Mutsu: West Hollywood’s New Izakaya Gem

By Ken Alcazar

West Hollywood has a new obsession, and its name is Mutsu. Located at 350 N. La Cienega Blvd., this refined izakaya is named after a peaceful northern city in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture. It just opened its doors, and it already feels like the spot you want to keep all to yourself.

Step inside and everything slows down. A dramatic jagged-stone counter wraps around the open kitchen, warm wood and soft lighting create a cozy glow, and cave-like shelves show off bottles of rare sake and Japanese whisky. It’s intimate, serene, and a little sexy – like stumbling into a hidden bar in Tokyo where the outside world disappears.

The food is pure joy. Hand rolls are rolled fresh right in front of you: crispy nori, perfect rice, ridiculously fresh fish. Order one of the chef’s Mutsu Sets and let the parade of temaki keep coming. Spicy tuna, toro with takuan, sweet shrimp topped with caviar, wagyu & uni that makes people quietly lose their minds.

From the binchotan grill come smoky yakitori skewers: juicy chicken thigh with scallion, tender tsukune with egg yolk dip, A5 wagyu that melts the second it hits your tongue, and even bacon-wrapped asparagus. Thin-sliced carpaccio drizzled with citrus and fluffy bao buns stuffed with pork belly chashu or fried shrimp keep every table ordering “one more round.” Finish with the crackly-top matcha pistachio cake or black sesame crème brûlée—both are instant classics.

With just 20 seats, reservations on OpenTable are a must, and they are filling up fast. Mutsu isn’t trying to be the loudest spot in WeHo. It’s the quiet one you’ll fall in love with, the one you’ll text your friends about the second you leave. Go soon, before everyone else catches on.