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Shirube, Santa Monica, CA

Shirube

4.7
4.7
42 Reviews
$31 to $50
Japanese
The first ever Shirube was established in Tokyo, in 1968, by Takashi Uno, who quickly earned the nickname 'God Father of Izakaya'. Since then, it has become a business passed down from father to sons, who have grown Shirube to 12 locations all over Japan. Kodai and Yudai Uno have brought Shirube to Santa Monica, for its first ever U.S location. We are a traditional, Japanese Izakaya centered around quality food and amazing customer service. Our signature dishes of Sashimi Mori, Abure Shime Saba, and Mentaiko Udon, are rapidly winning the hearts of all who give them a try. Our ever growing cocktail menu, has a blend of sake, soju, and shochu based beverages to delight the senses and offer a unique and memorable take on your favorite drinks. The interior is moody and carefully cultivated to give a cozy, intimate feeling to our diners.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 53 times today
Experiences are available.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Izakaya, Washoku
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 3:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–6:30 pm Sat, Sun 3:00 pm–5:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (310) 393-2533
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

Experiences

  • Late Night Desserts and Drinks

    Multiple dates available
    The kitchen closes at 10:00, however we do offer a selection of desserts, and dessert cocktails/wines for our last hour of service. Walk-ins available and welcome.
  • Private Room

    Multiple dates available
    The Private Room is separated from the main dining. It seats up to 8 comfortably, and is designed for a more private and excluded experience.

What 42 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Westside

    Japanese

42 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Orange County

    9 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Was excited to hear shirube made it to LA! Loved the entrance—could be easy for people to miss. Ambience is great but it was a tad loud for us. Food was amazing as expected, and loved that it was so open and you could see the prep/cooking area :) value honestly wasn’t bad, but we also didn’t get the overpriced items

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  2. Davis

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall3food4service2ambience3
    Food was good - best thing we got was the hamachi sashimi (wish we ordered the larger sashimi platter since this was our favorite item!) and additionally ordered the chicken karaage (tasty), Dan Dan noodles (just alright), and unagi bowl (very rice-heavy and could use some extra flavor). Mainly was disappointed in the service - I know they are new so understand they are adjusting to increased crowd, but restaurant seemed understaffed for front of house (servers seemed to be covering more than could handle). We also made a reservation for a table and after waiting 30+ minutes, were told we could only get a bar seat, so perhaps some overbooking done as well which was a little disappointing. The chefs are doing a good job, everything was really fresh and hot, but probably would not return for quite some time until the groove of things is worked out better.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Alabama

    1 review

    vip
    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Food was very solid but coursed/paced somewhat oddly. Overall had a good time but dying to go back. Worth a try

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Excellent cuisine, my Japanese partner was impressed. We’ll be back.

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  5. Yasmeen

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Some of the freshest fish I have ever had in my life. The service is also impeccable- big ups to Kenta for being such a friendly guy at the bar. Will be coming back in literally a week. My wallet's about to hate me. Bring your friends blow this place up!

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Sacramento

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I was intrigued by the description of Shirube as traditional Japanese and all four of our party enthusiastically rated this restaurant a 10 in all categories. The overhead table light was uncomfortably bright and was instantly attended to by staff, who had to use a step stool to climb up and redirect a track light to our great satisfaction. The sashimi was of the highest grade and freshness, we will order more next visit. Plan to try a wide variety of dishes to enjoy the myriad flavors and textures. Even the simple eggplant dish was perfectly prepared and a favorite among our guests. Great vibe, well-paced service and exquisite food.

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Such a beautiful place with amazing quality food. I highly recommend this place

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  8. dy00

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food is very fresh and the mentaiko udon was the favorite!

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  9. Chester

    Los Angeles

    275 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    275 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    Terrific food in a lively atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyed Sashimi Mori, Black Cod, Jidori Chicken and Udon with Waygu.

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  10. BrooksP

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent dining experience! The food was amazing - sashimi, the corn ribs, noodles, taco - all great. We sat at the sushi - staff was helpful and kind

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  11. LeelaJ

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a great time at Shirube. The food was amazing, the vibe was cool, and the people working there were super nice and attentive. We sat at the bar and it was fun to watch them chef it up. Get the corn ribs!

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  12. cindyc

    Los Angeles

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Had a great time at their Saturday happy hour. Service was great and really appreciated our waiter's suggestions. The corn ribs were phenomenal - just the right amount of crunch and a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The mackerel tasted very fresh and not overly marinated. The pork belly in the kakuni taco was so tender. The duck breast was succulent and the yuzu kosho added just the right amount of heat. The only miss was the chicken karage - could have been crispier. Highly recommend. Although we don't live close by, it was worth the drive.

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  13. OpenTable Diner

    Hawaii

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience2
    Noodles and black cod very good. For me the food was good but wouldn’t return

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  14. KenK

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Came here for a date night - 4 dishes between the two of us; Corn Ribs, Mentaiko Udon, GinDara, and the Wagyu. Walked away feeling comfortably full and very impressed with the dishes. Definitely on par with meals I’ve had in Tokyo - although much more expensive. Would recommend!

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  15. LanN

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fresh sashimi choices, simple menu, great place for a real Japanese food experience.

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  16. Haley

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The corn ribs are unique and delicious. My favorite miso soup, too!!

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  17. Theo

    Atlanta Metro

    19 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on October 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Very tasty Izakaya! Good service and food overall. Interested in going back!

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  18. JimW

    Philadelphia

    14 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on October 13, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    An absolute must try and likely then a periodic haunt. The key here is the range of the menu in keeping with the specific category of Japanese restaurant. The family owner chef if delightful, this being their first U.S. offering joining a dozen back home.

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  19. TADubs

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    LOVED our meal here! The sashimi was so fresh and delicious, the pork belly taco is a MUST, the spicy tuna rice ball was perfection, and the Negitoro might change your life. Will definitely be back soooooon!

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  20. OpenTable Diner

    Melbourne

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful service and the most delicious food and drinks!!

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  21. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    17 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on October 1, 2023

    overall5food5service1ambience5
    Our server was lost but other than that thoroughly loved it and will be back!

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  22. alicialavender

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Absolutely our favorite place to dine out in Santa Monica!!! MUST ORDER Mentaiko Udon…buttery heaven! And don’t forget the dessert…Yuzu Vanilla ice cream/sorbet!

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  23. DavidK

    Los Angeles

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on September 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Where are the diners for this wonderful and delicious and completely unpretentious Santa Monica casual Japanese restaurant? Sashimi was great (accompanied by house-made soy sauce infused with seaweed). Karage was excellent. Pork belly tacos were great. Service was passionate and delightful. Happy Hour is a good deal. Going back to try some of the cooked main courses. There's even easy parking across Wilshire in a public structure on 4th Street (and it's free!). Highly recommended for a light or not so light casual Japanese as experienced in California experience...Go!

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  24. MilesS

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This is my new go to spot in Santa Monica. Food was some of the best I’ve ever had and service was incredible!

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  25. sjaffman

    Los Angeles

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    The food and service were excellent. Can’t wait to go back.

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  26. ChrisA

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Very impressive. Service was really attentive and since we got there early, the chefs were hearing our questions from behind the line and we could hear their answer when the server turned around to ask them. Sake service in the "choose your cup" format brought to the table was brilliant. Pristine fish and perfectly cooked steak, great noods...the only misstep was the broccoli. It wasn't bad but, they could tune up how it is described. Secret pro move, corn nubs. I know it sounds odd but if you don't get it, you're missing out.

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  27. ADL1

    Los Angeles

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on August 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    What a great discovery! I would recommend this place to all my friends.

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  28. Vettel

    Los Angeles

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on August 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great service, great food, and reasonably priced.

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  29. pkeenan

    Los Angeles

    58 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    58 reviews

    Dined on August 6, 2023

    overall2food4service5ambience1
    As much as I wanted to like this place it fell way short. Maybe they are still experiencing a "soft" opening. If so, I think is there is room for improvement. I hope the following is perceived as constructive criticism because they working their tails off in that place. -Take off the "help wanted" verbiage on the chalkboard sign out front. Menu items, special offers or some witty meme may cut it but looking for cooks may not be in your best interest. -Speaking of which, that little sandwich sign was the only indication that there was life behind what looked like a closed business. We drove by the address twice before we realized that the building might be open. It might be helpful to show some signs of life in your restaurant at least for now while you are getting up to speed. -Modify your interior lighting. In an all black space, target lighting doesn't help creating a atmosphere conducive to enjoying a meal, any meal. When we sat down at our table, the overhead light was shining right into our eyes. We moved to the bar. Get some paper lanterns or something over the tables and spring for a dimmer. Soften it up a bit. -If you're going to play music you might want to make it possible for your dinner guests to be able to hear it. I realize that may be tough with an open kitchen but some acoustical tiles or something similar may help. -Close that door down at the end of the hall. A mop/bucket should not be the focal point when you enter the restaurant. Overall, the food was delicious and fresh. Service was great. They just need to get a handle on all the other things that make for a great meal. A designer might not be a bad idea. They could give it the once over and get you back on track.

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  30. RichardB

    Los Angeles

    32 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    32 reviews

    Dined on August 2, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Absolutely wonderful night with Chef Uno . . . the food is absolutely amazing, every dish that came out was perfect. Yes the corn ribs REALLY are all that, the beet and daikon salad lovely and refreshing, the shrimp tempura and egg great and the Udon is killer. Highly recommended.

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  31. WestsideDiner

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 31, 2023

    overall3food2service4ambience2
    A mediocre izakaya that has a limited menu of traditional dishes (most of them cold coming straight from a refrigerator) and some odd Americanized ones (a really sad, dry taco) but mostly it is a poor sushi/sashimi bar. It has a very limited beer selection from the standard corporate makers and none of the interesting craft Japanese beers. They do have a selection of shochu cocktails (and non-alcoholic cocktails) and a variety of sake. The atmosphere is dark, industrial and strangely uninviting for a Santa Monica restaurant. There are much better sushi/sashimi bars and izakaya restaurants on the Westside of Los Angeles. And their website shows their Japanese locations which appear to have better menu options and higher skill level.

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  32. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    56 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    56 reviews

    Dined on July 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious, creative food. Friendly staff. We had many dishes and liked everything.

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  33. MarieV

    Los Angeles

    19 reviews

    4.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on July 29, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    This was our first time at Shirube's. I'm really glad we have an izakaya in Santa Monica. The sake we got was perfect (Yagaeki Junmai) and all our food was tasty: eggplant, chawanmushi, karaage, corn cobs, crème brûlée. I'd say the onigiri were pretty boring compared to the rest but they were fresh. Our server was good and the overall experience was very positive. We will be back to sample the rest of the menu.

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  34. SantaMonicafoodie26

    Los Angeles

    48 reviews

    5.0

    48 reviews

    Dined on July 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fresh delicious well priced sushi, noodles and a few grilled dishes from this Tokyo izikaya chain. Roasted tea creme brulee is a fabulous dessert.

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  35. WilliamM

    Los Angeles

    20 reviews

    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on July 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Located in the spot of a former Izakaya (drinking food) restaurant is... an Izakaya restaurant! In a cool, refined space is the best new restaurant in Santa Monica, hands down. The lively staff crank out all sorts of crazy inventions in their bar/ kitchen- fried chicken balls, blow-torched mackerel, an insane fusion pork taco, even "steak frites!" The only branch of a highly esteemed Japanese restaurant group, the sashimi and dishes such as sunimono taste exactly as if you had been instantly transported to Omotesando. The heavily inked kitchen staff are in nonstop action, frying, flipping, pounding back beers, and screaming unintelligible bits of Japanese. Danny, the hippest hostess in town, attempts to keep the madness at a minimum. And it is, on top of everything else, a good value- no, I am not kidding! What is there not to like? Just go and try it, you will not regret that decision.

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  36. OpenTable Diner

    Minneapolis

    1 review

    vip
    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 20, 2023

    overall2food3service4ambience3
    Overpriced, tiny portions. Server sold us on the larger bottle of sake because he said it was cheaper to do when actually doing the math would have been cheaper to just order multiple small bottles. Felt deceived.

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  37. Jean

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    First time here and it did not disappoint! All the plates we ordered were prepared so well and were delicious. We'll be back!

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  38. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food. Great service. Get the steak and chicken karage

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  39. BW3047

    Los Angeles

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on July 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I brought friends here for their first visit. They loved the corn ribs, Black Cod, Black Sesame Tofu .. as well as the ambience and dish presentation. :)

    1 person found this helpful

  40. Mike

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    I took friends raised in Tokyo and they were impressed with the quality and authenticity of the food. A diverse menu with a good selection of sake, a great Japanese food experience right here in Santa Monica.

    2 people found this helpful

FAQs

Shirube is rated 4.7 stars by 42 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 53 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Shirube

424 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401-1410

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Santa Monica
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 3:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–6:30 pm Sat, Sun 3:00 pm–5:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Izakaya, Washoku
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
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