I went in around 3pm and there were a few people sitting inside. There's plenty of seating inside and it wasn't loud when I visited. There's paid underground parking around the back of the building, but there's plenty of free street parking nearby. I was on my lunch break and asked them if they could make my food within a certain time and they assured me they could. I ordered the grilled salmon bento and it was ready in what felt like a few minutes. They give me a ridiculously large bag for my single bento box, as well as a utensil set. The lady who helped me was very nice and accommodating. Originally the price of the bento is $20 but I had a coupon so I paid about $12 for it. It was definitely worth what I paid. The salmon is perfectly moist and the glaze is slightly sweet to balance the saltiness. The rice is freshly cooked and fluffy. I loved all the sides. I wish they explained more about what sides they served and what sauces were included. Intuitively, I put the sweet glaze like sauce on the fish and the nutty sauce on the salad, but I think it should be more clear. I think it's worth $20 for how well put together the bento is, but it's still a little higher than my typical budget for a meal. I would probably go back to try some of their other delicious sounding options though as it was a very enjoyable meal.

Two words: Sushi. Dog. This is my current hyperfixation, and I'm in love with it. They're like sushi handrolls STUFFED with salmon, eel, spicy tuna, or karaage chicken. Such a genius idea, and so well done. Theirs are the most aesthetic bento boxes I've ever seen. Get either grilled salmon that they brine for one hour or the thiccc pork loin cutlet, but my favorite is the grilled chicken which is something I thought I'd never say! And then to end things on a sweet note, I got the GIANT tamagoyaki. This sweet egg omelet is usually served as a dessert course at the end of omakase, but honestly is like a bar of gold with egg prices these days. Thanks for reading! ^-^

Super friendly service...very Japanese...in the best possible way. This location has gone through several iterations of fast casual fresh Japanese food prepared with all the care and detail as you would expect from a restaurant in Japan. I love unagi (fresh water ele) and it was spot on, very good portion with all the proper sides in a bento box that serves as a take away box. Second time I ordered the jidori chicken tonkatsu, perfect execution as well, juicy and well portioned. If you eat in they also provide a wet hand towel.

First time at gozen!! Food: -chicken cutlet plate with little sides: solid! :) i love cutlets, I'm curious if the pork one would have had that more classic taste (I'm thinking of the katsu that my mom made growing up, a korean twist to it) but this was still delicious! The sides were a lot of pickled things which I love! Service: -very prompt, friendly and helpful! checked in on us here and there! Ambiance: -clean, comfortable, nice set up! For a catch-up dinner, was a great spot Overall: Would come back! I don't know what I'd do differently, so maybe same same :)

The pork fillet cutlet curry stood out--the katsu was perfectly crispy, and the curry had a rich and flavorful profile. While natto isn't for me, my partner loved it. The carpaccio salmon was incredibly fresh with a buttery texture that melted in your mouth. The yuzu sauce was so good, we used it to dip our kaarage. To wrap up the meal, the matcha yuzu cheesecake was amazing! The combination of matcha and bright citrusy yuzu was refreshing.

It's date night, and I made reservations here via Yelp. I heard they serve affordable & traditional Japanese cuisine, so my bf and I were excited to try this. Parking: There's paid street parking, if you get lucky. We parked in a paid parking lot around the corner of the restaurant. We were parked for about 3 hours, and it maxes out at $12. Ambiance/Environment: This restaurant has a medium sized space with a modern and intimate ambiance. Perfect for large & small groups. Very clean inside. Service: Shout out to our server Jasmine. She was nice and efficient. Throughput took less than 15 min after ordering. What we ordered: 1) Sashimi Assortment Bowl - This came with salmon, tuna, and hamachi. I went with the bowl, so it sat on a bed of rice and served with miso soup, salad, pickles, sauces, quail eggs, and gingers on the side. All the fishes were unbelievably delicious. Very fresh, clean, and slightly sweet. Highly recommend this for all the raw fish lovers! 2) Hitsumabushi Bowl - My bf ordered this. It came in a cute bowl with a generous amount of rice. The unagi sat on the flavored rice and served with the same sides as my dish. Unagi is grilled eel, and it was definitely rich in flavor. My bf described it as "fishy" but the entire dish was sweet & savory. 3) Kara-age - We got these as appetizers. Kara-age is Japanese fried chicken. These were so crispy and seasoned well! 4) Crispy Rice - These were topped with cooked tuna. Fair warning, these are spicy! It's the perfect amount of spice in my opinion. The rice was indeed crispy and had lots of flavor. 5) Kyoto Matcha & Koshihikari Echigo - These beers were bitterly sweet! It came in a bottle and cold glass. Pricing: These prices are considered affordable, especially with the dishes they offer. Usually a sashimi assortment start at $30+. I was very shocked with the prices here. I'd say it's worth it; we left fulfilled and satisfied.

This hidden gem in Pasadena offers affordable and tasty Japanese set meals starting from $17. Each dish comes with a small salad and miso soup. The Sukiyaki Beef Udon ($19) does not come with the typical broth, but it's delicious nonetheless, especially the beef. The pork fillet cutlet ($23) was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They give you the curry on the side so that you can dip the cutlet in or pour over your rice. My favorites of the meal were the carpaccio appetizers ($14) - both the salmon and hamachi were so fresh and delicious!

This unagi bowl is what dreams are made of. The golden, savory but slightly rich unagi had smoky undertones and was incredibly tender and fatty. It contrasted well with the texture of the mochi-like rice, and I couldn't stop eating it. I also tried a bit of the salmon bowl which I've gotten for myself before and the quality of the fish is amazing as always. The only unfortunate part is that the ratio of rice to fish is not the best. The salmon carpaccio, on the other hand, was just alright. Not because of the fish quality but because it was overdressed with garnishes that I could hardly enjoy just the salmon with the sauce. The crispy rice is definitely a better alternative with nicely fried rice as a base topped with a generous amount of minced tuna. The service was great with multiple waiters coming by to refill our waters and serve our dishes. The place was pretty empty on a Saturday at noon but if you plan to come in a large group, I would reserve the middle table because that one can seat a lot.

This place is so yummy! The people are super friendly and attentive. The restaurant felt really nice and aesthetic. Their sukiyaki beef plate was so delicious. The portions are huge here and come in an abundance of food. My friends ordered the eel bowl and pork filet cutlet. We all had so much food leftover we couldn't finish it! If you post on Instagram you get a free dessert. We got their black sesame Mont Blanc and I can't say I've ever tried anything like it. Def can't wait to come back!