The Little Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya

5/25/25: Seared albacore with crispy onion, white fish roll, grilled yellowtail collar, ice cream tempura, and black sesame mochi.

I came here alone for lunch, intending to treat myself out. It was not too busy as it was 12pm on a weekday. I sat at the bar, feeling my working lunch vibes. I got the little Izakaya lunch salad, which came with sashimi and a california roll. I also ordered two pieces of Toro. The toro came first. The fish quality itself was pretty good - nice and fatty. The problem was that my fish was absolutely drenched in soy sauce. It was so salty. There were pools of soy sauce collecting beneath the fish. It completely ruined the toro for me. It was probably the worst toro I've ever had. Then I had some miso soup. It was fine. Standard miso soup. And the sashimi salad was actually pretty good. The fish tasted fresh, and I enjoyed the spicy mayo it came with. "Maybe this place isn't that bad," I thought to myself, and then I ate the California roll and it tasted terrible. I don't know why it tasted so weird. Something about it just tasted wrong. I think maybe they seasoned their rice weird or something was up with the mayo - I'm not sure. I was all set to leave and, mind you, I'm a very lenient critic. After my experience, I was set to give an "ok" rating since the fish quality was decent when the chefs didn't add any extra… stuff to it. But then the bill came out. $17 dollars for the toro. Each piece of toro, on the menu, was $7. They had charged me for the "Super Toro" instead! What the hell even is the "Super Toro?" Super Salty? Super Bad? Well I was Super Sure that I would never be coming back to this establishment ever again.

hidden gem in sherman oaks. we got here only by accident. when we came in the place was packed. we waited for 15 minutes to get a table at the counter. we tried many different dishes and a couple of rolls and were blown away by the quality and execution. very affordable top quality sushi! very quick service and a very cool and lively place to spend an hour or two.

My new favorite spot! All dishes were phenomenal. Our waiter Laura was super sweet. They were so busy and forgot about my hot green tea and popcorn shrimp but it’s understandable. Still will come back and highly recommend.

Packed house on a Wednesday? That’s a great sign. My hopes were up. They have 2 ways to get into the restaurant. Front door and back door. I came through the back, which kind of reminded me of that scene from Goodfellas…and made my way to the front to meet the hostess. There was a wait but that’s ok. Loved the replica shrine gate in the front. Reminded me of the ones I saw at the Inari Shrine in Kyoto. A table freed up and I was sat and greeted by a very friendly server. Service is great here. Almost as good as the sushi, which was excellent. Nigiri and sashimi are available a la carte and there are plenty of roll options. Nice starters and meat dishes to round out the menu. Sake, beer and plenty of other adult beverage options also available. A return visit is certainly on the horizon. Perhaps I’ll write a haiku about it.

Little Izaka-ya is my go-to neighborhood sushi spot, and it never disappoints! The servers always remember me, which adds such a nice, welcoming touch to every visit. It feels like a place I can count on for a great time and delicious food every single time. The sushi rolls are consistently fresh and full of flavor, but my personal favorite is the white fish roll—YUM! It’s always a treat. I also love how easy it is to make a reservation, making dining here super convenient. Whether it’s for a casual night out or a special dinner, Little Izaka-ya always delivers. Highly recommend!

Both lunch and dinner service are quick which is rare when a place is this busy. Waitstaff and the chefs are working hard which created a great atmosphere. The fish selection changes daily but they did have otoro and amaebi while I was there. The restaurant fills up really quickly and there was a wait every time I was there so being a little early is advised.

The sushi was excellent. The prices aren't bad for what you get. The manager Ko was extremely helpful. For me the atmosphere is a little bit too busy but I guess that's the price you pay for having great food at a good price.

Great service as always! Freshly cut fish every day, my favorite fish is yellowtail sashimi with Jalapeño and crispy rice spicy tuna.

I love this sushi restaurant! Being gluten intolerant, this is the only sushi restaurant who accommodates and still offers many delicious items. The service has gotten really good and the managers really care about customer experience. Parking behind has improved. This is one of my favorite all-time sushi places!!!

Ordered takeout for pickup through the restaurant website. Did not realize until paying that they were using Doordash, which I have never used. The menu prices seemed unusually high, which may be because of Doordash. Not sure if you can call and place an order to avoid. Quality of the fish in all of the dishes was high. Our favorite was the baked crab handroll in soy paper. The pieces of sushi were definitely on the small side, though good. The albacore with crispy onions was a very small portion and overall, most of the dishes were on the small side with prices on the high side. I wouldn't order takeout here again. We used to eat here often, but it has unfortunately declined in the past few experiences and continues to do so. There are so many other choices in the Valley.

You always know what you're gonna get and the food is always consistent which is great. Fresh fish, delicious menu and best specials. Servcie is always good and the restaurant is warm and makes you feel at home. Friendly staff and management and sushi chefs. What more can you ask for.

Highly recommend this little gem. Service has always been good even when it's busy (I suggest making a reservation). I'm obsessed with the creamy salmon and baked crab rolls; I usually get a few of those haha. The toro sushi, spicy tuna on crispy rice, and the albacore with crispy onions are great as well. It's fun to come with a smaller group of friends as it is a bit packed.

I love all of these restaurants. They're so creative and have different specials. The butter sauce here is they use it differently everywhere. Jose was our server and he was kind and informative. All the staff greets you when you arrive which I love. I am a big fan of greeting people. This place is small make a reservation or come later in the night or for lunch if you can! Try everything and someone next to us said that wagyu sliders are bomb. They're pretty big sliders too! I've been here a few times since I live down the street. Best sushi in this area!

I have been wanting to try the spot for a really long time, but I always heard that it was really hard to get in if you didn't have a reservation. Luckily, we got there right when it opened for lunch, and they were able to sit us at a top. Our waitress was really friendly and professional, and our food came out super fast. We ordered a variety of things from Shishito peppers, to cut rolls, sashimi and hand rolls. My favorites were the spicy albacore with crispy onion and the tuna crispy rice. The salmon belly sushi was really fresh and tasty. Even though it was super packed for lunch, we had a really nice experience prices here are surprisingly reasonable too. Little Izaka-Ya was on par with the rest of the Katsu-Ya family. I really love the laid-back casual vibe here and the simple authentic menu. This is a great spot to have a quick lunch. I recommend making a reservation to avoid any waiting. I will definitely be back.

For the summer they have a trio of eel that I tasted ! Super fresh by and yummy !! Reasonably priced and a definite must try !

The price and quality of their sushi here is hard to beat in the valley. I always order the soft shell crab, various nigiri, crispy tuna rice, and carpaccio options on their menu. The crispy tuna rice here is different from other places I've ordered from. Only the bottom of the rice is scorched and the center is still soft and fluffy. Tuna tastes fresh! I went to japan recently and this place just brings me back. I use to come here more often, but the parking isn't the most ideal. It's better to walk to the restaurant during busier times!

Honestly, in the past two years, I am pleased to share that this place has never missed. I like that you can order one piece of nigiri at a time, I love the quality of the fish, and I can never get enough of this place now. Sure, dining in can be annoying between the traffic, the cramped parking, and the wait. Still, this place is 100% worth it. I highly recommend the spicy salmon, creamy salmon, blue crab, Negihama, Ikura, and crispy rice here. Haven't had something I didn't like. Not ideal for big groups, given the small interior. Make a reservation if possible, or else you may need to wait. This place gets busy. Delivery through Postmates or Uber Eats, not available through Doordash. Budget anywhere from 20-35 minutes for takeout and 45-65 minutes for delivery orders.

I've been coming back to this place and appreciate it more recently. The service has been stepped up as well as the food. I appreciate good sushi and good service. I think it's just the nature of it the beast when dealing with places you used to go to often. Sometimes change is necessary. Either way I appreciate this place. With that said order ; popcorn shrimp, the mini burgers, the short rib, albacore sashimi, albacore sushi seared , the sushi rolls include albacore , yelllowtail, salmon, albacore cut roll, and make sure you add spicy sushi and spicy oil on the side. The izakaya roll is also fire as well. I'll be back of course.

Was looking for a nice moderately priced sushi restaurant to take my father for dinner and this placed came highly recommended by my cousin. I am so glad we came here as we had a fantastic dinner experience. I was able to make a 6:00 reservation and find parking in the back lot at that time with no problem. It is $1 per hour with a 2 hour limit and you pay at the station. The service was about as good as can be expected - Juan was our server and he was very friendly. They made sure to clear empty plates and trash promptly and regularly checked if our water glasses needed a refill - I drink a lot of water compared to the average person and I don't think I have ever actually declined a refill before until today! I always give extra brownie points when I am not left sitting with an empty glass. All the food we had was exceptional. My father ordered the seaweed salad and I has the cucumber sunomono. We shared the corn tempura which came with a delicious garlic butter dipping sauce - very unusual but so so tasty and came with 4 pieces. We also shared the miso marinated black cod, which was cooked to perfection: We ordered an order of bluefin and salmon sashimi and a bunch of nigiri including toro, albacore, yellowtail belly, salmon with caviar, salmon special, and bluefin. I especially enjoyed the salmon special which was topped with a bit of avocado and red onion and dipped in ponzu - super flavorful. All their fish was fresh and delicious. My dad ordered an $18 cold sake which he enjoyed. Total including tax and a 20% tip came to around $170 for the two of us, so it was a pricey meal but well worth the quality of the food and the service. I also appreciated that they did not rush us by bringing everything out at once as some places do - they paced the dishes appropriately.

THE BEST. I used to go to the west third location but any of them are amazing. Their fish is always fresh and the rice is perfect. It's also well priced and the servers are always attentive and very nice. Really recommend. My favorite sushi in LA hands down! Favorite orders: Spicy tuna crispy rice Baked crab roll Salmon & avocado roll Can't go wrong with anything though!

We love date nights at Little Izakaya so we decided to have take out last night to change it up. The fish is always fresh and delicious. Everything was packed extremely well and arrived home in great condition. Melt in your mouth delicious! The avocado was like pure butter.

The worst izakaya ever. Market frozen shumai dumplings, sushi roll were broken, miso soup was terrible too. They are so lucky doing biz like this bc most of clients are not Asian so they think it's ok but it's not ok for me. Also waitress kept hitting my chair when they walk through. So bad here.

A friend and I needed a place to meet for lunch between the Valley and the Westside. Little Izaka-Ya is perfectly situated at the 101 and 405 freeways. They offer several typical Japanese favorites: sushi, sashimi, bento boxes, etc. We both ordered the chicken teriyaki bento boxes which come with Mizo soup, some small side salads, and rice. They were very good. The service was prompt and friendly. The ambiance was nothing special--typical Japanese. The restaurant was full for lunch, so get there early. Parking is available in a city lot behind the restaurant.

Katsu-Ya is one of my favorite sushi restaurants in California. I've never had a bad meal. The food is very fresh. The fish is very fresh. Service is top tier and the ambiance reminds me of Tokyo!!

Never disappoints...the sushi/sashimi bento box is a perfect mix of assorted fish favorites. Pair this with blistered shishito peppers for a lovely lunch. Door opens promptly at 12 - be prepared to wait or make a reservation.

I was starving because I was walking around the Galleria for hours then had a facial at Burke Williams. We decided to have dinner at Little Izakaya and I forgot how much I liked it here! The crispy rice with spicy tuna is soooo good! We had two orders and I could've easily eaten another two orders. The yellow tail aka hamachi collar was very reasonably priced but didn't have a lot of flavor. Everything else was great! We sat at the sushi bar and enjoyed our dinner. We will be back.

@the_little_izakaya_by_katsuya is a little good-a! 6/10 The quality of the fish is up there, everything we tried was delicious and fresh. A random, yet delicious, menu item was the Wagyu sliders, highly recommend trying when you go. One big downfall is the ambiance, this location is small and box-like, has very little lighting, and feels like your grandparents stuffy home. After trying this location twice now, it's a bit suffocating for me, I would prefer ordering to go. Ambiance 0/2 Creativity 1.5/2 Presentation .5/2 Service 2/2 Taste 2/2

We come here at least twice a month. The service is fantastic and the fish is excellent. The atmosphere is nothing fancy, but who cares. The food comes out very quickly which is perfect for us, sometimes we are in and out in 30 minutes. The prices are very reasonable for the quality.

Another great sushi spot brought to you by Katsu-Ya!! I was craving "sushi" and I say "sushi" in quotes because I am pregnant and can't have raw fish. Found this place on Yelp and was already a Katsuya fan, plus they have plenty of non raw fish options. We got here at about 1PM on a Wednesday. There is a parking lot but its not obvious where to go, so we missed it and parked on the street. I think the lot is off of Dickens? We checked in and got sat right away. Ordered drinks to start - I got an iced green tea and hubby got hot tea. We ordered the Brussels to start, the BSC, spicy tuna on crispy, the baked crab roll, the eel roll, among other things. Everything was delicious and fresh!

A fantastic spot. Always fresh sushi. Always soft and tender pieces of flesh. I love that the menu is simple and not overly populated. As someone that loves sushi and sashimi, I enjoy that this place doesn't have a bunch of filler rolls and focus on the basics. The service is always really attentive, the take away for one star is that they tend to rush you and set a time limit for how long you can be there, but they are always busy so it's understandable.

I recently visited Izikaya by Katsuya, expecting a memorable dining experience, but unfortunately, the food fell short of expectations. The overall quality was just okay, nothing that stood out or warranted a second visit. The biggest issue I encountered was with the rolls. They were quite sloppy and lacked proper structure, falling apart before I could even get them to my plate. This made the dining experience messy and frustrating. Additionally, the teriyaki chicken I ordered was bland and lacked any significant flavor. It was so unremarkable that I found myself questioning if it had been seasoned at all. To say this restaurant is forgettable is an understatement. I have already forgotten about it, and I won't be returning. Izikaya by Katsuya needs to step up its game in terms of both presentation and flavor to stand out in a competitive market.

Can't beat the food, price or amazing service. I haven't tried anything I don't like!

I just came in for yet another lunch on a Sunday and had 2 orders of the Black Snapper sushi and the Sashimi bento box lunch. I asked to get a dab of the yuzu paste on my octopus sashimi and they said they have to charge me extra. lol So it is $3 extra to get a tiny bit of yuzu paste on the side. It is 25 cents for salt and 50 cents for yuzu paste of the sushi chef prepares it for you. BTW - yuzu paste is not expensive yet we have to pay extra for it as if it is truffles or something. Anyway, I'm lucky to have so many good sushi places in the SFV.

Food was amazing and the service even better! Incredible experience and can't wait to go back!

The Little Izakaya in Sherman Oaks offers a delightful sushi experience. The ambiance is inviting, and the staff is attentive. The sushi is fresh, and the variety on the menu caters to different tastes. The presentation is appealing, enhancing the overall dining experience. Prices are reasonable, making it a great choice for sushi enthusiasts in the area.

I love this place and I miss it so much now that I no longer live in the valley!! I used to get take out from them literally every couple weeks just cuz they're so convenient and their prices, especially for the area, are so reasonable. Downsides would be that they can sometimes take fully over an hour for a pick up order and they don't have a huge variety of rolls, it's Katsuya so they have the standard stuff all their locations carry, but I do appreciate that they have a spicy tuna lunch bowl special at this location! Not sure if they all do but it's such a good deal for less than $20 and it's a good amount of food and absolutely delicious, add a side of eel sauce and you're GOLDEN! I like the actual restaurant too, parking can be annoying but whatever that's LA's fault not theirs, the waiters / sushi chefs are attentive and it's nice and small and cozy but the wait for a table still doesn't get too crazy.

I've always order from here using Uber eats or door dash but last night I decided to pick up my own food. From the moment I walked through the back door all of the staff were welcoming and greeting everyone who walked inside. The restaurant is small but it was packed with with patrons. The food is delicious and always fresh, I never had a problem here and will continue to order from here. Awesome job guys!

Katsu-ya in studio city is one of my favorite restaurants. The one in Hollywood is also excellent. So I decided to try the one in Sherman Oaks. It's much smaller than the other 2 I mentioned with a smaller menu. The staff was friendly & it wasn't too busy for a Monday evening. I can't explain it but it just wasn't as good as their other locations. I'll just stick to the other 2 locations.

Just went here for lunch, let's talk about the food the service and the ambiance. Service: very very attentive, although maybe a little too attentive. We took a little longer than they possibly preferred for us to give our orders. The server checked in with us about 4-5 times before we were actually ready. The first few though were right after we were sat and hadn't had time to look at the menu. So super attentive and great but also maybe try and not rush customers as much. I know it's a small restaurant and you want to turn over tables as soon as possible but please let us settle in a bit first. Food: I thought everything I had was great. It all tasted very fresh. I would absolutely come back for this sushi. Ambiance: on the more basic side. Tables are pretty close together but the restaurant wasn't full when we were there so it wasn't a big deal at this time for lunch. If it got crowded I could imagine being annoying how close the other tables are. All in all, is this the best sushi place? No. Would I come back though? Absolutely really enjoyable sushi.

Amazing service! Ordered one Gyoza Dumplings and crispy rice with spicy tuna roll! The dumplings were so soft and flavorful! It melts in your mouth. I highly recommend the dumplings The roll was something new, but not as good as dumplings. It was average

Having the ability to spend under $100 on two people at a Kastuya restaurant is actually insane with inflation in todays world. Little Izakaya quality is amazing and is very affordable for what you are getting. Spend 2-3x more at the same quality place elsewhere (Catch LA, Katsuya Brentwood, Nobu)

One thing about this restaurant is that it is extremely small and tucked away. I wouldn't come here with a large group. I've always had a great experience here whether it was for take out or dine in. They're always consistent and never have disappointed me. Their fish is fresh and pretty great. When it comes to their service, there is nothing bad to say. Would recommend this place to anyone

A hidden gem! This little shopping center is quite the random place to host Little Izaka-ya. It's a katsu-ya brand so you can expect the same high quality options but in a pint sized little restaurant! There's a wide variety of sake, some very tasty apps (ALWAYS get the spicy tuna crispy rice), and some delicious rolls. Would highly recommend the baked crab hand rolls if you like baked crab. You'll likely need a reservation but we have been able to walk in and snag a table during dinner before thanks to cancellations :)

Absolutely obsessed! Have been coming here for years and can always count on a consistently delicious sushi meal. For lunch they also offer great specials with top items. Must gets are spicy tuna crispy rice, albacore crispy onion sashimi, baked crab roll, and popcorn shrimp. The prices also cannot be beat for the quality of fish you are getting. Only downside is they do rush your stay and pressure you to order fast and wrap up fast. Can't say that's had much of an impact on me cause I will still visit!

There is a Izakaya by my house, burn down, and I drive all the way to the valley to get my favorite dishes, the Spicy edamame and the sautéed green beans...all so good!

This is my go to place for Sushi in the valley. The place is small and gets crowded so call ahead ! The fish is outstanding and plating absolutely elegant! Everything I've had there is delicious! Rolls are small and not too heavy on rice. The sashimi is sliced thin and accompanied with just enough of flavor so it doesn't overpower the delicate flavor of the fish. I know the spicy tuna on fried rice cakes is popular, you see it ordered at every table, it's perfectly seasoned tuna with a nice crisp rice cake...get more than one order because it'll be gone once it hits your table. Also we never feel rushed to eat and leave the table so they can take another seating. We never overstay but it's nice that they let you enjoy your meal and not hurry you along to leave.

Food took FOREVER for delivery. Like my order sat there for over an hour before they started on it. Food itself was below mediocre. Like threw some of the sushi out since it didn't taste fresh. Don't think I'll eat here ever again.

The food is amazing. We have been going here for years. Great vibes and staff. Highly recommended

Soo delicious! I can't believe it took me so long to come here. Came on a Friday night and sat at the sushi bar. Our waitress didn't understand much English so she got some of our orders wrong, but honestly, wasn't even mad about it because the items she accidentally rang in wrong, we ate anyways and it was delicious! The toro, albacore, crispy rice tuna, and sugar daddy roll were some of our favs!

Always super fresh. Smaller plate style than the other Katsu-Ya's. Draft Sapporo. Always get the yellowtail and albacore sashimi's, spicy tuna rice cakes and assorted nigiri. Never disappoints

Good golly this place is the best kept secret in Sherman Oaks. WOWZERS!! This cozy little sushi bar serves the absolute best sushi there is and the price is reasonable. Make a reservation though!! They fill up quick and you can't expect to just walk in. The staff are friendly and efficient and every guest is greeted enthusiastically with a buoyant "Irasshaimase!!" Parking in the area is a but dicey, but if you're local you'll know what to do. We might even walk next time!

My second time here and both times the sushi as terrific. The placed is well staffed so the service is great as well. They had a salmon sushi special that everyone in our party loved.

Parking lot in the back! Paid parking by the spot number. Great service once we walked in! Smaller place but a good amount of tables and seats at the sushi bar! I had the veggie tempura roll which was filled with my favorites. My boyfriend had the Salmon, spicy tuna, and scallop rolls and said they were delicious! Definitely would come back and try other menu items

Excellent sushi and service! The Isakaya roll was my favorite, but every single roll I had was PERFECT

A hidden gem with Japanese Ambiance, amazingly fresh sushi and a wide selection of sake. Well, it was a hidden gem for us as we live in Ventura County. We've been back a couple of times now when we pass through The Valley.

Seriously Overrated Overpriced Ridiculous Small Portions The Staff Is Overwhelmed. Never Going Back Pathetic