Sushi Mon
Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Santa Monica401 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310) 576-7011
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Garage
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch
197 reviews
West Los Angeles, CA
"A couple of yelpers were disappointed with the warm rice served with the sushi. Funnily enough, that's actually the traditional way to…" read more »
32 Reviews for Sushi Mon
I've only been here twice, but had a great experience both times. They have interesting rolls, good salmon (I judge a place by it's salmon sushi), good chicken teriyaki, service was great, and I like the decor. I'd actually give it a 3.5. Sushi wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was still very tasty. :)
I had been here several times, and have had mixed feelings about it. My roommate loves this plaec, but most of the time I am not a very big fan. However, the last time I went (about a week ago) I had a much better experience. The sushi was fresh and our food came out fairly quickly (probably because it was pretty empty at the time).
The seaweed salad was really bad. So bad that after a couple bites from two people, it was shoved aside and never looked at again. We also got the Rainbow Roll, Shrimp Roll, and Hot NIght Roll, which were all fairly good, but a bit more pricey then what they are worth. Then again, what isn't in Santa Monica?
Overall, not a bad place, but there are better ones in this town.
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Maybe actually 2.75 stars.
I work nearby so this is a quick few steps to get some food. Can do take-out or sit-in. The lunch specials are good, but not great. A roll (or other specialty main course), 5 pieces of sushi, and a miso soup (if you dine-in) for anywhere from 12-16 dollars. With a drink, tax and tip, it's about $20/person. For a sushi lunch, it's pretty typical in price for what it is. Fortunately while I appreciate great sushi and realize the differences between good and bad, I'm not a sushi snob, so the quality of the food is acceptable. There's enough variety for people to choose different things if everyone wants to share, family-style.
I wouldn't ever come here for anything other than lunch, but there's not a lot of great options for sushi at lunchtime around this area that won't break the bank. If you need some quick food, and have some desire for a roll or a salad, stop by and just sit at the counter. But make sure you flag down the waitresses - they're just not that attentive.
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We got in sushi mon at around 8:30 find this place almost empty on a weekend. Thinking to myself maybe i should have turn back but instead why not doesnt hurt to try it. The server was friendly the scene was alright nothing special sushibar was weird looking tho. I order some nigiri dish and find myself that fish isnt that fresh seems like they were serving weird color fish. Tuna wasnt red it was like brownish so i decided to never come back here again. Amen! Goodbye Sushi Mon
Not impressed. Sorry.
My friend and I came in to Sushi Mon after we find out the wait at Musha near-by is like half hour even though it's already 9pm on a Thr. nite. (Now, that's good business there.)
We shoulda know by the contrast between Musha & Sushi Mon.
When we came in, there seems to be fair amount of customers.
We got seated by the grill area since there's this huge fan above us.
The miso soup was served cold.
I have to find the manager to get the waitress to get our bill.
The waitress came back right away for the bill even though me & my friend was still in the middle of a conversation. She even interrupt our conversation for the bill.
-I'm thinking 'we couldn't find you for 10 min. and now you want the bill for life-&-death at this very moment??!!'.
So, yes, that one star is on the minus-point scale.
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Friday 10pm, party of 4. sat immediately. for lack of much else in the area at that timeframe, it gets points for being open. the rolls weren't bad, they have a different selection than the normal "dragon roll" or "spider roll". The spicy scallop roll was pretty good.
though nothing fancy here. 3 rolls + green tea ice cream for $52 out the door isn't bad. if you're in the area and hungering for sushi, it will satisfy. it's nothing to travel across town for that's for sure.
As soon as we sat down, they brought us complimentary miso soup. The sushi was solid, although it came out so fast it beat our edemame to the table. We lingered talking for a long time after the bill came, and so after we'd paid they brought us free little cups of green tea ice cream, and free edamame, which was a really nice gesture.
no love for Sushi Mon? Had lunch here and it was sizeable. Maybe Yelp made a difference? I had the chirashi, friend had the 10 pc lunch and we were both impressed with the serving size. Sure, it's not Jtown or Sawtelle but can't beat it for hitting the spot after a stroll on 3rd st or the waterside!
Korean owned Japanese restaurant...so probably not for those who require authenticity. However, the specialty fusion rolls are the best. I'm a stickler about getting the rice just-right in my sushi, and Sushi Mon sets the standard. If you're not squeemish about raw fish and spice, try the hot night roll--my favorite.
The service is another story. It's a sliding bar depending on the position of the sun and moon, so go for early dinner or late lunch.
The bill adds up quickly since rolls don't fill. Sample everything by doing family style with your friends--order a few rolls plus a lunch special or a dinner special so you're not leaving the restaurant still hungry.
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We could get a table at saturday at 9 PM with no wait, so points for that. Sometimes you just want some sushi, no drama, you know? We tried the first place on the list of places you get when you yelp "sushi santa monica", it had a 45 minute wait @ 9 PM and the other place we called didn't even pick up(Both yelp recommendations!) so we went here because it had a good location- our friend had a parking spot within walking distance.
The food was very decent- some interesting rolls & the nigiri was fine. The crowd was "west la," some people were kind of douchey looking, but it wasn't bad.
Food: F
Value: F
Service: F
Decor: small & modern
Return Rate: Never
I should have seriously yelped this location before entering this joint. But we were hungry and my friend was in the mood for sushi. I agree with most yelpers who gave this place a low rating.
Basically, I've never left a restaurant without tipping. My friend was so upset with the service that we had to leave as soon as the bill was signed. Even though I wrote down our order on the sheet of paper (something I learned from Christina O), we got our miso soup late ... post entree and post-reminders. I mean, their primary location is in Beverly Hills ... is this the step sister restaurant?
I won't waste anymore of your time, so here's a list of mistakes:
- fishy sushi
- post entree soup
- constant reminders about the check
- getting up to pay the bill
And now, please don't waste your own time at this place.
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I have been eating here for lunch for almost a year. They have great lunch specials and the sushi has always been fresh.
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Dear Yelp,
I think the time has come. I want a voice activated, GPS enabled device such that when I'm, say, walking through Santa Monica and craving sushi, I can just speak into the device and say, "Yelp! Sushi!" and it tracks my position and directs me to a place with a four star rating or above.
Because without such a device, I end up at mediocre places like Sushi Mon.
I really was craving miso soup, but theirs had too many onions in it. I ordered the sushi combination, and was moderately pleased with the yellowtail and the albacore (mostly because it had an interesting lemony sauce on it). My lunch partner ordered the rainbow roll; which at it's heart is just a glorified California roll (and an excessively mayonnaise-heavy one at that). She ended up just peeling the fish off the top of her roll and eating that.
Since I went mid-day (around 3 p.m.) and there were only one or two other parties there, I think my experience might have been better than that of others whose reviews I've read; yet service was still lacking. I swear, I'm so sick of hunting down a server to pay my bill! But I didn't have to hunt him down when I accidentally kept the wrong credit card copy; he came running down the street after me.
Too bad he didn't show that kind of hustle during our meal...
So please Yelp, get on that device A.S.A.P. It's time to step up your game and help a brotha out.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Christopher S.
(end of letter to Yelp)
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What a waste of a great location. Within 4 blocks you have shops,movies, the ocean, $3 parking, and then "Sushi Mon" which will ruin your night. If your hungry you can easily spend $50 a person which would be fine if it was proper "yummy" sushi.
1. Food Quality Thumbs and Arm Down
2. Presentation Both Thumbs Down
3. Service Thumbs Down
4. Atmosphere ok
5. cleanliness clean
I cant say its all bad , they have a working restroom if you cant hold your food down. Too sum it up, if you want your night to be ruined eat at "Sushi Mon" .
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Came here with a co worker on a weeknight. The sushi was average but what I remembered about the meal was the monkey balls. They were fried mushrooms with some other stuff in it. Quite tasty. The atmosphere is pretty hip I guess. A lot of suits and dresses. Not my type of crowd since I was wearing jeans.
the sushi was mushy. but points for being inventive with their rolls.
we got three rolls and one large asahi beer total was about $60. Can't remember any of the rolls really but recalled that they were inventive since some of the combinations were unique.
All that i really remembered was that the sushi roll itself was really "wet" and came apart easily. i was disappointed and over paid....
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Not bad. Been here about 4 or 5 times, and the food and service have been consistent. The servers here tend to bring out the tables' orders as they're ready rather than serving everyone at the table simultaneously; so if you order any kind of fusion/baked sushi you can end up getting it about 10 minutes or so after whoever you're with gets their raw sushi. I know some of these Oriental-type restaurants expect you to share the food as it comes out 'family-style,' but I'm too much of a capitalist to understand such concepts. The waitresses are attentive once you get a hold of them, but they all sort of look the same here so I always forget which one is mine.
The Baked Eel Roll is my usual dish here. No complaints about it. Godzilla Roll was okay, but was pretty heavy (had alot of cream cheese). Dinner for two with two large sakes usually runs me about $50 after tip, and I think the miso soup is free.
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This place has low ratings for a reason. The service is terrible and chances are they'll try to sit you in the worst table unless you speak up for yourself. Plus the service is slow, that's why they have a TV and loud music.
While the food is OK (the sunomono salad is good), the service is slow (I had to ask for a glass of water 3 times) and it's pretty expensive (especially when you go for dinner).
So if you've got a lot of money to burn and you like being ignored, this is the place for you.
*While I've returned to this post and feel the same way as I did when I originally wrote it, I feel somewhat badly because when I went there the other day (I know, why would I?) the service was friendlier than ever before. Granted, they were still as slow as molasses, but nice. So I'm bumping them up a star from my original post. At least they're getting better. Right?
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I ate at Sushi Mon for lunch and ordered one of the many cut roll lunch specials. I can't say that I felt like I was eating "sushi" but it's probably good that way since I have some pretty high standards for good sushi these days.
When I ordered I was a little hesitant because the description of the meal didn't sound like it would be enough food. When I left, I was uncomfortably full. In case you're wondering, it is definitely sufficient in volume. And, I felt like the quality was decent for what I was ordering and the price I was paying.
If you're looking for good sushi in this area, head towards the ocean on the same street and swing by Sushi Roku. Of course, you'll pay quite a bit more, too ;)
The lunch special is where it's at. Affordable for what you get and the location. Comes with miso, 5 pieces of sushi and a salad for $11, more if you choose a roll instead of the salad. The staff is friendly, if a little flustered at points.
---
Take just about any Big Blue Bus to downtown SM or Metro #720 or 704.
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Went here for a late dinner...we were the last ones to be seated. We had the rainbow roll, spicy yellowtail roll, spicy tuna hand roll, salmon, unagi, and halibut. The chef also prepared us a special complimentary little dish. The quality of the fish was decent...not the best I've ever had but good. A little bit on the pricier side and parking can be difficult since its by the 3rd Street Promenade.
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I went for lunch once to try an assortment of their "sushi." By the end of the meal, I wasn't impressed. At all. This place is commercialized and specializes in rolls rather than traditional sushi/sashimi. And the rolls weren't really that great either. As for the nigiri, forget about it. Edible, but nothing more. Pretty bland taste and low quality to the overall fish supply. I've been eating sushi way too long to be dealing with this kind of stuff.
In all, I don't recommend Korean-owned sushi joints like Mon in Santa Monica, Mon in LA, or Mon anywhere else.
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To the point: cute but not anything special. DO NOT GET THEIR TERIYAKI.. the meat is so dry I didn't even finish it. Seriously. Other than that it wasn't anything to write home to.
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More like Sushi Meh
I love sushi and I consider myself a pretty good judge of what's good and what's bad in this arena, having spent many a paycheck on the quest for raw fish knowledge. In this quest, I know that fish shouldn't taste fishy...go figure, but regardless a fishy tasting fish is just gross. That is what I had here last night.
We ordered the albacore and it was covered with sauce (I think to mask the fishy smell) and it was pretty gnarles. The yellow tail was the only edible thing I tried here, but even that was pretty meh.
Now granted this place isn't an OG sushi place. I mean the menu clearly states sushi fusion, but it was the only sushi place we could find last night that didn't require a reservation and we were starving. Would I go here again, absolutely not, but if you are not a sushi purist and like colorful rolls with things like cream cheese and crap in them, then this is a good bet.
Also, they get an extra star for decor. The place is cute.
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When I entered to the inside of restaurant, I immediately noticed it is not a Japanese owned Japanese restaurant. But we are hungry, so I ordered tonkatsu dinner. The taste of tonkatsu was soso. It came with a strange type of picles similar to kimchee. The moso soup was terrible.
It does not worth to pay about $12 for this tonkatsu dinner. The $8 tonkasu in mitsuwa market place food court is 10 times better than this restaurant tonkatsu.
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Slimy and tough fish that smells fishy = you are being fed some expired stuff.
I work just around that way from this place so after mixed reviews I broke down and went in one night for some carrry out. There were only two other parties in the restaurant and I still had to wait 20 minutes for maguro, unagi, and some roll and that was after the hostess got tired of me standing in front of her greeter stand and reminded the guys in back to make my stuff.
Like I said the fish was stringy and I had to tear at it, it had a slime coating, and it had a fishy odor. All definite signs that your sushi is spoiling. Ended up throwing it away and having a college dinner of coke and a bag of little chocolate donuts!
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Went here with a friend for dinner. Food was okay, nothing to write home about but decent portions. Very limited wine selection, but I guess it's just as to be expected for a place like this. Cost like $60 for two people which is not so bad, but I've had better for around the same price. Service was okay too. Overall a mediocre place, nothing really impressive.
I'd reccommend this place for a good inexpensive lunch! The maki rolls are fun but the other dishes aren't so impressive. Service is friendly!
It's okay if I get charged a lot for great food and great service. But I hated it when I get charged a lot for okay food and bad service.
This is definitely a place for tourists. And I was touring..........
It's sad that the restaurant used to be a habachi place i think, you can still see the hotplates on your table, but the sushi was good and the service was good for LA.
Came here for Bday dinner, everyone was hapy even the non-sushi person who had chicken teriaki.
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Ya know, I really like this place. Good location by the promenade.
GREAT lunch special...4 pieces of sushi, a roll and miso soup for $9.99! And it tastes good! Accordingly, it is a little crowded for lunch.
Don't feel like loading up on the rice? Try the Sexy Roll...rolled with cucumber! Sooo good and light!
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Lunch specials here are unbelievable! Between $10-13 for a 5 piece sushimi plate, and a specialty choice from the menu. The fish is extremely fresh, and rolls inventive and tasty. Although my one complaint would be the service is fairly slow, especially if you're dining in larger groups.
EDIT - Lunch Specials have gone up, not once, but twice. Be vewy vewy careful.
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