Katana LA
Japanese restaurant · Crescent ·
Japanese grilled meats & sushi in contemporary setting with patio
Japanese grilled meats & sushi in contemporary setting with patio
"Once a paparazzi-swarmed celebrity hangout, this Japanese lounge has mellowed, with a dark, semi-industrial interior that opens to a see-and-be-seen patio overlooking Sunset Boulevard. It isn’t quite the chic Nobu experience or the party-like Koi situation down the block, but the food is arguably better than most restaurants in the genre, and you should expect to shell out at this high-end West Hollywood dinner spot. Yellowtail serrano arrives in domino-sized cuts with tangy ponzu, and maguro carpaccio layers shaved Parmesan around a tangle of arugula—both solid sashimi starters small enough to feel like amuse-bouches. Popcorn shrimp are crisp and piping hot, the kind of snack that disappears fast. Grilled king crab legs come laced with bonito aioli; a squeeze of chile-flecked lime adds a spicy, tangy punch. Rolls are practically required to fill up after picking at tiny pieces of seafood, and they don’t use too much of the surprisingly well-seasoned rice here, so go a little overboard; the White Lotus, with seared albacore and truffle soy, is a banger with layered textures from fish roe and shrimp tempura. Cocktails are surprisingly stiff and well crafted despite name-brand spirits—Heat of the Dragon was a favorite for a kumquat-tinted take on a margarita, while the Sunshine Spritz, made with Red Bull watermelon, lychee, and Giffard’s pamplemousse, makes an easy sipper. For value, the tasting menus are a smart move: the $85-per-person option includes eight savory courses, from sushi and the White Lotus roll to seabass and aged ribeye robata skewers, while the $125-per-person version ups the luxury with Kobe beef and toro nigiri." - Matthew Kang
"West Hollywood restaurant Katana has operated along a Sunset Boulevard perch for over two decades, drawing TMZ-types like Ryan Seacrest (one of the restaurant’s co-owners) and Britney Spears since the early aughts. While the recipe for the place was clearly borrowed from the Nobu playbook, Katana retained its own attitude by focusing on grilled meats alongside raw seafood plates. The energy inside is also a lot surlier and more industrial, which could be interpreted as somewhat dated. After all these years, the look feels familiar again, aggressively dark but dressed with enough Japanese inflection to feel like a set from a CBS primetime series. The food is mostly solid, like scallop sashimi topped with caviar, nigiri sushi, lobster garlic noodles, and charcoal-grilled robata. Cocktails sway to the aughts-style sweet side, but at least all the juices are fresh and the spirits are good quality. Alas, it’s not clear how many celebrities frequent the place anymore, but at least people watching is top-tier. 8439 W. Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest" - Mona Holmes
"The long-standing Japanese restaurant is one of the Innovative Dining Group partners in the Make March Matter campaign, donating $2 per dessert this month to Children's Hospital Los Angeles. It remains at its more than 20-year perch in West Hollywood." - Matthew Kang
"Matthew Kang (lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest) describes a dimly lit dining room with a Vegas-style industrial look, “like a repurposed set from Blade but without the vampires running around,” and says he finally warmed to the place on a rainy day. A tableside presentation includes grilled A5 wagyu placed over a hot stone (a gimmick that didn’t appeal to him until this preparation), where a cast iron skillet contains a mild flame at the table for more than a few seconds; the meat was “delicious, not so fatty that you couldn’t actually taste the profound beefy flavor,” and portioned enough for two to share without feeling heavy-laden. A side of wood-grilled king crab worked as a sweet, briny complement to the beef. Kang notes its longevity—opened in 2002—and recalls critic Merrill Shindler telling the Los Angeles Times that the restaurant (with its sisters) would bring along a hype that could help it last “for five years on the buzz alone,” making its endurance of 23 years “very respectable.”" - Eater Staff
"Japanese-inspired spot Katana is in the heart of the Sunset Strip, and has a large patio in the middle of the restaurant. They’ve got robata, steaks, and lots of things involving truffle oil. Reservations recommended." - brett keating