16 Best Japanese Restaurants in Santa Monica

“Going to an omakase experience can be a little intimidating, especially if there are six seats but my husband and I are the only ones that evening. Usually the omakase chef is serious, the space is quiet and you eat the food exactly how the chef presents it to you. On this occasion the chef was friendly and talkative as well as the host. They made us feel welcome right the moment we stepped in. We like unfiltered sake so they bought us a bottle called "Snowman" that we have had before and really loved. Bubbly nigori with sweet notes. The nigiri pieces were outstanding. The fish tasted super fresh, it melted in your mouth. On the other hand, there were some dishes that we were not so crazy about. For example the baby squid, not a fan. I give it a tried but it was just not to my liking. There was also another dish, the fried little fishes, that my husband had mixed feelings about. It was a little uncomfortable because we were the only ones in the restaurant that evening and we felt it was rude not to eat it or at least tried it. Overall, fantastic service but at $250-$300 per person I don't think we'll come back. We have had better omakase experiences in LA.“

“I came here recently on a weekend, and there was a small group of people waiting outside for their orders. It took about 20 minutes but so worth it. We got the beef and chicken curry omusibi. They are filling & well worth the price of $4.95 each. The seaweed is perfectly salted and slightly crispy and they didn't skimp on the meat which I appreciated.“

“No frill sushi hand rolls. If you want a quick eat and won't break your bank, this location is good. There's not a lot of seatings but it's fast paced and I feel like the seats (stool not being the most comfortable) help with fast dining. The chefs are attentive and knew when we were ready for the next handrolls so that was a good experience. Sakes are affordable as well. Interior is clean and minimalist. I ordered the set and added a few more rolls of scallop because it was fresh and a good amount. Overall, it was a good experience.“

“Great sushi place. Did one of the several course tasting options.“

“Glad Hurry Curry has reopened after closing their Sawtelle location. if you are new and don't know what to order, try the chicken cutlet curry and the Chicken pasta with Alfredo sauce. The curry is bold and savory. make sure to request picked vegetables for the curry. the chicken pasta is also rich and savory. both dishes complement each other without repeating the same experience. the portions are large so bring friends or bring home plenty of portions for leftovers.“

“Almost forgot to write this one. We stopped at the Santa Monica Pier on the way to the airport. I'm so glad we did! I really enjoyed Japadog! I've heard about Japadog before but never tried it. None in Hawaii...yet?? It's hard to miss Japadog while walking on the pier. Especially, if you're hungry. The smell guided me right to the stand. Friendly English/Japanese speaking staff greeted us. Easy ordering and the hot dog was prepared quickly. The Japanese inspired flavors on these hotdogs work so well! The Wagyu Terimayo hotdog was amazing. The ingredients were high quality and fresh. The flavors were well balanced and delicious. Wagyu Beef, Seaweed, Teriyaki Sauce, Japanese Mayo and Fried Onions combined to make for a really tasty dog. I've thought about the Wagyu Terimayo dog a few times since returning home. If you like Japanese flavors and quality hotdogs, Japadog is for you.“

“Found this restaurant in March and just returned for Mother’s Day dinner xoxoxo Great quality food and drinks, very pleasant staff!!! Authentic Japanese food items plus a touch of personality of its own makes their menu awesome and unique. We will come back for many many more.“

“Food was absolutely incredible, my table shared a lot of our rolls, etc and every single one was amazing. An amazing location overlooking the beach, we managed to catch a stunning sunset with our 7:15 reservation. Food came out really quickly, lots of variety on the menu and I was really impressed with the prices. Waitstaff was lovely as well, did not have a single bad experience here.“

“I love the lunch specials and the all you can eat sushi option. Everything is delicious and very reasonably priced. I would highly recommend NonStop Sushi!“

“The service was wonderful, we had a big party and came in about an hour and a half to close, the staff was so kind and gracious in letting us stay a little after close. Such wonderful prices for the quality and service, cannot recommend enough.“

“Delicious sushi ? in Santa Monica. Big choice of great sushi, Nigiri and plenty more.The food is fresh made and wow, tasty. Totally recommend to eat here. The place is very small, but cosy. Take away is recommended as well as enjoying ot here.Must try all creations. ?“

“Best sushi and miso soup we've had so far!“

“This place is so cute! The food is so good. I’m kind of poor so I can’t come here often. I walk by here every day and no one is inside. It makes me sad because you can tell the owners put so much love into this place. I’d hate to see it go. The sushi is fire and unique. You won’t regret trying to place. Praying for Keith Lee to come visit this place. ?? “

“Amazing place! It’s located in the middle of Santa Monica's Main Street. I went there on a Friday night, and there was enough space for three people. I tried various sushi and sashimi dishes, all of which were impressive. I highly recommend Chutoro here. Also Engawa Sushi and Simaaji were fresh with exquisite flavors. The house sake, both cold and hot, was fantastic. The chefs were all very kind, adding to the great experience.“

“Great fresh food. Large portions and friendly staff.“

“As the name suggests, it's a 'self served' restaurant, food was great tho. Japanese is my least favorite Asian food. However, I really enjoyed the food. I may be wrong, but I didn't observe any Japanese person in the kitchen or receiving orders, though. I'm just one of these people who like to see the nationality of the restaurant that I visit.“