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Sushi Karen Japanese

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10762 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232

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(310) 202-0855
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Sushi Karen Japanese - Culver City, CA
Sushi Karen Japanese - Culver City, CA
Sushi Karen Japanese - Culver City, CA
Sushi Karen Japanese - Culver City, CA
Sushi Karen Japanese - Culver City, CA
Sushi Karen Japanese - Culver City, CA
Reviews
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Best

Top grade sushi. I know for a fact that Toshi (owner, head sushi man) buys top grade fish only from the same market as Matsuhisa and Nobu. His location allows cheaper rent compare...

Worst

I have been going to Sushi Karen for a few years now. The food is pretty good. But, the service there has been going down. Sometimes they get too busy and there is only 1 waitr...

Grumpy Waitress - bad service 3/28/2012

I have been going to Sushi Karen for a few years now. The food is pretty good. But, the service there has been going down. Sometimes they get too busy and there is only 1 waitress who can't handle the amount of customers. Also, sometimes this waitress (she has long hair) is so grumpy and unfriendly that you don't want to ask her help for anything. They need to improve their customer service b/c it is frustrating that their waitstaff is so unfriendly and rude. more
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TOSHI IS THE BEST 6/2/2011

Top grade sushi. I know for a fact that Toshi (owner, head sushi man) buys top grade fish only from the same market as Matsuhisa and Nobu. His location allows cheaper rent compared to Beverly Hills, therefore, the discount is passed along to the consumer. Toshi's ""Super Toro"" is so oily and fresh, it melts in the mouth. Kanpachi Jalapeno is the must try. more
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Best sushi in Culver City 2/16/2011

The atmossphere is really cool, everyone is really friendly but that isn't even close to the best part about this place. The sushi is so yummy! The combo's are awesome and way affordable. more
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Best sushi on the westside 12/23/2008

This is one of the best sushi restaurants in the city in my opinion. We eat here a couple of times a week and love it. Highly recommend trying some of the unusual specials that Toshi offers. This place is named after the head sushi chef and owner's little daughter and his care and dedication shows in everything he does. Pros: Amazingly fresh fish with interesting special sushi combinations Cons: none that I can think of more
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Best sushi ever! 5/23/2008

I almost don't want to write a review so this place doesn't get crowded...but for the better of mankind, here we go: I have eaten at almost all high end sushi restaurants...from the cliffs of Croatia to the trendy LA sushi, I have yet to experience sushi the way Sushi Karen prepares them. My all time favorite: amberjack with garlic and jalapeno. Talk about creative and good...melts in your mouth. Everything is great, I have tried the entire menu. I also recommend ordering:koshihikari echigo beer to accompany your meal. It is an extremely rare beer and I have only been able to find it at one other location (wally's). more
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One of the best Sushi restaurants creative 1/21/2008

I do not order any combinations they may not be as good as the individual sushi. Try the special rolls and the Sashami it is great. more
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BEST SUSHI IN LA! 9/18/2007

This is definately the best sushi I have ever had. The service is great, staff is friendly. Toshi knows exactly what he is doing and does it well every time. Now that I have become a regular customer Toshi is quite generous. The rolls and sashimi are absolutely amazing. I have never had a bad piece of fish there EVER. They definately have something for everyone, lots of variety. They also have good food for the non-sushi eaters too! Pros: AMAZING SUSHI! Good service, variety, pretty easy parking. more
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Surprised 6/17/2007

Who would think great Sushi in Culver City. I was finishing a meeting in CC and mentioned I was heading over to another sushi restaurant for dinner before a bit of traffic. Someone said to try Sushi Karen and raved about it. We have heard those stories before but everyone's taste is different. 100% fantastic. She said to try the Amber Jack, one of their house specials. It was excellent. They do sushi simple. They have a blend of the ""hip"" items like rainbow roll but for the most part I stayed with the basics of straight sushi. The quality is amazing. The chefs carefully prepare each dish as if an art form. I was there in between busy hours so I do wonder how fast service is when they are packed. Nonetheless, I savored every bite. The flavor was so outstanding that I think I used the least amount of soy sauce ever. In any event, this will be the new Spoil Me spot. I have been to many others but for pure, tasteful, sublime sushi I do not think you will find better. Or if you do...let me know. (Sorry if I over did it here but I do not often write reviews and this place merited it.) Best, Larry more
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Best Sushi on the Westside! 2/16/2007

Sushi Karen is simply the best! My husband and I, who consider ourselves ""sushi snobs"" frequent this restaurant at least once a week. Toshi, the chef, is incredibly talented. The seaweed salad is delicious, the tuna and halibut carpacciao amazing, the amberjack is incredible and the lobster roll -- to die for! Feeling adventurous? Try the ""shrimp boat""...shrimp sushi topped with a quail egg and roe. Service is great and quick and prices affordable. The atmosphere isn't as shiek as Nobu or Yamashiro, but it is clean and small/cozy. Sit at the bar and buy Toshi some sake and he will take care of your dining experience! more
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The Best Sushi In LA!!!!!!! 11/21/2006

Sushi Karen is my favorite sushi restaurant in the city. I have been dining here at lest one a week for the past six months. I had been a fateful customer of Crazy Fish in Beverly Hills until a friend and I had lunch at Sushi Karen. I recomend any sushi lovers and even any first timers to enjoy a lovely meal at Sushi Karen Pros: The food is excelent!!!! Cons: The hours are a little tricky more
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Not a great experience... 11/13/2006

We tried Sushi Karen last night because of the great reviews here, and because it's basically right around the corner. Pros: ambience, service, price Cons: average sushi more
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amazing sashimi! 11/9/2006

toshi's amberjack sashimi in jalapeno citrus sauce is one of the most divine creations on this planet! and, the rainbow roll is a mouth watering meal in itself. Pros: everything! more
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mmmm...crunchy roll 9/30/2006

My boyfriend and I went to Sushi karen after our old sushi restaurant remodeled and was no longer the gem of the Westside. We scouted many joints and evaluated all of them. We went through many misses and finally had a winner. The prices are decent, the atmosphere is not pretentious, the service has always been nice. It can be a little awkward when you first go enter because the host is at the back. You can pretty much seat yourself if it is not busy. We have never been served bad fish. I am sure it is not a 5 star sushi restaurant but it is a good staple. The crunchy roll is delicious....although not very light in calories. There are other good restaurants but we've found ourselves returning here the most. Pros: usually not too crowded, locals eat here, good value Cons: can be loud if a big party is seated near you more
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GREAT SUSHI!!! 9/6/2006

Great fresh sushi. Nice people. Good service. A great local find. And it is in the Entertainment Book. Pros: Fresh Sushi. Good Service. more
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Decent Sushi Place 8/25/2006

This sushi place was okay. You enter and have to go to the back to get seated. The waitress was kinda rude and when we she spilled some sauce on the table...she never cleaned it up. Instead, she kept setting plates over it to clean it up. Pros: Not crowded Cons: Bad Service more
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Bad dining experience 8/22/2006

They served us OLD FISH. The sashimi gave my friend and I stomachaches afterward. I would recommend that diners go elsewhere in Culver City. more
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At last... I've found my new favorite sushi spot 7/6/2006

So just this month I was sad to find out that my previous favorite sushi spot closed down... well, not really, but the owners sold it and has become a mere shell of its former self. The best thing about my old favorite spot was the generous sushi portions and the reasonable prices. So I went looking today for a lunch spot for some sushi and found Sushi Karen. WOW! Unbelievable food. The Sashimi Salad was to die for (a huge amount of very fresh excellent sushi) for a great price and the Kanpachi special was incredible. I've found my spot. I would normally not want to reveal such a special spot for fear of it getting overcrowded but alas, I don't want this new find to go the way of the dodo so I figure that if we keep the business up... well, it won't go anywhere. Pros: Super fresh fish! Generous Portions! Reasonably Priced! more
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Best sushi on the Westside area! 6/22/2006

Don't get me wrong. I love Yu-N-Mi sushi, but sometimes I just don't want to make the trek to Beverly Hills. On those nights, I am more than happy to head over to Sushi Karen. I've tried a large portion of the menu, and I have yet to be disappointed (and I don't expect to be, either!). The sashimi was excellent, they have a good sake selection, and I thought I had died & gone to heaven when I popped the super toro in my mouth. Wow! Don't miss this tucked away jewel on Washington behind Best Buy! Pros: Excellent sushi & sashimi Cons: Gets very busy late at night, but you're all good with a reservation! more
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A local gem! 4/29/2006

I LOVE SUSHI KAREN!!! Named after Chef Toshi's daughter, Sushi Karen is now officially my favorite sushi restaurant. I've been to all the popular sushi spots in the Westside and Sushi Karen tops the chart in quality and consistency! The decor is modest, but the sushi is super fresh and the portions are generous. You know a restaurant is GOOD when everyone is a regular... and I've definitely made regulars of all the friends I've brought to this place. Chef Toshi knows everyone by name and puts the utmost care into all his creations. Our faves are the kampachi jalapeno, toro, uni and shishito tempura. This place is a must try for all sushi lovers! Pros: Fresh Sushi, Generous Portions, Chef Toshi more
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Love this place! 4/14/2006

My friend raved about this place & took me there. What a surprise! It's very small inside, so reservations are recommended if you want to seat at the Sushi Bar. Anyhow, to the FOOD! The Kanpachi is fabulous! It's thinly sliced Amberjack with a slice of Jalepeno and other stuff... it's such a great combination! And everything is served with the sauces all fancy with swirls. The tempura roll is also wonderful with these little round colorful rice crackers! And don't forget to ask about the ""Candy Crabs""!!! How fun! Pros: Fresh Fish, Presentation, Flavors Cons: Small space more
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Menu for Sushi Karen Japanese


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Editorial

  • Culver City sushi restaurant popular for first-class fish at reasonable prices and skill of sushi chef/owner Toshi; teriyaki, tempura also served.

  • 10/28/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Lunch hours: Mon - Fri, 11:30am - 2:15pm. Dinner hours: Mon - Thu, 5pm - 9:30pm; Fri, Sat, 5am - 10pm. Sun, closed
  • Neighborhoods: Washington Culver
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