Restaurant Tatsuki — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Tatsuki restaurant apparently was established in 1988 it is a small unassuming hole in the wall that has outlasted every sushi bar in the valley. I however, even though have lived in the valley, have only recently discovered it. Oh I've seen it, I've passed by it, but never went in. While looking for good sushi near me after relocating from west hills to woodland hills I notice a 4.7 on a rating for Tatsuki, I had to think where this was and then realized, "oh its that little place on the corner!!" so we decided to give it a go. Now at first glance while walking in, this does not look like you are going to get good sushi, only that it is an older sort of out of date restaurant compared to some of the new flashy sushi restaurants popping up everywhere with Nobu-ish decors and flashy plates with well decorated bites of magic on them. Now, with that said we reluctantly decided to go with the Omakase and let the chef have his way with us not knowing what was good or how exactly to navigate this menu yet or the specials lovingly posten on handwritten pieces of paper above the exhaust fan. We buckled up said a prayer and dug in. From that moment on we were treated to one magical plate after another, each prepared with perfection not one needing a dip in soy or a touch more Wasabi or anything just fresh, clean, plates of magic all as great as some of the heavy hitters and hot shots they are up against. I then completely understood the 4.7, I understood the reason this restaurant is still here after all these years it's because it's great and it holds up against its neighbors and maintains the level of quality that I'm sure was there the day it opened. I have heard some people say "oh I went there once and it was horrible" or "oh no that place is gross, its old and tierd". Well maybe they went on a bad day or they just didn't order well, I don't know, but since we found Tatsuki we now go once a week and we just stick mostly to those little pieces of paper stuck up on the exhaust fan and we are never disappointed. I will say that I always get whatever Toro they have that day sometimes they have several and salmon belly that is so good I have literally been tempted to eat nothing but that the whole night. And there lobster hand roll is just a beautiful handful of umami heaven. If you have had a bad experience there go back and give them a try but don't order rolls order what they recommend order what is on those pieces of paper, you won't be disappointed. My only advise if the need it or want it would be to maybe do some renovation to draw in some new people again only if they need it or want it, I'm fine with how it is and fine being able to get a seat at the bar whenever we go but they a seat at the bar whenever we go but they deserve the people waiting in line outside the door for it to open and the praise that they deserve. Lesson learned don't judge a book by its cover this book is a great read!! PS sorry I didn't have alot of pictures too busy...

I hate hate hate to leave this review because I’ve been coming to this restaurant for decades. Used to be my go to sushi place and I almost always dine in but my friends and I have ordered to go on occasions and they were fantastic, I bragged about them to everyone many times but a few months back and on about three occasions I ordered sushi to go and it took forEVER… ok.. I understand that this happens at a sushi restaurant but when I opened my container to enjoy my sushi I just could not eat it. Shrimp Tempura roll w hamachi-the tempura was rolled without being cooked! The coating on the outside was not cooked nor was the shrimp. Hamachi nigiri- they didn’t even try it was just thrown together and the fish was so old and not fresh at all.. Other issues have been just not fresh and rolls missing ingredients that are supposed to be in the rolls. I just don’t know what’s happened to Tatsuki. I’m really really sad about this because it used to be my favorite place. The original owner is Japanese and took great care with his sushi and his patrons and perhaps the owner or the owners son was not aware of the decline and they don’t realize it? The two young ladies working at the front are less than helpful and the chefs just seem like they just don’t care. Please return to the great Tatsuki it once was.. not sure why this has happened to such a once great place for...

There's different types of Japanese restaurants. This is a neighborhood sushi bar. For a neighborhood place the atmosphere should be friendly and relaxed. Service should accomadate, and be quick. The food, well it all starts with the buyer, and the guy breaking down the fish. It's the background things because all these little places look a like. This place has very little scent, incredibly clean. Music, restaurant noise and relaxed conversation are on par. There's free parking in the nack. So you arrive and everything is friendly and chill. There's a great selection of sakes and beer. Shoju and whiskey isn't here because it's not that kinda place. The fish is a mix of exotic and common, but all of it is expertly cut and prepared. Warm rice, cold fish as god intended, and none of those crazy ginormous rolls, its..not that kinda place. There is a long bar, and a family table in the back. I rarely give a 5, but I haven't been to a neighborhood bar this good...