“ I was in downtown for a concert, and I was thinking about where to go for a dinner date. After browsing through various options, I decided on a Japanese izakaya in Little Tokyo. Izakaya Gazen offers complimentary validation for up to 2 hours, which was awesome. I got a reservation in advance. The staff were very attentive. The izakaya is small, as can be the case with some izakayas in the US as well as Japan. The menu is quite large, and I wasn't sure what to get. We asked the waiter for some recommendations. We ended up deciding on the tofu sampler, the tofu yukhoe, and the omusoba. The tofu sampler was good, and I loved that the tofu was home made. My favorite was the creamy one. The tuna yukhoe was amazing with the fried nori crisps. My favorite dish of the night was the omusoba which had some super tasty beef, and of course yakisoba and omelette. For drink I got a yuzu honey which is a mocktail. It went well with everything in the meal. ”

“ The host will welcome you into their bar and dining area, where co-host and bar chef will al welcome you in japanese! They have an extensive menu where you will be able to select any variety of Japanese Izakaya dishes. Drinks, Beer, and Sake is always available to pair along your dishes. Highly recommend to try their soft Tofu, which I believe is house-made. All dishes has been a great taste, and loved their omelette covered fried noodles. The noodles were chewy and fried well together, then covered with a soft omelette. I have not tried everything from the menu, but will be back to try more! What a surprise and delight! ”

“ wowowow!!! my bestie put me on to this place and this is one of the best spots in little tokyo for the best prices!!! what a gem! the fact they make the tofu in-house makes all the difference and everything from the duck and tuna were all so good. the service here is so great! our waters and teas were constantly being refilled. they also validate 2 hours of parking in the the little tokyo village garage which is a huge plus! ”

“ So I brought a friend on a Thursday evening for her birthday. This is a place that she wanted to try. We got sat right away, there was no wait at all. The staff and waitress was very friendly. She helped on a great suggestion of Sake. The Food was good, not the greatest sushi but very decent. The fries were actually quite delicious with a spicy wasabi dip, highly recommended. Spicy edamame and sushi rolls were tasty. I'd say it's a place to try. The service actually made it really pleasant. ”

“ You think you know the hot spots in Little Tokyo & then Gazen slaps you in the face -- & it's been there in front of you all along: the superstars here are the servers, sushi, shishito peppers, & fried chicken wings! Do not underestimate those wings: crispy, succulent, and with a sauce that will have you sucking on your fingers. (They do provide perfunctory wet naps when you order; definitely a sign of respect for the guests & good things to come.) If you're looking for a chill & intimate location (no TV's here & soothing music to keep your blood pressure insulated from the madness outside the windows), Gazen is your spot Special thanks to server Ai-jun & Ryu for exemplary care. ”

“ Came here on a Sunday night, without reservations; luckily we were able to be seated. We were actually walking to a different restaurant but came pass here and decided to try to see if we can walk in here. It was still a bit before the dinner rush I would say. We ordered a few different things to try. We saw there was a tofu sampler where the tofu was made in house, so we were curious to try that one. We also got the beef tongue with sea salt and steamed shabu shabu with the American beef to share. Individually we got sushi options; a chirashi bowl, salmon and ikura bowl, and the premium nigiri set. The tofu sampler was very creamy and yummy. We all enjoyed the different tofu and just liked that it was something different to try. Their plain tofu to eat comes with a roasted green tea salt and a seaweed salt. The seasoned tofu had an umami to it. We all enjoyed that one. Black sesame tofu was different but we liked that one too. The steamed shabu was yummy and came with a dipping sauce of ponzu or sesame, I think. We got the ponzu. Beef tongue was also really good, be sure to don't go too heavy handed with the salt unless you like your food on the saltier side. I enjoyed my salmon ikura bowl, it came with a sauce on it. That was tasty but I wish it was a little less but that's more of my preference. Overall I still enjoyed it. I would come back if I was ever in the area. By the time we left the restaurant was pretty full and with people waiting to be seated. Reservations recommended if you plan to eat at peak hours. ”

“ Came during a work lunch and ordered the gazen chirashi. It comes with ten kinds of assorted fishes with rice on the bottom. Our side dishes and soup came out first and we were still waiting on the fish. All the orders comes with a side of tofu. The fish didn't come out until like 15-20 min later and our coworkers already finished their food. I politely reminded the server and it came out after a minute. Aside from that, the food was delicious, a bit pricey. Food presentation was very detailed and exquisite. The sashimi are laid out covering the bowl on the sides. ”

“ Gazen is located in Little Tokyo Village on the corner of 1st and Central. With the dark wood furniture, sushi bar, jazzy music and minimalist Japanese decor, It's a small elegant restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating (shaded). The service was welcoming and efficient. I appreciate that they offer a basket for your bags which is common in Japan. The food was excellent. We had the Ultimate Chirashi and the Wagyu Beef Bowl with Poached Egg lunch sets. The beef was a bit salty (which I like) and had a slight kick that doesn't really hit. Rather it lingers a bit in the back of your throat. I really wanted to try items I've seen featured in reviews but the dinner menu is quite different from the lunch menu. So I will have to return for dinner one day. We also had the Sweet Potato Mochi for dessert. It was delicious. The mochi is deep fried and topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with just a little caramel. They do take reservations but it's not terribly busy at lunch. It may be needed more for dinner. ”

“ Just had lunch at this izakaya. Really great food and amazing service. Very authentic izakaya in little Tokyo. Couple of things: Their lunch menu is totally different from dinner menu. Most of the pic on Yelp consist of dinner menu item which are NOT available during lunch. We were interested in the beef tongue and they confirmed that those are ONLY dinner menu item. You can park at the Japanese village parking lot. And they will validate it up to a certain time. It surely helps. Now the food: We tried the Premium Sashimi Ozen and Ultimate Chirashi. Both are extraordinary fresh and tasty. Portion are big. Funniest thing is for the sweet shrimp. They actually come in with the raw head for us to take picture first. And once we done taking pictures. They will take the raw head away to deep fried it. It's definitely one of the best shrimp head that I've ever had. Servers are attentive and great. But if you are ordering anything to do with sashimi or fresh fish. It could be a little bit of wait. As the two sushi chef working endlessly to make and plate your dish. We wait for about 25 minutes, but the dish is well worth the wait. ”

“ First time at Izakaya Gazen after bookmarking this place forever! I was able to make a reservation via Yelp and was seated 30 minutes before the kitchen closed at 2pm. Food is absolutely delicious and super authentic. It's as if we were transported back to Tokyo after stepping into the restaurant. Lunch sets are super worth it. + Kobe style beef and homemade tofu hotpot and sashimi combo 5/5: The tofu hot pot tasted so good with plenty of tofu and veggies. It also came with rice, salad, and assorted appetizers. Didn't seem like much food, but it was the perfect amount. + Ultimate nigiri set 5/5: I'll opt for this set over Sugarfish everyday! Everything tasted so fresh and without any weird aftertaste. I was able to request for the shrimp head to be deep fried. I enjoyed the homemade tofu and miso soup that came with the meal too. Great experience from start to finish! Can't wait to come back for dinner as there seems to be some cool options that weren't available during lunch. ”