GOH Japanese Restaurant by Kiyokawa

The best sushi ever! Naomi, the hostess was so kind, and the sushi chef teddy was kind and amazing! This is my new favorite place!

service: We arrived a bit earlier than 5 when they open, so we waited outside. We really didn’t mind. But when 5:00 came and they were still fixing a sign on the outside, we had to ask if we could come in. The man couldn’t answer and had to ask his manager who said «yes.» But rather than a welcoming Irashaimasse! She just said, «Sure, come in.» We sat at the bar because we like watching the sushi chef make the sushi, and it’s more comfortable for us being handed the dishes straight from the chef. Yet, this chef didn’t acknowledge us. Rather than handing the dish to us, (we are sitting directly in front of him) he had to call the server, hand it to her, and then hand it to us. Pretty ridiculous and laughable. It wasn’t until he heard me speak Japanese that he smiled and said thank you, and made an effort to talk to us.
Sushi– Sushi was delicious, but very small compared to other sushi places. We eat a lot of sushi, and this was small in comparison, and overpriced for the size you get. Also, the ikura (slamon egg sushi) we got wasn’t drained all the way, and was way too watery.
Overall: good sushi but small.
Awkwardness between chef and customers right in front of him. If people are sitting right in front of the chef at the bar, hand the dish directly to us!

Very fresh rolls. Super nice staff. Very kid friendly. Plus they give away small potted plants and flowers out front, asking that you take them home and treat them with love. Definitely coming back when in the neighborhood.

Small restaurant. Get reservations. Though we had the whole restaurant to ourselves at 5pm on a Saturday. Street parking.
5 diff types of Omakases w a mix of sushi, sashimi, appetizers, dessert. They change up what they offer in the omakases. You can order items a la carte.
Polite servers, great service.
The décor looks simple and dress code can be casual.
Fav dishes:
Wood smoked trout (looks like salmon)
Premium cut Blue Fin toro– falls apart as u pull on it
Cooked black snapper
snap pea tofu
Lumberjack
Amberjack
Yellowfin– tasty but a smidge of bitterness
Spanish tuna
toro
Homemade chocolate mousse
The following were just ok. A bit flavorless or i didnt like the flavor. Some were chewier than id like as i like my sashimi to melt in my mouth:
big eye tuna
mackrel
Seared bonito
hawaiian tuna
Grilled tuna cheek– dense and a bit tough
You can tell them what u don’t like. I forgot to tell them i dont like abalone as it is hard and crunchy.

Minimalist, sashimi directed with some insertions of delicate sushi and absolute freshness. Very intimate omakase only balcony. One of the nicest cuts and freshness I have ever seen. And I have been around when we talk sushi. 4.5 stars.

I was here last week after running some errands in Robertson Blvd. I decided to stop by in the evening as I have always been curious about this place. Great decision! From the moment I stepped in until I left I was treated so well. I sat at the bar as I was by myself. Staff was incredibly nice to me. I ordered a Japanese beer that I cant remember the name of (starts with A) and it was amazing. I then ordered several nigiri and all of them were great!!! Fish was super fresh. Nothing was fishy, everything was very good. I will be coming back and I definitely recommend. The place is small so it can be very intimate!

This is a cute hole in the wall sushi place located on a quieter part of Robertson. The place is quite low key and you can easily pass by without seeing it.
I ordered the Platinum omakase. The waitress explained that the difference between the gold and the platinum was the number of items and the quality of the items. I got a good mix of appetizers, hot dishes and sushi, and the presentation of everything was definitely a high point during the dinner. A party next to us ordered the gold so I was able to see what platinum got for the extra $ 70. Here was what I had:
Scallop appetizer: Sweet hokkaido scallops mixed with cucumbers and onions. Super refreshing! [Gold omakase had a salmon appetizer]
Assortment box: Cooked carrot, taro, lotus root and peas; seaweed and vegetable; cold tofu with ginger and scallion; smoked mackeral; salmon roe with bean curd skin. Everything was small and dainty, flavors were good but nothing too spectacular. [Gold omakase had a smaller box with less items]
Abalone, oyster, shrimp roe, and sweet shrimp sashimi: Everything was super fresh and flavorful. The sweet shrimp head was included and was still twitching while being served. [Gold omakase had abalone, oyster and scallor sashimi only]
Amberjack, yellow tail and spanish mackeral sashimi: Another great presentation. The fish was super fresh and fatty! [Gold omakase was the same]
Baby yellow tail and yellow tail belly sashimi: Super fresh fish. Loved the presentation with the light shining under the ice and a Nemo and Squirt figurine. [Gold omakase was the same]
Assortment of tempura with salts: Tempura included sweet potato, Japanese radish, Japanese sweet potato, eggplant, fish wrapped in shiso leaf. The dipping salts included matcha salt, spicy salt, seaweed salt, original sea salt, and grated daikon with tempura sauce. It was a fun presentation and great to try different combinations of tempura with salts. [Gold omakase didn’t get the salts]
Black cod: The cod was cooked perfectly, super tender and moist. My only complain was the sauce was a bit on the salty side. [Gold omakase was the same]
Alaskan king crab leg on top of charcoal grill: Super meat king crab leg. The charcoal grill added a hint of smoky flavor to it. This was served with a side of lemon wedge and ponzu sauce. My only concern was that the crab itself was a bit on the saltier side. [Gold omakase did not get this dish]
Kagoshima wagyu beef with seared foie gras: They didn’t say what the grading for the beef was, but it didn’t taste like A5. The fat wasn’t as evenly marbled and didn’t melt in my mouth. Also the foie gras wasn’t too fatty either. Not sure if this was due to the fact that the steak and foie gras came out a bit cold or because the quality wasn’t great. Temperature-​wise, the hottest thing on the plate was the grilled pepper. [Gold omakase did not get this dish]
Then we moved on to the following sushi courses. Sushi wasn’t that great. The fish was definitely not as great as the sashimi quality and the rice was not very good. The white fish sushi were so bland that I couldn’t taste any fish flavors. The rice tasted a bit too dense and not too fresh. [Gold omakase received the same sushi]
Smoked artic char — fun presentation with the smoke
Salmon sushi –not very fatty or flavorful
Red snapper — no flavor whatsoever
Halibut — no flavor whatsoever
Toro — not that fatty and had veins
Bluefin tuna — no flavor whatsoever
Uni with truffle butter — uni was good but didn’t taste any truffle or butter flavors
Then it moved to the dessert courses:
Homemade green tea ice cream: good flavors but not creamy enough. Could still taste the ice crystals [Gold omakase was the same]
Fruit with bavarian cream was pretty good. Though it could have used more fruit. [Gold omakase was the same]
Overall, the food was pretty good and service was impeccable. But the price tag didn’t justify the quality of the food provided. I’d rather pay a little bit more and go to yamakase where everything is amazing from start to finish.
Parking: Free street metered parking in the evening!

A very intimate and personalized dining experience. GOH has various omakase offerings that begin at $ 90 and go up to $ 250 as well as strictly sushi and sashimi omakases. You can also order a la carte. We opted for the Gold Omakase ($ 180 pp) which was an assortment of sashimi, sushi, grilled dishes and two desserts! The amount of food you get almost justifies the hefty price tag. You will definitely leave very full and very satisfied. The waitress here was the sweetest and provided one of the best services I’ve ever received at a restaurant. GOH is very considerate and accommodating and will ask your table if anyone has any allergies or foods they cannot eat. I have an aversion to shellfish and they were kind enough to make substitutions for me. When the rest of the table received a plate of scallops and oysters, they made me a special plate of three different types of sashimi, which I really appreciated.
Can’t recall each and every dish that we were served but one of the most memorable courses was the plate of sushi that consisted of smoked salmon, salmon, amberjack and baby seabass sushi. The smoked salmon nigiri was served covered by a still-​smoking glass bowl and was exceptional. The baby yellowtail sashimi was also melt-​in-​your mouth amazing. Both grilled fish dishes were perfectly executed with delicious savory sauces that made me want to literally lick the plates clean. All of the sashimi was fresh and delicious and generously portioned. For dessert we were first served a banana chocolate mousse sort of cake. The flavors were delicate and the combination of chocolate and banana was perfectly sweet and delicious. I could have easily eaten three more servings. Homemade mochi (tangerine and pineapple) alongside green matcha tea were served in an actual treasure box to conclude the meal. Opening the treasure box to find these treats was a delightful surprise. Mochi was super soft and delicious but left me craving something sweeter.
Strictly food-​wise this doesn’t make my list of top omakase experiences but this was one of the more unique in terms of exquisite presentation and the service was beyond amazing.

GOH’s best qualities are the amazing quality of fish and the bold, playful presentation of their dishes.
The ambiance is quiet and intimate. They offer a selection of omakase courses from a roughly $ 90 6-​course menu to a $ 200+ Platinum omakase. They also have a sushi, sashimi, and sushi + sashimi omakase. We ended up going for the $ 185 12-​course Gold omakase.
The service is exceptional there. There is a high level of attentiveness, the waitress was bilingual and spoke fluently in both Japanese and English, and before the food arrived, they asked if we had any allergies/​likes/​dislikes. My girlfriend preferred fish over shellfish, and they were kind enough to modify or completely change certain courses for her.
As for the food itself, they change the menu each month or so apparently so I’ll point out just the particularly notable items. Generally speaking though, all of the fish is easily on par with LA’s other top sushi restaurants. The sushi and sashimi come with a delicate and high quality soy sauce and real wasabi.
Seared Bonito — Very fresh, but tasted fishier than I would have liked. This is literally the only complaint I will have about the food for the rest of the meal.
Spanish Mackerel Sashimi (Aji) — Some of the best aji i’ve ever had. Aji has a tendency to taste a bit fishy as a default, but the aji here was not at all, while still being full flavored.
Yellowtail Sashimi — The yellowtail and yellowtail belly was amazing of course, but the real novelty came from its presentation. The face of a toy Nemo (from Finding Nemo) is visible just below the sashimi, making it look like you’re eating the character’s flesh. Maybe a bit morbid, and probably edging the line of tackiness, but I personally thought it was funny. Nice to see a fancy restaurant that isn’t afraid of having a bit of fun.
Sushi Plate — The first sushi plate had smoked salmon underneath a bowl still filled with smoke, as well as another piece of salmon sushi, baby sea bass, and snapper I think. When you lift the bowl, the smoke pours out. This was definitely some of the best sushi I’ve had in general, with each piece on this first plate having unique and exquisite flavors.
Mochi — The dessert was fine, very good mochi. The memorable part is again the presentation; it’s served inside a lit treasure chest.
Overall, a top notch sushi and sashimi experience. I do wish that they were more adventurous with their fish selection, the types of fish were all common ones like tuna, yellowtail, salmon, and snapper. However, the execution was perfect so this is more of a suggestion than a complaint. This is definitely a restaurant worth experiencing.

So fresh and delicious! One of the most amazing meals I’ve had in the area! I had one of the omakase chef menus and everything was unforgettable. Definitely check out this hidden little gem if you’re in the area! A little small but still intimate; great place for a 1 on 1 dinner or small groups!

Superb authentic real Japanese cuisine cooked by real Japanese chefs served by a very friendly staff :)

I went there yesterday to treat my mom for her bday dinner, it was her first time there, and I will never be able to thank this place enough for making her night so special! They had a beautiful flower arrangement ready with a card for her, the Omakase was divine as usual, and at the end they brought her this pineapple as a cake with fruits and frozen yogurt inside, which it was heaven. It was definitely a night to be remembered and she deserves… This place has all my respect and even more admiration because as much as I tried to make my mom’s day special without their surprises her dinner wouldn’t be as unforgettable as it is. Thank You so Much Guys, You definitely deserve 10 stars from me!!!

GOH is a beautiful restaurant with a fantastic atmosphere. Romantic, relaxing, and thoroughly enjoyable. The dim lighting and soft jazz music provides the perfect ambiance for their fantastic food.
GOH offers courses as well as a-​la-​carte, but this time I decided to try a-​la-​carte. There is a great variety of choices that many people will enjoy. If you prefer traditional sashimi, rolls, or various other Japanese dishes, GOH has something for everyone. Specialties like the Yellowtail with jalapeño in garlic soy sauce, the Tokyo Roll with Albacore and spicy tuna, or the marinated miso eggplant are all delicious. You really can’t go wrong with any choices.
*If you love great sake, I would also highly recommend the new organic sake by Mr. Kimura (I can’t remember the name off hand, but that info will help you order it).
Besides the great atmosphere and delicious food, the service is extraordinary. The new owner of the restaurant and all the servers really go out of their way to make sure everyone is happy and taken care of. I love good food, but I REALLY LOVE great service, and GOH was truly a fantastic experience.
I can’t wait to GOH back. :)

First of all, the guy saying he’s had friends who’ve had ⁴⁄₅ michelin star experiences. The max is 3.
We came here because of the good reviews and perhaps I should’ve read the reviews more carefully. The sushi was just ok, the typical fare with nothing out of the ordinary at double the price. If you ask for your sushi to be made with wasabi you get a dollop of fresh wasabi on top instead of artfully placed between fish and rice. Seasoning on rice was good not great. Best part of the night was the attentive waitress. If you’ve never had sushi and want to overspend for fanciness then you could come here but honestly for the same price you could get better and more from elsewhere. They seem to cater to more americanize sushi.

Some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. The restaurant itself could use a couple cosmetic touch ups but the food was amazing, the food is 5 stars for sure! It was my first omakase experience but there were people there that were from out of town and heard how great the food was and made it a stop on their road trip. Very special.
Each dish was nicely plated, some stand outs were the cooked mackerel. They really marinated it deliciously and got rid of a lot of the fishy taste, making it taste kind of like swordfish. The homemade green tea ice cream was very good, a little bit icy but the taste was very intensely green tea. And of course every piece of sashimi/​nigiri was on point.
Some of the waiters dressed in traditional japanese clothing and it added to the atmosphere of the place. Might be a kitschy thing to notice but I liked it, it was fun and made the experience more enjoyable, to me. One of my favorite and most stimulating eating experiences, I would have given it 5 stars if the seat cushion were even and I didn’t notice some unfinished construction details.

Great omakase and live selection! It’s an intimate restaurant with a great wait staff. Big fan of the amaebi here too. brought out in classic fashion with the shrimp head still moving.
Street parking is easy too. I’ve been here a few times and haven’t been let down. I can see this being a cute place for dates if you’re both in need of a sushi fixin.

If you like eating stale fish in a box they bout hh from homegoods. This is your place.
I don’t even think those boxes that the food comes in is food grade.
My husband and I came here cause we saw the reviews on Unilocal.Boy oh boy were we mislead! Thanks guys. :/​. But I will promise not to paint a bogus picture of fancy dinning that is masked by all the décor items they include in your meal.
The good is weird and not delicious. I specifically remember there was a dish of something on sticks. Some kind of meat or fish on a stick. When this dish came we knew we had been tricked by the beautiful pictures. This restaurant focuses on the surprise aspect of food. And not the freshness and the taste.
I seriously don’t understand the great reviews.
Don’t waste your money and your time.

My bf and I came here last year for our four year anniversary, and it was so good, the hubby and I decided to come back again for our fifth year anniversary this coming Thursday ^_​_​_​^
Reading all the awesome reviews, I couldn’t help but find myself salivating. The hubs and I both got the omakase, which I think translate to chef’s choice? To break it down for my fellow Unilocalers, the omakase consists of 6 – 7 entrees of different assortments of raw fish presented nicely to showcase the various sashimi from all parts of the world. And for about $ 88 a person, you can’t go wrong with ordering the omakase. I recall the server explaining that the sashimi were originally fished from Spain, Norway, and the like.
The sashimi is super fresh and sweet. So much so that it felt like the sashimi melted in my mouth. Mmm! I found myself yearning for more, but it was time for the next entrée.
Every entrée was presented nicely. The hubs and I were definitely impressed with each passing entrée. (: definitely try the omakase when visiting Kiyokawa!

Very small and intimate dining experience at Kiyokawa.
Who would have thought such an unassuming restaurant can deliver one of the more interesting and playful omakase dinners.
Chef Sato is quiet, focused, and precise in his execution.
Visited again for the 5 course omakase and it did not disappoint.
The food is always playfully plated, like artwork.
Hot items are creative and tasty such as the seafood fritters with rice cracker coating. The food delivers in taste, aesthetics and very important to me texture.
The sushi is fresh with buttery fishes. All the fancy cuts that melt in your mouth. Toro, uni, Spanish mackerel, Hawaiian tuna… snapper.
You will be delighted with crunchy, crispy, delicate, sweet and silky, fresh and citrusy during your meal at Kiyokawa.

Had a really great experience here!
First time here, and for future first timers, I would recommend you get the omakase ($ 88). They take reservations and street parking was super easy on a Friday evening at 8PM.
The service is super attentive, and all the staff are Japanese, including the sushi chefs. Each order of the omakase had wonderful presentation, and the sushi is one of the freshest I’ve ever tasted. The amaebi was the most memorable (the freshest I’ve eaten). A bunch of people were squirming that the amaebi head was still moving.
I would come back to try their sushi a la carte. For one of the omakase, I could’ve done without the 6 piece set in a box.
For dessert, I would recommend the sorbet, though I had the black sesame ice cream which was delicious. The sorbet I’ve eaten on an oyster before, so it was surprising that I had that same sorbet for dessert (surprising because it was super yummy and was afraid I’d never have it again).