Kato Restaurant Reviews
Submitted by Syed Ashrafulla on 05/27/2022
Syed Ashrafulla 5 stars rating.
Most of these reviews tell you how amazing and wonderful the place is. This time, I'll try something different. You will like this place if you want deep, earthy flavors biasing towards sea over land (even the duck dish is soft). You will also like this place if you want the theme to be different tastes as opposed to a singular exploration. You will not like this place if ... well if you don't like fish. But you already knew that; it's in the sign for the restaurant (no, Kato doesn't mean "fish", I think "fish" in Japanese is "sakana").
Anyway, go. Make sure to try at least one cocktail. Also reservations for odd numbers require calling, so have a significant other or you'll have a tougher time finding a seat.
My friend said it's not memorable but IMO a meal doesn't have to be memorable to be five stars. I don't have the brain space for every memorable meal anyway.
Jerry C 5 stars rating.
Beautifully presented meal courses that draw their flavor profile from classic Taiwanese cuisine. Every dish has a story to tell on its own. As a Taiwanese grown person, each dish transports me to my childhood with every bite. The marriage of ingredients is truly breathtaking. I can understand why they are awarded their first Michelin star. It is warranted considering the caliber of technique with a strong execution level, making it a memorable dinner for days to come.
Submitted by Jerry C on 09/08/2022
Osula Lam 5 stars rating.
I came here for dinner with a friend in mid June 2022. The parking was easy since they have a parking lot. However, validation is only good for 2 hours and we ended up having to pay $5 on top of the validation.
My friend got the wine pairing while I got the alcohol free wine pairing (extra $75) - which I've never even heard of before. We also got the waygu add-on which was an extra $45. The waygu add-on was worth it but the non-alcoholic pairing was not, in my opinion. There were maybe two or three dishes where the non-alcoholic pairing was right on the money but the rest were misses for me and not worth the $75 extra. I would still recommend you try it if you can't drink alcohol just for the experience if you've never had a wine pairing before.
All in all, I found the meal pretty ground breaking since I've never had Taiwanese food in a fine dining setting. Out of the 11 dishes, I liked seven of them. It was pretty pricey ($389 total for just my portion) but still very impressive. Would highly recommend.
Submitted by Osula Lam on 06/20/2022
Kevin Xu 5 stars rating.
One of the best meals Ive ever had in my life. Each dish was executed amazingly with unique and delicious flavor combinations. The cocktail menu is also excellent.
Submitted by Kevin Xu on 03/31/2022
Jeff Streit 5 stars rating.
I had a great experience dining at Kato. Every dish is creatively prepared and absolutely delicious. Each course is plated in a way that fits the character of the dish and makes for a great experience. I looked forward to each course not just for how it tasted but to see how it would be presented. Really making art from food.
Wait staff is efficient courteous and professional. The dining area is clean and minimalist and I loved how consistent the decor was from the tables, to the dishes and flatware.
The restaurant is conveniently located in The Row so parking is easy and they do validate. Reservations are mandatory and you really need to be on it when they release to get it booked but it's absolutely wort the wait.
Submitted by Jeff Streit on 03/23/2022
Aurelie Mary 5 stars rating.
Our dinner at Kato was a delightful gustative experience. First and last dishes were incredible: uni on crispy Parmesan and last one was a dessert made with spéculos, mascarpone and tapioca balls similar as mocchis ????????
Oh and I almost forgot the buttermilk brioche with the avocado butter ????????????
Submitted by Aurelie Mary on 11/11/2021
Stephanie Lovell 5 stars rating.
I changed my flight to LA so I could dine at Kato - it was completely the correct life choice.
A Taiwanese-inspired tasting menu that had familiar flavours combined with incredible ingredients and ingenuity.
My favourite course was the egg custard with milk bread. I spent the most time savouring the dish of all nine. The desserts were unique in the best way. I also highly recommend getting the caviar and geoduck addition.
Visit Kato yourself and experience the friendly service and the incredible savoury journey.
Submitted by Stephanie Lovell on 10/30/2021
Christian Lee 5 stars rating.
Kato is a Taiwanese inspired Michelin Star restaurant off of Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles. There are many interesting things about this restaurant from its beautiful yet minimalistic interior, to its constantly changing Taiwanese inspired tasting menu. Kato Restaurant is certainly among the more difficult reservations to obtain in LA, but I must say that I am very satisfied with my meal and I enjoyed the experience.
While the tasting menu may appear small at first glance, I finished my meal satisfied with both the quantity and quality of servings. The current tasting menu that I got to experience contains nine different dishes, with an optional premium supplement. At the time of writing, the premium supplement offered by Kato is a caviar, geoduck, and Koji butter dish, at $50 per guest. Do note that if you want to order the premium supplement, everyone at the table must order this. Kato does not allow only some guests at the table to order this item. Either everyone at the table, or no one at the table must select the supplement.
The interior of the restaurant is very minimalistic. A small dining room with tables for either parties of two or four. The kitchen is hidden in the back, leaving the guests to enjoy their food and the company of their party. There is also optional patio seating that is furnished with the same tables and chairs as the interior, and heaters for when it gets cold at night.
For my meal at Kato, I got to enjoy the following dishes in this order:
Tapioca, Brown Butter, Uni
3 Cup Tuna
Kanpachi, Cucumber
Egg Custard
Milk Bread
Chinese Style Steamed Fish
American Waygu, Rice
Yogurt, Plum
Boniato Yam, Tapioca, Fresh Cheese, Sable
At the end of the meal, each guest is given a nice card with a list of each of the dishes consumed along with a description/background about the dish. I love when restaurants with a multiple dish tasting menu do this. It is a great way to reflect on the dishes consumed and get a bit more background about the dish to further enjoy even after the meal is over.
[Individual dish thoughts and review removed due to Google Map’s review character limit.]
Overall, I really enjoyed this meal. I was satisfied with the number of dishes served, and I thought that every single dish had some creative ingredient or element of preparation that, together, makes the dining experience memorable.
Submitted by Christian Lee on 10/12/2021
Soraya Teffaha 5 stars rating.
I love it, they exceeded my expectations. It’s a tiny place with delicious small plates. The presentation it’s spectacular. They don’t sell alcohol, so you’re allowed to bring your own bottle of alcohol if you want to drink. That’s a very friendly restaurant with great service. I totally recommend if you love exotic food.
Submitted by Soraya Teffaha on 09/09/2021
Chase Nelson 5 stars rating.
Kato brings many things to the table. Great service, amazing food combinations and a small intimate setting, make for a great night. As far as a polished restaurant goes, it may be small but it's very much on point. I didn't have one server I had every worker in there helping to make my experience great.
Submitted by Chase Nelson on 09/01/2021
