50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Altadena

“I had the chicken and steak with fried rice! Absolutely delicious! 😋 My son had steak, shrimp, chicken with fried rice and veggies, his gf had the shrimp and chicken with fried rice. The yum yum sauce and garlic butter are the best I’ve ever tasted! All of it was AWESOME! You need to try! ❤️ The owners are super dedicated, kind, and friendly!“

“I had Japanese breakfast w/ miso black cod, it was tasty.“

“Tasty bbq take out outside. Amazing desserts to ans friendly staff“

“Delicious food. Fast service. Get here early to avoid a long line.“

“Really good sushi and kushiyaki. Rolls were well executed but uninspired. Excellent chutoro, king salmon, and kanpachi which can be hard to find at reasonable prices. Service was good but it was really hot inside and the propped door just wafted in pot smoke from outside. Didn’t see any off-street parking but it’s only steps from the little Tokyo metro station which makes it easy to get there without a car, something Angelenos could learn a thing or two about.“

“The absolute nicest people run this tiny shop and they have the freshest sushi for the price. It is so clear they care about the food and their customers. I love love love this place and can’t recommend it enough. I got the salmon and albacore rolls at different times and they were amazing. Thank you to this wonderful team!“

“Esther was extremely helpful and generous. Our experience was equivalent to having our own personal waitress while the restaurant was packed. Esther’s professionalism and kindness made our experience fantastic.

The food was amazing and everything brought to our table was phenomenal!“

“We recently embarked on a three-week west coast “foodie” vacation, spanning five states and six major cities. Along the way, we dined at everything from Michelin-starred establishments to small mom-and-pop restaurants. By the end of our trip, everyone in our group unanimously agreed that our experience at Tensho was one of the absolute highlights.

From the warm hospitality and the evident pride in food preparation to the impeccable service and outstanding flavors, everything about our visit was memorable. We left the restaurant on a true “food high,” feeling as though if the entire world could experience what we just had, it might inspire world peace.

Be sure to order the wagyu—it’s an absolute must and a true indulgence!“

“Kaminari specializes in Utsunomiya-style gyoza, a pan-fried dumpling that uses a paper-thin wrapper. In Japan, Utsunomiya is a town known for gyoza paired with experimental and non-traditional ingredients

🍽 The first gyoza bar in LA all the way from Utsunomiya Japan!

FOOD 4/5
- Yaki gyoza which is pan fried
- Sui gyoza boiled gyoza in clear pork soup w/green onions = LOVE THIS!

SERVICE 3.5/5
Kinda had a weird vibe from the staff members here. Just wasn't the friendliest or authentic.

PARKING 4/5
Parking in the perimeter of J-twn“

“Its open and they really made sure its safe , service and food perfect . Happy days“

“This was our third time dining at Eigikutei and we were just as pleased this time as we were with our maiden experience. We were favored with our personal favorite of the sushi kaiseki Yawaragi (10-piece sushi). All the separate elements of the course melded perfectly for our palette. The service was attentive and on que with our pacing of eating. And the ambience was quiet serenity. We highly recommend dining at Eigikutei for any fine dining connoisseur!“

“Food is delicious! Really liked the sushi, everything was super flavorful. My favorite so far is the red dragon roll on the bottom of the picture. It’s spicy, savory, a little sweet from the eel sauce and all the fish in the roll is super fresh.“

“The freshest and best sushi ever! Helen is always so sweet and as is everyone who works there. They truly treat you like family and are always making sure everything is the best quality. 100% worth supporting them if you are looking for great quality sushi and even better quality people to interact with. My fav spot for years now ☺️“

“Suehiro Mini review:

Suehiro Mini is a cozy, casual spot known for its authentic Japanese cuisine, especially sushi and ramen. The flavors are fresh and well-balanced, with generous portions. The staff is friendly and helpful, creating a welcoming vibe. It’s a great choice for a quick, satisfying meal with quality ingredients. Prices are reasonable, making it popular among locals and visitors alike.

If you want details on a particular dish or experience, let me know!“

“We dined at their SM North Edsa branch. Good food. 👌 Crews were accommodating. 💯“

“Sushi is delicious here and always fresh - this is our fave spot in Blossom Market Hall! Great quality food, friendly service, and decent prices given the portion sizes and quality.

I’ve tried the Dragon Roll and the Tiger Roll and loved them both. The Tiger Roll has plain cooked shrimp, shrimp tempura, crab and cucumber with a lovely mix of sauces over the top. The Dragon Roll has spicy salmon, shrimp tempura, crab, cucumber and onion also with delectable sauces on top.

The Dragon Roll was the winner for sure - the spicy salmon on top was some of the best I’ve had - not surprised it’s one of their best sellers.

Their rolls are quite large - more than enough for one person per roll and the prices are very decent. Their combos are pretty huge and an excellent bargain. We got my FIL a combo C and a Blossom Roll to go on our last visit - I was impressed by the presentation and he loved them both. Will have to try one next time!

Service was efficient and very welcoming. Order at the counter and they’ll give you a buzzer. The vibe in the market hall is lively and inviting - with lots of seating options and promising dessert choices once you’ve finished your dinner. Sushi Rolland is right inside the main entrance and there’s plenty of free parking on site.“

“This sushi place is the best in town.
Raw tuna has an absolutely superb taste. It’s of great quality and has a high turnover rate, ensuring that you can always enjoy fresh sushi. However, one unfortunate aspect is that we don’t take reservations, which means we have to wait for at least 20 minutes.“

“Great rolls. Big selection.... fresh.“

“Food and service were fine; we would consider return visits. However, indoor dining was much to noisy, we could barely hear each other talk over the din...painfully noisy because I had to adjust my hearing aids to the max volume using the restaurant noise reduction setting just to hear bits and pieces of intelligible conversation. Otherwise, I would only be able to hear noise. It took a few hours after leaving for my hearing to recover. We would only return during warmer weather so we could sit outside, where there's not the sound bouncing off of all the hard surfaces.“

“Best sushi on the West Side ❤️“

“Salad Dressing is amazing. Parking is horrible. They said 10-15 for my order. 25 minutes and I got a $52 Parking Citation🤬🤬🤬🤬“

“A hidden gem in Montrose. Very good food, attentive service, reasonable price.“

“The flavors of all the food was amazing.... everything on the menu was intriguing , I wish I tried it all!“

“Really good food. Came in during the SILENT HILL F collab, the line was extremely long but what would you expect. Giving it a 5/5 because regardless the service was quick and efficient! Both treats offered were so good, social media was making people believe they tasted weird but nope. It’s for a certain audience to say in short. Love love love!!“

“Yes. Very nice servers etc. clean. Yummy food. Usually get beef teriyaki with tempura. Good batter on tempura snd lots of food“

“Every dish was delectable, and great service! We all had a fantastic time there! Definitely will be back, and for celebrations.“

“It was a great experience We took our dear granddaughter to celebrate her birthday !!!“

“ABSOLUTELY the BEST ramen I have ever had!!! The service is amazing, the fried pumpkin... off the hook!!! Spring rolls, yaaasssss!! I had the King Ramen...whoaaaaa! Daaaaammnnn!! You will NOT be disappointed. Thanks to the owners for the great experience.“

“This restaurant was amazing! The food was well cooking and seasoned lots of flavor in the Ramen broth and noddles, everything was prepared fresh. The staff was very attentive and kind, my friends and I had a great time there definitely will be coming back!“

“The experience was amazing. Husband and I made reservations for Valentine's Day. They had our table ready before we arrived. Service was amazing. Everything was organized. Food was top notch and it's definitely worth it. Will come back.“

“Literally the best Japanese Curry House in all of the United States. Doesn't cost a fortune, service is amazing, it's Japanese-American but you feel like you're getting the same service you would get in Japan and a kitchen staff are very attentive and communicative. I had no idea this was here literally my whole adult life and now I go weekly.“

“It was very nice. Loved the hellos and thank you for coming. I can’t wait to come back next time I visit the area.“

“Best sando ever! I got the spicy sansho pepper pork sando and it was fire! So good! Highly recommend!“

“The food is amazing and they have pictures of every item when you scan the QR code. So if you are not used to this type of food this is a great place to come and know what you're getting. Very friendly and welcoming to westerns like me.“

“Good food, good music, good times.

The owner has been playing this music in this town for 20 ish years, and you can feel the history behind his collection of fliers and posters that he's sharing with the world.

The food fills a good niche in Little Tokyo. A few fried bar favorites, classic and seasonal sashimi, and a handful of fusion/vegan dishes differentiate from the other izakaya nearby.

Lastly, it really feels like part of the neighborhood. An old guy said this was a good place run by good neighbors. Why would he lie?

Kampai to this spot“

“Fantastic. Great service and even better sushi.“

“Visitor from Hawaii. Been to my fair share of teppanyaki places where they cook in front of you. Made us feel like me and my family were at home. Love the wall of fame of Mr. Mori and the celebs
celebs. Mr. Mori and his team take care. Food was great, service was amazing, vibes were perfect. Came here on vacation as we just stumbled upon it as it was close to our hotel. It didnt disappoint. Prices are very reasonable and the food and service of the chefs and staff were great. When you serve beer bottles in ice, you know they care. I will certainly spread the word and will be back if we are ever in the area.“

“There used to be in a Marugame near my college, but it has disappeared and since then, I’ve been yearning for it. Marugame’s noodles are bouncy and the soup rich in fishy flavor. I love the ability to tempura, but my tempura was a little too soggy in the breading. But overall, loved the experience and the food“

“Good food, portions & service...“

“We were pleasantly surprised with this place. It’s clean, our server Loyd was very attentive and fast, the food and drinks were superb! Would definitely recommend and we will be returning!
Please guys open the same restaurant in Burbank we would like to see in our neighborhood too!“

“Fresh fish, good rice, excellent customer service. Premade basic rolls in the fridge are always good quality. Sashimi is sushi grade so no weird cuts mixed in. Yellow tail collars are meaty for broiling and include side pieces that you can scrape off to make hand rolls or mix up as spicy yellowtail to top your rolls with. I always get those for a nice simple dinner at home. See pics.“

“Don’t let the chill vibe fool you—Fish on Rice knows exactly what it’s doing. Whether you’re here for a quick sushi fix or drowning in a “need ramen now” mood, this place delivers with quiet confidence and bold flavor.

The sushi? Super fresh, well-portioned, and not trying to be trendy—just really solid quality. I tried the salmon belly nigiri and almost ordered a second round mid-bite. The rolls are generous without being sloppy, and you can taste the care in every cut.

And the ramen? Rich broth, perfect egg, and noodles that don’t go soggy halfway through. The tonkotsu hits all the cozy, savory notes, especially on a cooler night.

Staff is friendly, fast, and always seem like they actually like working there, which makes a difference. The vibe’s casual, clean, and perfect for a solo meal, date night, or spontaneous sushi stop.

📍 Pro tip: Sit at the bar if you want to watch the action—and don’t skip the spicy tuna crispy rice.“

“High quality, friendly service“

“Sakura Grill is a great spot for fresh, flavorful Japanese-inspired dishes served in a relaxed, casual setting. The menu has a nice variety, and everything comes out well-prepared and consistent. The grilled items are especially satisfying tender, well-seasoned, and cooked just right.

Service is friendly and efficient, and orders are handled quickly whether you’re dining in or taking out. The atmosphere is simple and comfortable, making it easy to enjoy a laid-back meal. Overall, Sakura Grill is a solid go-to for dependable, tasty food with good value.“

“This restauraunt serves really yummy salmon handrolls and custom poke bowls. The salmon and tuna taste pretty fresh, they don’t have any weird fishy taste. They offer a variety of toppings to choose from as well. However, the amount of sauce added can be a little overpowering sometimes. I’d suggest putting a note/request to add a little less! And even though it slightly adds to the price, I would also recommend checking off “Extra Salmon” when ordering, because without the additional it feels like there is not enough.

The service is good, but it can take quite a bit of time waiting for orders to finish in person because there aren’t too many people behind the counter. I think best way to order is for pick up or delivery.“

“Hands down the best ramen we’ve ever had! The Red King ramen was incredibly flavorful and absolutely delicious. We also ordered the chicken karaage as a side, and it was fantastic as well. The service and atmosphere were both wonderful and made the experience even better. I loved how they give you a menu and a marker to mark and fully customize your ramen. Can’t wait to come back!“

“Chinchikurin was my first ever Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. I've had the Osaka version in Japan many years ago, but haven't had okonomiyaki of any kind in the US since. So this experience was definitely fun. The food was very tasty and well built. I ordered the Loaded Kaisen, which was the seafood okonomiyaki as part of the 11-layer savory pancake. It was very filling. After the cooks make the okonomiyaki at the main teppan grill, you eat it at your own personal grill at your table, which keeps your order nice and warm. Be sure to put a lot of the mayo and otafuku sauce atop it to make the flavor even bolder and more exciting. If you've never had okonomiyaki before, Chinchikurin is a great place to start. There are very few of these kinds of restaurants in LA, so Chinchikurin is a very unique Japanese cuisine in Little Tokyo worth scoping out. I did a YouTube video of my eating adventures here, which can be found on my channel called Rockstar Eater“

“I love this place, the family is so incredibly nice.
I usually get a #5 beef/chicken combo, extra veg, teriyaki and curry sauce on the side. It's a lot of food so I try my best to eat half for 2 lunches. Their ice tea is good, most places tend to have a dish rag taste.ive been going there for over 30yrs and it's always the same delicious quality. Unlike fast food chains that charge more and more with quality dropping every year.

Vegetarian options: Good Been burritos and veggie Rice bowls.

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes“

“I’ve been hoping a place would come along to give me a riceball fix and this is absolutely it! Delicious & perfect for after school or work bite! Friendly staff clean and chill hip atmosphere. I hope nothing but the best for this place!“

“It feels as though this restaurant has been around for quite some time: the atmosphere, the kind and welcoming staff, the quality, and energy are all sweet! and having their own parking behind the restaurant is great. Wish the sashimi had ginger to refresh between the different fish and flavors, but a small note compared to the overall experience.“