Japon Bistro

The Sake Pairing events give an opportunity to taste different types of high quality sake along with the food being served. It is something you really don't want to miss and bring along some of your friends. I guarantee you will have fun...as long as the sake keeps flowing!

Pros: Great fun, meet new people, delicious food, Excellent Sake!

Cons: Too small?

Posted 10/19/09

I'm not really into seafood but went here with some friends who really enjoy sushi. We ordered quite a bit of food and drinks and the check was very reasonable ($200) for a dinner party of four. Everything was good and I surprised myself by tasting everything. I especially liked the drunken rock shrimp. The waiters were very helpful and offered suggestions which were great.

Pros: Good quality food

Cons: Floors are slippery and bathrooms are in need of updating

Posted 05/24/09

I went to Japon Bistro for lunch with co-workers last week. I was surprised at how good the food was. I had never been there before but my co-workers have. Most of our are Japanese, but I didn't bother to ask the person from Japan if it was authentic, so I have no input there. I had the Shokado Bento (premium lunch box) which was delish, and several others ordered the cooked fish (black cod, yellowtail collar, & sea bass) and the all loved it. My Bento Box had a little bit of everything, sashimi, katsu, etc and everything was perfect. The sashimi was fresh and of good quality. The owner came over to say hello to my co-workers which I thought was nice. We had a great time. We were in and out within our one hour lunch and very satisfied. I'm taking my family back there for dinner on Friday evening, so I'm a soon to be repeat customer. I'll have to try to sushi when I'm on my own tab so I can comment on that next. Overall, very happy. Good place for couples on date, small groups, etc. Lunch was priced between $10-$15 which I thought was more than reasonable given the quality.

Pros: Quick delivery at lunch, high quality food, good variety

Cons: Smaller restaurant so prob crowded on weekends or prime time

Posted 04/29/09

Who the heck voted Japon Bistro as the Best Sushi in Los Angeles??? Where's Go 55? Where's Sushi Gen? and Sasabune is number 3? how about Matsuhisa? There are so many great sushi restaurants and Japon Bistro rates towards the bottom. Their fish is simply not up to snuff and it's way overpriced for what you get. A fast food sushi join is better. The guy who wrote that this place is just like Japan must be insane. Are you nuts??? Have you even been to Japan? Next time, go to Japon Bistro and see how many Japanese people actually dine there -- no one I saw was Japanese. Go to any good sushi restaurant and you will see true sushi aficionados, including real "Japanese" people. This goes to show you that this rating system and the vote is completely bogus and all of the review are FAKE!!!! I don't usually write this but I'm angry these so called "independent" reviewers are misleading others. I am a great fan of food and Japon Bistro is not only below average, it is dishonest in the way it conducts its business -- I would agree with one reviewer who believes that this rating was rigged. Japon Bistro simply cannot be on top sushi restaurant list in Los Angeles or anywhere -- if it were true, Los Angeles is in serious trouble. Thank god for real sushi houses.

Pros: It's in Pasadena

Cons: Dishonest reviwers

Posted 07/07/08

Preface:
While I am not a sushi expert I do know good seafood. I am a trained chef, and have traveled extensively searching out great foods. During my time I have had the chance to sample foods, including sushi, from around the world. I can still enjoy your average American sushi but have come to view it as separate from its Japanese counterpart. Invariably when someone says they are taking me to an ?authentic? sushi restaurant I am left with something that is in some way Americanized. When I was invited to Japon Bistro on my last trip to L.A. I was expecting more of the same.

Upon hearing about the location of the place my trepidation was fueled further. It?s on Colorado Blvd which is a ?trendy? area, and in my experience trendy often means bad. My fears were put to rest upon arrival. It is a bit down the road from the more touristy places.

We started with Edamame. It had the right salt content and satisfied as much as Edamame can. The sake was spectacular. First of all the selection here is greater than any I have seen in a restaurant outside of Japan. Of particular note is the great selection of short shelf life Namazake. (If you have never had unpasteurized sake you must try it) The sampler included 4 different types and the flavors complemented each course perfectly. Each was very unique in its taste.

For the main course we had a wide variety of foods including many types of Nigiri-zushi, mussel, and 1 or 2 rolls. The freshness was simply stunning, what makes this even more amazing is that it was Sunday; I wonder what its like on a Wednesday or Thursday when the fish markets are open. The fish was amazingly clean in taste and prepared absolutely perfectly. Of particular note is the cold-smoked salmon. The flavor is stunning and borders on the best smoked salmon I have ever had. It combines a mild hint of apple and smoke while still maintaining the purity of the salmon.

Overall an amazing place and a must stop for me on every visit

Pros: Quality, Authenticity, Sake, Friendly Staff

Cons: Smallish place, Certain Sake only available during short periods

Posted 07/06/08

I went to this place because it had a huge sign outside saying it was voted as one of best in Pasadena by City Search -- now I am wondering who voted. Sushi --not fresh at all. I've had better from the deli section at Ralphs; tempura, terrible, do they understand the concept of tempura? it was greasy and dry. Service was average. They tried to come up with "creative" dishes that just fall flat on its face. Nothing to write home about. After spending $100 for two, I can say that don't go to this place. It's not for people who really understand sushi and good food. I would stick to Sushi of Naples which has better sushi (not the Best) but heck of a lot better than this place. Oh stay away from Zono Sushi on lake too.

Pros: Nothing

Cons: Food, food, food, food, price.

Posted 07/06/08

We have been dining here every week for almost a year now, and we love this place. You can have a Japanese dinner on the more traditional side or you can experiment with their more contemporary dishes, which are also very tasty. The service here is wonderful and friendly. The sushi is always fresh - we love the yellowtail, tuna and Spanish Mackerel. Extensive choice of sake... try the Jozen - and for dessert, you must try their black sesame ice cream... an aboluste treat!

Posted 06/27/08

I am somewhat of a sushi snob, and I have to say that this is fresh! The service was wonderful, and the atmosphere was inviting. What I liked most about this place was that it can appeal to different palates. My mother doesn't like raw fish, but she has a great variety of cooked rolls to choose from. My sister (a hospitality management major) was thrilled to find carpaccio's and tar tars on the menu, my husband has simple tastes and loved the sashimi, and my father and I loved the more outlandish dishes.

Pros: Great service, food, and atmosphere

Cons: Can get crowded on weekends, parking issues

Posted 06/12/08

I just want to reply to the morons who gave this restaurant anything less than 5 stars. if you knew anything about sushi you wouldn't have made your dumb comments about the chef's cutting the fish and the food and everything overall. why don't you idiots go eat at benihana instead it'll suit you more. idiots

Posted 05/30/08

First of all, 22 of the 27 five star reviews are written by people who joined the day of the review and has ONLY written a review for Japan Bistro. Granted, there are still those 5 people who gave 5 stars and seem to have legit accounts, but come on! It's bordering on blatant and whoever is doing it should be ashamed! As far as my own experience, this restaurant was nothing special. The fish were fresh but whoever is buying must have taken some bad classes on choice of fish or is too trusting with his fishmonger. The chefs have average cutting skills and it really shows in the texture. Different fish requires different amount of time after cleaning to 'gather' flavor, which the chefs neglect. Customer service is great but can be slow at times. The place is clean and had nice lighting. Overall, this place is nice without all the hype. The hype will just over exaggerate the expectations people have and will ultimately let people down. Not a great way to win repeating customers to the establishment.

Pros: slightly better than average service and ambience

Cons: both the chef and person who buys the fish unfortunately lack experience and good technique

Posted 05/26/08

Ate at Japon Bistro April 2008 and had a fresh and delicious meal. We mostly selected the speciality items off the fresh menu, Kampachi, Spanish mackerel, premium California roll made with fresh crab, ankimo and more. The waiter was attentive and knowledgeable - kept our water and tea glasses fill and answered all questions. The ambiance of the restaurant was welcoming and friendly. We lingered for several hours and were not bothered. We met the owner when we were leaving who asked about our meal and seemed genuinely interested. My friend had a beer - and even with that the entire bill was only $68 - which was really a pleasant surprise. High value for the money and a lovely evening.

The restaurant front is very unassuming, as had been mentioned on other reviews - which was good to know ahead of time. Also only street parking, which was not a problem and free.

Only down fall was the bathrooms - which were just short of filthy. The bathrooms are in an alcove between Japon Bistro and another restaurant next door....and when I mentioned this to one of the restaurant staff she rolled her eyes and lamented how difficult it was to keep them clean. They looked like a truck stop and were not in keeping with the attention to detail of this restaurant.

Pros: Great food and very fresh

Cons: Filthy bathroom

Posted 04/19/08

My husband and I LOVE Japon Bistro - it is our favorite Friday night treat! The sushi is not only incredibly fresh but it is delicious. You must have the SEA BREAM if you go, it is out of this world. All of the rolls are amazing - the target roll and lobster roll are a few favorites. Sometimes service can be a bit slow, so don't plan on rushing through your meal to make a movie or event. The wait staff is so friendly and attentive, too.

Pros: fresh sushi

Cons: sometimes slow service

Posted 04/10/08

we tried this place on a whim, venturing away from our usual hollywood/ westside haunts. to say we were pleasantly surprised is a HUGE understatement. the fish is selected based on freshness; specials change regularly based on the best fish available. there is no overselling - everything is great, but the waiters are well-informed and make honest recommendations designed to satisfy the customer (not to run up a check). each time we've been there we've been awed (literally) by the fresh fish and the unique offerings. (have you ever had live sea urchin? haven't seen that at roku!). the sake is plentiful, the atmosphere is pleasant and the food is great. if you are taking an out of town guest to dinner where they'll see celebrities, this isn't it. if you want the best sushi you've had in eons, this is for you.

Pros: amazingly fresh sushi, friendly atmosphere

Cons: pasadena parking can be a pain

Posted 02/14/08

We were blown away by this restaurant last night. The sushi was spectacular as was the service. Everything was top notch. The only place I've had sushi as good cost about 250 dollars a person. Our dinner last night was complete with 2 "overflowing" glasses of sake (which would be equivalent to 2 glasses EACH in most other places) and we ate a TON of sushi and left a 25% tip...and paid about 100 bucks! The waiter was knowledgable, reccomending things to me I would not have otherwise tried and LOVED. The staff was friendly. There was food on the menu that would've sufficed if people came in who were not sushi lovers. Overall the experience was very positive and we will be back. If I had any negative comment it would be that the restaurant atmosphere is so-so...but that's the only thing I could say that isn't a rave review and even that was not bad. In short, GO GO GO to Japon Bistro!!!

Posted 01/11/08

My girlfriend and I have been frequent patrons of Japon Bistro for over 1 year now. The sushi is spectacular and is one of the major reasons why I commute from my home in Orange County to the Pasadena area. I have dined at sushi restaurants all across Southern California, from Los Angeles to San Diego, and I must say Japon Bistro is at the top of my list. While the sushi is incredibly fresh, the variety of dishes and fish they serve is what sets Japon Bistro apart from other sushi restaurants. In addition, the sake menu is the best I have experienced at any restaurant, sushi or otherwise. I like to think of myself as a "sake connoisseur," and I highly recommend others to experience the fabulous tastes their sake menu has to offer. Finally, the service at Japon Bistro is first class. The staff is always very welcoming and I feel they make every effort to ensure my dining experience is pleasurable.

Eric M. Willens

Pros: sushi, sake, service, ambiance.

Cons: none

Posted 01/11/08

This place is awesome. I've been there a couple of times and the one thing that stands out is the friendly atmosphere and service. The sushi is always fresh and tasty. I recommend the Salmon Carpachio and if you're not sure what to eat just ask for a DNA roll. The service is customer friendly and very knowledgeable on the dishes they serve. It's a great experience and everyone should try it. They have a huge selection of sake. Call ahead of time to reserve a table because it's always busy.

Pros: Great food, service, and owner.

Cons: nothing

Posted 01/08/08

Extremely overrated, less than average sushi that is overpriced for both the quality and portion size at $50 per person. I really do not understand how this restaurant got decent reviews, unless it was from friends and relatives. The yellowtail and salmon were grainy and tough. The hot appetizers flavorless. The seaweed soft and chewy. Service was o.k. The restaurant has decent ambience, but would never go back as both the quality and quantity are better at Gin Sushi, a dive restaurant 2 miles East.

Pros: nothing

Cons: bad fish, overpriced

Posted 01/05/08

After reading all the reviews on City Search, my husband and I decided to try it. We were very disappointed in the whole experience. The food was mediocre and over-priced. Service was okay--the chefs at the bar were much more attentive than the waiter I kept trying to flag down to get a glass of water.

Pros: Parking lot around the corner...

Cons: Food; price

Posted 12/28/07

The taro sushi (fatty tuna) was $15.00 for each order ($7.50 each piece) & it was big and nasty! Katsuya in Studio City has a waayy better taro for $8.00 an order. Everything else was ok. Not a big sake drinker, so the place did not appeal to me.

Pros: Fresh oysters

Cons: overprices taro ($15 for 2 pieces)

Posted 12/17/07

I love this place. Having gone there frequently over the past 3 years I can say the food and service are consistently great. Koji is extremely friendly and willing to give you loads of info on sake and will sit with you and enjoy it as well. The sushi chefs are always smiling, will make fantastic suggestions when asked and the presentation is always perfect. The Toro is to die for and all the fish is extremely fresh.

To sum up Japon Bistro - PERFECTION!!

You are awesome Koji!!

Pros: fresh fish, great service, ample parking

Cons: none

Posted 11/25/07

I brought a good friend to Japon Bistro to celebrate her birthday. Our experience, in every aspect, was excellent. Koji, the manager, greeted us cheerfully and spent a good amount of time with us providing his recommendations for dinner. My friend loved the "museum roll" with an amazing smoked salmon (Koji explained the salmon is smoked in Japon Bistro's own kitchen, and boy, you could really taste the difference!) The sake selection was impressive and fun to choose from. Our waiter was friendly, personable, and always smiling. What made our experience stand out (aside from the awesome food) was the customer service. Koji and our waiter (sorry, didn't get his name) stopped by our table constantly and gave us plenty of attention. We were made to feel like special customers. Dinner was capped off with a tasty dessert of fried bananas with several delicate scoops of sesame seed, lychee, and mango ice creams. Yummy! The staff sang "Happy Birthday", much to the delight of my friend. I was so happy and satisfied with my experience at Japon Bistro, and my friend couldn't stop raving about what a great place it was. Thank you, Japon Bistro, for an extremely positive and memorable evening!

Posted 10/19/07

While visiting Pasadena from the East Coast a few weeks ago, several people highly recommended Japon Bistro as the best restaurant offerring sushi in the area. Much to my surprise not only was the Japanese cuisine exquisite but the extensive sake list was "over the top."

The atmosphere was delightful as well as the friendliness of the waitstaff/personnel in this fine establishment. The preparation and presentation of my meal was tasteful and eye pleasing!

I certainly recommend Japon Bistro for the discerning diner seeking top notch Japanese specialties and a wonderful meal.

DON'T MISS THIS GEM!!!

Pros: EXCELLENT VARIETY OF AUTHENTIC CUISINE

Posted 10/17/07

this sort-a obscure spot is a diamond in the rough. with many pasadena sushi resturants having the 1/2 price tag after their names, this ONE is the real deal. after reading the #1 rating, i decided to try this sushi bar thinking CS was "bought". I am very happy to say I was absolutely wrong...sorry CS. the owner was walking around last night talking to customers and really enjoying his sushi audience. I believe his name was clarence. every item was fresh and very well ppresented. known for it's saki's, however i had beer. service was prompt, and no "attitude" from anyone. this restaurant is literally right around the corner from the famous IceHouse, which was our final destination. If you are a serious sushi eater, this is a great spot.

Pros: Absolutely the freshest sushi in the city of Pasadena

Cons: parking in Pasadena is a pain, but be patient

Posted 08/10/07

I love coming to the Japon Bistro. They have the best sushi ever and excellent service in Los Angeles.

Posted 06/27/07

I was not a great fan of raw fish but Japon Bistro made me crazy for sushi. Its sea bream, spanish mackerel, tuna, salmon, toro, bluefin tuna...you name it...everything is great AND FRESH. The special rolls, appetizers and rare and unique tasting sakes...can't leave out anything. I loved this place and now it becomes my family's favourite. My daughter loves egg sushi (tamago), my wife is crazy about toro sushi and sashimi roll. My son can't say no to Nabeyaki udon. Service? I've never had such attentive and friendly servers in anywhere else. They take good care of the customers. It seems like servers know all the customers, asking about the family and work etc. Incredible thing is, when I came back with my co-workers, she still remembers my family and asked about them...I was amazed. Definitely our favourite!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Pros: freshness of food, friendliness of servers and chefs

Cons: tricky to find coz it has small sign outside...

Posted 06/25/07

Everything we had was cooked or prepared exquisitely. I'm usually not a fan of large complex rolls, but their special rolls had such wonderful taste and texture. Highly recommended.

Posted 06/22/07

I've been to Japon Bistro twice in about four years time and am often ambivalent about the experience. First, the menu is great and their selection is varied and interesting compared to what the local Japanese restaurants offer. However, the actual quality of the food is not as outstanding. The sushi is good but not of extreme quality and the cut rolls are not as crisp as they could be. The hot food items are decent though nothing to get excited about. On any given night, the restaurant is always almost only 50% full. I'm not sure if they really want to improve upon their business and marketing but first they need to get another sign made because you can barely see the restaurant from off the street. The Pita Pita restaurant next to them is more obvious! Also, the service is not extremely attentive and the overall atmosphere feels a bit detached.

Pros: Nice little hole in the wall feel with decent sake selection

Cons: Parking can be tricky as to even flnding the place...

Posted 04/01/07

I highly recommend this sushi restaurant if you are looking for good food, good sushi, good sake choices, good atmosphere, and a great dining experience! The menu has something for everyone - and though the ambiance is incredible, quiet, and romantic - our kids love this restuarant too. This is not your average sushi restaurant, and the food preparations are beautiful as well as delicious. The staff is very firendly, and the owner should be commended on how well the restaurant is run - we have been dining here for two years without a flaw. If you had a bad experience at this fine establishment, you came in looking for fast food service sushi, and cheap prices.

Pros: Ambiance, sake choices, interesting sushi choices

Posted 03/22/07

We decided to try this place due to most of the responses below. We had to park on the street which, by the way, led to some damage to my car because of some angry man on a violent rampage pushing newspaper stands into Colorado blvd, but anyways...
We came on a Friday night and were seated right away (got there around 8pm). They filled up a little later. We let the waitress know it was our first time and she made sure to explain all the menus/specials and made sure he had everything we needed. Even after we were done she made sure that we were satisfied w/ our experience. Very nice girl.
I drank a sake sampler... good. Started off w/ edamame... good of course. My boyfriend had chicken teriyaki and that was very good. Sometimes the chicken (at any given place) may be kinda fatty, but theirs was lean. Yum! We tried so many sushi rolls. Too many. But geez, they were really good. I suggest the sashimi roll and the museum roll. Amazingly good. This may be our new sushi place.
P.S. I liked their music.

Pros: Great sushi! Good music (even though no one really pays attention)

Cons: Parking ha ha.

Posted 01/14/07

I don't even like sushi and this restaurant made me a fan. The food is delicious. The service is excellent. The prices aren't too bad. The atmosphere is very romantic and perfect for any date. Parking may be difficult on popular nights. Try to make a reservation but its not always necesary.

Pros: delicious food!

Cons: parking may be hard to find

Posted 11/12/06

Before coming to this restaurant, I never ate any raw fish/foods. But then I was introduced to their Pasadena Roll, which has shrimp tempura, crab, avocado, cucumber, then topped with spicy tuna and tempura crumbs... It was fabulous! This is a must order every time. The restaurant also serves a huge selection of sake, I ordered a sampler and it was delicious... I definitely recommend this place. The small store front may be misleading but once you enter you are pleasantly surpised by the inviting atmosphere. Their service was spectacular... they treated us like we were the only customers in the restaurant and catored to our every need!

Posted 11/08/06

Alright people quit writing your reviews while drunk on sake or beer. The ambiance is pleasant the staff is nice but not trained well (denny's level at best). Sushi about a C+, cooked food was awful. Even the manager came by and apologized for the food being unacceptable saying that he would look check his supplier.

Gave them a second chance but with close to the same results. Very average at best. If your looking for one of the best Japanese restaurants don't go here.

Pros: its in pasadena

Cons: bad food

Posted 11/03/06

Let's get one thing straight about Japon Bistro: This is *Fusion* Japanese food. If you're looking for authentic, "OG" Sushi, check out the best in town, IMHO, Sushi Sasabune. However, that being said, Japon Bistro is a Wonderfully Romantic Fusion Sushi Bar / Restaurant! And it's certainly THE best Japanese Fusion Sushi Bar in the San Gabriel Valley.

I like my Sushi traditional, as most "Fusion" places I go to have been so watered-down, fake, pretentious, or over-priced that it's a huge turnoff. HOWEVER, imagine my surprise when Japon Bistro disproved all of those fears! It's a Cozy, Romantic Fusion Sushi Bar, and it's not overly loud nor crowded (we went on a Saturday night).

The Food was definitely very solid: The Crispy Rice w/ Spicy Tuna appetizer turned out to be very tasty, with the lightly toasted/seared Rice texture working wonderfully with the Spicy Tuna on top. The Seabass marinated in Yu-An sauce (Ocean Combo) was melt-in-your-mouth delicious! And I had to test the straight Sushi (Fish quality): And? Again, it's not the perfection that is Sushi Sasabune, but it's pretty darn good! (The best in the SG Valley.) The Maguro (Tuna) was solid, Hamachi (Yellowtail) was amazing, Amae-Ebi (Sweet Shrimp) was fresh. And the Tamago (cooked Egg) passes the test (this is one of the true tests of a chef's ability), being not too sweet, and with decent puffiness/air inbetween each layer.

They have a variety of wild Fusion Rolls (if that's what you're in the mood for). And the Sake Menu is pretty impressive (a nice selection, however my 3 favorites from Japan were sadly missing). Overall, Japon Bistro is a nice Romantic, Fusion Sushi Bar, with some fun entrees, wild Rolls, and the 2 most important things: Fresh Fish (good quality), and a Warm, Humble Attitude (which is shocking for an upscale Fusion Sushi Bar). A solid "A".

Pros: Fusion Dishes; Fresh Fish; Cozy Atmosphere in a Modern Way

Cons: Slightly pricey; Not as good as the top tier in So Cal

Posted 09/23/06

You can get it clean and straight ahead, or you can get it with a southwest fusion flair. Either way, Japon Bistro won't disappoint. Not cheap, but worth the price. Lunch specials are a very good deal. Tempura is crispy and light. The Rib Eye lunch special gets you loads of meat for the price. When feeling more adventuresome, do dinner -- the specials and different versions of Japanese will have you ready to try more new things. Recommended: crispy rice, southwest roll (if you can handle spicy)... can't think of all the rest... but all good.

Posted 07/16/06

I've been a Pasadena resident for 7 years and tried every sushi establishment in LA and this is absolutely one of the best. Friendly staff, fast service every time I've gone...which is about twice a month. Everything on the menu is unique, fresh and delicious. Nice portion sizes and always, always great quality food! Thanks Japon for being consistently great!

Pros: Can always get a table, no wait. Consistently good. Easy parking on the street.

Cons: None

Posted 07/11/06

The sushi was excellent. Unique rolls that i fell in love with instantly! The service was superb and the atmosphere was welcoming. Ive gone to many sushi places, about 10-15, and this by far tops all!!! This place knows their stuff. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Pros: Everything.

Cons: Nothing I can think of.

Posted 06/27/06

While I have found the service to be spotty at peak times, overall, this is a highly recommended japanese restaurant. The sushi is fresh, and the presentation not pretentious. Best crunch roll I've ever had was prepared here. Lunch specials are inexpensive, quality, and fast. But if you have time to spare, sit at the bar, and the chefs will prepare whatever you like.

If you like saki, then this is your place. The selection is wonderful, with new ones arriving all the time. Often, I have tried saki off the list. Presentation of the saki pour is fantastic. You have to go to experience it.

The owner is frequently found walking the restaurant and helping out, and from the conversations I've had with him, it is obvious he cares about his guests.

WARNING - parking is horrible, and the place can be tough to find. Best bet is to park on a side street, or behind the building and walk. Access to the place is through a tiny door on Colorado Blvd.

Pros: FRESH AND FAST; GREAT SELECTION OF DISHES; UNIQUE ROLLS

Cons: PARKING AND ACCESS

Posted 06/24/06

We eat out at least 7 times a week. And we love sushi! It is hard to beat Japon Bistro. The restaurant is very inviting, the staff is friendly and attentive and the food is great. The fish is very fresh and they often have choices that are to find in other well-know sushi bars. Also, they have the best sake selection east of Santa Monica!

Pros: fish, ambience

Cons: parking

Posted 06/23/06

It's a enjoyable small Jap restauarnt with good quality fish!
price is reasonable and food is enjoyable!
recommended!

Posted 06/21/06

Very slow service. We need to wait long time for food and even the bill.
Food is just ok, nothing special bout it

Posted 06/20/06

the ambiance of the restaurant is nice and romantic but that's about it at this sushi restaurant. the fish was of average quality, so if you can forego the decor of a sushi bar i would go to a different place to get the same quality of fish for much better prices. plus the sushi/sashimi variety is limited (trust me i've worked in the sushi business). the worst part of my dining experience was the service. the staff couldn't even communicate with each other correctly and the server argued with us and basically called us liars. definitely pass this place by b/c the only thing thats stellar about japon bistro is the decorations and that's about it.

Pros: decor

Cons: service, overpriced for sushi

Posted 04/08/06

Suprisingly, there were only 3 tables occupied when we walked in on a Saturday night in central Pasadena. The little fountain and green tea colored walls were calming and inviting, but immediately I was wondering about the "yet affordable" claim. A Philidelphia roll was $12 and tea, $1 (normally complementary).
My Japon roll was five pieces the size of teacup saucers and was a grand old, tasty mess. The drink menu was mainly exotic saki, and my selection proved to be quite good - a highlight. My boyfriend ordered the chicken and mushroom entree which was polite to the palate, and almost apologetic in lack of flavor. The meal (2 rolls, 2 pieces of shrimp, one entree, one cocktail, 2 teas) set him back $60!!!!! Not for the artist's wallet. Maybe a nice place to impress a client, a visiting relative, or a date with a heart condition.

Pros: upscale

Cons: not that affordable

Posted 09/16/05

When it comes to the food and sake, it easily ranks with the best. But the atmosphere is probably unmatched. It seems to always be busy. Whether its a subdued tuesday evening or the upbeat live entertainment on thursdays and fridays, this place has a mood for you. Just pick your day. Sometimes I want to just chill and chat with friends and other times I just want to listen to the music. I have a choice, and in either case the food is always great! Come on different days and find what suits your mood. I did.

Pros: Succulent Food, Upscale Ambience, Friendly Staff

Posted 07/18/05

Nice atmosphere, good food for a decent price. Fresh and tasty is their motto. Great place to eat.

Posted 06/14/05

Sushi chef personally selects from the fish markets daily best. Specializes in fish found only in Japan with correct texture of the rice. Sake selection is outstanding and the ambience is cozy. Staff is very friendly and attentive but on a recent busy night, service was a bit slow.

Pros: Best Sushi Chef, great sake selection, friendly management

Cons: slow serve when busy

Posted 06/13/05

The worst service ever. The manager was hostile, arrogant and rude. I'll never go here again.

Posted 05/15/05

if i could drink cold sake everywhere, i'd be a happy camper. JB has one of the best sake lists on the whole area. They have sakes i haven't seen since NYC's famous Sakagura (sake club) restaurant. for the real sushi afficianados, chef "Ichi" prepares a wonderful albacore salad, as well as my favorite, salmon carpaccio. and my date was most impressed with the ginger creme brulee for dessert!

Pros: sake list, sushi, seating

Cons: parking

Posted 04/29/05

They have quite extensive selections of sushi and sake. Ordered the tuna sashimi, yellowtail and albacore. They were all delicious and fresh. The chicken teriyaki came out good, although personally I would have prefered breast meat. The parking can be tricky but shouldnt be an issue if one was to look for a decent sushi bar.

Pros: fresh, sake list

Posted 11/19/04

We haven't had better sushi since we moved to Pasadena 4 years ago. We had to go to the Valley before, but now we can stay home and eat great Japanese cuisine.

Pros: Sushi, service, food

Posted 07/25/04