I would echo the recent reviews which have described Toku as overpriced and not worth it. As others have said, while the space is beautiful, the food itself is not up to snuff. What you are really paying for are the huge number of staff packed into this tiny eatery. While my 7-course meal was at least edible, if not great (the chawanmushi was by far the best part), my partner's eel and sushi all had bones. I tried some of hers and it was...put mildly, prepared carelessly. In addition to the bones, her eel was burned on the bottom. As others have said, this place did not satisfy my eel craving, and at a fine-dining price point, I just can't justify giving Toku more than a single star.
Joseph D.
Excellent food, service, and overall quality. Personally I have not had a more authentic and enjoyable experience with Japanese cuisine than I have had at Toku Unagi & Sushi. Both the wait and kitchen staff take pride in their work and truly care about its quality.
Keyva C.
I love unagi!!! My partner saw this place on Instagram and she knows my love for unagi for decided to check this place out. It is very small so make a reservation! The service was cool. The ambiance is very cute and quant. The food though - we started with the shooters which were yummy. We shared a premium unagi box and it was delicious. As someone who eats unagi a lot I definitely could tell that this place is serving an elevated and just overall better quality than we normally see at restaurants. We order a few pieces of sushi and they were all good. Definitely will be back!
Cameron Harati
Only place in LA to get real authentic Japanese style unagi. Feels like I'm back in Japan here. I love unagi so much and this place was the best!!
Food: 5
Ashley T.
Beautiful fine Japanese dining located in WeHo. There's a parking garage located below the plaza, but it is tight spaced. You can find this restaurant located on the second level. It is small and intimate inside. Service was and is amazing. Everything that was ordered came out authentic, fresh, and delicious. Felt like I was eating in Japan again. Recommend eating here if you are a fan of unagi (eel)!
Josef Csongei
I love unagi and this was incredible. Not your average unagi but imported from Japan. Flavors & presentation + good chats w the sushi chefs. Also recommend the mini hand rolls w quail egg. Yum!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cece L.
Meh. I've had better for far less $$$$ and I left wanting more at the end after paying $330. The meal wasn't worth what they charge. I recommend sticking with sashimi as it is very fresh and even though they are known for the unagi, I was not a fan at all. I ended up giving it all to my husband as it tasted like something was off and normally I do not have any issues with unagi and normally I love it more than my husband... Most likely won't return. At least they have free covered parking which was surprising for a Friday night.
Yingbo W.
I wasn't impressed with the food here. Dishes were authentic (ingredients wise) but just did not taste all that good. The most premium unagi wasn't the best I've had despite them specializing in it and I've never even been to Japan. The fish quality was good but I just didn't feel like it was charred well and the house sauce was meh, lacked umami throughout. I would have preferred the sauce to be sweeter. The liver soup was so fishy I couldn't eat the liver at all. The side dishes/apps were okay but texture and flavor to all the dishes were just not up to par to my liking. Many were served with weird stale fish cake textured garnish that I did not like at all. I got some steamed monk fish liver served with some ponzu jelly and it was super mid. I'm used to better sauce and texture for that dish. The grilled scallops were okay but they didn't serve it with the frills or organs cooked. The frills are the best part! The uni and toro toast apps sounded so good but it was so bland and the toast was bitter and hard. The dishes all just tasted so underwhelming. I did not have any of my bf's nigiri but it looked okay, pretty standard. I just feel everything here had B grade presentation and the food tasted worse than it looked. It felt underwhelming. Prices were reasonable. We ordered a lot and total was $270 for 2 with a sake. Anywhere else (I'm from Seattle) I would give this place 4 stars for authenticity but this is LA, driving anywhere takes so much effort, and competition is fierce, so 3 stars. It's actually 3.5 but I don't quite feel like I can round up to 4. Parking was easy here, free near the entrance, just take an elevator trip up. They have two 2 person small tables for outdoor seating with no cover or heating if you want to bring dogs during nice weather.
Anthony H.
Been here twice and ordered from one of the delivery apps once or twice. I love open kitchens. This kitchen shouldn't be open. A grumpy chef who bickers and berates employees in front of guests just ruins the experience. I couldn't imagine having to listen to that all night. Both times I've been there, it seemed cold and unhappy. This last time was just uncomfortable as I had to listen to a grown man act like a child. Take it to the back where guests aren't in the crossfire. The food is good though. I'll stick with ordering online.
David Lee
Great sashimi and sushi!! Main dishes were great, I had the ribeye teriyaki.
Very authentic to Japanese cuisine. Tasty and friendly. Recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Desiree D.
I don't eat unagi, but the sushi here is excellent. It's fresh and authentic and the presentation of the dishes are beautiful and appetizing. Spicy tuna crispy rice, carpaccios, tempura, and eggplant were all a hit! We liked everything we ordered! Waitresses are super nice too!
琴之瀬尾
This restaurant is famous for its eel, but it also has an outstanding special menu featuring fresh sushi.Parking: They have free parking underground
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ian Scott
Unbelievable dinner - perfect service, atmosphere, and food. I felt like I was teleported to Kyoto with how impeccable the restaurant is, down to its size even!The unagi meal was a dream, I love the 3 different ways you can enjoy the eel and everything that comes with it. Lovely sake pairing as well as recommended by one of the servers. The food is pricy but 1000% worth it!Will dine again soon for sure!Also the matcha creme Brulee was the perfect ending to the whole thing omg
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lingling
The unagi here is undeniably good, with a familiar taste and texture. However, the overall experience doesn't quite justify the high prices. While it provides alternative ways to enjoy unagi, the rest of the menu seems relatively standard, lacking the wow factor that would make it worth the cost.
I would echo the recent reviews which have described Toku as overpriced and not worth it. As others have said, while the space is beautiful, the food itself is not up to snuff. What you are really paying for are the huge number of staff packed into this tiny eatery. While my 7-course meal was at least edible, if not great (the chawanmushi was by far the best part), my partner's eel and sushi all had bones. I tried some of hers and it was...put mildly, prepared carelessly. In addition to the bones, her eel was burned on the bottom. As others have said, this place did not satisfy my eel craving, and at a fine-dining price point, I just can't justify giving Toku more than a single star.
Excellent food, service, and overall quality. Personally I have not had a more authentic and enjoyable experience with Japanese cuisine than I have had at Toku Unagi & Sushi. Both the wait and kitchen staff take pride in their work and truly care about its quality.
I love unagi!!! My partner saw this place on Instagram and she knows my love for unagi for decided to check this place out. It is very small so make a reservation! The service was cool. The ambiance is very cute and quant. The food though - we started with the shooters which were yummy. We shared a premium unagi box and it was delicious. As someone who eats unagi a lot I definitely could tell that this place is serving an elevated and just overall better quality than we normally see at restaurants. We order a few pieces of sushi and they were all good. Definitely will be back!
Only place in LA to get real authentic Japanese style unagi. Feels like I'm back in Japan here. I love unagi so much and this place was the best!!
Food: 5
Beautiful fine Japanese dining located in WeHo. There's a parking garage located below the plaza, but it is tight spaced. You can find this restaurant located on the second level. It is small and intimate inside. Service was and is amazing. Everything that was ordered came out authentic, fresh, and delicious. Felt like I was eating in Japan again. Recommend eating here if you are a fan of unagi (eel)!
I love unagi and this was incredible. Not your average unagi but imported from Japan. Flavors & presentation + good chats w the sushi chefs. Also recommend the mini hand rolls w quail egg. Yum!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Meh. I've had better for far less $$$$ and I left wanting more at the end after paying $330. The meal wasn't worth what they charge. I recommend sticking with sashimi as it is very fresh and even though they are known for the unagi, I was not a fan at all. I ended up giving it all to my husband as it tasted like something was off and normally I do not have any issues with unagi and normally I love it more than my husband... Most likely won't return. At least they have free covered parking which was surprising for a Friday night.
I wasn't impressed with the food here. Dishes were authentic (ingredients wise) but just did not taste all that good. The most premium unagi wasn't the best I've had despite them specializing in it and I've never even been to Japan. The fish quality was good but I just didn't feel like it was charred well and the house sauce was meh, lacked umami throughout. I would have preferred the sauce to be sweeter. The liver soup was so fishy I couldn't eat the liver at all. The side dishes/apps were okay but texture and flavor to all the dishes were just not up to par to my liking. Many were served with weird stale fish cake textured garnish that I did not like at all. I got some steamed monk fish liver served with some ponzu jelly and it was super mid. I'm used to better sauce and texture for that dish. The grilled scallops were okay but they didn't serve it with the frills or organs cooked. The frills are the best part! The uni and toro toast apps sounded so good but it was so bland and the toast was bitter and hard. The dishes all just tasted so underwhelming. I did not have any of my bf's nigiri but it looked okay, pretty standard. I just feel everything here had B grade presentation and the food tasted worse than it looked. It felt underwhelming. Prices were reasonable. We ordered a lot and total was $270 for 2 with a sake. Anywhere else (I'm from Seattle) I would give this place 4 stars for authenticity but this is LA, driving anywhere takes so much effort, and competition is fierce, so 3 stars. It's actually 3.5 but I don't quite feel like I can round up to 4. Parking was easy here, free near the entrance, just take an elevator trip up. They have two 2 person small tables for outdoor seating with no cover or heating if you want to bring dogs during nice weather.
Been here twice and ordered from one of the delivery apps once or twice. I love open kitchens. This kitchen shouldn't be open. A grumpy chef who bickers and berates employees in front of guests just ruins the experience. I couldn't imagine having to listen to that all night. Both times I've been there, it seemed cold and unhappy. This last time was just uncomfortable as I had to listen to a grown man act like a child. Take it to the back where guests aren't in the crossfire. The food is good though. I'll stick with ordering online.
Great sashimi and sushi!! Main dishes were great, I had the ribeye teriyaki.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Very authentic to Japanese cuisine. Tasty and friendly. Recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I don't eat unagi, but the sushi here is excellent. It's fresh and authentic and the presentation of the dishes are beautiful and appetizing. Spicy tuna crispy rice, carpaccios, tempura, and eggplant were all a hit! We liked everything we ordered! Waitresses are super nice too!
This restaurant is famous for its eel, but it also has an outstanding special menu featuring fresh sushi.Parking: They have free parking underground
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Unbelievable dinner - perfect service, atmosphere, and food. I felt like I was teleported to Kyoto with how impeccable the restaurant is, down to its size even!The unagi meal was a dream, I love the 3 different ways you can enjoy the eel and everything that comes with it. Lovely sake pairing as well as recommended by one of the servers. The food is pricy but 1000% worth it!Will dine again soon for sure!Also the matcha creme Brulee was the perfect ending to the whole thing omg
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The unagi here is undeniably good, with a familiar taste and texture. However, the overall experience doesn't quite justify the high prices. While it provides alternative ways to enjoy unagi, the rest of the menu seems relatively standard, lacking the wow factor that would make it worth the cost.