Iroha Reviews

Iroha may not have much curb appeal, but it's been one of the valley's best Japanese restaurants for decades. Walking through the door in the back of a tiny valet parking lot is like stepping into a Japanese country house, and the cordial hostesses continue the spirit of welcome. The outdoor garden is an especially lovely area for both lunch and dinner. The sushi here is top-drawer succulent, but the extensive menu offers considerable variety. The soups are recommended for their heartiness and flavor.

awesome small sushi spot. very fresh!! very very good!!! great place to take a date and chat the whole night away over sushi!

Very precise sushi at the highest degree. Creative, authentic, amazing. exactly what LA sushi is made up to be!

Everything about this place is intimidating. From the set back “massage parlor” type entrance to the Huge menu so it’s a bit overwhelming. But everything is so good. What it lacks in decor and style it makes up for in deiciousness

This is my favorite go-to place for sushi. The staff is excellent and the food is incredible. You must try the spicy tuna crispy rice if you. Every once in a while I try a new sushi restaurant but I always end up back at Iroha.

Had a wonderful meal seated at the sushi bar. Amazing sushi and great service, highly recommended. The interior is like walking into a sushi bar in Tokyo mixed with an LA buzz.

This is a great place. However, I was devastated by an occurrence at a recent visit. I used to order the sushi box where one of my choices was the very tasty salmon skin salad, but was told that this salad is no longer offered with the sushi box. This was a devastating experience.

Went to Iroha for the first time on a busy Friday night. There was a 45 minute wait (make a reservation) but while we were waiting another patron told us to try the Albacore with Crispy Onions. OMG this was one of the best sushi dishes I’ve ever had. It melts in your mouth. Another favorite was the Pink Panther roll. Their prices are a little higher than some places on its level but the quality is there.

I love this place. Great sushi, pleasant surroundings, the best Miso soup in LA! Every time I eat somewhere else, I am reminded why is the best!

Excellent food. Lovely atmosphere.

The food quality here is superb, along with the preparation. Presentation is as lovely as you'd expect of a high end Sushi house. Sashimi is some of the best I've had. The baked crab hand rolls are delicious!.. I could go on and on, but I'll just say this: Iroha is fantastic!

High class sushi place. Good Sushi, but Ahi next door has better sushi.

Studio city has numerous sushi places and we would not rank it among the best. No complaints about the ambience- bright , cheery place with a good crowd. We are not sushi experts- but we found nearby Ahi Sushi more tasty. Good selection of sakes - we had a Kikusui glass and a Hot sake- both good. The food menu is vast and you might get a little lost if you are not an expert in sushi. Pricier than other sushi restaurants around- probably worth in terms of quality -we are not sure. All together a one -try place if you like sushi and sakes,

I am not sure what happened to Iroha. It was the worst sushi experience I have had for the last 30 years. I could prepare better looking sushi and I have no skill. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!

My husband and I love this place! We ALWAYS sit at the sushi bar but we have a few times with family sat and a table and that is lovely as well. Some of our favorites are Yellowtail with the jalapeños, the Pink Panther Roll, Crispy rice spicy tuna and Tuna with Onions. But really we love it ALL we just always end up getting one of these when we are there. It is more pricey then many of the places on the Blvd. but it is MUCH better sushi. And dare I say a little romantic ;) Hope you all will give it a try. Parking is Valet only (small parking lot) or you can park on the street yourself and walk in.

Amazing fresh sushi hidden off the street (at the end of a driveway off Ventura Blvd, by Coldwater Cyn). The sashimi we had was divine-both the Hamatchi (yellow tail) and the seared Albacore with crispy onions. We also enjoyed the spicy tuna on rice cakes. There is both a nice cozy bar and a patio for bigger groups. There are celeb sighting, as other people mentioned-we saw Susan Sarandon enjoying sushi. But the main point is if you are looking for fresh, high quality, tasty sushi, this is a must if you are in the Studio City area....if not, go there, its worth the drive!....

I came here with my partner and spent a LOT of money because we wanted to try everything. This place is awesome. The staff are authentic Japanese people cooking authentic Japanese fare. The tuna sushi was insanely good and the oyster shots were some of the best I've ever had. Will definitely eat here again as it's my boyfriends favourite sushi place (his 10th time, my 1st time) but will need to save up the cents before I can do it again in a hurry!!

very good fresh sushi with a great, cozy atmosphere. a little hidden from the street but well worth the find.

When you are in the valley and you want sushi there are only a few places to go. Iroha has been one of those places. They are always packed and have beautiful ambience. The food is consistently brilliant! One of my favorite places in town.

My family and I eat here whenever possible. Great food, great sushi. Traditional favorites as well as creative new treats. Service is friendly. If possible visit the Garendo Gallery in front of the restaurant. Very unique folk arts from around the world. A very special lady owns and operates the gallery for many years.

Joined friends for sushi at a place i didn't know existed. What a delightful find! Valet or, if your lucky, street parking, what into a delightful very busy garden setting or eat at the bar or the inside dining room. Great friendly service, beautifully presented sushi, wonderful flavors. Can't wait to return.

It is too early to give a better than average review for my first time as the Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll I got fell a little short in flavor. In all fairness, they do have an extensive menu and it will take a little time to get used to what they offer and find some items that hopefully will appeal to me. The wait staff was very attentive, fast and professional. I like that they offered me a plastic tub so that my purse would not sit directly on the floor which means losing money or something of that nature, but don't quote me. It has a small interior space, but does have a large outside seating option. Valet parking is offered, but it does take some time. Street parking is hard to come by. Pricing seems a little high, but I guess as long as you feel you get what you want, why not?

Too pricy for what it is. In katsuya that is really close and better we order double of the things we order here and it was the same price.

Been To Iroha 20 times and every time it is good. Has been enlarged over the years and has a small ally entrance to the patio with tables, the Sushi bar has tables also. It is really good and very fresh as it always crowded. Great for couples and conversation. MUST make reservations after 6:30 pm for a table. Service is attentive, but the more crowded the slower the sashimi and sushi will arrive- so be patient. Everything is good from commercial dishes to more exotic fare. The salmon sashimi is superb. lamb chops are great, filet steak is fine and tender, cold sake choices are great & served in an ice bucket, the burgers served between fried rice cakes is excellent. Yes, it is expensive and please understand it is average for fine Sushi. Kids are welcome, tables good size, We spent $135 for 3 before tip, so expect $50 to $60 per person. Blacken Cod is great when available and toro is outstanding but $45 per serving. Do not valet park $3 as it is a hassle only 8 spots - so find a spot on the street. It is easy to drive by and miss so be alert-- North side of street west off Coldwater. Remember call ahead even for 2 people after 6:30. Stay Hungry

We dined at Iroha Sushi in Sudio City last night. My aunt lives in Studio City and we asked her for recommendations of restaurants that are walking distance from her place. First place out of her mouth was Iroha. As we walked down Ventura Blvd we passed many other very nice looking and comtemporary sushi places. The other thing we noticed was that the saying is true, nobody walks in LA. Oh well. Anyway, when we finally came upon Irohi, we immediately questioned my aunt's referral. From the outside at night, the place looks like an old dive. Our first impression immediately changed as we walked inside. The place was packet...much more so than the other places we passed. Without reservations, we were lucky to get seats at the sushi bar. The sushi and service were great. I had the crunch crab roll and my wife had the #4 roll (ahi and spicy shrimp). The fish was fresh and portions generous. We will go again!

My wife and I often find ourselves eating late, but most restaurants in the area are closed - except Iroha stays open until midnight and seems to attract a lot of late night workers from the nearby studio. The menu is extensive. I usually opt for the sushi or sashimi while my wife favors the tempura. Excellent cold sake, too, but we always end each meal with a shared piece of tempura-ed cheesecake.

One of the best sushi I've ever eaten! We made an exception to our normal vegan eating for this special occasion. It was worth it!

Traditional (as opposed to trendy) décor and atmosphere, friendly and efficient service, and the "ika" (squid), "tako" (octopus), "anago" (sea eel), "unagi" (freshwater eel), "uni" (sea urchin), "saba" (mackerel), and green tea ice cream were all delicious. I was pleasantly surprised that they had both "anago" and "unagi" available, as many sushi restaurants have only one or the other available. The only downside that keeps me from giving this restaurant a 5-star rating is the monkfish liver. Didn't taste good and ended up giving me a case of indigestion. I don't really blame the restaurant, as apparently liver and I just don't get along well, regardless of the species it comes from. I decided to be adventurous and take a chance anyway, and my digestive system paid the price for it. I would nonetheless gladly come back to this restaurant in the future. "Oishi kata, gochiso sama deshita, domo arigato gozaimasu!"

Great quality and very tasty sushi for a really good price!

I have been to Iroha several times as it is my daughter's favorite place but I find it somewhat underwhelming. The restaurant is set in a modified old house and a covered patio, with rather low-end decor and finishes. The sushi selection is as good you may find in many establishments along Ventura Blvd.’s Sushi Row. But the skimpy, crowded and shack looking place does not reduce the premium prices they charge for the food. One unique and very good item on the menu is the fish soup that I have not seen in any other restaurant on the BLVD.

ABC and 123 = the best sushi on the other side of the hill. I have long sicne been a fan of this spot. I am telling you the albacore tataki with crispy onions is AMAZING. Many places try to do this but IROHA really pulls it off. if you get ther for lunch try a yellowtail salad mmmmmmmmmm. Their Sashimi selection is great and whoever is doing their buying really knows to how to pick a fish. They also have really excellent rolls. look at the boards over the sushi bar. My fav's the DOC, JR Roll, and forest fire are my fav's. also ask JR to hook up something nice for you when its not too busy this place gets hella packed! for those of you non rawfishaterians they also have a great selection of hot foods as well. oh big heads up too they close late last I called they close at 12 so call and get the times. Great for dates, friends and partys.

One of my top 3 favorite sushi restaurants in LA. #1 Favorite in the Valley. Iroha is a great mix of traditional sushi, sashimi and rolls with a few twists. Nothing too out of the ordinary though like some of the trendy sushi places nearby. Everything is great. Wonderful quality fish. It is small and intimate like most sushi places, so expect to wait 30 minutes or so on a weekend evening. There is a valet parking service, or you can park at a meter - you'll probably walk a block or two though. But it's worth it! Yummy Yummy Yummy.

Wonderfully fresh sushi. I standout in Studio City, where there are 10 sushi bars nearby. We split a number of their creative rolls. The fish in each was fresh and delicious. A couple of concerns: The place was packed and very noisy. The number of people also meant that service was slow. Compared to other sushi restaurants in Studio, Iroha was a bit more pricey. That said, we were impressed and would go back.

Food here is solid and portions large. Spicy tuna on crispy brown rice is a standout and highly recommended. Miso soup with 5 mushrooms also excellent. Just be are up when ordering because sashimi dishes are larger than at most places and you may end up over-ordering. Very cute patio sets this place apart.

Some of the best tasting sushi I've ever had. I can't recommend anything special because I don't know the dishes. But so much flavor. I heard several chefs are Mexican specialists. Makes a big difference in the food. Extra added flavors. Been back 5 times.

I must say, by the outside of this place, I wasn't expecting much... But once we were seated (expect a heck of a wait, even with tables open) the food was delicious. All was fresh. All was tasty. A bit on the expensive side...the prices you'd expect to pay at a nicer establishment.

Iroha is one of the rare decent place open after 9PM for dinner in Studio City and for this reason it worth to have it in your contact list ! Tucked between a motel and an apartment building, the restaurant is hidden behind the valet parking lot. Once pass the entrance, you have the choice between the covered outdoor garden and the indoor seating and bar (with air conditioning !). We sat at the bar and have a cold dry sake and a draft beer. Our sushi chef was a bit serious and it would probably take us few visits to extract some humanity from him. The service was good, but a bit fast, so order plate by plate, not everything at once to enjoy these great sushi. The fish are of great quality and the roll menu is extensive and inventive. Great and cozy atmosphere in this authentic Japanese gem. Iroha carries certainly a different crowd than the sushi places on the other side of Laurel Canyon Blvd.

I love this restaurant. They have the best spicy clam miso soup. They prices are reasonable for a high quality sushi and the ambiance is great. Always make a reservation as they are busy all the time.

Once you find your favorite sushi place it's hard to try another. This place is our favorite. Very good sushi, nice dining room, attentive staff and reasonably priced. What more can you ask for? Love the spicy tuna rolls and sashimi salad.

Excellent place for sushi in Studio City. If you can't get in to Katsuya, this is just as good.

This is my absolute FAVORITE sushi place! Lets just say I hated sushi until I came here, now I'm addicted. They even have a little Japanese shop next door and a little old Japanese lady that gives pottery lessons. LOVE IT!

Very fresh fish and nice sized portions.

Great food. Great service. Place is quaint.

A deep menu of outstanding dishes, always with a few new features. The fish is A+ and the rolls are creative with texture in mind. Everything is delicious. Great place for aficionados as well as sushi newbies looking for a positive indoctrination. Just keep in mind it sets a high bar - the fish is that good. It's an energetic place, so if you're looking for a quiet night out this isn't it. Still, there are plenty of small tables and a good vibe. The waitstaff is friendly, attentive and can-do. Great place for a date. If it's your first time there, you might miss it if not for the sign. The actual restaurant is behind an eclectic shop on Ventura Blvd, set in a series of indoor and outdoor rooms in a low building. Book ahead as the place fills up quickly (particularly on weekends).

Great food and great outdoor seating area which is perfect for LA most of the year. This place can get a bit over crowded though I think they either need to expand and hire more help or not take as many reservations or walk-ins as they do. People can literally be waiting on top of you while you eat and if your food will always take a very long time to get ready. If you miss your chance to order everything you want for the night in the first shot then you will have to forget it. They will openly tell you that! Other than that, I think they have a great menu and I have always had fresh great sushi here. It's priced on the high side so be prepared.

I ate here through a gift certificate. The good is amazing (I've tried many sushi places) and the atmosphere is intimate and unique. The restaurant was very crowded which spoke well for the place as there are a millions sushi places in the immediate area. Parking is great! What's not to love?

Love coming here. Always consistent and top quality. Service best and sitting at the sushi bar is a must. Great value...huge portions

Hidden. Looks dingy. Tastes delicious! Best in the hood on sushi row. Very friendly. Never know who/what you’re going to see. But that doesn’t matter as the Sushi is killer. Some unique things for sure but standards are tremendous.

I hate driving in LA,but, made the drive from Santa Monica to Studio City just to see if this was the real deal. Iroha is tucked away down a parking lot just off Ventura Blvd. between Woodman and Coldwater. This sushi bar/restaurant is among the best I've been to in LA. The food is fantastic, their house specials are unique and the service is spot on. Being married to a native Japanese woman and having eaten sushi from NY to Tokyo I believe I know great sushi from average. This place is top shelf.

She has never wanted to try sushi - but had a little nibble of some spicy salmon - and loved it. This place isn't fancy to look at, but the food was great! We made a reservation for 4 on a Saturday night - don't go without a reservation or you can easily wait an hour. We shared rolls, tempura, etc. Everyone was happy!

The best thing about Iroha is that they have really good food and most people focus on that. While I do like their food, there are other issues that have kept me from returning. A: The parking is terrible. The valet area is very small. It takes forever to get your car after dinner. Street parking is almost non-existent. B: They are much more expensive that other sushi restaurants along Ventura Blvd. C: Attitude! instead of presenting a welcoming environment, I felt like they were doing me a favor by letting me dine there. Yeah, the food is good but it's the overall picture the will keep me away.

We wanted to have sushi while in Los Angeles and stopped in for dinner at Iroha. What delectable choices they offered. We started with some lightly fried seafood and vegetables and then shared a pumpkin roll, a d o c roll, and a navita roll, all very good and the navita roll being the tastiest (and messiest) sushi I have ever tasted.

We were told to go to this place by some friends. Finding the place was challenging enough... but holy crap was it worth it. The food here is just outstanding! The staff is very helpful with anything... even helping decide on the next sushi dish. I am not sure how popular this place is but GO THERE, you will not regret it.

I used to go to Cafe Sushi, their sister restaurant, until it closed. When I discovered Iroha, I was one happy guy. The place is funky and cool with a vibe that makes you feel you like you have found a hidden golden gem. Tucked away in the back of a driveway (for parking valet), this sushi bar offers the highest quality food with unbelievably creative choices for a moderate price

You can always expect to get great service from everyone at Iroha. I think it's one of the best sushi places in the valley area. A bit pricey but worth it. It's child friendly and they also do reservations. The menu is rather huge so you are sure to find something you're going to enjoy!

Tucked away little restaurant with cute outdoor area and big taste. A ranged of fresh sushi and Japanese sandwiches ( it's there own thing ). They do this amazing crispy topped sushi. Not cheap but good

Iroha used to be a pretty good sushi place. It was an upgraded shack structure with usually crowded environment and reasonable prices. It has become too much of everything… too crowded, too pricey too rushing… in short a bit too much . While the place and service are efficient, they are far from elegant. If you are seated in the front room, guests seem to be walking in and out nearly over your head. The environment is geared to get you in and out as fast as possible and does not cater to your needs. In our last visit (6 of us) they did not even ask us if we wanted dessert (which we normally order), they just handed the check and were happy to help us out. The food quality is almost as good but not enough to justify the other negative. Will probably go somewhere else next time

I love sushi and have for most of my life. I eat it at least (3) times per week. I've passed this place and its always crowded. I decided to give it a try. What a terrible mistake! The lady that seated us was totally not-charming and treated us without any civility. The sushi chef had absolutely no personality. We were just a number. Before trying the fish I always test a sushi restaurant by sampling a California Roll with masago.. Their was so marginal that it barely was edible. It had an aweful aftertaste. I am not kidding when I tell you that I've had much better California Rolls at the Ralph's supermarket in Westwood Village. We ordered a catapillar roll that was decent but not terriffic. I was brave (my wife had enough at this point and didn't want to risk eating any more) and had a hamachi and marguro both of which were marginal at their best. We had a cucumber sunomono that was inedible. We didn't bother ordering drinks of any kind. This place prices their sushi at a level almost as high as a Matsuhisa or Nozawa but this restaurant is no where near the league of those two restaurants. I have no problem paying $90 per/person for a great meal at Matsuhisa but I think that $60 (for the meal that I just discribed) was a total rip off. All I can say is that this place is for people that don't know and can't tell a good sushi place from a terrible one. I can't understand how it could possibly always be crowded??? It was aweful!

Put this restaurant in your sushi rotation!

Not used to ordering sushi on my own, the chef was very helpful and delivered up a special variety of different sushi that were out of this world!

This is my friend's favorite, so every time she is in town we go here. Great spot - love that there is art studio and store connected. Normally, I don't see sushi bars pay attention to lighting and warm settings - Iroha is cozy and warm and has a great little covered patio. Great fish! I sat at the bar with Alec Baldwin at one occasion - pretty cool!

Iroha is not gourmet sushi or omakase only. It is a neighborhood sushi restaurant with good quality sushi, good hot entrées, and excellent service. The place is very busy on weekends evenings. The covered outdoor patio is a very pleasant place to eat both lunch and dinner.

Iroha has apparently been around for decades and is parked in a small location off Ventura in Studio City. Unprepossessing and hard to find, but worth it! The sushi was simply spectacular; very fresh and varied. Please (and I do mean please!) try their toro; it is so good that words can't do it justice. You'll hear lots of Japanese and not a lot of English, but our waiter was playful and helped guide us to a decadent selection of dishes; we were having fun and he was a superb enabler. I'd eat here every day if I lived here. It was that good. So visit here; you won't regret it. They offer excellent sushi with spectacular service.

The little house has the cutest ambiance and the seafood / sushi and appetizers are fresh. You can get flavored saki and good choices of beer too. I really enjoy eating here with friends or a good date spot.

Iroha is the best - and it has a great "outside" area that is completely enclosed but still feels outside. Get one of the varieties of spicy miso soup - I get the shrimp tempura & avocado. Get the seared albacore with crispy red onions. Get the spicy tuna on crispy brown rice cakes. Get it all, it's all wonderful - it's always fresh and top quality. We come once every few months. We call for takeout as well. It's not the cheapest takeout - but it sure is yummy!

You can count on this place to have fresh fish all the time but it can be a bit pricey and if you don't have reservations you're going to have to be patient to be seated because it's tiny and they're always busy. They have a nice courtyard which is nice all year round... let's face it we're in LA but they have outdoor heaters too. The service can be slow and the timing of the food arriving at the table can be off.

Looks like a small hole in the wall.... but WOW!!! Awesome food.

Great place for a group or intimate date. The patio is lovely when its lit up at night. Lots of vegetarian vegan options including a vegetable ramen or the kabocha squash roll. The staff is curious and the service is quick.

Open until 12 am midnight every night. Large menu with many different specialty rolls, noodle soups. And they have Special #4, which I hadnt seen anywhere since Cafe Sushi was still on Beverly Blvd / la cienega.

My guy had tried this restaurant on a work lunch with colleagues who had recommended it to him, although he is not the biggest lover of sushi and is through and through a slab of meat kind of guy, he loved this place so when he said that to me, I figured it must be something special. He took me over a special birthday weekend for lunch this September and I have to admit, the location, frontage and even when inside I was expecting something Medicare at best and genuinely hoped that it would be half decent. My was I in for a shock of my life. My partner sat us at the sushi bar on stools and we ordered soft drinks and I felt a bit lost as I could see masses of special chalk boards, menus and paper slips where I presumed you could tick options, we didn't do this as my guy ordered us Omakasi.... Not sure if that's the right spelling but whatever he said I think it translated at feed us.... Feed us your best bits, feed us what's fresh... I think... the chef asked 2 questions....1, was there anything we didn't like and 2, did we want sushi I or sushimi. I said sushi and feed us whatever he wanted, and sushi is a favourite as I like the fillingness and soy soaked rice aspect usually to it. Well, for the next 60 minutes we watched a Chinese craftsman at work, clean, meticulous, thorough and quick at releasing and closing lids and seasoning the fabulous bites he did for us.... I don't know what some of it was but I know it was all divine and each bite was delicious. We had raw scallops, octopus, shrimp heads fried in sesame, crab rice rolls hot, tuna, raw shrimp and that's just the ones we can name and remember. I usually blather soy sauce and the ginger etc all over my sushi back home in the uk,BUT here I didnt need anything other than what he did to the rolls. The bill was around $90 but worth every penny, I couldn't thank the chef enough who really looked after us well. I felt very special and although it isn't anything special to look at in terms of look or decor of the venue here quality, taste and service are all top notch. Never mind would I return again, I could easily run away and live with this chef! :-)

Stuffed myself there at lunch today and I wish I had room for more. The service was great and the sushi stood out as some of the best in the valley or anywhere in LA for that matter.

LOVE this place!!! LA is known for sushi and we have a lot of great places to choose from, but I can't get enough of Iroha. I take family, friends, dates any chance I get. It's a relaxed friendly atmosphere. The staff is lovely and the sushi is delicious. Bonus, they have brown rice as an option which for me is very important. STANDOUTS: Bake crab Handroll and Lobster hand rolls are TO DIE FOR!!!!

Great little sushi place with very reasonable prices.

We had dinner on Monday evening. There were already some people but we easily got a table. The service was OK but the food was great. I had the beef Teryaki and both of my friends chose the sushis. A good place that I would recommend.

Sit at the bar and let their head chef decide what to feed you. BE OPEN MINDED, he knows what's good.

This place crosses the price/quality curve for me. You can get as high a quality sushi for much cheaper elsewhere. Though, I must admit, everything here was excellent. The big dish that everyone raves about is the tuna tartar appetizer, the one on the crisp chip, and covered in sauce, I believe. I wasn't impressed. I'm not saying this place was bad, as it's certainly worth trying out on an LA sushi tour. But, make sure you check your available balance first.

This is my favorite Sushi Place. First class sushi place, in some occasions you could see some actors and actress enjoying the place. I come here almost every week with my Fiance.

fantabulous! i have never had a bad dish here. the sauce on the asparagus with 5 mushrooms dish is extremely addictive ... the spicy shrimp & shrimp tempura sushi is scrumptious ... the decor is lovely & the service is very professional. highly recommended.

Located behind another retail building. Great service and fresh sushi. Has 3-4 menus and specials on the board which is a bit overwhelming. We ordered assorted sushi and ate at the sushi bar. Staff was great. Also ordered Ramen which was tasty.

Took a dear friend there to celebrate her Birthday. She had heard great things about it but had never been. She and I became close while pregnant with our 3rd because we met for sushi weekly. I had been before and always it fresh, very traditional and quite pricey. This time I found the fish low quality(strings in the tuna), not very flavorful and on top of already being expensive they added an upcharge for real crab! Just because Kosher clients want imitation crab(which is cheaper) I shouldn't have to pay extra for the crab that traditionally comes in a roll. The service was just OK. Given the plethora of Sushi restaurants available, I probably would not return.