Azay

Azay is my favorite restaurant in Little Tokyo and this is a long overdue review. You can tell all their food is prepared with such care, and the ingredients were picked out with great intention. I have gotten the Japanese breakfast for lunch a couple of times and it never disappoints! Perfect proportions, lovely presentation, and I always leave satiated in appetite and spirit. Recently I tried the karaage and it was really tender and well seasoned. I've also had the crab curry for dinner and it's extremely comforting. one of my favorite dishes of all time. Service is wonderful as well. I really like the ambience, super chill and wonderful place to take someone and chat for a bit. we also love a small business run by good people that care about the community they are a part of. If you are ever in the area I recommend supporting a business that displays care and quality in every way!

Somehow I blindsided myself, the daytime menu is different from dinner. Only the fixed dinner menu which is quite pricey but:The beef and dessert were absolutely outstanding. I usually don't like more bougie restaurants since the taste isn't as worth the reduction in quantity but this was exceptionally good so I would say definitely worth the occasion in my book. Or if you're a regular to finer dining, this place is cute, small, good quality, and service is over the top nice lol so full marks I guess!Owner/staff are very accommodating both from opening the door until the time they give you umbrellas they took from you. Definitely want to try the day menu!! Very excited to try. Check their website for parking, you want to park in the lot across the street. Very cheap $1 for first 2 hours, then nothing crazy after unless you're gonna stay for a day or night or something. Even then there's worse lots that're 15-25-30+ for anything that's more than a couple hours.

Small, family-owned Japanese spot in little tokyo! Everything (mackerel, rice, veggies, miso soup) was cooked/seasoned sooo perfectly. That one judge from culinary class wars would approve. Loved the pork katsu curry too wow 10/10. My boyfriend and I walked in on a Sunday afternoon, put our names on the waitlist with a server, and were seated in ~20 minutes. We were treated with kindness and excellent service the entire meal. We will definitely be back and can't wait to try their other menu items.Street parking or Aiso garage $1/hr.

Hidden gem! I've been to the coffee shop next door and never thought to stop at Azay. Hubby and I decided to stop and try it out this past weekend. Oh what a treat. We were seated immediately as it wasn't too busy at 9:30 am. I asked what is better - duck skillet or Japanese breakfast and she mentioned that they are known for the Japanese breakfasts. So hubby got the bento and I got the Japanese breakfast. What an amazing decision. The food was so good and healthy - so different from having a breakfast burrito or sandwich. Will definitely come back.

This here's a quaint Japanese Breakfast spot in Little Tokyo that offers a upscaled approach to Japanese food. Is it mindblowingly good? Eh. But it's good to try out once.Make a reservation if you want to avoid waiting long on weekends as the space is small.Anyway, what's good? I got myself their omurice which was not as runny as I'd like but still good. The pork belly enhances everything from savory to even better savory. Surprise surprise.The japanese breakfast is, well, your assorted japanese breakfast items. Everything is good quality, but can't say it was hugely memorable.Anyway, all in all, it's a decent dining experience, but I feel like there're better options in Little Toyko or Gardena/Torrance.

One of my favorite restaurants because they know how to do simple food extremely well. It's a family run business and you can see how much they care about the service and food they bring to their guests. I also love that it brings both Japanese and French food under one roof.

I had the great fortune of having an enlightening and comforting conversation with both Chef Akira and Jo Ann outside of Azay's storefront while waiting for my time slot for h. woo's culinary pop up this past May. Moving out of Southern California and a social media cleanse isolated me from the food scene of the area, and it was only after my most recent visit a few days ago that I learned of Chef Akira's passing. It was comforting to also learn that Azay's dinner service has been left in the hands of Chef Ono, who I also had the pleasure of meeting in passing as he answered some of my questions about a dish at said pop up. My friend and I came for their day menu and were lucky enough to find street parking down the block. 11:45 on a Saturday was the perfect time to beat the lunch rush, as right after we were seated the line simply exploded. The onsen egg in dashi broth was a wonderful starter, a familiar blend of sweet and savory that stayed both light and creamy on the tongue. I opted for the Japanese breakfast ($23), which featured a flaky piece of saba mackerel with crispy charbroiled skin paired with pickled vegetables, radish (?) and a lemon wedge. Accompanying my protein were a variety of side dishes, my favorites which included a cold tofu, steamed egg, and some unforgettably chewy and well-seasoned rice.My friend's protein had a mushier texture and a fishier aftertaste that she wasn't the fondest of, but was encased in a wonderfully crispy exterior that she enjoyed. Her meal came with buckwheat noodles, a spring mix salad, tsukemono, potato salad, and, like mine, rice and miso soup. I had a fun time picking at the cucumbers in her potato salad once she was full, which were a fresh compliment to the heaviness of the side itself.We ended our meal with a red bean mochi dessert that was unbelievably soft (think cheese pull!) and was accompanied by what I believe was a candied dried konbu that may have been the coolest idea I've seen in a while. Although I don't find myself in LA that often anymore, I can guarantee that the next time I come down will be highlighted by a dinner service at Azay. I am adamant that Chef Akira and the entire Azay team's impact on the LA culinary community, through cultural relations or creating a platform for budding and blooming chefs, has been and will continue to hold its legacy. See you again soon.

It was a big loss when Chef Akira passed away but I was glad to see that his second restaurant remains open under chef Gary Matsumoto. We were fortunate to havd a private dinner at Azay recently, and while it was a good experience overall, the food was a little hit-or-miss. Some dishes were really tasty and well-done, but others just didn't quite land--the flavors felt uneven at times. The okinawa sweet potato poke had such a poke flavor, we weren't sure we were still eating sweet potato. The tuna negi toro, while a more familiar flavor, wasn't very tender and was a little disappointing. The grilled romaine salad had a unique presentation and was quite delicious while the miso marinated cod, while tender, didnt have a great balance of flavor. The braised short ribs were a little tough and lacked flavor while the pommes puree was rich, creamy, and delicious. You get the point. It wasn't bad by any means, but I was hoping for more consistency.What I did love was the service--it was fantastic! The staff were super attentive and friendly, making sure we were taken care of the whole time. That alone made the experience feel special.The cozy vibe of the restaurant was great for a private dinner, and even though the food wasn't perfect, I'd still recommend giving it a try, especially if you're into French-Japanese cuisine.

We spent Valentine's Day at Azay and had such a great experience. It's such a charming restaurant with delicious plates and amazing wine list. We had the pre fixe evening menu and everything was imaginative and well executed. The service was so warm and engaging, up until the end when we were the last people to leave. 10/10 will be back again. Great off the radar spot for an intimate date night!

The Nagoya Hitsumabushi is divine. I came out to Little Tokyo just to have it. The restaurant is also nice. Service is great, especially the lady with the pink hair-- super lovely and kind!