Izakaya Restaurants near Culver City, CA

“Good and delicious food…happy hour is great!“

“The food was amazing. The sweet potato was something I never had in my whole life. I have been to 39 countries for work and have eaten so many foods and I have never tasted anything close to it. The aburi salmon was delicious as well. However the star of the show: Our server Nic. He was one of the best most down to earth servers I have ever had in my life. He was patient, recommended the best things on the menu including the sweet potato. And my glass of water was never empty. You would think going to a trendy restaurant that maybe there would be a stuck-up atmosphere. But no all the servers and waiters were extremely friendly. Although the sweet potato is not something I had before in my life, I think Nic was one of the best servers. I got. Although pricey it was worth any penny. We'll be back in a week.“

“心の居酒屋です🏮 モツなべなど　博多メニュー充実“

“Kappo Miyabi is hands down the best Japanese restaurant in Santa Monica. From the moment you walk in, the ambience sets the tone—elegant, serene, and perfectly designed for an authentic dining experience.

The sushi is absolutely world-class—fresh, artfully prepared, and bursting with flavor. Every bite feels like it was crafted with care and precision. The sukiyaki, though, is truly unforgettable—rich, perfectly balanced, and the best I’ve ever had.

The combination of warm service, refined atmosphere, and exceptional food makes Kappo Miyabi a rare gem. If you’re looking for the best ambience, best sushi, and best sukiyaki in town, this is it!“

“All around great restaurant“

“Izakaya Mi Young (美荣) in Ktown is a hidden gem tucked away in a basement — perfect for a late-night drink. It’s relatively under-the-radar; you’ll need to walk down a stairwell to find it, giving it that “hidden in plain sight” charm. But the food and drinks? Truly impressive.

The decor has an atmospheric Tokyo vibe — exactly how I imagine an izakaya next to a subway exit in Japan. Each table has a ukiyo-e curtain for privacy, but sitting at the bar also has its own cozy appeal.

The menu covers everything from yakitori and sushi to traditional Japanese street snacks and sashimi. I especially loved their highballs — the yuzu and Earl Grey flavors stood out. We ordered several pieces of the chef’s special sushi, all incredibly fresh. The uni-scallop sushi was heavenly. The yakitori, cheesy eel, okonomiyaki, and agedashi tofu were all perfect drinking snacks, but our top favorite of the night was the butter-grilled abalone — so good we wanted an encore!

After just one visit, I already can’t wait to go back. It’s officially my new Ktown treasure. Bonus: they have parking validation, the prices are reasonable, and it’s just the perfect place for a slightly tipsy, blissful night.“

“Delicious Udon and other Japanese specialties“

“I love this place! The food is fantastic! And I’m a regular for a reason 😉“

“Ramen were super good and excellent customer service.“

“Great service and great food, but even better drinks because of my guy Cash there an extraordinary bartender with requisite taste and such an amazing aura can’t wait to go back and try more of his drinks thank you Cash had a great time!!!“

“The service is on point and the food selection is perfect for a variety of hunger levels. From nigiri to udon (curry udon has stellar flavor for vegetarian or non-fish-lover friends), I haven't found a single thing to complain about. I visit LAX every few months and look forward to the next dish I get to try out next.

Vegetarian options: Curry Udon was delicious.“

“We decided to try out SOBAR as it was close by to our stay while in LA
It was a great chance as the food was great. Everything was excellent to include our communication with other patrons
The food was awesome and we plan to go there again before we leave LA“

“Great spot tucked into a tiny strip center area. Plenty of seating, including sushi bar seating. My orders of maguro nigiri and yellowtail nigiri were very fresh. The spicier tuna roll was delicious as well. Complimented by attentive service and a laid back atmosphere, this made for a perfect spot. 👏“

“蕎麦、日本食　最高 !“

“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.“

“Hidden gem. Noticeably high quality ingredients and great service. Even my Korean mom, who is germaphobic and difficult to impress, enjoyed her meal very much. Will be coming here again.

We ordered the oyster/uni (!), the baked scallop roll (!), the chirashi bowl, the sea cucumber, and the spicy japan scallop roll. Everything tasted fantastic and we didn't leave a single grain of rice.

In my opinion, it's rare to encounter Japanese food in America that I end up loving. Every raw ingredient looked and tasted fresh. Uni here was creamy, the green tea was well-steeped, and the sesame seeds on the spicy japan roll were aromatic.

I highly recommend that you come here for a special occasion or whenever you crave extremely FRESH Japanese food.“

“my boyfriend and I made a reservation the day of at 10:15 and there was no wait when we arrived. ambience was lively. host and staff were so friendly and welcoming. we ordered a total of 6 dishes because they are small portions: mixed rice with duck, squid plate, duck meatball, broccolini, pork gyoza, house ramen (total came out to ~100$)

everything was so amazing (especially the squid) and as someone who doesn't eat much, I could've honestly kept eating forever.“

“Intimate atmosphere with the best fish, vegetables and pickled vegetables. Like being in Japan.“

“Traditional Japanese izekaya. Daily specials. A definite must try.“

“Go to place in Gardena for the lunch and the dinner.“

“Best Sushi in LA by far !“

“Authentic, delicious and wonderful. A true Venice beach gem..! Highly recommend this place and will be back 100%! Thank you for the excellent service and stellar food. 🤙🏽“

“Unexpected find in a quiet little plaza in West Hollywood—easily the best unagi don I’ve had in SoCal. Two styles, both incredible, but the hitsumabushi stole the show. Could’ve eaten three more bowls without hesitation. 😋“

“Best sushi in the city! You feel like you’re in Tokyo.“

“The best everything…so, Go!“

“While the ramen is quite good, try their other non-ramen offerings. Katsu curry rice is very good here (katsu pork was prepared perfectly and curry flavorful) as well as their gyudon (beef over rice). Service as fast, friendly and attentive and the dining area was very clean. Value for the meal is excellent especially for West LA! Cannot recommend enough!“

“Shoutout to our server Danny for being so friendly, and accommodating. We asked for a few extra things that were weird asks because I’m pregnant and he didn’t say no, but figured out a way to make it happen.

The food is also very fast and delicious and the presentation was on point. This is our favorite sushi spot in our neighborhood by far.“