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Today I’m going to talk about what is truly one of the most magical places I’ve been to in LA: Yuko Kitchen. From the decor to the food, you will undoubtedly have a one-of-a-kind experience at Yuko.
Yuko Kitchen has two locations: one in Miracle Mile and one in DTLA. The former and also the original location opened 10 years ago. It is slightly smaller than the newer location, which opened in 2018. Yuko Kitchen DTLA also has a sister restaurant around the block called Yuko Soup Bar, where, as you can imagine by the name, soups are the main forte.
Yuko, the owner, hails from Japan and started out as a sushi chef. She slowly made her way to a catering business before opening up her own restaurant in the Miracle Mile area.
The groovy logo, the wall art and the lush foliage instantly reminded me of the decor from an early 2000’s movie. I instantly thought of Mia’s mom from Princess Diaries. They lived in a super cool loft in San Francisco where the mom painted and did pottery.
Yuko Kitchen also doubles as a market deli where you can get fresh produce.
Yuko Kitchen recently celebrated 12 years of business. To commemorate it, Yuko shared this picture along with a very compelling IG caption:
“Yuko Kitchen, my kitchen in DTLA which I built as the success reward from the first location in Miracle Miles and this is where all the magical happens lol. It is usually crowded with my other staff members though working alone early morning is a Golden time for me. As a solo immigrant from early 20’s, I used to work a lot so I didn’t feel loneliness, and working for my own dream was a pride that gave me this energy. I used to be a sushi chef, hated being in front of all the customers. Kitchen was my safe place I often escaped from. And it is still it is. I find peace here. All those years, 100s of menu items were created and served to thousands and thousands of people from Yuko Kitchen. I saw kids were growing up here and there, telling me they love me and my food lol. I may not be the most friendly people person though I am very grateful that been loved by so many people. Thank you! Yuko Kitchen is almost 12 years old!”
I went to the Downtown location. The exterior of the business is lined with shrubs for outdoor dining privacy. When I opened the door, I was welcomed into this oasis: ceramic ornaments, brightly colored walls and hanging plants everywhere. It truly felt like I had just been transported into a secret garden protected from the chaos of Downtown LA.
Also, the fact that I was the only person dining inside made my eating experience a more intimate one.
Throughout the restaurant, you will find decoration items, Japanese drinks for sale, and a gorgeous melange of houseplants.
I can’t talk about Yuko Kitchen without mentioning how hefty the portions are, which, for a Japanese restaurant, was a total surprise. The meal also came with a complimentary ginger carrot soup and cookies. It goes without saying that you will leave completely satisfied. At Yuko Kitchen, everything from the soup to the cookies, is made on the premises.
This was the Fish Plate ($13). The BBQ Catfish was melt-in-my-mouth fresh and the sauce added a nice thick and slightly sweet punch of flavor to the fish. The two spicy tuna crispy rice pieces were big and flavorful. I love the fact that they added a generous portion of ginger, which provided a nice zest to the salad and was the perfect condiment to top off the overall dish.
The food was really good but the winner for me was definitely the atmosphere.
After my meal, I went over to the sister restaurant and walked into Yuko Soup Bar. This restaurant was also teeming with plants and kitschy decor everywhere. There’s even a second story with a seating area for guests to enjoy their soup while they look out onto the beautiful space, which even features a replica of a living room with a couch and a lamp.
I talked to Fritz, the employee working at Yuko Soup Bar. He said for someone who has never been to Yuko Kitchen, the Miracle Mile location might be a better choice given the fact that there’s free parking versus the DTLA one, where there’s none. I personally like the DTLA location better, but I recommend going on a weekday like I did. Whatever your choice is, rest assured that your eating experience will be superb.
Yuko Kitchen Miracle Mile – 5484 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Yuko Kitchen DTLA – 101 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Yuko Soup Bar – 125 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Note: Yuko Kitchen also caters and they’re available through food delivery apps.
Jaime Lauren, former contestant on culinary TV shows such as Top Chef and one of the co-founders of 2 Jewish Girls from NYC, mentioned Yuko Kitchen as one of her favorite restaurants in LA. Read it here.
