My friend Celia put it this way when I first dragged her up there: “I feel like I’m in a movie, but like, a good one.” That’s basically it. Yamashiro sits at the top of a steep, switchbacking driveway off Highland Avenue in Hollywood, and by the time you park and walk up to the main entrance, you’ve already left the city — or at least the version of it that honks and scrolls and smells like exhaust.
The restaurant has been here since 1914, when a pair of brothers built the whole thing to house their Asian art collection. The structure is modeled after a palace in the Yamashiro mountains of Kyoto. That sounds like the kind of thing you’d read on a laminated table card and half-believe, but you do believe it once you’re standing on the terrace looking south over the full LA basin at golden hour, the sun going orange behind the hills to your left, the towers of downtown glittering faintly to your right. The view alone is worth the trip.
The food has improved considerably over the years. For a long time Yamashiro coasted on the scenery, and frankly, who could blame them — it’s spectacular scenery. But the current menu is genuinely solid. I go for the sushi rolls and the yellowtail sashimi, which are fresh and simply prepared without a lot of fussy garnish. The crispy rice with spicy tuna is the crowd-pleaser; I’ve never seen anyone at my table not order it. The wagyu sliders are a little more composed than they need to be, but they’re good. Cocktails are well-made and not cheap — expect $17 to $22 — but the sake selection is interesting and the bartenders know it.
Dinner for two with drinks runs around $120 to $160, which is not cheap but not outrageous for the experience. They also do a farmers market on Thursday evenings in season, starting around 5 p.m., which makes for a cheaper and more casual visit if you just want to wander the grounds, pick up some produce, and drink something cold while looking at the view.
Reservations are strongly recommended for dinner, especially on weekends. Walk-ins at the bar are more forgiving, and the bar terrace has its own particular appeal — you can sit outside, watch the sun drop, and order lighter without committing to a full table. I’ve done both and can recommend either, depending on the occasion.
The grounds themselves are worth exploring before or after you eat. There’s a 600-year-old pagoda on the property, a koi pond, a garden that’s been maintained with obvious care. It doesn’t feel like a theme park. It feels old, in the good way — like something has been tended over a long time by people who cared about it.
Parking is free in their lot, which is a genuine relief in Hollywood. The drive up is narrow enough that you slow down, and that slowdown is the point — you arrive somewhere different than where you started. For out-of-towners, it’s a reliable knockout. For locals who’ve been meaning to go back, the dusk hour in late spring or early fall is the moment. Go for drinks and sashimi, stay for the light.
