would be bringing out a new one. Great. A few minutes later, the "new" roll arrived, complete with a bite taken out of it, just like the one we had sent back! They simply toasted the whole thing in the toaster oven, it was burned and gross. To top it off, another waitress walked over to our table with the new roll we should have gotten, and our waitress stopped her and sent her back to the kitchen with it! We couldn't believe it. I can't believe the sushi chefs would send the roll back out like that, and it left us feeling rather annoyed. We weren't being unreasonable at all, and in hindsight, should have let the waitress show us the paper that we'd ordered on. Even still, we shouldn't have had to do that, we should have simply gotten what ordered. The other issues with this place is the shoe cubby area. It's practically impossible to get your shoes out of the cubbies and back on, as it gets crowded up there at dinner time. People wait right in front of the cubbies and don't move so that people leaving can get their shoes and go....it's too congested in that small area. While I love the ambience and the idea of leaving your shoes off, I wish the waiting area didn't get so packed. We will give Irori another chance, but lately, it's just not been that great.
(2)
David P.
Pretty good for a date spot. I eat spicy tuna rolls at every new place I try, these ones were above average. The food over all was above average. That said, it is in line with the pricing. Casual attire and a lively atmosphere.
(3)
Danielle B.
PERFECT. Music was at an appropriate level, service was prompt and food was good. Packed for a Saturday night. Thank goodness I am a local or I just look really familiar... ;) Service was excellent this time around. I liked the old clay glasses they served the beer in the old days not they are just plain glass. Will always return.
(5)
Elissa H.
Great, fast service. Love the blue crab hand roll (both baked and regular). Best udon on the westside that I've found so far! Nabeyaki is my favorite and my son loves the tempura udon. Have also tried chicken teriyaki which is very good. All around a great restaurant and will definitely have in the rotation for years to come~
(5)
Craig S.
Wednesday night, great atmosphere, sat right at the sushi bar. Food was amazing, great service. highly recommend it.
(5)
Steve L.
came here on a Friday night. it was really busy, so good thing we made reservations. the food was great. many different sake's to choose from. i can't wait to come back
(5)
Tohru I.
Fantastic food and reasonable pricing ! Side dishes are authentic and well made also.
(5)
Lyndon P.
The change in management has ruined this place. I have similar comments as other regulars who have frequented Irori before the new ownership/management: 1) Too many servers = rushed service. Last night we were swarmed by the waitstaff form the moment we sat down. They came way too frequently to try take plates away and reached all over the table in front of us with no regard to our personal space. They even reached over the railing from the bathroom walkway to take plates. 2) Poor service in general. This is related to the problem of too many servers. We had a third round of orders where we asked for another plate of sushi and then two orders of ice cream. They brought out an order of ice cream first... then a couple minutes later the sushi came out... then 10 minutes later the second order of ice cream came out. 3) Lack of food and diminishing quality. We were there within an hour of opening and they were already out of two of the things we wanted to order. We noticed the menu changed to be non-specific on the type of fish on some places which to me was a sign of the restaurant trying to cut cost. For example, the menu used to have Yellowtail with Jalapeno sauce, and now it just says "Sashimi" with Jalapeno sauce. The quality of fish has definitely gone south too because it was a lot firmer/chewier than before. And lastly, here's some comedy gold: when they gave us new dishes for dessert, they gave us half-napkins as in they took a whole napkin, cut it in half, and gave each person half of a full-sized napkin. We loved coming here for years, but now it's definitely overpriced for the atmosphere and quality of food. It's time to find a new place to go.
(1)
H. P.
I've only been here a few times, but honestly there isn't anything I dislike about the place.
(4)
Paula B.
This place is pretty amazing! fresh sushi. It's a bit of a wait but it's well worth it. I usually get some sashimi, shishito peppers, some soup. I'm set.
(5)
Dr. Dharam S.
Tucked away in plane site. Very fun, floor seating with a cut out under the table for your legs. Mellow quiet and traditional.
(5)
Cindy H.
Make sure you wear your cute socks or skip it all together and wear sandals because you'll be kicking off your shoes into cubbies before entering the dining area. This is only my second time going sans shoes in a restaurant. It's interesting. I ordered nothing but sushi Uni - fresh the day I went but a little scant... I guess I'm just spoiled from getting hooked up at my usual joint Japanese scallop - for being Korean run I was pleasantly surprised they had this on the menu and did it legit Albacore - could have been seared to give it more of that smoky flavor but still fresh and yummy salmon skin roll - I always request this with cream cheese. There was a bit too much for my taste but not bad. Chicken Kaarage - very moist and tender The service was attentive and conscious of empty/finished plates. Thumbs up. It definitely isn't a cheap meal but a good first date kinda place.
(5)
Max G.
Wanted to try out a nice sushi place in Marina with my coworkers and we decided to go to Irori since it's got good reviews on Yelp. Upon walk, we had to take out our shoes. First of all, this is not a thing in Japanese culture. Anyways, not a big deal for me so we got a table for 3. We ordered a lot of things from their menu and everything tasted disgusting! One of my coworker actually got food poisining. We left more than half of the food on the table. Server knew we weren't happy with the food, and I overheard them talking about us, " so they are not taking it to go?" Yes, we are not because it's the worst sushi we have ever had. Bill was around $120 which is another thing. Service was okay, our server didn't seem to know much about their menu.
(1)
Stephanie W.
I previously wrote a review, giving Irori 3 stars. This place used to be my favorite Japanese restaurant, and I only felt the urge to give it 3 stars after the change in ownership and service went down. But now, after having given Irori another chance, I will probably never come back. The service was just as pushy and neglectful (different servers coming to your table every 10 minutes, but never bringing the right things), and the shock of all shocks: the bluecrab handroll was not as good. This is really what kept me coming back to Irori, and now, I have no more reason. I'll also be happy to not have anymore stressful dining experiences due to the service.
(1)
Julie B.
Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Everything is so good and so fresh. It is also reasonably priced compared to other places. Staff is wonderful. Love this place!
(5)
Clive Z.
Enjoyed the food. Eel was awesome!
(4)
Brian D.
Some of the best sushi in the states! Really love their sushi. They do an outstanding job. With our small group, we ordered several dishes to share. They bring them out pretty much one at a time. I'd rather they bring them out all at once. Atmosphere is great. Take your shoes off and sit in at a recessed table. Loved it! Sake was not hot enough. Complained and second bottle was slightly warmer but not where it should be. Overall it is a great place. If in MDR and you like sushi, you must go!
(4)
Michelle R.
Irori is an establishment truly worthy of a 5-star rating. The sushi was incredibly fresh and the service was prompt. The sushi is on the expensive side, but definitely worth it.
(5)
D A.
Yummy!! Be prepared that this establishment enforces a no shoe environment. At the bar, Peter was awesome! Food delicious. Ambiance very calming. I look forward to my next visit.
(4)
Trung N.
We came here with a group of 4 and each ordered an omakase. I usually list out what I order at places but with the omakase here, there were so many courses [at last count it was like 7] and so many different varieties fish that I wouldn't know where to start in naming what I ate. I'll just describe my experience here. Notes: - We each paid $65 for the omakase, well worth it. - 2 orders of sashimi in soy sauce: 8 pieces total. The salmon was absolutely delicious. - Seafood spring roll with sweet and sour dipping sauce also served with a baked scallop. My least favorite thing served. It was okay. - Baked Cod [piece about 1.5 inches by 3 inches]. Lightly seasoned but very good. - Miso soup. Comes with shrimp head in soup. Sweet tasting soup. Best miso soup I've tasted. - Plate of sushi [I've included a picture] - comes with 7 pieces. Toro was off the hook. - Blue crab hand roll and eel sushi. The blue crab hand roll was delicious. I'd come back for this. Great service. Interesting ambiance. as described by other reviewers. You take off your shoes and sit at tables low to the ground. There is a pit beneath the table for your feet, so no need to sit Indian-style. Food was great and most importantly, fish was fresh. I'd recommend coming here if you're in Marina Del Rey, it's well worth it.
(5)
Baily H.
- Authentic (no shoes allowed) - Phenomenal service (Kenny rocked!) - Fresh, fantastic fish (sashimi assortment was bomb) - Very reasonably priced - Parking galore!!
(5)
Vivian L.
yummy sushi and cute atmosphere. the sushi chefs are korean though, so i dont think it's as authentic japanese. everyone was very nice though.
(3)
Grace C.
This place required reservation for a late night dinner if you want to be seated on a table~ would've never guessed there was a popular joint in corner of a shopping plaza in MDR. Without reservation we were promptly seated in sushi bar~ it was cramped but not too bad like you'd be elbowing someone sitting next to you while you are eating~ Took a friend out for birthday dinner~ sushi quality was great~ price was a bit steep (plan on spending at least $50/pp) compared to other sushi restaurants in west LA however, if quality meets up to expectation, it's worth it~ The most talked about item, blue crab hand roll was yummy~ and all the sushi I had was yummy! Not one complaint~ Black cod was tiny, but it was delicious~! If you are in MDR and want quality sushi, this place is good option. However, I had better in my past so it won't be a 5 star.
(4)
Mary Y.
Sashimi just melts in your mouth !!! Salmon blue crab roll was awesome! Can you open one in Studio City?
(5)
Tara C.
A word to the wise: wear cute yet easily removable shoes and have clean, pedicured feet, because you're gonna be running around barefoot. The shoe thing and the nifty tables with foot nooks underneath are some of the charming features about Irori. I have been here a couple times for lunch and once for dinner, and most of those visits were quite enjoyable. The lunch bentos and combinations are tasty and a decent value. I remember especially liking the saba (broiled mackerel) lunch bento. It was a fairly generous portion and came with a couple of the usual sides like miso soup, salad, rice, etc. As for dinner, the food is still pretty good, if a bit expensive, but they need to work on, shall we call it, their "hospitality"? A recent dinner date here got off to a rocky start, when we showed up early for our reservation. Nobody greeted us for several minutes PAST our original time. When the woman eventually wandered over to us, she did not improve the situation. All she could tell us (with a bitchy tone I might add) when asked exactly when we would be getting a table, was "As soon as the other people leave". Gee, really? Is that how it works? They were lucky we didn't leave then. But we stayed and the rest of the dinner was better than the beginning. Our server was funny and talkative, the cold sake comes in a neat decanter with an ice compartment, and they give you a HUGE serving of tonkatsu. The sushi was tasty, although for the prices the rolls could have been bigger. Overall, I would still give Irori another chance, but I would probably go for lunch only. That saba was just really good (and I know saba). And I do give them credit for taking care of my iPhone overnight which I, um, somehow left at our table- thanks guys!
(3)
david a.
From the moment I took off my shoes, I knew I was going to love this place. You sit on the floor, Japanese style. But, in an accommodation to us less-than-limber Westerners, there is space cut out under the table for your legs and feet. The service was very good (ask Kenny for his sake recommendations), and the fish very fresh. You won't think you are in a shopping center. I definitely will be back.
(4)
Celia C.
I had no expectations for the day and had been hanging around the westside with my buddy who is 90292 bound. We tried hitting up this one spot on Lincoln and Mindanao but to our surprise was shut down. So he recommends this second spot he has never been to and when we got in and they asked for me to take my flip flops off, I was stoked!! The closest anything Japanese traditional I have dined in a very, very long time. After I took my shoes off and tucked it in a little cubby corner, our hostess sat us down at the bar. No chairs, no gimmicks... just good happy-ole sit on my butt sushi dining. I was already overzealous with suspicion before I tell the sushi chef, "Just give me whatever you want tonight." He first started with shrimp....by grabbing out it's live tingley tentacles before my eyes and decapitating that sucker! Seconds later it was in my mouth. How is that for fresh? We continued to order on and...dude... I just love this place. It's like zen for my taste buds.
(5)
Lauren B.
Let's see - how do I describe this entire experience in 4 words or less - Adorable! Attentive! Delicious! Traditional! You walk in and they ask you to take off your shoes - what what?! It's a good thing my toes were fabulous & painted...so - you place your shoes in a cubby like they had in grade school and you sit down on the floor on a cushion. At first I was alarmed (I was wearing a dress and out with my man friend) and then I realized there was a cutout in the floor where you can place your feet. Once I was confidently seated and a potential Britney Spears limo incident avoided, I checked out the menu. Pretty standard, there was nothing on there that blew my mind. We ordered: Spicy tuna, spicy albacore, spider rolls, vegetable tempura and a big salad w/miso dressing (and also hot sake and Sapporo). The sushi was fresh and delicious - the standout was hands down the Spider roll. The miso dressing was heavenly, I even used some to dip my sushi in, nom nom nom! Then came the fun part, we ordered 4 different kinds of Mochi: mango, strawberry, green tea and coffee. BEST MOCHI OF MY LIFE. And I've seriously had so much mochi. The service was excellent, everyone was super attentive and very nice. Bottom line: Go for the experience, service and mochi - but overall I've had better, more creative sushi.
(3)
Travis I.
"Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining." As a general rule, I don't like to be pissed on at all. And the second I walked in the door here, Irori took a nice 98.6 degree piss on my trouser fronts. They didn't even bother to tell me it was raining, they just looked in my eyes and let it rip like, "Oh, yeah... Feel that? That's me pissin' on yer leg. Yeeeaaaah, boyeeeee." If you tell someone to be at a place on time or your going to give their seat away, you'd damn well better have a table waiting for that person when they arrive. Or, shit, just tell them how long the wait is going to be, and apologize for the inconvenience. When our time to be seated came and passed, I inquired on how long it would be (as we waited until well after my reservation time) to be seated. The quick and dirty, she told me, "You're table will be ready when the people decide to leave." Ooooookaaaay. Baaaaad start. If it wasn't on a date, I'd have given that hostess a verbal ass-fisting... and I wouldn't have been gentle. Drama aside, the cool option of taking your shoes off and sitting at tables on the floor is a total kick. The tables have a recessed area underneath, so you can let your legs hang down, comfortably. Waiters and waitresses shuffle around and kneel at your table. It's a trip. Food was average. Nothing impressive, really. The sake was good, and served in one of those cool glass pitchers with the ice chamber blown into the center of the carafe to keep the liquid cool from the inside, without watering the beverage down. And really, that was the highlight of the evening. Chicken Karaage was average. Sushi was good - the Ono roll was curiously appealing. Little chunks of fried white fish... Very easy on the palate. The portion of tonkatsu (in the tonkatsu dinner) was VERY generous: two lean pieces of pork cutlet, panko-crusted, deep fried, and cut into strips. Mmmmm. Katsu. Not in any rush to go back for dinner, but I've heard this place serves a pretty jammin' lunch, and if I heard about HH deals, I'd be much quicker to return. However, the bad service I received here, upon my arrival, left a bitter taste in my mouth even as I departed... and that was after 2 bottles of sake. 1 star for a really cool idea regarding the interior and all. Another star for a healthy serving of tonkatsu, but overall, a huge disappointment.
(2)
Alan W.
For sushi, they have all the standard stuff in terms of selection of fish. Nothing more and nothing less. Quality is decent, again I use my Uni/Ikura test. If those two are fresh, place is probably going to be really good. Uni was acceptable but not great in terms of freshness. Didn't want to try the Ikura. All other sushi ordered was acceptible, decent but nothing special. I come here for broad selection and variety of the menu. They have hot food here, meaning izakaya style stuff. Agi Dashi tofu is solid; crispy and light, with decent light soy sauce broth. Yellow tail collar is usually prepared well, they garnish with sizzling onions/mushrooms underneath which is different. Sit at the bar if you're a small group of 2-3, it's worth it. It's setup as traditional Japanese seating where, under the table, where your feet go, it's recessed. There's no back support so it gets a little uncomfortable. The bar seating works similarly but they give you these chair mats so there's back support :). I guess you could ask for those chair mats if you wanted one sitting at a table; just FYI. Overall if you live in Marina Del Rey and want variety and just decent sushi it's fine.
(3)
Michelle L.
My sister (Christina L.) and her boyfriend took me here for my 21st birthday and all i can say is yuummmyyy! I guess I didn't read her review carefully and wore boots (big mistake!) so I struggled getting them on and off. (My sister also laughed at my tinkerbell socks...) Anyways we sat down and ordered a couple drinks and I was pretty sad that they didn't card me on my 21st... how anticlimactic. My sister and her boyfriend took care of ordering the food: Japanese Albacore N.E.W.S.: I don't really know what N.E.W.S stands for but this is delicious! The albacore was seared and served in this sauce that was amazing. We couldn't figure out what the sauce was, but it was definitely yummy. Yellowtail with Jalapeno: Delicious. I personally prefer my sashimi without sauce but this was definitely one of the highlights of the meal. Baked crab hand roll: Amazing. They give you a ton of crab, and the crab is so buttery and delicious that it's really hard to not scarf down the whole thing really quickly. When you compare this crab hand roll to the one at sugar fish, this one definitely wins. Miso Cod - Pretty standard, lacked the buttery taste that I would expect in a cod. Agadashi Tofu - This was pretty upsetting because they only gave three small pieces of tofu! What a rip off ): Sashimi combination dinner - As I said before I usually like my sashimi without sauce on top of it so I can enjoy the true sashimi flavor. I was impressed by their Yellowtail with Jalapeno and N.E.W.S. so i wanted to give their other sashimi a try. Maybe it was because I wasn't as hungry towards the end of the meal, but the sashimi wasn't as good as i had hoped it would be. I would say that if you're coming to this place, stick to the sashimi with sauce. Overall the restaurant was a really nice place to celebrate my 21st with my sister. It was cute and quaint and the servers were all really friendly. I will probably come back here again!
(4)
Stephanie M.
I don't eat sushi but my boyfriend does, but I never mind going to a Japanese restaurant because I love teriyaki. The chicken teriyaki I ordered was rubbery, lacked flavor and was drenched in sugary sauce. It was almost inedible. To make matters worse the cucumber salad that was served as a side was mushy. Not crunchy like it should have been and the fruit served as another side dish tasted as if it were old and should never have been served. My boyfriend said the sushi was so so. I'm not a fan and have no desire to go back.
(2)
Heidi K.
Rude is the only way to describe the staff. I've never eaten here, because I have never been seated. Tonight, I made a reservation through Open Table. The hostess claimed to have no record of the reservation. I produced my email receipt for the table and explained that it was a birthday celebration for my mom. The hostess shrugged, said there was nothing she could do, and put us on the bottom of the list as a walk in. The wait was estimated at 45 minutes. So, we walked out.
(1)
Christina L.
I swear to God, this fish is laced with crack. The bf brought me to Irori for a surprise birthday dinner which was probably not the best idea ever since I now demand to come back pretty much every week. The fish is amazing, their sauces are delicious and it's a good thing we're sitting on the ground since I usually spend the entire dinner bouncing around going "nomnomnomnomnoooom!" Highlights: Japanese Albacore: Delicious on it's own (the BF mentioned it was in a ton of reviews), but even more amazing in the N.E.W.S. Yellowtail with Jalapeno: Beautiful and major yum - the ponzu sauce is one of the best I've ever had! Baked crab hand roll: So amazingly amazing that the only way to properly enjoy it is to close your eyes and concentrate all brain power to your sense of taste then make ridiculously embarrassing "mmmmmmmmm" noises, smile like an idiot and order another one. I would say that the salmon sashimi that I usually love is not too impressive here, stay with the Yellowtail and Albacore. Also the cooked fishes were good (miso Sea Bass and Yellowtail collar), but not the best I've ever had - I would say the sashimi is where the party in your mouth is really at. Tips: make reservations, wear easy to take off shoes, sake it up. Love this place, will definitely 100% without a doubt be back!
(5)
Elcee C.
The sushi and the service are way better than most. The presentation is amazing. They have a lot of no rice sushi/ creative sashimi dishes, but it is also authentic. The reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because there are a lot of children because the tables are Japanese style and kids find sitting like that novel, and there is no hard liquor. But if you're fine with eating a little later and you are perfectly fine with beer and sake, then this place is for you!
(4)
Chau T.
3.5 stars. You sit on little pillows on the ground. For those who find that sitting indian style is uncomfortable, under the table is a little.... shall I say dugout? where you can settle your legs. hehe. Everything I had was very fresh and the service is great.
(3)
Jim N.
Love the food.Fast and fair service.Kids friendly.Park no brainer.
(5)
Michelle L.
I've been to Irori several times now and I am IN LOVE. Every time I come here, I bless the day my friend casually suggested we try this place. Irori is tucked away in the corner of a shopping plaza, next to a giant Pavilions. Parking is easy, plenty, and free. During the weekends, there will probably be a 15 - 45 min wait for dinner, but SO WORTH IT. I love this place because it's small, with a casual atmosphere. Be warned though, the place does reek of fish and soy sauce. Anyway, to go along with the homey, traditional decor, the tables are low to the ground and you have to take off your shoes. There is a pit beneath the tables for you to put your feet, so you don't have to kneel. Maybe I'm easily amused, but I find this pretty cool. The food here is reasonably priced and FRIGGIN DELICIOUS. I've had their dinner sets (comes with miso soup, salad, white rice, sushi or assorted sashimi, generous serving of mixed vegetable tempura, two huge sweet shrimp tempura, a tiny side of bean sprouts, sunomono, and fruit, and green tea ice cream for around $20) multiple times and I just CANNOT get enough. The tempura is light and crispy, with just the correct amount of batter coating. The texture of each fish is absolutely amazing. I always like to order the assorted sashimi because you get 2 - 4 pieces of 4 - 5 different types of fish. The tuna will melt in your mouth like it was frozen yogurt and I am not even joking. The scallops with mayo was light, sweet, and...damn, I really wish I had ordered more than 1 serving. And then, I made the AWESOME decision of ordering their blue fin toro (fatty tuna). HOLY... CRAP!!!!!! Definitely the fattiest, juiciest, smoothest, tastiest two pieces of fish (with a slight sweet after taste) to go down my throat in a while. Felt like they were shooting a Skittles commercial in my mouth. And the price didn't make you want to shoot yourself in the leg, either. $12 for 2 pieces, what a deal! Another great part of my most recent visit was that before I left, the sushi chefs asked my friend and I how we had enjoyed our food (and we hadn't sat sushi bar). I guess they had been paying attention to us (or our reactions), and actually cared to see how we liked what they were preparing us. :D To say the least, I love this place, and I am definitely dragging every single one of my friends to eat here with me.
(5)
Kent K.
Not the best location, but a very pleasant experience. Salmon belly was very fresh, medley of sashimi with miso paste was great. Good service, excellent chef. Would go back.
(4)
D.j. V.
If you love sushi Irori is a must. The minute you enter you have the feeling of a traditional Japanese eatery. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food is fresh and while dinning like traditional Japanese makes you feel you took a trip to Japan.
(5)
Jonny J.
I love how you can take off your shoes and enjoy the Japanese atmosphere. Great service and tasty food. The Blue Crab salmon sushi was my favorite along with the Spicy Tuna sticky rice. A small establishment so a reservation is recommended.
(4)
Mimi L.
I really like this place but it's been a while since I've been here and found out it's been under new ownership. As soon as I walked in I knew something was different. First, they have way too many workers! I've worked at sushi bars and my family even owned one for almost 10 years and know that a place like that doesn't need 8-10 waiters/bus persons and 2 hosts. With so many employees walking around, I felt a bit rushed with so many people bustling around. Plus, we're all sitting on the floors and the workers were walking all around us so much. Second, service was very speedy but in my opinion, a bit too speedy. I had to quickly take the ginger off the plate as they whisked away each sushi plate. I don't like that feeling. I think it's reasonable to leave the plates sit for a minute or two and people can enjoy their bites of sushi and not have staff interrupt you while you still have that bite of food in your mouth. The sushi was good but not like I remembered. I remember with the previous owners, every sushi was excellent, with right amount of rice to fish ratio... it was just ok this time. The age-dashi tofu was just ok, a bit bland. Overall, I might go back for the food but the ambiance in the place was off. The owner was standing near our tables with a stern look and eyeing all employees like a hawk. I felt uncomfortable with him standing there only a couple tables away from us. None of the sushi chefs looked happy. All had frowns or just unpleasant expressions. The hosts were nice when we were leaving though.
(3)
Diane B.
Borderline 5 stars but I prob should go more often to justify them (and gladly will). We went on the recommendation of a local who has consistently displayed good taste. Irori was hardly an exception. Despite it being crowded (always a good sign), we were attended to and seated virtually immediately. I'm a sucker for the "take the shoes off and sit on the floor" Nihon-style dining and it totally works here. There's just something fun and freeing about having no shoes or stature, being only able to order and receive. And we did. We started with the California rolls - certainly ample - and gulped down the tasty miso and salads before getting the lucious Chicken Teriyaki and Unajyu main dishes. The sushi bar was full and looked great but we weren't regretting our choices with these main dishes. The teriyaki was not over salty with the right amount of delicious sauce, side condiments and rice. Ditto the unajyu, which was silky smooth and definitely tasty, peppered with sesame seeds. The service was on every detail, clearing dishes and bringing the next ones promptly and courteously. Definitely coming back on the next Marina del Rey boondoggle!
(4)
Nick M.
Been coming here for years -- everything is great and the specials are very special indeed. Also stock up here for a meanl to go when about to jump on a plane -- beats airplane food and it's on the way to the airport (for me). They have a rather bizarre local TV commercial which shows the place as half empty -- I assume they filmed it when it was closed, it's always packed and they really don't need to advertise. It's great.
(5)
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Address :4371 Glencoe Ave,Ste B4
Marina del Rey, CA, 90292
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
William K.
One of the best I've ever been! Not many places would asked you to take off your shoes. Blue crab handroll was okay not what I've expected. Dessert was one of the kind. Must try red bean with smoked mochi! Very different!
(4)Kevin M.
Can't wait to go back to this place!!! Love how it's so Japanese-nize where you have to take your shoes off and go to your table. The waitresses and sushimen are all sooo polite~ Love all of their dishes from sashimi to rolls to tempuras. *Another plus is that there are alot of parking space due to being in a strip mall*
(5)Hannah L.
Really fresh fish and cool atmosphere. The waitresses are very nice and the food is served quickly. If u are looking for a sushi bar with lots of inventive special rolls this is not the place, but it does have very simple absolutely delicious sushi.
(4)mo p.
Consistently fresh & delicious. Probably the best lunch specials around. Dinner can be busy so we opt for pick up. Their uni is always sweet, the albacore melts in your mouth & the spicy tuna has the right amount of spice. Good lighting, shoes off & traditional Japanese seating with leg room carved in. We are very happy it's in the neighborhood.
(5)Jess B.
Sushi was great- lots of specialty rolls to choose from. Loved the Rainbow and Caterpillar rolls. The Yellow Tail Collar was excellent as well. Only downfall was our server wasn't friendly and rushed is a bit. But the sushi was good enough that we'd go back.
(3)Min T.
This place is cool. In fact, it's KEWL. Ha, so old school. From the moment you take off your shoes and stick them into the cubbyholes by the front door (please do that, I do not want to trip over your shoes!) to either settling into cozy tables with recessed space for your legs or sitting at the bar, you are welcomed with friendly staff. If you're not comfy with sitting without a chair back, you can ask for one. The sushi chef that I love is Masa. He remembered me after a couple of visits and gave us special things. Everything's pretty good here but if you see Spanish mackerel, get it. It's the best thing on their specials menu. The toro's pretty good too but I'm more of a mackerel fan (gasp!). Don't be put off the place is in a busy strip mall, it's still MDR!
(5)Lea Ann H.
This is was my weekly temple of sushi worship when I lived in LA. The fish is consistently fresh, flavorful and buttery in texture. Especially memorable is the yellowtail sashimi with thin slices of jalepeno in a light ponzu sauce, the halibut sushi, and the perfectly prepared California and shrimp tempura rolls. The service is friendly and attentive and the atmosphere is cozy and attractive. Oh how I miss you, Irori!
(4)J D.
I have eaten at all the trendy high priced sushi spots in LA and I must say Irori is my favorite. Here is the good news. It is not a trendy snob spot like the places I just mentioned. What a bonus! If you go to Irori be sure to sit a the sushi bar. For the freshest fish be sure to go during the week when deliveries are daily flown in. The Japanese Albacore and baby Big Eye Tuna are the best things. Try the Sawara if they happen to have it! I would be suspect of reviews from people claiming to know fresh fish but from the east coast or mid-west.
(5)Adam B.
I sat shoeless at the sushi bar, told the chef that I am VERY picky with my fish and asked what was best today. I ended up with tuna, yellowtail, albacore, and salmon (all sushi). The fish is much better than average but definitely not up there with best I have had. The tuna was a beautiful bright red (dyed?) but was lacking much flavor. The salmon was better than average and the rest was very good. The sushi rice was delicious although a bit too cool and hard packed. The serving size were much bigger than average with LA prices to go along with it ($5 for 2 pieces). I would go back here for sure.
(4)Gordon B.
One of my favorite local sushi joints in the LA area. Come here for the sashimi; rolls are only moderate...although I have grown a fondness to the lobster roll...haha. Toro sashimi is usually delicious. The random location will throw you off, but definitely a good place to eat. Make reservations since the restaurant isn't too big. The service is usually excellent. Oh, and wear nice socks, i.e. no holes, since you have to take your shoes off upon entering. Must haves: yellowtail in ponzu with jalepeno, blackened fish, iced green tea.
(4)Elise S.
My roommate and I hit this place up last night - yum! The food is great, good portion sizes and a big selection on the menu. It's tucked in one of the little shopping malls on Glencoe, and you wouldn't know it was there unless someone showed you. The inside is suprisingly nice for it's location (looks like it should be fast food from the outside, but isn't). It's traditional in the sense that you have to take your shoes off and sit on the floor - I like that, it's fun. Definitely a good Japanese restaraunt to check out if you live in the marina.
(5)Aj P.
Yes, if you live on the westside this place is a gem - but it's really no better or worst than the myriad of other places across town. In fact, for what you get I find it a bit expensive. Make reservations for dinner, particularly if you want the sushi bar. Nice little quirk in that you have to take off your shoes to enter the dining room.
(3)Candi W.
We have been eating here for about a year now and love it. The service is always spot on and the food quality as well as taste is pure quality. The servers are quick to offer specials, which are always unique and delicious. The atmosphere is very traditional with the raised wood floors and shoe racks at the front entrance. I recommend making a reservation.
(5)Marisol O.
OMG. Just went to Irori this weekend and had omakase. It was pretty unreal. It left me in a food coma for the rest of the weekend, but that was ok with me. I've been dreaming of the sushi I had, it was so good. I'm not sure whether the omakase varies a ton depending on what chef you get. We got Kazu, who we love, and he treated us riiiiiight. We had a few appetizer style rounds, including Japanese red snapper that was to die for, and then a few rounds from the kitchen. Then, he just dropped bombs of sushi on us, with some fantastic toro and blue fin tuna. The desserts were pretty good too. We got the apple pie and some mango dessert - thought the mango was better.
(5)Sam A.
Fine food
(5)Melissa L.
This is a great lunch spot! I've been here many times for lunch and they have great lunchbox specials. I've been here for dinner as well and it's a nice spot for a date or to get together with an old friend. The restaurant is quite small and you might have to wait for a table at times. It's cool when you first walk in because you think that everyone is sitting on the floor but there is actually a big opening under the table where your feet hang down under the table, so it's kinda like you are sitting on a bleacher with a table over your lap. It's fun! anyways...impress a girl and take her here...
(5)Jen D.
Always fresh and delicious! Great service and quick delivery time. Irori is small and a local's favorite so expect a wait any night of the week. The longest I have ever waited is 40 minutes but they also allow you to make a reservation, something we usually do on our way. Price may be a bit more than other sushi spots but well worth the freshness and consistency! Try the beef gozya!
(5)Judy H.
Sitting at the sushi bar is a must whenever you come here. The sushi chefs are amazing and fun to talk to! Sushi chef Koko was so nice and generous with his serving sizes =) He even gave us mochi ice cream on the house! His fellow sushi chef Johnny even made a special piece of natto for me to try after I expressed my curiosity. Natto, for those who don't know is a fermented soy bean gooey mess. The smell reminds me of trash and was actually not very good to eat at all, but I guess it's an acquired taste kind of thing. The ono here was delicious and the highlight of the night. Love coming here on a lazy sunday night and enjoying great sushi!
(4)Jeff P.
I used to frequent this place when it was called East and it is still delicious. The sushi is terrific and the atmosphere is great. They have a shoe storage and slippers by the bathrooms...really gets you in mood for authenticity. Sunken tables are fun unless you have bad knees...be forewarned. There's always the bar. Well-behaved kids are welcomed. Highly recommend.
(5)C S.
Just had irori again tonight... very good.. the king salmon was buttery the albacore seared just right. the red snapper in plum sauce as suggested by another reader is okay, but i would try other dishes before getting that again. the kanpachi (also recommended here) falls behind the salmon and albacore. their unagi is one of the best i've had. My fiancé really enjoyed the dynamite (i never was a big fan dynamite, not that it tastes bad, just not worth the calories to me). The previous time we went we sat at the bar where the owner is... he made some very nice suggestions... which reminds me i also liked the white salmon he had that evening
(4)Meg B.
The sweetest, most adorable, and also delicious place on the west side for Japanese food. I come here as much as I can, and almost always bring someone who hasn't been before so I can spread the good word. The service is always wonderful, and you also get/have to eat without shoes on. BONUS!
(5)Kortney R.
"irasshaimase!" I feel like family every time I come here, either alone or with my actual family. I've been coming here since it was called 'East,' before it changed management and the quality is still there. LOVE their food. Being half Japanese I consider myself a pretty good judge of Japanese cuisine and I must say this place is great. Serves traditional dishes and yummy sushi as well. Not too pricey and an overall great place to sit down (no shoes please) and enjoy a Japanese meal.
(5)Tricia B.
Just tried this place for the first time tonight and it lived up to the great reviews. Excellent sushi, great service and the decor is pretty cool, it looks like you are sitting on the floor but you aren't. Can't wait to return and try more of the menu.
(5)Brett F.
I dined here for the first time 2 weeks ago. An authentic, Japanese experience. The fish....amazing. I have eaten sushi all over the world and Irori is a winner - outstanding and fresh. The chef has some very creative variations as well.
(5)Brian D.
This is one of the best sushi places on the westside. As many other reviewers have mentioned, the atmosphere is really nice. Dark wood, nice lighting, etc. I would say that the rolls are fairly normal. And the prices at Irori aren't cheap. So if you come here, come here for great sushi and sashimi, not rolls. One of my all time favorites here, which is not always in season, is their seared Ono sashimi. I've never had any better Ono than the way they prepare it here. Amazing. Sea salt, garlic, olive oil, and a hint of jalapenos... Their enoki mushroom appetizer is also excellent. There is often a wait, so I would recommend making reservations. Especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
(4)Morgan A.
This place was great. Albacore, crispy rice, tuna...there's nothing I didn't enjoy. Get a bottle of the kikusui sake, very smooth! The wait staff was very attentive and warming.
(5)Richard S.
I'm not the best judge of sushi since I can't detect the thin line between good and "oh my god this is the best sushi ever ever". My girl seems to know that line well though. My impression of the food at this place was that it was fresh and on par with any other half decent sushi restaurant. My girlfriend said it was good sushi though. There is this place in my home city where I can get sushi at the mall. I think that tastes just as good but thats just because I'm a male with inadequate taste buds apparently :) I think it also tastes good because its way cheaper than a sushi restaurant. The coolest thing about this place was the restaurant itself. Other reviews say they've lowered the tables. Thats not the case. They've raised the floor. So the table is only about a foot above the floor but you can still at at the table like you're in a normal chair (they just don't raise the floor under the table). Overall, a very cool place. I like. Go just to experience the high floors.
(4)Byoung Kyu S.
I was impressed with Irori. The "floor" tables are really cool. The prices were reasonable and the good was great. Uni, ankimo, and ikura all tasted very fresh and extremely flavorful. Also ordered a couple of rolls for the table to share and all were very good. I can't think of any negatives about this place. Only thing I wonder is how they accommodate large parties due to their floor arrangement.
(4)Tzveta S.
LOVE! Sometimes there is a wait, but understandable. It's a little gem hidden in the very poor on food Marina del Rey. It is simple. But that's what japanese is about. It is pleasant and the food is fresh and absolutely delish. I think it is very properly priced as well as we know if sushi is cheap then it is of poor quality. I do not find it one bit overpriced as it does involve labor (from the catch to the plate). I have not been disappointed once and I go there at least once a month. Actually, come to think of it, I have given up on other sushi, now that I have this place so near by.
(5)Tracy K.
My absolute favorite sushi restaurant. Ever. Period. When I first heard about it, I thought it was a little bizarre--"irori" in Japanese refers to a hearth that's dug into the ground where you hang a pot to cook, so I associated the word with hot, boiled food, and definitely not fresh seafood. But it's just that the tables are sunken into the ground like irori's, giving the restaurant its name. Anyway, the appetizers, sushi, and desserts are all amazing. They are pretty creative with their appetizers. I really like the spring rolls that come in a glass served with salsa and a cherry tomato. As for their sushi, the toro is to die for. It melts in your mouth. They can make all the typical rolls found in any other sushi joint, but I've never been much of a roll person, so I'm not the best judge. The sushi chefs are super friendly too...they'll strike up a conversation if you're at the sushi bar. It's a little hard to find within the plaza, but it's definitely worth it! GO!
(5)A. C.
Went there for lunch during the week, and was very happy. My co-workers used to go all the time, and had been just the week previous. We had a group of six and were seated within minutes. The restaurant uses the "tatami" style seating where you're sitting on an elevated dining room with holes in the "floor" so you can stretch out your feet. You leave your shoes at the entrance. The decor is nice; dark wood and traditional decor. The food was excellent; we all had lunch boxes, which are combos that include a teriyaki plus either one additional item ($8.95) or two ($10.95). I had salmon teriyaki plus tuna and california roll. It also came with miso soup, excellent white rice, a small cucumber salad, a green starter salad and another bean sprout side. Very good amount of food for the price. I also ordered a side of Yellowtail sushi (my favorite), which was perfect. Lunch for six was $15 each, including tip. All in all an excellent lunch spot - just across from the (old) Vons in this strip mall next to Jerry's Deli.
(4)Chris J.
Irori's Omakase = Heavenly I found out about Irori randomly on twitter, and when I looked into this place that had been lavished with the praise of "the best sushi on the westside", I recognized it as the obscure sushi place in the strip mall next to where I get my supercut (hold your tongue!). I read some yelp reviews and went there that night; my wife and I had omakase, and I recommend you do the same. Top quality fish, sublime flavors, and artful presentation made me feel like a judge on Iron Chef America. The uni was the best I've had, no kidding. The decor is great (see other reviews), and the dining is experience unique (sitting at Irori tables, shoeless). Be prepared to spend a bit, especially on omakase, but it's a great place to splurge. Reservations suggested.
(5)Vincent A.
Came here on Valentines day. When I called, they said there were only spots available at the bar, and I asked them to hold a table if possible. Sure enough, I got there and they had a table ready for us. Food was awesome, and most importantly, very reasonably priced. Would definitely go back!
(5)Thea S.
Yet another fantastic spot in the 'hood. I forgot about it for a while until my friend suggested going. And was it delicious!!! The man braved his first time having sushi with me there recently and the outcome: success. While we didn't have any blue fin tuna (which converts many), everything was top notch and we will be going back soon... well, I will go back soon.
(4)Lilitu L.
This is one of my favorite sushi spots in Los Angeles... the others being Hiko Sushi, Hide Sushi, and the Sake House on La Brea. I've never been disappointed here... even their vegetable roll is awesome and interesting. There is typically at least a half hour wait if you come here for dinner without reservations, and at least a 15 minute wait for lunch... so make reservations! They really should take out whatever is next door and expand/add more tables. You must take your shoes off and leave them in convenient cubbies near the door. The tables have pillows to sit on on the floor with the floor lowered to comfortably let your legs down. The staff is polite and attractive (yes, my friend who took me here initially said that was one of the reasons he loves this place, I agree... the waitresses are cute!), they actually have red snapper which is my favorite next to yellowtail and not served everywhere, the food is fantastic and fresh, they have a good sake selection and will make recommendations and even know where you can obtain a particular sake outside their restaurant if you ask, and they have a pretty huge menu for a sushi place... even including things like filet mignon for your friends who might not be keen on sushi (not that I've tried it, lol). The prices can run a bit high depending on what you order... but for the quality it's worth it... two people who are hungry and enjoy good quality sake and sashimi can probably dine here for about $65-$75 each give or take for dinner, including dessert and appetizer.... and they always offer little plates for sharing. If you're just here for lunch it would be less. There is always plenty of parking given that Irori is located in a strip mall (next to the CVS tucked in the back... unexpected location for such a high quality restaurant). Thumbs up! Definitely recommended.
(5)Amy H.
Phenomenal! THE best sushi in LA, period! Everything is fantastic! We got to know a few of the waitresses and sushi chefs and just had them bring us sushi! This place is great! We moved down to San Diego, but will frequent anytime we are in LA.
(5)Deborah H.
Irori's the best sushi I've had... Better than Nobu, Morimoto, Katana, all them overrated joints. It's not a trendy scene kind of place, rather an unassuming strip mall joint with very good food. They have daily specials (pray they have the Spanish mackerel) that reflect upon the fresh shipments. You're required to take off your shoes (so don't forget the pedi and wear non-holey socks) and sit tatami-style. We split a couple interesting appetizers and went all-out with the sashimi. The bill for two game to about 90$ with no liquor, which is a steal for the fish quality. Service was friendly.
(4)j c.
I ordered 8 items from the menu. They were out of 5: no ono, amoebi, Spanish mackerel, oysters, monkish, uni. And the chef forgot to serve two of our dishes. Atmosphere is fun, food was not
(2)Hope L.
I didn't expect much since there's a CVS next door. We got here during the dinner rush and sat in front of sushi chef Johnny. And all we can say is "wow". Enough said.
(5)David L.
It's very good. Went there because of my co-worker's recommendation and didn't disappoint. Had softshell crab roll, salmon skin roll, oyster, albacore, yellowtail, sashimi over jalapeno sausce, natto handroll, cod with miso and they were all high quality. Liked it quite a bit. My Japenese friend really loved this place and was more impressed at the quality than I was. Never tried Nigori sake before, very smooth and tasty, goes very well with sushi and sashimi, it was great.
(4)Frederick S.
wear cute, clean socks because your shoes are coming off as soon as you're in the door. When walking to the table, with the seating recessed into the floor, I felt like a GIANT amongst mere mortals. I almost insisted on standing through dinner. I pictured it: I'd laugh- big, thunderous peels of laughter- while gesturing with an enormous bottle of saki in one fist, and my free arm draped around the neck of a large moose, which I would of course dwarf in comparison. ...and then I sat down..,or, scooted, more accurately. Oh-- and then I ate a great meal of delectably fresh fish and expertly assembled rolls. And that hot saki that i did end up having was smoother than I expected and quite good. Fair warning-- the chefs are really energetic and the waitstaff very attentive. If you're not careful, this could end up being your regular sushi spot.
(4)Jennifer M.
Solid West-side Sushi. Cute decor, yummy fresh fish and reasonably priced. Their soft-shell crab is larger than other places with lots of meat. I've been twice and the fish has been very fresh. It's almost "super-sized" sushi, but so be it. I don't think they try and take advantage of the customer.
(4)Cindy T.
What was I thinking? At first sight, I didn't want to go here. Seriously, D. had to convince me. I hate to admit it, but he was right. The food & service are superb. There's always a wait, but it's well worth it. Once you get seated the servers are friendly and they're always willing to give suggestions on what to order. My recommendations: Red snapper w/ shiso leaf *a must try* Seared ono Kanpachi *anything* Jalapeno
(5)Roger B.
Absolutely the best Sushi on the West Side. Excellent service, tremendous food, and soon to remodel we hear!!!!
(5)Kelly S.
It's rare that you find an un-Yuppified sushi restaurants these days, especially in LA. Irori is definitely one of those sushi places with reasonable prices, a reasonably authentic atmosphere, and great service. I knew it was going to be good when we ordered some edamame. For the first time in I don't know how long, it actually was served warm (as advertised) and delicious. The only negative thing I experienced was the slow sitting times due to Irori's limited space. Still for a Saturday night, a 30 minute wait is usual.
(4)Tony C.
over-salted / under-valued omakase on the Westside. Out of the 6 omakases we had in the last 2 months, this place fell the shortest. unlike others who bothered themselves with "terriyaki chicken", i was on the mission to find the better value omakase in town because my pocketbook just can't hack it at Urasawa. all the nigiri pieces were fresh and some even exotic, but the overall level of zen cuisine which can easily be found at kiriko/tama, just wasn't there. the soups were oversalted, there were simply too many cooked dishes (often uninspiring) and not enough fish (which would've highlighted the talent of the chef who stood right in front of us.) the old/dirty/beat sushi bar + the trashed Hoshizaki freezer didn't bother us, but we really just wanted more of the buttery hamachi toro
(3)Emily C.
a bomb ass sushi joint in a strip mall??? really? really?? yup, really. irori is my new favorite sushi joint outside of little tokyo. i think that its sashimi rivals the fresh and plumpness of hama sushi in jtown. our party of four got the 60 dollar ish omakase, and it was delicious!!! more than the warm dishes, i enjoyed the different stylings of sushi and sashimi that came out. YUM. the place is super cute, too! although the thought of taking off my shoes at the front of the restaurant was a bit off setting at first, i began to warm up to the idea as my shoe-less feet got a rest from the three inch heels i was wearing that day. you basically sit on the floor, and the floor has holes in the middle so that your legs can dangle all night. totally my new sushi joint recommendation. i haven't gone back yet, but i sense that i will be visiting this corner of mdr more often now.
(4)Jessica F.
Los Angeles is the city of strip mall-hole in the wall restaurants. Packed in between a Radioshack and Pavilions, Irori is a bit hard to find. Irori has traditional Japanese seating, where you remove your shoes and sit on the floor. Makes for a nice atmosphere. We weren't that hungry so I ordered agedashi, deep fried tofu to start and a big bowl of tempura udon. My sister got san sai udon. It was awesome. The fried tofu was topped with some kind of radish paste and diced seaweed, went together really nicely. The tempura was crispy and not to oily, I often find tempura to be really greasy. All the veggies were fresh. We both ate the entire bowl of udon. Came out to about $26 for both of us, not bad at all. I'm definitely going to revisit this place and test out their sushi. Update! 4/9/08 - Since my first visit, I've returned twice on a Friday night. First time I waited for 50 minutes only to give up and get Indian food. Second time I had a reservation and I still waited half an hour. Minus one star!
(3)Jeremy S.
Definitely stop in during lunch and try the lunch boxes. Really good sushi and affordable.
(4)Alison N.
Love, love, LOVED it. The setting was nice...and I liked how everyone was Japanese or at least looked it. That was a definite added bonus. The seats were comfortable. Traditional seating w/ a twist... Remember to take your shoes off. I had the teriyaki salmon and sashimi. The salmon was good, sashimi was a little plain. Good presentation in the food.
(4)Lauren P.
this restaurant is fully responsible for making me fall in love with sushi! before my time in LA, i'd really only experienced california rolls. thanks to irori, i'm a full-blown sushi addict! i love all of their rolls and sashimi, as well as their box lunches. the service is always so sweet and nice too. me and my friend always called irori "the foot in the holes place" because you have to take your shoes off to eat, and it's hidden in a strip center. definitely a semi-hidden treasure.
(5)Gail H.
I enjoyed Dan's review on Irori, although he must have eaten at a different location, because the Irori in Marina del Rey only opened a year or two ago. It's located in the Von's and CVS shopping Center, off Mindanao and Glencoe. I'm definitely not a connoisseur of Japanese food, as I only started eating it less than 10 years ago. I'm so "white bread" in my choices. But, I've eaten enough generic Japanese food to know that ...what I DO order... is either good or bad - at least to me! I went in the other day with my boss for a belated Christmas lunch and it was packed! Always a good sign. After a five minute wait, we were seated at the Sushi Bar. I was starved and I ordered the perfect lunch for my raging appetite. I had the Beef Teriyaki Lunch Box, served with Miso Soup, Salad, and Rice. Then I had a choice of one or two items. Being the oinker that I am, of course, I chose two items. The choices were Chicken Teriyaki, Tonkatsu (I haven't a clue what this is), Spicy Tuna Roll, Salmon Teriyaki, Sesame Chicken, Fish Cutlet, Tempura, or California Roll. $8.50 for one; $10.50 for two choices. I chose the Tempura and CA Roll. Damn...I had a lot of food in front of me, but I ate every bite. Mmmmm, It was so fresh and tasty. This is the only Japanese restaurant that I've gone into that has low tables with the recessed area for your legs. Not bad once you've gotten your butt down, but ...geez...trying to get up is another thing. Holy moses! Don't wear a short skirt! Oh, yeah...one other thing. You must remove your shoes before you enter the dining area. I prefer to have something on my feet when walking around a public area, so I make sure I wear socks (or at least bring them) the day I know I'm going to eat here. Besides, bare feet in a restaurant is sorta icky, don't you think??
(5)Steve O.
I will make this short. I have been there more than 40 times. I have been there 4 days in a row. I have been there twice in one day. Great Atmosphere. Great Staff. Great Food. It's classy. It's clean. It's consistent. I recomend the Eel Avacado Tempura, The Tender Octopus, and any and all sushi or sashimi. I'm not a huge fan of rolls so I can't offer any advice there. Make sure to ask the waitress what she recomends sashimi wise. It can get pricey if you splurge, which you will want to do.
(5)Al C.
Wow--this place is the real dealio! Here you get to: --take your shoes off before seating --sit on the floor with a hole in the ground for your feet --eat like a hog for lunch for a reasonable price --savor very good quality food --experience great service --feel like you've been whisked away to an episode of "Shogun" Oishi desu nee!!!!
(4)Misa C.
Very very happy with this place. Although it was hard to find, it was worth it. Thank you Yelp! This is officially me and my bf's favorite new sushi place. It's affordable and really well priced for great sushi and sashimi. We got the spider roll, yellowtail, unagi and seweed salad. I love how you have to take off your shoes! Very authentic, and reminded me of my time in Japan :)
(4)Jenna K.
It was my first time here and I have never tasted sushi so fresh! My friends and I went here at 10pm to satisfy our sushi cravings. To start off, I liked how, unlike most other restaurants, we were required to take our shoes off in order to proceed to the tables. Moreover, the table was nice since under it, there was an empty space for people who can't sit too long with crossed legs. The vibe was good, considering it was even past dinner time. We first ordered a couple rolls which were spicy tuna and eel with avocado. What I liked most about these rolls were that they were soft, meaning the nori and the sushi inside were smooth. I've tried rolls at other places and the sushi inside can tend to become too chewy and you start to have some difficulty trying to break them down to the last bits. For someone who loves food that has just the right crisp, under the special menu, there is this fried rice topped with spicy tuna. This menu truly seems to be "special" since I have not tried it elsewhere. Speaking of crispy fried food, the fried ice cream is a must-try! At first, from the thought of it, I was taken aback and it just didn't sound appealing. My friends and I ordered the green tea fried ice-cream where the ice cream inside is green tea flavored. Once it came out, the first bite could have not been so great! The compound was delicious!! Overall the freshness and quality of the foods, and most importantly the service are what seem to keep the restaurant so busy even after dinner hours and definitely makes me want to go back whenever I get the chance to! I loved it here!!!!
(5)Marina A.
sushi is ok , i am a sushi lover ,this restuarant ranks just ok for sushi , the nice thing they have you sit in a hole in the ground.
(3)Fausto H.
Irori's service is horrible it sucks!
(1)Sony P.
My my. You're first greeted with a non-descript facade if you're lucky to be able to find it without any devine intervention. As you step through the plain entry, you sense that they value traditions and the art of sushi as you are escorted in to a cozy tatami seating with cute waitresses (abundant) waiting to pamper your raw needs. Since I was with clients, I was able to get a great selection (thanks Sony!) of sushi ranging from king crab tempura, monkfish liver, escolar, uni, toro and bevy of other nigiri complimented by a great selection of sake. They were all good but I particularly found the appetizers and sashimi were outstanding. It's definitely a great place if you're a absolute sushi fan and discerning of freshness and quality. What are you waiting for? You go now!
(4)Erin M.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in LA! The food is amazing and the atmosphere is fun. Make a reservation, because they get really busy. I love sitting at the sushi bar and all the sushi chefs are really fun, friendly and willing to help you to try new things. They have a lot of interesting combinations and fun things to try. You would never know that it is there, tucked away in a little strip mall in the Marina, but this place is a jem! Check it out!
(5)Sabrina H.
the menu is hit or miss and is a bit pricey for what you get. when i saw the menu prices, i didn't think it was that expensive until the food arrived and i saw what you get for it. the service was nice but then again it was late & we were the last customers. i probably won't be coming back because I'd much rather spend my money at Yu n Mi in Beverly Hills and enjoy the food much, much more.
(3)ivana d.
get toro, unagi, kanpachi, baked crab handroll.. they are sooo good.. i had the sweet shrimp but it's slimy.. wouldn't recommend it.. the green tea ice cream was good.. OOH uni is soo good too.. reasonable price compared to other good quality sushi restaurant
(4)Carmen C.
my favorite place for sushi in LA. good prices and GREAT food. I am a huge fan of sushi and have had it in japan and hong kong and i would eat it every day of the week if i could, but i can't afford it so i don't. anyway, irori is a great place to go if you are looking for QUALITY sushi and great prices as well as great specials like yellowtail sashimi with jalepenos in ponzu sauce...*drool* anything out of the ordinary tasted amazing. they are generous with their sashimi slices as well. I would say their offerings reminded me of Nobu, but I like it way better because they have a larger menu and WAY better prices! i ate there with 5 other girls, we had beer and sake and ordered nothing but sashimi, sushi and appetizers, none of that chicken teriyaki nonsense (although I have no doubt that it would be delicious as well) and the bill came out to $37/person including their 18% gratuity. no complaints! don't delay! get your butt over to irori or live life without having tasted incredible sushi.
(5)G Ride Z.
Have been there twice now and it has been quite consistent. I would recommend the Tempura Udon. The Sea Bass was nothing to rave about. However they have VERY fresh Sashimi. The ambiance inside the restaurant is worth the trip. Quite authentic, you have to take off your shoes and insert them into little cubbies before heading into the dinning area. Would advise to check your socks for holes before heading there.
(4)Brian P.
This place serves the best sushi I have ever eaten in my entire life. It may look expensive, but once you sample their food you will find that the value is excellent. Everything is so bomb that it's difficult to recommend anything in particular. However, I'll recommend the Sashimi plate w/jalapenos b/c it's pretty unique and very tasty.
(5)Cain D.
Great sushi and service in a traditional setting. Love sushi and Irori!
(5)Robert N.
We returned to Irori recently and it was an utter shambles. All the old chefs were gone and so was the quality and taste of the fish. Everything we had was chewy and fishy in flavor. Gah! Never again.
(1)jeff e.
I feel like i'm in a rstaurant far far away. From the second you walk in and take off your shoes, to when you sit on the floor to eat. The Live Sweet Shrimp are amazing as is everything I have ever eaten there. the staff is great. Cool place to go on a date or Sake bombin with friends! If you want a unique sushi experience this is a cool spot to go to.
(5)Brandon L.
I flew in from NYC last night, and after the obligatory In-N-Out stop, I wanted some fish to balance myself out. Since I was by LAX, Yelp pointed me to Irori just up the road. Irori is one of those strip mall sushi joints that seem to blanket every square mile of LA. If that sounds like a put down, it's not - like mexican restos back in NYC, there seems to be a direct correlation between the awfulness of the location and the quality of the food. And thankfully, Irori is in an absolutely terrible location, tucked into the very back of a shopping plaza next to a giant grocery store and a hair salon. The asparagus salad and spicy tuna on rice were both really well made, and the tuna and shrimp rolls, which were $5 each, could easily go for $10+ back in the city. I hate many things about LA, but you guys are really killing the cheap sushi game, and Irori is no exception.
(4)Marc M.
Before we get started, this place is hard to find the first time, because the way the shopping center is configured, the restaurant does not face the parking lot. No deduction for that, however. Let's recognize the whole "taking off the shoes and sitting in a hole in the floor" concept now and move on. Yeah, it is different and moderately cool. I guess. Down to business...the menu is limited. Sushi, sake, and entrees are limited. Prices are fine. Food was blah. Edamame was small and unsalted. Rolls seemed to have processed fish in them? Unfortunately, they were the best part. They tasted okay. Sashimi was not so much. Here is the real problem, however- the service. Our waiter was slow and disappeared for long periods of time. Place was fairly busy, but not too bad. Our second bottle of sake never came out, and he was gone so long that we finished eating, cleared and stacked the plates for him, and "relaxed" on the floor for 15 minutes before he came back. At that point I wanted my shoes and the heck out of here. Check came and the prices were higher than the menu indicated. I know this because I still had my menu- they never took it back. Novelty factor aside, this place is a big pass. If you want a similar experience, pick up some pre-made sushi at Ralphs, sit on your kitchen floor, and ask your teenager to ignore you for about an hour. You shouldn't even have to ask the teenager- they'll do it on their own.
(2)janae b.
This is my favorite sushi restaurants in LA. A hidden gem with great service, menu and prices. Always super fresh, good parking. I love the authentic atmosphere where you take your shoes off and sit down into the sushi bar and tables. The entire menu is fantastic if you decide not to be at the sushi bar.
(5)Keenan K.
Very Good Delicious dishes that you won't find in any Sushi restaurant. The price is right and I like sitting on the floor with my legs in the Irori. I am 6'2" and fit comfortable. This is one of my favorite places for Sushi on the Westside.
(5)Leslie M.
I LOVE this place! It's very traditional - take your shoes off as you enter, walk to your table and sit at floor level. Granted, the floor is cut out so you are sitting regularly, but it appears you are sitting on the floor. The sushi is fresh! It's also a great place to go with someone who doesn't like sushi! And the price isn't too bad. They have lunch specials! I like going here during lunch with the girls, especially on pay days so I can really splurge!! :)
(5)Lori G.
OK, I was nervous at first when we arrived and there was no one in the front of house seating people and the line was starting to back-up. I was tempted to leave as the line became longer and longer and there was still no hostess in sight. Luckily I decided to stay and because the lack of help on the floor, decided to sit at the sushi bar - this was key! The sushi chef totally set us up with fresh nigiri with the perfect condiments - big eye tuna with yuzu, wild King salmon with onions and ponzu, albacore with ginger, and I could go on and on! We also tried the baked black code in miso - it was delicious. Irori is reasonably priced and the sushi is fresh. I will definitely eat here the next time I am in LA (still trying to get over eating in a strip mall, but Irori is helping me with this!).
(4)Joshua S.
The only sushi place I have found that I quite enjoy in the westside. Toro, albacore, salmon all are delish. Plus they have a baked crab roll that's pretty amazing. This is my go to spot. The best part for me is its semi hidden I a strip mall:).
(3)Ellen W.
While visiting California, my firends decided to take me to Irori because I've never been to a place where I had to take off my shoes to eat before. I have to say it was a pretty cool experience. I'm not sure if all Japanese restaurants have this when you sit on the floor but there is acutally a seat to sit in and your feet dangles at the bottom of the table. So basically you are seated at groud level. It's a cute restaurant and the service was ok. The food was decent too but a bit pricey. One hand roll we ordered was about $8. And it was very small hand roll. I would definitely go back again next time I visit California.
(4)Nancy C.
Maybe it was the food, or maybe it was the fact that my dinner companion was a [insert a not-so-nice name here], but I did NOT have a good experience at this restaurant. I really liked the irori-style tables and the fact that I could eat w/out shoes on, but besides the commendable character of this place, nothing else makes it really memorable. I ordered my requisite scallop roll, which had way too much mayo. The sashimi assort was reasonably priced at $18, and came with a bowl of rice, salad, miso soup, and fruit. Also, the white tuna w/ jalapenos and ponzu sauce is worth a try. Yum! However, I was a bit put off that they served the roll before the sashimi. Adequate sushi joint, but definitely not worth the 30+ miles it takes for me to get here.
(3)Eric G.
I had the best Japanese food I've ever eaten. Ever. It's pricey, but the ambiance is great, the people are great, the service is great. The waitress helped with vegetarian options, and her choices were awesome. (You'd be surprised at where "fish sauce" can end up in some Japanese restaurants.) I can't recommend Irori enough!
(5)Renée F.
We had reservations and upon entering, had to stand near the door and constantly move around for everyone else who needed to get to the shoe cubbies behind us but when seated, the sunken table was very fun, perfect for playing footsie ;) Our service was excellent, and friendly. I ordered the Japanese Albacore Sahimi for the table which we then proceeded to re-order 3 more times it was so good. Very large pieces of super fresh, beautiful fish that melts in your mouth with such a delicious flavor. Everything else was just as fresh and very good but that Albacore will have me coming back!
(4)Sharon J.
After having dinner there for 7 times in 5 months and NEVER beign disappointed I can say that that's the best dine in sushi I've ever experienced in Los Angeles. Awesome service, great quality and great atmosphere. Highly recommended
(5)Mia J.
Great fresh fish. Great staff. Sushi guys are nice and make an effort to remember names if you sit at the sushi bar. I just wish I was not a starving student so I could eat here more often. The blue crab hand roll is super delicious, and I crave it. Ask for the Japanese hamachi, as it is better (though more expensive) than the regular yellowtail. And the atmosphere makes it a great date place, but make sure you have a nice pedicure or wearing clean socks, because they make you take off your shoes. It really is a hidden gem tucked away (aka hard to find) in the middle of a mall (near Super Cuts and Pizzarito).
(5)Tulani K.
Excellent local Japanese restaurant. The menu goes beyond standard sushi with cooked dishes beyond the norm and some challenging items for the more developed palette. The Nabeyake Udon is delicious. Many appetizers are fun to share with a group. I've tried some of the more wild menu items...the kind that the waitress watches you in amazement as you eat, then nods approvingly. But there are also standard items for the less adventurous. The staff are wonderful and very helpful. Sitting on the floor can be a challenge for the less-than-athletic, but it's worth the stretch. Going shoeless is always fun and there are slippers provided to wear to the restroom. Overall the decor borders on kitsch, but is warm and spacious enough to avoid feeling like a trip back in time. The music is always pleasant and interesting...no piped in Muzak here. Bottom line: Very good quality food in a fun environment with great people.
(4)Nilesh A.
This place is a hidden gem. It has a great ambiance and very friendly staff. At first I was a little worried about having to sit on the mats instead of in a chair, since I am a tall guy and sitting cross legged might be uncomfortable. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out the floor was raise and when you sit down, your legs are in a hidden drop floor underneath the table - very comfortable. The sushi is very fresh and flavorful. The sake was excellent. The atmosphere is definitely more low key than rowdy. It is more of a great date place than a place to get a little drunk with the sushi chefs. I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for great sushi on the westside.
(5)Nami I.
Irori has been our favorite Japanese restaurant for a while now. It used to be called "East" a couple of years ago and the food was mediocre at best, but when the owner changed it became a whole new restaurant! I even took a friend who was visiting from Japan there when he was craving Japanese food and he loved it! The Sushi is very good and not overpriced. They occasionally have some specials (like their Bluefin Toro) that are a little bit more expensive but usually well worth the money. I love their salmon skin roll and their spicy tuna. As for non-sushi washoku cuisine, we have pretty much tried everything on their menu so far (the advantage of going with a big crowd from time to time). The teriyaki chicken/ salmon dinner is awesome. Not too sweet and cooked just right. The Nabeyaki Udon another of our favorites. The ton-katsu is really crisp. Just writing this review makes me want to go there again! Almost everyone already commented on their nice interior. Nothing to add, except maybe that you can ask them for a back rest if you have a sensitive back. It gets quite crowded on Friday nights and weekends, so be sure to make reservations and don't forget to wear socks!
(5)Eli G.
hot damn this place is good. granted i've only been here once so far and didn't get to fully explore the menu. but irori (palindrome) did well with my standard order. we went here for a work lunch, based off a co-workers recommendation, and it was a great lunch. the place is tucked in a corner of nice strip mall and looks like nothing from the outside. but inside is a whole other story. when you first walk in, you see a wall of cubbies full of shoes. so obviously we take off our shoes and we're seated at the sushi bar. second cool point about this place is that all the tables and even the sushi bar are just a few inches off the ground, but to get around this, there are holes in the ground around every table and in front of the bar. very cool! i liked sitting in a hole. the seats at the bar were basically seat cushions and backs that were not fixed to the floor. very unique and very neat. i order some tuna, uni, unagi, red snapper and one other fish i can't remember. all the sashimi was perfect, melted in my mouth, no chewing required. the uni was the highlight. i'm still defining my taste for uni but i really loved it here. the unagi was the only let down. i'm used to sakura sushi monster sized pieces of eel. irori's eel was good but just not great. prices were good too, seemed fairly standard for the quality of fish. i will definitely be back here to try everything else on the menu and to sit in all the holes.
(4)sam j.
Great specials. Fish is amazingly fresh. Try the albacore pepper garlic ponzu or the blue crab handroll with soy paper.
(4)Jess R.
my roommates wanted to go to irori, and i had never been. i'm never one to turn down sushi, so of course i was down. it wasn't the best sushi i've ever had, but it was for sure good. the best thing though, is their edamame. i know, it's just edamame, but SERIOUSLY, it was super good. i dont know how they made it so perfect! service was good, and there's plenty of parking, because it's located in a strip mall (right next to a cvs, so if you need to pick up a thing or two after you eat...) one random thing: my roommate's boyfriend loves ginger, and our server kept taking away the sushi plates right when the sushi was gone, and he got sad that she was "stealing" his ginger. but after we pointed out that he was a ginger-eating fool, she brought out a big bowl of ginger for him :)
(4)Durif M.
I whet there like 2 years ago during my trip to SoCal and I loved this place. This is the first (and probably the only) Japanese restaurant in the US where I was told to take my shoes off. Everything we had here was very good. I hope I could go back there soon.
(4)Julie C.
Authentic Japanese sushi and noodle. Nice interior and lighting as well.
(5)Seichan G.
5/1/09 - I can't believe I just found this place after living in Marina Del Rey for the past 4 years. We always go to West LA for dinner and always complained that there are no good Asian resto in Marina Del Rey. Irori is awesome. First the tatami style dinner is just fun. You get to take off your shoes, put your feet down under the table, and chill. The menu can be broken down into 3 types: Made to order sushi, dinner set, or the small plate. The dinner set is a pretty good value, for about $15 you can choose a teriyaki or tempura rice plate with salad and dessert. But if you more adventureous, order the small plates. They have anything from blue crab cake, fillet mignon with truffle butter, miso marinated cod, steamed clam, baked oyster, the tofu tobanyaki (highly re commended). The small plates range from $5 - $15 per plate, so you can spend as much or as little as your wallet allow.
(4)Ryan L.
The sushi is good, but in NO WAY worth the money they charge. Cool that they've got the floor cut out so that we round-eyes don't have to sit Indian style. I should've ordered a "combo plate" or a meal that came with extras because buying 3 individual rolls of sushi didn't amount to much.
(2)Tony M.
yup this place has pretty bomb sushi. came here a while back with my gf and racked up 120$ bill in like 10 minutes (mostly her fault...) This place has such a wide variety of sushi, we had albacore, dragon roll and a ton of other stuff. definitely for those who can tell the difference between good sushi and great sushi
(4)Julie N.
This place is so authentic, you may not think that because it's in a strip mall, but you can tell as soon as you walk through the door. You have to take off your shoes before you sit and there are cubby holes at the entrance for your shoes. Seemingly, you sit on the floor but there are actual holes under the tables where you put your legs. If the atmosphere doesn't provide enough of an authentic experience, the food will. The sushi is so fresh - you have to try to sashimi (you can choose the fish) and jalapeno with ponze. There is a great assortment of sake, as well, and the staff is very knowledgeable of the variety. Make a reservation - this place has become popular! 0 - 0 of 0 commentsWrite a comment...SubmitYour comment has been posted! View All Comments Read more
(4)owen brenna i.
yea this place was fantastic. the sushi was fresh and they had some different kinds, not just the usual. the seared ahi sashi is fantastic. We sat at a cute little table put our feet in the spaces below and were served right away. our waitress was prompt and took care us from start to finish. but like the person you are going with because its hard to not play footsie under the table..
(5)Jan B.
best sushi i've had in the westside so far. but then again i havent eaten in many sushi joints out here. the fish was fresh, the sushi chefs were personable and actually japanese, and the atmosphere felt comfortable. we sat on the floor, but rather than sitting cross legged, there were space to hang your legs down below the floor. we ordered some cold sake but i forget the name. it was unfiltered sake that was smooth. i also ordered albacore (pretty good and fresh, not the best i've had though), tuna (not my fave, the chef placed some wasabi inside and it burned), tori (i'm not quite sure what it was, but it was delicious), and unagi (delicious as always). we also ordered some smoked salmon roll with cream cheese inside. it was pretty good, but i prefer my fish raw anyday. we topped it off with some fried tempura green tee ice cream. you can never go wrong with tempura ice cream. overall the experience was great and the cost was alright. not cheap, but well worth it.
(5)Jen G.
We were looking for ethnic food and Irori turned out to be exactly what we wanted. We shared several a la carte dishes and a sushi platter, along with an excellent fried ice cream. Waiters were great and service is very fast. Great place to go to
(5)Milt O.
Pricey, but very good sushi, and quite romantic. You sit on cushions on the floor with your legs down in a recess in the floor. No shoes, so you get to play footsie with the person across from you. Hopefully, it's the right person.
(4)Amanda D.
Iori was the best sushi I've had since moving to Los Angeles. The sushi was reasonably priced, very good quality, with a unique atmosphere and great service. A great place for a group night out if you are looking for something out of the ordinary!
(5)B. ..
Excellent high quality sushi/sashimi. Had Seared Ono with yuzu kusho, Yellowtail, Kanpachi, seared tuna, halibut, wild salmon, Amaebi and Ankimo sashimi with sweet miso and wakame on the side. absolutely delicious and melt in ur mouth. The amaebi was a lil small, yet sweet, plump and had a nice crunchy texture; heads fried to perfection. I ate every bit and crumb of it. Ankimo was tasty and yummily creamy in texture. Kanpachi was one of my faves. tender and melt in ur mouth good--as fresh as can be. heck. all of the sushi was perfect. I'm going to stop right here, b/c i can't describe all the pieces in enough detail but all i can say was they were SOOOOOO good and soooooooo fresh. ambience is nice too. Different in that you have to take ur shoes off and the whole room is like a tatami with sunken wells for ur legs. . I'm definitely coming back here again. I'd give this place 5 stars, but i'm reserving my 5 stars for one that blows me away.. completely. definitely one of my top list sushi places. 9/07 came here again.. this time ordered half shell oysters, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, blue fin tuna, halibut, red snapper, kanpachi, wild salmon, eel avocado roll and spicy scallop roll. Hands down.. you gotta go w/ the kanpachi. it's got such an amazing texture--firm, yet silky smooth and ultimate freshness. my 2nd fave was the red snapper. it's served with a spritz of sea salt which really enhances the flavor of the fish ( no soy sauce dipping w/ this). the halibut again was another fave (3rd, in this case)
(4)Kay N.
It's an interesting place mostly because of the sunken-in floor seating but the food was just average. I shared the yellowtail collar with my boyfriend and got the chirashi for myself which came with miso soup, salad, pickled cucumbers, and a mini fruit cup. The fish was nice and fresh but I thought their sushi rice was too sour and hard...
(4)jessica c.
Irori rocks. It's sort of old school sushi and reminds me of places back in NY. Not pretentious in anyway, just great fresh sushi in a cool setting. Love the no shoe policy with the low tables. Love that there sushi is simple, sometimes inventive but in keeping with traditional sushi places. As in, there are no ridiculous oversized rolls with tons of sauce all over the place. Great neighborhood go to spot, and very well priced! Good for lunch too! And sweet waitstaff.
(5)Tracy R.
i only have 3 words for this place....wonderful, wonderful and more wonderful....friendly staff, authentic vibe, great, fresh fish....this place is legit :) highly recommend and parking is a no brainer!!
(5)Scott M.
Great atmosphere and friendly service. You have to take your shoes off and all the tables are inset so you are sitting on the floor with a pillow...cool. As for the sushi - somewhere between good and excellent. Not the absolute best I've had but still good and beautifully presented. The portions are small and the prices are steep, but I'll be back to this tucked away little gem.
(4)Tara M.
An excellent, authentic Japanese/Sushi restaurant. We went for an early dinner on a week night and sat at the sushi bar. We had a wonderful time watching and speaking with the sushi chef (since it wasn't too busy,) he recommended a wonderful mushroom appetizer with 6 kinds of Japanese mushrooms in it. They also have delicious vegetarian choices in both their sushi and entrees. Great service, affordable prices and a unique atmosphere: you take your shoes off and sit on the "floor." Also close to Mar Vista.
(5)Mike W.
This place rivals any of the better reviewed sushi spots like nozawa, asanebo, sasabune, etc. In fact, this place beats all the places I just listed. Of course, if you are a roll eater then I have no clue as I don't consider rolls part of any japanese cuisine. I can however tell you that the fish is as good as it gets here unless we're talking masa ny price/standards. I can only guess that those who gave this place 3 stars or less had dishes like teriyaki , california roll, etc so please ignore those reviews. If you are a true sushi junkie like myself then you owe it to yourself to come try this place. This is definitely your top 5 out here in so.cal , for real.
(5)Jared N.
Provided you're in the mood to dine with shoes off, and have the presence of mind to make a reservation, Irori will treat you to some awesome fish. It's that velvety sushi that barely requires chewing, and they've got some cool choices like oni and blue crab hand rolls if you want to get beyond the usual tuna and salmon without going totally hardcore. Rolls are packed with the good stuff instead of leaning heavily on rice, but the nigiri is where you want to allocate most of your budget. After sake, an appetizer, sushi and dessert, the bill was roughly $90 for two -- more than I was expecting, but worth it.
(5)K D.
Irori is a little hidden gem in Marina del Rey. The place is cozy and charming, with good service and flavorful food. Despite a few mishaps, we have always had a good time there. It offers a nice ambiance with good food at reasonable prices.
(4)Marta N.
Three years ago my sister and I ran into this place while looking for something to eat before heading to the movies. We are now full blown addicts. I love this place, the Udon is sooo yummy, the staff is super friendly and I've never not liked what I ordered. The prices are fair and I love the atmosphere.
(4)Deanna M.
I didn't try the sushi on my visit, but I had the tempura and teriyaki chicken combo plate. The food and the service were both very good. It seemed expensive at first ($15 for my meal), but I got a LOT of food: tempura, teriyaki chicken, salad, soup, rice, and ice cream.
(4)Joe C.
We love the food and atmosphere at Irori. We go there at least 2x per month. Yes, it is a bit pricey , but really should be a $$$ rating.
(5)Meghan L.
I went here for the first time last week with some girlfriends. I have to say I was a bit skeptical. Strip mall? In the Marina? But Shima is so good and so much closer to my apt! I went. I loved it from the minute I walked in the doors. It's totally tucked away in the corner of one of the lesser known strip malls off of Lincoln in the Marina. It's amazing anyone knows about it. You walk in and you immediately feel transported to Japan. Dark polished wook is everywhere..the lighting is perfectly dimmed so that you can still everyone without strain, but you feel calm and safe. I was immediately met by a hostess who motioned down to my feet...when I looked down, I saw around my feet what appeared to be all of the other diners' shoes. Some were neatly tucked away into cubby holes, while others were strewn around on the floor. I slipped my shoes off and found a nice cubby hole to put them in. I immediately found my friends who had gotten there before me and as I walked into the restaurant, I was impressed with how smooth and clean the wooden floor beneath my feet felt. Everyone around me was seated at their submerged tatami mat tables...legs hidden below the floor. I took a seat with my friends and was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the seating was..even w/out back support. And I haven't even gotten to the food. We got a few appetizers...the albacore sashami with cilantro and jalapeno was the best among them...and then a large assortment of sushi and sushi rolls. We also got the sesame seaweed salad...one of the better seaweed salads I have had at a restaurant. The spicy tuna was fantastic...no mayo to be found and perfectly spicey . The rainbow roll was also amazing...great flavors and you could really taste the crab in the california roll as well as the fish/avocado on the outside. And the real treat was the spider roll. The softshell crab was cooked fresh and was perfectly tender. Everything tasted amazingly fresh. The salmon sushi (wild) was possibly the best I have ever had. As was the albacore sushi, which they served with the ponzu sauce and grated ginger on top. I will defitely go back. I only wish that they had a better wine list and that they had a brown rice option. The quality of the fish though...amaizing. And affordable. A great hidden gem.
(4)Charlene L.
I was pleasantly surprised by this Japanese restaurant. Never would have expected decent sushi in this location. When we first walked in and saw nearly all white clientele, we were a bit discouraged. But were happy with the quality of sushi and especially the service. It's rare to find servers this good in LA. Our waitress kept checking on us and asking how the food was. I would rate the sushi a B+, but the service is what earns this restaurant 4 stars. One caveat, don't wear nice shoes to this restaurant, and you probably want to wear socks b/c they make you take off your shoes in the front before you get seated. To me, that's kinda gross, but oh well.
(4)Jae k.
Very fresh, great service, great food!
(4)Maximillian M.
A frequent lunch place two jobs ago. I think it was for this beautiful waitress that I'd always flirt with. Anyway, it's a weird place. Unless you sit at the sushi bar, you take your shoes off (don't worry, there's bathroom slippers) and sit at these traditionally low-to-the-floor Japanese tables except you're not sitting "Indian style" because your feet are in an opening underneath the table. On to the food: the lunch specials are pretty good. I like the salmon, and I usually get it with a spicy tuna roll (and a beer, if I'm feeling frivolous), which is one of several choices for side orders (which includes sashimi as a choice!). But get there early if you can--this place fills up during lunchtime. Also, they close for a spell between lunch and dinner.
(4)Cris K.
I found this place via another Yelp friend, and it's great. The price is reasonable and the sushi is pretty fresh. I liked the idea of sitting on the floor, my boyfriend and his friend thought it was unconfortable... they are over 6 feet... and I am asian...
(4)Dean Y.
well the service is ok- but the fish is fresh- the prices are a bit high but thats cause of competition lacking in the area- I rather go to sakura but if you are looking for a quieter romantice place then this might be it.
(3)Jason R.
Great place to take a date! Great food, nice vibe, fair price!
(5)N. Q.
Came here Sept '09. Arrived @6:30 PM on a Friday and had a short 15 wait. I was surprised to see this place was not just about sushi. It's a sushi bar, izakaya (small plates, bar food), and typical Japanese American restaurant rolled into one. Standard Menu items range from kushiyaki to tempura to teriyaki combo plates. Sushi bar offers traditional sushi, sashimi, and Americanized rolls, e.g. Philadelphia roll. We had karaage (fried chicken pieces--very tasty, cooked perfectly), miso eggplant (sweet & oily), spicy yellowtail roll (fishy, not good) spicy tuna on crispy rice (fish was good, rice cake was chewy & fried in old oil), unagi (very good, served with right amount of rice), and the tonkatsu entree (fried well but in old oil). Prices are reasonable. Total meal was $50. Service was very good; waitress frequently checked on us and made sure our water and tea cups were full. Overall, good but not great. My hubby thinks it's better than Sakura. It's a good alternative if you're not close to Sawtelle or Torrance. I'd return again.
(3)NaOH Jones ..
Wow - what a great find! This unique little place is unassumingly tucked away in the deep recesses of an MDR strip-mall complex. For a restaurant next to a Radio Shack - Irori really surprised me. The interior is very pretty, and the actual dining experience is part of the appeal - with shoes your stored in cubbies and tables recessed into the floor. The menu is really diverse, with plenty to offer non-sushi lovers. We started with the standard salmon, and yellowtail - impeccable, fresh and sweet. We tried the baby big eye tuna - which was excellent. The philly roll was a tad large for my tastes, but the lobster tempura roll was perfect. We finished off with a red-bean dessert that was a sweet soup with a coconut milk broth - new to me and really fun. Will Irori replace my local corner sushi joint? No...but it will certainly enter my rotation of great places to take guests or to go for special meals. $110 for two - (including beer) not super cheap...but we left stuffed, and we could easily have ordered less pricey items and cut the cost by $40.
(4)Lauren P.
japanese food's not easy to mess up, and most japanese cuisine I eat is just at the same level of 'yum' until it's hard to distinguish really good food... but this place bumps up the standard. the salted mackerel practically melts in your mouth and is just the right level of saltiness. the sushi is consistently fresh. the feet-under-the-table style left from the previous japanese restaurant make it a bit of a novel experience, if risky--I don't think I've ever seen a waitress slip, but the customers aren't so graceful.
(5)Ben L.
I'm always skeptical about trying a new place...especially a sushi restaurant. I am sooooooooooooooooo glad that I had dinner here. The sushi is great, the ambiance is awesome, and the staff was super friendly. YES, you do have to take your shoes off, which was very traditional. REMEMBER... the slippers near the restroom are for you to use, you dont want to bust a britney spears and walk barefoot into the restroom. =) Keep it real.
(5)Al B.
I couldn't believe I lived in the area and didn't notice this place for so long. We sat at the sushi bar and talked with the head sushi man our first time. He was a nice guy and gave us some good maguro. We liked the ambiance. You take your shoes off and the place is dim but pretty cool (not fancy). Pricing is pretty reasonable. Some of the rolls I've had have been a little sloppy though. They probably think Americans can't taste the difference between good rice and bad rice. I wish the pork cutlet was thicker. They probably keep it thin so that it cooks faster, but to me the best katsu is thick and not overdone. Anyway the presentation was good. Service from the servers has been so-so. Parking is pretty easy as there is a huge lot. The restaurant is tucked away next to a beauty salon and a Radio Shack. I'd recommend it for "real" Japanese food (you can probably find better in Torrance or Sawtelle) in the MDR area.
(3)Lauren D.
I love this place. I am a frequent customer because of the atmosphere and food. I'll be honest that the service could be friendlier at times but it obviously doesn't bother me as much because I go here at least once every few weeks. I love how they stick to the Japanese tradition of taking your shoes off, and how all tables are floor tables with square seat cushions and a hole in the floor to let your feet dangle. I'll be honest that I can't afford the sushi bar (although my friends have sat there and say it's amazing sushi) so I always opt to sit at the cozy floor tables and I usually get the Sashimi Assort or Chirashi and it's always good. I love the presentation. This place reminds me of what I used to get at my favorite restaurants in Hawaii where the Japanese culture is dominant and abundant. Just like most restaurants, if you don't order drinks you can get a great meal for a reasonable price. It will be pricier if you sit at the sushi bar but that's just common knowledge. Great, consistent, local spot for me.
(4)karen n.
bento box - great deal, super good food! sitting on mats - comfy! taking my shoes off - fun (but i came well prepared with clean, cute socks). and dont worry there are slippers for your feet if u need to use the restroom.
(4)sang h.
Excellent sushi and sashimi prepared by top quality chef. Fresh fish and tasty sauce make one of the best sushi in town. Little pricy ($175 for 2 including $30 for sake) but you are expected to pay for top quality sushi. Sake list is somewhat limited but the price is reasonable. I would recommend this place to anyone living west side of town.
(5)Sabine S.
Awesome!!! As an experienced Japanese food eater (and lover), this hit the spot perfectly!! The sushi was beautiful - good sized pieces and as buttery melt in your mouth as it can get! We also tried a bunch of smaller dishes / appetizers and they were all wonderful (sweet japanese eggplant, baked oysters, crab cake,..etc.) !! The service was gracious and very attentive!! Just like everything else in the Southbay, prices are fairly high, but it was worth it every cent!! Overall: I can't wait to go back!!
(5)John C.
Love this place, Great food, price is reasonable for a sushi bar. The sashimi is excellent. The chefs are friendly. Make a reservation. This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Marina Del Rey.
(4)Yves L.
good variation of japanese dishes. one of my favorite japanese restaurant in mdr area.
(5)Angela Y.
Found this on yelp and since this is pretty close to my hotel near the airport, I figured I would give it a shot. I sure was glad I did that. I ordered albacore, spanish mackerel and fatty tuna (toro) sushi and I loved them all. I would definitely recommend it to any sushi lover.
(4)Kerry K.
My best friend and I come here maybe once a week because they do have a really great lunch special. It is not the best sushi I have ever had, but the ambiance is great, the service is great and overall the food is really good. The only thing I would stay away from is the spicy tuna crispy rice. (It's just to sauce-y). But everything else is great. It's on the expensive side if you order off the menu, so just be aware of that. I highly, highly recommend for the lunch special though!
(4)Clara V.
Came here by myself for lunch on a Wednesday. Was going to do take out but walked in and felt like I should sit down and enjoy myself. Shoes off! Went and sat at a table by the wall. Ordered the seaweed salad to start. It was amazing! Best seaweed salad I have ever had. Ordered a yellowtail roll which was excellent. Great service as well. Fast and friendly. For sure coming here again, and will for sure tell my friends about it!
(5)Terry M.
I liked this place. Did not have to wait at all. The seats are sunk into the ground as to give you a feeling of sitting on the floor. The tables are small, can't fit to many things on them. We ordered a bento plate, 2 sushi rolls and that was pretty much all that could fit on the table. The food was not spectacular for the amount you pay but it wasn't bad either. Everything was fresh. The atmosphere is sort of romantic. Dim lighting, cushions on floor, and pretty quiet. It's unique but I would like tastier food.
(3)Steve C.
Great sushi place. The service is fast and food is very fresh. Some of the rolls may look pricy but they are large portion sizes. Order a few things to start with before ordering more. You may find yourself very full after a few items. I would come back to try their udon and other interesting seafood items. I been to other restaurants where they ask you to remove your shoes. I think this is the first time in U.S. I'm not a big fan of tight seating. If you have lower bad issues, ask for a chair backing.
(4)Agnes S.
Going here was an experience I'll never forget. The boyfriend had Yelped this place on our visit to LA from the Santa Monica Pier. One, it was seriously hard to find in the parking lot 'cause it was in a tight corner of the plaza. The experience got better though... Once inside, we had to take our shoes off - different yet cool. It was comfortable sitting on small padding, placed on floors. Hahaha... my feet slightly dangled under the table. The decor was cute - not what we expected look into it from the outside. Service was nice enough. We were greeted and seated right away. We also had our orders taken and given quickly. There was nothing personable about our server though, but she did check on us once in awhile. The sushi was scrumptious though! I especially enjoyed their baked salmon rolls! Hahaha... Coming here was alright for the boyfriend. He claims that the place was "too authentic" for him. Whatever that means. It's a place you've gotta at least try if you're in that area.
(4)Yiqing K.
This is the best sushi restaurant I visited so far! The service just makes me feel comfortable, not so fine dining type but also available whenever you need, no pressure at all. The master chef is so adorable and nice, he even kindly introduced us to other sushi chefs working there. And the salmon sashimi is THE BOMB! I literally had a pleasure moment never happened before when I devoured a piece of salmon;)
(5)Utah F.
Marina del Rey By the amc Hot meamazing Halibut fin - awesome Baked longostino roll f'ing amazing
(5)Michelle T.
This place was awesome. Came here for the first time. Food was great and fresh. Service was fantastic.
(5)Nicholas P.
Just not the same as it used to be. A great disappointment. I hope your experience is better than mine :-) My wife and I were pretty much ignored from our arrival to our seating to waiting to place an order. We decided to leave as others who had arrived after us were already receiving their drinks and giving their orders. Simple as that. Just a shame :-(
(1)Chris G.
Came here based on the reviews - believe what you read, this place is good. The ambiance is different, no shoes, and unique tables with a dugout bottom area (see picture). Warning, if you are bigger, or not agile, this can be a challenge. I witnessed someone have difficulties getting seated, AND getting out. I enjoyed my eating experience, everything they served was very fresh, and plenty large, the individual rolls are all beautiful. 1. Tuna sashimi was delicious, big fresh chunks, A+ 2. Black cod, EXCELLENT, A++ 3. Rainbow roll, A I can't wait for my next visit. The store front is tucked away in the mall near Pavillions.
(4)Daniel C.
Very authentic and unique. Not my first time here. Better war your good socks cause you have to take off your shoes when you come in the door. Yes that's right no shoes! Sitting down is hard too so be athletic as you're sitting in the floor with your feet down in a hole. There is no support for your back as its not a chair so sitting down for a while is not easy. Don't take grandma or grandpa here as unless you're at the bar where there are chairs you won't get them up. The sushi is fairly average. I live here in the valley and there are some great places. Irori is ok .....as simple as that when comparing to other places. It's about $40 a person unless you're drinking which will bring up that total another 10-15 buckaroos. Service is good though definitely can't complain about that. All in all if you're in MDR and want something unique go here, but make a reservation in advance as apparently this place is busier thane expected. Big parking lot as its in a strip mall so finding a space for your Ferrari won't be an issue.
(3)Jimmy S.
We moved close by and this was a sushi place walking distance to our place. So this sushi place is hit or miss from a quality standpoint depending on what night you go and who is working that night. Since we live close by we see the wait staff often and they are pretty consistently very nice and attentive. However, the hostess (possibly the owner? who kept speaking Korean to her wait staff - wait... isn't this a Sushi joint?) seems to only treat the customers who have reservations or who are long-time customers the way that ALL customer should be treated (IMHO). We recently went there with our baby in a stroller and the hostess was flat out rude. She frowned on us from the get go after we told her we did not have a reservation (even though we are regulars and the wait staff know who we are), then she frowned on us for having a baby stroller that we could not fold up (because there was too much stuff in it - we had just shopped at Pavillions) because it was "in the way of other customers". From a quality standpoint, we've gone on a Saturday and the fish was EXCELLENT; however, we also went on a Sunday and the quality was suspect. If you are planning to go on a weekend, go on a Saturday, and make sure you have a reservation. Don't go on Sunday's and don't go on Saturday if you don't have a reservation. And don't go with a baby stroller that doesn't fold up.
(1)Sara N.
is not the best I had better, the service is ok. This place was packed when I went.
(3)Jocelyn M.
I am with Cari T. regarding the shoe thing. I didnt think it would be a big deal, but then I got there and had to remove my shoes at the door, then walk over to the tables and plop down. people walking shoeless past our low table was a little uncomfortable, but it was what it was. ANYWAYS, on to the food. I took my brother there for his birthday and so he got chirashi rice. He was not impressed =( My parents both got Chicken teriyaki, then my mom got it with vegetable tempura as well. They both loved it! I got the veggie roll and it was ok. Honestly, I feel like it was pricier than it needed to be for the quality? but it is Japanese food and you are typically going to drop a pretty penny. Shrugs, I have other spots to hit, unless I am in the area. No real negative comments, just didnt seem super impressive.
(3)Sharna H.
I would rate this place 3.5 stars. First the service which seems to be a common thing I was with my friend and they put our order down and we start to eat and the waitress comes back says it's not our order takes it away then they come back with another dish and then realize it's not ours lol and then realize the first dish they took actually was ours so instead of making a fresh order they instead bring the half eaten one apologize and bring us an extra sushi order to make it up. The food I feel so so about. Personally hide on Sawtelle is better and fresher. This place food quality mediocre . I probably wouldn't make this place my first choice .
(3)Jenna T.
Great experience! Shoes required to be off and seating is traditional. Cubby holes are in the front which can cause a bit of customer traffic, people coming in and people leaving trying to retrieve their shoes. The staff need to squat to serve tables. Even the sushi bar is low. The menu is limited but their quality of food is great! The beef teriyaki was butter in your mouth. So tender and saucy. The sushi was super fresh and perfectly porportioned. The service was friendly and very attentive. Be careful when they are carrying hot dishes or hit drinks, it's likely that the waitress may spill on you. Make reservations of you're with a big group. In case you're wondering why I left one star off, it's because the seat pillows and floor should be spotless especially if you're asking your customers to walk barefoot.
(4)Kristen Q.
I've always loved dining here since it's 'so unique' in that you can sit 'on the floor.' However, the last time I dined here with a coworker will probably be the last time I do unless I don't really have a choice. I ordered the 3-item entrée of sashimi, salmon teriyaki, and a salmon roll. Also, please note that if you order 3-items it is $16.99 and not $13.99; this is not listed anywhere in the menu, a bit false advertising . Upon getting my meal, I'm eating the complimentary salad and I keep chewing wondering why I cannot finish chewing the salad each time but I just think, "oh, this is a tough piece of lettuce." Finally, after nearly finishing the salad, I really really cannot finish this piece of lettuce so I try to pull it out of my mouth and out comes this 1.5 inch piece of saran plastic wrap. I had been swallowing little pieces of plastic wrap this whole time! This has never happened in my life at a restaurant. But then again, this restaurant has pretty dim lighting, looks extra clean, so I would never have expected this. I flagged our waitress since she was walking by, relayed what had happened, and showed her the plastic I had just pulled from my mouth. She looks at me, takes the plastic, goes to the kitchen, and comes back. She had spoken to the manager and quickly muttered, "complimentary." She comes back with a new salad. I could not it much more of my meal as I was starting to feel sick having eaten so many little pieces of plastic. We receive the bill and my coworker remarks, "She just gave a complimentary salad which was already complimentary??!" Apparently, Irori's management does not care that they feed you plastic and they charge you for it, but they do give you a free salad which is already complimentary. Pretty sad and gross for having eaten plastic here....
(1)Jamie W.
We were excited to try out Irori after recently moving to Marina. Unfortunately we just weren't that impressed despite such glowing reviews. The fish wasn't as fresh as many of the claims and the service was not good. We reserved via Open Table. Seeing the crowd of people who hadn't, I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you were planning on coming here. First of all, I wasn't aware that Irori was somewhat traditional. If I had known I was going to have to take off my shoes and walk through an entire restaurant barefoot, I would have worn socks. The little hole in the floor you have to sit in is not conducive to short skirts. Unless you like to give people a free show, wear pants or a long skirt. The table is small. Too small for a waitress to rush you to order everything you are going to have in one fell swoop. We ordered a pretty good variety of food. Some items were very good and some were just so-so. The very good: miso soup, salad dressing and chicken karaage. The so-so: the rolls are small and a lot pricier then other places and not as fresh as could be. Also, the salmon sushi was not the best cut for sushi. As aforementioned, the service was very rushed. We were literally in an out within 45 minutes. That's not a casually paced Friday night dinner with your spouse. We told the waitress we weren't ready to order three times. She would come back every minute and a half or so until we were pressured to do so. The rolls were overpriced but their other items weren't badly priced. I'm not sure if they missed something on our bill but we were surprised it was less than $80. Bottom line: I'll continue my search for my go-to Marina del Rey sushi restaurant.
(3)Mary A.
Excellent sushi!! Everything we had was fresh, delicious and melts in your mouth. I would have to say my favorite items were the Blue Crab wrapped in Salmon with Truffle Sauce and the bluefin tuna sushi....Delish!!
(5)Rick M.
Visit this eatery if you're fond of delectable dishes served in a traditional setting. Personally, love dropping by Irori time and again. Food is simply delicious here, especially their monkfish liver and sushi. They not just taste scrumptious due to a rich flavor of deep ingredients, but also due to the sheer freshness of their seafood selection. Seriously, a delightful setting and commendable servers - always treat you right and greet you with a lot of warmth. Would always be visiting this restaurant (can't really overlook a bunch of good reasons). Oh by the way, try to taste something from their lunchbox specials. Irori has got some great prices on them, cheers!
(4)Linda D.
I had dinner here last night and notice new management along with new staff. Our waitress did not tell us we were ordering too much food for 2 ppl. We had ordered 3 special rolls and 2 set dinner. Not only was one set dinner enough to share for 2 waitress Nancy fail to tell us. Very disappointing as it has been 2 yr since we've been here. Sushi wasn't great and bland, not the quality one expect. Would not recommend this place. Unless, it is your first time having sushi.
(1)Andrew H.
I have been here many times over the past few years, with my parents, or with my brother and his wife and kids, but only last night, eating sushi at the sushi bar with my mom, in the little "handicapped" section, did I realize how truly good the sushi is, and how high their standards are. Forgive me, because I cannot remember all the type of sushi I had, but it was all buttery, fresh, soft, mouth-watering. The sushi chefs were very attentive and very polite, even thought the restaurant was completely full. Our bill, for the two of us, with one large hot sake and six orders of sushi...$98. But it was really worth it. For people who choose to sit at tables, remember that this is a real Japanese restaurant, where shoes are removed at the front door and one ascends onto an elevated stage of sunken seats, consisting of cushions arranged around knee high wooden tables . One's feet are kept in a sunken well below the table. The crowd is composed of many ages and types of people, and for the most part the people are well behaved. But last night, there was a table of males and females: obnoxious, baseball capped, beer guzzling.... and carousing and kissing and clowning. They had no manners and they disturbed the other diners. You can trust the chefs and the sushi here and it is a first-class place to eat and relax almost always.
(4)Reese M.
Amazing neighborhood sushi joint, Ryan at the sushi bar is great!
(5)Angela R.
Had a great dinner of sweet eggplant and chicken teriyaki. This place is super cute and kind of funny. You sit in these sunken tables so that it looks like you are sitting cross-legged on the floor, but really there is an area under the table so your legs can still extend down. The service is a little of an over-kill, as they come to your table every few minutes to clear stuff away. I had to stop them once. But, overall, a great little tucked away place with a fun vibe and great food. Would be fun for a small (8 people max) birthday party.
(4)Kat L.
Irori reminds me of a restaurant in Japan. Irori is difficult to find for someone not from the Venice area. My boyfriend and his friend circled around three times before we found the place. It is hidden in the shopping plaza in the back. Yes, it IS in the shopping plaza. We were confused too. You walk in and there are shoe cubbies similar to Japan. Take off our shoes and walk to your traditional tatami table. Luckily there was an underground "dugout" for your legs to hang into, if you cannot stand sitting in cross leg position for long. The last of our party arrived a little later and walked in with his shoes. The servers asked him to take them off. It is a rather fun experience to watch if people take off there shoes or try to walk in with there shoes. We also had to use the restroom. Don't worry there are communal slippers for the restroom. The funny part was a wine glass broke by our table. This is not the best situation for bare feet. Everything we ordered at Irori tasted delicious and was fresh. We ordered: 1. Asparagus Salad 2. Seaweed salad 3. Ginza Roll 4. Cucumber Roll 6. Black Cod A la carte 7. Salmon Dinner special 8. Macadamia Creme Bulee 9. Red Bean Ice Cream 10. Red bean dessert baked crepe thing.. The desserts and sushi were amazing!! I especially liked the cucumber roll, since I ordered that and the Macadamia Creme Bulee. The quality of the fish here is fresh. You pay for what you get and my boyfriend and his two friends paid for a nice Japanese meal. We were the last to leave the restaurant and the workers did not try to hurry us up at all.
(4)Jon L.
Beware: THE LUNCH COMBINATION IS NOT AVAILABLE ON WEEKENDS. Of course they don't put this on their menu or their website. We walked out because of this. Not cool, Irori.
(1)Miles R.
Nice sushi place. Be prepared to take off your shoes. Food and service is great. Try the tuna sampler.
(4)Michael M.
We visited Irori when we were visiting in laws and it was unbelievable. Hard to find in a nondescript shopping center, the fish is as fresh as I have ever had, even direct from Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley. This ties for the best sushi I've ever had and it was seasoned perfectly...to the point where no soy sauce was necessary. The Kampachi caviar dish was absolutely amazing and the albacore (caught locally) was amazing. All in all I have no complaints and only positive comments. I will dream about this sushi and promise to come back whenever possible.
(5)Laurent G.
Good and fresh food, friendly service, nice place!
(4)Chum W.
So good! Sashimi that melts in your mouth, a flavor rich Ginja Roll, and rock star service.
(5)Sera P.
My roomie's birthday deserved a special date night! So glad she can eat sushi despite being vegetarian :-) Order up: Spicy tuna on crunchy rice = B+ Baked blue crab handroll = A- (2) Dragon roll (eel/avocado over California roll) = A+ Philadelphia roll (salmon/cream cheese/avocado) = A- (2) Asahi draft beer ($16) Total = $86 + tip = $100 for two. Experience: + Tuna, eel and blue crab were AMAZINGLY fresh. The dragon roll was SO good that we ordered another one right after. Still drooling thinking about how fresh that was! + Super fast/friendly service - the servers were dressed in costume on Halloween and giggled at my costume. So adorable! + Classy and romantic ambiance - perfect for dates. - Pricey! (but worth every penny) - They charge $2 per bowl of miso soup. This seems basic to me. - $12 charge for BYOB. Yikes! Tip: *I'd skip the spicy tuna on crunchy rice and go straight for the dragon rolls. So glad I read the Yelp reviews ahead! Thanks for the suggestions guys :-)
(5)Tessa R.
Great sushi for economical prices
(5)Eve G.
not that they need another glowing review but irori is simply spectacular. wear socks.
(4)Laura A.
LOVE IRORI!!! The photos don't do the fish justice! Freshest fish I've had in LA so far. Their sushi (especially Toro) is A-Mazing.. Melt in your mouth. As for the rolls.. Could use some more variety. Their Irori roll is fresh and a little different. Great place to take friends or a date. Great service. Overall - amazing mellow sushi spot.
(5)Nora S.
Best sushi dinner I ever ate. Wish I lived close by. Loved it.
(5)Ferey F.
I have been to Irori in Marina Del Rey several times. It has always been average to good, particularly for a quiet lunch. Dinner time is a little busy due to lack of choices of good restaurants in general. Clients have to take their shoes off, although servers walking the same floor have shoes on, probably only used within the restaurant. Food is Korean/Japanese fusion and quite good in dainty portions that make them seem healthy. Service is usually attentive, but variable with a mix of staff, some of whom very inexperienced in the art of serving food, when occasionally they can't seem to serve even a table of two at the same time. On the last occasion, we were served our food at effectively different times. One came out cold, was re-plated, then the rice was missing and took too long to arrive. Eventually, the plate was returned. The restaurant did not charge for the returned item, made a slight effort of applying a 20% discount to the bill when in fact the meal was entirely ruined and a disaster. I think they are normally OK, if a little pricey for the overall experience.
(2)Sha L.
Met a friend here for dinner and felt a little nervous about the "sitting on the floor" situation. But, when I saw the setup I was relieved of the trickery. Still, probably not a good first date place unless you're absolutely graceful! Or, maybe just sit at the sushi bar instead. We ordered two of almost everything, and I forgot how much I love nigiri sushi. Nothing fried or smothered. With the exception of trying the highly recommended spicy tuna on crispy rice. Which was delicious. But, the real winner was the Uni. Threw me off for a second that it's hidden in a shopping center. But, the environment is warm and friendly. A little too attentive at times with the multiple servers helping you, but I appreciate the hospitality.
(4)Laura P.
One of my favorite sushi restaurants in town. Doctor's orders - sit at the bar (unless you're in a large group), and order off the sushi menu only, the sushi specials (see board right in front of you), and whatever the sushi chef dictates. If you're a true sushi lover, you will love this place. Some of my favorites - scallop, uni, sweet shrimp, seared ono, Spanish mackerel, toro, red snapper, yellowtail belly... a beer and some nigori sake! Leave your shoes at the door!
(5)jane m.
Highlight of the meal was spicy albacore sashimi w/crispy onions. Yum. Spicy tuna on crispy rice was also really good. Good place for a family dinner.
(4)Cory W.
This place is amazing. One of my favorite sushi places. Far superior to Sugarfish in terms of taste and variety. Definitely sit at the sushi bar if you have the opportunity. My favorite thing to do is to ask them to make me custom creations. I've never been disappointed. Keep in mind that this place can be busy at the strangest times (had to wait on a Sunday night around 8) but it's definitely well worth the wait. It's not the cheapest sushi place, but you get what you pay for. You can't go wrong with Irori.
(5)Dawn P.
Loved everything about this restaurant from the sitting on the ground, to the service, to the sushi. We ordered the nigiri plate. That had about 10 rolls each. Their black cod is AMAZING! Def try it. THe waitresses came to our table literally every 15 mins to ask us if we were done. Each time was a different waitress which got kinda annoying by the end. I don't think they were trying to kick us out but wth? We just told the other 5 waitresses that we ARENT done. Communicate with each other!!!!! The sushi itself was good. Parking plenty. Price range - medium about $30/person.
(5)Jay N.
THIS PLACE IS AWESOME.... everything is really fresh and tasty....strongly reccomend the baked lobster roll And of course the sashimi is great!!
(5)Katie C.
This restaurant looked really awesome. For that, I give it a star. However, I can't review the food because we didn't even get a chance to eat. The male hostess (had a broken nose) told us that the wait was a 20 minutes. After waiting 25 minutes, he proceeds to tell us that the wait is actually going to be thirty minutes longer. If the wait is going to be 55 minutes, don't tell us when we walk in that it's 20. Seems pretty simple right? When explaining the situation, he was extremely unapologetic and bland. Ultimately causing us to leave extremely flustered, upset, and very hungry.
(2)John V.
I like this place. I like the whole "sit on the floor" thing, this is the first restaurant where I've experienced that. The ginja roll was awesome. It felt like we had 5 waitresses at once - someone came by the table every 2-3 minutes to see if we needed anything. I'm not complaining! It was just different, but certainly better than the opposite. I'd definitely come back here.
(4)Simone V.
I had dinner here the other night with my husband. The shopping center it's located in is currently undergoing some construction to the outside of the place, so it made it a little difficult for us to find it, but we managed to. I've never been to a sushi restaurant that requires you to take off your shoes with unique floor seating, so I thought that was interesting. It was pretty crowded when we got there, so I definitely recommend making reservations. We ordered the oysters but was told they didn't have oysters that week and the toro was sold out after we placed our order and noticed it never came out. We ordered the wild salmon sashimi. The plate was $25 for 6 slices. I'm a salmon lover, so I had to try it. I guess for the cost of it, I was hoping for something spectacular, but unfortunately, it failed to impress me. We also ordered the yellow-tail with jalapenos, dynamite, grilled fish collar, and the salmon roll. These dishes were good. I really enjoyed the dynamite. The flavor was very rich and the yellow-tail was delicious as well. I have to admit the fish collar really got us full. The dish was $8 and well worth every penny. I would have given it 4 stars, but the husband ended up with a stomach ache after eating here. Not quite sure if it was due to the food but he never had a problem before at other sushi places we've been to. Overall, it was a nice dining experience.
(3)AJ K.
great food. the best cooked salmon i have ever had. spicy tuna was in a league of it's own. i haven't been to japan, but had an amazing spicy tuna roll in Hawaii once and this was like it. No kitschy sauces, no godforsaken mayonnaise. the ambience is great, everyone takes off shoes. the entire staff is gracious but not obtrusive. absolutely love it!
(5)Randy S.
Walking in you will be immediately greeted in the usual Japanese Sushi restaurant style. The host was quick to seat us. As described in other reviews you will be asked to remove your shoes. All seats are on the floor with a drop-out for your legs. We decided to sit at the sushi bar, not only to check out the fish in the coolers, but to interact with the chefs. Ordered a few pieces of Sashimi, some sushi, and a couple of rolls. All were very good ! Having been to Tokyo, I can't say excellent, but very close to as good. Other reviewers talked about a Blue Crab Hand Roll, we had this, I thought it was good, but didn't see what the fuss was all about. We had also ordered some Toro (Tuna belly), the menu gave the prices as M/P (Market Price). I think it would have been wise to ask how much this was, as 6 pieces ran us $36. This was the only item we had that was M/P, and based on the prices of all the other items, I thought that this cost was way out of line. If you order an item at M/P, I think it would be best to ask the cost as to not be surprised at the end of your meal. The service at the Sushi bar was quick and attentive, and we constantly had a variety of servers refilling our water and tea. Overall I thought the quality of the food was very good (close to Tokyo standards). and the service was excellent. I'll go back again when I'm in the area.
(4)Jerry W.
Love this place, always fresh and high quality. Great hidden neighborhood gem. I love the Japanese style seating, reminds me of my time working in Tokyo.
(5)Mia L.
6.4.11: This place is definitely on the cool side. Make sure your toes are done, or that your socks don't have holes. You are about to take off your shoes. We sat at the sushi bar and it was comfortable. agedashi tofu: This is my favorite anywhere, I really like how they had ginger its different from all the other places I have tried. blue crab hand roll : Must try for everyone it tasted so fresh and good. Toro: Waste of money, it did not taste fresh at all Salmon: Now that's what I call Fresh Yellowtail: this was so good I almost cried... Tuna with Yucca and Quail Egg: its like eating saliva with tuna..strange but true...tuna was fresh but the yucca made it weird This place can get pretty expensive so beware what you order. Overall great experience and fun!!
(4)Ken K.
Nice traditional japanese environment and excellent sushi - what more need be said!?!
(4)Isabelle L.
Don't let the fact that you have to remove your shoes and sit on the floor deter you. This is just part of the experience. The sashimis, sushi rolls are really good. The fish is so fresh, it melts in the mouth. Appetizers and desserts are also perfect. Agedashi tofu was made to perfection with a thin "skin" and not oily at all. The white chocolate creme brûlée was outstanding. Come for the top notch sushi and venture away with other dishes. It's all good.
(4)Shannon R.
My sushi habit usually needs to be maintained by the cheap mediocre-but-won't-kill-me place around the corner, but my cousin and I were craving some quality sashimi. A little internet sleuthing turned up Irori, which had a reputation for great fish at reasonable prices. We were seated right away on a Saturday night without reservations at about 6pm. Nice as that was, it filled up fast, so either get there early or be prepared to wait! I loved that we were required to remove our shoes, as it feels so homey to pad around in socks. The ground level seats with the recessed well under the table was also a nice touch, Americanizing the tradition of sitting on the floor. To fulfill my sashimi needs and try a variety, I went with the Sashimi Assorted dinner entree for a little less than $20. It sounded like a great deal, with miso soup, salad, and 11 pieces of fish. The salad came out with a creamy dressing that looked like it contained dairy. I hadn't thought to ask for it on the side, so I just passed it onto my cousin who liked it. The miso soup was excellent, and I enjoyed sipping straight from the bowl. The sashimi, however, did not wow me like I had hoped. Do I have ridiculous standards? None of the pieces really melted, and some cuts felt a little stringy. Not inedible by any means, and I wouldn't write them off forever, as it is my understanding that cutting fish is a delicate process and you can't hit a grand slam every time. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. They made up for it though with their divine toro roll, which I ordered when I realized I was still hungry and looking to be wowed. Gorgeous! I loved biting into the roll and letting the flavor melt in my mouth. I don't think I've ever savored a six piece roll as much as I did then. Our bill came to about $35/person, including tip, which is more than reasonable. While I'm still on the look out for sashimi that blows my mind, I'd definitely return here again for the atmosphere and to sample what else they have to offer.
(4)Brian P.
sushi is fresh and good. I love that the unagi (eel) is served HOT and not room temp like so many other places. Everything else is as you'd expect from a good sushi restaurant...very fresh and simply prepared. I go back and forth on the take your shoes off thing. Sometimes it annoys me sometimes I like the whole different culture aspect. Minor detail.
(5)Roger G.
Sashimi quality is the best way to judge a Sushi restaurant. The sashimi at this place is excellent with huge pieces. Be prepared to sit on the floor with authentic Japanese seating.
(5)Tim S.
Went here with a couple friends for lunch. Pretty good, I must say. The prices aren't cheap, but the food was good, and the bonus for me is that they had gluten-free soy sauce! I'll definitely be back.
(4)Miranda S.
DON'T GO. NEW OWNERSHIP RUINED THIS RESTAURANT!!! so sad. the service is ULTRA ANNOYING. people ask if you are OK mid-bite every 5 minutes. and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the quality of the food has become sub-par. It's just not good anymore and you can feel it. When the restaurant first changed hands, they must've kept the kitchen staff for a while, b/c the service had changed to the worse, but the food was still pretty good. My FAVE blue crab handroll was absolutely GROSS last night and so was everything else. So sad b/c this place used to be the very best quality fish and excellent service, while still feeling semi casual and non-sceney. IRORI is OVER! P.S. I never post YELP reviews, but i felt compelled to share this b/c i was so upset.
(1)Kevin K.
First timers - food is great, the atmosphere was outstanding and the service was so incredibly friendly - we'll be back for sure!
(4)Samuel L.
My favorite local sushi joint in the Marina del Rey area. We go about once a week. The quality of the fish obviously varies from night to night because most places are not buying fish every day (except for the really high priced places). That said, the fish quality is head and shoulders above most mid-priced sushi places. Notice that they have real crab available. That's telling. I also notice a lot of Japanese-Japanese dining here. Another tell tale.
(4)Erica B.
Great if you want to gnaw on ginormous pieces of fish way too big for your mouth while making fun of the feet of the people walking by. Service was very warm & prompt, and fish was ok for the price but the pieces were cut waaaaay too thick and waaaaay too long (tee hee) so was very difficult to eat. I'm not a roll girl, maybe it's better if you eat rolls, but I like nigiri sushi and the pieces should be delicate & thin-ish, and you should be able to place each piece in your mouth without 2 extra inches of fish hanging out & needing to be ungracefully pushed in with your chopsticks or toothed in like an awkward kid eating spaghetti. UN-sexy. I'm down with authenticism and totally respect the shoes-off tradition but seating is in-ground so everyone's bare feet are basically at eye level as they walk by. While your chewing the too-big fish pieces. Fish, feet. Fish, feet. Ugly toes, cute toes, chubby feet, bony feet. I dunno, maybe there's something wrong with me. As we walked out, I felt the gaze of others on my own clunkers. Do not judge, lest ye be... Sugarfish nearby is way better and a tad cheaper. I missed their warm rice tonight. And the shoes.
(2)David C.
Good Korean sushi
(3)Chris A.
The place it a little hidden but worth the find. I only found out about this place because my favorite Sushi Chef Don moved to Irori. I didn't really know what to expect but I was not disappointed. It is a relaxed environment; you take off your shoes to be seated, but don't fret if you have issues sitting Indian style. The individual tables are low but have a sunken in the ground area underneath them for your legs. The service was great. The menu has some out of the ordinary items for a sushi restaurant such as Blue Fin which is harder to find. The quality of the sushi was extremely good and was very fresh which makes all the difference. The sake list is also extensive having hard to find sake such as Onigoroshi. I will definitely be coming back. If you decide to sit at the sushi bar make sure you sit with Don, you won't regret it!
(5)Z. K.
Irori is one of my weekly lunch places. If I judge it with respect to fine dinning I will give it 1 star, if I judge it with respect to normal dinning I will give it 3 stars. Food is Ok, nothing special or exquisite. I like any of the teriyaki dishes and tempura. Note food is oily.
(3)D. T.
The new Chinese owner of this place has cut ALL the quality of the fish and other food here, is serving ABSOLUTE CRAP, and has given food poisoning to dozens of patrons since he took over as the new manager of the restaurant. I came back to give them another shot after my last horrific experience, and it was EVEN WORSE than the last time! They served awful quality junk sushi, terrible smelling and tasting fish, and even the chicken tasted like the bathroom floor. We sent it back after one bit thats how bad it was!! WTF??!! DO NOT COME HERE ANYMORE OR YOU WILL GET POISONED! This place used to be great....soon it will be gone.
(1)Michael B.
Overall, a very good choice for a sushi restaurant. The shoes off thing is a little bizarre, but once you get past that, the food is of very good quality. I found the wait staff to be similar to what I've been reading: erring on the over-attentive side. The ambiance is nice, relaxing and comfortable. I thought the sushi was a tad overpriced, given their taste and amount. The food came out swiftly and the entrees were served with fruit. I'd recommend Irori and come back, especially if I need a spot to eat before catching a flight at nearby LAX.
(4)Najah Y.
This place is so cute! I love the authenticity of it. From having to take your shoes off before going into the main dining area to the low sitting tables, it's quite the experience. About those low tables - from a distance it looks like you'll have to sit cross-legged for the entire meal, but never fear, there's about 2 feet of space below the table to comfortably place your feet while you eat. I didn't get anything too fancy on this trip. Just a 10 piece tuna sashimi combo. It came with Miso Soup, Salad, Rice, and Sunomono (cucumber salad). It was good but I looked at the chef's specials later on and kinda wish I'd tried some of those. Maybe next time. I did try some of their plumb sake and it was very good. If you're going to try it, be prepared for a sugary sweet taste. I enjoyed it, but I can see how people might think it was too sweet to be sake. I'll have to come back here for the famous lunch special sometime :).
(4)Joy G.
they have a wide variety of cucumber salads. the combos can be pricey, as well as the rolls. However, the prices can be a bit steep which makes me cease to be a regular. You have to take off your shoes and all the seats are sunken in to the ground so anyone with knee problems beware. Every visit I've had here, I've been satisfied, but nothing has really wowed me about this place.
(3)Eddie L.
Can't review the sushi because we didn't order it but the homecooking was awesome. I had the nabeyaki udon, which tasted great. The dining room had tables placed low to the ground but don't worry! There are wells below the tables for your legs! Very cool seating arrangement here. One last thing: You must take your shoes off for the dinng room so wear some nice socks! Food = 4.0 Service = 4.0 Atmosphere = 4.0
(4)Max S.
I have only been to this restaurant once, but other than service/atmosphere, the food is in need of a modest amount of improvement. Be aware that you have to take your shoes off and do sit on the floor. There are cut outs, so your legs can unfurl. The prices are reasonable and the workers are attentive. The spider roll had to be rejected and we could not complete eating eating the entire roll. It tasted like I was eating a water dipped rice cake. The best part of the meal was the sashimi (salmon and tuna). The portion was generous, thick, and melted in my mouth. The yellowtail collar had no flavor and lacked any tender tendencies. The shrimp tempura was cooked perfectly. The fried chicken karaage was like eating KFC chicken bites, although KFC is better. I expected the fried chicken to be saltier, crunchier, plumper, and juicier.
(3)Kyle O.
We love this place except for taking off your shoes and sitting in a hole that isn't too clean. Food is amazing and fresh. Packed always so be prepared. Sushi is great. They serve fast so be ready to eat! Parking is easy.
(5)Yuriy L.
Good food. Love the mixed vegetarian roll. But don't get the asparagus salad, soy sauce dressing doesn't work.
(4)David K.
I have been coming here for years. YEARS. I live in the area and loved taking people here, having built up the experience, only to revel in their confused looks as I pulled up between a ghetto-Vons and a Radioshack and opened the door to...an amazing sushi restaurant where you sit on the floor. The fish was always amazing, the sake was flowing, and the ambiance brought everything together. Now, the Vons has turned into a remodeled Pavilions, the place is under new management, and more and more people have since found what was once a hidden gem. If I'm honest, some of the spirit has gone out of the place. I miss the waitresses that recognized me and some of the dishes have changed to slightly less magical. The fun of an amazing spot in the middle of a terrible strip mall has faded since the remodel as well. Having said all that, though, I STILL count it among my top 5 sushi places in LA, and still continue to go there at least once a month. Be it the great food or some misplaced reminiscence...I'll always recommend Irori.
(4)Samuel S.
First time at Irori Sushi, what can I say at first was a bit sketchy on the place and mostly what to expect. Upon arrival you are asked to take off your shoes and place them in a shelf along with everyone else. I get the concept this place is trying to simulate the traditional Japanese custom. The dinning room is medium size with all sunken furniture and sunken bar place! There are small cushions on the floor so that you can use them to sit with. And back rest pads for those sitting at the bar. The whole feeling and setting of the location is great! Friendly and courteous staff! I personally felt a little weird going to a restaurant where you have to take your shoes off.. That wasn't much of bother but didn't like the feeling of "other" people walking next to me with their feet exposed!! Eww. While I'm eating!!! You never know where those feet have been or if they are clean! Eww. Anyhow, came here with a friend we both sat by the bar! And ordered several items from the menu! Thus far the food was great and tasty and fresh! Enjoyed the Toro, salmon and yellowtail where my favorites!!! Food is good, prices are fair! The setting of the location is great! Except for taking off your shoes! But otherwise I would come back and recommend this place!
(4)James P.
Good traditional shoes off and seating Japanese restaurant - reminds me of my time in Japan. The Miso and Sushi (Spicy Tuna, Albacore and Yellowtail) was very good. I also like the Mochi Ice Cream.
(4)Julianne B.
My mom came over and we wanted to order some dinner. She requested asian and since I have yet to find any decent chinese or korean in the area we opted for japanese. We ordered 2 black cod dinners, 1 salmon teriyaki and an assorted sashimi. Everything was delicious and mom was pleased. Which means I was pleased. We picked up our food and the restaurant itself looked very cute inside and busy on a Wednesday night at 8. I will definitely be coming back!
(4)Frank V.
The peppered albacore w/ garlic ponzu was super delicious! I also had the Una-Gyu over rice which was also really good. Aside from their weird taste in music, this place has a chill vibe
(4)Jessica L.
Here's what I wished someone had put in bold at the top of the review when I was researching this place for the first time: ***BE PREPARED TO REMOVE YOUR SHOES AND SIT ON THE FLOOR!*** OK, now that that is out of the way, onto the important stuff. I really enjoyed myself here! Cute spot, a little hidden in the shopping center though (btwn the CVS and Pavilions), but great food and great service. We ordered a 4 or 5 rolls, miso soup, edamame, and seaweed salad, plus s few glasses of plum wine (very sweet!). We all enjoyed our food - for 3 of us the total bill was about $80. Not bad for all we got. The place gets crowded so come earlier on or be prepared to wait a little. I don't know/thing they take reservations. But the food is worth it. I'll be back for more!
(4)Geoff C.
Irori is by far the classiest, strip mall Sushi dining I have had on the West Side. Now, that should sound like a misnomer, but this is LA, and half the good sushi spots are in malls or dives. Decorum is what really makes Irori special, with sunken seating for the visual appearance of 'traditional' Japanese dining without the leg cramps. But the fish delivers, and there is a good selection of interesting items beyond the standard sushi fare. With this and Sugarfish within a block of each other, the sushi situation in MDR just got a whole lot brighter.
(4)Chad G.
The main bar sushi chef was very good with his customers. There were locals that really supported him as well as the regional egotistic customer that he handled with panache. The sushi was very good, pretty fresh, with most of it being of the highest quality. What I mean by this is that the flesh was firm, with excellent consistency and well balanced. He understood that an oily fish should have a little bit more wasabi then a less oily fish. There was a good balance in what he presented to me when I asked him to "drive". The toro was great, and fairly priced. I did inquire about a pickled seaweed for his Spanish Mackerel (something I had learned from a Japanese trained sushi chef) and I was rebuked. However the scallops were well prepared, and not diced like I have had at a majority of places. This is a 90%'er.
(4)Rich T.
This place has amazing ambience. First off you have to take off your shoes when you enter. The tables are cool because there are no chairs. You sit in a cutout of the floor. Although when I read the reviews, it seems like a lot of people like the sushi I have to say I was a bit disappointed. The fish is good but to be honest there are better places. It just didn't seem that fresh and I expect a bit more for the price.
(3)Eugenia R.
Irori is where I learned to LOVE sushi. I use to be a california roll type of girl before I came to Irori. Now it's all about the Sashimi and Nigiri. Having to take your shoes off does seem a little much but it just adds to the experience. This is definately the place I think about when I'm craving great sushi. The chicken udon is the best I've had in the Westside. This is a great place for a date or to celebrate a low key b-day. Reservations are a must on the weekend,otherwise you'll be waiting for about 45 minutes.
(4)Keith H.
Great seating area for large or small group. Tried the Lobster roll and Tempura Udon. Shared the roll as it was too much to go solo. When visiting Marina Del Rey, it's a must if you love sushi.
(5)Barrett K.
Just so you don't think we're Sushi haters from our last review (Kaya) this place is among the best in it's league. The restaurant is presented in a very traditional style as you will (1) leave your shoes at the door (2) sit on the floor and (3) have your legs dangling in a hole below your table. For this, myself and the people in my pancreas applaud you Irori! Another nice thing is the tables aren't on top of each other. You have space between yourself and the next party which is great for romantic evenings or serious conversations. The wait staff is very attentive and on top of your table. Sometimes they have a tendency to narrate your meal as they check in frequently, but all things considered we've been half a dozen times and each time we love our waiter. The food. It's great. Some people might say they are a little pricey as their costs are along the "Weekend night out" lines. But, you get what you pay for and in this case that's a great deal! The sushi is amazing, rice is not too sweet or stale, and the fish is fresh. I'm a sucker for the rolls and have truly enjoyed everything from the California roll to the Albacore Roll. My wife likes the Tempura and is very picky when it comes to how well done the Tempura is - here she loves it. Not over done at all and the veggies are fantastic. Not sure if this is a great lunch/business spot but for a nice, romantic evening it definitely lines up!!
(4)D B.
The food is very good. Specially the day special which was live shrimp sushi with its head's tempura. The environment was also interesting with traditional short Japanese tables. However the area under each table is lowered to put your legs. Also, they ask everyone to take off their shoes.
(5)Craig R.
This is one of my "regular" spots. Irori is hiding in a corner of a shopping center. They have a great omakase that is fairly priced. The ambiance is nice and the sitting on mats with your shoes off somehow removes you from the ordinary restaurant vibe...man, it's cool! They have Wakatake Onigoroshi here, which is one of my favorite sakes. It will get you f*cked up. The sushi is reasonably priced, very good quality, with a unique atmosphere and great service. A great place for a group night out if you are looking for something out of the ordinary!
(4)Steve G.
I tried this place for the first time with some friends the other night and we went back the very next week. This place is fun.. you sit on the floor but the space beneath the table is cut out so you can out your feet in there (don't drink too much are you may fall in) The sushi is really fresh and the staff is attentive and friendly. If can be crowded on the weekends so make a reservation. Sagoi!!!
(4)Carrine T.
Great place! You are greeted immediately once you walk in. My husband and I went for Saturday lunch. The rolls are very generous with fish and other toppings. We also got noodle soup which was VERY filling. I usually don't leave Japanese restaurants feeling as full as I did. Customer service was awesome! The wait staff was very tentative. We will be back!
(5)Chris L.
Get the black cod with miso.
(5)Nicole S.
I used to love eating at Irori but ever since the management has changed; the food, and the service has changed as well. Very unfortunate!!!!
(1)Samantha H.
First off, I hate the idea of my bare feet walking through a restaurant...it may or may not be my worst nightmare. I reserve that special opportunity for TSA. The albacore and yellowtail were amazing, but our sushi chef (heavier set guy) was really bizarre. Made my boyfriend and I feel uncomfortable from the moment we walked in, and he really prevented us from enjoying ourselves. The rest of the wait staff was very friendly, but we wanted to get out of there as fast as we could. The fish was good, but I would not return; the vibe was just too weird.
(2)Marie S.
This place is super cute! But fyi, it's under construction so it's pretty hard to see the store front. It's right by the CVS in the shopping center that is near the Pavillions. (Is that descriptive enough? I'm pretty bad with directions...) Also, if you're not super flexible, be warned, the table arrangements, albeit cute, are not unflexible-friendly. But if you're a) flexible b) able to navigate with poor directions then = you should eat here! I've only been here during lunch hours, so the wait wasn't as long as I had expected. I had a lunch special and was pretty satisfied with what I got for the price and the fish seemed fresh. Definitely not blow-your-socks-off (although you do have to take off your shoes) type of sushi, but pretty good.
(4)Christina P.
As much sushi as I've had in my life, my trip to Irori was my first time visiting a restaurant where you're asked to remove your shoes before entering the dining room. While I wished I wore socks or at least re-painted my toes to a cuter color before entering, I thought it was a really cute and novel touch to this eating experience. We were seated right away (on a Sunday afternoon) at one of their super-cool tables, where the seats are on the floor but your feet drop down below the surface of the table. It was so cool! I want a table like this in my house. Our eyes got huge as we perused the menu - I thought this was your standard sushi joint, but there was so much interesting stuff on the menu, from baked blue crab hand rolls to shu mai. In the end, I decided to go with a standard dinner of assorted tempura and sashimi, because with the miso soup, salad, rice and desserts included at $18, it seemed like a great deal. Our server was very friendly and let me substitute the standard tuna sashimi for salmon, but then I think some shifts switched halfway and we got another equally friendly and professional server. Unfortunately, the one thing that suffered was the timing of our dishes coming out. We were more than stuffed with our dinners by the time a hand roll and fried calamari came out. It was a bit of an awkward series, but at the same time I was enjoying my food so much I didn't really care much. I really appreciated the extra touches they provided throughout the meal, from the nice pickles and bean sprouts that came out with my dinner to the berry sauce drizzled onto the standard scoop of green tea ice cream for dessert. One of my dining companions mentioned how much it added to her experience that they took her leftovers to the kitchen and packed it up nicely for her instead of just throwing boxes at us. It made me realize that while food is important, it's really the little touches of good service that make people love a restaurant.
(4)Jennifer T.
The first thing most reviewers failed to say is that you have to take you shoes off when you enter! And, all the tables are floor level! We were instantly transported into another world of relaxation and comfort. Don't worry - you don't actually have to sit in Indian style. The floor under the table is cut out so that you can comfortably let you legs dangle as if you were sitting at a normal table. The sushi bar was too crowded so we decided to wait for a table. While waiting, we asked if we could order glasses of wine. The waitress was happy to take our orders which made the wait bearable! All the reviews said the food was inexpensive. I would say that it is average priced. And it is well worth it! Our bill was $90 for two and we had a glass of wine each. What made our bill a little more pricey was that we ordered two sashimi plates. To start we ordered: -Seaweed Salad with ginger sauce. Always one of my favorites! Usually I feel portion is too small but portion here was great for two people. -We also ordered the Mixed Wakami Seaweed Salad which we could have done without. It wasn't anything special - light and leafy. For sushi, we had the following in this order: - Yellowtail Sashimi with Ponzo Sauce & Jalepenos - Delicious! - Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice - Also very tasty! It's different than at Katsuya in that the rice is square, flatter and crispier. I like that Katsuya's rice is a blander. This is very good too, just different! I like that it had a little caviar on top. - Albacore Sashimi - The waitress was pushing for us to order this. It was fresh and soft but in my opinion, there was too much sauce to really enjoy the fish. It was pricey too - about $20. - Blue Crab Hand Roll - AMAZING!!! OMG. I could have had two orders of this. We had one roll cut in half. Next time, I will get my own! We finished our meal with green tea. I would absolutely go back here.
(4)Katrina M.
I loved this place and we happened to "stumble" upon it because we wanted sushi and it was almost 3pm. It's seriously impossible to find sushi at this time in the Marina del Rey area at least. Well...that's how we ended up here and what a great gem. We will definitely be back and want to try the lunch and dinner specials. I get sushi all over Los Angeles and Orange County (hey practically anywhere I travel I try sushi). I love, love, love that you take your shoes off and it makes for a fun and intimate experience. The sushi chef's are funny and talkative and the staff is attentive. I felt a little uncomfortable when we first arrived because my husband and I were the only ones there at "non-sushi" times and the staff were huddled behind us kinda staring at us. But we made conversation with the sushi chef at the bar and it was all good! We had the spicy tuna roll (very large and fresh lot's of spicy tuna), 2 Philadelphia rolls (our favorite and honestly this is one of my favorite places now for this roll....highly recommend it because they give you a lot of salmon) and yellow tail sushi (which was great and fresh). We look forward to coming back for dinner and I will update with hopefully a 5 star next time! I will try some "special rolls" and get back to you all. The first time at a sushi restaurant I always play it safe and order my favorites. Ohhhh....also the hot sake is great here...not sure what brand they use but it's better than the usual hot sake we get. Until next time fellow yelpers!
(4)Lucy R.
Walk in the door, have a seat and remove your shoes.. socks match?!?! Yes, we're good.... Okay... sitting on the floor.. I may have been the only one completely ignorant to the fact that you aren't sitting cross legged on a pillow near the table.. there is plenty of space under the table.. you sit normally, the table is just built into the ground. a very pleasant surprise for this girl that would rather stand than sit "indian" style... (I won't lie, I was effing shocked) Now onto the food.. sushi was fresh, tasty and everything you'd hope for. I tried Salmon, Tuna and Yellow tail Sushi. Just a tad on the pricey side. I would not recommend this place for large groups.. appeared to be only one table that could seat 8.. nothing bigger... Also I did notice 2 seats at the sushi bar that do not require shoes being removed, they are immediately in front of you when you walk through the entrance... Come to this place mainly for the experience and EXCELLENT service.. Staff was extremely friendly and always available.. But please, leave your stinky shoes at home.
(4)Erin H.
Finding good quality sushi in an unfamiliar neighborhood can be tricky. I like to get a few recommendations from people I know who have eaten at a spot and can attest to the quality of the fish. Because I am new to the area of Marina Del Rey and do not know that many people yet to ask for a good sushi joint, I turned to trusty old Yelp, it has yet to let me down. I really wanted to find "our sushi spot" in the Marina that night. With just a few minutes browsing Yelp, I decided to try Irori Sushi, about a mile and a half maybe from the apartment. At Irori, you take your shoes off and leave them in a cubby hole while you dine. At first glance, it appears that the tables are almost on the floor, however, what we quickly realized is that there is actually a "hole" underneath the table where your legs dangle! So essentially, you are pretty much on the floor sitting on a cushion, very unique! Always have to have my Sapporo with sushi, but this Sapporo was different, better than a regular old Sapporo out of the bottle or tin can and I owe it to these super cool glasses that the beer was served in. I'm not quite sure what they were made of, but they were real heavy, thick and chilled, which seriously made this Sapporo the most enjoyable yet. We both had a really wonderful seaweed salad to start followed by Salmon Sashima, Yellowtail Roll with Jalapeno and then a really delicious Rainbow Roll. As I mentioned, Yelp has yet to steer me wrong. The fish was some of the freshest I've had. The Yellowtail with Jalapeno was amazing (we asked to add the Jalapeno), and each piece of the Rainbow row was equally delicious. The ambience was really great as well, very dim lighting however, I felt as though the prices were a tad high. At the end of the day, I'd rather spend a few extra bucks and know that what I'm getting isn't a bad piece of fish.
(4)Briana S.
Wow. I hadn't been to this place in several years (when it was a different restaurant). A friend recently told me how good it was, so I ventured in. We went in and left our shoes at the door. We were promptly seated and quickly brought hot tea. Service was friendly and attentive. We had a good assortment of items, but the standouts were the blue crab hand roll (thanks Yelp for calling this to our attention) and the albacore roll with crispy onion, which simply melted in our mouths. I found a small bone in my yellowtail roll, which was a bummer, but overall, I'd say the fish was super fresh and well prepared. I'll definitely be back.
(4)Adam A.
I've had the pleasure of eating at Irori several times. Its always been a great experience, I've had business lunches here, eaten with co-workers, and love bringing dates here. The food is fantastic no matter what time of day your eating. The serice is also first rate. However, wear clean socks, they make you take off your shoes when entering.
(5)Nicole N.
Cozy and friendly environment with nice lightening. Many choices on the menu. Had been there for a date night on Saturday and definitely will try that again later. Provided u with traditional style of sitting (can't recall the name) which u take off ur shows and sit on the floor. But remember to ask them clean the hole that u gonna put ur bare feet on it! Our floor had rice on it which was kinda repulsive for me. Don't forget to order cold sake here
(4)Ruth M.
First review on Yelp, and you bet I picked Irori to be my first! (I love it that much) I moved to the area a year ago and was introduced to Irori by my BF. - Wear clean socks, you will have to take your shoes off, so please, no stinky feet. The food is always very fresh, which is a must when eating sushi. A must order in my book is the Bluefin toro (usually $12 for 2 pieces) and the Albacore roll (ask for ponzu sauce) We love sitting at the bar and interacting with the chefs who are always very friendly and make great suggestions when you're not sure what to order. It does get pretty crowded, especially Friday nights, call ahead ;) Oh, for those of you who don't like sushi, they have all sorts of "cooked" food. So, bring the kids and order some teriyaki chicken and rice :)
(5)Julie K.
Fantastic sashimi, great rolls. Loved the food. The Irori roll is great. :) A+ service... Take your shoes off type of place.
(4)Fatboy Y.
Went there for lunch Friday and found out they have changed ownership. I'm glad to find out that one of my favorite sushi chef is still there. Food and service remain to be the same. The Japanese scallops were fresh and tasty as always.
(4)Larry F.
This is my favorite casual Japanese restaurant. It is adventurous enough for me while offering many things my wife eats. I get fried shrimp heads, Monkfish Liver, Natto while she can get veggie tempura or avocado sushi. You check you shoes at the door & sit in a recess in the floor. I have done Omakase there in the past. Not too many varieties of fish but high quality & the pieces are sauced by the master. Lots of parking in the giant lot. The prices are very inexpensive for what you get here. They have lots of sake options most at low prices. The servers do a great job here too.
(4)Orsolya D.
Move over Katsuya! I have a new sushi lover!!! And its name is Irori! Where else do you take off your shoes in authentic Japanese fashion and put them in those cubby shelves you used in preschool? You then enter the restaurant portion which makes you feel like a small plaything in a doll house with little miniature tables and cushions to sit on the floor. The waitresses even have to bend down to take your order! Although the sushi bar portion forces your legs into indian-style mode; the tables in the dining area have holes cut into the floor so your feet hang. The best part? It DOESN'T smell like feet! Such a cute experience! The sushi is TO DIE FOR!! These are the biggest, freshest, pieces of fish I have experienced in some time and at a reasonable price (generally $4.95 - $6.95). Even the roll pieces are huge. You have to streeeeettch your mouth to fit them inside in one bite! Everything is absolutely delicious and HUGE from scallops, to yellowtail, to mackeral, to the eel. But the highlight was a recommendation from the waitress: the Albacore Roll. Sounds simple enough, right? WRONG! This was one of the best rolls in the WORLD! The contrast between the cool albacore and the crisp fried onions inside was magnificent! Garnished with more fried onions... you can't get enough. Their hot tea is also excellent served in a large mug versus the small tea cups typical to sushi joints. Irori is topnotch. The quality, serving size, prices, service, and ambiance is unmatched. It has all. Plus, it is so unassuming located in a plaza of all places. One would never suspect the amazing-ness! This is certainly a "must-go" to place when trying to impress a date or switch up your usual sushi experience. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
(5)Lynn N.
Wonderful date location! Came here for some after work grubbing and left completely stuffed! Its a hidden restaurant in the shopping center but plenty of parking. Make sure you're not afraid to walk around in socks or barefoot since you take your shoes off upon entering the restaurant, but it gives the place a more intimate feel. I ordered the irori roll, hawaiian roll, shrimp tempura roll, and two others (can't remember) and everything was fresh and delicious! The only downside was even though its a small place, its easy to feel crowded since there are no barriers or partitians between tables. But if you don't mind hearing other tables' conversations, then this place is a great find.
(4)Stacey W.
LOVE this place. Its so adorable - they make you take off your shoes and sit in traditional japanese dining table where you take your shoes off first. The fish is super fresh, I think its some of the best in all of LA. My favorites are - spicy tuna on crispy rice (its huge, much bigger portion that you'd get elsewhere). Albacore roll - has crispy onion inside. The Irori roll is to die. They marinate the tuna in cilantro and some oils before rolling it. Sooo good.
(5)wayne l.
wtf comes to mind reading these reviews... sushi is a weird thing these days. I don't know how many times I've been told "i'm picky about my fish" (IPAMF) and these women over the years remain as IPAMF because they're actually really not that picky about their fish. Along with "I'm a foodie". . It's just the thing to say these days. I was more forgiving with Hakuna Matata in the 90s, 16 inch Daytons, and the stupid Rick Rolls. Onto the review. A group of us decided to meet at Irori for lunch and upon walking in I saw the cubby holes filled with shoes. Fire bells went off. Wtf is this?! There's a place for this concept in the modern age of office dwellers. Really nobody minds the stench of sweat rolling off of jammed toes, toe jams, and all matters of misconfiguration of the feet leading to sweaty socks? My mental firewalls were up for the coming onslaught of attack to make me believe. Believe! And yeah I fell for it. The menu leaned on the side of legit and rather than being smart about it by picking a few items to test the fish waters I ordered a dozen items from the sushi list and short menu. Let me cut to the chase. It was awful. Yellowtail, bluefin tuna, red snapper, uni. How do you describe bad sushi except to say it was bad. The blue crab hand roll, on the other hand, is described as soggy nori wrapped around soggy crab that looked like last weeks tuna salad... gray. We left the three rolls on the table right where the sushi chefs could see them. The chicken teriyaki was dry and rubbery... teriyaki sauce obviously made with soy sauce and sugar. Unacceptable for their price range. I don't know what gave me food poisoning that day.. the uni or the blue crab hand roll.. luckily I have a stomach of steel and I was able to make it out of the tunnel with one paddle. That night, in a cold sweat of desperation I tempted myself in calling IPAMF1 or IPAMF2 for a tummy rub but I was too sick to wash my feet for house guests.
(1)Lougey B.
New Korean Owner with a commitment to profit not quality. Good bye Irori.
(2)Michael P.
I checked out the Yelp ratings and I was not disappointed. The Sashimi was especially fresh. The rolls were large and delicious. The seaweed was just right, not too dry. The below ground seats were awesome, and the service was overwhelming (2-3 waitresses at any given time. Excellent experience and great food.
(5)Ed F.
I have been going to this restaurant for a long time -- even when it was the old "East". While the food was nothing spectacular, it was predictable and I always thought I could get a decent meal here. For my brithday, my boss wanted to take me out to dinenr and I suggested we go to Irori becaue it wasn't very pricey and I knew the food would not be horrible. We had a 6Pm reservation and we were seated right away. Food was as expected. The shocker for me came when shortly after we paid the bill, we were told "I don't mean to hurry you up, but we have another reservation for this table and they are waiting outside". That was at 7:05. Surely, we should have had more than an hour for dinner. My boss said "I have never had this experience in a restaurant". It was actually quite embarrasing. The restaurant is popular but if they keep treating their guests this way -- they will get their wish and have a lot of empty tables.
(2)Amanda S.
4.5 The whole idea of this little place makes me really happy. I love when restaurants do little things like make you take off your shoes and sit on the floor. It just makes me feel like i'm experiencing something new even though i'm really not. Something about it is just exciting :]. I really don't get why more places don't do stuff like that. Maybe they're just not as turned on by the smell of feet & fish as i am? To each his own... For my boyfriend's birthday dinner i decided to take him out for a casual, but special sushi dinner. Irori seemed like the perfect choice. I made a reservation for 2 around 7:45pm on a Tuesday night, but i didn't actually need reservations because it didn't start filling up until around 8:30. Upon entering, it really DOESN'T smell like fish&feet, haha, I was kidding earlier. It's actually quite a charming little place. We got a table towards the back of the restaurant so we had more privacy/it was a little more romantic. And like everyone else has said, it is impossible to not play footsies the entire time. We started off with sake, edamame, garlic mussels, garlic scallops and gyoza. Alllll were really delicious. The garlic scallops definitely stood out. After the appetizers, we were both almost full so we decided to split the Red Snapper w/ Plum Wine Sauce and a plate of assorted sushi (tuna, albacore, yellowtail, salmon & spicy tuna roll). The sushi was pretty good, fresh, but not the freshest i've had. The red snapper, on the other hand, was to DIE for. Definitely one of the best fish dishes i've ever had. Our service was quite attentive and friendly, although the waitress wasn't very helpful when i asked her opinion about some of the dishes i was thinking about getting. Buttttt lucky for her (and me), i ended up liking everything i got and i would definitely order it all again. The price was very reasonable. For all of the food and sake we had, the bill came out to around $80 (excluding tip). Not bad at all. I definitely suggest this place for someone who likes sushi and finds excitement in sitting on the floor and eating with no shoes on, like myself. In the words of Arnold, I'll be backkkkkkk.
(4)Hue N.
The sushi was okay. I've had similar or better quality sushi at other places for cheaper prices. Remember to wear socks because you don't know where other people's smelly feet have been. Since you have to take off your shoes at the front, the restaurant provides slippers to wear when you use the restroom at the back. Kind of gross thinking about the cleanliness of those slippers. After all these years, my friends and I still have problems splitting the bill between a large group. We always come up short, so we have to count the money a million times. After we were confident that we had enough, we gave the waitress our cash and cards. She comes back to tell us that we were about $30 short. WHAT?!?! We counted that thing SO MANY TIMES. And you know what got us upset? They didn't bring the cash back for us to count!!! If you don't get enough money, wouldn't you bring the whole thing back to SHOW the customer that they are short? They took all the cash out and charged the cards. How were we suppose to argue with them that we paid enough when there was nothing there??? Shady...ugh. We were all ready to get the heck out of there and just put more money in and left.
(2)Yvonne Z.
The food was indescribably amazing! The lobster tempura with spicy cream sauce is outstanding and the toro sushi melts in your mouth! The red bean ice cream tempura is so delicious! Our waiter, Kenny , was so outgoing and funny! He knew the dishes so well and recommended his favorite dishes, which are now our favorite dishes! Thank you so much! But seriously it was such an amazing restaurant!!!!!
(5)Mike A.
Ate here twice over a two week period while in town on business. I am not a big fan of the "stick your feet in a hole" concept, as larger folks struggle and I almost had a huge guy fall on top of me, when he got caught trying to squeeze in the table behind mine. That aside, the sushi is amazing. Rainbow roll was fresh and tasty. I recommend getting a dinner (bento) combo, as for about $18 you get salad, soup and protein (I had the steak which was ok). Tried the sushi n.e.w.s ( nothing special). The best item on the menu is the scallop w/mayo: Just melts in your mouth. First time spent about $70 (1 diner), second time spent $52. Key is to get the dinner and avoid going ala carte on the menu. Plenty of parking in the lot and if you are still hungry or on a budget, grab a slice of NY style pizza next door for about $3 to fill you up.
(4)Joseph d.
What I got: Lunch Special -- Salmon Terriyaki with Spicy Tuna Sushi & Sesame Chicken Price: $13.17 (tip and tax included) Review: So this place is totally legit! If I ever get to go to Tokyo I would imagine the restaurants there would be like this. The atmosphere screams authenticity. I love how you have to take your shoes off and the way you sit down to eat. It's totally creative. The lunch special is pretty decent (price wise) and the food is good too!! I will definitely come back here again! Bon appetite! Or as the Japanese would say Itadakimas!!
(4)Aleja M.
BEST JAPANESE FOOD EVER! So fun! I have loved this place since I was a kid. There is something about taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor that makes it fun and exciting. Food is AMAZING! I love going for lunch. So much food, and so reasonable!
(5)Wendy A.
I started coming to the place when I lived in the area. I've moved out of south bay, but will still make the drive out for irori from time to time. I had dinner there again tonight and again, not disappointed. Everything tasted super fresh. I tried the baked blue crab hand roll today. Nothing short of awesome. Who wouldve thought a sushi place in a Pavillions market shopping center would be so tasty. Upon entrance, you're asked to remove your shoes and place them in a cubby. (reminder of my childhood at a mcdonalds playpen..grown up styled). Next you'll be sat at what appears to be very low tables. Sneaky that the ground under the tables sinks in. It takes a bit getting used to, but definitely a cool experience.
(4)Jonathan G.
My wife & I wanted to try the brand new neighborhood sushi joint that had recently opened, but all it took was one Yelp review and the mention of "food poisoning" to send us scurrying over to Irori. I had long heard good things about this place, but for some reason I was reluctant based on irrational fears about either A) slipping in my socks on my way to the table and cracking my head, or B) having to undergo major back surgery after sitting cross-legged for an entire meal. Luckily I was able to overcome my neurosis, and was treated to one of the best sushi meals I've had in some time (and it turns out that you do not have to sit cross-legged, but rather without back support...woo hoo!). We ordered the shrimp & vegetable tempura, fresh water eel, octopus, surf clam, yellowtail and the blue crab hand roll. The last was the highlight of the evening, and while we ordered a second helping, I have a feeling we could have continued down a very slippery crab-laden path for some time. Dessert was the white chocolate macadamia creme brulee, which was fine but nothing special (except for its portion size, which was roughly the size of a dinner plate). Speaking of which, the sushi at Irori is a bit on the small side, but I've found that I'd much rather have quality over quantity when it comes to raw fish...but that's just me. One note: the crowd was very different that what I'm used to at, say, Hide in West LA. Quite a few families, and one in particular where the father spent the entire meal loudly chastising his daughter over a clothing purchase.
(4)Jenny C.
Best sushi place! I've dined here many times before and the food quality was never this FRESH!! I ordered my usual sushi items like uni, halibut, tuna, toro, & spicy tuna w crispy rice... and i was very amazed bc they never tasted this GOOD. I recommend this place for sushi lovers (esp. sitting at the bar) and i'll bet ya you'll keep coming back...... every week!!
(5)Andrea R.
This place gets 4.5 stars, and is our new favorite sushi spot on the west side of LA! When you first arrive to the restaurant you have to take your shoes off (kinda weird at first, but adds to the experience), and then are seated at tables that are low to the ground, on the floor, but there is space for your legs beneath. You sit on pillows and could sit indian style, but you can put your legs underneath the table which is more comfortable and nice for taller people. I thought it was a cool set up and adds to the ambience. My boyfriend and I went with another couple and we ordered several dishes to share. Loved the spicy tuna, salmon & irori rolls. Also tried the fried chicken dish (odd choice at a sushi joint, but good), and a bowl of udon noodles (tempura style) and all were delicious. The other couple we were with tried the shrimp skewers and said those were good as well. I don't remember what kind of sake we ordered by it was light, refreshing, crisp and some of the best sake I have tried. It was recommended by our waitress and I believe it cost around $15. The only thing that I didn't love was the dynamite dish. It was good, it just wasn't as good compared to other dynamite dishes I've had at other places. They also have a good selection of Japanese beers, both regular and light. The service was fantastic, and we had several people tending to our table that were very attentive to our needs. We will definitely be back!!
(5)Do G.
I've been here twice and am still impressed with the quality of service. Everyone is so attentive and engaging. It is always a pleasure to eat here either at the sushi bar or the regular dining area. The fish is good quality, which it better be considering it is next to a freaking marina. This is definitely on the list of "go to" sushi places when I am craving sushi.
(4)Yelps M.
Veggie and Fish rolls were very dull and not good. When the place was operated by the original owner it was outstanding. I think the new owner is buying from different suppliers and cutting corners. We live in a city with tons of sushi joints, and I know when I taste Quality and this isn't quality.
(2)Megen S.
Irori is my favorite sushi restaurant in the Marina, ever since my days as a student at LMU. The tables are set up so that you feel as though you are sitting on the floor, but still have leg room beneath the ground. Favorites are the Alaskan roll (though I've never met a roll there I didn't like) and the shrimp tempura with the spicy creamy sauce that you sometimes have to ask for if it's not on the menu, but they always seem able to do. The blue crab handroll is pretty bomb, too. Hmm... now I'm crazing sushi.
(5)Dianne V.
For years this was my 'go to' Japanese restaurant. It was just wonderful and I was there several times a month. Then the the ownership changed. I've given it several more chances under the new owner, but every experience has been worse. Last night was the last time I will ever go there. The sushi and sashimi was simply not as fresh or properly prepared as it should have been. And obviously, in a sushi restaurant freshness and careful preparation is everything. I had a piece of tuna sushi on my plate that I sent back as it was cut from the darkest part of the tuna and was extremely unappealing . The very nice waitress replaced it with a piece of salmon. The sushi was sloppily prepared. Poorly sliced pieces of fish laid carelessly on top of rice that was shaped almost like little balls instead of finger shaped. The octopus was inedible. My partners sashimi tuna was mushy...again, really unappealing. I'm really sorry the old Irori is gone.
(1)claudia L.
This is probably one of my favorite Japanese restaurants for lunch. Even though they've changed ownership (and names) several times over the last two decades, it stayed true to its quality. The offer a great selection of affordable lunch boxes, and the cooked foods as well as the sushi are always A+ quality. Service is fast and friendly, and the ambiance is very authentic with the raised floors and no shoes allowed. As usual with Japanese restaurants, the evening menu is more expensive than the lunch menu, and in Irori's case, the difference is quite considerable.
(5)A J.
Decent sushi, but not my favorite in the area. Pros: ~Really enjoyed the Irori roll and the Jalapeno Sashimi (I think the Jalapeno Sashimi and the Jalapeno Albacore Sashimi are the same thing, but they're both listed on the menu). ~It's really cute, you have to take your shoes off to sit at one of their little tables, so it feels authentic. Cons: ~Too many people waiting on you. Literally every single waiter in the restaurant (prob 10 at some point helped us with something), which lead to repetitive questions about what we were still pending on with our order, etc. I appreciate attentiveness but this was a bit overwhelming and disrupting (it seemed to increase throughout our meal). ~Not a fan of the albacore w/crispy onion. It wasn't a sashimi dish like most places, rather like a piece of nigiri. ~There were no refills on soda which was a little weird. Don't think I will be back, but I am happy that I tried a new place, and it was a unique experience.
(3)Cristalle T.
I have a favorite sushi restaurant in all my favorite little cities in LA and this place happens to be one of them in the city of Marina del Rey! I love that you have to remove your shoes before dining and I love that the service is exactly what I expected - FAST! The sushi here is excellent and the taste is superb! NOTE: make reservations, bring socks and order the BCH, toro roll, wakame seaweed salad and white chocolate creme brûlée!
(4)Katheryn H.
The place has cute ambiance. I love the whole taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor. It's a place you can get some authentic sushi. Management was nice and had an overall great experience.
(4)Teff A.
The blue fin tuna, sweet shrimp and black cod were all delish! So far, my favorite (not crazy expensive) sushi bar on the West side. Always great service.
(5)Kimberly B.
Don't wear your Jimmy Choo's when you come here. They make you take off your shoes and leave them at the front before you get seated, so your Jimmy's are pretty much free-for-all if they're just hanging out in front. We ate here for dinner last night and the food was delicious! I ordered their Nabeyaki Udon for $11.25 and it was probably the best-tasting udon I've ever had. The broth was simply delicious, and the udon noodles were of the right consistency and chewiness. It's fun sitting on the floor with your friends. Something about being lower to the ground makes people happier.
(5)Susy C.
MMMMMMMMMMm I didn't expect such quality sashimi at a sushi joint in a plaza! Literally, the scallops in my spicy scallop handroll were some of the freshest and sweetest i've ever had. I love the traditional feel of this place. You come in, take off your shoes, and sit on pillows on the floor. I was only able to grab food to go, but I want to come back and actually have a sit down meal. The menu itself gets a bit creative. Not really those fake "jive ass rolls" but they've got some dishes that have the modern flair/twist to it.
(4)Mei C.
Yummi Irori... how you have made me love Japanese food even more. They are hidden in a little plaza right next to CVS in Marina del Rey and it's easy to miss them if you don't pay attention. They just went through construction in that plaza too so their restaurant sign is not even on. They have lunch specials, which are pretty nicely priced with a fair amount of food. Their tempura is good, but my favorite thing there is the crispy rice tuna. It's sooooooooo good! Their yellowtail sashimi is fresh and delightful. Sushi quality is great - everything just melts in your mouth good. The ambiance is ridiculously cute. When you come in, you have to take off your shoes and then they walk you to your seat, where you sit on the floor and you put your legs in these holes that are been made underneath the table. It's totally Japanese Tatami style (just a bit more comfortable with the leg space). The place can get crowded but I have never waited more than 10 mins for a table (on the floor). The only reason I give it a 4 star is because the prices can be expensive if you don't get the lunch specials. I've been here for dinner and it's easy 40 bucks per person if you order several items. But then again, you are in the Marina. Maybe I'll go there for lunch today. :)
(4)Chrissy K.
The restaurant that asks you to take off your shoes! I love it, but some people need to make sure their feet dont smell because that could be a disastrous combo with all the fish present. The sushi is so fresh! I will and have come back since my first visit. This place is definitely a marina del rey gem.
(5)tae k.
It was 10 pm and we were headed for a Culver City sushi restaurant on a saturday night and it was unfortunately closing. Irori was close so we decided to head there and to our delighful surprise, we had a great experience. It was nice and dimly lit, and the first thing I thought was that it would be a great date spot. You take your shoes off and you can sit on the floor or sit at the bar. We sat at the bar and had a friendly and helpful chef. We had some sake that went down smooth. We had already eaten dinner but we were craving sushi. We didn't want to do a whole omakase so we decided to just go for some of the better cuts and we were not disappointed. Here is the order of things we ordered. Toro - a good sized portion that was very buttery but had the tiniest hint of something that should not have been there. It was not the best toro I have ever had but it was good starter. 3.0 stars Yellowtail - It was good but nothing special. 3.0 stars BLUE CRAB ROLL - and we have a winner! By far the best thing. 5 stars. So delicious! Wild salmon (copper river) - the chef recommended it without any soy sauce and he was right. This was so good it did not need anything. Amazing. 5 stars Albacore - a solid finale to the night. It was fresh and tasty. 4.5 stars.
(4)Lisa C.
Both the sushi and cooked items at this place are good and reasonably priced. The waiters and sushi chefs are super friendly and helpful. Its a great place to meet a small group of friends for dinner. Be prepared to take your shoes off and sit on a cushion on the ground with your feet dangling in a hole underneath the table. It sounds stranger than it is... I promise. The overall decor, experience, and food is well worth it! TIP: If you are truly against removing your shoes or are in a wheel chair, they have one section of the sushi bar that has regular chairs.
(4)Alexis B.
5 plus 5 plus 5 plus!!!!!!! Again, thank you jesus for YELP seriously, if it wasn't for you guys, I would miss out on so many places. Im addicted to this place and im so sad we don't have something like this in OC. I love taking my shoes off any chance I get so when I can grub in public with no shoes, im there!!! I love the sitting on the floor as well , if your too tall for indian style , they have the floor open under u as if you were sitting in a chair. To the food, the lettuce wrapped fried clams are so good, they could do without so much cabbage, so fuckin good. The warm blue crab handroll is so goood , not a cone shape but like a cigar ,its like having a crab cake in seaweed mmmm. I forgot all the nigiri we ordered but it was super fresh fish , buttery mmmm. The tempura was so good, the spicy tuna tempura was wack, DON'T get that. The philly rolls were huge and usually those rolls are small as fuck, but these were huge and I liked it mmmmm. The menu is HUGE to many things to choose from. The service was on point at first but when you take long to order and then your ready to order and your still waiting for them to come back and since your on the floor its hard for them to pay attention lol. I love this place so so sooooooo much. I hope I get to go again tomorrow mmmm!
(5)Elle M.
Irori Sushi is the best Sushi spot I've been to in LA to date. The atmosphere really makes the place, but the food is fantastic too! I brought two friends here who were visiting from out of town and they just thought it was the coolest place ever. My favorite items are the blue crab handroll and the crispy rice appetizer. SOOO GOOD!!! My boyfriend and I usually sit at a table but sometimes it's fun to sit at their sushi bar and have the sushi chef suggest items. This place is worth the drive if you are not on the Westside and definitely a great spot to bring a date. They take reservations and if it's a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday I recommend making one! Enjoy!
(5)Bennett O.
Looks a little weird, tucked into the corner of a strip mall, but it's actually pretty good. Chirashi and mochi.
(4)Maithy T.
i've only been here for lunch, but plan on coming back for dinner. my usual is the sashimi lunch box with teriyaki salmon. the sashimi is always fresh, and teriyaki salmon is never too dry. i've also tried their popcorn chicken but it wasn't as crunchy as i would have liked it to be, and it felt a bit too salty. you have to take your shoes off by the door. so if you've got holes in your dirty socks, maybe try coming here after laundry day.
(4)Courtney S.
Favorite local sushi spot. It isn't the most fancy, but it does the job. The tables are neat because they are under the floor. The service is completely hit or miss. Sometimes they are very attentive and sometimes they are sort of cold.
(4)Marcela H.
Hands down one of my FAVORITE lunch spots! This place gets points for uniqueness, deliciousness and service. Unique: - You're asked to leave your shoes at the door (well, in a cubbyhole) - The tables are on the floor but have a hole below the table for you to place your feet in. - There are shared flip flops/slippers to use if you need to use the restroom. - Seats at the sushi bar are available. Delicious: - Spectacular lunch box specials! I usually get the beef teriyaki, spicy tuna roll & vegetable tempura box which comes with salad (love the dressing!) and miso soup. All for about $11-$12. Service: - I've been here numerous times during the lunch run and service has always been spot on! TIPS: - Located in between CVS & Vons.. don't let the shopping mall location deter you from coming here. - During lunch they don't like to split more than 2 credit cards.. not sure if it's the same during dinner so I'd recommend bringing some cash if you're coming in a large group. - The largest table can accommodate 10 people.. if you have a large party I HIGHLY recommend making a reservation as this table tends to fill up quick.
(5)Just Nay B.
Things really have gone downhill at this place lately. Justin (everyone's favorite sushi man) left and the place doesnt have the same vibe.
(3)Jonathan M.
Don, Eugene and Peter are bomb! Sit at the sushi bar for sure and they make the best food ever. The amber jack. And torro. Best ever. Love thinks place love the chefs. Shoes off. Brain off. Love it
(5)Phil E.
First think you'll notice when you walk in is that yes, you do sit on the floor. But keep in mind, there is space below the table for your legs, so its just like a chair. You aren't sitting cross legged or anything. And it seems they have little cushions with backrests if you ask. I thought the food was very good, very fresh, etc. Do check out their specials and do ask what the sushi chefs recommends. I think that is the way to go. Not the cheapest sushi, but worth the price. And tea is free! I would put this into my sushi rotation, but because of its price its not an every week place. Also, parties of 6 or more, you'll have to wait a bit. There is one 6 person table and one that I think can hold 8, so you are really limited if people are already seated etc. And due to the nature of the whole sitting on the floor thing, you cannot move tables. Seemed that parties of 2 and 4 were seated quickly.
(4)CMR L.
The food is good. The fish is fresh. Definitely worth checking out, mainly for the ambience.
(4)Paula D.
Chirashi!! I had Chirashi for the first time here and it was unbelievably delicious. I don't know what they do to the rice but I couldn't get enough of it under the Chirashi. I added a serving of Yellow Tail sushi and a glass of the sake, can't recall the name, it started with an "H" and it was the only $7 glass of sake on the menu. It was exceptionally crisp and pear-tasting served in a small cedar box. If you want a nice serving of anything sushi and money is no object. Eat here and remember to take off your shoes at the door.
(5)Laurie H.
Were in the area for one night after being in Arizona for 3 days....really needed some sushi. We found SO much more! Started with an appetizer of butter lettuce wrap with popcorn shrimp inside. Even though it was fried, there was a lightness to it that surprised me. I then had an oyster shooter. It came it a pretty glass and it was, what I later discovered, too much for one throwback of my head. There were 2 or 3 oysters, I believe, and it was a bit messy because I did it poorly, but the oysters were perfect....tender and small. The flavor was uniquely Japanese...not your typical raw bar oyster shooter. Delicious. There was much regular sushi had - maguro, hamachi, amaebi, unagi, etc, that was fresh and good. Some typical rolls....totally fine. Also ordered shrimp and vegetable tempura and miso soup which both were good. One of my favorites - ankimo (monkfish liver) - was simple and straightforward, as it should be. Then there were a few specials. Hubby order spicy tuna on crispy rice and I ordered albacore on crispy rice. I LOVED these. They basically seemed to have used sushi rice to make rectangles, then quickly seared them on each side or quickly fried them whole...not sure which...and then added the fish on top. Would order this every single time if I lived in the area. The only misstep with the food was the preparation of the special blue crab hand roll. This was basically just a roll, brought to me uncut. I'm used to hand rolls being conical in shape and therefore necessary to eat by hand. Picking up this roll felt like I should just cut it myself...didn't like that, but the flavor was very good. Service was good and the girls were sweet. So you can see we ordered a lot. Plus two large Sapporos and 2 green teas. Four people (2 children)....and the final bill? After tip - $190. That's why I can't give 5 stars. The prices aren't out of the stratosphere, but I do think they're a bit high. The amaebi was market price and turned out to be $12.50 each. We don't pay that in the bay area. But I have to reserve the 5th star for a price/value proposition that makes me jump up and down and I just can't quite do it here. However, would not hesitate to visit again and again.
(4)Michael R.
The is the best sushi restaurant in the Marina, Westchester and Playa Del Rey area. The food is really good and the service is "johnny on the spot." We enjoyed sashimi and various rolls. The sashimi is the real test. Everything was so fresh. Likewise, the soft shell crab tasted like crab and not tempura batter. We washed down with the best house hot saki. If we had not been sitting right in front of the entry to the kitchen (Understandably, it was Saturday night and all other tables were taken.), I would have given them 5 stars. The service was very attentive. It was really excellent. I look forward to returning in the very near future.
(4)Nanor H.
Everything tasted so fresh!! Just moved to this area and Ive been looking for a really good sushi spot and i found it. yum yum yum. its tucked in the corner so its easy to miss, but its right next to the radioshack in the little corner area to the left of the market
(5)Yuri C.
after being rudely declined by another sushi restaurant, i called up this place. i said i'll be bringing in a baby in a car seat and the lady said "come on in, we'll find a good spot for you." the parking was so easy because it's in a huge plaza, and we were immediately greeted by everyone as we entered. we took our shoes off right away, which was nice. i'm japanese so i felt right at home. and the lady i talked to on the phone was at the front, greeted us right away and took us to a nice spot in the back. the server was very polite, quick, and attentive. the food was amazing! we had the yellowtail collar as an appetizer and i definitely recommend this one. it's cooked with very mild sauce, and the pieces are a bit hard to get to of course, but it's fatty and delicious. the chirashi that i had was soo good too. i want to come back asap again!
(5)Khalid N.
Fun tables and I like the no shoes rule. Bottomless tea, albacore, and service were good highlights
(4)Joyce E.
I must start off with saying my favorite part of the Irori experience was taking my shoes off and sitting on a cushion on the floor to dine here. It is such a relaxing place to be and everyone is so extremely friendly and so very helpful! I ordered the seared ono, which was really good and also the Philadelphia roll. Everything was really good.. The ingredients could have been a little bit fresher (like the avocado in my roll). But other than that it is a great place to have sushi.
(4)Henan J.
Now I started off thinking this wood be an amazing ride...we got seated quickly, the staff was very friendly and responsive...we did have to take our shoes off and sit on the floor: Japanese Style. But then the meal really wasnt top notch. I have had better at many places. I tried the Tuna roll, Spicy tuna roll, Blue crab roll, a couple of albacore & tuna sushi and again....nothing that made my taste buds go bizerk Kinda expected more from a Marina Del Rey sushi spot.
(3)Xavier P.
we sat at the sushi bar. we had a stressful/negative vibe from the fat sushi chef. it made our entire dining experience "interesting." the sushi chefs spoke China chinese, korean, and japanese which leads us to believe that it is not a very authentic japanese cuisine. the food taste and quality is average. i would not recommend this place. i've had better sushi and sashimi at tokyo lobby (if any of you know where that is).
(2)Michelle C.
I love this place. I've come here so many times. And the experience always seems the same. Its so romantic. I love that you have to take off your shoes and you sit in these tables that are low to the ground. The sushi is great and fresh. The Ono Tempura roll is sooo good. All the rolls I always order, never seem to disappoint. And finish it off with the tempura ice cream, you wont be disappointed.
(5)Jeannie K.
Highlights: - Great, great service - Wooden floor with the bottom carved out (your feet are dangling below the table - traditional style) - Generally decent food Dim lights: - subpar chirashi - can be a little loud with no separation between tables, but then again, we were the loudest I usually gauge a sushi restaurant by its chirashi before going omakase. I was, as is often said on Yelp, underwhelmed. Other sushis and appetizers were/looked good though - agedashi tofu, seaweed sunomono, crispy rice sushi... I just happen to lean more towards being a traditionalist. But the prices are decent and the service is excellent :) Parking's great!
(3)Tanya D.
No shoes? No chairs? No problem! Granted, seeing that this place is tucked away and under construction, it took a hot minute to find Irori in the first place. And it was quite a surprise - no sign, no marked front entrance, and then you open the door to Japanese Narnia. First impression: Wow, that' not what I expected. Second impression: Did that lady just tell me to take my shoes off? Yes, she did tell us to take our shoes off. Thank goodness I don't have any issues with feet, and I like how it's a bit reminiscent of going bowling. Once we were seated, an incredibly attentive server descended upon my associate and I, constantly asking, checking and clarifying. We started heavy on the appetizers: miso soup, edamame, seaweed sesame salad. So, when the time came around to order mains, we didn't want our eyes to be bigger than our stomachs. Nigiri sushi with spicy tuna and a spicy scallop roll. Both were yummy, but the nigiri comes with a ton of extras. Perhaps our fortuitous ordering gave me the opposite impression of other yelpers, who complain they are not satisfied with portion sizes. After all this food and sake, I was definitely stuffed. I adore how tucked away Irori is; that along with the ambience and service made me mentally earmark it in the "definitely coming back if I'm in the neighborhood" category.
(4)Lulu B.
The staff is friendly and accommodating towards customers'. We sat at the sushi bar and the sushi chefs were great. The sushi was great and melts in your mouth. We ordered the baked lobster roll, irori roll, blue fin tuna sushi and it was delicious. Highly recommended!
(5)Priscilla S.
BEST SUSHI IN LA. Fresh fresh seafood, super cute atmosphere. Cant wait to eat there again!!!!!!!!
(5)Julie C.
As a child I loved this place because the food was good and we got to take our shoes off, lol. The place is different/ cool from other jap. restaurants because like i said you get to take you shoes off, they have cubbies were you can put them at and when you sit your not on your knees but on a pillow and then have an opening for your feet to go under the table (so your in a seated positon) Anyways the food is good, my boyfriend really likes coming here for lunch and gets the luch box special that includes salad, chicken, a choice of sushi roll, and miso soup. We also like the udon soup, veg tepura roll, and my cousin tried the fried eel and liked it. Its a fun place to try, with good food, nice staff, good prices and plenty of parking. Good spot to come with a date or a group of friends. Have fun and Enjoy!
(4)Tara F.
Stopped by Irori for lunch on the way back from the airport. As most people have mentioned, the place is tough to find - just park near Pavilions and head towards Radio Shack. The food was a really pleasant surprise for the location. We had the Sashimi Assortment ($16.50) which came with a salad, miso soup, rice, fruit, and a side of pickled cucumbers (no pickled ginger, surprisingly). The fish was good quality, and there was a generous portion. We also had the tempura udon ($10); the soup base was excellent and richly flavored, the noodles perfectly al dente; the tempura itself was pretty lackluster, as was the dipping sauce. We also have been ordering Shishito peppers everywhere we go, so we tried them here, blistered and seasoned with soy sauce. They were very good, with a really subtle flavor (make sure you get some of the garlic soy sauce that pools at the bottom), as compared to something like Lazy Ox Canteen. As with Japanese places in general, it's not super cheap - lunch ended up being $42 (including tip) for 2. Definitely a good option for an airport lunch; though I would also recommend Gardena Bowl for same.
(4)D C.
My buddy took me here for dinner the other night. It was one of the best sushi restos i have been to period in North America. The sushi was amazingly fresh and delicious. They brought out the sushi quickly after we ordered. They have an extensive sushi menu and everything we had was awesome. You wouldn't event think that this place would be good - buried amongst a t mobile and a cvs. To be honest you would easily miss this place as it is tucked in a cul de sac in the strip mall. its a convenient sushi place for those in Marina. It doesn't have those "trendy" rolls other sushi places in Santa Monica have but that is not what I'm about. I'm all about the sashimi and this place had some of the best sashimi I've ever had! I highly recommend the Spanish Mackeral, Sea Urchin, Toro, Tuna Crisp, Salmon and the Seaweed Salad.
(5)william p.
AMBIENCE ~5, FOOD ~10, SERVICE ~5, PRICING ~4...WONDERFUL ambience and gracious happy staff welcome you and are extremely attentive! This cozy spot has become my favorite sushi restaurant located just a few miles from LAX. AAAA+++++ :):)
(5)Kate G.
THIS IS THE BEST SUSHI PLACE EVER. Granted, I am not an elite sushi star, but I've been around the figurative block, and this place is LEGIT. I really think this was my favorite sushi experience ever - the atmosphere unique and special (the no shoe policy and low tables) while also being homey and down to earth. The fish was fantastically fresh and oh so so delicious - shout out to the blue crab hand roll, yellowtail nigiri, and OMG THE IRORI ROLL. Okay, so I know it's not posh to be super into rolls at real sushi places, but this roll was FANTASTIC - blue fin tuna, avocado amazingness and probably one of the more inexpensive items on the menu. OH AND THE SERVICE - we were in a bit of a rush, and the waitress really did a lot to make sure our food came out quickly, and was super friendly. I so wish I lived in SoCal, because this would be my new favorite 'special outting' (hint hint date) place to go to.
(5)Shelley C.
My date took me here since it was close to me after my long day of work then school... It was a bit hard to find because they're doing construction, it is right in the middle of Pavillions and CVS. First when i walked in, i like the setting and ambiance. Dark but not too dark, and yes you do take off your shoes so please have clean feet! You can sit on the floor or put your legs into the holes below the table. We got 4 diff rolls and sashimi assortment platter. I thought for the price the sashimi could have been more. Rolls were a bit too filled with rice. We ordered a bottle of sake which was delicious, i really enjoy sake when its not too dry. Dessert, the white chocolate creme brulee... totally delicious! and of course my fav tempura green tea ice cream. Loved it. I think i liked the desserts more than the entrees
(4)Alyssa H.
Wonderful atmosphere. Very traditional, you take your shoes off at the front of the restaurant before they take you back to be seated. The tables are on the ground, don't let this alarm you though, there is a hole in the ground so you're pretty much sitting like you would in a chair. The sushi was wonderful. The fish was very fresh. They have great portion sizes too. My husband and I left very full! He ordered the chicken teriyaki with tempura veggies and was very pleased.
(5)Frank F.
What a surprise and unique Japanese restaurant! No chairs, only tatami style seating with some leg "holes" so your legs can hang down. The food was excellent and the fish was very fresh and flavorful. The service was exceptional. Thank you for a wonderful and very Asian experience.
(5)Andrew M.
I am more and more surprised about these sushi joints in Marina Del Rey. Every one I've been to has been great. Irori doesn't let me down. With all the other reviews, I'm not going to get too detailed. Suffice to say, probably the main draw about this restaurant is its ambiance. You come in, take off your shoes, put them in the cubby provided, and sit on the floor. Don't worry if you're not used to it, its really a hole in the ground on which the table rises out of the middle from, on which the floor serves as a makeshift "chair". Lighting is soft, service is quick and friendly, and most importantly, food is fresh, seasoned well, and authentic. Bento box meals are HUGE here by the way, they definitely fill you up right. The tonkatsu is very crispy and juicy inside, just the way it should be. I recommend getting the blue crab handroll as well.
(4)Jason R.
Great sushi...great service... Overall, 5 stars
(5)Joe C.
I came here for lunch. Their food is OK. I ordered the Beef and chicken Teriyaki. The Beef is a little overcooked and the chicken doesn't have enough flavors. I'll give it another try since it's so close to my work.
(3)Vinnie M.
Take your shoes off and sit a spell! Excellent sushi in a very cool Japanese setting - seats and tables are sunken into the floor! Prices are very reasonable and the portions are great. Fun, casual sushi dining, great service and quality.
(4)Nazy J.
I had no idea that the head chef came from kenpai another sushi spot down the street ..... Love him he is soooooo awesome ...... The sushi here is pretty good but on the average side meaning there is no wow factor in their dishes besides the fact that they have some traditional dishes and some not so traditional dishes. They all taste great, but most of them are very predictable. With such a talented sushi chef I wish they would put some crazy specials in there ...
(4)Shannon E.
I don't care if the sushi chefs are Korean I love this place. Seriously I consider this some of the best sushi on the west side. I might even go as far to say my favorite sushi restaurant period. The fish is always fresh, the service is always good (the women that work there are ssssoo nice) and it's not too pricey. Some people complain about taking off their shoes & sitting on the floor. Personally I don't mind.
(5)Yuki Jasmine S.
The owners are Korean, servers, sushi chefs, everybody is Korean here. What upsets me the most is they pretend to be Japanese. Went here with a group of Japanese people and we were all very disappointed. When we tried speaking to them in Japanese, they get very uncomfortable and acted like they do not want other customers to know they don't understand anything. I see other reviewers saying the same about trying to act like they are Japanese. Don't be fooled by the shoes-off Japanese style dining. This is not an authentic Japanese-owned Japanese-style restaurant.
(1)Lynda L.
For some reason, I've been craving Japanese food A LOT, not that I'm an expert but something about their food just knows how to satisfy my appetite. This is my second time here and I've enjoyed my experience each time. You have to take your shoes off :) A: Blue crab hand roll - I love it cause it's blue crab! but this is very filling if you each get a roll A: Shrimp Tempura - never fails :) Creamy, crunchy and fresh A: Yellowtail Collar Fish - I can eat this dish all day long, so healthy feeling B: Softshell crab - I do like softshell but not really a fan, I think I over killed in the sauce Can't wait to come back :) Make an appointment!
(5)Diana H.
Pretty good sushi spot in the Marina. I've been here a couple of times during lunch on the weekday. They have some good lunch specials and combinations. You get a different experience here because you get to take your shoes off and you are seated in tables that are sunken which can be pretty cool. There are certain people that can be a little grossed out about it but I guess it just depends on the person. I am all about paying a good amount of money for good food and i don't get this with this sushi restaurant. I feel that you pay a lot for the quality of fish that you get. The blue crab roll is my go-to sushi roll and their baked mussels. Another pro is that they have a parking lot so you eat in the marina and park for free.
(3)Leanna S.
Updating my review since it's been a year since I first tried Irori and now it is our FAVORITE local sushi spot. We come here about once every 2 weeks, sometimes more. We always request to sit at the bar, because the chef's are super fun and hilarious and it just makes the entire experience better. Our favorite chef's are Eugene (middle) and Don (to the right of Eugene) It's great to order our favorites but the best meals we've had are from the chef's recommendation. All of my current favorites were introduced by the chef's - most of them are on the menu but sometimes you just dont know what's in it, what it looks like, etc. So to just have the chef's surprise us, and when we fall in love we know to order it for next time. So far there's only been one recommendation that we didnt love, and that was live shrimp. It was really, REALLY live. Some of our favorites and go-to sushis will be Ono or Escolar. It's a white fish that is seared by a torche to burn off the excess fish oil, topped with a citrus paste. No soy sauce necessary. Some NEW favorites (thanks to the recommendation of Don) are Halibut Fin (Engawa) and Salmon & Blue Crab. The thinly sliced salmon is wrapped around buttery blue crab, topped with truffle oil (only item on entire menu w/ truffle oil.) I can't say enough about Irori... its just one of those places where you want to shout from the top of a mountain because everyone should know about it, but also want to keep to yourself its so good.
(5)Greg T.
One of the cool things about Irori is that they require you to take off your shoes. Why? Because the tables and sushi bar are sunken. Yep, that's right! Instead of a conventional chair, you'll sit on a small pillow and place your feet in a sunken area under the table. It's definitely a novelty here, but if you ever go to Japan, you may or may not find yourself doing the same at certain restaurants. If you're wearing sandals, you can opt to go barefoot or use some of the disposable "socks" available at the entrance. Whatever the case, you'll be asked to place your shoes in cubbies before being seated. Although the restaurant asks guests to put their shoes in the same row as other members of their party, there seemed to be a shortage of cubbies, so don't be afraid to put your flip flops in the same cubby as your dining companion! Irori's menu is extensive, consisting of many things you'd find at other Japanese restaurants. Most entrees, including the items listed in the sushi and sashimi section of the menu, come with soup, salad, and sunomono (pickled cucumber salad). Portions are decent, so don't be turned off by the price. But, as with other restaurants, some deals are better than others! Here's what I had the opportunity to try: VEGETABLE TEMPURA This was all right, but could easily have been better. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of included vegetables given the price: approximately 9 for $7.50. The coating was mostly crispy, but overall kind of bland. Some vegetables, like the asparagus, didn't seem conducive to deep-frying. Others, like the kabocha and the carrot, were tough because they were undercooked. The standouts were probably the green beans.While this satisfied my craving for deep-fried food, I probably wouldn't order this again. SEAFOOD SPRING ROLL This was SO much more satisfying than the tempura! The spring roll was fried to perfection with just the right amount of crispiness. Inside, the spring roll was packed with seafood, which made it unique and interesting. The two spring rolls were placed in a glass full of tomato-based salsa, which added a bit of freshness to the otherwise heavy-ish dish. My only complaint is that you only get 2 for $8. CHIRASHI The chirashi was solid, but nothing spectacular. I would estimate that there were approximately 16 pieces of fish/seafood, which is pretty good for $26.99. (This definitely seemed like a better deal than my friend's omakase, which cost $48) As one would hope, the fish had a smooth texture and tasted fresh. Several pieces, like the albacore, melted (or maybe just fell) apart in my mouth. Several types of fish probably would have benefited from a bit of lemon, as the tanginess would have heightened and differentiated the flavors. There was the perfect amount of roe - just a spoonful - to add saltiness to the slightly sweet rice. (No special accouterments for the rice; just plain ol' sushi rice.) While nothing stood out in particular to me, everything was pretty satisfying. Service was excellent. Our friendly waitress was kind of enough to substitute the ice cream that came with my friend's meal for extra fruit. And, earlier, she offered to hold the tempura until after we finished the rest of our food in case we weren't hungry enough to finish it all. Other staff members ensured that we always had enough water and tea. Parking is very easy here, as the restaurant is in a shopping center with ample parking. If you want to park closer, there's a weird circular parking area in front of the restaurant. While I wouldn't say that Irori serves the best sushi on the Westside, I think it does offer solid, fresh food. If you're eyeing the omakase, I'd probably recommend going to SugarFish instead, where you can get a similar amount of food for less(!) cost and better (read: more innovative) flavor. Nonetheless, I'm happy to have discovered this restaurant, and would definitely recommend this to others if you're in the area!
(4)Anne C.
Obsessed! After the nail salon we came here for lunchy : ) We had the Japanese Fried Chicken, Baked Salmon Roll and one other roll I can't remember the name but it was crunchy and sweet and savory and delicious! Service was friendly and removing your shoes eating on the little mats is fun :) haha.
(5)Juliet K.
The BLUEFIN BURRATA is amazing!!! Just tried it for the first time last night and was surprised by the flavor and texture of this dish. So good! The creaminess of the burrata w the balsamic vinegar and truffle oil and fresh wasabi with the delicious tuna... Everything was great about this dish! Will probably order this every time I go back....
(4)Alexandra B.
Loved the freshness of their rolls and their selection menu with the chefs recommendations. Just about anything on their menu is finger-licking good. It's in the corner of the shopping center behind Jerrys.
(5)Christina L.
I wish I could give this place a 3.7 rating. Close to 4 stars but just fell short. The hostess was nice/friendly, +1 star. The quality of fish cuts here are pretty good (I hesitate to say delicious or great) and the dining experience is a unique one, +2.7 stars. It's a more authentic experience when you get to take your shoes off and sit family style amongst your group, all while having a great conversation. I did enjoy my meal and experience, but I feel this place is a little too overpriced for the quality of fish you get, as well as the selection on the menu. Nothing I had was too spectacular or out of the ordinary.
(3)Kayleigh M.
This place was GREAT! It's very authentic, especially because you take off your shoes as you enter the restaurant (see picture) and you sit on pillows on the floor at tables that have this unique cut out underneath where your legs can dangle. It's very cool! They offer you little sheer socks in case you don't want to be barefoot. The food was great but be forewarned, the sushi (individual pieces of two - a la carte not the rolls) is stuck together with WASABI and I don't like Wasabi so that killed the taste of all my favorite fish for me. Next time I will kindly ask that they don't use Wasabi on my sushi, I understand why they do it, to keep it together, but I just don't like it at all and I was quite surprised to get a huge glob of it in my mouth when I took a big bite of my Flying Fish Egg Sushi, it was so strong! There was no warning either. The menu does not have pictures or descriptions of the rolls so you either have to have a strong knowledge of sushi rolls or ask what each one contains. My boyfriend and I ordered the following: Garlic Edamame ( I did not try it but I heard several other tables order it so it MUST be good), Miso Soup, Philadelphia Roll, Zen Roll, Fried Tempura Salmon with Cream Cheese Filling (SO GOOD), a variety of sashimi and sushi, and the sliced raw Yellowtail. The eel was very fresh here, many places have eel with a fishy taste and lots of bones. I found one bone in my eel but that's not bad at all and it was so sweet! Everything came out looking like a work of art, I wish I had taken more pictures but I was too busy enjoying my meal. I would recommend this restaurant to friends and family. It's a great place to bring friends that are in town visiting, for date night or just hanging out with friends.
(5)Hayley G.
I have to come back and re-review because I just really needed a snack before a movie I was going to as I waited for LA traffic to die down.. so I only got their creamy lobster (which was as much as a whole meal $20) It was really good but inconsistent. Some bites were incredible and some bites really weren't that great. SO I'm giving it a 3 for now with a promise to come back and try more things. They don't have a huge selection of specialty rolls (my fav) but the ones they do have look really yummy. I liked the atmosphere and how you have to take your shoes.
(3)Tamara M.
The first time we went here we loved it. Since then, sad to say we don't feel the same. We've been back 3 other times and really the crux of it all is while the sushi is tasty, the service is not great and the sushi is overpriced. Plain and simple. Oh and while this didn't impact my stars at all, its worth mentioning for others considering - there are kids everywhere in this place. taking your shoes off and sitting on the floor seems to be very popular with families.
(2)Lahaina A.
Yummm So happy to be so close to a great sushi place at work. I can't usually afford my beloved sugarfish, so irori turns out to be a perfect substitute. I have ordered the bento box with spicy tuna and salmon roll, this comes with miso, fruit salad, cucumber salad, and your two sides. I want to say it's under $12? Either way it's super affordable and they give you great options for an amazing price. Whenever I go, I always get the blue crab handroll. While the crab is excellent, I'm a huge fan of Tokyo style sushi (aka warm rice), which irori does not do standardly. Yet, they really stuff these handrolls to the brim! It's awesome! On par with sugarfish in terms of the crab quality, yet... Not with the rice. I recommend ordering it spicy, it's not actually spicy, but it's a lovely added flavor (I did not see it on the menu, I had to request it... Thank you yelp!) I also got the delicious, albeit pricey, $22 salmon blue crab "roll." There is no rice or seaweed in this roll, it's just blue crab and avocado wrapped with salmon sashimi. I ordered a side of rice to enjoy with this ($1.50). THIS WAS EXCELLENT! The salmon was melt in your mouth quality, and the crab was incredibly fresh (not fishy, just perfect). Irori is fantastic at giving generous servings. Last, but not least, I love this place because of the atmosphere. Sitting on the floor with your bare feet dangling below the table is a fun restaurant experience for anyone; it's particularly unexpected in Marina del Rey! I'll be back, needless to say.
(4)Andy K.
Amazing sushi today. As fresh as it could get. Yellowtail wasnt as fresh as im used to having it, but it was close enough. The place is well designed and the ambience was well thought out. Fresh.sweet shrimp is my recommendation.
(5)Laila A.
This place is a Hidden Gem !!! Nice ambiance Love the seating concept absolutely best sushi ever had great customer service
(5)Hai Yen N.
Super cute place tucked away in the center that you may miss it like we did. You take your shoes off at the front when you come in and the tables have openings underneath for you to put your legs in which I love. We had the sashimi assort which had 3 pieces of 4 different fish. The slices were very thick so you get a lot of fish compares to other places. We also had the salmon and blue crab roll. Easily one of the best rolls I've had. It's so simple with avocado and blue crab wrapped in salmon. I could've eaten a whole roll myself if we were sharing. The roll is quite large too. It seems the portion overall here is bigger than usual which is nice. Would definitely come back here again when I'm in the area.
(4)John K.
There is no air conditioning throughout the restaurant which seems odd for a sushi place. The service is so-so; we ordered sweet shrimp and were told at the end only after asking what happened to it that they didn't have any. Most importantly the sushi is discolored and not fresh.
(2)John W.
Irori was a surprising last minute choice in search of a Monday night stop and boy, it was a terrific surprise to find. The first distinctive part about Irori is coming in and taking off your shoes/sandals/what have you (they have hand sanitizer available) as the restaurant is shoe-less. You'll be sitting in either short chairs at the bar or in little alcoves through distinguished tables. The second distinctive part is that...well, it's the food! At first glance, it looks pretty standard with your normal sushi/sashimi options. Look closer and you'll begin to see a lot of cool little options. For instance, we tried one of my favorite dishes, the salmon stuffed blue crab. It was literally a salmon sashimi wrapped around a lot of blue crab with truffle oil. Heavenly. The other dishes were solid too including a special uni carpaccio (loved the presentation and the uni was tasty), a fried onion sashimi dish (wish there was more sashimi here), and the fresh roll with cucumbers (not too bad - no distinctive taste but a good-sized portion). Between these, a wine glass and tea, the total came out to about $100 so do be aware that this isn't super cheap. Alcohol/drinks are pretty standard here from wine to sake to beer (and tea). For desserts, they have various mochi and ice cream available as well. Didn't get to try this go-around. Parking is plentiful by the way as it's part of a strip mall. Staff is very attentive and coming in on a Monday at 7, there wasn't initially a wait but looks like a line grew by 8pmish. Irori is a really solid Japanese restaurant that may look kind of mediocre from where it's placed to the signage but the moment you step inside, Irori was a terrific Japanese sushi escape.
(4)stella G.
Went there after reading reviews on yelp. I have to say we weren't disappointed at all. Very excellent meal and the place was very charming! I did my research and chose dishes that were highly recommended. My favorites were ... the Garlic Scallop, very flavorful and succulent. A must is the Blue Crab Salmon in Ponzu Truffle Oil. Melts in your mouth, buttery rich in the best sense and the portion is a decent size. Miso glazed Chilean Sea Bass, very delicious! We also had 3 types of Nigiri, Halibut Fin, YellowTail Belly, and Blue Fin Toro. I would also recommend at the end Halibut Carpaccio. It was light, delicate and clean.
(5)Judy Z.
3.5 stars rounded down. Came here on Friday night around 7:30, waited 15 minutes for a table of two. The most unique thing about this place is that you must take off your shoes before entering the traditional Japanese seating area. So if you prefer not to walk around barefoot, I suggest wearing socks! We ordered the Ginza roll, the salmon blue crab roll, hoddaiko scallop and uni nigiri. The ginza roll was just OK, spicier than I expected. The salmon blue crab roll had no rice at all, it's just a generous piece of salmon wrapped around blue crab. This would have been my favorite dish if not for the over bearing truffle oil flavor.. The scallop and uni nigiri were my favorite, both were melt-in-my-mouth delicious. The location of the restaurant was a little hard to find if you have never been here before. It's tucked into a tiny corner of the giant plaza next to the CVS. There's plenty of parking!
(3)Megan H.
I can sit here and say, "this is one of the greatest sushi spots on the Westside" or "You will not find such great quality sushi anywhere on the Westside or the Southbay for such a price" or even "I need all their foods in my belly like a shark needs water running over it's gills". But really, you shouldn't take MY word for it. Go and find out for yourself. Do your pocketbook and yourself a delightful favor. Whenever someone comes into town that enjoys sushi, I bring them to Irori. I've spent my time in Little Tokyo, I've tasted what the Beach Cities has to offer, I've explored 'SannaMonica and Venice. And still, we go to Irori. Every single person I have taken here has gushed about the freshness of the sushi, the flavor combinations, the décor, and the dinning experience. Just so you know, it's a more traditional take on Japanese dining. Upon entering, you remove your shoes, and a hostess will escort you across the elevated wooden floor to a table where delicate pillows are placed to sit on. Instead of having to sit with your legs crossed, Irori has hallowed out a space underneath the table so that you may sit up (like sitting on a backless chair), if you so choose. As for the fish itself, "Wham, Bam, Thank you Ma'am." It's so fresh, so delicate, that I have on many occassions gobbled it up more quickly than I would care to admit. All save for the Uni (sea urchin) where upon first and second taste I have been know to close my eyes and sigh, upon delight. It is always the freshest, cleanest, most delicate, and smoothest Urchin I consistently find. Their Blue-Fin is always on point. As my brother exclaimed upon ordering their Bluefin Delight "It tastes better because it is endangered." But, personally, I think it's because Irori knows how to choose, buy, and cut their fish. The other side of the menu, the non-sushi side, is formidable. Many different options for people who tend not to enjoy the greater things in life. And by that, I mean raw fish. I know I can bring any sort of person here, and not only will they find something they love, but it will be a very enjoyable experience. The chicken teriyaki is fantastic. Their selection of tempura is impressive. They have Udon, Salads, various grilled meats and seafood. What is not to love?
(5)Foodie L.
Fun dining experience. Everyone is required to take off their shoes and sit in low level tables where your feet are sunk into the floor. The rainbow roll was really fresh as well as the yellowtail collar. Since we were there to celebrate a birthday, they gave us green tea ice cream which was yummy!
(4)Doris V.
I love the authenticity of this place. Their service most definetely needs improvement. It was my first time going and I had no idea I had to take off my shoes. The greeter just signal me to move forward without speaking a word. I had noticed people were taking off their shoes so I proceeded to copy them. I went during lunch and by myself so I asked to be sited on the bar. I should have asked for a table. I was ignore several times even the chef avoided to make eye contact. Eventually when the waiter took my drink order I only wanted to eat fast and be out of there. The waiter was really rude didn't even say hi, may I take your order, nothing just nodded. Upon receiving the bill I was even more disappointed with the price. The food was great and I was so happy to try real soy sauce and fresh ginger but the bad experience left such a bad taste I don't want to go back.
(3)Jin H.
it was a regular Tuesday night when I discovered one of the best things I have ever eaten: SALMON AND BLUE CRAB WITH TRUFFLE OIL AND PONZU wow...I won't spoil it by describing it to you. all I need to say is if you leave without ordering it, that's your fault =p don't let the $24 price tag deter you, after I had my first piece, my friend and I were debating ordering a second. this place is unlike any other sushi spot I've ever been to. first off, you sit "on the floor", which I wasn't looking forward to. but I didn't know was there's a space that drops down underneath the table which you can't see until you sit down, which was REALLY cool! also, you have to take off your shoes when you enter, and when you go to the restroom, they had men's and women's slippers in various sizes, which transported me back to the summer I spent in Asia. service was warm, hospitable, and on point. the staff had the right balance of attention without without being intrusive, which was essential for the tone of the restaurant - there was an older couple enjoying a night out, a younger couple on their first date, a group of friends celebrating a birthday, regulars coming by to pick up their take out orders, and in my case, a friend sharing her favorite sushi restaurant with me. now the food. the sushi was FREEESH. I'm talking room temperature, melt in your mouth. an addition to the salmon/blue crab concoction *DROOL*, we also got the ginzo roll, which had fresh, thick-cut albacore placed on top of the most tender spicy tuna I've ever had, garnished with freshly-sliced jalapeno and finished with ponzu sauce. the chicken karage was good, ask for a side of miso dressing for dipping! this place is the real deal. amazing food, warm staff, great ambiance. looking for reasons to be around Marina del Ray around dinner time =p
(5)David V.
The food and service was great. I'd recommend making reservations ahead of time, even for a party of one, by myself, the wait was 25 minutes. This restaurant is unique in that they really make you take off your shoes. The tables are lifted above the ground alittle and you slip your legs in the cut out on the floor. It's actually pretty comfortable, but I'm not sure about going to restroom barefoot... I started out with the Baked Salmon Roll and blue crab Handroll. Baked salmon roll was good, really rich, probably would have ordered less if I knew how heavy it was. Like a previous review, the BCH is good but flavor is mild and gets bland after awhile. I also ordered an Uni ( Sea Urchin) Handroll as well. Soo delicious. I heard it's an acquired taste. Hard to find Uni in Texas. My next course was the Tonkatsu and Kara-age combo. I didn't realize how big it was. It was good as well, next time I would order less though. The Kara-age was better than the Tonkatsu. Came with another pairing of Cucumber salad and bean sprout salads along with miso soup and a house salad. And also a side of fruit as. Was too full for desert. Overall everything was good and if I visit LA again will return. Seems like a good place to impress others:-)
(4)Francis S.
Good sushi, terrible service. It was hard to appreciate and enjoy the quality of fish when the wait staff just ignores you, forgets your order, and doesn't even remember to get you any water until they want to give you the bill. If the service was better, it would be higher cause fish was very good quality.
(2)Enrique G.
I like the concept of this hidden spot, simi traditional seating, authentic interior and great hostess. But what lowered my experience were the prices. Although I do love to splurge for quality food but there are limits. I would not spend the amount of money for okay sushi. But if you are fine with the price, the food itself was good. It was my first experience having Chirashi. It reminded me of a rice bowl topped with fresh meats. Even the setup of the dish was quite decorative. Plus they had some pretty original items that are rare to find anywhere in the city. I would love to adore this place, the ambiance of the place is great. But for a veteran sushi eater, most would not be impressed. Being Marina Del Rey, I'm sure the lack of sushi spots make this spot popular. There was a wait at the door as we left the restaurant. Point being the place was okay, not bad just fine for a nice Wednesday evening in this part of town.
(3)Nina N.
Ordered take out, paid almost $90. Waited over 15 minutes than they estimated. But no one checked in with me to update the status of my order. I felt ignored as all the waiters were busy chatting. The manager was cheerfully typing on her laptop. It was not busy, all the chefs and servers saw me. Most of the chefs even stood there. No apologies. I only write bad reviews when it's bad. There are many other great sushi places with better service.
(1)Tiffany C.
Randomly stumbled upon this place after a gym session with a girlfriend. And it was a pleasant surprise. We ordered an albacore chef special which was soooo fresh and sooooo freakin good!!!! We also had a salmon roll with avocado which was very delicious as well. But we've had better Ono. It's floor seating which is really cute! The staff and chefs are super attentive and friendly. It's not a secret that sushi, esp good sushi, isn't cheap. But a $60 bill for 2 rolls and 2 pieces of sushi? Kinda much, but all in all, it was a solid food and dining experience.
(4)Jonas G.
First of all, this place takes reservations and you should certainly consider to book a table as it gets pretty busy for dinner. Once you got in you'll have to take off your shoes as you sit on the floor. The table has a hole below it where you can put your feet in. I love that as it gives it an authentic feeling. Staff is also super friendly and seems to be mostly Japanese. They have not only sushi but obviously people go there to eat sushi and that's a great idea. Their sushi is fresh and portions are huge. To make it even more authentic I would prefer the slices of fish are not cut that thick, but that's really complaining on high level. Their rice is also just spot on. Really a great place with great atmosphere and great service. Worth a try or two!
(4)Bryan W.
Hmm... I'm writing a non-plussed review for Irori Japanese restaurant. The key difference between Irori and the many other sushi places in Los Angeles is that the tables are traditional Japanese height. This means they should be eaten at while kneeling. That is painful more us westerners so the restaurant kindly has built out seats into the floor so that you can sit western-chair style while faking that you are kneeling. That is unique and noteworthy. The sushi itself was fine. Given there are so many places with amazing Sushi in Los Angeles, I can not say that the sushi stands out. I also ordered omekase without looking at the menu. Therefore I didn't realize that rather than carefully selected bites choreographed by the sushi chef based on his whims, the "omekase" at Irori is basically an assorted Sushi platter. A sampler good for a mid-western guest trying sushi for the first time, but not the artful set of creations I had envisioned.
(3)Bobbie W.
Go there for lunch, get a bento box and thank me later. A two item combo is 12 bucks and a three item combo is 14 bucks and the amount of food they give you is ridic! I usually get the three item which feeds me for lunch and dinner. I've tried the california roll, chicken karaage, chicken teriyaki and salmon teriyaki which were all really good and fresh. Upgrading to a premium item for sushi or sashimi is only 3 bucks more and they give you pretty good cuts of fish. The nigiri sushi entree is filling as well and they gave me nice big cuts of sushi and light rice which was awesome. They were filling me up on fish instead of rice. Their uni sashimi was super fresh and they give you a generous amount. It's a little pricey but definitely worth it. We also tried the salmon blue crab truffle roll and none of us were fans. We all thought the truffle and blue crab were too overpowering which made it a little odd. They also have fresh wasabi! You have to take your shoes off so be warned in case you're not into that type of thing.
(4)Ryan C.
Spectacular. The chirashi is enough for two portions, but it was so good and gustatorily engrossing that I felt like I had opened up a reverse Pandora's box of all the good in the world of sushi-based foods. The service is so endearingly good that I felt terrible for the waiters that had to stoop to refill our drinks on the zashiki style tables, and the decor was so pleasant that even against my usual boorishness, I had to stop and admire it. I haven't been back in a month in some perverse fear that my next time will somehow diminish how amazing of an experience I've had here. Just a minor anecdote - I got into a friendly argument with friends about the identity of one of the pickles in the chirashi box - the crunchy, neon orange cylinder that I knew well as pickled gobo was sadly misnamed by everyone I was egged on to ask (3 waiters and even one of the sushi chefs) as "American carrot."
(5)Kiaz M.
I will start off by saying that the decor was exquisite and the traditional no shoes and sifted floor tables was amazing. The food was delicious and the sushi was fresh. But I did have an issue with a couple of things. The cuts are rather small. But nothing that can ruin the experience more than chewy sushi. I ordered toro and I'm a fanatic of sushi. I've eaten sushi all over the world and this is the first time I've eaten chewy toro which was also very firm and not as soft and gently as it should be. It was so chewy that I had to asked for a napkin to spit it out. For this reason I gave the rating I did. Plus it also played into my decision that the sushi chefs knew very well that I did not enjoy it but they said nothing. In addition, I was given a tofu broth that I never ordered so I thought it was part of the experience and then I ended up getting charged for it. Overall as I said. Decent place.
(3)Eric F.
Such a fantastic recommendation from my girlfriend and her family, Irori truly delivered on all fronts. In addition to the traditional nigiri, the Japanese sushi chefs here offered more modern twists such as an array of bluefin tuna topped with burrata and a citrusy vinaigrette that jived wonderfully with the fish and cheese. Across all of our nigiri picks, the peppered albacore stole the show with its delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. However, that's not to say that the golden eye snapper, amber jack and yellowtail were anything but derricious. The freshness was so evident in each piece and I truly appreciated the exceptional preparation of the sushi rice. For those interested in hand rolls, the blue crab is the most well known here and definitely the one to get. And for die hards, a sushi omakase is available for just under $50. Do also note that all the tables are set low and everyone must take off their shoes at the front for a more traditional dining experience. For reference to the Bay Area, Irori certainly outdoes most every establishment I've tried at its price point with only the likes of places like Morimoto Napa being able to stack up. Perhaps it's time to delve even deeper into Japanese establishments up here?
(5)Kimberly M.
I came here for a birthday dinner with a good friend of mine. I was surprised to find that seating was on the floor and shoes were not allowed. It made for a very memorable evening. I ordered the black cod and she ordered sushi. We both loved our meals. The servers surprised me with a birthday song and an adorable scoop of green tea ice cream (with a smiley face on it). Afterwards one of the wait staff pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a photo for us. It was so awesome. I love this place and I can't wait to come back one day!
(5)Lisa G.
What a cute place to eat. You will have to take off your shoes when you eat here so if you are a germaphobe like me, make sure to wear socks. You can sit at the bar or at a table - both of which offer sunken seating so you'll be sitting on the floor with a short table. The floor is cut out under the table so you can put your feet there - you won't have to cross your legs. We had sushi, which was super fresh and very tasty. Rolls range from about $10-20. One of the best places to get quality sushi. We also tried the udon - flavored nicely. My husband had the teriyaki chicken and sesame chicken for about $23 for the combo. It also came with miso soup. It was fresh, not oily, and generally better than other places with similar items. Service is great and the food comes out fast.
(4)Helen A.
Salmon sushi is to die for. I'm incredibly picky with sushi and this place faired well. Fresh sushi, reasonably priced and easy to get to. The baked lobster/shrimp roll was perfect for my non-sushi eating friend. Yes you have to take your shoes off, but they also have socks for you if needed. We ate tons of sushi, drank sake and even had the tempura vanilla ice cream. All that was about $60 each which is a steal for the fresh sushi consumed. Will definitely be back! The only issue we had was our obnoxiously drunk table neighbors. Too much sake and no home-training makes for a bad time for everyone around you.
(4)Babie F.
The place is really nice. I loved the seating. I would definitely like to come here with my hubz I know he'll like it. The sushi is really fresh and food. However when we first walked in there was a smell, so not sure if it was the shoes( since we have to take off are shoes ) or the fish . But overall the place is worth going to.
(4)OC Foodie O.
Nice sushi bar on the Westside with a real Japanese ambiance. Although Korean owned. Need to take your shoes off so not a day to wear your old socks. Since it has all the weird rolls I took away one star because of their need to be in with all the other sushi restaurants. The quality of fish is their trademark and I was impressed with fish from the Tsukiji fish market in Japan. The toro was incredible. Need to have the Japanese sushi chef, closest to the door serve you. My guess is that over half the customers at this restaurant do not realize the quality of the fish at a fair price.
(3)Derek K.
Irori has been a mainstay within the repertoire of my (Japanese) company's post-work eat-'n-drink-fests over the last few years ever since we opened up an office out here in LA. Despite there being a slight yet marked drop in quality since they changed ownership (I believe they are now Korean-run), Irori still serves some darn good sushi, and I must admit, has still managed to effectively retain its Japanese authenticity, right down to the mandatory no shoes policy and the izakaya-style floor seating. Now I may be slightly biased, because whenever I come, I invariably find myself completely surrounded with food (compliments a la company), and thus have never had to flip the tab. But even if I actually had to pay for these meals myself, I believe I still would, albeit not quite as often. My only real issue with them is that they are just a tad overpriced. Still, I'd say it's not by much, and the prices are backed up by some pretty slammin' good food. And let me say now, I don't drink, so this review is based only on the food. You'll find many izakaya regulars here: edamame, yakitori, gyoza, and the likes. Of particular note is their agedashi tofu. If you only get one appetizer, get it, they definitely do this dish right. They have a long list of nigiri sushi varieties (a sign of good sushi), each priced as 2 per order. The sushi is FRESH and the cuts exquisite, the salmon perfectly marbled. The pieces are thick, and the fish cut long enough so as to effortlessly fall over on both sides of the rice: getting a full piece in your mouth with one shot is no easy task. They have a small but existent selection of American-style sushi rolls (though why one would order one is beyond me). As for sashimi, the Toro Trio is awesome, though it will set you back quite a bit. It comes with 3 types of tuna sashimi cuts: Akami (the lean part, bold red), Chutoro (medium fatty tuna; picture the akami mixed with butter), and Otoro (the fatty part of the tuna; picture a cube of pure, tuna-flavored butter). I would not particularly recommend the desserts, as they're all pretty much ice-cream knock-offs. It'd be great if they actually served some traditional Japanese desserts, but there are none to be found here. No biggie though, as I find myself eating that much more sushi instead. Speaking of sushi, of particular note are the shima-aji, the toro hamachi (fatty yellowtail), and the raw smoked salmon, three great selections I recommend that you may not find at other sushi restaurants. The staff is effective, and they constantly have a few people manning the tables for green tea refills (a must for me when eating Japanese). All of the above combines to give you a great, near-perfectly authentic Japanese experience. Sit down with a bunch of friends, order yourselves some sake, and enjoy the night.
(4)Paula E.
Ryan was amazing and the sushi was even better. We got here early for our anniversary and we enjoy a great atmosphere. We got many patrons involved in having a good time. The staff was great. Yell TUNA when you come in and be prepared!!! Hana will bring you your desert ENJOY!!!! We will be back!
(5)Roland N.
I had the single greatest roll of my entire life. Yeah sure the whole taking off your shoes thing and sitting on the floor thing is cool. The food was pretty decent but who cares, let me talk about this roll. It was REAL blue crab creamy filling. Not some imitation crab cheap fish. REAL blue crab. In addition to this creamy filling were slices of avocado. Instead of rice and seaweed as the outer covering. The damn thing was wrapped on fresh fatty ass salmon sashimi. And on top of this whole craziness was truffle fucking oil. What the hell. What the hell. I can't write anymore. I'm done. Just look at the attached photo. Love you.
(5)Niloo D.
3 star sushi , i don't like that you have to take your shoes off, i find it a bit disturbing (you are guaranteed to see some gnarly feet in there which is definitely an appetite -stopper) sushi is quite pricey for its quality
(3)Rachael B.
Omg omg omg best sushi of my life!!!! Wow the salmon blue crab roll with no rice and truffle oil is literally the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. I can't express my new found love for this place. Rock n roll was good too. I can't wait to come back and try more! Also it's so unique and traditional that you have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor. Such a cute spot! Fave sushi in LA right now
(5)Brooke H.
Great traditional sushi and a very cool environment that has floor seats. However they have gotten several orders wrong including takeout and in house dinning. They forgot half of our order when we picked it up and took an extra 30 minutes to deliver it, and they also put crab meat in the food after we specifically asked for them not to due to allergies.
(1)Sarah W.
After reading reviews of sushi places nearby, we decided on Irori for lunch. We were expecting the tables as described, I found it really not that bad - it wasn't uncomfortable, and it was a unique experience. We tried salmon sashimi, and as per the recommendations of the reviews on Yelp, the blue crab rolls - omg. So undescribably delicious, the balance of truffle oil with a mound of crab wrapped in salmon is just to die-for. The more I had, the more I wanted. Our service was good, and it was fairly busy at lunch.
(5)CJ J.
Very disappointing. Came here after friend suggested it and found sushi not to be fresh. We had a reservation and were seated right away. It's the type of place where you take your shoes off at the door and sit on the floor with your legs in a cove under the table. The issue with the place was that the fish wasn't fresh. We left most of the sushi on the plate because it didn't taste good. Some of it didn't even have the skin fully sliced off. I wouldn't return.
(2)Sandee T.
Roarin' for Irori sushi~ Fresh, inexpensive, and cute ambiance to-boot! * DRK - Hot tea (most likely Genmaicha) * GET - Spicy yellowtail roll = fresh & spicy~ * AOK - Salmon (cooked) avocado roll = good but not as enjoyable as raw rolls, noted * GET - Dinner entrees = - Each comes with miso soup, sunomono, salad, and rice - Black Cod Saikoyaki = oh-so-delectable miso-glazed cod - Chicken Teriyaki = S.O. enjoyed his dish & got fresh salmon sashimi as a side * AOK - Black sesame ice cream = not as "sesame-y" as I'm used to but still enjoyable * YES - Take yer shoes off! Here, one sits traditionally on the floor w/ cushions and cut-out pits under the table for your legs (as in namesake of restaurant). * YES - Friendly & attentive service * YES - Quaint atmosphere: perfect for dates, families or friends. Mellow, not loud. * YES - Sushi bar dining available as well * WOA: (words of advice) - Slightly hidden in back corner of strip mall (it's next to Pavilions) - Free shopping center parking - Reservations not needed, though S.O. made one beforehand (excellent Yelp choice of his again)
(4)Hey J.
I love the atmosphere! Take off your shoes before you enter. Sit on the floor in an authentic Japanese room. The sushi was fresh so I'd recommend anything sashimi. The Irori roll was good, but not wrapped well. It fell apart before I get it to my mouth. The salmon skin roll was too salty and again also fell apart. The spicy tuna on crispy rice wasn't the best and the sweet and sour sauce really killed it for me. Overall the sushi is good, just not worth the price.
(3)Ran C.
Yum! Favorite sushi around. The leaving your shoes thing at the door threw me off, but whatever, it was delish. The Peppered Albacore was like...the best evarrr.
(5)Nahid D.
What a cute little find!! A hidden gem in the middle of a generic strip mall! Plenty of parking in the mall lot and you walk into a little roundabout to find the restaurant tucked away and private. Love how you feel transported as soon as you walk in! Peaceful lunch spot on a Sunday and I can only imagine that it would be great for a date! You are greeted warmly and asked to remove your shoes. Good to know if you are here trying to impress someone! Don't wear the socks with holes in them and make sure your feets aren't stinky!! :P The food was delicious! I ordered everything for our table cause the person I was with was incompetent. LOL! The Miso eggplant was interesting and had a nice strong flavor to it. I would get it again. I think the Irori roll was my favorite and the Chicken Karaage was really good too! We got the Chef's roll and some edamame also. Everything was fabulous! The service was impeccable! Such sweet, kind and knowledgeable servers working to make sure the meal was fantastic - which it was! I loved that there were families there with their kids. It does seem like a good place to bring the kids for a good Japanese dining experience. But dinner is definitely a date night kind of thing! They have small two person tables and also larger 4 person tables. You sit on the floor and there is a cut out for your legs so that you are comfortable and not sitting cross legged for your whole meal. Plus, if you are with someone you like, playing footsies is more private. ;) This is such a lovely place!! Can't wait to go back with other people!
(5)Sherrill K.
Great food, beautiful presentation and authentic atmosphere. Always a pleasure to eat here.
(5)Lisa W.
Irori is still hands down a great place for sushi, in this area. You just have to know that service won't be good. Takeout is the best option. Its like a bad boyfriend that you can't break up with!
(3)Sehwa S.
Very comfortable and unique interior. The miso soup was really tasty. You get your money's s worth. The combo meat at lunch is highly recommended. I got the chicken karage, California roll, and spicy tuna roll and they completely feel me up. Also, the hot night roll was pretty good.
(5)Kaylee L.
Very neat place! You take off your shoes when entering and sit on the ground! There are cut outs in the ground for your legs/feet so it is not uncomforable in any way. We came here with our 11 month old son, not knowing the seating was 'different'. The service was slow and Jace (sonny boy lol) wanted to crawl around since everyone was on the floor. We had to take our remaining rolls to-go. They were nice about that but when we were on the way home I wanted to eat and they left out one of the rolls. Sigh. When I got home I called them for a refund and they apologized and were so great about it, they quickly refunded the charge for the roll. Any way, the food is great, very fresh. Moderately priced and definitely better for adults or older kids, no babies! We will come back with more people, have some drinks and fun!
(4)Sonia U.
I came here for the first time and was blown away. Melt in your mouth sushi. I'm a big fan of raw fish dishes, so I've tried a lot of places over the years. I've lived in New York, San Francisco, and now LA. I've had what I THOUGHT was great sushi. No. THIS is great sushi. Sashimi carpaccio was mind blowing and the amberjack was the best I'd ever tasted. Take your shoes off and enjoy. It's worth if.
(5)B B.
We found this place in yelp to grab some sushi in our wedding night and it was amazing! It is tucked away but such a great japanese experience once you're inside, barefoot and sitting in the floor. The fish was so fresh! We had lots of different rolls and they were all large and made with quality ingredients. We also has the salmon teriyaki and it was a tasty generous portion. The service was great as well! This is definitely our new we need to eat as we go in and out of lax spot when we visit la!
(5)Anastasia K.
Best sushi I ever had!!! Their rolls were 90% raw fish and 10% of rice, seaweed, and veggies. Sadly where I'm from, I'm used to the other way around. The fish was top quality; I never tasted anything fresher. It's a true Japanese restaurant where you take off your shoes and sit on the floor to eat. I loved every minute of it. Their hot sake matched perfectly with my meal. Next time I'm in the area, I'll definitely be back to Irori!
(5)Paul C.
Amazing sushi experience...!!! I have been eating sushi since 1979, and consider myself a sushi-addict. I crave it frequently. I had not been to IRORI for over a year simply because there is another sushi a block from my house, and going to IRORI requires me to drive. Yesterday changed all that for me. I was totally blown away at how much better their sushi was compared to what I remembered. It was STELLAR.... super fresh, and some unique items. They make their own, low sodium, soy sauce, which is amazing, and they even had pickled "authentic" wasabi root. Not the imitation stuff most sushi bars use. This was the real deal, NOT made from powder. It was wonderful. Much of their fish comes in direct from Japan, as well. We did "Oma Kasi" or "chef's choice" and Chef Ryan did not disappoint. He served us a few items I had never tried before, and after 35+ years of eating sushi, that hardly ever happens to me. Can't wait to go back..... one of the best sushi experiences I've had in years. Thank you Chef Ryan.
(5)Alexis B.
I'm ruined for any other sushi restaurant in Southern California. No one has half the quality of fresh fish that I've tried here. The staff is friendly and the sushi bar chefs are the best!! They're always so happy to make food and explain what something is for you. If you go just a few times, they'll start to recognize you and greet you with an extra smile. Their nigiri is the freshest I've ever had and they have a constantly changing specials menu that leaves nothing wanting. This is one of the few places I know that has uni (sea urchin) shooters and they're quality to boot. Fresh fish everyday or they won't serve it, which means there may be days when they don't have exactly what you want, but it's only because they refuse to serve you anything but the best! I highly recommend this place to anyone even remotely interested in fish or sushi. I am on my way to becoming a regular myself!
(5)Sonal P.
When you walk inside this restaurant, you feel like you just got transported thousands of miles away to Japan. Before being seated at your table, you take your shoes off and place it in the cubby holes near the front. You are seated on the "floor" with a cut out at the bottom for your feet. I've come here for lunch with a group of coworkers and I've got to say the food is really good! I love their hot tea they serve and the lunch specials are great - without breaking your wallet for some good food! Great place to come for lunch if you're in the area!
(4)Ashley Fumiko D.
I am from San Francisco and very particular about my sushi... but this place does a wonderful job! The food is great, the service fast and courteous, and I especially appreciate the Japanese greeting upon entry from the Sushi chefs.
(4)Joshua B.
3.5 stars Service was really painfully slow but the food was good. They got swamped as soon as they opened. I had the teriyaki chicken combo, it was good with all white meat.. This place is floor seating only, you are on cushions and feet dangle. You are required to take your shoes off at the door, which is common in Japan and Korea. The sushi chefs are all speaking Korean.
(3)Sherlyn S.
I've eaten a lot of sushi in LA and this is one of my favorite places! It's located in a strip mall and from the outside, you would never know that the interior has a very traditional Japanese flare to it. No shoes inside, guests look like they're kneeling at the tables but the tables are actually in holes in the wood floors -- don't worry if you're tall and don't like to kneel, you can come here and get the zashiki dining experience. The service is fantastic! They are very attentive and check in on you regularly to see if you need anything. Also a major plus that the food comes out pretty fast. They have a wide selection of cold sake but just one type of hot sake -- the cold sake that I had was really smooth and went well with everything we ordered. The fish is really fresh -- melt in your mouth, orgasmic and you can taste the subtle flavors of all the different fish. Even the appetizer oysters were not fishy to me. Black Cod with Miso: BEST that I've ever had, the fish was perfectly flakey with a buttery texture, not too salty, the miso was not overpowering -- even the skin was great. Omakase -- Great choice to try a variety of nigiri. It comes with 2 appetizers as well. I can't remember all the different fishes that came on the dish but there wasn't one that I didn't like. My boyfriend and I split this and we were able to order a 1/2 order of whatever we wanted so we could both have a taste. The Omakase also included Uni -- if you're scared to try this spiny sea creature, try it at Irori; it does not taste like the ocean I promise. I'm typically not a fan of Uni but I would eat it here. Lobster Roll -- it's good but I would skip this next time. Their fresh fish is just so amazing, I would rather spend the money and more importantly save my stomach space for the traditional stuff. Escolar -- aka white tuna. If you haven't had this type of Tuna before, you're missing out! It's texture silky and has a really complex flavor. You might say "party in my mouth" Don't let the location and strip mall fool you, Irori sushi is just as great if not better than sugarfish or sushi gen. Arigato to the chefs!
(5)Mario H.
Since my first visit in the mid 90's, this is one of my all-time faves. The freshest seafood and best-looking dishes you have ever seen. Great vibe, excellent service, great food! Bring your flip-flops, put them in the cubby, and barefoot it over to your floor level table. Any time I'm in MDR I've gotta eat at Irori
(5)Marta E.
Oh Irori...You are so good to me... not my wallet maybe, but to my soul and my tummy you are just magnificent! I am a super picky japanese food lover.. not picky as in I won't eat crappy sushi (I totally will), but I know whats good and whats bad and not growing up in an American household I have different tastebuds and love all the weird ooeygooey and umami treasures japanese cuisine has to offer. This place has been my super go to since I moved to Venice for the following reasons (please keep in mind that I mostly had delivery): -The red miso soup with nameko mushrooms *melting so hard* so delicious! -The omakese dinner special that comes with two apps, a bunch of sushi, soup and some fruit & salad. I am in love with the tuna chunks in nagaimo & quail egg app and the monkfish liver app. The sushi pieces are also great, especially when they have little special toppings and such :).
(5)Bingjie Q.
Had a late night meal with my bf here! The decor was adorable! I love the floor seating! There's a nice little cubby to rest your feet under the table so you don't have to sit indian style. The food is delish! I ordered the sushi Omakase that included tuna, monkfish liver, and traditional sushi selection! Super fresh and plenty of fish! We also had the seafood skewers! Pretty yummy and very pleasing to the eye!
(5)Jen H.
Wow!! This place is amazing! Bottom line: ORDER the ***Salmon blue crab avocado truffle ponzu*** !!!!!! Might have to say, but this particular dish was better than some of the sushi I had in Japan! No wonder why we had to wait for 20 minutes to be seated at 9pm on a Monday night for a party of 7 ppl. Note: Shoes must be removed before entering the restaurant, so don't wear your louboutin shoes ;) We went a little wild and ordered a bunch of things to share: 1) Ginja roll: 3.5/5 good, but nothing special 2) Miso black cod: 5/5 wow, amazing! highly recommend this dish! 3) Salmon blue crab avocado truffle ponzu: 5++/5 OMG this was my favorite dish of the night. It was so good, we ordered 2 more orders! Yum, salmon, crab. avocado and truffle are a great combo!!!!! 4) Miso soup/Salad: 2/5 could be better; nothing special 5) Crispy rice with spicy tuna; 3/5 decent, but not great 6) Sashimi jalepeno:3/5 again, decent, but not great 7) Oyster shooter: 2/5 ouch, way way too salty =( 8) Mochi ice cream: 3/5 eh, i would skip next time; the strawberry sauce was overpowering--can def do w/o 9) Green Tea and Sesame Ice cream: 3/5 eh, not that great either
(5)Miray C.
This is one of my fav sushi restaurants!! The sushi here is sooo fresh it literally melts in your mouth!! I will keep it short n sweet!! This will sum up ur experience: You take your shoes off- You sit on the floor (traditional style) And enjoy ur meal! I'm very picky when it comes to sushi as some places don't taste so well! The dessert might need some work but I'm more for my meal!! It's beyond amazing and it's a cool date place!!! Best sushi in town! I could go every night!!
(5)Angela S.
Been here a couple times with the boyfriend and finally got around to reviewing it. The food is decent. Service is HORRIBLE. Not just this time, but every time we've been there we've had problems with their service. They usually don't check up on customers after bringing out their food. The only time they refill water is when you ask them. You have to flag thrm down for your check because they're never paying attention to you. The food is decent, but definitely overpriced. Most place give 5 pieces of green mussels per order. They only give you 2 here. The rolls also come with less pieces.
(2)Andishé F.
:) I am so happy I found this place. I get a feel like I'm in Japan in LA! Staff is nice You take your shoes off n get a feeling like you're at home. Very family friendly and the food is great :) When there is a birthday (like right now as I'm writing this) all staff sings Happy bday song to you and they turn the lights down a little so all the restaurant guests feel like they're involved! I'll be back :)
(5)Kevin S.
This place is awesome. Barefoot sit down on the "floor" (their is a place to put hang your feet down but it looks like you are sitting on the floor) and the decor is very traditional. The wait staff was really friendly and attentive to our needs despite how busy it was. The food was great. It isn't the normal amount you usually get at some sushi places for the price but it isn't super small either. 3 sushi rolls, garlic edamame, and one clam miso and one regular miso with a green tea came out to about $40. Not too bad for the price compared to Kanpai sushi which is double the price. That place is over priced and pretty much the same quality as Irori if not worse. The sushi here at Irori was delicious and fresh. Quick service as well. It was only about 5-10 minutes for use to get everything even with a full restaurant. Irori is probably the best sushi house in the area and is now my go to place. Do not waste your time or money at Kanpai when you can get the a better experience, better quality, and all around enjoyable sushi here at Irori!
(5)Merry H.
I have eaten here twice. Once a few years ago, and most recently on 5/7/15. I had the two item combination plate (tempura and shrimp shumai) and it was ok. (Basically, I find that the majority of the Bento boxes at the countless Japanese restaurants I have ate at taste the same. No variation on taste. I also had the red snapper sushi and negri toro roll. Both tasted average to me, and not as fresh as Sushi Gen (Downtown LA) or Hiko (West LA). I do have to hand it to them for having the biggest variety of sushi, sashimi, etc., than ANY Japanese restaurant I have been to. Also, the wait staff were very pleasant!
(3)CJ K.
I don't understand how this place got so many Yelp reviews. The fish is NOWHERE near fresh. Neither is the uni. I've hard better canned uni than what this place serves. Both the uni shooter and uni filet mignon tasted old and briney (in the way that uni should NEVER taste). Also, steak and uni do NOT make for a complimentary pairing. I wish I could get a refund for this horrible experience. The uni left a slimy putrid aftertaste in my mouth. My husband and I went for dinner tonight. The service was TERRIBLE. The waitresses didn't know that I am Korean and speak the language fluently. Not only do they try to speak Japanese to pass, but they also talk shit about their customers in Korean (which is NOT ok). Our bill came out to be over $200 dollars and not once did a waitress ask how our meal was. But on the way out, the waitresses did make sure to discomfort us by shouting in front of customers that our 15% tip was unacceptable (I would have happily tipped ofer 40% had the food OR service been alright, yet NOBODY came to check in on us). I ordered several sashimi pieces and nigiri ale cart and it was frozen and freezer burnt tasting fish. How did this place get such high ratings? Are all of the reviewers sushi newbies? Between the terrible service and unpalatable fish, I'd say save your money and go elsewhere. I wouldn't complain about spending $200 dollars on sushi if it was quality fish. To pay such high prices for mediocre (old) fish was terrible. Go elsewhere unless you want to be disappointed.
(1)Tom C.
The sushi here is great, but the prices are pretty high. I really love the interior design as it really reminded me of Japan sitting on tatami mats and taking off our shoes. I love the Ginza roll with jalapeños on it, but it was $18. I'm used to getting this type of roll for 8-12 at other places. However, I would go back for the atmosphere.
(4)Indu R.
TL;DR - food poisoning I had such a lovely time here. The food tasted great. The servers were a little pushy in terms of getting us to pay our check and wanting us to leave. It wasn't crowded, there were lots of open tables. We were on a girls night and just wanted to hang around and chat some more. They even cleared our tea cups. But it gets better. I got food poisoned. It would be one thing if it was just me, but I have a friend who went to Irori a few weeks before me and ALSO got FOOD POISONING. It's hellish. It's awful. It's not worth it. Campylobacter is the most common food borne illness in the United States. It occurs in children and adults usually between 5-28 years of age and the elderly. It involves bad / poorly cared for raw meats. It incubates for 2-8 days (meaning you don't get it until 2-8 days), then it's 2-10 days of hell (diarrhea, fever, body aches, hot cold flashes, SEVERE stomach cramps). Irori is responsible. If you're up for taking the risk, as long as you're over 30 and not elderly, go for it. It was pretty good food. But nothing is worth this food poisoning. Nothing. I'm on day 3, it's still hell. Up your quality Irori.
(1)brad c.
Ordered lunch. Brought dinner portions when we specifically ordered lunch and charged dinner price. NOT authentic. Staff pretend to be Japanese, but they are all Koreans in there and if you speak to them in Korean they get all pissed. SOUR service. Maybe because I said thank you in Korean. :-) Charged extra for hot tea and white rice. Since when does that happen in a high end J restaurant? Oh yeah, I forgot the diarrhea. 3 lunches, and we only have two bathrooms. Not the first time we've had this problem. Obviously not a good choice for date night. Sorry I can't give less than one star. Never again.
(1)Chris And Mary R.
We love this place. The price is high and it can be a long wait but the food makes up for it all. The sushi is incredible. I would love to try some of the specialties but they can be so expensive and i wouldnt get full on one. Not all the sushi is expensive and havent tried any bad sushi here. My wife usually gets the teriyaki chicken and i have to admit its very tasty and cooked well. We love this place when we have the money to eat till we drop.
(5)Tahara L.
super delicious, great service! I stopped in here on a trip through LA. Quick travelers tips first: no shoes Japanese restaurant, located in a pocket of the strip mall, and gets busy after 8! even on a weekday! spicy tuna and fresh water eel were both perfect and delicious!
(5)Mia H.
I've been here three times now and the food is consistently excellent, I only wish I could say the same about the service. Lets go over why I consider this my new go-to sushi place first. The fish is simply delicious... buttery salmon, excellent yellowtale, best bleu crab hand roll and langoustine in the Marina. The Caucasian-style menu items that are peppered throughout the menu are delicious (try the burrata salad with fresh seasonal fruit) and unique with sushi. The seating dynamic along with taking off your shoes adds some fun ambience and makes this place stand out among other sushi restaurants in the hood. Now, onto the service. The hosts are very friendly. The first two servers were nice, the second being the best. Let me preface, before I continue that my sister and I have to eat gluten free- this is not by choice or to follow the latest trends. When we told our (second time) server (and I wish I remembered his name) he carefully and patiently went through our selections and adjusted them accordingly by having the chefs put glutinous sauces on the side and changing a few appetizers that we had ordered to other things equally delicious. Fast forward to last weekend. Met the same friendly hosts, sat down and the beginning of a slightly not so great server experience began. First, we grabbed extra cushions from another table to sit on (for those who haven't been here you sit on the floor). When our server Sarah came over we told her this, as to not be too presumptuous and she paused with slight irritation and replied "it's ok I'll just have to get more" ok, gee thanks for letting us know that, was that supposed to shame us? make us feel bad? Too much sharing, a simple "no problem" would have done. Then after we fill out our sushi menu she comes back and I tell her we have to eat gluten free to which she says with more irritation "well, WHAT do you mean?" and not in a good way. It went on from there with defensiveness, blaming us for her lack of communication to the chefs, etc. it's too bad one person -lets give her the benefit of the doubt- having a bad night can make or break your dining experience. Since it's been made 2/3 times, I will be back and hope I get a more polite server or that Ms Sarah is in a better mood.
(4)Brian W.
No idea how this place has four stars, frankly. The atmosphere is nice and family friendly, however, so maybe that's why people like it. Sushi quality is mediocre at best, although very very expensive for the quality. If you are just DYING for sushi, I would suggest driving another mile or two to somewhere else before succumbing to your craving at this place.
(1)Cheyenne Y.
The atmosphere was beautiful but the food was just average. The service left a lot to be desired. The staff was unorganized and slow. However, I really want to believe in this place so I will be back to try it again. I'm hoping it was just an off day and things will be better next time.
(3)Jana-Maria S.
Their sushi is great. I love the ikura here! You really can't go wrong with the food at this place. And I love that they offer natto! Not too many japanese places do that these days, which is unfortunate. I took off one star because their customer service/waitresses are a hit or miss. Sometimes they're super friendly, sometimes they just have a bad day and make you feel it. But it's alright. I come for the food not for the waiters :) Always love coming back!
(4)Ms J.
I took my SO here for his birthday celebration. We loved it. The food was great! I love sushi and they were able to accommodate me not being able to eat fish. I was able to order a Zen roll with vegetables instead of fish. It was wonderful... We definitely plan on going back!
(5)Mario O.
This review is mostly based on service which is apparently slipping. So if you want to pay a good chunk of money for marginal service come here. The food is great but they lack in the basic service department. I brought a couple friends from out of town here that can really appreciate good food. And we're always cherry picking places around LA that are worth getting on our rotation of places we regular. I thought I had a real winner. Our water got there after 4 tries. I think they teach this the first day of training. Second, they served a dish that is the chefs special creation. 2 completely surprise appetizers (found out later: fish liver/ tuna in mystery white gooey sauce and quail egg) I want to have a brief explanation of what it is I'm about to eat BEFORE hand. It left me questioning what it is I was eating and I didn't enjoy it trying to figure out the tastes. Lastly and most importantly, I didn't appreciate being rushed. We had reservations and there were not many people at the restaurant. Our meal was about 1 1/2 hours, which I think is normal. We were asked to please make room as the restaurant was getting busier. We would have been going no more than 10 minutes later. We dropped $450 on our meal to get rushed out of there. "Hey! Thank you see you next time!" Yea right! I'll be looking for this restaurants replacement. I only gave it 2 stars because the sushi chefs work hard and the bus boy was really polite.
(2)Eric X.
[ August, 2014 ] Great sushi and fantastic special rolls. The service is also wonderful.
(4)Titleist B.
I love the ambience, the food and staff. The sushi is so yummy and fresh. The downside is "expensive".
(5)Ariel S.
Fantastic fish quality and nice atmosphere for a random spot in a MdR strip mall. I loved the shoes-off policy. Great service, and overall good value. Sushi chefs were quite friendly at the bar. Will definitely be coming back!
(5)Erica B.
This is one of the best sushi spots in the area. PERFECT for a date spot! Cute ambiance. You take off your shoes at the front so it's really relaxed and comfortable. The sushi is really high quality and good as well. The only complaint is that it was a bit pricey.
(4)Tiffany R.
Irori Sushi deserves 5 stars hands down. It's a quaint little restaurant In Marina Del Ray tucked away in a shopping center between Pavilions and a little yogurt place. It was a little difficult to find, but please look for it, you do not want to miss out on this place! Traditional Japanese style restaurant where you are greeted warmly by staff, they kindly have you remove your shoes and place them in the cubby and walk you to your table. You sit on a comfortable Japanese style embroidered pillow, there is space for your feet inside the floor and it gives off the illusion that you are sitting on the floor. The food here is amazing, I sat at the bar and was greeted by all of the sushi chefs, they were all very friendly and offered me a complementary tuna salad to start out with, the colors of the tuna were amazing, a bright red and it had a gingery glaze that was drizzled on top that was to die for. I ordered the sashimi Assortment and was astounded by the bright colors of the perfect cut sashimi. It was delicious, melted in your mouth as you took every bite. With my sashimi meal I received a delicious, refreshing cucumber salad. A fresh spring green salad and a hot delicious cup of Japanese style Miso Soup. The service here was excellent, very attentive, refilled my drinks without even having to ask and made sure I was well taken care of. Definitely a one of a kind experience, one that I will never forget. Thank you Irori Sushi for the amazing experience, I will be returning soon!
(5)Lucy Y.
This cute sushi restaurant is tucked away in the corner of a shopping center, which meant lots of free parking (yay!). When we came here on a weeknight I was glad we had reservations, because it was packed! We had requested a table, so they waited for us to remove our shoes & put them in cubbies before seating us. Tables are low to the ground but a hole in the floor makes for a more comfortable situation. A cushion to sit on helps - but it could've been a bit cushier imo. Our server was mostly polite, although other servers were clearly warmer. She forgot us for about 10-15 mins at one point & it was hard to flag her down, but she genuinely apologized afterwards. The food was all very good - sashimi cuts were thick & generous with a yummy bit of seaweed served with each, fish quality was good, and with the exception of the one lag, everything came out steadily: Salmon sashimi Yellowtail sashimi Ankimo sashimi Sweet Shrimp sushi (the blazing hot fried heads came out a split second before the sushi, yum!) Albacore sashimi Unagi sushi Uni sushi Ginja roll (riceless, cucumber wrapped) Bussers were consistently gracious throughout dinner, removing plates and refilling waters. The one thing about this place that surprised me was the decibel level. There were several families with little kids there, and the overall din was louder than I expected. Plus, a few of the kids were running around - which was a bit distracting, but could have been just a thing on this particular evening. They also have a sushi bar, with seats that have backs, for those who prefer that over a table. Overall, it's a fun experience to sit on the floor in the hole, and the food is very good!
(4)Jane C.
Since I've moved, this is my local sushi restaurant & I would say I've enjoyed my dinner.. All 5, 7, or however many times I've been here The salmon is amazing, & I'm actually NOT a salmon fan. Actually, I avoid salmon sushi but I noticed an entire family order maybe 10 (20 pieces) of salmon. Made it a point to revisit just I try the salmon. & now I'm hooked. It's fresh, creamy, fatty, without being fishy. Trust.. You must order Other items I tend to order & reorder - Japanese albacore sushi - yellowtail sashimi - veggie roll, love how generous they are with the sprouts - spicy tuna roll - teriyaki chicken dinner, love the sauce here - tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) dinner - sweet miso black cod dinner, yes as good as they say Items where I've had better - agedashi tofu, it's just fried and tastes oily. I like it when the batter is a sticky goo. - Tuna sushi, yes it's quite mediocre here. I no longer order it after being disappointed 3x - albacore sushi or sashimi, as disappointing as the tuna. Make sure to order JAPANESE albacore - specialty rolls, I'm quite ambivalent with all the extra toppings & sauces (& chiching $$ you pay) when the fish here is solid & doesn't need all the distraction Happy eating Don't forget to wear socks & oh! They take open table reservations, so convenient
(4)Jody F.
Great food, great service. Great date place. I took a girl here on a first date and here it is a year and a half later and we are still seeing each other and very happy. Thank you Irori!
(5)Scott M.
I dropped in one evening while recently on the coast. Put myself in the hands of chef Ryan and was not disappointed. I find I can always count on this place to deliver a good experience. I left my phone in the car and forgot to check-in.
(4)Tamara E.
Used Yelp to find a sushi restaurant on our previous visit to the West Side last year, which brought us here. Returned by choice after our arrival into LAX last night. We didn't have a reservation, but found immediate seating at the sushi bar. The restaurant was full and when we left there was a bit of a wait. Had no idea a reservation would be suggested on a Thursday night, but we're not from the area. Maybe that's common. Or, maybe it's just that the food is worth the wait. The first thing you notice is that there are cubbies for shoes at the entrance. No shoes allowed. Next is that all seating is on the floor, at low tables. Even the sushi bar is low. Fortunately, there are openings underneath all so that you can sit on your bottom, with your legs in a position as if you were in a chair. In fact, chair backs are provided. If you have problems getting up and down from the floor, it's probably not for you. What makes it worth a visit is the quality of the fish. Seriously, it's the best nigiri I've ever had. The rolls are good too, but the nigiri is melt-in-your-mouth fantastic. The sushi menu isn't incredibly extensive; I've been to many other restaurants with a long list of roll choices, and that isn't the case here. Also, it's very expensive. But, you get what you pay for. If you want to splurge and enjoy amazing nigiri, it's worth a visit. Quality over quantity.
(5)Wander A.
Seriously the best sushi I've had in a long time. I ordered carryout and it was still amazing! Super fresh, reasonably priced, and super cute!! How did it take me so long to find this place!
(5)Kris T.
I have been here several times, and I love their food. This time is no different. We have a party of 4 and was seated quickly upon arrival (perhaps it was a weekday). We ordered deluxe sashimi, blue fin tuna toro, yellowtail sashimi, uni, and five rolls. I love sushi and I know good sushi. And this place delivers. Food - 5 star Service - 1 star (Crystal). She never smile. She looks as if she was always angry. We asked for some napkins and she brought one. We asked for some more and she brought just one more. So some people didn't have any napkin. She made us feel like we were bothering her for asking for some napkins. I wanna throw a lamp at her to lighten her up hahaha (jp) Our bill: $225 Tip: $45 (20%) We tipped generously because everyone else beside Crystal was great.
(3)Alexa B.
I believe the best way to tell the quality of a sushi restaurant is from their sashimi. The sashimi here is ok. While they give you a lot, it's really thickly cut. Additional, the tuna tastes a but off. I like the restaurant itself and how they present food but if I'm looking to enjoy sashimi, this is not the place I would go.
(2)Todd A.
I've come to the conclusion that west coast sushi is just better than on the east coast. The uni is always fresh and tastes like the ocean, real toro and imaginative rolls. The raised floor provides the low table experience without the aching knees and back. Reasonable prices but a little hard to find tucked back in the alcove of a strip mall.
(4)Kristen L.
Irori was excellent! Everything was reasonably priced (rolls between $6-$20 and sashimi $4-$10). The service was incredibly fast...we were done with our meal in about 40 minutes! The atmosphere was unique as everyone has to take their shoes off and sit on pillows. I will definitely be coming back to this place!
(4)Tony M.
This little gem, tucked away between Pavillions & CVS in the Marina, has been discovered, and, unlike others who can't handle the heat that comes with success, Irori has upped the ante to boot. I won't go into individual dishes, only to say that no matter what your sushi style, from classic rolls to Omakase adventure, Irori will not disappoint. On our last visit, the yellowtail and tuna was of such exceptional quality that it melted in your mouth. If you can get to the bar, just let the chef do his thing, sit back with some high-end sake and get ready for the real deal. Reservations are a must these days, and if you're on time you'll be seated quickly. Wear shoes you can slip off easily as they're not allowed in the dining room. Don't be confused by the tag-team service; all the servers are on the ball and crisply efficient, quick, helpful and pleasant. Irori is the best sushi deal on the West side, and stands up to bigger names that command twice the price. We're going tonight : )
(4)Paul B.
Third time here. I live 40 miles away. One of my all time favorite sushi bars! Enjoy!
(5)Denise W.
I have no idea why the second time I came it was a different experience. I am updating my review now at the restaurant as I speak. For some reason the bus boys came over twice and tried to take away the dishes when it was clearly not finished. First time was when we were eating agedashi tofu there was a huge chunk left just chillin on the middle of the plate and he asked if were done.. What. And then when there was one piece of salmon sashimi left on the plate. I forget if it was the same person or not but again asked if we were done and wanted to take it away. Um a 17$ 6 piece sashimi dish with 1 piece left and you're asking me if I'm done. No sir I am not. The tofu maybe i can understand it blended in with the plate. BUT THE SALMON IS BRIGHT ORANGE. Worst of all... As my mom was picking up a piece of daikon from the plate of toro. There was a piece of thick black hair. My mom and I both have thin brown hair so we weren't mistaken that it wasnt ours. The waitress asked if we wanted another one and we said yes please. Was waiting on the manager to come and say something because that's usually what happens. Guess not here. Our waitress apologized profusely though so that counts for something. The toro that we first got was super fatty, tender, and delicious. Melted in my mouth. Unfortunately the replacement toro they just gave us was a different cut and is still slightly frozen. Oh yeah and the hamachi kama I ordered. Never came. They said I never ordered it. It was the FIRST thing I ordered. I saw our waitress write it down too. Hmm.. Now I have mixed feelings about this place.
(2)Luba L.
Really cool place!!! You take off your shoes as soon as you walk in, seating is on the floor, but there is a hole in the floor for your feet to dangle. The Food is great! Fish is extremely fresh (and they have new types all the time), and the rolls are pricey but pretty big and filling. Love this place!
(4)Rick S.
All I can say or tell any one about this place is simply, WOW! If you love sushi and an experience of quality while eating then this would be the place to go to hands down! I search high and low for toro (fatty belly) served and this place not just one type but three!!!!!!! Go to this place and just surrender to the fact you will be in love with your choice of going to eat there.
(5)Geordynne U.
So much fun! I've had this placed bookmarked for awhile now and I'm so glad that I finally checked it out! When my brother and I walked in we asked to sit at the sushi bar. The lady responded by telling us to take off our shoes. We were kind of taken back but we really enjoyed the experience. You sit on half chairs (best way I can think to describe it) and out your legs through holes in the floor. The service was very good and the sushi chefs chatted with us about the specials and what they were currently making for other people. We came at 2:00pm on a Tuesday and stared to really fill up when we were leaving so I'm guessing it'd be a good idea to get reservations for dinner. The rolls were very good and pretty big. The sushi was very tasty as well with a good amount of fish. The place is pretty reasonably priced considering the atmosphere, quality and quantity of fish. I'll be back.....very soon.
(5)Sherri D.
This place is awesome! My friends and I ordered the pick three combo specials and we were not disappointed in the slightest. Everything was fresh and the restaurant is extremely clean. Taking shoes off was a little inconvenient but it was a nice experience.
(5)Jean-Paul P.
I've tried many Sushi Spots, but this is the BEST hands down! Very polite staff, beautiful authentic layout, I love it!
(5)Brittany F.
Behind the walls of what looks like your typical strip mall sushi joint is a Japanese oasis, where you dine on pillows on the floor and remove your shoes, known as "zashiki" style dining. I've never eaten in this style so was so excited! I was afraid the food wouldn't be as good, since so much focus was put on the environment, but these people know how to cook. I started with a perfect miso soup. Not too salty, just smooth and soothing with seaweed and tofu. There was a depth to it that many miso soups lack and I appreciated that. I tried the hot night roll and the ginja roll and both were spectacular. Great fresh fish, loved the crunchy onions on the hot night roll and the perfect amount of sauce. We finished with the toro sashimi and all I can say is butter! It melted in my mouth and I don't even usually like toro. This may be in an ordinary strip mall but it is several levels above ordinary.
(5)Erica H.
I walked into this restaurant expecting a lot more based on the Yelp reviews. I ordered the chirashi and was thoroughly disappointed by the quality of the fish. The fish did not taste fresh at all and the cuts of the sashimi were pretty poor. Not sure if I ordered the wrong thing or just came on a bad night. The atmosphere of the restaurant is great but if you are expecting fresh sushi, I wouldn't suggest coming here! You can definitely get a better bang for your buck elsewhere.
(3)Brittany F.
Absolutely loved this place. First off, I was so excited when I heard they have a low table with sunken floors for your legs, my dad used to take me to a place growing up that was like that and I loved it, brought back wonderful memories. Now sushi has been my favorite since I was a kid, if I get to choose I always choose sushi and this place, the fish was so tender and the flavor, phenomenal. I mean I love squid and even their squid was tender. I could not believe how absolutely delicious it all was. I definitely will be coming back, recommending and taking everyone I know here.
(5)Gia B.
The fish here is super fresh. I came here on a date night with the boyfriend. He wanted to impress me with the no shoes experience that Irori offers. He got points for that and I thought it was a unique idea/setting. The ambiance was intimate and slightly romantic. I ordered the nigiri sushi (6 pcs) combo with the spicy tuna roll at $21. It seemed a little steep for me, but it was a special occasion. Somehow I didn't even see that it came with soup and salad. Definitely worth the $$. The boyfriend got the chicken terriyaki with a salmon roll. Fish was of high quality and melted in your mouth. I will be back.
(4)Evelyn C.
A phenomenal experience! I made reservations at 7:15pm and were seated at 7:20. (Not bad for the best area near the paintings) We ordered the dinner specials that came with three choices of entrees plus rice, soup and salad. The salmon was outstanding. Prices were fair and servings more than generous. The service was the best. We had a bit of trouble with angry customers who were apparently waiting longer. Despite their earlier reservation they sat us sooner bc we had 5 people and they 4. (FYI the tables are diff sizes so ours was already set up prior to the 7:15 res) I'm very anal about customer service. If it's crappy- I don't tip (And this has happened once before) Our bill came out to $156. I tipped them $20 not only bc they made my sister's bday beyond pleasant but we had the most attentive servers and fast service! The experience overall was amazing. It was fun, unique and delish! Highly recommend!
(5)Mike A.
I came here for the fabulous location and I was mortified by the terrible food and service. APRIL FOOLS!!! ohhhh I so got you!!!! I came here because a friend of mine had mentioned it to me and I figured I'd check it out because like the people who run this restaurant, I hate shoes too. But I also don't like sitting without a seat back. I have bad posture. The idea of the holes in the ground for me to put my feet was good, I liked that. But the fact that I have to keep myself vertical under my own strength is something I am not that excited about. I'm not lazy. In fact, I have a stand up desk at work. In fact, I am standing at my counter right now as I write this. And it's 12:37am. How dare you call me lazy! I just have bad posture. I need a seat back. Otherwise, this place is legit. No shoes, good fish...that's all I really care about for dinner. We got the omakase and a few bottles of hot sake. There wasn't THAT much food served (i.e. I made myself some rice and eggs about an hour after I got home) but it was all good. The bill for three of us was $180. I guess that's alright. Felt kind of expensive for what it was. But it was good enough. I'd go back. Mostly because I hate shoes. Really. I just don't like them. I don't know what else to say about it.
(4)Kenza B.
We had a really nice experience here! The service was fantastic & we loved the fun seating arrangements. We didn't get to try a lot because I'm not able to eat too much raw at the moment but loved all the simple stuff we got. Definitely worth a try.
(4)Nicole B.
This place was off the charts! Make a reservation, it was super crowded even on a Sunday at 6 PM. Everything was fresh and delicious and the service was courteous and fast.
(5)Cindy T.
I've been going to Irori on and off for years and have always valued it as a reliable, quality place to eat. Unfortunately the last few visits the quality of the food has really declined, which is disappointing because it also seems to be getting more expensive. I love the atmosphere, but my sushi fiend daughter and I have decided we won't be going back anytime soon.
(3)Anna K.
Boyfriend and I came in to get an early dinner. The ambiance is very cute; love that they make you take off your shoes. The appetizers we got were pretty good- gyoza and grilled chicken skewers. The sushi was a tad disappointing. My California Roll had real crab, but it was bland. There was virtually no avocado in the roll, which was very disappointing because that's arguably what makes a roll a California Roll. The Philadelphia Roll was better, the salmon was fresh. My boyfriend got a beef teriyaki entree. It was decent but overpriced for the portion. I'm willing to give this place another shot, but will definitely only be coming back during lunch hours. By the way- LUNCH ENDS AT 2PM. WTF?!
(3)Lina P.
Was looking for a new sushi spot in the area and Irori came up. Came here on a Saturday for lunch. From reading previous reviews I knew that we would be sitting on pillows but I had forgotten that everyone must also take off their shoes. Luckily I was wearing socks but they have little foot socks if you forget. Also, I didn't realize until about 5 minutes of sitting cross legged that under the tables they actually have a space where you can comfortably put your feet down. We ordered miso soups, the oyster mushroom & asparagus appetizer and the ginja roll. Everything came out pretty quickly and was really fresh and flavorful. After we ate I could have easily ordered another round of everything, not because it was small portions but because it was so good. Overall it was fun and the food was great. Would definitely recommend if you are looking for a unique dining experience. Only downside was that the roll was $19. Not really in my usual price range for sushi, but nice for an occasional treat.
(4)Lisa U.
Umm nasty. Who messes up a California roll? This place does. Also, their tempura was soggy and fish is not good quality at all. This is the first time yelp has let me down. Ginger tasted like soap. It's also the cost. You can have OK sushi if you're sushi is cheap. But this place isn't even cheap! And it's not even OK, it's nasty. I'm really grossed out, never returning. Service met the minimum standards. Wasn't horrible, was meh.
(1)Vardan O.
Very nice place. Love it. Good food. Fresh fish. Very cozy place and warm atmosphere. We didn't expect to take off the shoes, but it was fun ;) everybody do, including the stuff.
(5)Aubrey S.
3.5 stars. - It's in a strip mall, but it's not really priced like it. - They try to go for a more traditional feel here, so you have to remove your shoes and sit down at low tables that have cutouts under the floor (so they appear lower than they really are). Still, probably a little irritating if you come here in a pencil skirt or a short skirt. Or, if you wear flats/heels and have chippy toenail polish. #girlproblems - The sushi was good, but not everything I tried was amazing. For instance, the yellowtail and whitefish were really buttery and easy to bite through, but the tuna was a little stringy. - The price of the rolls was way out of whack with the rest of the menu. My 6 piece nigiri combo with a spicy tuna roll was $19.50, but some of the special rolls were close to $30. Very odd. - Service was very attentive. Fine sushi place, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to come here again.
(3)Getafix O.
Wonderful sushi restaurant. Fresh as it gets in terms of quality of fish and great size of cuts as well. Loved every last morsel I had on my plate. The scallop and uni were my favorites! They charge for green tea which is unusual for a Japanese restaurant. This was the only nit if any.
(5)Meagan M.
Went last night and split two sushi rolls and edamame. I loved sitting in the floor. The only bad thing was that they brought us the wrong sushi, but it was tasty so we didn't say anything.
(5)Anh P.
I was Yelp'ing for a new place to try out with my girlfriends last night for dinner, and stumbled upon Irori. The first review I saw said that you take off your shoes when you enter and the seating is Japanese style, which I think is totally cool! So I made a reservation for 2 at 7:30pm online. I had to change it to 8pm later, so I called them, and the girl on the phone said no problem. My girlfriend and I arrived there around 8pm, and there were people waiting inside and outside. We told the hostess that I had reservations for 8 under my name, and she said it'll be a 5-10 minute wait. There were some tables outside, so we sat outside and waited. So, we had a miscommunication and it was going to be 3 of us instead of 2, but I thought she called and changed the reservation but she didn't.... so when the hostess finally came out around 8:30 and saw there was 3.... she said another 10 minutes. Good thing I'm with my girlfriends and we can talk all night. It was near 9pm when we finally got seated. There are cubicles to put your shoes in, and there's some little socks you can put on. The seating is super cute. We sat and got our drinks in. And then we ordered our food. We asked the waitress for another water, but it never came. And after bringing our food to us, she never once came and asked how our meal was. To think about it... the whole time, she never came by at all until to give us our check. But the food was good, and I didn't drink much of my water, so I didn't actually need her. I ordered the Sashimi Assort: 3pcs tuna, 3pcs salmon, 3pcs white fish, 3 pcs yellowtail + miso soup + salad + rice bowl + susomono $19.50. Plenty of food, I didn't eat the miso soup (salty) or the rice (grains) but all the sashimi and salad filled me up. Tasty! The fish is definitely fresh. My girlfriends seemed to enjoyed their meals too. One of them got the una-jyu (unagi over rice) box and it was a big serving and looked sooo good too! It also came with a small little fruit cup (grape + watermelon + orange + honeydew). I loved the food, and I loved the whole seating style of the restaurant. It's super cute and fun to be in there. However, the service was not up to par with the restaurant. Waitress can smile and act more friendly and come by and check on us. I would like to feel invited to come back. The place can be hard to find! It is near Yogurtland, next to the huge CVS. If you're facing CVS, it is hidden on the right side of the store around the corner so you can't really see it. Next to RadioShack :) Easy parking because the lot is huge!
(3)Mimi M.
EVERYTHING IS FABULOUS AT IRORI JAPANESE RESTAURANT!!!!!!! It's pretty rare in Japanese restaurants in America that they have you take off your shoes and sit in the floor, but they do here. I think the food at Irori is beyond incredible, they have a wonderful sake list, and the service is always exemplary. One of my favorite things here is the Rock N Roll! I try to visit here every time I'm in Marina Del Rey, and I plan to continue that tradition in the future!
(5)Christina K.
I was hankering for a chirashi bowl. Nice presentation served in a clear container. They don't overload you with an over abundance of rice like other places. The salad was crisp and fresh. Good dressing! Service inside was a bit curt and disengaged. I grabbed my sashimi to-go, but the interior was cute. They have traditional low rise tables and pillows to sit on the floor. If you have back problems or a fat ass that's going to be hard to lift afterward, you may want to think twice on indulging in the quaintness and go for the table where you legs drop below into the open space or sit at the counter. I'm little and this place makes me feel like a giant! Parking: Large private shopping center lot. Restaurant is located in the corner next to a Pavilions.
(3)Chris A.
LOVE this restaurant!!! We have been coming here once a week now for a month and it gets better and better every time. Ji Hoon is an incredible chef, and the service from everyone is always great!!!
(5)Monica W.
Worth it! Traveling on business and found this place based on yelp reviews near my location. Glad I tried it. Ginza roll with spicy tuna was great. Also tried a blue crab hand roll. Good stuff.
(5)Jessica T.
Everytime I come here I fall in love all over again! The quality of the fish used is amazing,the rolls are all great (lobster roll is my fave),and the service is awesome.Did I mention the white macadamia nut creme brûlée is to die for?Well it totally is. :)
(5)Wendy F.
Authentic Japanese food. Make sure you wear sox if you're a germophobic :-) Come before rush hours. Wait time without reservations can be 45 min to an hr long. We prefer to sit at the bar. We enjoy watching the chefs prepare our dish and we always end our dinning experience with an Omakase :) We love the ambiance but most of all we enjoy the fresh sushi!
(5)Susanne W.
I didn't like the surprise of having to remove and leave your shoes out of sight--I'm not terribly paranoid, but what if someone takes your shoes just to mess with you? And then a bunch of people's bare feet. . .ecch. I get what they're trying to replicate, it's just not my kind of thing. The food is also middling--not inedible, but somewhat bland and old-tasting. And somewhat on the expensive side. The service is fast and pleasant, but that's not enough to make me ever want to return.
(2)Mandy L.
A friend and I had reservations for a Friday night (definitely a good idea to make reservations). We sat at the sushi bar and were immediately met with a warm hello and a sushi amuse bouche to get us started. We ordered some specials, Salmon Blue Crab in T ruffled Ponzu, Albacore Special Roll and Spicy Tuna Roll. They were all delicious. It is a little pricier than most places I have been but they also give you more sushi. I feel most sushi places go heavy on the rice with their rolls. Not here, it is truly sushi based and very flavorful. We also tried the Japanese Red Beer they had (I don't see this option offered often) and was really impressed with the flavor. We paired this with a hot saki and really enjoyed our meal. The chef even topped it off with a mochi ice cream dessert. Overall, its a great sushi spot with friendly service and I would definitely go again.
(5)Ron M.
3.5/5 First time here. Didn't read up on it so it was a surprise to ditch my shoes at the door. I'm on the taller side and my knees aren't what they used to be so when we got to the "table" I wasn't sure I could fit in the hole-that's what she said. Not a fan of this configuration. Should have sat at the bar. Anyways the sushi was pretty OK. The albacore was really good. We got two plates of 6pc each salmon and tuna that was all sauced up. They weren't that good and when I got the bill they definitely were not worth $28 each. Ended up throwing down $171 for $100 worth of sushi at most other places. Ambiance? Maybe. They are nice enough to have slippers outside the bathrooms so you aren't walking in the bathroom in your socks. Soft shell crab roll was remarkably not great, plain salmon and albacore were fantastic. Had one of the signature rolls Hot Night Roll. That was pretty good too but nothing super fancy. Service was attentive but they did not want us to linger too long as the check was plopped down before the mochi ice cream. Might come back of I'm in a odd mood but I wouldn't search this place out.
(3)Cecilia D.
Word to the wise: if you're going to eat anywhere on the Westside and they take rezzies, you should make rezzies. Otherwise, you'll mad dog me as I breeze in past an angry line of 10 plebs waiting, go right up to the hostess, and claim my table for two at 8p without a hitch. Cute place and love the Japanese seating. Even the shoe cubbies are adorable. But what should bring you back is the food. I'm never one to dismiss mini-mall locales; I mean one of my fave haunts is The Nook. So the fact that this place exists within one of the largest mm's in MDR shouldn't be a turn off; just think, more parking. The food is fresh and cheap for the quality. We ordered the pricier Omakase menu and even that was cheaper than most sushi places in the Westside. And it was a lot of delicious hot and cold food. The best had to be the toro two ways, the uni two ways, and the seafood Japanese custard served in this precious little jar. There were a couple of misses, like the course with Japanese pickle and cheese (yep, cheese) but I appreciated the inventiveness. Also, the fish was served a little too cold which kind of messed with the texture of the other components. But we left stuffed! There had to have been over 20 dishes. Insanity! I'll need to bring the hubster here or he'll never forgive me. Cool place but make a reservation as it's hopping.
(4)Gabriel C.
amazing local sushi place with cute seating
(5)Don S.
I am with the other yelp reviewer on here. How this place gets good reviews is beyond me. If you want quality sushi, this is definitely not the place to get it. The nigiri is god awful here. The fish is not fresh at all. You would be better off getting sushi from ralphs. They are really getting over on people here with their food and using the funky seating style to distract people from the nasty food. In addition to all of this, the service is so bad! The waitress took my menu away before I could finish ordering! This Korean owned Japanese sushi establishment is just like Kabuki but way more expensive. If you are in the area and want sushi there is another place close (Sugar****) that blows this place out of the water. I was going to go there again but after reading all the positive yelp reviews decided to give this place a try. Boy was that a big mistake!!!!
(1)Kirsten S.
Pretty cool spot. You sit on the floor, take your shoes off like a real asian place! But it isn't gross...they have these holes on the floor for your feet so you're not uncomfortable. Food was good...service was great.
(4)Jonathan P.
Love the ambiance here! I come here for lunch regularly and enjoy the 3 item combo with Sashimi, sesame chicken and gyoza. So delicious!
(5)Devin S.
Few places I can say I am comfortable being a regular to. I'm always trying new things at new places. But Irori is my sushi staple. They have great quality fish, without a four digit bill. And they have free parking! I have been coming here about every other week for over 5 years, and it is still my favorite spot around. Tips: - Ask what the chef recommends. They get fresh fish in every day, and its not always the same fish. Or even on the menu. - Clean your feet. You will need to remove and check your shoes to enter the dining area. - Make a reservation on friday or saturday for dinner. It can get pretty crowded. - Sit at the bar. The chefs are great company, and are great at customizing your experience with your sushi preferences. You will also get faster service on those busy friday or saturday nights. Some of my favorite food items: - Toro nigiri. Always fresh and always fatty! - Uni + Oyster shooters. Never let down. - Spicy tuna roll. Basic, but they do a fantastic job. - Live shrimp. When in season. - Otokoyama sake. Great price for a great sake. - Echigo Premium beer. A little more flavor than your typical Japanese import beer. Typically when I go to sushi I order rolls. But not at Irori. Their fish is great quality, and it's a pleasure to try what the chefs want to feed me. I advise you to do the same! They have also recently added an omakase menu that is wonderful.
(5)Michelle D.
good sushi but only get 6 pieces instead of the standard 8 pieces u would expect when paying upwards of 8$ a roll. Friendly service but a tad slow. Allow 25 min for a to-go order even when it's not busy.
(3)Meems P.
Right next to a shopping center Free parking Bring socks Wear comfortable clothing Be sure to RSVP Customer service was on point Love the omakase. Fresh and no soy sauce needed.
(5)Ada L.
Came here on a Friday night and the place was packed. I made reservations for 8:30pm, arrived early, and couldn't be seated until at least 10 minutes past our reservation time. I think some people waited over an hour to get seated, so I highly recommend calling ahead of time to make reservations. I ordered the 8 Piece Nigiri + Spicy Tuna Roll combo, which also came with miso soup and a small salad. Overall, the food here wasn't bad for the price. The fish tasted fairly fresh and the portions were fair. Everything was also plated nicely. The service was a mix of bad and good. Our main waitress was slow and didn't seem very experienced. On top of that, she coughed on me during one of the few times she came to our table. The other waiters, however, were quick to refill our teas and water. This is one of the Japanese restaurants that makes you take off your shoes before entering the main dining area. I didn't particularly like doing this, because the entire staff was walking around with their shoes both inside and outside of the no-shoes zone. Overall, I enjoyed the food here, but the service should be improved. I'm glad I tried the food here, but I will probably stick to other sushi places closer to where I live.
(3)A F.
Awesome restaurant to eat! 100% on everything Love the Japanese style tables, it is very clean and neat. The service was outstanding. The food was delicious! Totally recommended, will go eat lunch again! very soon!!
(5)Suzan B.
So done with this place! Food is good, but if you go toward's the end of the night, they rush you and clear the table as you eat. Then they want you to pay while you are trying to eat. Never again!
(2)Shay H.
So yummy. the lobster roll was amazing. It has lobster pieces on top with a sauce that is so good I want more. Although my bill came out $85 it was totally worth it. The octopus roll came with wasabi in it and it didn't say on the menu, some other rolls had it too so be warned. Other than that it was amazing and I would definitely go back. I love the fact that I feel like I'm in Japan sitting down to eat in Tokyo.
(5)Moe A.
They do it every time , these guys are simply amazing!!! I took some of my friends well ive been taking many friends to irori for the past months...never a dis appointment. Chefs ,eugene,sasaki,don or ryan they always take care of us and serve us the freshest stuff!! Irori has become part of my daily diet Awesome team ..keep it up!!! P.s..give them a shot of sake and watch the love :)
(5)Bonjour K.
Started coming here about 7 years ago.This place used to have really good sushi. But even back then, it wasn't a contender with the best sushi restaurants on the Westside. We've eaten at some of the best sushi restaurants and some on the "middle" scale that still provide good, quality sushi. Back in the day, it was good. Our last dining experience left us so disappointed, we had not been back in years. Because we were in the area (literally in the same strip mall to buy some stuff) and craving sushi, we decided to take our chances and try it out again. Sigh...we shouldn't have given in to our hunger. First of all, as soon as we walked in, the lady demanded that we remove our shoes. She didn't ask politely. She said, "You need to take off your shoes." We already knew the drill, but we barely walked through the door before she made the demand. No bearing on the rating, but it wasn't a pleasant start. Again, no bearing on the rating, but I will say this - the customer service was terrible. We sat and waited for someone to take our order for 15 minutes and the restaurant was not crowded. We clearly were ready because our menus and order sheet sat at the corner of our table, as we continued to make eye contact with the wait staff that would look at us and walk by. After we got fed up and flagged someone down, our water glasses finally came. Okay - onto the food. We ordered a lot for 2 people. --Oyster shooters (2): these used to be sooo good. They were forgetable. -Yellowtail sushi (2 orders): disappointing. Not even a hint of the smooth, rich and buttery taste yellowtail should have. It tasted washed and dried. As in, washed in water. -Halibut sushi (4 orders): I regretted ordering 4 orders. It was tasteless. The ponzu sauce was not detectable, so it just tasted like dry, chewy (sooo chewy), white fish decorated with a tiny sliver of dry green onion. A waste of a dish. -Japanese mackerel (2 orders): this was okay. Just dry. -Uni (2 orders): this wasn't good. No taste to the uni. Soon after we finished eating this, the waitress was announcing in a loud voice to the other staff that there was no more uni. I love uni. Sometimes even mediocre uni will satisfy my craving. I wish we didn't order this. -Ikura (1 order): again, totally forgettable and not good. The ikura was dry. Hard to explain, but the eggs should be juicy and delecate. These stuck together and did not even pop well. You know what I mean if you like ikura. -Yellowtail cut roll (1): This was surprisingly large. It was okay. The yellowtail was mushy like paste, though. -Anago (4 orders): this was okay. Probably the best out of everything we ordered. The 2 orders that came first were good. But the 2nd 2 orders that came weren't. I think the first order was left in the broiler longer. It had a nice crisp to it. The 2nd order did not. The 2nd order cut was also noticeably smaller. We also noticed that there were so many large pieces of bones in each one. Bones in anago don't bother me, but these were quite long and plenty. All the fish for sushi is cut super small. That's expected when dining in a quality restaurant, but this just wasn't. We also noticed there were a lot of families dining with kids. The kids probably like the novelty of sitting on the floor. Anyway, it definitely seemed more like a lower-scale restaurant in taste, as opposed to the Irori we remembered. Without any drinks or the tip, our sushi bill for 2 came out to $140. Won't be back again.
(1)Christine T.
Irori is definitely a hidden gem! It is tucked away in a corner of a shopping center. So for first timers, it can be a bit tricky looking for this restaurant. Once inside, you will be asked you remove your shoes. The host will walk you to your table where you will dine sitting on these mats with shoes off. It was a different experience, but I enjoyed it. I had the toro sashimi. All I can say is this was heavenly. It was like butter! I also tried the yellowtail in ponzu w/jalapenos. This was oh so good! Refreshing and delicious with a perfect citrusy kick. Service was excellent! Our server seems new but was thorough with explaining everything on the menu including the daily specials. Kudos to him! I can't wait to be back!
(5)Shayne P.
I loved the service, the food, the interior!! I had salmon and yellowtail sushi with hot knight roll. It was really delicious. Hot knight roll is just a bit spicy but it tastes great. I sat at the bar and I got to watch the the chefs. They were super nice to the customers as well as to servers. I loved the fact that we take shoes off to go into the restaurant haha. I would definitely go back!
(5)Stacey B.
Obsessed with the Salmon Blue Crab W/ avocado and truffle ponzu! When I lived in the area, I'd try to make it here weekly. A lot of the chefs knew my boyfriend and I and would comp us desserts! Always sit at the bar, the chefs are amazing. I moved earlier this year, so sadly I can't make it out there as often now. Definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone if you like good sushi and will continue to come back as much as possible!
(5)Sarah T.
This might be my new favorite restaurant. The salmon blue crab is one of the best dishes I've had in LA! And I like that the proportions aren't skimpy. The toro was amazing of course and I liked the extra smokey seared pieces they added. The halibut fin was also to die for. It's not what I had expected. It was seared so the butteriness of the fish came out and topped with yuzu koshou. The only problem I had was there wasn't real lobster in the lobster roll. It was crayfish or some miniature sized version of lobster.
(4)Suraj R.
The waitress who served us was very warm and always there the moment we looked out for her. Luckily we went early, around 12.30 pm, before the Saturday lunch crowd arrived and I shared one Dinner special meal with my wife since it had large portions. The miso soup with its simple flavor and salad that they served before the meal was also good. We had the mixed tempura, teriyaki chicken, and sushi combination as part of the 3 item Dinner. We also ordered 2 each of blue-fin tuna and salmon sushi which were absolutely amazing !. Complete satisfaction for $65 ! Definitely recommend !
(5)Danielle T.
Love this place! If you make a reservation, you're seated within minutes. Shoeless and tables that are low to the ground make this a well rounded experience. Favorites so far: - baked lobster roll - hot night roll - rock and roll - Ginza roll - bluefin tuna with burrata
(4)Marshall B.
Food was okay but... my shoes were stolen. TLDR: My shoes were stolen and they replaced them with the sandals you use when using the bathroom. If you are unaware they have a no shoe policy (you have to put your shoes into little cubbies by the door). Well I think nothing of it until I go to leave, and what do you know, my shoes are gone. I tell the hostess, who proceeds to help me look for them. After searching for a few minutes and not finding them, she doesn't even seem to know what to do. I ask to speak to a manager, but he is "out" that night. Instead she takes down my number and gives me some of the "forgotten" sandals they keep by the bathrooms.
(1)Tahoe M.
Im here,the seatin is so cool,the eviroment is a older,family crowd.super busy clean fresh sushii ever
(5)Andy D.
I went here for the first time with my girlfriend for her birthday expecting a little hole in the wall. What I got far exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere is very quiet and traditional with customers taking their shoes off upon entry. Smooth jazz was playing in the background and the lights set the ambiance. The tables were very low, and I expected us to dine on our knees. Fortunately for us Americans, however, there was foot room that extended under the floor. The service was very prompt and the servers themselves were attentive and sweet. The food--what can I say about the food other than it is the best sushi that I've ever had? I had the nigiri and spicy tuna roll, and they almost brought a tear to my eye. The nigiri was varied and fresh, the seaweed crispy, and all of the fish just melted in my mouth. The toppings for each piece were a perfect pairing, with the tiniest dab of Wasabi to hold the two together. The spicy roll was poke with cucumber, and was sweet and spicy, with the lightest crunch from the aforementioned cucumber. The appetizers were sublime. After eating here all I can say is that whatever sushi I eat in the future will be a pale imitation of what I dined on. 10/10
(5)Feather B.
This place is excellent. The sushi chef immediately gave us some lovely sashimi in this miso-slightly citrus sauce with some kind of cashew or peanut flavor. We ordered the following... Omakase Sushi (this comes w/ 2 appetizers. One was this super light pate. So good. Salmon Blue Crab Roll - This is incredible. There is some serious truffle action going on here, too. You have to take your shoes off so make sure your feet/socks are clean. The interior is really nice, and the acoustics are great, too. This place has the perfect murmur.
(5)Philip L.
I've been eating here with my wife and family for several years. There have been many personnel changes but several things have remained the same: Delicious food. Nice atmosphere. Fun service.
(5)Vina O.
Delicious and fresh sushi. My husband and I had their omakase special - 8 pieces of nigiri and 2 small sashimi bowls for $40. It was definitely worth it and both of us were quite satisfied. The pieces of fish were huge and included specialties such as monkfish liver and toro. The fish is of high quality and a must go if you're looking for a sushi place in the area (and too lazy to battle traffic to Little Tokyo).
(5)Rema W.
Special rolls are about $20-24 each. Normal rolls are about $7-10, but only come with 4-5 pieces. They have a no shoe policy. When I first went in I was hesitant about sitting on the ground because I didnt want my back to hurt, but they have holes in the ground to put your feet. It was a fun experience. I would come here again.
(4)Jody J.
I came in by myself and sat at the sushi bar. I was served the best sushi I've had in a long while. The atmosphere is calming and the floor seating and leaving your shoes in a cubby are nice. The sushi chefs are cool and do a fantastic job. I could eat here everyday!
(5)Ambar C.
I was not as impressed with this place as others seem to be. It's not cheap., and they do not know how to cook squid. As with most restaurants, my fiance and I ordered calamari to start. I got bits of plastic in my squid, which I can only assume was part of the ink sack. Also, the squid itself was extremely rubbery, and the dish was covered with onions (not much squid). Off to a bad start. It got better, though. We then ordered the infamous blue crab hand roll and seared ono. Both were extremely good. The blue crab hand roll is real crab, and the ono had a nice smokiness about it. I also ordered a roll with hamachi and spicy tuna, which was delicious. I will stick to sushi and sashimi from now on. Note: This is one of those places where you sit on the floor, so wear nice socks. Also, the floor is cut out, so you can dangle your legs rather than sit cross-legged.
(3)Kelsey C.
Irori takes some time to find. It's kind of tucked around a weirdly tiny roundabout, but the food is worth a little searching. The ambiance is quiet and authentically Japanese. You need to take off your shoes so matching socks with no holes may be something you want to think about before leaving home. We started with the soy miso eggplant which had a weirdly bitter and burnt aftertaste. The eel avocado roll was amazing, but for $7 I'll take a little less quality for a more reasonable price. The sashimi is fresh and amazingly well made. I've had a lot of sushi but I've rarely had it in such a calming, authentic environment. Marina del Rey is a long way to drive when you already live in the heavily-Japanese neighborhood of south Torrance, but still I think it's worth the drive to Irori.
(4)Nico H.
A reasonably priced restaurant that has great food and nice Japanese atmosphere. Me and my boyfriend visit here often. In the dinner time there is usually a little line forming. The whole place is Japanese household that you will have to take off your shoes and sit on the floor around the table. You can also sit at the bar, where you can order directly from the chief and get offered a tasty sashimi appetizer with orange sauce. The sushi and rolls are great and come with a fair portion. The irori signature roll is a steal. It is also a good place if you want to get some bar food and sake and have a causal conversation.
(5)C C.
Wonderful all the way around! It first started with the majority of our party arriving very late! 2/7 were on time and they kindly allowed us to sit at our reserved table. The draft beer was good, edamame was cooked perfectly, sashimi, rolls, fried chicken, beef, desserts were all so delicious! I was quite impressed with the dimming of the lights to sing us happy birthday and the appearance of the nicely cut out orange... all the fruit was ripe and fresh too. Our waitress was lovely. There seem to only be female servers. This was my first time and I will definitely be back. Thank you for a wonderful evening irori.
(5)Lutgardo R.
Food on their menu is delicious! Especially I like their sushi--so yummy. I'll be coming back!
(4)Cheryl S.
I've had some real good Japanese food and quite honestly this place is mediocre. The menu is small which made deciding what to eat a bit easier. The staff could possibly pay more attention to their diners. One shouldn't have to ask for more water or hot tea. The nigiri sushi seemed odd very small pieces cute and oddly tiny. However the dinner portions made up for it. I had a 3 combination teriyaki salmon, assorted tempura and tonkatsu. The tonkatsu was perfectly fried however the sauce did not taste like the normal katsu sauce it tasted more like a BBQ sauce so that was strange. Then the salmon was a very generous portion two filets but the sauce again too sweet or something strange. The tempura was excellent and super generous. It was a choice out of convince. Food is ok service was ok
(3)Dauminique H.
I love the ambiance it feels like your in Japan sitting on the floor with pillows to comfort ur bum its a must try. And the have gluten free soy sauce. A plus
(5)Priscilla P.
more like 3.5. some what overpriced but a decent place to go close to lax. not sure if it's japanese owned and operated because i heard the employees and sushi chef speaking korean. the chirashi was like $24 (overpriced imo) but there weren't many premium cuts of fish. also the fish was cut a little too big for my liking. but it seemed pretty fresh and the rice was seasoned well the tempura udon was big and came with a lot of tempura.
(4)Joe C.
Usually love this place. I'm a regular. Came today without reservation. Told it was going to be 20 mins. Ended up waiting over an hour before being seated!
(1)Kailani H.
Simply put,a great susi spot for the spur of the moment! Definitely enjoyed the ambiance though i do wish they prepared their uni on rice! Great time out!
(5)Steven M.
This place is so cool, with a really mellow atmosphere and sushi that is unbelievably fresh! You MUST get the higher grade toro, goldeneye snapper (when they have it) and the fresh sweet shrimp. It is a real hidden gem - not on the radar as Hamasaku and the different Nobu places, but an incredibly satisfying experience. Another really nice feature is the super friendly wait staff, who always make you feel at home.
(4)Ellen C.
3 1/2 stars. This place has cute ambiance - you take off your shoes at the front and you "sit on the floor." (In quotation marks because even though you technically are sitting on the floor there are built in foot wells so it's pretty comfy) The house salad was plentiful but the dressing was meh. The miso soup was a bit watered down. The sushi overall was decent. The albacore sashimi was meh and way too overpriced. (I would stick with the nigiri) Highlights were the hotate and ika sushi. The tai, albacore, and uni were good. The spicy tuna handroll was great. The sushi chef made it to order and made it extra spicy as requested, and actually made it spicy instead of just adding more mayo. The baked crab handroll was meh. The sushi chefs were super friendly.
(3)Pasha E.
It was a perfect date night spot, fun and great food. I just wish it was closer to me!
(5)John B.
Quality of fish is surprisingly good! Fairly priced too...Ambiance is great, unexpected location! So glad they opened up a really good sushi joint in MdR! Will def go back. Also service was pleasant
(4)Michael M.
I had some standard sushi rolls that you can find anywhere. I didn't like it and it was more expensive than other places.
(2)Mike Z.
Atmosphere was nice, service was good, and food was great! Line up was long though, would recommend making reservations ahead of time for dinner. Overall enjoyable experience!
(4)Stephanie S.
Amazing fresh sushi and super friendly staff. I live in the neighborhood and I have been coming to Irori almost weekly for the past 6 months. I have never had a bad experience and the sushi chefs and staff make it a fun atmosphere. Don't forget to buy the sushi chefs a round! :)
(5)Allison B.
i don't see why this has got good reviews, it was very mediocre. The layout and experience is worth the try (you take your shoes off and sit on the floor) but the sushi is not. the crispy rice spicy tuna ask without the ponzu sauce. The fish is fresh but a bit tasteless. I would not go back. they also rush you to order/leave.
(3)Benjamin K.
Excellent nigiri and sashimi the place was busy but service was prompt and friendly. Great decor and top notch food. I had the 8pc nigiri + sashimi set with Miso, Sunomono and Salad.
(5)Ramona H.
We've been eating here for over five years, yes it's very pricey but we've never had a bad experience. The quality of the sushi has always been extremely outstanding for us not to mention the Sake is wonderful.
(5)Conor M.
This was a Beautiful place! upon entering The establishment I had to take off my shoes where I put them in a little box onto the beautiful table in the middle of the dining room which was tiny weird little tables that have big holes under them so that you could sit on the floor but have your feet lower than floor. A beautiful experience the food was delicious the server made me feel like I was literally Japanese. Also we ordered dessert afterwards it was also really good. So we haven't ordered it yet, well we ordered it but we haven't received it, so anyway we haven't put her shoes back on, hoping that there not gone but I'm hoping they will still be there when we do go. to that note, also the parking lot is a great feature it's 360° circle will you can park your car and your doors actually have them to be open.
(5)Jeff P.
Food The quality is high. 4 or more. Atmosphere 3 Music 3.5 Cleanliness They have a policy of no shoes. You have to check them at the door. Which is fine. But the floor is nasty. The floor of the sushi bar has trash and good on it. The servers walk around with sandals that they wear in the dirty kitchen. Cleanliness of the floor and the fact we can't wear shoes is a 1 rating. Service It's non existent. 1 I had to ask to sit at a clean table because the sushi bar floor was filthy. No one came to take my order. I had to flag them down. When the good came they gave me no napkin or utensils. I had to ask for something to eat with. No one checked on me at all during the meal. Not one time. Not for water refill or to ask if everything was ok. Nothing. Frankly I would have ordered more if they did. Be prepared to serve yourself. I had to ask for a receipt. They didn't bring me change for my meal. They just assumed it was tip. Horrible. There are no dedicated servers to your table. They just roam around. Which means you sit there until you wave them over.
(2)YC M.
Love the omakase! The fish is consistently high quality. Usually sit at the bar. Best sushi chefs! The sushi is so good that soy sauce is not required...actually I recommend not using any.
(5)Kevin H.
This is a great sushi restaurant tucked into a strip mall. It's traditional Japanese in that they make you take your shoes off, which is fine but avoid white socks as they'll get a little dirty. The restaurant is very deceptive with its layout, you think upon walking in that you'll have to sit on the floor, and with how tight my hip flexors are sitting cross-legged for longer than 5 mins isn't happening. Every single friend I've taken there, has had 2nd thoughts until I tell them the area under each table is cutout for leg room, so it's the same as sitting on a bench at a regular place. So don't let your first impression scare you away. They have all the standard sushi fare, plus a few of their own concoctions, which were decent. Overall everything is a little on the pricey side but it's still well worth checking out.
(4)Brooke K.
We love Irori. The Blue Fin Tuna with Burratta is my favorite. All their rolls and sashimi are excellent. Know you have to take your shoes off before they will seat you.
(4)Eugi H.
This place is fun! They have a no shoes policy so you take them off at the front of the restaurant where they have cubby holes for you to place them, and then you walk barefoot all around the rest of the place! They also have little holes designed underneath all the tables for you to put your legs in, so you don't have to sit cross-legged for the meal if you don't want, which is great cuz my legs always fall asleep after a bit. The fun of walking around the tatami mats and dangling my feet makes this restaurant one of the few sushi places I don't mind not sitting at the bar, even though I still did for my first trip here. Food is fresh, and the amaebi is live here, not frozen! I was so delighted to see that! Fish portions here are a little larger than some other locations to, which is lovely. Prices are fair considering the quality of product. I definitely recommend coming here!
(4)Duke G.
Came here on a dinner date. The atmosphere and decor were beautiful. I had never eaten in a "traditional" Japanese restaurant. You sit on the floor with your bare feet in a hole cut out of the floor below the table. The food was very tasty, but the portions were small for the high price. Now I realize why there are no prices on the menus. When the check arrived I was shocked by the prices. I guess you pay a lot for the ambiance. Service was excellent.
(4)tracey c.
the sushi and sashimi were delicious. there was a good variety of special dishes (loved the lobster choices) and rolls, but very little traditional sushi. the setting was interesting in that the patrons must remove their shoes and sit on the floor, but there is space under the low tables to allow one to sit comfortably on the floor. i will go again in order to try more of the dishes, but i thought the price point was high and the server allowed us to order far too much.
(4)Seth S.
I found Irori while in LA for the Digital Hollywood conference. Hidden away in a Marina strip mall, Irori is a great find, with spectacularly fresh, high quality sushi, Izakaya style dishes, and an urbane, slightly upscale pub like ambience with highly attentive service. It is well worth the extra minute or two to find it, and you'll leave your shoes at the front desk, too. Sushi was so fresh I thought it might have come straight from incoming Tokyo flights at nearby LAX. Standouts included a fresh tuna & burrata combo, mackerel and big eye tuna sushi, and a roasted asparagus salad. I sat at the bar and had an "omakase" type lunch. Amazing hands I was in. Irori is both a real find and the real deal--highly recommended.
(5)Shannon C.
Loved their lunch combination. Good selections of sashimi, teriyaki, sushi rolls and etc. Very fresh, good price and portion.
(5)Tiffany S.
If you want the real Japanese experience, come to Irori. You must take your shoes off when you enter and you seat is technically on the ground BUT there is space under the table for your feet so you don't have to sit indian style the whole time. The food was nothing short of amazing. the fish was fresh, they had some interesting (and NOM) flavor combinations I'd never tried before and their presentation was top notch. Not to mention our waitress, who was clearly off the boat from Japan, was such a sweet heart and very attentive. It was a little pricey for 5 people ($200) so just keep in mind that if you want to come here, you WILL pay more than other sushi places. come in with that expectation and it'll be 5 stars for you too.
(5)David A.
We are dinner regulars, but today we went for lunch and had a disappointing experience. WARNING: There are lunch specials and dinner specials, priced differently. We were told only the dinner special/price was available... at 12:15pm. We were asked several times if we were ready within a few minutes time. We received our food but weren't given any plates. The albacore roll was cooked. We've never experienced this until now. Personal side note: Why was Kenny G blasting over the speakers in a sushi restaurant? Wasn't a good day for the service or the food. We're going to give it some time before we return.
(3)Lillian C.
I would give this place 3.5 stars if I could. Came here with the bf after work. Being the germophobe that I am, after reading reviews about the need to go barefoot at this place, I popped into CVS (which was conveniently located next door) to grab a pair of socks prior to dinner. And I'm glad I did. Feet and food don't mix! The food was good but much pricier than I expected for the quality. We got: - salmon nigiri - black cod with miso - spider roll - ginja roll - some other special roll (I can't remember but it was around $16-20 I think) Ambiance: traditional but fun (I love sitting on the floor! And because there's a ginormous hole underneath the table you can let your legs dangle so they don't fall asleep on you!) Service: Attentive, and I never thought I'd say this, but perhaps a bit TOO attentive. At any given moment there seemed to be 3 pairs of eyes on us. I need some space to breathe, thank you. Food: Good, but for the price, I expected more. It was just lacking that je ne sais quoi. Btw, this place can be pretty tricky to find...it's in a circle to the right of CVS (yes, where you, too, can buy some socks if you need to!)
(4)Gus F.
Irori Japanese Restaurant, in my opinion, is about tantalizing your taste buds as opposed to getting full and falling asleep on the couch. The sushi chefs (at least the one who I interacted with) are able to create delicious dishes that keep your palate interested and craving more. The following is what I ordered and its approximate price: - Salmon sushi: $6 - Black cod with miso: $7 (GET THIS!) - Soft shell crab roll: $12 Total came about to about $32 with tax and tip. Not too shabby! I would have ordered more but I did not want to put a dent in my wallet. I tend to get excited and overspend when it comes to sushi so I had to restrain myself :| Bottom line, I would come back if I'm in the area!
(4)Steph S.
This place is overpriced, has poor service and the food is mediocre at best. The servers didn't want to refill my table's drinks but had no problem taking away our plates even before we were all done eating off of them. The quality of food is no where near what they charge. The spicy tuna rolls were mushy, the tonkatsu was tough, the fried calamari came with salsa as a dipping sauce, the shrimp shumai was soggy and the gyoza was underfilled with no taste. If you want real Japanese food, I suggest going to Azuma in Gardena!
(1)Joy G.
Love this place. This is our go to sushi restaurant on the Westside and it almost always performs well. The fish is fresh, the service is quick and attentive and friendly, the sake nice and hot. I love anything with a jalapeno on it and they do a few. Highly recommend.
(5)John A.
The quality and variety of fish here is better than 95% of the other sushi places I've visited. The experience is unique as well, from removing shoes to sitting Japanese style at the sunken sushi bar or at the tables as well. The chefs are friendly and the atmosphere is fun but the quality and variety of fresh, wild-caught and in many cases Japanese fish is very serious. Yeah, it's in a strip mall but you'll forget about that within 3o seconds of being seated as you immerse yourself in a very authentic and delicious sushi experience.
(5)Anna P.
Irori where have you been!? I've been seeing this place for a while now especially that it's located next to my favorite dine-in theater. Once in the area I finally decided to give it a try. Once I came in I was blown away by how packed it was and how everyone had to be shoeless. A true Japanese experience! Once we got seated I couldn't decide on what to get because their menu was huge! So many options for sushi, rolls, sashimi, and hot foods! I decided to try a mix of plates and our waiter highly recommended some fish specials that weren't on the menu. We started off with the regular items like miso soup, a salad and they even had shrimp shumai, which was so yummy! Then came the sashimi, the yellowtail and salmon belly sushi, and of course for the finale the toro! All the fish was super fresh and melted in your mouth. I'm so glad we discovered this place! Also our waiter was very attentive and constantly made sure we were doing ok. He even recommended to try a great Japanese beer I've never had. Can't wait to come again to try some other dishes!
(5)Tricia L.
Love the chicken udon. Sushi's pretty great as well. Traditional japanese style is fun an adds to the atmosphere
(4)Cari T.
I didn't think I would've been bothered by the whole "no shoes" thing until I actually got there. Sure, I've been to many restaurants in the past (I grew up in Asia) where you would remove your shoes, but it's usually just in your own room, with the people you're eating with. For some strange reason when I was asked to remove my shoes the moment I entered the restaurant, and had to walk right by all the other patrons or have other peoples feet come really close to my table, it just felt "uncomfortable". I guess I just don't really get it? Overall, the food was fine. Nothing wrong and everything tasted fresh. We thought we were gonna try to eat healthy and ordered rolls only with a salad. Unfortunately the calamari salad came with fried calamari! haha. It was good, and it's our fault for not checking, but there was SO MUCH calamari we felt really gross after eating that much fried food. I totally agree with the previous reviewer about the somewhat overwhelming # of servers. It's especially awkward because they're all standing, while you're sitting, which means, you guessed it, their feet are really close to your food, or even your face! (because you're sitting in the sunken seats). I'm not familiar with the area so I don't know if there are better sushi options around so you should check it out for yourself to see if you're ok with the feet close to your food situation...
(3)Jonathan N.
BEWARE - New change in management/ownership. Now worst sushi place in town considering price. Beware of older positive reviews, not the same anymore! I am trying to inform everyone who used to love this place. Ambiance is nice but customer service is over bearing and rude. Food is overpriced and poorly executed. I got a tuna roll and it looked like a 5 year old made it, ugliest sushi roll I have ever seen in my life. Rush rush rush, clear plates when I am not even finished...don't bother. Only thing authentic about this place now? Can't think of any.
(1)Michaela C.
This place is very interesting and unique, to say the least. It's a Japanese restaurant, but the only catch is you have to take off your shoes before entering. It kind of gets everyone in a fun mood and everyone has to sit on the floor on pillows. My friend and I ordered sushi today and the rolls that we got were very good, but there were only six pieces of sushi versus eight pieces that you would get at regular sushi restaurants. The Rainbow Roll was $18!!!! It would be anywhere between $8-$12 at any other sushi place and probably just as tasty. The rolls themselves are pretty expensive, but considering the fact that this is in Marina Del Ray in a small shopping center, that doesn't surprise me. I would get your money's worth and go to Jerry's Deli across the way in the same plaza.
(3)Jhoselyn R.
Great, fresh sushi! Great experience with the seating. We didn't want to leave! Was not a big fan of their dynamite. But the sashimi and nigiri sushi were AWESOME!
(5)Dave H.
Came with a buddy for his birthday due to his choosing. Left with a smile on my face due to excellent service and good sushi quality.
(3)Sam F.
For my money, best sushi west of the 405. Also, added bonus that they take reservations. Always consistent food quality. Occasionally service isn't the best, but food makes up for it. I also love that it's in a strip mall next to a Radio Shack.
(5)Keyes B.
I stumbled upon this place on the way home from an appointment yesterday afternoon. Not too many people in the place which is normal for a Japanese restaurant in the middle of the afternoon on a Monday. Nice ambiance. Have to take your shoes off before you are seated. OK. A little different, but OK. Sit down on the floor at the sushi bar and your feet are "below" the surface of the floor. Not the easiest thing to do depending on your physical stature. Different, but still kind of cool. So OK. Order up a couple standard sushi items that I always get when I go to a new place. This gives me a feel for the quality/freshness of the product, the amount of sushi for each order, how they prepare their sushi, etc. First thing I notice: $5.75 per sushi order across the board. Well this better be good. I don't mind paying for excellent sushi. Get my first two orders and meh. Quality somewhere between store bought prepackaged stuff at my local Japanese market, and that of an all you can eat place. Defiantly not worth the price. Decide to try a hand roll and order the baked Blue Crab hand roll. Chef slaps some "Blue Crab" mush onto a piece of aluminum foil and throws it in the toaster oven. Couple minutes later and he puts the mush onto some seaweed and then rolls it like a burrito. Nothing else with the mush. Nothing crunchy to break up the textures. Nothing savory to justify the price. Nothing. Not even wrapped like a hand roll. Wrapped like a burrito. Never seen anything like this in my over 40 years of going to sushi bars/Japanese restaurants since I was a kid. Just some mush that truly tasted like oven warmed tuna melt and seaweed. Nasty. Not OK. Well that was enough for me. Was going to try a few other items, but I figured why waste my time, my money and my tummy on stuff that might make me sick. Had to go next door to CVS to get a Heath bar to get the awful taste out of my mouth. 1 star for ambiance 1/2 star for attentive wait staff 1/2 star for proximity next to CVS for Heath bar
(2)Sandy H.
My GF heard this place just opened and we took a chance and tried it. The sushi was amazing, the service was great! The sashimi was really fresh, and Im picky being from the islands. Pricey like all good sushi places but well worth it! I will definately go back for more.
(5)Da C.
This is a re-review from my last visit to irori. Last time I gave them a rating of 3 because if their smaller portions and not so fresh fish. This time I give a 4. Reason this place still isn't a straight 5 is because I still didn't try their uni and oyster... Next time I come back, which I def will after my experience this time, I will try their oyster, uni and sweet shrimp. This time I visited on a Saturday night at around 6:30. No wait and sat at sushi bar. Got crowded at 7:30 w lines out the door. Fish was fresh and great portions: blue fin tuna, Japanese scallop, Spanish mackerel, scallop w mayo, blue crab handroll, unagi, spicy tuna on crispy rice Prices seemed to have gone up another dollar for the good sushi but I didn't mind that just as long as the portions didn't shrink. They had their white choc mac creme brûlée again!!! Luv!!! Last time they said they didn't make it anymore. Service was great. Seemed like they had more workers working... Even had an extra chef at sushi bar. Overall great experience and went home happy. Will def come back. I'm so happy irori redeemed themselves. :) My old 3 star review: Change in management really put a ding on their rating... Their portions seem smaller yet they still charge the same as before. Their fish isn't as fresh anymore but still maybe fresher than other nearby sushi places...however, i got a bad uni......so that was the end of it for me... They also took away the white chocolate macadamian creme brulee which was my fav dessert there! I will give this place one more try because I really do want this place to go back to being my fav sushi joint.
(4)Mary Ann R.
Good sushi. Sit on the floor dining room. Moderately pricey but tasty food. Have been there a dozen times maybe.
(4)Sunny B.
SOOOO GOOOD!!! The atmosphere is fun, and the food is great! The yellowtail sashimi melts in your mouth... and my husband loves their spicy tuna with crispy rice.
(4)LaTesha A.
I should begin by saying, I always have mixed feelings about eating places that require the removal of your shoes. Not every one has the same idea of personal hygiene or appropriate sock-matching. I choose my green argyle socks for this occasion and they were a hit with the hostess! ;-) The ambiance in this place was intimate but casual. I appreciated that while you could choose bar seating or the sunken floor tables, they still offered seats to anyone who preferred back support. The food itself was nothing to write home to Japan about, but the service was great and the offerings were decent. The waitstaff was very attentive and informative, but you did have to ask about the menu items because they didn't readily offer that information.
(3)Erin M.
Three thoughts for Irori: long wait over-priced mediocre flavor I would be willing to deal with the over-priced, and work around the long wait, for flavor that was outstanding. Unfortunately, it kills me that a restaurant with great service & charming atmosphere can't deliver on the food end of things. I think a lot of these 5-star ratings are swayed by the authentic ambiance of Irori, not necessarily the quality of the dishes.
(2)C H.
Not what it used to be - food not bad, service terrible. We used to go here a lot, but have not been there for a couple of years. We wanted to take some friends for a unique and delicious experience. We made a reservation for our group of seven; some of us arrived a little early and I tried to explain that we wanted to wait for the rest of our group, but the hostess wasn't having it. We were seated, and we apologized to our timely arrivals about being seated ahead of them. Our orders were taken promptly, drinks were brought out. Then the food started to arrive, but in a haphazard fashion, everything just sort of randomly placed on the table (which we expect with appetizers, but not with individual salads and soups). My order did not arrive with the others, but because this is a sushi place and we did order appetizers, everyone shared with me while I waited for my dinner, which was one of the meal "specials" (and quite expensive) that they had described for us (as in, not on the printed menu). I kept trying to catch the waitress's eye, because not only did I not have my meal, but our water glasses were empty and some of us never received soy sauce dishes for dipping the sushi. At long last, I was able to ask another server to send over our waitress. She seemed surprised I did not have my food; at this point, literally everyone else at the table had finished their meals. She left for a few minutes, came back and said my meal would be out in a few minutes. Our group was not in a hurry, so we laughed about it among ourselves. My "special" was supposed to be preceded by two appetizers, and it was - literally, she brought one appetizer, then after I finished that one, she brought the second, then after I finished that one, she brought my meal. At this point, we were feeling a bit annoyed. When my meal finally arrived, I ate some of it and shared it with the others (who politely ate it, even though they were done at that point), because, really, the whole meal process had gone quite long enough. And unbelievably, we were still having to request water refills at this point, because either they don't refill waters, or we were under a cloak of invisibility. There was no apology and no offer to comp a dessert, or take a percentage off. They did add a mandatory 18% tip to the bill. Normally, I add on to the mandatory tip to bring it at least to 20% if not more, but not this time. We won't go back.
(2)Fiona L.
Loved it!! Food was great! Service was wonderful... But FYI: you will have to take your shoes off and leave them by the door. Will definitely be back!!
(5)Diana H.
This is a cute place - you have to take off your shoes when you come in and leave it in the cubbies like you did when you were in pre-school. Decent service, good sushi. Aside from normal sashimi and rolls, we ordered the garlic scallops and OMG so good. Must try.
(4)Sheree P.
IRORI - I love how this word is spelled the same front to back and vice versa. (Palindrome...per Leonard A. - Thanks for helping me find the proper term) Coolest sushi set up in LA hands down. They have these sunken seats that looked like you're sitting on the floor, but your feet is actually beneath the table...kinda like a mock tatami for those who can't kneel or squat for the entire meal true Japanese style. Shoes off is required...so please, keep personal hygiene at standards. Food here is amazing!! I am a bit spoiled by the fact that the owner is a friend so all I have to say is get me whatever is yummy and she will have kitchen whip up these delicious concoctions as I tend to get a bit indecisive when I look at their menu.....I want EVERYTHING. Yellowtail in ponzu sauce w/ jalapenos Ono/Albacore/Salmon Sushi Ama Ebi (they also make this miso soup with the giant ebi head) Blue Crab Roll (oooo....drools) What else, what else....thinking....still thinking Really, I become a gluttonous sloth when I come here and my brain stops functioning and all I can do is say "Bring On The Food" and relax and eat to my heart's content. If you don't know what to order from their vast menu selection, just ask the server their most popular dishes and you can't go wrong. p.s. Hiiiiii Saraaaah.....air kiss & wave....feeeeed meee!! :)
(5)Alex F.
Best sushi place I've been to in LA yet, but 4 stars bc it's a little overpriced in my opinion. Got to have the crisyy rice tuna thing and the blue crab hand rool. Super fun atmosphere. You sit in the floor. Do not come here. It's mine. UPDATE: I've since been to this other sushi place on Centinela just south of Washington, and it's just as good, and cheaper--though no where near as cool to go to. For a date I'd definitely say Irori. For convenience the other place.
(4)Jim A.
I've been going to Irori for about 10 years now. This is one of those hidden Gems that not a lot of people know of. The restaurant is located in the Marina Del Rey shopping center near the CVS store. One thing I love about this restaurant is the authenticity. When you enter the restaurant you are required to remove your shoes and then you can either choose to sit at the sushi bar or get a table. The tables are sunken which is kind of cool and many of the restaurants in Japan are like that. The atmosphere is what you can expect from a Japanese restaurant. The food is excellent..everything from the Benito boxes to the sushi, there are very few dishes that will not meet your expectations. The last time I visited was on 12/4/11 right after I went to see the Nutcracker with my friend Ariun. We sat at the bar area and ordered an array of sushi both rolls and sushi as well as edamame, fried calamari, green tea and mochi ice cream. I was very surprised by the bill considering the amount of food we ordered - the bill was less than $100. Overall, an excellent experience both from a food and setting standpoint.
(5)Jeff Y.
This place is delicious. Good quality seafood at a reasonable price. I like it. But, beware: they make you take your shoes of which can be a bit strange if you're barefoot.
(4)A L.
This is one of those places that I both love and hate that it's far away from me. I hate that it's far away for the obvious reason that I cannot eat it anytime I want...and I love it because I shouldn't be eating this anytime I want. Especially since a couple of my favorite items start with "Baked" or "creamy". YUM Likes: 1. Baked Creamy Oysters - I'm not an oyster fan and I like this! Just beware, they use chunks of salt to prop up the oyster shells for presentation purposes only...don't mistake it for chopped daikon! 2. Baked Garlic Scallops - these are not the tiny scallops, but the big meaty ones...comes 2 to an order with a garlicky ponzu sauce. SO good! 3. Yellowtail Collar - if you love collar, you'll love this. Better than the salmon collar IMO and I usually prefer salmon anything 4. Sashimi - FRESH FRESH FRESH! Good plus is that they're constantly busy so you know that the fish isnt just sitting back there waiting to be used. Busy sushi restaurants = fresher fish Dislikes: NONE! Things to note: This is one of those places where you have to take off your shoes and you sit on the ground, so make sure you're not wearing socks with holes or different colored socks as people WILL notice. Also...girls, don't wear short flowy skirts as many patrons may be afforded a free peepshow when you're walking to and from your table! Unless that's your thang...
(5)Mark H.
Just ate there tonight. We were looking forward to a pleasant sushi dinner given the wonderful decor, but things didn't go so well once we sat down at the bar. The sushi chefs were Korean, and they seemed rude on purpose. We asked for the menu and they handed me a dirty, stained, and used sushi checklist / menu. Then, Justin (one of the sushi chefs), asked me to order with him when I already ordered with another chef. He then takes over one of our roll orders, and after handing it to us, leaves us without wasabi or ginger. We asked for it, and he chuckles and hands us some while asking if that was all we were going to order. We ordered an Alaskan roll, and I saw another chef make the roll, then halfway through making it stop, sighs, then dumps the meat that he touched back into the display before using a different meat. I didn't eat this roll, but my girlfriend did. Now she's a bit sick :(. Followup edit - our wait staff service was all right.
(1)James H.
Must try the omakase!
(5)kristie k.
Yummy yummy yummy!!! 5 stars for atmosphere and service. Take off your shoes and sit in a cozy underground floor table. Very authentic and homey feeling. We had the dinner combos, salmon teriyaki, beef and chicken teriyaki plus tempura. The combos come with miso soup and salad. Some also come with ice cream for dessert. Either green tea or red bean. The teriyaki sauce was soooo delicious! Large portions of protein and extra sides of bean sprouts, cucumber, and fruit. We left super full and extremely satisfied. This is a place that I will definitely revisit. GO TO IRORI!!!!!
(5)Ari S.
Wow! This place was AMAZING! I came here tonight with a big group of people. I love that you sit on the floor (but with your legs in an opening under the table so it's not super uncomfortable) and take off your shoes. The service was so spot on and quick and friendly-- they were really on top of it. The sushi was sooo amazingly good and fresh... the great thing about going in a big group is we shared all different kinds of rolls and I got to try a little of everything. Everything was excellent. The spicy tuna roll with yellowtail and jalapeño on top was one of my favs. The Philadelphia roll was huge but really tasty. The salmon sushi was very fresh. Even the ginger was fresh. My water glass was always refilled. The desert was also very good-- we all shared mochi, fried green tea ice cream.. Yum yum yum. I think this may become my new regular place-- FINALLY, since moving to LA, and after reviewing countless sushi places, I've found one near me that I can truly rave about. The reason for minus one star is that it is expensive. Anyone know if they have a happy hour here? If not, they should definitely get one!
(4)Mario R.
Came here on Valentine's day with my girlfriend never having been here. Went on nothing but Yelp reviews, took a risk and it paid off well. There are plenty of sushi restaurants in town but few have a real sense of presence. Yeah, some might scoff and say that sitting on the floor and eating with no shoes is gimmicky but I'd argue that eating out is not just about good food but good ambiance. This place possesses both. The wait staff is friendly and very attentive. Empty plates and bottles are quickly scooped away. The food was great and came to our table in a timely manner despite being very busy on Valentine's day, sushi tasted fresh, and the specialty rolls were well executed. Girlfriend enjoyed the experience as well and that is all important. I will come back and have their teriyaki dinner and some sake next time.
(5)H C.
This place is very good. The place was clean. The servers are prompt and friendly. And the food is very very good. The sushi chefs look very serious about their sushi here. This is definitely where I will be getting my sushi fix. You have to try the Blue Fin Toro and the baked Blue crab roll! Thus place gets packed, so make reservations and don't be late.
(4)Soly Z.
Hidden behind a dust cloud of construction and plywood, Irori Japanese Restaurant is your typical sushi spot in LA, but with a softer, more welcoming atmosphere. We came in for lunch about about 30 minutes prior to their pre-dinner closing hour, but that was pretty much lost in translation. We finally got the message when our waitress hurriedly brought our food and had the check in her hand at the same time. She stood above our table waiting for payment, even though we hadn't begun to eat yet. After she pointed to the clock and said "close", we got the message and quickly ate and paid. I wish they would have mentioned it before seating us, as we would have come back another time to enjoy the food and atmosphere for a meal that was less rushed.
(3)Andi P.
I discovered Irori on accident one night, when my Dad and I couldn't decide what to eat for dinner. We have our usual LA faves (26 Beach, Cabo Cantina, etc.) but found ourselves with a hankering for some sushi. When seeking out help from my friends in twitter-land turned up measly suggestions, I of course turned to Yelp for help! Irori popped up as the closest option, as my Dad lives off of Tahiti Way in Marina. It is located in a strip mall which, prior to living to Vegas, I would have thought meant that it wasn't worth trying. However, here in Vegas, some of my FAVORITE places are in strip malls so don't ever let that discourage you! I digress - anyways, upon walking in you are directed to remove your shoes and place them in cubbies. Awesome. From door to decor this place is authentic! The servers don't speak very clear English but what does it even matter! They are so friendly and clearly understand 'Sake' and 'Sapporo' so we were set. We sat at the sushi bar (which is the only place you should ever really sit if you want the ultimate experience, duh) and I'm pretty sure tried almost everything on the menu. We were given tons of free things to try and stayed until they were read to close up. We've since gone back and taken other people with us and every experience has been as good as the first one. Try it! You won't be disappoined!
(5)ashley m.
the very best sushi I have had on the westside of LA. Try "Omakase" (Chef's Choice). we didn't have one bad item. will definitely be going back.
(5)Gabe K.
My GF is a sushi expert. She says: Sushi was excellent Prices were fair Service was outstanding (we both agree) Make sure you ask about the beer selection, as they have more than what's on the menu.
(5)jen t.
Love the vegetable tempura roll - mmm...pumpkin tempura is delicious! Really nice interior and taking off your shoes before a meal makes it feel all warm and cozy like home (aside from the occasional stinky feet smell...ewww...) Service is super attentive and friendly! Also a big fan of their salad and the ginger dressing (I think it's ginger)...
(4)Jocelyn S.
My husband and I went to Irori last night for our 11th wedding anniversary. We loved taking off our shoes and sitting on the floor. The sushi was amazing, so fresh, and flavorful. We are serious sushi connoisseurs & found the quality of the sushi at Irori to be high. The albacore with toasted onions was to die for! Our server was attentive and super adorable and friendly. She surprised us at the end with green tea ice cream and orange. As we were walking out, the whole staff waved goodbye. Great sushi and fun atmosphere!
(5)Eric S.
This is the Marina Del Rey's best kept secret. I am a sushi snob, yet I never been disappointed here... The staff is polite and attentive the food is fantastic and fresh, they have a good sake selection and will make recommendations and even know where you can obtain particular sake outside their restaurant if you ask. There sushi menu is extensive as well. Request to be seated at the sushi bar and request Massa as your sushi chef for the ultimate dining experience. I highly recommend Irori for your next sushi outing, There is ample parking in the mall where Irori is located. You will find it next to the CVS tucked in the back... An unexpected location for such a great restaurant).
(5)Blair K.
The place is a little different when you first walk in, because you have to take your shoes off and you sit on the floor. But your feet are dangling. So we sat at the sushi bar and everything we ordered was really good. However next time I go there I would like to sit at the tables so I can order from the grill also.
(4)Carol S.
If you have athlete's foot or just came from the gym - just know that you will have to remove your shoes here. They provide shelves for your nice or busted kicks. The coolest thing about this place is the seating. Each table has a recessed area underneath so your feet just dangle (if you're a shorty). They have a wide variety of specials on the chalkboard. The dishes are small but delicious, the atmosphere is great, and the prices are reasonable. My favorite dishes: * Blue Crab Handroll * Japanese Albacore * Teriyaki Salmon * Yellowtail in ponzu sauce w/ jalapenos * Hamachi Kama * Red Snapper * Garlic Scallops (in the shell w/ garlic, ponzu, butter sauce)
(4)Janet T.
My bf and I have been coming here for a few years now, Two to be exact. I found out about irori's during my first work related lunch. I was so blown away by the quality of the sushi and the cool chefs that I had to bring my bf here. After he tried their blue hand crab roll, he was a devoted follower. We would later frequent this place once or twice a month when we were in the mood for their yummy sushi. The moment you walk into the restaurant, you're required to take off your shoes and place them in little shoe compartments. The hostess then walks you to your table where you either sit on pillows or if you're lucky - you get to squeeze your legs into a huge open space underneath the tables (much more comfortable this way). If you get the chance to sit at the sushi bar, embrace the environment and be open to whatever they dish out. They also have plenty of specials on the chalk board that you could request directly from the chefs. My favorite dishes would have to be the: * spicy tuna on crispy rice ($6) for two pieces. * blue crab handroll - $5.5 * Slices of yellowtail in ponzu sauce w/ jalapeno's - $15 * Lobster Tempura with Spicy Sauce - $8 * Slices of Ono - $9 * Hamachi Kama - $7 * Chicken Karrage - $6 * Ankimo monkfish liver - $5.5 * Red Snapper - $6.5 * Surf Clam - 5 * Japanese scallop still in the shell w/ a little japanese ginger - $5 The list can go on but you get the idea. The dishes are really reasonable and the atmosphere is great. The only gripe would be having to use their slippers provided to go to the bathroom. I'm a little OCD so using slippers that 94792984826 people have used time and time again just seems a little unappealing. Other than that, great spot to grab a sushi dinner.
(4)Mitra K.
I love this hidden gem in the Marina. I like the sitting on the floor thing and the cool cutouts for your legs. I really like the free-standing er.. sitting chairs at the sushi bar (reminds me of the spa in Koreatown). Our waittress was super friendly and nice, it's the kind of place that charges for jalapeños and mayo but hey - they've got bills to pay too, right? We tried a little bit of everything and it was fresh and satisfying (as sushi can get). Good spot to make a regular sushi habit.
(4)Jan B.
I love the ambiance and the set up. Ur greeted by the host and asked to remove ur shoes. You are seated at a table that seems set on the floor but under the table is an opening where u sit on creating the illusion. The sushi quality good and it feels very authentic. I had the following: Seaweed sesame salad Garlic baked mussels Dynamite Alaskan roll Spicy tuna roll Yellow tail Baked scallop roll All very delicious. Loved their fresh squeezed lemonade. I would highly recommend this place to n e one. Very nice for a date. The plaza is under construction but don't be discouraged it's a different feel once you open the door :)
(4)Luke R.
I have to admit, I was weirded out by the fact you have to remove your shoes to get a seat. And you basically sit on the floor with your feet in a hole in the floor. Whatever, it wasn't a big deal, just different. The sushi was very good. The size of the rolls was much larger than most places in SoCal. It reminded me a lot of San Francisco style fare. My friend and I got 5 or 6 rolls between us and the bill was about $40. Parking is abundant because the place is in a strip mall.
(4)Dina W.
Not that this place needs another review, but it is the best sushi I have had in years. Too many great things to list but love the ono tacos and the Ginja roll. The salmon sushi was prob the best I've had. Make rezzies and clean your thriller feet because you take them shoes off! The service is spectacular, super nice folks.
(5)Robert T.
Really nice quality of fish. Great prices. Excellent team of waitstaff that never missed a step of service after the order was taken. Only thing that was a minus was when the server asked if we have ever been there before (which we haven't) and then didn't further explain what was special about the place or gave any insight to the menu and how the "usual" dining experience works there. and now the food... -edamame, which came unexpectedly unsalted, 3 stars -seafood spring rolls (shrimp, halibut, crab, shiso, sweet and spicy sauce), 4 stars -Chilean Seabass with greens and a miso sauce, 5 stars -8pc Nigiri w/spicy tuna futomaki style (tuna, hamachi, albacore, octopus, seared tuna, whtefish, shrimp, salmon) so fresh! 5 stars - this came with a miso soup, small sunomono salad, and a green salad with a ginger miso dressing. A nice touch to round out the dish. 3 stars drinks... cupcake chardonnay small carafe of cold sake and a pint of asahi (draft) Bill was about $80 for two people and was well worth every penny definitely recommend this place! The tables are really fun to sit at since they make you take your shoes off at the door and your table top is only about a foot off the ground with your feet in a "hole" underneath. Will be back for sure!
(4)Jess G.
Went for lunch with a friend. Service was excellent and lunch specials were decent, especially considering the quality. We each had the sashimi special. The salmon sashimi I had practically melted in my mouth and came with generous side items. My friend's tuna sashimi looked fresh and delicious. Would definitely go back.
(4)David R.
Yelp didn't lie on this one. Lovely restaurant, friendly attentive service, fresh tasty food, novelty seating on the floor with lowered area for your feet under the table. Had the beef teriyaki and a vegetable roll. Girlfriend had spicy tuna sushi entree. Downsides are the hideous mall it's located in (but nothing atypical for southern CA) and the particle-board ceiling, but I was willing to overlook these things because of the value of the meal.
(5)Brannon H.
This place was phenomenal. I sat at the bar and just let the sushi chef choose. He gave me single servings of about 10 things, none of which i had ever tasted and they were all delicious. I'm just visiting town, but will probably go back again tomorrow night.
(5)LesleeShae J.
Love it here I feel so traditional at this sushi house; you must take your shoes off so I always wear my socks, then the tables are on the ground so you sit with your legs literally in the floor. good times, there is a great wine selection try the pear wine super sweet but worth a chance, sushi is traditional however there are also dinner plates with beef you may order. Service is spot on and super nice great place to try for the more trady experience.
(5)Erica J.
The sushi gave me nothing to complain about. The hamachi melted in my mouth, and the masago was fresh and plentiful. My friend and I sat at the sushi bar, and the sushi chef was patient while we decided what to order. He even joked around with us when my friend wanted to order nothing but masago for the rest of the night. We got to try snow crab nigiri as a result. Tender and sweet, not rubbery. The spicy tuna roll had a great texture too, with an afterkick of heat without killing the fresh tuna flavor. I'd come again. But, I think that it is a bit pricy. Most of the nigiri was $5 to $5.50 for an order (2 pieces), which isn't bad, but definitely adds up if you're hungry. I've definitely had better for less, but it's still pretty good in my book. The quality of the fish, the humor of the sushi chefs, the relaxed ambience of sitting on the floor without one's shoes (with recessed wells for your legs to dangle) make it stand out from the many sushi restaurants around the westside, and I would come back.
(3)Elizabeth E.
I lost my sushi virginity at this place. I was seriously anti sushi and would go and eat the Udon or tempura. Finally we were here with a big group for my fiance for his birthday and everyone was dying over the Japanese Albacore Sashimi with jalapeno and garlic, so I tried it and now I am HOOKED!! I love going to this place and won't go to many other sushi places because I insist on eating only the highest quality sushi out there. The only problem we have had here has been the wait when we forgot to make reservations or decide to go last minute. The service has always been great.
(5)Maggie A.
I love this place because of it's effort NOT to be just another California sushi place. It's aiming to be authentic for the most part (there are some dishes that have that california twist which I tend to avoid). The owners have good intentions, and they have given the restaurant some personality that makes it memorable. If I have guests staying from out of town (specifically people from the midwest where they don't have much sushi, if any) I will bring them here for the whole experience - sitting with your feet down inside the floor, the well-lit sushi bar, going "shoe-less"... it's all part of the fun and makes the food seem that much better! I absolutely love the scallop appetizer. Wow. What a treat! (slightly expensive but worth it!). The sushi is a 3/5 for me.
(4)Lindsey C.
Not sure how I stumbled upon this place since it's in a strip mall toward the back, but it's definitely a gem and makes authentic sushi (not all fried and Americanized). This place is: -Great to take guests -Have an intimate meal -Have authentic style seating (you have to remove your shoes and you sit on a raise floor, but there's a cut-out under the table to put your legs in) -Great sushi -A nice, clean classy place but you don't have to get dressed up This place is NOT: -Good for kids -Affordable TIP: GET THE OYSTER SHOOTERS. They are simply amazing!
(5)Hannah H.
So I used to LOVE this place, but ever since they changed ownership and got all new peeps it really not the same quality, or service! It still is packed but everyone who used to go prob has noticed the difference. It used to be owned by a Japanese family and now a Korean money hungry guy owns it.
(1)Michael S.
We've been coming here for the past 9 months about once a month since moving to Marina. It has become our go-to sushi place, in my opinion the best the area has to offer. The plusses: great, friendly service; wide selection of food (they made me an oyster shot, for instance, most sushi places don't seem to be able to do that); just the right amount of noise, not so loud that you have trouble hearing, but loud enough that nobody can really overhear you; pretty much everything we've eaten here has been great, and if we didn't enjoy something, it was due to a personal taste thing and not the food itself. Sushi experimentation is a safe adventure here. The only minus, and it really isn't one, is that it's located in a strip mall, and doesn't look like much from the outside. Once you walk inside, though, it's a whole different world, and frankly the strip mall to me is a plus because it means unlimited, non-valet, free parking! Not sure why people get all bent-out-of-shape over the no shoes thing, but a lot of people seem uncomfortable about it. I guess for that reason alone, it may not be a first or second date kind of place, but otherwise just realize that nobody else is wearing shoes and roll with it! Trust me, you won't be the first or the last to have holes in your mismatched socks there...
(5)Karla H.
Pretty good!! Had udon....was not bad at all. I didn't order my business partner did. All I can say is that she made a lot of great selections. She ordered family style and everything was good
(4)Parker B.
Amazing overall experience. Some of the best sushi and small plates around for the price. Brought my little one (3 years old) and she liked the food and fun, in ground, Japanese seating. Good, brisk service, and fantastic fish quality.
(5)E L.
This used to be my favorite sushi place. But it is now under a new management. The chefs are all Korean and it's just not the same anymore. So so sad.
(1)Kel S.
Love the atmosohere here. No shoes, tables cut out into the floor. Sushi as it was meant to be, and GREAT lunch specials... including bento boxes which will leave you full!
(5)Tas D.
One of my favorite sushi places.
(5)Anne W.
I have been here several times after a friend had told me this is the best it gets in LA and very similar to Japan. Beware of taking friends that don't do the raw thing.. or Asian thing. I don't think they'll like it. I like how you take off your shoes.. makes you feel very clean. The wait is long.. and right now they are under construction. Hostess is doubling as a waitress because we were waiting for a while. Tried several things.. I don't know if I got the wrong blue crab hand roll. I actually didn't like it that much... so I am hoping there was a secret roll not listed on the menu. Tried the sashimi with jalapeno.. that was good. Toro roll was pretty standard.. too ground up. I did like the tuna on crispy rice. We also tried Japanese scallop nigiri. Yum. Wish there was more of a suggestion on what to get.. maybe I needed to bring somebody Japanese.
(4)Andrew R.
Amazing! Friendly staff, amazing sushi chef, floor seating, no shoes, just good times. Everything is amazing and incredibly fresh. All of the sushi chefs know what's going on! I love this place. It's quickly been a regular.
(5)Ami T.
Unfortunately, Yuki is no longer there, but now Masa is the head sushi chef and Irori continues to be excellent. Although it lacks the "fun" aspect that I used to go for, the food is still good, and it has me keep coming back for more.
(5)Natalia O.
This place has an spectacular ambiance! Nothing like these.. The food is always excellent and consistent. The Staff are very nice! Bring a good pair of socks ;) since you'll be ask to take your shoes off before entering the Dinner Area. A marvelous hardwood floors with authentic Japaneses seating style! This mean; there's no chairs! You sit in floor, but relax! there is a hole under the table where you can put your legs, and rest your knees! I've been continuously coming to this restaurant since I found it, and It never disappoint you. In fact! I'm Going tonight! I can't wait!!
(5)Dave V.
Even though I've been in Los Angeles for three years now, I'm still tickled by the amazing food one can find in strip malls. This is exactly where you'll find Irori Sushi in Marina del Rey. I was out visiting my friend Joe who has a lovely little house in Venice. He and my friend Sherri had been raving about this place for weeks, so I finally forced them to take me there. Nestled amongst a SuperCuts, a nail salon, and a Pavilions, this unassuming location houses a quaint and authentic Japanese experience. One stashes one's shoes in a cubby before proceeding to one's table. But you won't find chairs - instead you'll be sitting on a pillow with your feet dangling into a cutout in the floor beneath your table. It's terribly cute and fun, but, unless you're sure you won't need to use the restroom, I would highly recommend wearing socks... yeah... As you might guess, the starving artist doesn't make a habit of eating sushi because it is largely not wallet friendly. But it is such a refreshing treat... especially when the weather gets hot... clearly I'm not that good at being a starving artist.... When I get a craving and find myself at a sushi place, I usually go for a combination platter, which offers a filling variety at a reasonable cost. My 6-piece combo was $19.50 and worth every penny, though I wasn't quite sure why the salmon in my California roll was ground up. Still good, though. We also shared some of the house's special rolls, including the "Irori Roll", which had smoked salmon, crispy rice, and cilantro. Nothing overwhelming to look at, but utterly amazing to eat. I also quite enjoyed the albacore on a crispy rice square (in the picture at the top right) - a lovely melding of textures and flavors. Fresh and crispy. Mmmm. Now, I never thought I would find myself saying this, but the service here is almost too thorough. I know, I can feel your rolling eyes and snickering. But check it out. At one point Sherri had taken the last piece of Sushi from one of the plates and, before she even got it to her mouth, a waitress swooped in and snatched the plate from beneath her. Similarly, I could barely take a few sips of water before someone was grabbing my glass to refill it. At first I thought this was impressive, but after a little while I began to feel almost claustrophobic - like they were hovering over me anxiously awaiting for me to make a move. And let's face it, whenever a waiter comes to the table the flow of conversation gets interrupted, which in turn just exacerbates the claustrophobia. Don't get me wrong, it was fine - the staff was all incredibly friendly. But, I couldn't help but take note... The verdict: I really enjoyed my experience here, even with overly thorough service, and look forward to returning and trying more of their house rolls, particularly the Ono, which my friends adore. If you're in the mood for something fresh, a little different, and not completely wallet-depleting, I would definitely recommend checking it out.
(4)Lauren T.
Great sushi with a fun atmosphere Word of advice; don't wear socks with holes in 'em
(4)Scott C.
This restaurant claims to be wheelchair accessible, but it isn't. There is traditional cushions on the floor, but no Western tables that are appropriate for handicapped or elderly patrons. Apparently, physically challenged diners are not welcome.
(1)Kevin M.
Came here on a GrubWithUs event. I'd say it was only a moderately good Japanese restaurant... Starting with AMBIANCE, well, it's great in the sense that you get the "traditional" Japanese restaurant experience. Come in, take off your shoes, stick it in a shoe-box size hole, walk up the ramp, and then go sit down. No, you don't have to sit on your knees, they have cut out holes under the table so you can sit normally. Though, you still have to work on keeping your back straight ;) What about the bathroom, you ask? Well, it was nice of them to include 4 sets of sandals before entering the bathroom. These are single-person bathrooms, so 4 pairs are plenty. The noise level is pretty high. It could be attributed to the wooden floors and relatively low ceiling that keeps the noise bouncing around. That's alright though, it's a lively place more or less. LOCATION: It's in a mall with plenty of parking. Currently there's construction going on and it's near impossible to find the place without calling them. Give them a call, it's in a hidden corner that's currently all covered up. SERVICE Given this is an event that is planned weeks in advance between GrubWithUs and the restaurant, how could they place us on 2 different tables and not one big table? That's really an EPIC FAIL when you're out to meet new people. So they didn't reserve a big table and there were none when we all arrived (8 people). The person serving didn't have any hint of a smile, seemed like she was upset that noone ordered drinks and just wanted water. She would come with the food, and then would leave. No questions. Now I mean some of you might like that, but I'd have to say, it almost feels empty when your server doesn't ask what you think of the food, or introduce the food. I mean, the plop-down-and-go just doesn't feel right at a Jap restaurant. FOOD I'd have to say I've had better. The portions were just too small. For an event that they know has a fixed number of people (8), it would seem logical they would give enough pieces for all 8 people, right? Well, my table had 3 people. They gave 3 pieces sometimes and 2 pieces other times. That's quite stingy. I looked over at the other table and it was the same issue (they had 4 people). Flavor-wise, it was just so-so. The fish felt fresh in the rolls, but since we didn't have any sashimi, I don't know what the whole piece of fish tasted like. Sometimes, the mushed-together fish in a spicy tuna roll is not indicative of how fresh the fish is until you taste a slab of sashimi. They were stingy on the rice too... I mean, 3 people, come on, 2 rices? And they weren't even brought out at the same time! The rice bowls were not filled to the top (granted we didn't finish all the rice) but are you serious?! Overall, it was a disappointing eat, food/service wise. Except for the "experience" of taking off your shoes and all, I don't know if it'd be worth it. I might come back on my own just to try out their other dishes, but if the portions that we had are any indication, it'll be a disappointment as well.
(3)Julie F.
Irori, your tempura and maki deserve a solid 4 stars. Everything tasted fresh and balanced. However, shitty service lost you two stars. Please.. You need a dedicated hostess, not a waitress with extra duties to seat people. I also don't like getting a serious lowballed wait estimate. We waited eons for a table, then was ignored by our waitress throughout the meal. Our order was also screwed up. The sashimi never came, but we were unable to get anyone to fix it. Maybe we were down so far to the floor, that you forgot we were there. Had to flag wildly for our bill to be fixed. Irritating service ruined the otherwise tasty sushi and nice atmosphere.
(2)Stephanie C.
This was my favorite sushi experience in a long time. The place was under construction when i went and it seemed kind of sketchy. Once inside we were welcomed by a friendly host who showed us where our party was seated and guided us over after we took off our shoes (yeah you take off your shoes!!) from a distance looking into the dining area, it looks as if everyone is having a nice intimate dinner seated on the floor, once we got to our table we realized you actually seat with our feet under the table but it looks like everyone is just seated on the floor, hard to explain, really cool if you're there. Our friend ordered a ton of sushi, I only cared about one thing, the TORO. and it was amazing, every dish that was brought out to us was so fresh and so flavorful. I cant wait to go back. actually right now sounds good.
(5)Stéphanie S.
Great Sushi, great ambiance! I have been coming here for over 15 years now and it is always a nice experience.
(4)Julia B.
I came here for lunch today. This place is really great! Reasonably priced with generous sized rolls. I had the spicy tuna roll which had a good amount of spice but not so much that its overwhelming. I also had a shrimp tempura roll that was definitely my favorite of the two. The most unique thing about this place is they ask you to take off your shoes before you sit down. The seating is literally IN the floor. Your legs dangle below the floor in a type of table/pit hole. Pretty cool! I'd definitely come back here for lunch.
(4)Anita W.
I've been on a hunt for a good sushi place for awhile now...and the hunt has been incredibly disappointing the past few months. There are way too many sushi joints out there that need not exist. I used to go to Omino in Chatsworth - it was just goodness all over. But I don't go out there as often now and recently relocated to Marina Del Rey. So, with the help of yelp, I found Irori. It's kinda hidden in a little corner of the shopping center but it is totally worth looking for. Go in, take your shoes off, and prepare yourself for a tasty experience. When I went we got the agedashi tofu, chicken teriyaki entree (comes with salad, soup, a BIG plate of chicken, rice, fruit, sides of pickled cucumber and bean sprouts), spicy scallop roll, rainbow roll, eel avocado roll, and scallop sushi. Chicken was plentiful and the teriyaki sauce was right on, fish was fresh, rolls made me happy happy (sushi rice was done right and they use real crab in their CA roll!), service was attentive...I don't want to write a book but Irori just does it right. Go get yourself some awesomeness right now and try out Irori.
(5)Mr P.
Good food but expect a wait. They don't accept call in reservations. - otherwise I would be giving a solid 4 stars over 3.
(3)Annamarie L.
A change in ownership did not have to mean a decline in the taste or quality of the food offered but in this case, I'm afraid it does. It was good while it lasted.
(2)Soozie H.
When it comes to sushi, I've got a bottomless pit. Being that I only order sashimi, I usually spend $100+ on myself and am at times forced to ask for a separate check. I have made it a point of stopping by Irori's whenever I am in town and have never been disappointed. I've been there a few times already and still think about their Bluecrab Handroll which is damn YUMMY! The first time I was taken here, I was a bit skeptical of how great this sushi restaurant could be given it's somewhat strange location in a shopping plaza?! Well, after having the pleasure of savoring their unique appetizers and to DIE FOR SASHIMI, I'm a total fan!
(4)Suzanne R.
When you think of eating sushi from a place in a strip-mall, I'm sure you're quick to judge...but think again! Irori is a home of delicious, affordable sushi and sake in a neat atmosphere. Plus, plenty of free parking! There is rarely a wait, but it usually isn't long. Once your party is called, you'll be required to take off your shoes, and escorted to a table...where you sit on the floor! But don't fret if you've got knee problems or go there wearing a cute skirt, there's a convenient "leg cubby" whole under the tables where you can comfortably sit. The wait staff is very attentive, the rolls are delicious and sake is flowing. Moderately priced, great location - Irori is a sushi gem.
(4)Victoria J.
First of, whoever designed the interior of Irori - Shout out 'cuz it's awesome. You walk in and you immediately have to take your shoes off - NO SHOES ALLOWED PEOPLE - and put your shoes in a book case/shoe holder that is by the front door. My friend and I opted to sit at the sushi bar, which you kind of have to dive into. You sit on the floor, while your feet dangle beneath. We split a Seaweed salad, my friend had a Rainbow Roll and Unagi sushi which he very much enjoyed. I opted for Sea Urchin sushi, (obviously), Eel sushi, Yellowtail sushi, and Bluefin Toro sushi as it was the special. Everything was very fresh, but I was seriously disappointed about the Bluefin Toro. Honestly, it had no flavor and this is Toro = fatty = flavor, but alas, no flavor. And at $12 an order, I would have hoped for flavor. The best part about this place is the sushi chefs. They're behind the counter, making jokes, laughing ridiculously loud, sipping on beer, enjoying themselves, which in turn makes every patron in the restaurant enjoy him/herself.
(4)Anna V.
Best sushi in town, hands down! I've been coming here for years and the fish is always fresh and the staff is friendly.
(5)Ernest F.
Everything was excellent! Staff was extremely friendly and helpful
(5)Cindy H.
Oh my goooginess people, Irori is honestly a gem! Who would've thunk a place like this is sitting next to a Radio Shack & Nail Salon?! As soon as I walked in, all of my senses instantly knew this place is legit. The ambiance and aroma of fresh sushi put me in such a great mood. I love that you have to take your shoes off. It totally reminded me of Japan when I studied abroad there. The recessed seating for your feet under each table was another plus for me. All I wanted to do was try everything on their menu pretending money aint no thang. Here's what my friends and I shared: * Black Cod - Holy Lord this is to die for, try it as an appetizer, you'll die. * Oyster Shooters - These suckers are irresistable, honestly, we kept ordering more throughout our dinner. Had about 4 total. The oysters are swimming in a pool of ponzu sauce w/green onion and a quail egg in a tiny champagne flute. I'm still daydreaming about going back for more shooters. * Mackerel Shioyaki - comes with rice, soup, and salad. Love that the Mackerel comes to you in a bento box with little side dishes (pickled cucumbers). * Spicy Tuna & Spicy Yellowtail Roll * Nigiri - My bf wouldn't share (jerk), but he said it was the freshest he's ever had. If you're ever in the area, this is the place to try for sure. Make sure to call ahead and make reservations because they get crowded pretty quick. Also, don't wear stinky socks and ladies, no pencil skirts!
(5)Adam M.
Great sushi. Traditional style. Best crab hand roll. And Irori Clams/.
(4)Shirley P.
I'm a HUGE fan of Irori. This place really is thee BEST Japanese restaurant in LA. VERY FRESH fish, the food is absolutely DELICIOUS and all the employees are friendly and professional. Irori definitely deserves 5 stars!
(5)J H.
I love the lunch special! It's such a great deal...sashimi with a choice of 2 items... I get the spicy tuna and the Cali roll. Plus salad, miso soup, rice, side pickled veggies...all for a very reasonable $12.50!!! Totally worth it. I love/hate the idea of removing the shoes at the door. Feels so authentic Japanese... yet I'm paranoid of other patrons' foot hygiene! Lol! Anyway, I never tuck my feet under the table and always walk tippy toe to the table if I'm not wearing socks. In my last visit though, there was a strand of hair in the sashimi, which I informed the servers. They took my plate away. I thought they'd just lie and remove the hair, but I saw them dump the sashimi and I got fresh helping! Thumbs up! Just wish these guys were closer to my home so I can try them for dinner.
(4)Cherie H.
Still a huge fan of Irori. Usually our meal comes to no more than $50 a person no matter how much we eat or drink. Great value for delicious sushi.
(5)Danielle B.
Great Sushi place tucked in the strip mall next to Pavillions. Plenty of parking. You know a place is great when it survives being shut down for construction/doesn't look open - yet when you walk inside is completely packed. Best Dishes: Crispy Rice - Albacore - then Spicy Tuna Yellow Tail Collar Baked Crab Handroll (though not as good as Katsu-ya in the Valley Yellow Tail Sashimi Know before you go - you will need to take your shoes off and reservations will be helpful on the weekends - although it will still be packed after 7:30 PM. The sushi chefs are super nice and there seems to be a younger one that on a few occasions has attracted the female clientele's attention. A bit pricy but worth it.
(5)R B.
I frequent this place a lot; the ambiance, food and service are great. Although, the service at the bar is better than at the tables. The sushi is unbelievable - fresh, creamy, and cool. My favorites are the hamachi sashimi and the salmon sushi. They have a very good selection of sake and cooked items from the kitchen. I usually order the baby lobster dynamite and the calamari salad in addition to items at the sushi bar. Koko is the best sushi chef - he's hilarious and makes any roll we ask for. Sometimes the wait can be long, so it's best to call beforehand and put your name down. This place is perfect for an entertaining and delectable evening.
(4)Justin S.
Favorite Sushi restaurant in Marina del Rey/ Venice/ Santa Monica. Extremely friendly staff and outstanding sushi. Can't wait to go back!
(5)John A.
Great sushi spot in Marina del Rey. Sushi is fresh and delicious. Love how they make you take off your shoes too. Highly recommend Irori! Looking forward to coming back soon!
(4)I Love Barbie B.
Wow, thank you Yelpers for helping us find this place. We went last night and it was amazing! It was difficult to find, but knowing about the construction in the Pavillions shopping center, that really helped us zero in on where it must be. The tip that it is an authentic Japanese restaurant, meaning sans shoes and a cushion for a chair helped us prepare. The table with the sunken floor for your feet was a welcome comfort to my husband and I who are both 6' tall. The staff, hostess, waiter and chefs were all so warm and personable. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the attention as we were venturing to try our first sake. The appetizers of very flavorful and warm Miso soup and perfectly steamed Edamame started the meal well. Our spicy tuna roll and blue crab roll were excellent. I highly recommend the Sushimi sampler. For less than $20 you get 10-12 premium cuts of 4 different sushimis. Great for trying different things. I loved it! Thank you again Yelpers for the reviews. It is a great place and with just a little knowledge of what to expect, we had an amazing experience! We will definitely be back again and again.
(5)Kevin T.
The first Japanese restaurant I've tried in the Torrance area after moving here about a month ago. I usually eat at discount, "Half off sushi!" places where the half-price is basically their normal price, so this is my first time at a bit more expensive Japanese establishment. Cool thing is, you go in, and you have to take off your shoes. Then, you walk on a raised area to your table, which has a sunken spot underneath for your feet. It's pretty cool to see a very traditional Japanese setup, except you don't have to worry about kneeling or sitting indian style. Pretty smart! I ordered the una-jyu eel rice, which was a much bigger portion that I expected! The salmon roe and hamachi roll we ordered tasted fresh and crisp, and were good. My only gripe was that the eel was a bit burned, so the flavor was a bit off. Other than that, I had a great time there. The waitresses were really attentive, and the total price was quite reasonable for a Japanese restaurant.
(4)Rob R.
Great food, good atmosphere. Me and my girlfriend went here for dinner one night. I have never been to a Sushi restaurant that features oldschool Japanese dining where you take your shoes off and eat at floor level. Also, we ordered something that we thought was a lobster roll but turned out to be a lobster tail itself. When we were surpised (and not the good kind) they promptly took it back without a charge or a dirty look... Good service.
(4)Devon G.
Came here for dinner Thursday night for the first time with an out of town friend and loved it! It is very cute and small, very welcoming! We tried a few different rolls and BY FAR, our favorite was the Irori Roll! I HIGHLY recommend you try this roll when you go, you wont regret it!
(4)Rosanna S.
Try the salmon skin salad. It's huge but not too filling. They give plenty of fried salmon and the dressing is delicious. I had this for dinner and it was enough for me.
(4)Wendy P.
I love the ambiance here. This is probably one of my favorite sushi restaurants to go to, and their prices are reasonable ($7 black cod and $11.50 Chilean sea bass). Been a few times and their fish has always been fresh (yellowtail always). We got the blue fin toro for $12 for 2 pieces and that was b u t t e r. Literally melted in my mouth. Amazing. Raved about it to my friend, and now she's planning her birthday dinner there. Yay!
(4)A Y.
We used to come here all the time. Tonight was our last time. The change is obvious as soon as you walk in the door. New owners have no idea how to run a nice Japanese restaurant. Servers were walking all over the seat cushions with their street shoes. I saw one server smear rice all over the table while cleaning it and then proceed to set the table on top of the smeared rice. Nice. I felt like I was in a fast food sushi joint.
(1)Kimberly H.
My motto in life is that I'll try anything at least twice. Twice? Why twice? A restaurant may have a bad night, we all have our bad nights, so whose to say that a restaurant (or dish) isn't worth a second chance? The same ideology was applied to Irori. When I first moved into Marina del Rey I dined here with my roommate and her boyfriend. Provided that we didn't call in for a reservation I understood that there was a wait and provided that we were an odd number, I understood that there was anticipation of an even longer wait. However, I did NOT anticipate waiting and feeling ignored while the hostess/waitress shuffled other guests and her buddies ahead of us in line. BUT the food was great. I enjoyed the ambiance...so much that I took the chance and took my mother upon her arrival into town. My mother is NOT a diva. She waits her turn and doesn't speak against the person in authority because she understands there are rules and its their job to run things a certain way. Returning to Irori nearly 6 months later and this time coming in as a pair I anticipated faster service in being seated, ESPECIALLY since it was later at night and the dinner rush had pretty much boiled over...WRONG. We were told a wait of 30 minutes - fine. We came into an empty waiting area and happily sat down and waited our turn. While catching up on old and new news we saw the waiting area flush with people and flush out just the same and still after nearly an hour had not been seated with two tables clearly visible of vacancy. RUDE. RUDE. RUDE. It wasn't until after BOTH my mother and I had said something to the hostess and pointed out the empty tables that she finally seated us. After that point, the waitress had offered some great suggestions for things to order, but the final straw on this restaurant burned to a crisp when she forgot to place our order for our dishes which resulted us waiting an additional 30 minutes for our meal. Ambiance - great Food - great Location - meh Parking - lots Service - make a reservation or you might die waiting for a table, especially if you come in odd and/or prime numbers IRORI - I love your chefs, I really do, but please hire at least one more person to manage your waiting area and demonstrating effort and kindness in seating your patrons.
(2)Jimmy S.
I'm Japanese and the food was good so maybe that might help some people if they're iffy about going? The restaurant has a very nice quite yet warm and friendly atmosphere which is something i like when i come here. You have to take off your shoes so make sure to where nice socks if you're going here on a date.
(5)sylvia a.
Sophisticated and classy! Food is fresh, service is just the best. Love the seating arrangements and the dim lighting too. Great for dates and family dinners as well!
(5)Erika S.
All I have to say is tht this place is AMAZING! Seriously, the best place for sushi hands down (so far...) Yes, you do have to remove your shoes, so it was a good thing my friend recommended I take socks! I also love the fact that they have you sit on the floor, but don't be alarmed for there is a hole under the table to put your legs through. So in essence, you are on the floor but in sitting chair positiion. I love it!!! Highly recommend the Yellowtail Jalapeno! Melted in my mouth and please please please try the lobster tempura tail!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! Overall a great experiance, I will DEFINITLEY be coming again!!
(5)Mary D.
I have dined at other Japanese restaurants where you remove your shoes but Irori was still unique despite my experiences. So we made 9:00 reservations and thank God that we did because it was pretty crowded. Upon entering the restaurant you will see little cubbies they provide to place your shoes prior to entering the dining area. We were a about 15 mins. early but was seated about 9 o'clock (on time, that's a plus). The hostess lead us to our seats and it was a task to get into my seat lady like with a dress on. It was quite humorous watching people get in and out of their seats haha. Anyways, yuck! there was stuff on the floor that I can feel under my feet. Most likely it was crumbs that others left behind and granted it is hard for a restaurant to control that. My tip: wear socks! ;) The hostess placed 3 menus on our table that was each front and back. In addition to the specials behind the sushi chefs and all the menus... my head was spinning from all the choices. That's when yelp is totally handy to help make some choices. Ok the important stuff: FOOD! Sashimi Albacore Jalapeno Sauce: nice size pieces complimented with a delicate ponzu sauce that wasn't overwhelming and a bit of fried onions on top. Only disappointment to me was that it wasn't spicy. Life is better spicy folks! :) Ono fish tacos: Out waitress suggested this dish and I am glad that she did. We were happy to see that this dish is made to share. It was 4 servings. I think the ono fish was lightly battered and fried on like maybe a wonton shell (little thicker) with their salsa. Good flavor and texture. Try this one. Baked blue crab handroll: they have baked and not baked. we tried the baked because the waitress said it was richer. It was good! I was happy that it didn't come in that typical drenched mayo style that many restaurants tend to serve their baked dishes. You can totally taste the blue crab in it. Oysters: this was really good. shucked to perfection - clean and the oyster just slid off the shell. They serve this with a light ponzu sauce and a bit of masago and green onions. Blue fin Tuna: the color was really fresh. A nice shade of red. It did melt in your mouth. We tried other things on the menu that was all pretty good. The only meh item that we did have was the white chocolate creme brulee. It had macadamian pieces in it but it was just ok. I could have done without. Dinner for my lover and I totaled at $105. We did get to try a lot of things on the menu (receipt said 12 items). Resonably priced items for innovative and unique FRESH sushi. Funny and true story: when we were leaving some girl was looking for her shoes. Apparently, someone probably left with the wrong sandals. That sucks!
(4)Neli S.
Love this place. Good food, good prices, good service. Make a reservation or you'll complain about the wait!
(5)Travis L.
I accidentaly came across this restaurant one weekend, and happened to go inside. First off, the food was amazing! The quality of the sushi is really good! Second, the service was great! Particularly this one very friendly hostess made my stay more enjoyable! the atmosphere was great, highly recommend! You should try it out!
(5)G A B.
freshest sushi i've ever gotten
(5)Marc N.
The place looks awesome. Japanese style tables (you can kneel or put your feet in the hole in the ground), Japanese waitresses, Japanese cooks. You have to remove your shoes too if I remember correctly... could be wrong though. Food was great. The salad dressing they use would make anything taste good in my opinion. Yellowtail was very melt-in-you-mouth awesome. Tuna was... not so much. But I've frequented the same sushi restaurants several times and sometimes the fish is good and sometimes the fish just isn't as awesome. All depends on the catch I suppose? /shrug You won't have a problem parking. I had a great experience there, and would choose this place if bringing a friend out for lunch.
(5)Nicole A.
Didn't really see what all the hype was about. Ill have to try again.
(3)Logan The H.
One of my favorite sushi restaurants. The price is extremely reasonable for the amount of food, service is always attentive and you can tell they are working very hard, food is delicious and the atmosphere is cool and makes you feel like you're enjoying a dining-out experience. As others have posted, this is a restaurant where you take off your shoes and sit on the floor, but you don't have to sit cross-legged as they created little holes in the ground for you to comfortably put your feet. The lunch specials are an amazing value and always leave me full. Dinner is equally delicious though a little more pricey than lunch. The sushi is always fresh and tasty. I have never had bad sushi here. Parking is ample since this is in a strip mall. It is hard to find, though, if you've never been so just look for the CVS Pharmacy and Irori is right next door. I've also never had to wait too long for a seat here, even when they're packed. They do take reservations so you might want to make the call if you have a larger party.
(4)Keiichi H.
My favorite japanese restaurant! The atmosphere is amazing. I love that you have to take your shoes off and sit on the floor. It is definitely an experience. The baked garlic mussels were delicious, I probably had 4 orders. They have 4 different Natto dishes (I love Natto). Priced well, almost couldn't find it (tucked away in the shopping center).
(5)Jessica Y.
Muy delicious. Really this place blew me away. It's super unassuming - it's next door to a nail salon - but really delivers on all levels: service, atmosphere, quality, and value. A few co-workers and I came here for a business lunch meeting and spent about 2 hours in heaven. We really couldn't stop jabbering away after returning to the office; not to mention that it helps that we were accompanied by a charming, handsome man. Us four girls and 1 man (yes, man) each ordered a miso soup and side salad and shared the following: + 2 Eel avocado rolls + Salmon Sashimi + 2 Spicy tuna rolls + Spicy yellowtail roll + Philadelphia roll + Tempura roll + 2 Spider roll Really, we feasted and had a blast. Service as A+ excellent and they were super helpful since we got there as they were about to close for dinner prep. As a sushi lover and frequent Little Tokyo diner, I've had my fair share of quality sushi and I can confidently say that Irori is up there with the rest of them!
(4)Hélène S.
I can't agree more with the previous reviewer, Amy D. "Eat great sushi. Know the difference". Having grown up in Hawai'i, sushi was a staple of my diet and it was always, ALWAYS amazingly fresh. Thats what you will find at this authentic Japanese hole-in-the-wall restaurant tucked away in MDR. In my opinion, beats the heck out of Katsuya or Katana, especially what you get for the price (although Nobu still has some unbeatable hot dishes). But the sushi is totally equivalent, trust me. Its fun too! You take off your shoes, sit with you feet under the table where a space has been removed so you have the traditional Japanese Dining Experience without the discomfort most westerners would experience! How neat! I love it there and always make sure to take friends and family who are visiting me in LA. TIP: The asparagus is to die for, and the eggplant is really hot when they serve it so don't burn your tongue like I always do!
(5)Lindsay V.
The atmosphere here is nice. Sitting on the floor is somewhat unique in that you're not sitting cross-legged--there is an empty space under the table for your toes to dangle. The hardwood floors are cool, and it's interesting how soon you get used to watching the waitstaff shuffle by. For lunch, I had the Teriyaki Chicken with California and Spicy Tuna roll lunch special ($11). The lunch special comes with soup and salad-- both really good. I thought the chicken could have been slightly leaner, but the sauce was just right--not too strong, salty, but still flavorful. The California and spicy rolls were both decent, but not the best I've ever had. I was expecting more spicy on the tuna. If you're here for dinner, I suggest getting a variety of rolls, and leaving room for the creme brulee dessert. It's a delicious twist on the classic creme brulee with added fruits and a drizzle of syrup. The rolls are typically very fresh, and flavorful. This isn't my very favorite sushi in the MdR area, but it's definitely a good stand-by; I know I'll always get great service and good food.
(4)Kate H.
I'm a sushi snob and I finally found a local place to frequent! First, the seating is awesome. You sit on the ground, but there is a sitting space for your feet and legs under the table. The sushi is very fresh and everything we got was absolutely delicious. A couple favorites were the spicy tuna with crispy rice, spicy tuna roll, and the hot night. The only downside is that their special rolls can be expensive...$18+, but well worth it for the taste and quality. Great service as well, we had to wait only about 15 minutes to be seated on a Friday night without a reservation!
(5)Ryan A.
Oh Marina Del Rey residents, Ye hath lost faith in y'all. 4 Stars??! My main item (Sake Nigiri) and Spicy Tuna roll, both were sub par quality. They garnish the spicy tuna roll with some four leaf clover like stem standing straight up as if it were planted in the roll. Though this is was obviously an attempt to aesthetically arouse you, it was still quite odd. Overall the service was okay and I'm ending this review here because they don't deserve my time. If you are a skeptic, be my guest and step right up. Peace.
(2)Kathy T.
Yes! Finally! A restaurant that asks me to take my shoes off and sit on the floor. It's like being at home, but the food is better. I kept hearing about this sushi place in Marina Del Rey where you sit on the floor. All I keep thinking to myself is COOL! Sign me up! So, I grab the boyfriend and we're on a little adventure to Irori. We walked in and the very first thing they asked us to do was politely take off our shoes. So....Awesome. The waitress walked us to a wooden table approximately two feet high, where we had mats and sat on the wooden floor. Now reader, I'm someone who definitely judges a restaurant by the chairs, but this was just such a great idea and very memorable. Don't worry - you don't have to sit Indian style - there is a hole underneath the table in order to put your feet down in. We ordered Miso Soup, Spicy Tuna Roll, Eel Roll and a Yellow Tail hand roll. I know what you're thinking reader - it sounds boring. We wanted to go with the staples that we typically order as the litmus test. As you know reader - sushi gets pricey, so before we invest a mutual fund on some fish, we like make sure our staples are solid. Which, judging by the amount of stars I gave this place - each roll was delicious. So, we decided to get deep fried tempura ice cream. They had green tea or red bean flavor. We flipped a coin and went with the red bean ice cream. Heads up - it takes a few minutes for the ice cream to come out since they fry it fresh. But I kid you not - the ice cream was set down and I kid you not - gone in 60 seconds! (What was Nick Cage doing at our table eating our ice cream!) I blinked and it was gone. So yummy! Parking - oh so easy. There's so much parking space all over the place because you've got your Pavilions, the strip mall area. It's just really easy. That's a huge plus there. I'll definitely be back - the ambiance and decor is great. The staples were delicious. And that ice cream!
(4)FiveSeven F.
Karaage rocks Some rolls have WTF price Order off menu
(4)Jorge A.
Simply my favorite place! A little pricy but worth it. Always always get packed. People waiting by the door all the times. Nice environment.
(5)Dhea S.
Wow, what a gem! First and foremost, you have to take your shoes off and sit on the ground, so be aware of that. The seared albacore and baked lobster roll were unforgettable. I loved that it wasn't uber pretentious like every other good sushi restaurant in LA I've been to thus far... service was on point. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Michelle L.
Been a return customer for 7 yrs. Great ambiance and excellent quality food. The yellow tail collar is always prepared just perfect tender and fall off the bone. The chilean bass is deliciously prepared in a miso (not overly sweetened) glaze. The salmon, yellow tail, tuna is always fresh and a nice portion. Shoes off at door, so remember to be considerate to your dining neighbors ;)
(4)Brittany N.
My boyfriend and I have been here twice together, but he's been going for years. All I can say is that the Teriyaki Chicken is THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD! I am not a sushi fan, and haven't tried the sushi here, but I will continue going back for the Teriyaki Chicken or Beef meal time and time again. For $12 you get; a small green salad with dressing (it tastes kind of like Thousand Island dressing), a small bowl of miso soup with chunks of tofu, a tray with sliced teriyaki chicken/beef, a bowl of white rice, and three small dishes of tangy cucumber salsa, bean sprouts, and mixed fruit. As you will read from the other reviews, the atmosphere is so unique and novel! You will be asked to take your shoes off at the door and place them in little cubbies. Then you will be seated on a cushion on the floor; your feet go underneath the short table into a cut-out in the floor. I have never been uncomfortable seated this way. A few notes: NO FREE REFILLS! So plan accordingly. This restaurant is kid-friendly and I know my younger sisters would adore it. However, one of the times we went, a family of maybe 6-8 let their kids run around the restaurant, which is highly annoying when you're seated on the floor. So please, if you bring your children, make sure they will appreciate the novelty of the restaurant and not use it like a playground. Also, if you are going on a Friday or Saturday night, MAKE RESERVATIONS! We waited an hour once for a table (it's just that good). You can also order to go/for pick up. Another nice little detail: When you have your food boxed up to go home after your meal, they will throw in an extra scoop of white rice. :] My boyfriend and I usually get out the door for under $25.
(5)Kia Z.
Awesome atmosphere, tables are 'ground level' and you get inside a pseudo-bunker around the tables. Very asian feel, friendly staff, super fresh fish. You'll need to take your shoes off, so prepare accordingly. It does get busy, but you can also make reservations. When it's super busy, the sushi bar is the way to go.
(4)Lollie C.
Mmmm I love my sushi and this place does a fabulous job. I love everything about it except for two things: 1) It's unreasonable to charge and extra $3 for crunchy tempura flakes to go on top of a roll. We make our own sushi occasionally and bought a 6 ounce bag at the grocery store for $2. Now, we just get the rolls to go and throw our own tempura flakes on there! 2) Sometimes if you stay too long, the wait staff will sort of "encourage" you to hurry up and leave so they can have a higher turn over by continually dropping by your table and asking if there is anything else they could get for you. Usually, one might think this just means that they are extremely diligent workers but when they keep stopping by every five minutes after they have cleared all your plates and you're just trying to finish your drink it's a little irritating. Oh, and we totally saw Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack from Saved by the Bell) there one night with his family :)
(4)Elaine Y.
This place gets very crowded. If you decide to go over this restaurant, i highly suggest having reservations. I am not quite sure why this place has so many stars. My issues are the following: 1. We were the only asians in the restaurant. I am kind of a sushi snob, where I would hope there are some Japanese folks in the place. 2. The service was so-so. 3. The miso soup were in these large bowls and they gave you a spoon to eat it. The miso used was wrong. it was the darker kind, which is not right for proper miso soup. 4. There are a lot of non-traditional sushi. My friend loves this, I am more of a traditionalist. To summarize my opinion is that this is a sushi restaurant where west LA non-asians feel they are being ethnic by going to an authentic place (because you have to take off your shoes to go into the restaurant). As my friend calls it- "it's a Hollywood Sushi place in MDR." and not an authentic sushi joint.
(1)Jeanette L.
Irori is spectacular! Their sashimi is delish and their appetizers are fantastic. I sound like their cheerleader, but really...i have gone here with over a dozen different people and have never seen anyone leave unsatisfied. I may be totally off, but I don't think that even the sashimi I had in Japan was better. Maybe it was, but my sashimi/sushi experiences at Irori are at least comparable! I don't LOVE the fact that you have to take off your shoes, but that's mainly because I am a germaphobe. But, the floors are clean and I have never left with dirty socks! :) Oh ya, the butter lettuce wraps (scallops) and their wild salmon sashimi are my favorite things on the menu.
(5)Kate R.
Absolutely fantastic! Had nigeri and green tea so good! Service was quick and polite. Got to sit on the floor. Very traditional Japanese. And great price!! Got a full meal for 30$ and that included soup, salad, 9 piece sushi, two piece side, and fantastic sweet potato dessert, plus complementary tea. Definitely going back!! With friends!
(5)Scott C.
This visit, I never got a chance to savor the flavors of the food. I tried to eat as quickly as I could. The busser kept pacing past my table like they were waiting for me to hurry up and finish.
(1)Janna R.
Every review I've read and everyone has said nothing but great things about this restaurant. We came on a busy Friday night but it was no problem, we didn't mind the 15 min. wait. Honestly, they were the kindest, most accommodating hosts and servers Ive experienced in a while. They really made the extra effort on everything they did for us. So I was a little disappointed when we finally got our sushi. We ordered the norm, tuna, albacore, yellowtail, salmon.. etc. I don't know if we got a bad batch of fish or what, but they were not fresh. It was a bit soggy, kind of mushy and the texture felt like its been sitting for a while.. When we tasted it we both made a face, like what is this? Obviously very discreetly. it was very fishy and just not good at all. I thought the other ones would be better after we ate the first ones, but they were all the same. Needless to say, we were very unimpressed. I love seafood and I eat alot of it so I can tell fresh from not so much. I.wanna go back to give it a chance but probably wouldn't wanna risk it and just go to our fav sushi spot. The free green tea I've cream was good though! Best I've had.
(3)Jo Anne S.
I have to disagree with Elaine Y. My husband and I have been to Irori numerous times in the past few months and each time there are Japanese patrons, myself included. The miso is served in a small bowl, approximately 3-1/2" diameter with a lid. Many Japanese mix the white and red miso paste when making miso soup; the red adds a "depth" to the taste. I thought the miso soup was tasty. True, they serve it with a Chinese-style soup spoon, but you can always use your chopsticks if you prefer. Enough rebuttal. We all have our opinions. Irori offers a wide variety of sushi for the sushi lovers. Personally, I don't care for fancy rolls. They serve all the "usuals" to satisfy any sushi purist. The fish is ultra fresh. The teriyaki salmon was yummy and a good-sized portion. The black cod melts in your mouth. The pickles they serve with some of their meals were great. Best takuan I've ever had. On the downside, the chicken udon was a little lacking in flavor. My husband had to add shoyu (soy sauce). As everyone mentions, the seats are on the floor with wells for your legs. This is a little difficult to get down to and up from if your legs are rickity. Don't wear a short dress! If you do, I suggest you sit at the sushi bar which has normal chairs. Their prices are very reasonable. Overall, my husband and I enjoy going to Irori and will continue to visit. Although we have never had a problem getting seating (2 of us), they do recommend reservations.
(4)Frank M.
Upon walking in you will notice a stack of small shoe holding box. This place you eat without shoes in the floor. The tables are low but when you sit down they have a hole in the ground so that your feet can fit in. It makes the place more fun and feel more authentic. Hard wood floors but you have a small cushion so your tush is comfy. Lunch time is good. The lunch bentos are a great value. I always order the two item choice bento which comes out to about $13. So basically i order two rolls with the bento box. Spicy tuna and California roll. You have the choice of Salmon, Chicken, tempura, or the rolls I order. You get a miso soup (good stuff) served first along with a small salad (come tothink of it last time i went I didnt get a salad!) The bento box comes with the two items you ordered along with Japanese cucumbers, some bean sprouts and something else which i cant remember. The food quality is great.
(4)Juli K.
Absolutely amazing!! Be sure to make a reservation though. I could honestly live off of the spicy tuna on crispy bed of rice. Seating very fun! The only reason it is not a 5 star is because service is very slow!
(4)marion w.
Pros All the benefits of sitting on the floor without any of the pain Sashimi yellow tail with jalapenos is incredible Surrounded by all the convenience afforded by the mall Cons Possibility of smelling stinky feet Average sushi at slightly above average prices
(3)Michelle M.
I discovered this gem after having lived in MdR for almost two years! I don't know how it took us so long, but now that we've tried it, its become a regular in our dinner rotation. Yes, you have to take off your shoes and yes, the seating is at floor level. Very unique. The dinner meals make the experience very affordable. I would suggest you try this restaurant, but if you do you will make my wait even longer, so stay away! HAHA
(5)Kyle P.
Okay, where to even begin with Irori. The atmosphere is nice, the short tables with an opening for you legs are nice if you have a bigger group, but I'm insane, so lets cut out the middleman and go to the bar. The ankimo here is usually really good with just the right amount of buttery notes to the aftertaste and the texture is not too firm unlike most ankimo which is steamed too long. The toro is always amazing with marbling that resembles an awesome kobe steak. Massa (spelling?) hooks it up proper too. Get there early when they still have uni and spanish mackerel, and if you can get there right when they open, even better. I think I ate one of everything the last time I was there.
(5)Angela L.
absolutely adore this place (although hard to find hidden between CVS and Vons) but once you step in, they make you feel right at home..shoes off as homes should be. intimate enough for a date and casual enough for a group dinner. we sat at the bar, our sushi chef Justin was very friendly and paced our sushi orders accordingly. - nigiri (salmon, tuna, halibut with yuzu, tamago, yellowtail) all extremely fresh and delicious - we got the baked and regular crab hand roll, definitely opt for the baked - rainbow was was filled with real crab meat and not overly mayonnaised - mushroom salad was a nice side to share, marinated in soy - finished off with a nice scoop of green tea ice cream extensive list of sakes, wines and some beers. in general, if you're craving sushi and around the area, this place will hit the spot.
(4)Derek D.
Everything here is good. My wife and I use to frequent this place but the buzz wore off because we went there so much. You can get out of here for 60$ for two people with drinks. The large salad is amazing, very fresh, and one hell-of-a-deal. Something else that is good is the chicken udon. I've been getting that lately so I don't have to stuff myself on sushi. You really can't go wrong here.
(4)Spencer K.
I love this place. I used to frequently come when I was working in Venice. Here you get to take off your shoes and sit in the floor. They must have good ventilation because it's not stinky inside. The sushi is fresh here and of good quality. The waitresses are very attentive.
(5)C W.
4.5 stars really. Fun place, I love how you have space for your legs but you feel like you are sitting traditionally! Food is pretty amazing. Black Cod Miso is soooo good you will want more. The Nigiri plate is amazing, all the fish is so fresh, it melts in your mouth. You dont want or need soy sauce, a little ponzu and your good. I cant wait to go back!!
(4)jennifer b.
I tend to look for sushi places that understand that sushi is "uncooked meat" with rice, made to look really really beautiful. This is a basic fact that is often overlooked by many sushi places with their insane prices for raw, uncooked meat. With that said, a great sushi restaurant should be able to balance that concept with freshness, which shouldn't break your bank.. Irori is just that, affordable, fresh, high quality, with traditional Japanese ambiance. When you walk in, you know you are in a different type of restaurant. You are greeted by a Japanese greeting, then they ask you to take off your shoes and walk you to a table that sits you on the ground with your feet dangling in mid air (ok so I'm a bit short, yours may touch the floor). The servers are Asian. The menu is diverse with cooked and raw dishes. The sushi was great, colorful, flavorful and appetizing.. and finally when the bill comes, you feel like you got your money's worth. It's not cheap, but it certainly isn't expensive... Overall great value, great atmosphere, fresh and tasty Japanese food. Great job Iroi !!!!
(5)C.M S.
The place has cute ambiance. I love the whole taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor. It's a place you can get some authentic sushi. Management was nice and had an overall great experience.
(4)Hanna K.
One of the best Japanese restaurants in LA. It is randomly located in a strip mall, but don't judge. The food is always fantastic and I always order way too much (and finish everything)! They have great appetizers, fresh sushi, and an authentic feel due to the tatami seating (remember to get a pedicure or wear cute socks). Just go and order whatever you're in the mood for, you can't go wrong with any item on the menu. FYI, this place is ideal for smaller groups (6 people or less) due to the layout.
(5)Diane A.
I'm a little bit particular about my sashimi because I don't like it to be too fishy otherwise I get nauseous. However, Irori's yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno was like butter; it totally melts in your mouth. The other dishes we had were: lobster claws with garlic butter, blue crab hand roll, albacore, miso soup with asari clams, and yuzu mousse. Hubby didn't like the albacore and I found the blue crab roll to be a bit bland, but I added some green onions from the albacore and that did the trick. Everything else was really yummy and definitely worth going back to the next time we're in So Cal.
(5)Justin L.
Irori is what I want in a sushi restaurant -- great food, nice atmosphere, good service, it's not *too* pricey -- to the point where it's my go-to sushi place. Everything I've ever ordered (5 visits) has been great. They have an extensive menu, so you can take on a chance on something outside your comfort zone. Even basic items like terriyaki chicken and California rolls are done surprisingly well. But for me, the star is always the Japanese Albacore. Both the sashimi (straight-up raw fish) and nigiri sushi (fish on rice) are excellent, and I really can't get enough of them. If I had one suggestion for patrons, I'd say order your favorite thing after you've already received most of your initial order. That way, you'll have that as your final dish. See, rolls take longer to prep than sashimi, so you'll be stuck with grilled eel rolls long after your albacore sushi has disappeared. A suggestion for the restaurant: Irori tries so hard to be authentic, which I respect. One thing, however, is conspicuously absent: pre-meal hot washcloths. After all, just about every restaurant in Tokyo provides these, even lots of cheap places! Please offer hot washcloths to all customers. We would appreciate it.
(4)Jeff B.
Let me start off by saying that before I came here, I was not a sushi fan, which was much to my gf's dismay as she is a die hard sushi fan. Irori changed my perception of sushi in a great way. First, let me start off by saying that I thought it was awesome how they make you take off your shoes and store them in cubbies prior to be seated at your table. I haven't used a cubby since Kindergarten! We had 6 people in our party and the table size was perfect. It got even better when I saw that you don't have to sit Indian style or on your knees; instead, there is an opening in the floor for you to put your legs so that you sit comfortably on a small pillow. We were immediately greeted by our waiter who was totally energetic, which is always a plus as we were celebrating a birthday for a friend. He was ready to take drink orders within a minute of us sitting. The guys (myself included) all ordered large Sapporos and everyone else split two types of Sake, but I can't remember the names for the life of me. One was at the top of the sake menu, and one was in the middle somewhere, both moderately priced (the 2nd was a milk sake served cold). Among the food we ordered, if memory serves me correct, we had some type of Yellowtail sashimi w/ Jalapenos (amazing), I had chicken Udon (also amazing), and some other type of Yellowtail roll that I wish I could remember the name of. I don't eat Tuna, so the Yellowtail was a really nice surprise for me. Just remember kids, this place gets PACKED as in line out the door. Apparently, they begin taking reservations at 5:30 PM and within minutes they're backed up for the night. Also, it's behind the Pavilions (or maybe it was Vons, I forget). Enjoy.
(5)william c.
I have never had a bad thing at Irori. The sushi is amazing and so are the small plates. You can't go wrong with the items on the hand-written menus above the sushi chefs' heads. If you're into coconut milk and mochi, definitely try the red bean dessert with mochi. Delicious!
(5)Samuel C.
I came here for lunch with a friend and thought it would a great place to eat considering the great reviews I read on yelp. I didn't get it. I mean ok you take your shoes off and eat on the floor... kinda (Holes in the floor for your legs so you aren't sitting indian style). That was pretty much the highlight of my trip there... Although I'm a germaphobe and had to get a napkin from the bathroom and place it on the floor so my hand wouldn't touch it. But it's all good I digress. The food was average. It wasn't bad. But I've had WAY better sushi for the price. In my opinion: the portions are small for the price you pay. And it's ok... not great. I'd return if I had to. But I wouldn't rave about this place. Or rather. I don't rave. I had the lunch special that had teryaki chicken. A variety of rolls, soup and salad. I also shared some rolls with my friend and she had sashimi. She didn't like the sashimi at all. And I wasn't wowed by the rolls or the taste of my chicken. These aren't things that are hard to mess up. But again I digress. Average yeah. Pretty much.
(3)helen s.
Adorable set-up! It wasn't my favorite place to grab sushi but it wasn't bad either. I really love the ambiance there though. It would be a great place for dates or families or anything in between. It's clean and staff is pretty attentive. 3.5 stars
(4)Jon H.
Irori has a great ambience with traditional Japanese table seats which requires you to sit on the floor on a cushion and take off your shoes before being seated. Their quality of their sashimi and nigiri sushi were great and fresh. Their yellow tail and albacore roll here are excellent. Service here is always great but I would recommend making a reservation if you prefer a table and dont want to wait.
(4)Wonder W.
Oh to have been a 4 star... Irori really should have gotten a 4 star, I'd actually give it a 3.5, but the problem is that it's expensive. There are LOADS of sushi within a 10 mile radius of MDR and plenty of places have sushi as good as Irori... and do not charge as much. What gives Irori a 4 star is simply the location and the restaurant itself... I really love the "take off your shoes and sit on mats" concept. It feels traditional. I also enjoyed the low key atmosphere and the proximity to Lincoln... Sadly, the sushi is expensive and there isn't anything particular that should make it that way. The service was also ok, we had flag down the waitstaff and it was not busy enough to warrant that... I believe that this restaurant is busy simply because of location and really there are sushi places that are MUCH more deserving of my repeat business.
(3)Dan K.
Let me start by saying this is my favorite sushi restaurant in Los Angeles and I've been coming here for at least 14 years. It was originally called "East" when Massa owned it and a few years ago when he retired the name changed to "Irori". Sarah and her mom run a top notch establishment now. It is and has always been good. That has been consistant since the first day I went there. Excellent food, well prepared, with killer service. You can't go wrong with "Irori"
(5)Cliff T.
Great ambiance, convenient location, excellent food and service and reasonable pricing. The concierge and waitresses were all very nice! Only slight negative is we arrived 25 minutes from closing time and while we were eating one chef was yelling non-stop in Chinese about how the concierge should not be letting people in past a certain time. He was berating her for wasting his time when there was not much business late anyway. This made it rather awkward to sit and eat while listening to him make a scene so we ate fast and left as fast as possible. So, if you go there, make sure you arrive plenty of time before closing or you might feel awkward! And if you understand Mandarin Chinese, you might hear some interesting conversations you weren't meant to hear. Other than that, under normal circumstances I would expect this place to be a 5 star restaurant.
(4)Erin and Ryan T.
Irori Japanese Restaurant in under 150 words: If ever there was a thought in my mind that a good restaurant cannot exist within a strip mall, Irori has proven me wrong. We came in on a Sunday night without a reservation and were seated quickly on the floor after taking our shoes off. The small paper menu offered more variety than the orange juice section at the grocery store including a bar selection of some interesting Asian wines and beers. We had a couple of small plates to start including a scallop lettuce wrap (I forget the actual name) that was amazing. The sushi rolls we ordered varied from good to exceptional, and the service was consistently helpful with questions and suggestions. Cheers to you Irori, hearth of the strip mall, on a wonderful dining experience.
(5)Robert A.
Come for sushi. Stay for Radio Shack. In a small corner of Marina Del Ray you can enhance your tan, touch up your nails and get a cheap haircut. Oh, and find some great sushi. I've only been once, but I can I can recommend the vegetable tempura, california rolls,sushi (spicy tuna), nigirzushi (halibut). Also recommended is the albacore tartare over crispy rice. Advanced yoga helps when getting into and out of the seating pits, but the lowrider experience is worth it.
(5)Chiara T.
I don't need to say much about this place because it obviously gets a lot of love, but just wanted to add my sugar too... This place is GREAT! The fish is fresh and buttery, the small plates I've had were delicious (asparagus salad, black cod w/ miso, eggplant), reasonably priced for the quality and the vibe is cozy and authentic. I'm also in LOVE with their spicy tuna on crispy rice - blows Katsu-ya out of the water. Definitely make a reservation and go.
(4)Yuki S.
My reaction as I pulled into the parking lot: "For real? I mean really? 'Awesome' sushi at a strip mall joint?" Of course this was just going through my head as to not upset my dining companion and his selection of a sushi restaurant. My reaction as I entered and stared at the cubby holes full of shoes: "What?! This is perfect!" The ambiance is great, the service is fast and the sushi is good. Yeah Yeah.
(5)Lori K.
A friend took me to this sushi restaurant a while back. She didn't tell me what to expect so when we walked in I found everyone takes their shoes off and puts them in a little cubby. At first I liked the idea and thought it was cute. Then I thought of all the exposed smelly socks and yucky feet and my stomach turned.... THEN I remembered that episode of Sex and the City where Carrie's Manolo's get jacked at a dinner party and I was tempted to stuff my reef flip flops into my purse just in case, but I didn't want my friend to think I was a weirdo! The tables were carved into the ground so we had to climb down into the holes. Our legs were beneath the table which was actually at ground level. At first I thought this was cool too but after 5 minutes the novelty work off and I changed my mind because when the waitress came over I was staring at her feet and then she squatted down I had her chest and behind all up in my scope of direct vision, but then I thought of how in a regular restaurant with regular seating we tend to be eye level with the wait staff's pelvic region so I was at a loss. I think if the sushi had been good I would have gotten over the exposed feet and the fact that could have gotten cozy with my waitresses's feet, bossom and buttcoks, but the sushi was bland, the seaweed smelly and chewy and the fish didn't seem too fresh. The portions must have been meant for anorexic ants. A cut roll with only 4 pieces of sushi that were the size of a quarter! At those prices you better give me a bit more Nothing we ordered impressed me...and we left hungry! I might give this place another shot but I wouldn't recommend going there on a date unless you have a fresh pedicure!
(2)Charles H.
I'm probably going to pay a second visit sometimes soon. The sushi are great the last time I tried, and the cooked food was good as well. Will have to give it a more through rundown on the menu next time. And I believe it opens on Sunday!
(4)Dawn K.
i can't believe it took me this long to get to Irori. The name is a palindrome. How freaking cool is that! You take off your shoes and sit on the floor there but don't worry, you won't have to sit cross-legged. There space under the table for your legs to hang. The food was outstanding and the prices were reasonable. I will definitely go back for more.
(5)C K.
Good sashimi & rolls on the Westside if you can get over taking off your shoes & sharing feet odor & sweat with random strangers in the entire dining area. Ok - it's not really that bad but an interesting choice the owners made for the restaurant. I've been to japanese restaurants in which they make you take your shoes off in a private tatami room but not for the whole restaurant. And then to go to the rest room, you have slippers to wear. The sashimi & rolls are good, not fabulous & a bit pricey for the quantity & quality. However, a decent place to go on the Westside for japanese food.
(3)Em G.
Our go to for Sushi...
(5)Kristen R.
Went here on a date night with my boyfriend while vactioning in Santa Monica. I do think that you pay for the pseudorealistic experience. (I don't think Japanese people have convenient cut outs under their tables to stick their feet in.) This is the real deal though as far as removing your shoes and plopping down in the floor for the entire time. This is not good for people with bad backs for real although the bar has half seats with backs. We started with some hot sake and a sapporo. If you're looking for an extensive sake list this probably will be unimpressive to you as there's one kind of hot sake and maybe 5ish cold sake selections. The food was good. I'm from San Francisco so I'm used to fresh fish. I think that everything was mostly fresh. (Salmon wasn't exactly not fishy but still good and viable to eat.) We got the rainbow roll, fried oyster lettuce wraps, toro sashmi and spicy tuna roll. Rainbow roll was good however the crap was a bit mayo-ish and not real (not worth the price tag in my book). The oyster lettuce wraps were good but extremely messy (not a good thing to order for first dates). The blue fin toro was absolutely excellent and delicious. The spicy tuna roll was alright. I definetely would've liked less chives and maybe cucumber instead since it was a pretty large roll. However if you add anything like cucumber, roe, or other veggies they charge you! Seriously. For dessert we got this citrus ice cream on fried won tons and white chocolate creme brulee. The creme brulee had macadamias and was good. But the Yuzu ice cream or whatever was not so much my scene. It was too warm and too tart for my liking. Judging from my boyfriend's jaw dropping onto the table I'd say that we ran a pretty impressive tab. For two average rolls, 2 pieces of sashimi, a small sake and a small sapporo with 2 small desserts I don't think this was a $50 dinner. Good sushi however it's not the best I've ever had, especially in a seaside town. To keep it simple this is good place in a strip mall that has good food but charges as if they're on the strip. Go if you don't want to worry about parking and don't want to worry about running a high tab.
(3)Gabby M.
This is to be my favorite sushi restaurant but now with the new management the quality of the food is not the same I tried given them a chance but it is just not the same and last time I went the fish taste really bad.
(1)Christie X.
Hidden gem. Cute, little Japanese restaurant tucked away in a mall that I've been to countless times without ever noticing this. Went here last Friday with my friend. Right when you walk in, you see shoes on the floor. (Yes, you have to take off your shoes, so please make sure your feet don't stink.) We started off with the grilled asparagus salad. Granted it was good, but a bit pricey considering we only got four small pieces of asparagus in our "salad." I hate that. We also ordered the Japanese eggplant, but it was a bit too sweet for my taste. I ordered the nabeyaki udon and it was really good. Probably one of the better ones I've had in LA. It was a rather large bowl with tasty veggies and the broth was very good, too. Will I come back? Probably since I went with my vegetarian friend so, I couldn't order any fish. :P
(4)Kathie L.
Probably one of the best sushi places I've been to around LA = deserves my first review on Yelp! Ordered the 19.95 Sashimi; the fish was really fresh - the melt in your mouth type of fresh. Will try to be back soon~
(5)alicia q.
It was such a great visit for us that I'm giving them 5 stars. We loved the ambience! We were in search of a sit on the floor type of restaurant for something new & this was one of the few restaurants listed in L.A. with so many great reviews from yelpers. It's next to a Pavilion's & they were doing some construction on the outside building, so it was hard to find. Everything was uphill from there! We took our shoes off & sat on some thin, but comfy cushions that were on the floor. I was afraid for our longer legged company, but I realized that there was a big ditch right under our table that we could all comfortably put our legs in. Our waitress knew what to recommend & mentioned the better deal that came with rice, salads, soup, & more shrimp tempuras. They had a ton of servers that all took turns helping us & cleared our plates seconds after we finished them. We got one of the best service we've ever had! The food was very good. Prices were good, especially for dinner. There were 8 of us & We paid $140 including tax & gratuity. We all left full. I highly recommend the irori roll & calamari! Yummy! Oh, & they give complimentary green tea, as well as green tea ice cream for the birthday person. It wasn't bad, but their ice cream wasn't as sweet & rich as we've had elsewhere. Oh, & their salad was so good & refreshing! We'll be visiting again!
(5)J H.
I've searched high and low in Los Angeles and to my dismay, until this point, haven't found incredibly fresh, beautifully executed, sushi/sashimi. Irori offers just that and without the hype of Katsuya (still haven't tried, but hear nothing but bad things from sushi lovers). Don't worry hardcore sushi fans with no reservations, I am not comparing this to Nobu yet either...I haven't had Nobu at this point. I am comparing this to about a dozen different sushi places in Los Angeles area though, including Sushi Dan which was my go-to place in recent, and Irori dominates Sushi Dan. I will be back soon, but not tonight...going back to Animal tonight! Oh, and I'll be bringing people with me.
(5)Eunice K.
I absolutely fell in love with Irori ever since I first visited. The experience at Irori was very unique and creative. The idea of having to take off our shoes was very interesting. Don't worry if you feel uncomfortable with crossing your legs and tucking them under a table because you won't have to; every seating has lots of empty space under the table for you to tuck in your legs and feet, so you won't have to worry about anything like having your legs fall asleep, smelly feet, or anything uncomfortable... and it's even more amazing because you are able to experience the oriental culture while enjoying delicious food! The sushi was also AMAZINGG!!! First of all, Irori's sashimi was very FRESH! I love all their rolls and sashimi but i gotta say, my favorite menu at Irori was the Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna!! The sweetness of the crispy rice topped with spicy tuna was a great combination. Also, don't forget to finish off your meal with their TEMPURA GREEN TEA ICE CREAM! The clean mixture of tempura and green ice cream is sweet enough to make you want to come back for more..... even if it's just for the tempura ice cream. ha
(5)Heather B.
Came to this place because I saw it on Yelp! Looked very cool; loved the idea of the authentic Japanese place. Got here and waited for quite some time. It was during the lunch rush, so I understand it being busy, but nobody even came over to us. Once we were seated, my friend and I got the lunch bento box with one option each. She got salmon with sushi and I got beef teriyaki with tempura. The miso soup was standard, nothing more than you'd expect. The rice was nice and sticky. The salad had a peanut dressing, which was different but very good. Unfortunately, they use mixed greens, which I could have done without. The boxes come with bean sprouts in peanut oil (decent), cucumber in vinegar (also pretty good), and the meal. The teriyaki sauce was incredible. The beef was ok, nothing special. The tempura was good- it actually came with shrimp, which surprised me. But no broccoli! Very disappointing. Also, it seems that these Japanese places never remove the vein from the shrimp, which I personally think is kinda gross. Ick. This place is fun for the experience- taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor. But they got a B. And they tried to hide it by putting a plant right over where the sign is displayed outside. To be honest, I'm not sure I would have stayed if I had known that. Bad enough that the score wasn't high; but to hide it? Sketchy. Still on the fence about whether or not I'll return. Knowing that makes me feel kinda dirty about eating here.
(3)Dave G.
Amazing Ninja dojo atmosphere. Food was crazy delicious the Yellowtail Jalapeno Ponzu and Albacore w crispy onion blew my taste buds away. Rita and the entire crew was very friendly and on it!
(5)Matt H.
We ordered omakasa and the chef brought out some plates. At the end we get a bill with tacked on charges even though we weren't told it was extra. We didn't ask for it either he brought it out as part of the omakasa. Pissed me off and I complained and they basically said too bad. Rip off.
(1)Thuy V.
I love this place. My favorite is the Yellowtail Sashimi with Gohan. It's become my favorite that the chef says "Yellowtail, today?" every time I sit down at the sushi bar. My other favorites are Uni Sushi, Clam, Octopus Sashimi, Toro... very straight forward, nothing fancy or fusion. I like fresh fresh fish, and Irori has it. The service gets very slow when it's crowded. My only complaints.
(5)alan g.
The food was pretty good, above average. I don't like taking my shoes off at the door and then having to sit at the low tables with my legs in the foot well. Tables and chairs have never been so obviously the best solution than after eating here. May come back anyway because of the food value.
(4)Jason M.
And so it begins... The fall of Irori. This has been hands down the best sushi restaurant on the West Side, if not all of Los Angeles, for several years now. Consistently perfect fish, excellent Japanese snacks and entrees, friendly lovely service, great unique atmosphere, soothing hip unobtrusive music, entertaining chefs, great sake list, EVERYTHING you could ask for from a sushi joint. Some may know the place has recently changed ownership. The new owners have immediately set about cutting costs. The ginger is terrible, the ponzu is watered down, the Japanese eggplant is not Japanese eggplant, and I have eaten the Japanese albacore enough to know the fish seems different too... and so does the rice. THIS IS A PLEA TO ALL IRORI REGULARS! START COMPLAINING NOW! The only thing that can prevent diminishing quality and the inevitable happy hour and televisions that will RUIN the place is your voice. If it's not what you ordered last time, send it back! Ask to speak to the owner. RAISE HELL. It's worth it to stop the fall of such a special place!!! A note to the new owners. I want to bring you back up to 5 stars. Please, don't ruin Irori.
(2)Taz M.
Do not judge sushi restaurants by their resident strip malls. This place is very cool - first of all, the "tables" are somewhat subterranean and you must take off your shoes upon entering the dining area so that makes for a unique experience. Their fish is extremely high quality, and to be honest I thought the taste of their signature dishes was significantly better than their equivalent entrees at Katsuya (although the crab hand roll is better than Irori's), Itsikaya, and even Matsuhisa. Don't leave without having the jalapeno yellowtail sashimi, the spicy tuna over crispy rice, and the salmon sashimi with fried onions. One more thing - this place isn't cheap (about $35-50/person - without drinks), but I guarantee you will enjoy your meal.
(4)Akiko T.
Writing an update on this place because I feel it's been quite consistent every time I come here, even though it really doesn't cater to a JP-centric crowd! My boss and I were craving sushi and while we were just planning on going to SugarFish down the street from work in the Marina, (where it's 100% omakase), we opted to come back here instead since she's watching her carbs & Irori would be able to accommodate her sashimi needs. Shrimp Stuffed Eggplant with Sweet Miso Yuzu Sauce (Oh my deliciousness. Excellent with subtle hints of yuzu laced into the sauce. I called my mom immediately afterward for a recipe so that I could re-create this at home, and am going to try to replicate the above yuzu sauce) Asari no Sakamushi (Baby clams steamed in sake, a typical staple appetizer... this was just mediocre) Hamachi no Kama (Roasted yellowtail neck with ponzu and grated daikon... melted in your mouth like buttah) I ordered my usual nigiris: Uni (extremely fresh), Kanpachi, Hirame (not so fresh, a bit on the chewy side), Unagi and Blue Crab Handroll. (Still not as good as Echigo's but pretty decent) The boss had her sashimi fix with her assorted sashimi platter and devoured it with extreme enthusiasm. I'm pretty fortunate because I've never met a boss who could talk an absolute storm about clothes, shoes, cooking and food in my entire life so thankfully, there were zero awkward silences. Especially after she had a few shots of Kurosawa sake ;)
(4)Natalie T.
Came here the other night with a friend who was visiting from out of town. The place here is a little hard to find since it's in a shopping plaza. It's in a little nook of it's own. Parking wasn't hard at all since it's in a big plaza with plenty of spaces. We walked in and there were so many people filling the room along with the waiting room! I was afraid it would be a long wait since we got there around 9pm and they close at 10. The host asked us if we wanted a table or a bar, and I told her either. Since we said either, we were seated in less than 10 minutes! Score! She told us to take off our shoes! I was like what?? If I had known, I would have brought my cheaper pairs of shoes!! I'm paranoid like that! LOL So we proceeded. We walked up this little ramp and through these cute little doors that led us to the dining area. Every table was the kind where you sit on the ground. If you get the bar, you get to sit at this ledge where your legs will hang down so it's like you're sitting normally. We were seated and our drink order was taken. I got water while my friend got the green iced tea. We ordered 6 nigiri which gave us 6 pieces each. We also got the sea bass that was on their entree menu and an order of the salmon skin roll. Everything was excellent! The quality of the sushi to me was great! It was fresh and melted like butter! mmmmm the sea bass was on a bed of spinach which also had a little sauce over it which was also great! Salmon skin roll was good too! Our total for the evening was around $60 excluding tip. A little pricey but hey, we're in marina del rey! But the sushi I thought was well worth the $60 in terms of quality along with service!
(4)Mot Y.
This place is fun. You get to sit really low to the table. There is a well for your feet. The sashimi was decent and you also have to take off your shoes. It's always packed and the specials menu does not rotate that often.
(3)Shirley K.
Service: 3.5 stars Ambiance: 3.5 stars Value/Taste: 4 stars Reservations recommeded as the place filled up pretty quickly shortly after 7pm. Everything we ordered were decently good to yummy! Overall, a good dining experience. Japanese squash tempura - 3 stars Eel sushi - 3 stars Scallop sushi - 5 stars (so good that we ordered it again) Wild king salmon sushi - 3 stars Red snapper sushi - 4 stars (very fresh that night so we had 2 orders) Seared ono sushi - 3 stars Uni sushi - 3.5 stars Grilled seabass - 4 stars (mm..yumm...so flavorful) The restaurant is located in a huge shopping lot so there were plenty of parking.
(4)M T.
Masa is the man! This place is the BEST sushi restaurant I've found in all of LA and I've been here for 2 decades. When you take in consideration the atmosphere, service, quality, price, selection, and the chefs (especially Masa), this place is by far the BEST. It's still a bit of an unknown but I hope it stays that way and I hope they don't ever change a thing about the place. EVER! I did recently hear that there may have been an ownership change recently, but I TRULY hope the new owners realize that there's no need to change a good thing.
(5)Harrison G.
I loved the food here! Came on a whim last week since some coworkers were meeting for a birthday lunch. I'd never heard of the place and it was actually hard to find, tucked away in the corner of a strip mall next to a couple giant stores. It's an unlikely spot to find such good food and unique dining experience. First off, when you enter you have to take your shoes off like in traditional Japanese restaurants in Japan. You sit on a pillow on the floor with your feet dangling in a shallow pit beneath the table. By the time I got there a bottle of sake had already been ordered and people were enjoying miso soup from one of the lunch bento boxes. I quickly perused the menu and decided on the chicken teriyaki bento with tempura. All the bentos come with miso soup, rice and some salad (which is drenched in dressing but you can probably ask for it without). The food arrived pretty quickly, maybe within 15 minutes. The place was about half full, but people kept coming in as we ate our meals. Everyone got a different bento box and everyone was pleased with the selection. The tempura was light and crisp and a good amount - several vegetables and two pieces of shrimp. Someone got the salmon teriyaki which they absolutely loved. Those who also got sushi with their bentos enjoyed it as well. When all was said and done we were all happily stuffed but not overly full. It was a great dining experience. If it were a little bit cheaper I'd love to come back more often. But for 6 people, it ended up only being $20 each (and we all chipped in to pay for the birthday girl's meal) which was a great price for the amount and quality of the food. I think, though, that dinner would be more expensive. I didn't get a solid look at the menu.
(5)Shane S.
I've been here 2x now. The pluses: 1- Amazing ambiance. You take off your shoes and sit on the floor. 2- Super friendly waitstaff. Both times they helped with all the sushi choices, etc. 3- Some amazing pieces of fish. Japanese albacore, and the blue crab roll were awesome. The hotate was good too. Sadly, some of the other stuff is average to below average. Nothing was bad quality... however it wasn't seriously good either. They have a small-ish, but OK sake list. Wish it were larger. So, I'd go again for the atmosphere and/or if friends were going. But I wouldn't suggest it.
(3)Alix M.
I used to come here a lot but ever since management changed, I stopped going. Service has really gone bad, one time I ordered california roll for 2 people and I specifically said 1 order only but the lady came in with a whole bunch of rolls probably 3 orders total and when I said I only ordered "1 order", she insisted that's how I ordered it and immediately left and ignored us while I was still talking. Not going back.
(1)Mrs H.
is it just me or did i just find this too expensive. it is good sushi, but i left that place feeling hungry and not satisfied with the amount i spent on dinner. the 3 * is for the price. i know that good sushi is worth paying for but not when i leave feeling as if i was ready for another meal...so just saying. if you want good sushi, try it here. but if you are really hungry go elsewhere. oh, the decor was nice. but i'm only here for the food. ;)
(3)saucy i.
it's true, this place is hard to find. the restaurant front door is literally a construction zone. park in the pavillion lot and walk directly into the construction area marked CVS. you'll find a supercuts and 8x10 signs pointing towards the restaurant entrance. restaurant interior is nice. there's no wait. you have to take off your shoes but the floor is very clean. no particles stuck to my feet. when seated, you can actually put your feet in a deep hole under the table, which i didn't realize at first. i sat with my feet out and the woman sitting in the table behind reached around and grabbed my toes when she got up. i couldn't help cracking up when she said "ewww" LOL!!! our order came to $60 (including gratuity) - 1 order yellowtail (2 pieces) - 1 order halibut (2 pieces) - 1 spicy tuna roll - 2 orders eel & avocado rolls - 1 order calamari - 1 miso soup yellowtail & eel & avocado were awesome!
(4)g t.
Love this place!!! Stumbled upon this place while biking the strand. It's in a nondescript strip mall. It was a really lovely surprise... shoes off and placed in cubby holes by the host/hostess, dining on the floor with little pockets for your legs under the table for those of us who can't kneel for prolonged periods, slippers provided so you don't walk barefoot into the bathroom. But enough about the ambiance... the food was GREAT!!! Had the crispy rice albacore, baked crab hand roll, yellow tail sashimi. All were very delicious! Definitely will go back if ever in the area.
(5)Harry H.
The Japanese food of my early years consisted of sushi in pairs served on wooden boats; dynamite served covered with foil; obligatory bowls of miso soup slurped directly from the bowl; and combinations of sushi and chicken teriyaki, or chicken teriyaki and tempura, or tempura and sushi, or sushi, chicken teriyaki, *and* tempura. It's not the kind of cuisine I pursue nowadays, but if it's your kinda thing, Irori does it pretty well. They kept the layout from the previous restaurant at this location, "East", which involves taking off your shoes at the entrance and seating with sunken areas for your legs rather than on chairs. Some people may not like this, but I think it's charming, if not a little hard on your back. The menu is of the type described above - not broad, nor particularly ambitious, but easy enough to find something appetizing. For me, it was the miso-grilled eggplant, dynamite (sorry, I'm a sucker for it), and udon. It was all quite good (the eggplant in particular - how did they get it so creamy?!?), and my dining mates likewise seemed to enjoy their meals. Prices are a bit on the high side for me, but I guess since it's Marina del Rey, I shouldn't have expected West L.A. prices. Which, I guess, kind of sums up Irori to me: it's Japanese food for Marina del Rey.
(3)Bret P.
This place is awesome. You have to take your shoes off when you get in which is oddly exciting and fun. Must have: seared Ono, spicy tuna on crispy rice, blue fin toro. Sushi chef Eugi is the man!
(5)Jennifer L.
I have been here once, but I am already a fan! Good: - I really enjoy their food! Especially their sushi rolls and the Yellowtail collar. Their beef teriyaki in the bento box was only OK though.. - Very fresh fresh. yum - Very friendly service. - You take your shoes off and sit on the floor. Bad: - It was very crowded when I went for lunch at 1:30pm on a weekday, and it's located in a crowded shopping center. (parking is close to none) - The price is a bit higher than other Japanese restaurants I've been to.
(4)Ed C.
Food and price are average for a typical Japanese restaurant. Decor and authentcity may entice and enhance your visit to this joint. Here is my three assessments: (1) One thing to watch out for is the charge levied on the gratuity if you go in as a group. Some of my friends were charged 30% on the tips without prior "courteous" permission. Because of that the price may move toward above-average rather than affordable or average level. (2) One minor thing to watch for is if you have back-problem and required a chair with a back support, don't be bashful to ask for cushions with back (they are provided to those seated by the sushi bar) (3) Reservation is limited to a small party - max seating together is 12 people. More than 12 will either sit around sushi bar or in separate tables.
(3)Scott K.
I was craving good sushi after I went on a week long K-food binge so I asked my friend to pick a place near Marina Del Rey. After driving around the center like an idiot for a few minutes and finally finding Irori (located in the nook of stores next to Radio Shack), I was eager to scarf, and that is exactly what we did... yelp.com/biz_photos/JTSJ… Overall, everything we ordered here was fresh and well prepared: Lobster Tempura with Spicy Sauce: This was phenomenal and I'm not even a fan of lobster. Squeeze the two lemon slices and pig out! Filet Mignon w/ Black Truffles: If you need your steak fix, the filet meat is decent here but not as tender as you'd like. Grilled King Crab Legs: I love King Crab! This order came in three decent sizes pieces and was perfectly grilled. Oyster Shooter: I know it's sorta ghetto to order this but once in while i crave this. Perfectly sized to shoot, the oysters were really fresh. Get this here if you're a fan. Aji: Awesome. Amaebi: It was really fresh and we had the heads cooked in red miso soup which is always a nice change of pace. Kanpachi: Excellent. Uni: Sweet and really fresh. Ono: This is one of my favorite nigiri sushis but here it was a little overcooked. Hamachi: Was average here, didn't ask for the belly which was my bad. Blue Crab Roll: They forgot to bake it like we ordered but it was good nonetheless. Umeshiso Roll: I usually order this last to wind up the meal. Had them substitute Gobo for the Kuri. They have Wakatake Onigoroshi here which is one of my favorite sakes. It's a little hard to finish between two ppl and the chefs don't really drink except for one of them. There's a coffee bean and another cafe nearby to sober up at though which is nice. Although some of my favorite items were missing from the menu, I'm definitely coming back. Make reservations and wear socks!
(5)Aaron T.
Irori is hiding in plain sight, in a corner of a shopping center in Marina del Rey. Irori is a tempting option on your way to the airport or as a destination in itself. I have been many times but only for lunch, which has been excellent. I can vouch for the great lunch specials, such as tuna sashimi, chicken teriyaki and spicy tuna rolls. They also have a great omakase that involves both cooked and sushi dishes, which is fairly priced. The ambiance is nice and the sitting on mats with your shoes off somehow removes you from the ordinary vibe and transports you however briefly to a quiet stall off of the Tsukiji fish market.
(5)David W.
This is a marginal four star. I went with a co-worker. He had the sushi, I had the tempura and steak terryaki dish. I had more food than one person could eat. It was good, the tempura was light and not over cooked, very tasty. My friend said that the sushi was average, not great. The experience is nice, with the lower tables and no shoes. Overall a nice sushi place, not the best, but for the price, not bad at all.
(4)Maruko X.
Japanese style seating, good for lunch. the lunch bento has variety of choices.
(3)Robert H.
Great Sushi! Pricey. If you want a nice dinner with some good Sushi and you're in the area, this is the place to be.
(4)Tina L.
My first experience un-shoeing at a restaurant (shows how little I experienced on my Japan visit). We arrived around 6:45pm and there was no wait; it got crowded closer to 8pm. My first visit so I can't rave about the food like the others, but service was good and it was a really fun experience. Moreover, it is very conveniently located near the airport.
(4)Paul L.
Could have been a 4 star, but I found it uncomfortable sitting in the traditional sink hole style seats and taking off your shoes to boot. Theres also slight tinge smell of fried food in the air, along with the a/c running on the hot side. The food however is very good and authentic. Unajyu best I've had in LA, and sushi is really tops. Service also was very quick and efficient.
(3)Lizzy F.
Not sure how it happened, but we've become sushi snobs. This is the best sushi I have ever had. Being that we come here at least once a week I have never been disappointed! Always fresh and delish! Highly recommend salmon nigiri seared with yuzu. Only downer is now that the word is out, you need a res for the weekends.
(5)Lily K.
'saright. I came here for lunch with a colleague, and there's a $10 bento option. I got salmon teriyaki, a spicy tuna roll, miso soup, salad, and a plop of cucumber salad and another of mung beans (don't eat those, they're old tasting). All perfectly competent. Service very nice, attentive. Friend got tempura veggies and tuna sashimi. It's next to that atrocious CopATan in the strip mall.
(3)Brad T.
Here is how I rate my nigiri sushi (not of this mayo roll crap!)... Is the fish FIRM AND GLOSSY (fresh) vs. soft and separating at the scales (old)? Is the green tea FREE and does it STAY GREEN as the tea cools over time (quality tea vs. cheap green tea that turns yellow or brown quickly)? Yes and Yes! Good stuff, not the freshest fish I've had in LA, but better than most and good for the price point. Nice quaint atmosphere. Take your shoes off at the door and sit on the floor (except there is a hole under the tables so it is more like siting at a picnic table). Great $ for lunch set. The only small disappointment was there was no "irrashai" or "arigato gozaimasu" shouted by the staff (but, it was lunch so maybe they were saving their energy for the dinner crowd)!
(4)Maygan O.
Hubby and I absolutely LOVE this place- great authentic food, and great service. The baked crab handrolls are ADDICTIVE, and the floor seating is really fun- our kids even love coming here : ) Great quality for a Japanese restaurant in a shopping plaza!!!! Great atmosphere, but they close early (10 PM- even on weekends!!)
(5)Maria W.
Take your shoes off and slide on in to a booth for some delicious sushi. The flavors here are more classic, great for a beginner ( i had my first authentic sushi here and became an avid fan thereafter). Sometimes the servers get distracted but the ambiance here makes this a great impress a date spot. Sit at the bar for some warm funny chefs who will make the meal memorable.
(4)Jackie O.
They gave me tempura fried shrimp heads with my sushi, they were so good. Sat at the bar, a little pricey because I fell for an upsell. The waitres suggested the market priced sweet shrimp. While they were good as i hadnt had shrimp before. For 2 peices of sushi it was 16 dollars. Had I stayed with the regular shrimp I would have saved money. Otherwise the prices overall are fair. Nice date spot.
(4)Zana F.
Quick and sweet..went there yesterday after reading up on it and was not disappointed at all - this is now one of my favorite Sushi places. What i LIKED: Ambiance - love the sitting on the floor and the cozy and authentic kind of feel..not the fan of lights, spot on and all sooo light that you need glasses kind of new restaurants...which look and feel cold NOT cool! Sushi quality was great Service very nice and attentive Romantic if a couple but also great for Group/family since they have different table setting - which is great! Price - medium Parking great right in front :-) voila...what do you want more?
(4)Timmy G.
I love this place. Where else can you kick off your shoes, sit on the floor and eat sushi? You better have GPS to find this place. It's tucked away in the middle of a strip mall surrounded by a maze of various businesses. Once you find it though you'll be glad you did. The food is delicious and the service is sexy. Last time I was there the young owner/manager had a crush on my friend and we somehow ended up very buzz on sake. Hmm weird? Still don't know how that happened. Anyhow... highly recommended.
(5)Tyson L.
So on my way to an event in the Westsiiiide, me and a friend decide it best to get some food instead of relying on free appetizers later on. This was one of the first places she recommends. Japanese food sounded good to me. The front door was a little hard to spot, tucked away in a small corner at the back of a plaza, next to some pizza place. I was a bit surprised when I first walked in to find out you had to take your shoes off. I dunno if this makes a place "more authentic" or not, but my first thought was, 'the food better be that good'. Speaking of which, the tables are fixed and there are FOOTWELLS beneath each table. Honestly, this small bit of technical info completely escaped me all night. I'm actually used to sitting akimbo while eating, but found the table legs not wide enough for my knees, so I ended up hunched over quite a bit while I stared at my friend who could comfortably put her elbows on the table... only later did I find out why. how the foot well escaped me, i dunno... so much for my sensory perception. The menu was separated by a la carte dishes from the kitchen, and from the sushi bar. I realized this was more of a izakaya japanese tapas style restaurant. Hoping to make a quick dinner to get to our event on time, and it being "LA cold" outside, we both ordered udon. She got the tempura udon, I got the nabeyaki. I also ordered an agedashi tofu. The tofu came out quickly. Three pieces of lightly battered fried tofu sitting in tempura sauce sprinkled with thin strips of seaweed and green onions. There was a dash of minced ginger in there... somewhat of a surprise as I got it all in one bite in the middle. They served it with two spoons which did make it easier to pick at than taking a whole piece with chopsticks. My nabeyaki udon came a few bites after the tofu. The portion size wasnt too big, but I guess thats a good thing. There was a half poached egg, one huge leaf of baby nappa cabbage, a shrimp tempura and slices of kamaboko (the white and pink fishcake stuff). Underneath all the noodles I found maybe two piece of chicken. The broth was deeply flavored, and thickened up once I mixed the egg in and the udon was perfectly chewy. Overall very pleasant. I helped finish my friends tempura which was served on the side of the udon. It came with pretty much every piece of vegetable conceivable in a japanese kitchen. I used the tempura sauce the agedashi tofu was served in to dip the tempura, a very fortunate accompaniment. The service was great. Servers were very prompt in clearing the table, filling our glasses and always available. As for price, the udon was $10 or so, kind of expensive to be honest. The most of the tapas weren't as lowly priced as I've come to expect either. My friend mentioned the price had gone up and it had been getting more popular. But she thought the food was still good enough to justify. With a constant group waiting to be seated (fortunately my friend made a reservation) it doesnt seem like it hinders keeping other customers from coming back either. Neither does it for me, I'm looking forward to coming back and trying their sushi and other dishes on a later date when I have more time. Speaking of which, this would definitely be a good date place, my friend mentioned she brought many of her dates here as well. Its clean and nicely furnished (minus the seats...) and dimly lit except around the sushi bar.
(4)Eric T.
I was on a business trip and decided to yelp a high rated restaurant. I found Irori and decided to go try. Since it was a business trip, I had the benefit to splurge a little more than I'd normally order. Location: When I went the plaza was under construction and Irori doesn't have a big light up sign. It's nestled in the back corner. Food Items that i ordered: 1) Blue Fin Toro - 5 / 5 - Fresh, melted in my mouth and sushi rice was just right 2) Blue Crab Hand Roll - 3.5 / 5 - Lots of blue crab with a little bit of Mayao 3) Irori Roll - 3 / 5 - Spicy roll with Tuna pieces and some crunchy bits. Kind of disappointed that the maki were cut in different sizes and some were breaking apart 4) Albacore Sushi with Ponzu 2.5 / 5 - The fish was not as fresh and was starting to get old since there texture was a little "mushy" 5) Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice 2 / 5 - I think the concept is good. But the sushi has missed it's marked. The spicy tuna on top of crispy rice didn't really go together. The rice was fried unevenly as one was almost fried all the way and soaked in oil while the other one was a little better. 6) Sweet Amaebi - 3.5 / 5 - The shrimp was dancing and moving when i watched the master sushi chef work on it. The meat was fresh and the texture was great. However, I dont know why, the sweet shrimp was not very sweet. I've had amaebie before and there is a great sweetness to it. This one was more lots of meat but not as sweet Food Conclusion: I would say that I would rate this place a 3 out of 5 stars. The food was good but for the price, I dont think it was as wow worthy. Ambiance and Service: I would give +1 star to the restaurant for the service. The service was very attentive to my needs. The master sushi chef that I sat in front of was a friendly and great to talk to. Conclusion: I think Irori is a good restaurant to go out with friends and significant others for a night out. Great service and good selection of food. If you're looking for wow'ing fresh sushi, I would try to find another place next time.
(4)Shida S.
Some of the best sushi ever...the albacore & toro are to die for...I highly recommend the mushroom tepan if you are crazy about the variety of exotic mushrooms. The service is also exceptional. Be prepared to take shoes off as you walk into this joint as it is a requirement....
(5)Shane B.
drop your shoes at the door, and settle in to a nice cubby table. the ambiance inside is great even if it felt like we were walking to a fair ride during the construction. i cant brag particularity about the fish, but it was good enough. the seafood spring rolls were nice and came with a tasty salsa for dipping. if we need a place to go for sushi in the area, i would come here again. prices seemed a bit high, buts its smell a
(4)Tom H.
I have decided to upgrade my "rating" of Irori. This is based on a recent visit, and eating at several of their competitors... Irori won hands down. Be sure to try the appetizer called "Sashimi News". It takes a few minutes to prepare - so order it first thing.
(5)Helenhana C.
don't believe everything you read on yelp. the yelp page says the price range of the place is $$. It's a lie!!!! Definitely not a $$ place but it's more like $$$. but then again, i must have a very expensive taste when it comes to raw fish. some of the items we ordered were "MP." i actually hate ordering market priced items because i bet that's just one of the schemes that businesses use to overcharge customers. we ordered dynamites (scallops and mushrooms baked in creamy sauce) appetizer which was dynamically creamy and bit cheesy. then we had our sushi: yellow tails, spanish mackerel, fresh sweet shrimps, uni and toro. overall, very fresh fish and good rice but they are definitely "market priced"=overpriced. it kills me to know that my fellow had to pay $15 for two small pieces of fish over rice. their cold house sake tasted very water downed. i know what some of you are thinking but i do KNOW the difference between sake and soju. this sake (not comparing to soju) definitely tasted weak. now my fellow is currently looking for a part-time job to afford my eating and drinking habit. btw, they are open for lunch til 2:00pm and yes, we ordered sake with our lunch.
(4)liz c.
You can't judge a sushi joint by the strip mall it's in. The strip mall is already pretty unassuming - the CVS, the dry cleaners, the Radioshack. Not really Japantown (well, Marina del Rey doesn't really say "Asian flavor" to me anyway) but that's irrelevant. Irori really is tucked away in the back of the mall and to the side. I could see how people can completely miss the place. And to be honest, it was good enough that I sort of hope people NEVER really find it... Evil I know. I ordered the eel roll and tried some of the mackerel. My eel roll only came with two pieces which was a little disappointing considering it was close to $7. I also had a baked roll (cannot remember the name!) which was delectable. All the fish I had was tender and soft. Being stuck in a world of franchise sushi joints, Irori is in a class of it's own. The decor is traditional and authentic with stone laden entry way and wood planked floors. Customers are required to take off their shoes (they have slippers to wear if you need the restroom) and sit at elevated tables or iroris. With your feet dangling beneath you, it's a rare experience to eat good sushi in such a unique environment. And it feels pretty good to walk on the stones as you leave to put on your shoes :)
(4)lynn k.
my husband and I like this place. If you sit at the sushi bar ask the chef what the fresh fishes of the day are. I love uni and one night the chef was honest. He did not recommend it. The waitress' are a little harder to deal with. They lack manner. Our waitress kind of stood there with our plate in mid air until we moved our plates over. It was an awkward few seconds. She could have easily placed the plate near by. The ambiance is relaxing and the place is clean. I think this would be a great date place. You take your shoes off at the door so make sure you don't have holes in your socks.
(5)LeeAnn T.
My favorite sushi spot on the westside. LOVE it. everything is fresh and everything tastes good.
(5)Sarah P.
Okay, so I have eaten here twice. The first time it was absolutely awful. I came in alone to have a quick bite to eat and sat at the sushi bar because I didn't want to take my shoes off. I got there at 1:30pm not realizing that they closed at 2:00pm. I ordered the lunch special and it was awful. The teriyaki salmon was completely dried out and had way too much sauce on it. I asked to have it re-cooked because i just couldn't stomach it, and the chef behind the sushi bar gave me serious attitude. Then I was practically thrown out at 2:00pm. I thought it was beyond rude rude and never wanted to go back there again. Well against my better judgement, i went back again and this time I ate inside the restaurant. I must say, the food way 10 times better and the service was impeccable. The quality of the sushi meat was an 8 on a scale of 1-10. this time, however, i spent a lot more money at lunch. So basically, I would say, don't sit at the sushi bar and don't order the lunch special. If you don't mind spending more money, sit inside and order regular sushi. That, my friends, was worth it.
(3)David L.
First time and loved it. Traditional Japanese seating, no shoes and great sushi, you have to give this unassuming place a try.
(5)David M.
As you arrive at this unassuming strip mall location in Marina Del Rey, you may not expect to find some of the most unique and high quality sushi in the South Bay. But as I entered, placed my shoes in the cubby holes, and was seated at a table with holes in the ground for my legs, I realized I was not in store for a typical sushi experience. I took advantage of some of the unique choices typically found at only higher-end sushi spots: Hakkaisan sake caraffe - cool, with hints of apple 1. Cucumber salad - clean & refreshing, but non-descript save for a touch of seaweaed that added a little extra flavor 2. Ankimo (monkfish liver) - very rich, creamy and flavorful, served with a tasty ponzu and topped with roe 3. Blue crab hand roll - filled with a good amount of real blue crab meat, but flavor was a little too mild 4. Blue fin toro sushi - very high quality fatty tuna, practically melts in your mouth 5. Kanpachi sushi - again, very high quality, and the subtle flavor of the fish made this a stand-out 6. Seared ono - probably the best course of the meal. topped with a citrus pepper sauce that perfectly complimented the fish 7. Uni - really creamy, fresh and a touch of sweet. a good finisher. haven't had uni often so it's hard for me to compare 8. Yuzu mousse on wontons - I usually skip dessert at Japanese restaurants since they typically only offer mochis, but I'm glad I didn't here. The citrus flavored mousse, topped with a bluberry and a strawberry desert sauce made this the perfect end to the meal. $75 for two with sake
(4)The Food G.
The place has a good vibe but the food did not satisfy. In summary, we loved the blue crab hand rolls and spicy tuna on crispy rice. Everything else was meh. The price is kind of steep for the amount of fish they give you. I would rather spend more money to go to yamashiro or less for more fish in Japanese town.
(3)Julia I.
Better than average sushi. Interesting selections of fish. Their sunomono is rather sweet. Sushi chef was great at the bar, but had a hard time getting service help from the staff.
(4)Scott B.
My best friend and I went to this place on the recommendation of one of my friends and at first I was a little weary because it was located in a strip mall next to a 24 hour CVS, but damn if I wasn't impressed as soon as I walked in the door. We went there without reservations and it was about 7 or 7:30 on Thursday evening; when we left at about 9 or 9:30 the place was packed and there was a line for table so I'd say if you go any later than 7:30 make a reservation just to be safe. Like everyone says, you take your shoes off and leave them in a little cubby at the front of the restaurant, and it's cute and adds to the ambiance of the place. The food was amazing. Whoever said their fish must be laced with crack is spot on because I swear that I'm addicted now. My friend and I order a lot of stuff. We started off with an order of the oysters on the half shell and they were really good, it was his first time actually having oysters and he said he enjoyed them. Then we hit up the sushi menu. I believe we got: Albacore (Japanese style) which was my absolute favorite item of the entire night. I cannot stress enough how good it is Japanese style, and I hear the seared version is equally as good. We also had surf clam (tasted good but was a little chewy), yellowtail (really fresh and delicious), tamago (both of us had this for the first time, it was a little sweet and I liked it, though he said he wouldn't try it again), and we also had the tuna (tasty and fresh). Also, we ordered the shrimp tempura roll which was good, though I preferred the traditional sushi pieces to the roll. After all of that we ended up ordering a few more pieces of the albacore (it was that good) and an order of the shrimp & assorted vegetable tempura. The tempura was pretty standard in my opinion. For drinks he got a glass of wine, which he enjoyed greatly, and I got a large Saporro and when we ordered our second round of albacore we also split a small hot sake. All in all the dinner came to around $95 (not including tip) and when you look at how much food we had (and how awesomely delicious and fresh it was) you can see that it's all reasonably priced. The waitstaff was attentive and answered any questions we had. Personally, I'm going to make this my regular sushi place now and I'm so glad my friend recommended it to me. And no, it does not smell like feet at all. Not even a little bit.
(5)Wil F.
Definitely an odd location for a decent sushi spot where you need to take off your shoes! Once you get over the rather large strip mall parking lot and get inside, the people are generally friendly and the atmosphere is nice. I would personally say that this is more of a lunch spot than dinner - but then again, what is the criteria for that statement? One of the better sushi establishments in the area in terms of food quality. Also a bit more expensive than other area sushi spots - but worth it, in my opinion. Try the Black Cod with Miso - seriously!
(4)Lucky J.
Time warp once you enter this establishment. Make sure you are pretty confident about the socks you put on in the morning, or else you'll get funny looks from customers. The restaurant does not come close to the location its placed at. You think strip mall, CVS, pavillions....then Bam!....You get shipped to the orient. I love it. Low Key, good sushi, and decent lunch prices. If you happen to feel awkward about the socks you're wearing...have no fear....CVS sells 3 pairs for 5.99. It'll save your life when you see the place packed with people. Im definitely a fan of the Irori!
(4)Ernesto M.
This is the place for all that people who would like to show off their funky and fancy socks that are never visible to the public. Here in Irori you HAVE TO take off your shoes in order to enter the dining area. So make sure that that day you're not wearing your favorite Winnie Pooh socks (if you are a guy) and didn't run out of socks and took your emergency, ultimate last resource pairs: the ones with the holes in them. You might think that you will be getting into some tatami area but actually the floor is a raised wood platform and the tables have an aperture around them to put your feet under them. Attractive concept, you are still sitting on the floor. Like every other person who gets off at lunch and has no clue on what to eat, this is one of the spots I end up going. They serve an abundant Lunch box with 2 choices of entrees, ranging from tempura, rolls, to beef, chicken and salmon teriyaki with miso soup and salad. Their sushi is very fresh and their rolls are made to perfection. And these boxes are worth 10-12 bucks. Not bad for good sushi. However, it gets crowded sometimes and when it does, the only 2 waiters could start to freak out. Specially the lady. The guy always gives satisfactory service but the other one can be a.. ahem, a problem. If you go in a group of four, they don't allow you to split the bill four ways. only 3 ways and hell knows what happens with the 4th person. It took her 20 mins to figure out how to keep her maximum 3-way bill policy and came back with an attitude. The food is great but I would recommend improving their service.
(3)Oliver P.
Really great place. Had the Sushi News with tuna and halibut, tuna was much better. Also had the peppered albacore which was great. Will make another trip to try a few other things. Not overly pricey, much better then a few other subpar places in the area.
(4)Omid T.
High quality sushi! One of our favorite spots for sushi. You wont get the fancy shmancy rolls, just quality. I recommend the jalepeno sashimi, spicy tuna on crispy rice, and the california roll.
(5)Megan M.
This place was awesome! I came here with Grubwithus, and it was such a great time. The staff was very attentive, the food was delicious, and it was really fun taking off our shoes and sitting at floor level in the "traditional" style. I would recommend this place to anyone who likes Japanese food and who enjoys a friendly atmosphere. We were lucky enough to get Akiko as our server, and she took great care of us. Our food came out so fast, and she was always there to refill drinks and make sure everyone was comfortable. She even brought us more cushions for our bums. I loved it!
(5)Dawn S.
The first time my hubby and I were introduced to this restaurant, we went with some friends who live in MDR. I was a fan after our first visit to Irori. Yes, its not quite a seating arrangement most US citizens are used to...but at least they have the hole in the floor under the table, so you can actually sit on your butt and hang your legs over the edge (as opposed to sitting traditional Japanese-style like you're participating in a chado ceremony). Sushi is fantastic, bento box is a great deal with a good amount of food...another favorite is the misoyaki black cod. YUM. 5 shakas, good stuff!
(5)Stephanie K.
We went into Irori the other night, and I hadn't been there in a very long time. Now, with 3 kids, and of course, "do they have a highchair?" wasn't even crossing my mind, because it's traditional Japanese seating on tatami. So the baby crawled and wiggled, and squiggled, and we tried to keep her hostage underneath the table. We ordered a lot of food, and I ordered a pree-tty good glass of chardonnay for a chard. It was Cupcake Winery. I find when I eat Japanese food, the red causes fishy tastes from seaweed and nori combinations, so it's best to choose a white wine if not sake. My son ordered chirashi bowl, and I ordered the salmon teriyaki, and my husband ordered a lot of sushi. We tried their nasu miso, which was decent, and the agedashi tofu, good but not outstanding. Sweet potato fries were more like donut flavor. The baby ate some of my salmon, which was excellent and juicy, perfectly done. I was happy with it. The usual green tea ice cream for dessert for everyone. Irori is pretty good, but my Japanese native husband said: "the sushi tasted plastic". Oh well. It's a good place to go if you aren't with someone Japanese, and better off without the almost 1 year old baby, so you can actually enjoy your meal. So, to recap: Not a good place for "clear your table" toddler action, and young kids who whine and give you a difficult time while you are trying to eat your dinner. Not good for picky Japanese people. Good for a decent Japanese meal if you are not that discerning.
(4)Eric B.
Love this place. My go-to Japanese fun-time spot. Great food, a lot of variety on both menu stuff and sushi bar items... just a gem. And the recessed pit seating is a nice change of pace. Maybe it's not good for grandparents... but I love it.
(5)Happy M.
We love this place! Very lovely decor ( good place to bring a date) and we liked to sit on the floor (with cushions) with your feet tucked under the boxy wooden "hole" under the floor. Yes, you need to take off your shoes, so be sure you wear clean socks with no holes ;-) We used to go regularly for both lunch & dinner. The food is excellent! The fishes are great, the appetizers & Udon soups & the a-la-carts are amazing, fresh salads, tasty miso soup, beautiful presentation, good portion (you get full but not TOO full) and everything is SO delicious! It also is reasonably priced!! We miss it a lot now we no longer live in L.A. p.s. one big bonus for some of you who need to know, yes, YOU CAN BRING YOUR KIDS!!
(4)Denice L.
I do like this place alot and go here quite a bit, but I have a serious problem when my friend is allergic to salmon and they charge $1.00 to substitute for tuna in the Chirashi. TUNA is cheaper and she's allergic! Since you make us take our shoes off, you save the $1.00 in electricity for not having to use a vacuum cleaner.
(4)M M.
This place reminds of when I used to live in Japan. Very traditional with taking off the shoes, holes in the floor for your legs and feet, old school and funny Japanese sushi chefs. They even have traditional slippers to wear to the bathroom. Definitely brings me back. Its usually pretty busy so I'd make reservations to be on the safe side....especially on the weekends. Their sushi prices are decent and the quality is very good. You MUST try the seared ono! Its not chilled seared, but they sear it to order. YUM!! They top it off with a green salty and spicy spread called Yuzukoshou. They don't put a lot, just enough to give it a nice kick....I usually ask for extra. LOVE IT!! The only thing I don't like about this place and why I gave 4 stars is their service. I've been here about 10 times and the waitresses NEVER check up on you.....even to see if you want to order anything else. They're pretty bad, but they are great about grabbing your check and credit card to get paid. You have to either flag them down or catch them while they drop off an order at your table, which is what I have to do. I feel bad since I give them several requests, "Can I have more tea, more ginger, and another napkin please?" Its gotta be done or they're long gone. Even if my tea cup is empty you have to ask....they do not take matters into their own hands. So it might be better to sit at the bar. So annoying when places are on top of picking up the checks and not checking up on you. I'll still continue to go.....I love that seared ono way too much! =D
(4)William T.
In short, the food was good, the atmosphere was enjoyable but my final bill was much higher than what I would expect for a decent sushi restaurant. Yes, I did get some specialty items such as the sweet shrimp and a soft shell crab roll but after tax and tip it cost me $60 for my meal (and one draft beer). I would go there again because of the traditional Japanese atmosphere (must take your shoes off and sit on the floor) and the food quality was good, however, I may be cautious of what I order if I am on a budget.
(3)L G.
This place is awesome. My co-workers & I had our first dinner outing here. Thanks to Junko! Yay! It was a bit hard to find because the place is difficult to see from the street. It's near Radioshack & CVS Pharmacy. Once you enter, you have to take off your shoes. I wasn't aware of it beforehand. I was wearing sandals so I was a bit uncomfortable walking barefoot where other stranger's feet walked. Eeeww gross.. but, I got over it. I love the atmosphere & I love the dining style ( the table is low & there's a hole under the table where your legs hang. I wonder how they clean under there.... We tried a lot of dishes (recommendations from Junko). The ones that left an impression on me were: Eggplant/shrimp roll, this lobster tempura thingy, shrimp egg roll w/salsa. It is pricey but I would definitely come back & I HAVE. FYI: If you plan to go with a group of 6 -8 people, you should make a reservation because there's only one dining area for that accommodation.
(4)Leilani P.
Went here last night and it's pretty reasonable price-wise. The sushi is actually pretty good. I was a little weirded out about the no shoe policy and the servers kept leaning over the sushi bar to get everyone's food. I wouldn't recommend sitting at the bar. I may amend this when I go back and try a proper table.
(3)Shar N.
blue crab roll enough said it's a popular place so go early or call in a reservation. if not then the wait may upset you.
(3)Amy D.
What a gem this place is! I love that you take off your shoes at the front door. The dark hardwood floors are beautiful as well as the tables you eat at. The space below the tables for your legs is a nice mix of Japanese and American ways of eating. The food was delicious and the server we had could not have been nicer!!! I adore this place and will be back many times in the future.
(5)Michelle K.
I love the lunch box special. The value is great. For $8.95 you get 2 menu items including miso soup and a salad. The quality and quantity is amazing. The sushi is high quality too. I would recommend this restaurant to my friends.
(5)Sarah B.
The food is pretty good! But the last two times I've been I didn't stay long because the sushi chef would not shut up and drove me insane. Stopping in during a hectic day, I wanted to relax over lunch and check my iPhone messages. But the whole time, this leering face peered over the sushi bar asking questions. Going back to work? (I work at home) Is that the new iPhone 5? How much it cost? How much service plan? You had iPhone 4? (No) How different from iPhone 4? (How the hell would I know, I didn't have one) Anyway, I just beat it out of there the second I could get my check and won't sit at the sushi bar again.
(3)Ashley B.
My husband and I like to go here on our date night, cuz its two seaters are cozy and we can play footsy under the table. Its always busy because its GOOD. The service is impeccable and prompt. Food is reliably tempered, sushi is cold, hot sake hot, but not burnt, cold sake cold, miso soup - amazing, edamame- never mushy. Love the embiance, and dont worry, they have a slipper for you to wear when you go to the bathroom.
(5)Stevo J.
Good basic Japanese izakaya food. They cater to a more "Americanized' clientele so the food isn't as tasty as places in Little Tokyo or Gardena. However, I love that they make you take your shoes off and you get to sit on the floor. I miss this about izakayas in Japan.
(4)May M.
Ultimately, you come here for the ambiance because their sushi was just okay for me. I was not impressed. They listed their UNI at market price ($8 thereabouts) and though it was fresh, I could have gone to SushiGo55 at Little Tokyo for a dollar less and it would be as fresh yet get a tad heftier serving of uni.
(3)Jeremy C.
Our top lunch spot for me and my coworkers! Simple and clean decor, great service, and tasty food. Try the sesame chicken if you get a bento box. The location is a little bit hidden, but after your first time there, you'll be sure to remember where it is.
(5)Blake B.
As a senior at LMU and Marina del Rey resident, I've seen Irori for nearly 4 years now but never tried it for some reason. Finally decided to try it tonight and I can safely say I have found a new favorite sushi place in the area. There is no better sushi in the area as far as I know. I am a big fan of nearby SugarFISH, but thats not your typical sushi bar. The only other sushi places nearby that I can think of that are worth mentioning are Tsuji No Hana and Kaya Sushi, and Irori has them beat by far. It is one of the few sushi places that actually seem authentic anymore...like every has said, your shoes come off when you walk in the door. It's a pretty small place, so I imagine it fills up fast. Sat at the sushi bar and was impressed by their specials and selection of fish. I had Blue Fin tuna, Yellowtail, Albacore, Ono, Red Snapper, Spanish Mackerel and 2 Baked Blue Crab Handrolls (they were awesome...had to get 2!). All of the fish was extremely fresh and well prepared, all tasted delicious. The sushi chef was great too, I had ordered Kanpachi which is usually pretty good if its on the menu no matter where you get it, but he felt that the normal Yellowtail they had that night was fresher so he recommended it instead. I took him up on the suggestion and was extremely pleased. The service was great, both the waiters/waitresses and the sushi chefs. I felt the pricing was pretty fair too, especially given the quality. Not the cheapest but no where near expensive as some places with lower quality than Irori. I highly recommend this place! Will definitely be going back often.
(5)Derricho S.
If you're looking for great quality sushi, and just want to eat without of the bangs n whistle, this place is highly recommended.
(4)Sarah Y.
I really love this place! A friend of mine who used to live in this area introduced me to this hole-in-the-wall of a restaurant. I've been here about 3 times now. I enjoy their black cod miso -- to die for! The first time I had it, they ended up burning it so made it again for me. It was well worth the wait. Attentive service. Calm environment. I don't really remember their sushi.. haha but their miso salad dressing is delish! I really wish I lived closer.
(4)Reilly L.
Such a cool little sushi joint. Great for lunch because the bento boxes come with tons of food and the prices are reasonable. I enjoy having to take off my shoes and sitting on the floor, it adds to the experience and definitely makes it more fun. As far as the sushi goes.. At first I was a bit put off because of the menu prices, but after receiving my food It seemed to be worth it. All of the fish was quite fresh and well prepared. The rolls come as 5 pieces (instead of the 6-8 that I'm used to) but the pieces are much larger. The service is outstanding and I have never had to wait to be seated on the weekend or on a weekday for lunch. There are tons of available parking spots because the place is located in a strip mall but most of the parking isn't directly in front of the restaurant. Overall its a fun and delicious Japanese restaurant, worth checking out!
(4)Michael L.
Great atmosphere. Almost like one of those traditional Japanese restaurants where you take off your shoes. I sat at the sushi bar, had omakase, and it certainly didn't disappoint. I'm a big uni lover, but I've been told that there are other places with better uni. Regardless, I thought their food was pretty good and fresh.
(5)Michele S.
I absolutely love sushi, but most LA sushi establishments either seem to be exorbitantly expensive or offer fish that is not-so-fresh. Irori Sushi has hit a mark that is somewhere in the middle. They offer basic rolls (e.g. spicy tuna or yellow tail) for $7.50, but if you have a craving for something fancier (rainbow roll or dragon roll) that is going to set you back $18. However they do offer pretty good deals on sashimi and sushi platters. The last time I visited I got that sashimi platter for $19.50 which came with tuna (3 pieces), salmon (3), whitefish (3), yellowtail (2), miso soup, a salad, and a bowl of sticky rice. The tuna, salmon, and yellow fish were pretty good, but the white fish was horrible. Three out of four isnt that bad. Also had the spicy tuna roll which was tasty, but only 5 pieces. Over all the food was satisfactory for the price, and the over all experience was enhanced by the more traditional ambiance and excellent/speedy service. 3.5 stars. would repeat unless something better came along
(4)Charles S.
Take your shoes off and show this place some respect!... irori: (n) type of traditional sunken hearth My favorite Japanese, so far. And not just for the cool elevated floor seating. Staff is always kind, attentive and knowledgeable. Eaten dinner here 5 or 6 times and only had to wait once. Every time has been delicious as craap. I think there is only one table that accommodates over 5 people. Order this, run it through your guts, love every bite, pay about $60, enough for two. Yellow tail with jalapeno and ponzu (sp?) 2 Spicy tuna hand rolls Eggplant with miso Seaweed salad Hot green tea Nigori cold unfiltered saki
(5)Alice Y.
Ok so hubs and I are HUGE HARDCORE sushi eaters..and by HARDCORE i don't mean california rolls...i mean uni and mackerel action. there's only a handful of places where we'll recommend our friends go. this is one of them. the sushi. it's fresh, it's clean, it's delicious. the place is in a random strip mall. but it's a find. a true find.
(5)Victoria V.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in West La...hands down. I used to be a Wabi Sabi fan, but Irori takes the cake. I have been to Irori over 10 times and every time it is better than the last. I always start out my meal with a delicious glass of Shouchu. It is amazing!! The sashimi here is so fresh and the specials are always spot on!! The blue fin tuna and unagi are to die for! Irori recently added spicy tuna on crispy rice and it is AMAZING! It is the best spicy tuna on crispy rice anywhere. Sorry Katsu-ya, but you're off the island!! The wait staff is always super friendly and the service is prompt. Overall, there is not a single complaint on my end. Well...except that the delicious clams were sold out last time I went! This is a must!!
(5)Cal C.
wow this place is a little expensive for what you get! i saw the reviews so it wasn't unexpected... but 6 pieces of salmon sashimi for $16?? i could easily eat 3 orders of that just to start my dinner. i think i will try other more affordable japanese places before coming back!
(3)Jennifer T.
Great sushi and great atmosphere. The service is excellent and the sushi is fresh and tasty.
(5)Ann C.
We came here a few times before and always had an amazing dining experience. However, last Saturday, we went for the gusto, made reservations for the bar, and had omakase. Omakase is a carte blanche of sorts in the sushi world. For $65, Katsu (our chef) served us a sample of each of the specials (both cooked and raw dishes)... and sometimes Yuki (head chef and owner) would step in to conjure some new creations on-the-spot. It was fun. When we'd like something, we'd tell him and he'd give us more of it in the following plate. Everything was wonderful and not too glutinous, as you had smaller portions of everything. My only cons for the evening were that I believe they were a waiter short and they served us Costco sorbet for dessert... I think they ran out of the tempura ice cream. (giggle) But, we all know that you don't go there for the dessert. Tips or Words of Wisdom: 1.) BE ADVENTUROUS! Try the jalapeno specials, they're our favorites of the a la carte menu. 2.) MAKE RESERVATIONS. Based on my experience, walk-ins are a hit or miss. I recall waiting 1hr for a table for 6 because we missed our reservation by 30mins on a Thrusday night and I recall going on a Sunday evening to wait 5mins for a table for 4. It all depends. But, if you want to be certain that you get a table for that evening without the wait, a call before 2pm (that day) should do and arrive on time. 3.) WEAR CLEAN SOCKS. Your fellow patrons will appreciate it. Now, GO... enjoy and tell 'em that you were REFERRED BY SKY of Manhattan Beach.
(3)Justin C.
Fantastic quality at very fair prices. You will be glad you found this gem right next to Radio Shack in this strip mall. Amazing presentation, great food, great find.
(4)Max S.
I was introduced a little while back to irori by my mom's co-worker and now seldomly look elsewhere for good sushi at a good price in the marina. The seared ono with the spicy yuzu sauce is surely the best on the menu but I have a sneaking suspicion that if you cozy up to your sushi chef you may find yourself with an array of secret menu selections. The fried green tea ice cream is also tremendous with a fried crisp outside and a layer of cake like molten ice cream before you hit the cold green tea. Just a fun experience and impressive on a first date. it is a bit of a hole in the wall so prepare to impress when you walk amongst a pavilions cvs and radio shack to open the door to an oasis with everyone cozily chatting on the floor legs dangling beneath the tables.
(4)Jessie S.
I've been here several times and most recently for my friend's birthday. Previous to this visit I would have given them at least four stars, but unfortunately this time around the experience wasn't so great. Apparently everyone and their mother has a birthday on the same day, and they all decided to go to out for sushi. We called sometime between 6-7pm and they said they wouldn't be taking any reservations until after 9pm. (They closed at 10:30.) The logic of this was completely beyond us, and suffice to say reservations were out of the question, so we decided to trek over anyway and take our chances with a wait time. It wasn't until we got there that we found out the reason for their odd reservation policy; it was full. Completely, utterly full with people who had made reservations far in advance. I suppose I can't blame the restaurant for that, but I can blame them for this: We were told the wait time would be about forty minutes. We waited over an hour, nearly an hour and a half, and eventually were seated at a table too small for our group, which meant two of us had to sit with our legs tucked in or crossed for the duration. (shut up, we're lazy americans.) I didn't mind for the first half hour or so, but after that my legs went kinda numb. The least they could have done was offer us desserts or something for our ridiculous wait time. The food was superb, as usual, absolutely nothing wrong with anyone's order. It's just a shame that the service falls apart when they have a busy night. I may revise this and add a star back if/when I return, but until then... alas, three stars.
(3)Katie C.
We started going to Irori about a year ago & it was fast becoming our favorite sushi place cuz we loved their wide variety of super-fresh "real" fish - uni, aji, ankimo etc. Felt like the perfect spot for those of us who avoid the CA-rolls-on-steriods spots because we want actual sushi. But the 4 stars we'd have given them went poof a month ago when my sweetie & I got terribly sick after eating lunch there. We only ordered miso soup, nigiri sushi and sashimi - no rolls, no sides & only water to drink. Hadn't even had b-fast before going in. W/in a few hours we were both doubled over w/ horrible cramps & spent a good chunk of the next 24 hours camped out in the bathroom. UGH. Am heartbroken. Had thought we'd finally found a great neighborhood sushi home. But anytime I think of possibly going back my stomach turns.
(1)Patrick S.
Five stars because it's the best sushi in the area. Not necessarliy because it's a five star sushi restaurant. Yuki is a great guy and there are nights that the fish is stellar. Prices are actually not outrageous like most other places in the area....they're actually reasonable. Best place on the westside when you combine food and price.
(5)Jon W.
Great food and atmosphere. We especially enjoyed the bluefin nigiri and the ginja roll (spicy tuna, avo, albacore and shaved jalapeno) we just stumbled up this place since it was so close to our hotel. Definitely a place I would recommend.
(4)Allison M.
I wish yelp had "half-stars" because I gave this place a 3.5, maybe 3.75. It was fine, and my sushi was good but not amazing. I would go again if I was hungry and in the marina, but wouldn't drive past the 100 other sushi places between my place and there for dinner. They did have very good spicy rolls. They weren't hot-spicy, but they had an interesting blend that tasted and looked like it had green onions (scallions, if you prefer) in it. Very tasty, but again, I wasn't knocked out of my seat. (Note: it would be very hard to be physically knocked out of your seat since it is shoes-free sunken seating. More likely you could slither down under the table into the foot-pit.)
(4)Andee T.
Everytime I go there I always fear that my shoes will get stolen or I have flash backs of a scene from an old Johnny Depp movie "Donnie Brasko" . If you dont know what I'm talking about thats too bad. Go watch the movie and then come back and read the rest of my review. To dine at Irori you have to take your shoes off. I have no problem with this but when I go there it ends up being pricier because I have to buy really cute socks to wear when I leave my really cute shoes by the door or get a pedicure but enough about the shoes and my shoe neuroticsm. This place is really all about the sushi. I always get the combination box that includes the sashimi and the salmon teriyaki. I rarely get anything different becasue I've always been really happy witht the quality of what I've been getting. The fish is very fresh and the service is worth the pedicure if you're going sockless.
(4)Heather C.
IRORI means traditional sunken hearth common in Japan. Used for heating the home and cooking food, irori are essentially square pits in the floor with a pot hook. At Irori you do have to take your shoes off, which I think is part of the fun. This restaurant is in the Marina strip mall next to the Radio Shack and the Pavillions. I, personally, enjoy eating at the bar and having O-Masa-Son as my chef. The Japanese Mackerel is phenom! Ask for the chef's special! Love it here - BEST SUSHI WEST-SIDE! xx
(5)Bseanmy L.
I found this place on yelp, and I must said it didn't disappointed me at all! but for those people who wants to come here and eat, I suggestion is to call and make a reservation. Sometimes the walk-in is more than an hour wait, but if you make the reservation first (same day) then you dont have to wait at all....
(4)Blaine W.
Very good sushi and good atmosphere and unique seating. Why is it that great sushi places always seem to be in strip malls? Anyway, you can't go wrong here.
(4)Ilana I.
Do not be fooled by the mini mall. This place rocks. Best sushi I have ever had and the prices aren't bad either. You have to take your shoes off and sit on the floor though, so if you're weird about that, don't go. Such delicious shrimp tempura rolls! mmmmmmm.
(5)Nick K.
Great concept. Sit on the floor, eat yummy Japanese food. What else do you want in life? This place rocks, ya'll!
(5)Ethan H.
"Dude, I found an awesome sushi joint in Marina Del Rey!" "No you didn't. There ARE no awesome sushi joints in Marina Del Rey." This is an excerpt from the conversation I had with my friend Tim when I told him about Irori and it's pretty congruous with most sushi lovers' perceptions about sushi on the westside. Us westsiders tend to groan about the lack of good sushi here and how annoying it is to have to venture eastward in order to attain that which we crave. Woe is us! Well, if you of the same ilk, this place will make you very, very happy. The sushi here is simply delectable, the sashimi is expertly cut and melts on your tongue, the rolls are creative and delicately delicious, and the nigiri is simply fantastic. The chef's specials were noteworthy as well - I recommend the baby big-eye tuna nigiri. Yum! There is a whole menu of non-sushi Japanese entrees and whatnot which I hear are quite good, but I have not steered away from the sushi to order anything of the like and I probably never will. The sushi is just too damn good and to eat anything else would feel like sacrilege. I'm actually going through an inner struggle right now as to whether or not I should press the "post it" button - I don't want this place getting overrun by all of you out there in Yelper Yelper Land. Just do me a favor alright? Try to resist the awesomeness and limit yourself to once a year. Think of how much better it will be when you finally do come back. Delayed gratification rules. :P **Update 2/22/08 - The word has gotten out. Came here tonight (Friday) and the wait for a table or even a spot at the bar was an HOUR. Apparently you have been breaking my "once a year" rule I mad e for you For shame! Heh.
(5)trolley S.
The reason to come here is for weekday lunch. They have great specials and consistently busy. Which means fresh food. They have several bento boxes and a sushi special. It's your standard fare, decent but nothing out of this world. The fried food tastes fresh. After living out of state for a year, this place is like a fantasy for me. When I was in LA, I deemed this place medicore. Well, got some perspective now!
(4)Wendy R.
Excellent
(5)Masako K.
Very disappointing. Irori used to be the go-to sushi spot for me, my husband, and most of our friends who live in Venice & Marina del Rey. Perhaps due to the change in management, the quality of the food and service has plummeted. I unfortunately made this discovery when I brought my parents here - they were visiting from Japan and I had promised them that I would bring them to "my favorite sushi restaurant in LA." I was embarrassed and absolutely horrified by our experience that night. We had no waitress assigned to us, so after 15 minutes of trying to get a glass of water we had to ask the hostess to take our order. What used to be my favorite dish, the Sashimi N.E.W.S. - your preferred white fish (mine is Ono) dressed in a ponzu marinade - came out with pools of oil in the marinade. The nori used on our ikura & uni nigiri was so tough that we could not bite into it. The house salad was the only dish that was consistent to what I had in my prior visits. My parents are not food snobs but the expression on their faces said everything - "you brought us HERE on one of the few nights we have to go out to dinner with you?" I felt so apologetic. I am in the process of looking for my new go-to sushi restaurant on the Westside.
(1)Dave D.
Excellent traditional Japanese food. Make sure to wear socks and sit on the tables. You need to take off your shoes. Great lunch deals till 2 pm.
(5)Jennifer B.
This place has a unique ambiance because of the floor seating. Menu is a bit limited on sushi rolls, but offers all the classics. All sushi tasted very fresh and portions were good size. Vegetable tempura was very good. The salmon teriyaki entree was only on the warm side, so could use some temperature. All in all the food was good and I would go back. Only downside is that they make you the off your shoes...which at first seems ok; but then you realize the kitchen staff have shoes on because they are walking to from the dirty kitchen floor, then out into the restaurant where we are forced to walk barefoot. Why do they get to protect their feet from the floor where the kitchen shoes are bringing out the dirt/grime and we don't? My advice, wear socks!
(3)Lauren Y.
cute place, good service! cool how you have to take your shoes off, feels very authentic. 4 stars on presentation albacore sushi, yellowtail sushi and yellotail cut roll were okay, good not great, not worth returning for. 3 stars. glad i tried it but i won't be back so i rounded down to 3 from 3.5 it's fun to try once, but if you want good food, sugarfish is much better. parking lot is easy and ample since it's located in a strip mall
(3)Matthew R.
I came looking for the fish and not overly creative rolls. They had bit for sure, but I was pleased with my decision to trust Don to make me a most excellent custom chirashi selection. He even knew how to order the fish for consumption properly. And most importantly, there was some of my favorite Santa Barbara uni with some ikura for my final bite. Dessert! Very friendly, very clean. Might I add this was all on a Sunday night when I'd usually expect stock to be running out and fish to not be as fresh. Not a problem!
(5)Marco D.
I ordered take out from this joint. up on arrival It seemed like a cool place. The staff was friendly and cheerful. I wish I could give them a better score but the truth is the food was average at best. There was nothing special about the rolls I ordered. If anything the tuna roll was actually bad. I have never been to a place that used actual canned tuna for a roll that was just a big No. Again, friendly staff, awesome looking place, but below average sushi.
(2)Kerri Y.
Unexpected hidden gem located in a strip mall. I was on my way to LAX and needed food- fellow yelpers lead me to this place and you did not steer me wrong. The food was fantastic- the service was super super fast. I was very taken back by the removal of the shoes at the door - especially given that I was not wearing socks. I was also taken back by the odd table structure (located on the ground- but a cut out for your feet). Difficult to get into an out of the sushi bar if you are not expecting the setup. The seating situation could be would be difficult for older folks or those of us with bad knees!! Food was tasty and a great overall find.
(4)Nova P.
I've come to this sushi spot a few times in the last 3-4 years and each time had a truly enjoyable experience. It's a little hidden jewel in the Pavillions/CVS shopping center (located adjacent to Radio Shack). It's a good place for dates and small groups. Leave your dirty, holy socks at home, and ladies if you come to Irori, make sure you have had a recent pedi or at least touch up the polish. Kicks come off upon entry. Why I am a fan of Irori: *Love the unique experience of eating barefoot while sitting on the elevated floor with the recessed seating. *Sushi has generous portion of fish, less rice *Food is consistently good *Very friendly and accommodating staff *Great specials *Fish is always fresh *They have both Kirin Light & Sapporro Light :) *For those worried about going a public restroom sans shoes, there are slippers available on the way to the restroom!
(4)Alex H.
I came here about 2 weeks ago and have been dying to write a review. This place is amazing! I myself was a sushi chef in the past and the quality of the food here reminded me of back home and how good the food is on the east coast . 5 stars! Way up ! I'm a regular for life now
(5)Gonzalo V.
Found this in YELP, had never been and probably the best sushi I have ever had and I've had lots of sushi.
(5)Clover J.
Agree that with the new owners the service is a bit rushed, but still great atmosphere for getting sushi when your in a relaxed mood or with someone you actually want to have a conversation with. The portion size of the black cod decreased, however the portion of yellowtail served in the yellowtail jalapeño about doubled,
(4)Summer B.
I had heard great things about Irori so I decided to finally check it out. This place has an interesting ambiance. It was quiete when I came in. You must take off your shoes and there is primarily seating on pillows on the floor with a few tables in the center with chairs. The sushi bar has regular seats. I had a Sashimi salad to try to get a good taste of their fish. It was good but not great. The albacore and tuna tasted a bit fishy. The salmon was very good! The prices for many of their menu items were on the higher end and the portion size was smaller than many sashimi salads I have had at other sushi spots. A plus side is the service was really great.
(3)Janet L.
Really fresh, tasty sushi and sashimi . Good rolls. It can be really busy on weekend nights. Haven't gone there for lunch.
(5)G S.
Service: 4. sat at sushi bar and chefs were having in depth convos with each other... Atmosphere: 7. I can see what they're trying to do...make it unique and exciting for people... Food: 6. not that impressed with quality vs price...good presentation, not a huge fan of sushi smothered in miso dressing. First time there in the restaurant, wouldn't go back on my own.
(3)Tina K.
Great find for really fresh, tasty Japanese food and sushi! My friend brought me here and I loved it! Great atmosphere! You take off your shoes and eat sitting on pads with your shoes off. There's also a cutout under the table to put your feet too. The food is a little more expensive than your average sushi place but it's worth the extra $. The sushi is so fresh and nice thick pieces of fish - I ordered salmon and albacore. I also ordered the spring rolls with fresh shrimp and mushrooms. Yummy!! And my favorite was the miso black cod! So tasty and fresh.It's an appetizer size but perfect accompaniment with the rest of the food. My friend ordered the 3-item dinner combo which was tons of food with plenty to share. I finished it with some green tea ice cream, which was perfect for a hot summer night. The only somewhat negative review was the temperature of the sake. We ordered a cold one and it was just barely lower than room temp. I would have preferred it colder since it was a warm night but it was ok and the sake was tasty! I will definitely be coming back and planning on bring in more friends with me.
(4)Jennifer L.
Came here for the omakase and I must say, for the price (roughly $50), it was really, really good! it came with ... 2 Appetizers: - Monkfish liver dish (I'm not a big monkfish liver fan, but ate this happily) - Tuna tartare dish (found this to be the blandest) 10-Piece Entree of Nigiri (includes uni, red snapper, salmon, tamago, yellowtail, tuna, toro... etc) Everything was EXTREMELY fresh, were of great cuts, and nice presentation! Would gladly come back :) The decor is nice with a traditional Japanese feel, with seating made where it looks like you're sitting on the floor, but lo-and-behold, there's a opening for your legs! (Hard to explain, but kinda nifty once you realize this gem haha).
(5)S. A. Y.
Food quality (in terms of sashimi and the rolls) were average. The sashimi were fresh, creativity of the rolls not bad. The service and ambiance here was great. Waiters were very helpful and attentive. The hostess was fantastic. Circumstances placed my party and I at the restaurant almost two hours earlier than expected. We were greeted and seated only after a short wait, despite that it was Mothers Day. My main concern of this restaurant is that the guests (us) are required to be barefoot while the servers are walking in and out of the kitchen/ back of the house and between the dining with their shoes on.
(3)Tristan G.
The first time I visited this restaurant I was a bit apprehensive about the location. I didn't really think I could get great sushi in a strip mall. WOW! Was I wrong! This is about as good as it gets in Los Angeles. You can find fancier sushi spots, but I challenge anyone to find fresher and more delicious Toro anywhere in LA. The Toro isn't cheap, but boy do you get what you pay for! Absolutely melts in your mouth. Try it once and I swear you will be hooked!
(5)Marisa R.
I love this place! Great sushi, great lunch spot! Great price. I have been at least 10 times and love it when I can eat here. It makes me happy. :)
(5)Janine K.
It was my first time here! You sit on the floor like in a really traditional (stereotypical) Japanese restaurant. I ordered the Philadelphia roll, salmon roll and California roll, which was too much. I didn't expect the rolls to be so big in such a restaurant and for that price. I thought it would be tiny. I will for sure go back. Preferably veeery soon :)
(5)Sean H.
The place is the best sushi place I have been too in la! Food is simply amazing. Everything is supper fresh and the portions are bigger than most places. Ask for ryan at the sushi bar and he will blow your mind away! We keep on coming back!
(5)Jessie N.
When you step into Irori you feel like you have walked into a sushi house in Japan. You leave your shoes in a cubby and it on a cushion on the floor. The staff are attentive and friendly, the sushi is freshly prepared at the bar. I recommend the Hot Night roll. The tempura fried green tea ice cream is a decadent treat easily split between four.
(4)Maria N.
I have eaten at this restaurant MANY MANY times as I live across the street. I have seen owners change and employees change, but the food taste and quality have always stayed the same. If you want fresh and delicious sushi, you need to stop by this place. I have dined at multiple high-end Japanese restaurants such as Nobu and Katsuya, and I believe Irori's quality is just as good.
(5)Tiff P.
Wear your yoga pants and flip flops! They ask you to take your shoes off as you enter, and seating is Japanese style, with spaces cut out into the floor. If you have a cast or leg/ankle boot, you might want to wait until it's off to eat here. They do offer pillow seats for some butt cushion. And you can ask for the seats with backings, in case you want to be more leisurely. The food. EXCELLENT and fresh! I'm mostly a sashimi and agedashi lover. Both were great, the edamame was hot and the salad wasn't drowning in dressing. This is probably my new favorite sushi spot in the MDR/LAX area. The quality and the price were very good. I can't wait to come back.
(5)Nolan A.
Our go-to spot. Gets crowded at certain times, but this is by far the best and most traditional sushi spot within 4 miles of the location. You can't go wrong, but you might want to wear some socks if feet freak you out ;-) Yes, you have to take your shoes off, so don't be stinky! But seriously, I love that I have to wear sandals to the bathroom, and this reminds me of being back in Japan. A+
(5)Gabrielle C.
Amazing amazing amazing !!! Every time I eat here it somehow gets better than before !
(5)Colby P.
Irori is excellent. The atmosphere is comfortable, yet classy and simple. Cleanliness gets 5 stars! & the food was excellently prepared and garnished. Teriyaki salmon was cooked perfectly & bursting with flavor. Spicy tuna roll was extra spicy (the way it should be)! We sat at the bar & the chefs were incredibly , genuinely kind. They were also humbled by out compliments about how great everything was. Only problem for me was that it took our waitress at least 10 minutes to come to us once we were seated. However, it was lunch time and the place was packed. Once she got to us she was very attentive throughout the rest of the meal. A little pricey, but definitely worth the extra scratch. I will most certainly return.
(5)Michelle O.
Everything was delicious however the pricing for the lunch combo menu was not clear at all so we had to pay much more than we were hoping to. If we knew we could get something else rather than the combo menu. Also it was not that fulfilling.
(3)Tyler S.
I try miso soup and salmon sushi at every sushi bar I go to, as my "constant variable." They were both great here, and both overpriced, which seemed to be the overlying theme of my meal there. The quasi sit-on-the-floor thing is fun, but a little hokey. You can probably smell my snobbery from here, I ain't mad. Expect to pay around $6 per pair of nigiri. The fish was good, but not worth double the price of SushiStop.
(3)Ilya N.
always super-fresh and authentic Japanese food. sushi are especially good. try uni shooters! the only problem with Irori is that you have to make reservation for dinner (as the place is relatively small and popuar), and it's noisy there.
(5)Matt H.
Was recommended by a friend to try this out - went here with a Party of 5 heavy eaters, we ordered a ton of sashimi and rolls. The seafood was very fresh, the ambiance was very good (other than little children running through the restaurant). Favorites: Salmon Sashimi was melt in your mouth Blue Crab/Salmon roll was a hit Rainbow roll was delicious Yellowtail/jalapeno sashimi Very attentive waitress, even with the restaurant being packed. There wasn't anything we disliked - Based on overall seafood quality, I give this 4.5 stars. It's not quite as good as a Nobu, per se, but it's not nearly as expensive. Our tab came to $160/couple (we drank quite a bit of sake) and ordered enough food until all 5 of us were stuffed - whereas our tab at Nobu would normally run 250-300 per couple.
(4)Weimin C.
I had chirashi yesterday at Irori. It's pricy ($26), but the portion is large and the food quality is really good! The fish tasted fresh and really yummy!! I love it! :-)
(4)Nathan E.
We go here twice a month . Never been disappointed...great food and great service. Always a line. Call and make a reservation.
(5)Caroline F.
Love Irori! I am an advid sushi lover and extremely selective when it comes to Japanese cuisine. Irori is unique and authentic. From the moment you walk through the door, you take your shoes off and get immersed in the culture. The sushi is above average, but not amazing. The service was okay, but a bit slow. Regardless, this is still one of my go-to sushi spots on the Westside.
(4)Gregory M.
This place has never failed me! Every time I have been the sushi is absolutely amazing. Brought a date last night that has a gluten and dairy allergy. The server was so night and found us a bunch of things on menu to eat and even sake. This is my #1 sushi spot on all the westside for sure!!!!
(5)Mark C.
Well, this place is really neat if you wanna experience an American-Japanese style type of meal. You have to remove your shoes and sit down on pillows on the floor to enjoy your meal. I say it's partly American because every single table has a hole right under it so that you could put your legs down there as if you're sitting on a chair. My friend and I were the only three people in the place so we got exceptional service. I got to try out some of the special sushi; (I wish they had a website or menu so I could remember exactly what it was. They do have a menu online but it doesn't list off their special sushi). They also have a wide variety of cold sake and I tried one of the variations but it tasted like regular, good sake. The sushi was pretty darn good but also really expensive. It costs about $18 for each set of special sushi.
(3)Michael B.
Irori is a great date spot. They also have nice large rolls that keep coming as fast as you can order them. Blue crab is incredible. Sake is fairly priced although selection is limited. Tables are comfortable and the cutouts for your legs are very helpful when you order too many rolls. Parking is simple since it is located in a large shopping structure, but that doesn't take anything away from the atmosphere.
(4)W C.
We had a party of 6 with no reservation, so I knew we were in for a wait. We were okay with it, because it was still early in the evening. When we told the hostess she just rudely turned us away. When we asked how long the wait would be, she just said 'I don't know' as she was walking away. That was really rude, she could have just given us a timeframe and we would have been okay with that. We left and went to Hamakaze Sushi Izakaya on Washington. The food and service was excellent. I'm going there from now on.
(1)Greg V.
I cannot say enough good things about Irori. The quality has always been excellent. The service is more than efficient. The ambiance is spot on. Every time my Fiance and I visit another Sushi restaurant, we always compare it to Irori. We don't go anywhere else anymore. We've been here enough to have almost tasted the entire menu. The Peppered Albacore Nigiri is unmatched and delicious. The Irori Roll is well balanced and light. The broiled Black Cod with Miso is tender and savory. The Blue Crab Handroll is ridiculously good. Reservations are needed at times, but we don't mind waiting for the delicious food as it is well worth it. Check it out!
(5)Lindsey M.
Fun environment. All patrons are too take off their shoes and put them in little cubbies. The bar and table areas have holes where your legs go so you are sitting on the ground on a pillow. Very yummy sushi with a nice variety of dishes. Casual, where whatever you want. Attentive servers and bussers.
(4)Christine F.
Pretty good.
(5)Mitchell A.
Super fresh fish, best yellowtail collar ever, really unique blue crab wrapped with salmon roll. Creme Brule....awesome! Ambiance was excellent. Server was very friendly My new favorite sushi place ! We will return.
(5)Polina I.
The best sushi ever!!! It melts in your mouth!
(5)Florence Q.
Awesome place to eat if you want a real Japanese experience. You have to take off your shoes and place your shoes in the racks provided. The sitting area amazed me! It was pretty clever how they designed it. I thought I was going to sit on the floor the whole time with a pillow but there's a hole in the floor where you place your feet.. So the floor is actually the "chair". The food here are yummy ! I started with black COD with miso soup! Omg! It's to die for! The blue crab hand roll was amazing!!
(5)Michelle C.
Just moved to Playa Vista and I think I've found my favorite neighborhood sushi spot. Those chefs really know what they're doing. And if you're a sushi purist, they delight in making you happy. Asked for Monkfish liver nigiri and Andy recommended the bowl. If you love that stuff, highly suggest you try it. Excellent quality fish and a steady hand in seasoning and garnish. My Spanish Mackerel was outstanding. Rolls were amazing too. Service is highly attentive and friendly. I'll be coming back again and again.
(4)Jon C.
Bomb sushi. Just don't come with smelly feet. Great service and the sushi chefs are a blast.
(5)Celine B.
Food is decent. Not worth the prices. I really dislike having to take off my shoes that needs to change. I do love the tables and how it's set up
(3)NH S.
We come to Irori once a week on our date. I'm Japanese and love sushi & sashimi. Ji Hoon and Sora made us feel so special, we really appreciate it. Their food is top notch and amazing and service is quality! We love it here.
(5)N. L.
I hadn't been to Irori in over five years. The two times I'd been there before, I gave the restaurant a 4-star rating. However, the owners must have changed or something happened over the years because the quality of food has declined a lot. I don't think I'll ever return- especially for their prices and inconsistent service.
(2)Lina W.
I love this place! This is our go-to Japanese restaurant in the area. It feels like the best hidden gem. The food is great, the atmosphere is low-key, casual and cozy, and the staff is always happy and nice. Everything in the menu is delicious. I highly recommend the oyster shooter, the rock and roll and the asparagus with shitake. Yummmm...
(5)Elle B.
SO rude, one of the sushi chefs!! I was told he would not be working there any longer, but I have been afraid to go back.
(2)Ela C.
Got uber excited for the floor seating and decided to try it. Did not like anything besides that. Service was poor, and the food didn't save it either. Not going back.
(1)Dina P.
It's been a year since I've been here. It used to be a good place... But what is going on now? I eat sushi once a week, at least. They passed off chewy prawns as sweet shrimp then passed off freshwater eel as sea eel. I'm not one to confront. It's hard to do but I straight up asked the sushi chef (after comparing my "sea" eel to the couple next to me who ordered both sea and freshwater eel) and he said mine was sea eel. No way mine was sea eel. The difference is so slight - even the way it's cut. Oh and I saw him put aside a sea eel when it arrived before my fried "sweet shrimp" heads (I ordered them at the same time). Never going here again.
(1)Bethany K.
Somehow Irori became our not-too-fancy "go to" special occasion Korean-owned Japanese restaurant... which is funny because it's in such a nondescript plaza (between CVS and Pavillions). It's not necessarily the best sushi restaurant in town, but it's more of a place with lots of options for fans of Japanese food in general, plus a cute date spot with the whole taking-off-your-shoes environment. FOOD *In general, we love the food here. I don't eat sashimi/sushi but everything my husband's had, he likes. However, I will say, I think they could go easy on the sauce (in almost every sense) and it would be that much tastier... subtlety can do no harm *We were sold by the chicken teriyaki dinner (with salad that had too much dressing, miso soup, rice, a few little veggie side dishs) *Check out the Specials board behind the sushi counter - we love the mushroom tepinyaki - though it's a little saucey (sense a theme?) - would go REALLY well with rice, but they brought it out earlier by itself *I like their veggie tempura -- green beans, sweet potato, zucchini, carrots. The Shrimp + Veggie dinner comes with 4 giant pieces of shrimp tempura (that the husband loved) and a good array of veggies. Crisp, fresh, crunchy... great tempura! *Was NOT a fan of the Japanese eggplant appetizer -- I think it was prepared with some kind of oyster sauce (that SUPER reminded me of jja jjang myun) *They used to do mochi for desserts (with the combo dinners) which was nice, but tonight we had this red bean ice cream with some strawberry syrup that was REALLY good! *I don't think the salmon is wild... and the waitress I asked (or the people she asked) didn't know *No brown rice :( *No refills on soda (or the little side dishes that come with the combo dinners... bummer!) LOGISTICS *As previously mentioned, located in the same plaza, right between a huge CVS and Pavillions. This is also the same plaza as a Jamba Juice and a movie theater, but I'd say look for the Pavillions and you should be golden. *Tons of parking. Love that you don't have to fight for parking or cough up a few bucks for valet here in good ol' Marina del Rey *Decent sized restaurant -- lots of tables for 2, a few for 3-4, and I've seen bigger groups sit in the middle, though it's more of a 2-4 person type of place. For weekends or peak dinner times, I'd recommend calling ahead or making a reservation (like for Valentine's day) *Really reasonable prices *Super, super friendly and attentive service... with lots of folks coming by to clear your plates as you finish things (which you could interpret as get-you-out-faster or as hey, the tables are small so lets clear your plates). They're not pushy or hostile, but just be okay with saying "No, I'm not done with that yet" :) On Valentine's Day, she totally brought our our check a minute too early before even serving dessert... oops? *You stow your shoes near the front, then sit down on the cushions and your feet are on bare ground. if it's weird for you--wear socks. (It's nice though, that they have slippers to wear into the bathrooms) Didn't quuiiiite sense the shift in service/quality that other reviewers had mentioned, but I'll probably keep the less-sauce in mind for the next time we're here. Either way, I'm a fan!
(4)Michael H.
Great restaurant! I love the seating style, although I would love the option to sit next to my date!
(5)Emily W.
This place is a low key gem that I like to come to regularly and also bring friends who haven't tried it for the experience. The service has alway been attentive and fairly swift. The sushi always tastes fresh and is moderately priced. Also, you get to take your shoes off and sit on the ground, which is relaxing and fun. I've never had any complaints -- except for the bathrooms. Considering you have to be barefoot to enter the restaurant, I don't recommended going to the restroom, which is not kept up as well as it should be. Last time I went, there were some random men's sized Crocs outside of the restroom, that I assume were from the staff. I had to bite the bullet and borrow those so I could enter the restroom.
(4)Jessica B.
Service was piss poor. Food was decent but prices were on the high side for what you got. I won't be returning.
(2)Kenneth B.
Great food and service!
(4)Yonnie Z.
Quaint little place in the Marinas. I have come here a few times with friends and once myself to grab take out. Their fish is good but not the best I've had but it's not bad for the price. It's not a bad place to swing by if you're in the area and want to grab some sushi for a meal. It's different than other Japanese restaurants in the sense that you take off your shoes and place them in cubbies they have installed in the front of the restaurant. This is because their tables are set low and you sit on mats with your legs dangling in a hole under the table.
(4)Demetri E.
Irori is over all a great place to get some authentic sushi. The vibe is traditional Japanese decor and you must remove your shoes.. the tables are on the ground. The quality of the fish is pretty good. It's about as good as you can get without going to an super expensive place. toro- pretty good but not the best I've had.. could have been pinker and fattyer.. it looked more like chu torro to me red snapper- very good salmon- good japanese scallop- good albacore- ok they were out of halibut and spanish mackerel so i didnt get to try those.. i would come back.. this place is a good west side sushi spot that is reasonably priced for the quality.
(4)Richard K.
Not the best sushi for the cost. Floor seating experience is just that. But honestly the rolls themselves were a bit flavorless, and poorly executed. Hand rolls fell apart, and so did many sushi rolls. Granted the 8 dollar eel and avocado roll was the cheapest and best thing we got. First dish was wrong salad last dish was sent back. Good thing theres sake and Sapporo.
(1)Stephanie E.
Pretty decent. Sashimi cut very thick, make sure to ask for thinner cut!
(4)Stephanie S.
Went here last week for lunch since I was going to be in the area. Knowing it was by the CVS from all the other yelpers made it easy to find. Really liked the place, but will hold off on giving it 5 stars until I've been at least twice since I need to experience more of the menu. Ordered albacore sashimi, salmon, yellowtail and red snapper sushi, spicy tuna roll and blue crab hand roll. All were outstanding. Frankly, I've never had yellowtail that melted in my mouth like this did. And the spicy tuna had a great kick at the end and was stuffed with fish. Hand roll was also delicious. The place is pricey, but the quality of the fish was outstanding. Hope to find myself in this area again soon so I can try more than what I had on this visit.
(4)Alison D.
Very good Japanese restaurant. The sushi is very close to the freshest tasting I've ever had. Enjoy the option to sit cross legged on the floor (with or without a seat-back) or tuck your legs under the table into the sunken floor cubby - very creative in their seating options! Shoeless required for customers, shoes required for staff. Only wish they had a bigger selection of sushi rolls.
(4)Dan M.
So I was looking for a quick bite to eat with a friend before flying out of LAX and we turn to yelp noticing that there was a sushi joint which had pretty solid reviews. So we head over to Irori which felt it was a bit hidden as it is tucked away in a plaza with a CVS in it. Nevertheless we walk in and the place is set up with a cozy feel to it. I notice that the owners are Korean which does not surprise me and am able to chat away with the folks running the joint. They also asked us to take off our shoes which I felt was an interesting idea for a sushi joint. This is not strange to me given that I have had plenty of these experiences in Asia. Don't worry the floor seems very clean and its not as strange as it sounds. Haha just make sure you are wearing the cleanest looking socks with no holes in it. Anyway we were seated promptly and the folks were very friendly. We had a few rolls here along with a few sashimi dishes. Everything was fresh and seemed high quality which I did not expect from a sushi spot with the location it is in. The portions were also on the bigger side and with the prices being reasonable it was a definite win for me. This is a nice joint to hit up for a sushi dinner. Pleasantly surprised by the experience and the food. Will be back again soon.
(4)Ana L.
I love their floor seating. Amazing Salmon Sashimi.
(5)Eli T.
While not the nicest place on the outside, once you step inside you are transported. I loved sitting on the floor with no shoes and enjoying a great meal with friends. I am actually allergic to seafood and often times miss out when my friends all want to go for sushi. Not here! I had plenty of non-fish and veggie options that were delicious. Their beef gyoza and veggie tempura roll were super yummy. Everyone else in my party loved their food too. A highlight they couldn't stop raving over was the special of the day with the blue fish tuna and burata. I wouldn't hesitate to return.
(5)Susan S.
This place is not bad, it's not great. I think so many people are being swayed by the ambience, which I can see would be appealing if you've never been to a traditional floor seating japanese restuarant with the legs dangling inside the cut out portion of the floor. But you also have to remove your shoes (so at least wear socks) and if you have to use the restroom, you have to use the public slippers that they provide. Overall, I'm not a big fan of this, but I do like that it's a quiet restaurant with good lighting, lots of space in between tables (good for families, kids), and the service was prompt. Food was mediocre. We had albacore, which had a mushy texture like it had just been thawed, yellowtail, salmon, halibut, uni, amaebi, japanese scallop, baked lobster roll, snow crab tempura, and blue crab handroll. Out of all the items, the blue crab roll was my favorite, with generous portion of crab. The baked lobster was so sweet and smothered in so much sauce, it could've been chicken for all I knew. Amaebi was a bit fishy, uni lacked the ocean freshness, and the snow crab tempura had a real thick coating of batter. For the price, I would definitely seek elsewhere. Decor is worth checking out, but food-wise, I've had way better.
(3)Kim N.
Cool place, first sushi place I have been to that you actually have to take your shoes off. I was there for early dinner and there was a lot of people but food was great and fast.
(5)Eddie O.
Delicious! A friend of mine suggested we try this place. Good call Tiffany! We started with the Shishito peppers as our appetizer, then ordered the Salmon Blue Crab roll, Yellowtail carpaccio and the Toro sashimi special with fried onions. All were very good. We then had the almond crème brulee which was creamy and tasty. The staff was pleasant and friendly. The seating was unique in that you were required to take off your shoes since the tables were tatami mats. Made the whole experience feel that much more authentic as if we were eating in Japan. A winner.
(4)The B.
The food was great, but the atmosphere ruled. Check your shoes at the door, and sit on small pillows with your bare feet in a pit under the table. The sashimi was great. Huge portions, very tasty. Community bathroom sandals were a first for me.
(4)Sanaz M.
Cute little sushi spot in MDR. I love how traditional it is and how homey it feels. All the fish is really fresh and good. We ordered mixed veggie tempura to start with sake. For sushi we got; albacore, spicy tuna, yellowtail roll, scallop roll and salmon roll. It was super good! Perfect temperature and fish. It gets really crowded so make resi! Also, you have to take off your shoes, so be prepared when you are checking in.
(4)Jennifer L.
During a recent visit to LA the dude insisted that we go here, his all time favorite sushi place. I was doubtful. I don't love raw fish - I have filleted too many fish in my life to find raw fish appealing. he promised me that Irori is life changing. So we went. I am not sure I can say that it is life changing, but i did have some sashimi and I did not gag, which trust me is a huge improvement. Beyond that they do an excellent job pairing their fish with special sauces and accompaniments. Definitely the most creative and attentive sushi place I have ever been.
(5)Gayana K.
Love this place. Starting from the service everything is amazing. The food is delicious and the ambience is superb. I am going to this place for years now and never been dissapointed. Love, Love, Love!!!
(5)Brittany S.
7 words: Baked crab hand roll with soy paper It's heavenly. I would go to Irori just for this, but everything on the menu is great. The crispy rice with spicy tuna, seared albacore with crispy onions, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño... There aren't too many rolls on the menu but the fish is always very fresh and flavorful. Aside from the food, dining here is an experience. Upon entering the restaurant, you take your shoes off and place them in a cubby. You are seated at a table on the floor with the seats carved out. The servers are all very sweet and make great recommendations. It's in a strip mall in Marina del Rey so there's not much atmosphere outside of the restaurant but it's totally worth the trip!
(5)Ashwin M.
Phenomenal place! I love the fact that, as vegetarians, the waitress took utmost care to confirm each dish with us. When we said that fish was also a no-no, she told us that one of the dishes has fish stock! Besides that the food was scrumptious and great. Vegetarians have a lot of choices with regards to the sushi. I loved the decor and the sunken seating arrangement of the place. FYI, when you head to the toilet, use one of the sandals placed outside,
(5)Mirella C.
Lunch combos are a steal. You take your shoes off at the door and it's an awesome vibe :)
(5)Sherry C.
I give 4 stars for the food and 3 stars for the service. So average 3.5 stars ;-) the food is pretty good, fish is fresh, good quality, the service is Ok, not the worst I experienced.
(4)Brian S.
Food is average. Had the Omakase here, but it was so many dishes that I was full by middle of the meal...no one could eat this much. The restaurant favors quantity over quality and does not reserve 4 starts from me.
(3)Jordan S.
Always a great choice for Sushi with a great atmosphere. I would recommend it if you're in the area and would like a legit, traditional sushi dinner.
(5)Louisa L.
I was pretty impressed by Irori. Came across with Irori when i was yelping japanese close to LAX. I was glad that I picked this place. It was a very nice, huge restaurant with friendly staff. Food was amazing! I had chirashi for dinner, and my coworkers had combination dinner. I liked how you got to choose "dark" or "white" meat when you ordered chicken. Miso soup was pretty good, and the salad was superb! I normally wasn't a salad person, but I finished my bowl because the veges was so fresh and sweet. Portion was generous considering the price. Fish was pretty fresh. The chicken teriyaki was good, chicken was tender and juicy. I didn't get to try the tempura but it looked so good to me. The batter was not thick...i wish i've tried a piece when my coworker offered =P Dinner also came wtih fruits. Staff was very attentive. They constantly walked around our table and kept cleaning our table. Combination dinner served with free ice cream - green tea or red bean. I was also skeptical about green tea ice cream because I have high standard about the green tea taste. Irori did not disappoint me! The green tea ice cream was what it made me gave a 5 stars instead of 4 to Irori! The only thing I don't really like is taking off the shoes before getting seated, while all the staff around you were wearing shoes in the restaurant. O well, with this high quality of food and decent price, I will definitely come back again!
(5)Tom M.
Great little place in an MDR shopping center, where you have to take your shoes off to dine at low tables on tatami mats. Good quality sushi and sashimi at very affordable prices. My friend recommended their bento boxes, which included plenty of food--quite the deal. A great place for a "quick" lunch.
(3)FoodyforLife Y.
Irori is a fun experience. Everyone has to take off their shoes at the door, then you sit on the floor. The food is very fresh. The dynamite and the baked lobster roll are amazing. The staff is very pleasant but it did take longer than usual to get our food and they weren't very crowded.
(4)Yvette D.
This place is AMAZING? Steve & I went Sunday and Monday, Thats how GREAT the Sushi is. Very fresh. Cant wait to go again. Thanks for an AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
(5)Mary P.
Irori is my go-to sushi place when I need a fix. The place is cute, the staff is always super helpful and friendly. I've been there 5 or 6 times since we moved to the area and the fish has always been fantastic. Their Salmon Nigiri is some of the best I've had... it's just that simple.
(5)Georgina P.
Great parking, service and food. I love the sunk in seating. I feel like I'm in japan.
(5)Special K.
This used to be my favorite sushi place in the area until the ownership or management changed. Now, the sushi preparation is sloppy, there is no care or pride put into the food anymore. The young sushi chefs who are not Japanese were busy yapping with each other and slapping poor presentations of nigiri and rolls on the plate. I lost my appetite after seeing pieces of different fish stuck on my order of yellowtail. Apparently the chef didn't bother to wipe the knife between orders. On top of all that, the servers are brusque and rude and try to rush the meal. The place now lacks all good things I associate with a good sushi bar or a Japanese restaurant in general. I feel like the entire staff was hired from some busy sloppy Korean reastaurant and wasnt taught even the basics of food etiquette, precision, quality, and service that good sushi restaurants should practice.
(1)Dan W.
I was reluctant to review this restaurant because I wanted it to be a "secret". It is no longer a secret even though it is literally "hidden" in the middle of a shopping center. 590 reviews! Amazing anyone can even find this place. Go to this Sushi restaurant and discover yourself how great the fish is while enjoying what seems to be way too many servers to make financial sense. You will have many people waiting on you making sure you always have what you need. Fish is fresh, atmosphere is great for business meetings or a date. Remember to wear shoes that are easily removed as this is the style here. Great ice breaker as well if meeting people you don't know...
(5)Kam G.
Great fish in a cool setting. Tough to find, but worth it. Make reservations before you go!
(5)Lily N.
Amazing sushi, no where else can compare! !
(5)Saud A.
I went to this sushi after i worked out, and they told me to take off my shoes. Lol X) Don't make the same mistake!
(4)Regina O.
Love it! Love the atmosphere here, the sitting IN the floor. It is unique and interesting. A little pricey, but not too bad!
(4)Dan S.
*no shoes *fantastic vibe and service *sushi wasnt the best ever but quality and respectable
(4)Elina W.
Great food, great service, great food, great prices, great food, great atmosphere. Did I mention that they have great food!!!! One of the best Japanese restaurants in town. The hospitality, right down to the taking off of your shoes is so traditional, makes me miss being in Japan!
(5)Alan M.
I have been going to Irori for years, pre- and post-new owner. It's a nice, straight-forward sushi restaurant with a great variety. I think I have pretty much covered the range from having sashimi, to sushi, to filet mignon (scrumptious), to udon, to tempura, to hand rolls and chopped rolls. I'm not overly adventurous (e.g., no slime, no eggs), so I can't comment there. I'm also not a big fan of rolls with too many ingredients, so I also can't comment on that. My favorites: fatty tuna and albacore sashimi, ono sushi, spring roll, filet (as already mentioned), blue crab hand roll, unagi, shrimp tempura with soy paper, spicy tuna on crispy rice. Why only 4 stars? Three reasons... 1. Although the food quality has remained consistent, I liked it better before the new owners took over in the last year or so. Some of the greeting staff and the manager are too officious, and often show more regard for their paperwork than customers. For instance, if a customer is walking in or out, they deserve to be welcomed or thanked for coming, no matter what. That doesn't always happen, and it's very off-putting. You can tell the owners are corporate. 2. Shoes are to be taken off in the waiting area. God help someone who waits more than a few seconds. I have often been directed to take my shoes off even though I'm there enough to be recognized, so obviously know the drill. A short while back, the new management added a sign to tell people in the same party to keep their shoes in the same row or column of the storage boxes. That ridiculous dictate illustrates my previous point about the management. 3. The bathrooms could use an upgrade. Ending a positive note.. Most of the wait staff are over-the-top great, as are the people who clear the tables and serve water. I have always felt very well-served at the table, and the numerous friends and family, with whom I have shared the restaurant, have always loved it. The food is very consistent and I have never been disappointed. Oh yes, and for lunches, the specials are really nice -- fair prices, good quality, and large portions.
(4)Nick S.
Awesome local sushi place. I personally still like sugar fish for traditional sushi but this place is awesome as well. Make reservations ahead of time and remember there are no shoes allowed ones seated so wear socks if that bothers you. Lots of creative rolls and a great teriyaki as well!
(5)Mia H.
Fun atmosphere, great place for sushi. You have to remove your shoes and sit at tables cut out into the floor so it seems you are sitting on the floor. I had the hot night roll and my date had the teriyaki salmon. Fish was very fresh and well presented. We loved this place!
(5)Amanda C.
Lovely dining atmosphere and delicious fresh sushi. Sugarfish (which we frequent) had an hour wait so we came here and ended up liking it better! Perfect salmon hand roll, amazing deal on the combination plate, sashimi was fresh and tasty. Generous portions. Will definitely return.
(5)Clint J.
One of thee best local Japanese Sushi Restaurants, in my opinion. Perfect pieces of Sashimi, seating is unique. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. Food is very fresh and tasty!
(5)Christine Y.
My perception of Irori has definitely changed since I first came here. My first visit here was right after college as I was still poor and thinking in college student pricing terms. Think $10 meals. So I always remembered Irori as a bit pricey. 4 years later, I'd have to say it's about normal for a Japanese restaurant. Their unique way of seating their customers is still unchanged, don't fall as you slide into your seat! And don't forget the foot powder if you have stinky feet...one way to ruin a date! You take off your shoes at the door and run around barefoot or socked. They have slippers if you need to use the restroom...hehe kind of one size fits all. You can feel and hear the servers running round through the elevated wood platform. It's always a bit fun to look round the room and see everyone else look like they're sticking out of the floor. I'd say service was okay. You have to work hard to catch your server's attention or just be prepared to wait if you are a bit lazy. But once you get them they come back pretty fast with whatever you asked for. We ordered the dynamite for the appetizer. yelp.com/biz_photos/JTSJ… It was chock full of tasty mushrooms...but the small scallops were very much bleh. Very very watery dish with just some cheese melted on top. I much prefer creamier versions where the seafood plays a bigger role. I came here craving sushi and of course that's what I ordered! The assorted sashimi for 19.50. yelp.com/biz_photos/JTSJ… This came with rice, miso soup, pickled cucumbers, fruit and 4 types of sashimi. White fish, tuna, salmon and yellowtail were all pretty fresh without any fishy taste at all, but some better than others. I was also wishing I had gotten a bit more sashimi too, but we all know sashimi can be pricey. The yellowtail was pretty stringy and was the worst of all 4. Next the tuna, slightly stringy. The salmon was pretty smooth but by no means was it melt in your mouth good. The whitefish was the best of all 4 with its freshness and smooth texture. Hehe I also snagged some food from my boy's chicken teriyaki and tempura dinner. The tempura was nice and fresh and the food he had was in big portions. Shrimp tempura, carrot, green bean, sweet potato....yummy yummyy. All crispy and lightly battered. Dark meat chicken...which is almost always better than white meat! Then I helped myself to some of his green tea ice cream (which of course he allowed) which had a nice drizzle of raspberry on the sides. Oh yeah...and Irori is open during construction by the way! It was weird walking to the entrance but hopefully construction won't last a long time. Yum yum, I guess I'll be coming here more since I live close by now!
(4)Pauline M.
Did I hear correctly? They are under new management. I've had it a couple times since I heard someone say that. But I could be totally wrong and propelling rumors into the throes of Yelp. HA! The quality is consistently going down, and the prices are consistently going up. Scratching my head at that one. Not amused, as this was one of my faves to grab sashimi during lunch time around work. Time to search for a new favorite...
(3)Catharine P.
I love this place. Hamachi Kama is the best there!!!
(5)Robert C.
I've been coming to this restaurant back when it was called "East" and the sushi has always been exceptional. Still the best deal in the marina.
(5)RM C.
This place gets really packed especially during weekends. They actually take a couple of reservations but for sure not on holidays. What i love most about this place is that their sushi and tempura are really delicious! The waiters and waitresses are really very nice..when i came in with my friends for an awesome japanese dining experience..i never regret coming in to this place. Heads up to those who havent tried irori..it is actually a barefoot sitting..wherein you are not allowed to wear ur shoes inside the dining place. The ambience is pretty fair..and the place is clean. With regards to food recommendation..i highly recommend the shrimp tempura and their lobster rolls..one of a kind!
(4)Jason R.
I usually eat sugarfish, but decided to go here and was blown away the service was great and I had they best best of fish I've had in a long time . The aji is amazing! Must go
(5)S N.
Fresh fish, yummy food. Service okay during busy days. Love this place!
(5)Paul M.
All I have to say is GINZA ROLL. They could be the only thing I eat until the end. You also get to sit on the floor.
(5)Serena J.
I'm a long-time Irori devotee, so I was worried when I heard that they'd had a change in ownership/management. No more Masa-San!?! My heart broke (I really loved Masa). So I was pleasantly surprised when we went in for dinner on Friday. We sat at the bar and were totally blown away by our new favorite sushi chef, Peter. Too many amazing morsels to remember but here's a short list of what I can recall: Salmon wrapped around blue crab and avocado Kampachi with shiso leaf and house-pickled wasabi Uni with quail egg Halibut with an ovule of pumpkin and yuzu on top! (Yes, he brought molecular gastronomy to Irori!) In short, I'm beyond relieved because my favorite local sushi joint gets to stay my favorite local sushi joint--and with some new, delicious additions. Looking forward to many more years of stuffing myself silly, sans shoes.
(5)Elizabeth J.
Came here last week for lunch. Love the atmosphere. Was packed, but just missed a wait, sat down instantly. Fun tables, you take off your shoes when entering and you walk to table that sink down into the floor, the staff yells hello, the place is poppin. Nicely decorated, a little oasis. The food was excellent. Every roll looked awesome. We both had the lunch boxes. The Salmon was perfectly cooked, melted in your mouth. Good portion of tuna, nice salad. The fish all tasted very fresh. The service was fast. Overall we had a wonderful time. Great spot for a quick, good lunch.
(4)Michael S.
Irori Japanese Restaurant is a hidden gem tucked away in Marina del Rey. The restaurant derives its name from a type of traditional sunken hearth (fireplace) for heating homes and cooking food in historical Japan. Irori are basically square pits in the floor with a pot hook. At this location, Irori aren't used to cook food, but patrons do sit upon small cushions on Tatami flooring at small wooden tables with a square pit for your legs under the table. It's similar to many Kotatsu setups found in Japan except without a heater. With the tone set by the decor and the seating, the Japanese staff added to the evening with extremely helpful and pleasant service from the moment we arrived until we left. The food and carafe of cold Sake rounded out an excellent evening. The waitress recommended we start with the Black Cod with Miso. She was right. This baked fish is tasty and delicate. No wonder it is popular. Along with the cod, we started with two Yelp-recommendations: the White Fish Carpaccio and Tuna Carpaccio (half orders of each). The thin slices of soft fish served in a light sauce is a nice appetizer. Surprisingly, the standout item might have been one of the most common: simple Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura. Better ingredients does make better tempura. Coating excellent quality veggies in light tempura batter and then frying them not too long is the way tempura should be made. The Blue Crab Handroll is mentioned in about half of the reviews we read, so, we had to try one, right? It was ok, but perhaps the hype had me expecting more. It came with another house specialty: an Albacore Roll with Crispy Onions. The albacore tasted a little too "tuna-y", however, the roll has potential. After a long wait, our order of Sashimi Assort arrived with 11 pieces including Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, & White Fish, The dinner comes with Miso Soup, Salad, and White Rice. I was leaning towards 5 stars until the sashimi arrived. The small pieces were cut in odd shapes and cuts and did not deliver the freshest taste I expect. It was just ok. With reasonable prices, a memorable setting, stellar service, and some truly terrific food offerings, Irori is a precious gem worth discovering.
(4)Jeannie S.
When you first enter the place, you know it's going to be a legit sushi restaurant. It's a real Japanese style restaurant. Their sushi melts in your mouth! Everything I've tried was sooooo good. Can't stress that enough. The oyster shooters were the best I've ever tried. They do not mess it up! Not to mention their fish tacos. On top of that, service was really good. The waiters were very attentive so I didn't even need to call them. I would definitely go again.
(5)E K.
Very good sushi near Marina Del Rey. The food is delicious, the service is friendly and prompt, and the wait times are reasonable. It has a nice traditional ambiance including taking off your shoes. Some of their sushi is overpriced but otherwise a great restaurant. Will be coming back.
(4)jessica d.
Omakase!
(5)Shayne S.
I understand the unique concept of being "lower than the floor" and it feeling like one is sitting on the actual floor...but it just doesnt work. I'm not fat and have an athletic, thin body, but it is really hard to get out of and into the chairs in this place! I went with a friend for our mutual birthdays and sat at the sushi bar, next to some douch bag dude who wouldn't shut up. That always sucks. And maybe it was just chance...until he informed us he'd been coming to the sushi place for dinner every day for the entire week! Fortunately, he also told us he was just visiting for the week and that was his last day. Too bad we didnt take our dinner the next night. I am a sushi connoisseur, and I alway know when sushi is fresh. It was not as fresh as it could have been. I probably won't go back. No t a wretched place but not good enough to suggest to friends.
(2)Ryan V.
this place is better than people give it credit. my biggest complaint is also the smallest (pun intended), the portions are small. I don't go here much, but its good spot.
(4)Allie B.
Extremely disappointed by this restaurant which came HIGHLY recommended. As a devout fan of Sugarfish, I was told that I absolutely had to try Irori. The recommender said it was way better. Well, after a less than satisfactory meal and unhelpful service, I strongly disagree.
(2)Kait R.
Great spot for weekday lunch! The lunch specials and bento boxes are a great deal and super filling. There is a great selection too! The usual: Sashimi bento box with spicy tuna roll and chicken teriyaki for $13.50. Comes with a side salad and miso soup. You get a choice of fish for the sashimi (no mixing) and it's about 6 pieces. The bento box also comes with cucumber salad and orange segments. Other lunch specials include a choice of teriyaki and 1 or 2 other options ($10.50 or $12.50). The quality of the fish is average, but satisfying. Service is quick and friendly and there is parking in the private lot. Note: you have to take your shoes off.
(4)Jaz Y.
I used to love eating here but it seems like the ownership has changed because the quality of the food isn't the same. The black cod is always to die for but the sushi I give it a 3/5 at most :T besides that, this is a good place for dates. Really cute layout. But again over priced for the quality
(3)Chanel K.
Very cool atmosphere!! Not-so-good food. That's just me though. I'm sure others will love it! Am I going there again? Absolutely not. Sorry. The people were nice though:)
(3)Flora H.
I was brought here by a Japanese guy, so you know it has to be good... It was a lot smaller than I expected from the pictures, but I actually liked that about it. It's definitely a cozy place.. you take your shoes off, and you are sitting close to the people around you... so if that's not your thing, this probably isn't the place for you. We were seated at a table at the bar, and there were a couple people dining alone that I could tell were just eavesdropping on our conversation. That was a bit annoying. Like I said.. cozy. Even though I read all the reviews and thought I knew exactly where it was, I still couldn't find it at first. Just look to the right of the CVS and there is a little cul-de-sac and it is hidden in there. The 4 stars are for the quality of the sushi. Everything was extremely fresh and albeit a bit expensive (but what can you expect for quality sushi)? I'm a fan, but realize this is not for everyone.
(4)Pariwat S.
The place is nice and clean. The service is fast. The food is one of the best sushi places I've been. The dishes are big, lots of meat, and especially tasted great!
(5)Wazhma R.
I felt a little weirded out when I walked in and had to take my shoes off. Their menu is so extensive it's difficult to make a decision. I like traditional sushi- a nice clean piece of fish over rice. I also like to be told how to eat it. With or without soy sauce. This place is a bit strange and too many options on the menu left me confused and dissatisfied.
(3)Sheena Erin O.
Delicious, great service and LOVE the seating! Fun and cute date spot! The tempura dinner combo was awesome and was more than enough to share!
(5)Christian A.
I love sushi. I crave it. Need it... It's been an obsession and one I need to fill on a regular basis. When I moved closer to my job, I had to leave the comforts of my previous spots, putting me in a slight panic. Where would I go and who would be my regular sushi chef... Thankfully, I was introduced to Irori. This spot is super close to my place and has fantastic sushi, sashimi and specials to fill the cravings of any sushi connoisseur. The fish is always fresh and fantastic and their specials are great and reasonably priced. They also have a kitchen where you can get non-sushi related items with the the miso seabass being one of my favorites. It's a must have and something that I always get when I am there. The sushi and sashimi is great with interesting creations made by the chefs on hand. Don, Eugene and the entire crew are extremely friendly and can provide recommendations for those that are squeamish or new to the experience. Their hamachi with lime caviar is fantastic, along with their omakase offering. If in season, get the live shrimp and make sure to ask for the heads deep fried. Great local sushi with an authentic vibe, friendly service and fresh fish. This addict has found his new high. Thanks!
(4)Ziwei L.
I love this japanese hommie style place. The food is so delicate and tasty. although it is a little bit pricey!
(5)Emilio M.
I may have found a new home to satisfy my sushi craving! I Should have read the part about taking ones shoes off before being seated. Not that I had a problem mind you but the the family with the kids next to us...well Ill keep it polite and stick to my review. But yes, the deal with having to take ones shoes off is very cool and from what television has taught me very customary. I enjoyed sitting with my feet below in a pit and everyone being the same height. The portions are a bit small but thats okay summer in near and I don't need to over do it. Overall a great atmosphere with polite and punctual service. I recommend making a reservation for the weekend, it seems to fill up quick. Damn straight, I'm a fan of Irori i i i :D
(4)Leanne H.
It was first time eating in that type of seating arrangement. I came here while was visiting my friends in Southern California. The food portion and taste were ok. I feel like I expected more from them since I had to wait 45 minutes to be seated and many others were behind me. So I used that as a gauge "it's must be that good." I was wrong.
(3)Nancy W.
This is a difficult review to give. Some good points and numerous negative. The food is excellent. The fish is fresh and wonderful. A bit over priced but really really good. This is the 4 star part of the review. Getting into the place is another thing all together. They do this squirrelly reservation thing that gets them 2 stars, maybe even 1 star. If you don't make a reservation two days ahead you really can't get in. We called at 5:45 Saturday night and couldn't get a reservation for the evening. They would take our names though on the wait list. She said it would be about 40 minutes. We arrived at 6:05 and were seated at 7:00!!!! Until the last few minutes, the hostess pretty much ignored us. Bad customer service. The other dopey thing is that they make you take your shoes off. And the tables are the low on-the-ground traditional Japanese things. Not necessary & a hassle especially if you are elderly or not able-bodied. This place is not worth the effort. Skip it and go elsewhere.
(3)Eric W.
Any place that makes you take off your shoes before being seated you know means business. But once you are seated in the sunken-in-the-floor tables where you are essentially sitting on the floor and the table is a foot or so high in a dark wood environment, the ambiance is both warm and unique. The menu is quite extensive and offers a fantastic assortment of different sushi, sashimi, and other related food choices. I recommend the sauteed yellow tail sashimi (yes, I know that seems like a contradiction of terms, but it is to die for!). Baked lobster is also amazing in flavor and size. Spider roll and Irori roll are both very good. The wait staff is always very nice and pleasant, even though they do try their best to get you to order more food once you seem close to finishing your first round of sushi, and I'm sure this is because they want to both increase the amount of the ticket and also to turn over the table as soon as they can if it is a busy night. It's a big enough place where you can spread out and still feel separated from the rest of the patrons, and it's small enough to still make it cozy and romantic. For many reasons I love this place and highly recommend it.
(5)E C.
We have been customers at Irori for several years now. I would love to give them five stars, but lately, the service has been poor. While the food is generally very good, we've had one server a couple of times recently who is not great. Between trying to upsell various menu items to completely disappearing while serving us, it's been rather disappointing. Tonight, though, took the cake. My husband ordered a baked blue crab hand roll, and marked it on the paper. She reviewed the order with us, and confirmed baked blue crab. When it was brought out, it was cold. We flagged her down, and my husband said he'd ordered a baked one. She became argumentative, and said several times, no, that's what you ordered, I'll bring out the paper YOU marked, and so on. Taken aback, we just said, no, that's okay, forget it. I have never had a server argue like that. She then said she would take it back and it'd be no problem to get a baked one, so my husband said okay. A few minutes later, she stopped by and said she would be bringing out a new one. Great. A few minutes later, the "new" roll arrived, complete with a bite taken out of it, just like the one we had sent back! They simply toasted the whole thing in the toaster oven, it was burned and gross. To top it off, another waitress walked over to our table with the new roll we should have gotten, and our waitress stopped her and sent her back to the kitchen with it! We couldn't believe it. I can't believe the sushi chefs would send the roll back out like that, and it left us feeling rather annoyed. We weren't being unreasonable at all, and in hindsight, should have let the waitress show us the paper that we'd ordered on. Even still, we shouldn't have had to do that, we should have simply gotten what ordered. The other issues with this place is the shoe cubby area. It's practically impossible to get your shoes out of the cubbies and back on, as it gets crowded up there at dinner time. People wait right in front of the cubbies and don't move so that people leaving can get their shoes and go....it's too congested in that small area. While I love the ambience and the idea of leaving your shoes off, I wish the waiting area didn't get so packed. We will give Irori another chance, but lately, it's just not been that great.
(2)David P.
Pretty good for a date spot. I eat spicy tuna rolls at every new place I try, these ones were above average. The food over all was above average. That said, it is in line with the pricing. Casual attire and a lively atmosphere.
(3)Danielle B.
PERFECT. Music was at an appropriate level, service was prompt and food was good. Packed for a Saturday night. Thank goodness I am a local or I just look really familiar... ;) Service was excellent this time around. I liked the old clay glasses they served the beer in the old days not they are just plain glass. Will always return.
(5)Elissa H.
Great, fast service. Love the blue crab hand roll (both baked and regular). Best udon on the westside that I've found so far! Nabeyaki is my favorite and my son loves the tempura udon. Have also tried chicken teriyaki which is very good. All around a great restaurant and will definitely have in the rotation for years to come~
(5)Craig S.
Wednesday night, great atmosphere, sat right at the sushi bar. Food was amazing, great service. highly recommend it.
(5)Steve L.
came here on a Friday night. it was really busy, so good thing we made reservations. the food was great. many different sake's to choose from. i can't wait to come back
(5)Tohru I.
Fantastic food and reasonable pricing ! Side dishes are authentic and well made also.
(5)Lyndon P.
The change in management has ruined this place. I have similar comments as other regulars who have frequented Irori before the new ownership/management: 1) Too many servers = rushed service. Last night we were swarmed by the waitstaff form the moment we sat down. They came way too frequently to try take plates away and reached all over the table in front of us with no regard to our personal space. They even reached over the railing from the bathroom walkway to take plates. 2) Poor service in general. This is related to the problem of too many servers. We had a third round of orders where we asked for another plate of sushi and then two orders of ice cream. They brought out an order of ice cream first... then a couple minutes later the sushi came out... then 10 minutes later the second order of ice cream came out. 3) Lack of food and diminishing quality. We were there within an hour of opening and they were already out of two of the things we wanted to order. We noticed the menu changed to be non-specific on the type of fish on some places which to me was a sign of the restaurant trying to cut cost. For example, the menu used to have Yellowtail with Jalapeno sauce, and now it just says "Sashimi" with Jalapeno sauce. The quality of fish has definitely gone south too because it was a lot firmer/chewier than before. And lastly, here's some comedy gold: when they gave us new dishes for dessert, they gave us half-napkins as in they took a whole napkin, cut it in half, and gave each person half of a full-sized napkin. We loved coming here for years, but now it's definitely overpriced for the atmosphere and quality of food. It's time to find a new place to go.
(1)H. P.
I've only been here a few times, but honestly there isn't anything I dislike about the place.
(4)Paula B.
This place is pretty amazing! fresh sushi. It's a bit of a wait but it's well worth it. I usually get some sashimi, shishito peppers, some soup. I'm set.
(5)Dr. Dharam S.
Tucked away in plane site. Very fun, floor seating with a cut out under the table for your legs. Mellow quiet and traditional.
(5)Cindy H.
Make sure you wear your cute socks or skip it all together and wear sandals because you'll be kicking off your shoes into cubbies before entering the dining area. This is only my second time going sans shoes in a restaurant. It's interesting. I ordered nothing but sushi Uni - fresh the day I went but a little scant... I guess I'm just spoiled from getting hooked up at my usual joint Japanese scallop - for being Korean run I was pleasantly surprised they had this on the menu and did it legit Albacore - could have been seared to give it more of that smoky flavor but still fresh and yummy salmon skin roll - I always request this with cream cheese. There was a bit too much for my taste but not bad. Chicken Kaarage - very moist and tender The service was attentive and conscious of empty/finished plates. Thumbs up. It definitely isn't a cheap meal but a good first date kinda place.
(5)Max G.
Wanted to try out a nice sushi place in Marina with my coworkers and we decided to go to Irori since it's got good reviews on Yelp. Upon walk, we had to take out our shoes. First of all, this is not a thing in Japanese culture. Anyways, not a big deal for me so we got a table for 3. We ordered a lot of things from their menu and everything tasted disgusting! One of my coworker actually got food poisining. We left more than half of the food on the table. Server knew we weren't happy with the food, and I overheard them talking about us, " so they are not taking it to go?" Yes, we are not because it's the worst sushi we have ever had. Bill was around $120 which is another thing. Service was okay, our server didn't seem to know much about their menu.
(1)Stephanie W.
I previously wrote a review, giving Irori 3 stars. This place used to be my favorite Japanese restaurant, and I only felt the urge to give it 3 stars after the change in ownership and service went down. But now, after having given Irori another chance, I will probably never come back. The service was just as pushy and neglectful (different servers coming to your table every 10 minutes, but never bringing the right things), and the shock of all shocks: the bluecrab handroll was not as good. This is really what kept me coming back to Irori, and now, I have no more reason. I'll also be happy to not have anymore stressful dining experiences due to the service.
(1)Julie B.
Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Everything is so good and so fresh. It is also reasonably priced compared to other places. Staff is wonderful. Love this place!
(5)Clive Z.
Enjoyed the food. Eel was awesome!
(4)Brian D.
Some of the best sushi in the states! Really love their sushi. They do an outstanding job. With our small group, we ordered several dishes to share. They bring them out pretty much one at a time. I'd rather they bring them out all at once. Atmosphere is great. Take your shoes off and sit in at a recessed table. Loved it! Sake was not hot enough. Complained and second bottle was slightly warmer but not where it should be. Overall it is a great place. If in MDR and you like sushi, you must go!
(4)Michelle R.
Irori is an establishment truly worthy of a 5-star rating. The sushi was incredibly fresh and the service was prompt. The sushi is on the expensive side, but definitely worth it.
(5)D A.
Yummy!! Be prepared that this establishment enforces a no shoe environment. At the bar, Peter was awesome! Food delicious. Ambiance very calming. I look forward to my next visit.
(4)Trung N.
We came here with a group of 4 and each ordered an omakase. I usually list out what I order at places but with the omakase here, there were so many courses [at last count it was like 7] and so many different varieties fish that I wouldn't know where to start in naming what I ate. I'll just describe my experience here. Notes: - We each paid $65 for the omakase, well worth it. - 2 orders of sashimi in soy sauce: 8 pieces total. The salmon was absolutely delicious. - Seafood spring roll with sweet and sour dipping sauce also served with a baked scallop. My least favorite thing served. It was okay. - Baked Cod [piece about 1.5 inches by 3 inches]. Lightly seasoned but very good. - Miso soup. Comes with shrimp head in soup. Sweet tasting soup. Best miso soup I've tasted. - Plate of sushi [I've included a picture] - comes with 7 pieces. Toro was off the hook. - Blue crab hand roll and eel sushi. The blue crab hand roll was delicious. I'd come back for this. Great service. Interesting ambiance. as described by other reviewers. You take off your shoes and sit at tables low to the ground. There is a pit beneath the table for your feet, so no need to sit Indian-style. Food was great and most importantly, fish was fresh. I'd recommend coming here if you're in Marina Del Rey, it's well worth it.
(5)Baily H.
- Authentic (no shoes allowed) - Phenomenal service (Kenny rocked!) - Fresh, fantastic fish (sashimi assortment was bomb) - Very reasonably priced - Parking galore!!
(5)Vivian L.
yummy sushi and cute atmosphere. the sushi chefs are korean though, so i dont think it's as authentic japanese. everyone was very nice though.
(3)Grace C.
This place required reservation for a late night dinner if you want to be seated on a table~ would've never guessed there was a popular joint in corner of a shopping plaza in MDR. Without reservation we were promptly seated in sushi bar~ it was cramped but not too bad like you'd be elbowing someone sitting next to you while you are eating~ Took a friend out for birthday dinner~ sushi quality was great~ price was a bit steep (plan on spending at least $50/pp) compared to other sushi restaurants in west LA however, if quality meets up to expectation, it's worth it~ The most talked about item, blue crab hand roll was yummy~ and all the sushi I had was yummy! Not one complaint~ Black cod was tiny, but it was delicious~! If you are in MDR and want quality sushi, this place is good option. However, I had better in my past so it won't be a 5 star.
(4)Mary Y.
Sashimi just melts in your mouth !!! Salmon blue crab roll was awesome! Can you open one in Studio City?
(5)Tara C.
A word to the wise: wear cute yet easily removable shoes and have clean, pedicured feet, because you're gonna be running around barefoot. The shoe thing and the nifty tables with foot nooks underneath are some of the charming features about Irori. I have been here a couple times for lunch and once for dinner, and most of those visits were quite enjoyable. The lunch bentos and combinations are tasty and a decent value. I remember especially liking the saba (broiled mackerel) lunch bento. It was a fairly generous portion and came with a couple of the usual sides like miso soup, salad, rice, etc. As for dinner, the food is still pretty good, if a bit expensive, but they need to work on, shall we call it, their "hospitality"? A recent dinner date here got off to a rocky start, when we showed up early for our reservation. Nobody greeted us for several minutes PAST our original time. When the woman eventually wandered over to us, she did not improve the situation. All she could tell us (with a bitchy tone I might add) when asked exactly when we would be getting a table, was "As soon as the other people leave". Gee, really? Is that how it works? They were lucky we didn't leave then. But we stayed and the rest of the dinner was better than the beginning. Our server was funny and talkative, the cold sake comes in a neat decanter with an ice compartment, and they give you a HUGE serving of tonkatsu. The sushi was tasty, although for the prices the rolls could have been bigger. Overall, I would still give Irori another chance, but I would probably go for lunch only. That saba was just really good (and I know saba). And I do give them credit for taking care of my iPhone overnight which I, um, somehow left at our table- thanks guys!
(3)david a.
From the moment I took off my shoes, I knew I was going to love this place. You sit on the floor, Japanese style. But, in an accommodation to us less-than-limber Westerners, there is space cut out under the table for your legs and feet. The service was very good (ask Kenny for his sake recommendations), and the fish very fresh. You won't think you are in a shopping center. I definitely will be back.
(4)Celia C.
I had no expectations for the day and had been hanging around the westside with my buddy who is 90292 bound. We tried hitting up this one spot on Lincoln and Mindanao but to our surprise was shut down. So he recommends this second spot he has never been to and when we got in and they asked for me to take my flip flops off, I was stoked!! The closest anything Japanese traditional I have dined in a very, very long time. After I took my shoes off and tucked it in a little cubby corner, our hostess sat us down at the bar. No chairs, no gimmicks... just good happy-ole sit on my butt sushi dining. I was already overzealous with suspicion before I tell the sushi chef, "Just give me whatever you want tonight." He first started with shrimp....by grabbing out it's live tingley tentacles before my eyes and decapitating that sucker! Seconds later it was in my mouth. How is that for fresh? We continued to order on and...dude... I just love this place. It's like zen for my taste buds.
(5)Lauren B.
Let's see - how do I describe this entire experience in 4 words or less - Adorable! Attentive! Delicious! Traditional! You walk in and they ask you to take off your shoes - what what?! It's a good thing my toes were fabulous & painted...so - you place your shoes in a cubby like they had in grade school and you sit down on the floor on a cushion. At first I was alarmed (I was wearing a dress and out with my man friend) and then I realized there was a cutout in the floor where you can place your feet. Once I was confidently seated and a potential Britney Spears limo incident avoided, I checked out the menu. Pretty standard, there was nothing on there that blew my mind. We ordered: Spicy tuna, spicy albacore, spider rolls, vegetable tempura and a big salad w/miso dressing (and also hot sake and Sapporo). The sushi was fresh and delicious - the standout was hands down the Spider roll. The miso dressing was heavenly, I even used some to dip my sushi in, nom nom nom! Then came the fun part, we ordered 4 different kinds of Mochi: mango, strawberry, green tea and coffee. BEST MOCHI OF MY LIFE. And I've seriously had so much mochi. The service was excellent, everyone was super attentive and very nice. Bottom line: Go for the experience, service and mochi - but overall I've had better, more creative sushi.
(3)Travis I.
"Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining." As a general rule, I don't like to be pissed on at all. And the second I walked in the door here, Irori took a nice 98.6 degree piss on my trouser fronts. They didn't even bother to tell me it was raining, they just looked in my eyes and let it rip like, "Oh, yeah... Feel that? That's me pissin' on yer leg. Yeeeaaaah, boyeeeee." If you tell someone to be at a place on time or your going to give their seat away, you'd damn well better have a table waiting for that person when they arrive. Or, shit, just tell them how long the wait is going to be, and apologize for the inconvenience. When our time to be seated came and passed, I inquired on how long it would be (as we waited until well after my reservation time) to be seated. The quick and dirty, she told me, "You're table will be ready when the people decide to leave." Ooooookaaaay. Baaaaad start. If it wasn't on a date, I'd have given that hostess a verbal ass-fisting... and I wouldn't have been gentle. Drama aside, the cool option of taking your shoes off and sitting at tables on the floor is a total kick. The tables have a recessed area underneath, so you can let your legs hang down, comfortably. Waiters and waitresses shuffle around and kneel at your table. It's a trip. Food was average. Nothing impressive, really. The sake was good, and served in one of those cool glass pitchers with the ice chamber blown into the center of the carafe to keep the liquid cool from the inside, without watering the beverage down. And really, that was the highlight of the evening. Chicken Karaage was average. Sushi was good - the Ono roll was curiously appealing. Little chunks of fried white fish... Very easy on the palate. The portion of tonkatsu (in the tonkatsu dinner) was VERY generous: two lean pieces of pork cutlet, panko-crusted, deep fried, and cut into strips. Mmmmm. Katsu. Not in any rush to go back for dinner, but I've heard this place serves a pretty jammin' lunch, and if I heard about HH deals, I'd be much quicker to return. However, the bad service I received here, upon my arrival, left a bitter taste in my mouth even as I departed... and that was after 2 bottles of sake. 1 star for a really cool idea regarding the interior and all. Another star for a healthy serving of tonkatsu, but overall, a huge disappointment.
(2)Alan W.
For sushi, they have all the standard stuff in terms of selection of fish. Nothing more and nothing less. Quality is decent, again I use my Uni/Ikura test. If those two are fresh, place is probably going to be really good. Uni was acceptable but not great in terms of freshness. Didn't want to try the Ikura. All other sushi ordered was acceptible, decent but nothing special. I come here for broad selection and variety of the menu. They have hot food here, meaning izakaya style stuff. Agi Dashi tofu is solid; crispy and light, with decent light soy sauce broth. Yellow tail collar is usually prepared well, they garnish with sizzling onions/mushrooms underneath which is different. Sit at the bar if you're a small group of 2-3, it's worth it. It's setup as traditional Japanese seating where, under the table, where your feet go, it's recessed. There's no back support so it gets a little uncomfortable. The bar seating works similarly but they give you these chair mats so there's back support :). I guess you could ask for those chair mats if you wanted one sitting at a table; just FYI. Overall if you live in Marina Del Rey and want variety and just decent sushi it's fine.
(3)Michelle L.
My sister (Christina L.) and her boyfriend took me here for my 21st birthday and all i can say is yuummmyyy! I guess I didn't read her review carefully and wore boots (big mistake!) so I struggled getting them on and off. (My sister also laughed at my tinkerbell socks...) Anyways we sat down and ordered a couple drinks and I was pretty sad that they didn't card me on my 21st... how anticlimactic. My sister and her boyfriend took care of ordering the food: Japanese Albacore N.E.W.S.: I don't really know what N.E.W.S stands for but this is delicious! The albacore was seared and served in this sauce that was amazing. We couldn't figure out what the sauce was, but it was definitely yummy. Yellowtail with Jalapeno: Delicious. I personally prefer my sashimi without sauce but this was definitely one of the highlights of the meal. Baked crab hand roll: Amazing. They give you a ton of crab, and the crab is so buttery and delicious that it's really hard to not scarf down the whole thing really quickly. When you compare this crab hand roll to the one at sugar fish, this one definitely wins. Miso Cod - Pretty standard, lacked the buttery taste that I would expect in a cod. Agadashi Tofu - This was pretty upsetting because they only gave three small pieces of tofu! What a rip off ): Sashimi combination dinner - As I said before I usually like my sashimi without sauce on top of it so I can enjoy the true sashimi flavor. I was impressed by their Yellowtail with Jalapeno and N.E.W.S. so i wanted to give their other sashimi a try. Maybe it was because I wasn't as hungry towards the end of the meal, but the sashimi wasn't as good as i had hoped it would be. I would say that if you're coming to this place, stick to the sashimi with sauce. Overall the restaurant was a really nice place to celebrate my 21st with my sister. It was cute and quaint and the servers were all really friendly. I will probably come back here again!
(4)Stephanie M.
I don't eat sushi but my boyfriend does, but I never mind going to a Japanese restaurant because I love teriyaki. The chicken teriyaki I ordered was rubbery, lacked flavor and was drenched in sugary sauce. It was almost inedible. To make matters worse the cucumber salad that was served as a side was mushy. Not crunchy like it should have been and the fruit served as another side dish tasted as if it were old and should never have been served. My boyfriend said the sushi was so so. I'm not a fan and have no desire to go back.
(2)Heidi K.
Rude is the only way to describe the staff. I've never eaten here, because I have never been seated. Tonight, I made a reservation through Open Table. The hostess claimed to have no record of the reservation. I produced my email receipt for the table and explained that it was a birthday celebration for my mom. The hostess shrugged, said there was nothing she could do, and put us on the bottom of the list as a walk in. The wait was estimated at 45 minutes. So, we walked out.
(1)Christina L.
I swear to God, this fish is laced with crack. The bf brought me to Irori for a surprise birthday dinner which was probably not the best idea ever since I now demand to come back pretty much every week. The fish is amazing, their sauces are delicious and it's a good thing we're sitting on the ground since I usually spend the entire dinner bouncing around going "nomnomnomnomnoooom!" Highlights: Japanese Albacore: Delicious on it's own (the BF mentioned it was in a ton of reviews), but even more amazing in the N.E.W.S. Yellowtail with Jalapeno: Beautiful and major yum - the ponzu sauce is one of the best I've ever had! Baked crab hand roll: So amazingly amazing that the only way to properly enjoy it is to close your eyes and concentrate all brain power to your sense of taste then make ridiculously embarrassing "mmmmmmmmm" noises, smile like an idiot and order another one. I would say that the salmon sashimi that I usually love is not too impressive here, stay with the Yellowtail and Albacore. Also the cooked fishes were good (miso Sea Bass and Yellowtail collar), but not the best I've ever had - I would say the sashimi is where the party in your mouth is really at. Tips: make reservations, wear easy to take off shoes, sake it up. Love this place, will definitely 100% without a doubt be back!
(5)Elcee C.
The sushi and the service are way better than most. The presentation is amazing. They have a lot of no rice sushi/ creative sashimi dishes, but it is also authentic. The reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because there are a lot of children because the tables are Japanese style and kids find sitting like that novel, and there is no hard liquor. But if you're fine with eating a little later and you are perfectly fine with beer and sake, then this place is for you!
(4)Chau T.
3.5 stars. You sit on little pillows on the ground. For those who find that sitting indian style is uncomfortable, under the table is a little.... shall I say dugout? where you can settle your legs. hehe. Everything I had was very fresh and the service is great.
(3)Jim N.
Love the food.Fast and fair service.Kids friendly.Park no brainer.
(5)Michelle L.
I've been to Irori several times now and I am IN LOVE. Every time I come here, I bless the day my friend casually suggested we try this place. Irori is tucked away in the corner of a shopping plaza, next to a giant Pavilions. Parking is easy, plenty, and free. During the weekends, there will probably be a 15 - 45 min wait for dinner, but SO WORTH IT. I love this place because it's small, with a casual atmosphere. Be warned though, the place does reek of fish and soy sauce. Anyway, to go along with the homey, traditional decor, the tables are low to the ground and you have to take off your shoes. There is a pit beneath the tables for you to put your feet, so you don't have to kneel. Maybe I'm easily amused, but I find this pretty cool. The food here is reasonably priced and FRIGGIN DELICIOUS. I've had their dinner sets (comes with miso soup, salad, white rice, sushi or assorted sashimi, generous serving of mixed vegetable tempura, two huge sweet shrimp tempura, a tiny side of bean sprouts, sunomono, and fruit, and green tea ice cream for around $20) multiple times and I just CANNOT get enough. The tempura is light and crispy, with just the correct amount of batter coating. The texture of each fish is absolutely amazing. I always like to order the assorted sashimi because you get 2 - 4 pieces of 4 - 5 different types of fish. The tuna will melt in your mouth like it was frozen yogurt and I am not even joking. The scallops with mayo was light, sweet, and...damn, I really wish I had ordered more than 1 serving. And then, I made the AWESOME decision of ordering their blue fin toro (fatty tuna). HOLY... CRAP!!!!!! Definitely the fattiest, juiciest, smoothest, tastiest two pieces of fish (with a slight sweet after taste) to go down my throat in a while. Felt like they were shooting a Skittles commercial in my mouth. And the price didn't make you want to shoot yourself in the leg, either. $12 for 2 pieces, what a deal! Another great part of my most recent visit was that before I left, the sushi chefs asked my friend and I how we had enjoyed our food (and we hadn't sat sushi bar). I guess they had been paying attention to us (or our reactions), and actually cared to see how we liked what they were preparing us. :D To say the least, I love this place, and I am definitely dragging every single one of my friends to eat here with me.
(5)Kent K.
Not the best location, but a very pleasant experience. Salmon belly was very fresh, medley of sashimi with miso paste was great. Good service, excellent chef. Would go back.
(4)D.j. V.
If you love sushi Irori is a must. The minute you enter you have the feeling of a traditional Japanese eatery. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food is fresh and while dinning like traditional Japanese makes you feel you took a trip to Japan.
(5)Jonny J.
I love how you can take off your shoes and enjoy the Japanese atmosphere. Great service and tasty food. The Blue Crab salmon sushi was my favorite along with the Spicy Tuna sticky rice. A small establishment so a reservation is recommended.
(4)Mimi L.
I really like this place but it's been a while since I've been here and found out it's been under new ownership. As soon as I walked in I knew something was different. First, they have way too many workers! I've worked at sushi bars and my family even owned one for almost 10 years and know that a place like that doesn't need 8-10 waiters/bus persons and 2 hosts. With so many employees walking around, I felt a bit rushed with so many people bustling around. Plus, we're all sitting on the floors and the workers were walking all around us so much. Second, service was very speedy but in my opinion, a bit too speedy. I had to quickly take the ginger off the plate as they whisked away each sushi plate. I don't like that feeling. I think it's reasonable to leave the plates sit for a minute or two and people can enjoy their bites of sushi and not have staff interrupt you while you still have that bite of food in your mouth. The sushi was good but not like I remembered. I remember with the previous owners, every sushi was excellent, with right amount of rice to fish ratio... it was just ok this time. The age-dashi tofu was just ok, a bit bland. Overall, I might go back for the food but the ambiance in the place was off. The owner was standing near our tables with a stern look and eyeing all employees like a hawk. I felt uncomfortable with him standing there only a couple tables away from us. None of the sushi chefs looked happy. All had frowns or just unpleasant expressions. The hosts were nice when we were leaving though.
(3)Diane B.
Borderline 5 stars but I prob should go more often to justify them (and gladly will). We went on the recommendation of a local who has consistently displayed good taste. Irori was hardly an exception. Despite it being crowded (always a good sign), we were attended to and seated virtually immediately. I'm a sucker for the "take the shoes off and sit on the floor" Nihon-style dining and it totally works here. There's just something fun and freeing about having no shoes or stature, being only able to order and receive. And we did. We started with the California rolls - certainly ample - and gulped down the tasty miso and salads before getting the lucious Chicken Teriyaki and Unajyu main dishes. The sushi bar was full and looked great but we weren't regretting our choices with these main dishes. The teriyaki was not over salty with the right amount of delicious sauce, side condiments and rice. Ditto the unajyu, which was silky smooth and definitely tasty, peppered with sesame seeds. The service was on every detail, clearing dishes and bringing the next ones promptly and courteously. Definitely coming back on the next Marina del Rey boondoggle!
(4)Nick M.
Been coming here for years -- everything is great and the specials are very special indeed. Also stock up here for a meanl to go when about to jump on a plane -- beats airplane food and it's on the way to the airport (for me). They have a rather bizarre local TV commercial which shows the place as half empty -- I assume they filmed it when it was closed, it's always packed and they really don't need to advertise. It's great.
(5)