Portions are very small. 18 percent fee which does not include tip is ridiculous. Management should pay the workers benefits and not put that on the customer.
Bill Wu
This restaurant is discriminating customers!!We made a reservation for 2 at 5:45 pm and arrived on time. At this moment, nearly all the small tables inside are empty. However, the server refused to seat us on a normal table, but only the high table near the window. We gently asked why we couldn’t be seated at the table cuz most of them are empty but he kept behaving in a contemptuous attitude. He talked to a manager on the back and the manager just kept laughing with him. Their response is simply that that’s how they arrange the reservations. The tables are all for 2 why we came the earliest but you’re gonna keep them for the people absent. They showed zero respect to us and their behavior does not make any sense. I feel like they are really discriminating customers like us. At last, he said that “if you want to dine in here, this (the high table) is the only accommodation we can provide”.Avoid this restaurant at all costs! SHAME ON THEM!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Ashim Ahuja
Service is amazing. But the service charge. Do the servers actually get this money? How much does it take away from tips? They're asking for 18% and another 20% in tips? That's an extra 40%... This is absurd.I would rather have a menu that incorporates EVERYTHING (including tips, tax, service, restaurant random fees, whatever)… and for restaurants to pay a livable wage to their employees. It’s insanity to put the burden on the customer to judge the level of service then for the server to judge the customer based on how much they tipped. The only people really saving money are the restaurants.The food was very well prepared. We ordered 7 dishes, disappointed by a few.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Kaia Smith
As someone who loves food but can't afford to go out very often, I found myself feeling stressed after our meal even though the food we had was good. The 18% surcharge, which *is not a tip,* seems disrespectful both to customers and staff. If you're going to tip correctly, you must essentially plan to add 38% of each menu item's cost. I am also certain that many customers are rightfully confused by this surcharge and may assume they don't need to add an additional tip, which ultimately puts a strain on restaurant staff. Please just pay employees fairly and include these costs upfront in menu prices.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 4
tengen uzui
It was a very busy restaurant that only served Japanese food.I thought it was yakitori, but there were many other attractive menu items than yakitori.It's cost-effective and full of locals, so I think reservations are a must.When the bill came, it said 18% service included and there was also a section to write a tip.I still don't know which one this is. . .
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Lucky Genes
The meal was good. I just found it lame that the 18% fee on the menu wasn’t noticeable- should be at the top of the menu and more noticeable or just increase the entire price of the menu. When the receipt came, the fee was highlighted and just put a sour end to the experience.The issue with service fee as oppose to tips is that service fees aren’t protected from management while tips go directly to the employees.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Tina C
There’s either valet or street parking. Place is tiny and gets crowded fast so make reservations. I liked the tempura and the black cod the most, and really enjoyed the hojicha ice cream!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Tate Smith
good food, good staff. but build. the. service. fee. into. your. menu. prices. it’s a scam to add an 18% fee that’s “not a tip” to provide fair wages as that needs to be built into the menu prices
Peng Yu Chen (Peng)
I came here because Rintaro hosted a cookbook launch dinner at Tsubaki. Since I love Rintaro so much, I decided to give it a try during my visit to LA.Tsubaki's food tends to be on the saucier side. Their yakitori chicken oysters are coated with tare and yuzu koshō, which isn't my preference. Also, they didn't achieve the desired crispy texture for the oyster skin.The salad is excessively dressed; though the greens are good, it's overly sour and salty.On a positive note, their chawanmushi, satsuma imo, and crudo are good.The vibe and service are good as well, but their "service fee" note comes off as passive-aggressive. Highlighting the responsibility of customers for employee compensation seems inappropriate. The owners should be one who take care of their team.While the meal is quite good, the note on the receipt is a significant turnoff for diners.
Food was delicious - however, we had a reservation and still had to wait a bit. Also, be warned this place has a “shareable” menu where you should order a lot of different dishes and share them around the table, but we were never informed, and I really don’t believe the prices made sense for their sizes. You’re honestly much better off going to Bacari or similar - they inform you of their menu style, and their prices for their shareable dishes are very fair and they also have a lot more options. Lastly, there is a disclaimer on the menu that an automatic 18% surcharge gets added to your bill to help with fair wages and health insurance for the employees. Don’t put that burden on your customers, just pay your staff better!
Brock Lewis
Tsubaki is one of my go to restaurants in LA! It always impresses with its inventive dishes and top notch presentation. Here is a breakdown of some of my favorite dishes:-Fall Market Tempura: This was a great starter dish which included tempura sweet potato and cauliflower. The tempura batter was perfectly crunchy and a bit salty. A great start to the meal!-Ohyo Katsu: The fried halibut cheeks were a highlight of the meal for me. The halibut was perfectly cooked and so tender. I could have had this dish over and over again!-Soriresu: These chicken oyster skewers were absolutely delectable. The meat was incredibly tender with a perfect accompanying glaze.-Short Ribs: The short ribs were another highlight of the meal for us. The meat was incredibly tender and fall apart. The sweet and sour glaze was the perfect sauce to go with the dish.-Onigiri: If you go to Tsubaki, I highly recommend the onigiri as a side. These fried rice patties are awesome. So simple yet so delicious!The overall experience at Tsubaki was amazing from the food to the service to the quaint atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Yaki-Onigiri, Yakitori
Michael O.
Really fresh, well considered flavor combinations. It's an izakaya place, so think small plates in various categories. The crab meat steamed egg is tremendous, all of the yakitori options, and the sake menu is delightful with many seasonal options. The servers are knowledgeable and helpful, it's a great place for a group dinner so everyone can try a bit of everything
Celine C.
First time at Tsubaki and thought the ambiance was dark and intimate. It's a cute izakaya with great vibes. Service was super wonderful - Our server provided great sake recs based on what we ordered and she checked in on us often.However, food was extremely mediocre...+ kanpachi crudo 3/5: the kanpachi was fresh, but i wish there was a little bit more of the gingery-lime-cucumber-herby sauce+ kani chahan 2/5: overpowering buttery flavor with minimal umami and dungeness crab; not seasoned well+ chawanmushi 4/5: steamed egg topped with an amazing amount of dungeness crab with certain bites more salty than others due to truffle salt+ soriresu 3/5: decent charcoal-grilled chicken oysters that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with yuzu kosho that's just way too salty+ hiyashi somen 3/5: refreshing somen in chilled dashi broth; nothing bad to say but I could've done without itOur bill came and we were charged an 18% service fee. Restaurants usually charge that amount if it's a group of 6+ dining. Even Sugarfish service fee with no tipping is only 16%. I was a bit caught off guard by this blatant charge.
Magico Martinez
We were so excited to try Tsubaki based on the reviews. We started with the Sashimi platter which was fairly average (and we found a bone in), and moved on to kimchi croquettes, noodles, etc. Overall the menu was all over the place, and the food was.... ok. However, we ended up paying $180 for 5 small plates + the sashimi platter + one beer. That's premium prices for average food.
Awesome food and great sake. Auto 18% tip.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Japanese Latkes
Portions are very small. 18 percent fee which does not include tip is ridiculous. Management should pay the workers benefits and not put that on the customer.
This restaurant is discriminating customers!!We made a reservation for 2 at 5:45 pm and arrived on time. At this moment, nearly all the small tables inside are empty. However, the server refused to seat us on a normal table, but only the high table near the window. We gently asked why we couldn’t be seated at the table cuz most of them are empty but he kept behaving in a contemptuous attitude. He talked to a manager on the back and the manager just kept laughing with him. Their response is simply that that’s how they arrange the reservations. The tables are all for 2 why we came the earliest but you’re gonna keep them for the people absent. They showed zero respect to us and their behavior does not make any sense. I feel like they are really discriminating customers like us. At last, he said that “if you want to dine in here, this (the high table) is the only accommodation we can provide”.Avoid this restaurant at all costs! SHAME ON THEM!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Service is amazing. But the service charge. Do the servers actually get this money? How much does it take away from tips? They're asking for 18% and another 20% in tips? That's an extra 40%... This is absurd.I would rather have a menu that incorporates EVERYTHING (including tips, tax, service, restaurant random fees, whatever)… and for restaurants to pay a livable wage to their employees. It’s insanity to put the burden on the customer to judge the level of service then for the server to judge the customer based on how much they tipped. The only people really saving money are the restaurants.The food was very well prepared. We ordered 7 dishes, disappointed by a few.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
As someone who loves food but can't afford to go out very often, I found myself feeling stressed after our meal even though the food we had was good. The 18% surcharge, which *is not a tip,* seems disrespectful both to customers and staff. If you're going to tip correctly, you must essentially plan to add 38% of each menu item's cost. I am also certain that many customers are rightfully confused by this surcharge and may assume they don't need to add an additional tip, which ultimately puts a strain on restaurant staff. Please just pay employees fairly and include these costs upfront in menu prices.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 4
It was a very busy restaurant that only served Japanese food.I thought it was yakitori, but there were many other attractive menu items than yakitori.It's cost-effective and full of locals, so I think reservations are a must.When the bill came, it said 18% service included and there was also a section to write a tip.I still don't know which one this is. . .
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
The meal was good. I just found it lame that the 18% fee on the menu wasn’t noticeable- should be at the top of the menu and more noticeable or just increase the entire price of the menu. When the receipt came, the fee was highlighted and just put a sour end to the experience.The issue with service fee as oppose to tips is that service fees aren’t protected from management while tips go directly to the employees.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
There’s either valet or street parking. Place is tiny and gets crowded fast so make reservations. I liked the tempura and the black cod the most, and really enjoyed the hojicha ice cream!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
good food, good staff. but build. the. service. fee. into. your. menu. prices. it’s a scam to add an 18% fee that’s “not a tip” to provide fair wages as that needs to be built into the menu prices
I came here because Rintaro hosted a cookbook launch dinner at Tsubaki. Since I love Rintaro so much, I decided to give it a try during my visit to LA.Tsubaki's food tends to be on the saucier side. Their yakitori chicken oysters are coated with tare and yuzu koshō, which isn't my preference. Also, they didn't achieve the desired crispy texture for the oyster skin.The salad is excessively dressed; though the greens are good, it's overly sour and salty.On a positive note, their chawanmushi, satsuma imo, and crudo are good.The vibe and service are good as well, but their "service fee" note comes off as passive-aggressive. Highlighting the responsibility of customers for employee compensation seems inappropriate. The owners should be one who take care of their team.While the meal is quite good, the note on the receipt is a significant turnoff for diners.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Food was delicious - however, we had a reservation and still had to wait a bit. Also, be warned this place has a “shareable” menu where you should order a lot of different dishes and share them around the table, but we were never informed, and I really don’t believe the prices made sense for their sizes. You’re honestly much better off going to Bacari or similar - they inform you of their menu style, and their prices for their shareable dishes are very fair and they also have a lot more options. Lastly, there is a disclaimer on the menu that an automatic 18% surcharge gets added to your bill to help with fair wages and health insurance for the employees. Don’t put that burden on your customers, just pay your staff better!
Tsubaki is one of my go to restaurants in LA! It always impresses with its inventive dishes and top notch presentation. Here is a breakdown of some of my favorite dishes:-Fall Market Tempura: This was a great starter dish which included tempura sweet potato and cauliflower. The tempura batter was perfectly crunchy and a bit salty. A great start to the meal!-Ohyo Katsu: The fried halibut cheeks were a highlight of the meal for me. The halibut was perfectly cooked and so tender. I could have had this dish over and over again!-Soriresu: These chicken oyster skewers were absolutely delectable. The meat was incredibly tender with a perfect accompanying glaze.-Short Ribs: The short ribs were another highlight of the meal for us. The meat was incredibly tender and fall apart. The sweet and sour glaze was the perfect sauce to go with the dish.-Onigiri: If you go to Tsubaki, I highly recommend the onigiri as a side. These fried rice patties are awesome. So simple yet so delicious!The overall experience at Tsubaki was amazing from the food to the service to the quaint atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Yaki-Onigiri, Yakitori
Really fresh, well considered flavor combinations. It's an izakaya place, so think small plates in various categories. The crab meat steamed egg is tremendous, all of the yakitori options, and the sake menu is delightful with many seasonal options. The servers are knowledgeable and helpful, it's a great place for a group dinner so everyone can try a bit of everything
First time at Tsubaki and thought the ambiance was dark and intimate. It's a cute izakaya with great vibes. Service was super wonderful - Our server provided great sake recs based on what we ordered and she checked in on us often.However, food was extremely mediocre...+ kanpachi crudo 3/5: the kanpachi was fresh, but i wish there was a little bit more of the gingery-lime-cucumber-herby sauce+ kani chahan 2/5: overpowering buttery flavor with minimal umami and dungeness crab; not seasoned well+ chawanmushi 4/5: steamed egg topped with an amazing amount of dungeness crab with certain bites more salty than others due to truffle salt+ soriresu 3/5: decent charcoal-grilled chicken oysters that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with yuzu kosho that's just way too salty+ hiyashi somen 3/5: refreshing somen in chilled dashi broth; nothing bad to say but I could've done without itOur bill came and we were charged an 18% service fee. Restaurants usually charge that amount if it's a group of 6+ dining. Even Sugarfish service fee with no tipping is only 16%. I was a bit caught off guard by this blatant charge.
We were so excited to try Tsubaki based on the reviews. We started with the Sashimi platter which was fairly average (and we found a bone in), and moved on to kimchi croquettes, noodles, etc. Overall the menu was all over the place, and the food was.... ok. However, we ended up paying $180 for 5 small plates + the sashimi platter + one beer. That's premium prices for average food.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2