N/Soto
Los Angeles, CA
By Kyle · December 31, 2025
📍 4566 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
🍽 Japanese
📅 Visited: September 12, 2025
🍴🥄 Forks Given: 🍴🍴🍴🍴☆ (3.9 / 5.0)
Overview
N/Soto is a Japanese restaurant that successfully blends fine-dining creativity and quality with a relaxed, everyday neighborhood feel. It offers a broader spectrum of Japanese flavors than most traditional spots, paired with thoughtful execution and a cocktail program that holds its own.
Overall Thoughts
N/Soto was a pleasant surprise. I love Japanese food, but many Japanese restaurants tend to fall into predictable ordering patterns that, while good, rarely feel memorable. N/Soto breaks that mold by offering both exceptional quality and genuine creativity without drifting into pretension.
What stood out most was the balance between innovation and restraint. Some dishes impressed simply because of ingredient quality, while others leaned into unexpected combinations that worked remarkably well.
Standout Dishes
- Snow Crab Hand Roll
Not particularly inventive, but absolutely exceptional due to the quality of the fish. Clean, precise, and memorable. - Toro
Again, no reinvention here — just excellent fish treated with respect. Quality carried the dish. - Brussels Sprouts & Salmon Skin
A standout example of thoughtful innovation. Yes, everyone has a Brussels sprouts dish — but this one delivered a compelling mix of salty and sweet, crunchy and soft, all filtered through a distinctly Japanese lens.
Forks Given Score Breakdown
| Category | Score (1–10) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Food Quality | 8 | 40% |
| Value | 8 | 20% |
| Service & Experience | 7 | 15% |
| Ambiance & Environment | 8 | 10% |
| Execution vs Intent | 8 | 10% |
| Return Factor | 8 | 5% |
Normalized Forks Given Score: 3.9 / 5.0
The Verdict
N/Soto delivers a dining experience that feels both elevated and accessible. It offers enough creativity to feel special while maintaining the comfort and ease of a neighborhood favorite. I would absolutely return.
📸 Photos
