50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Duarte

“Umebana has amazing food! I'm currently pregnant and I have been looking all over for a sushi place to make food accommodations for me when I have my cravings. Umebana is always so kind to me, the atmosphere is clean and enjoyable, and the food is always made exactly how I requested it, so delicious! Thank you for taking such great care of me“

“I recently tried Koki Ku Sushi, a newer Japanese restaurant in Duarte, and came away pleasantly surprised.

I stopped by for their lunch special and found the service attentive and welcoming throughout the meal. The 5-piece chef's choice premium nigiri was fresh and enjoyable, with each piece offering a nice variety of flavors.

I also ordered the Salmon Teriyaki with Spicy Tuna Roll combo. The teriyaki salmon was flavorful, although the slices were a bit thinner compared to what I've had at other sushi spots. The spicy tuna roll was generously portioned and filling enough to make for a satisfying lunch.

The restaurant itself has a clean, modern design and is conveniently located in the Target plaza, where parking is plentiful and easy. Overall, Koki Ku Sushi is a nice addition to the Duarte dining scene, and I'll be back to try more items from their menu.“

“Everything I had here was absolutely fantastic. The presentation is beautiful, especially the way they serve items on unique, flower-shaped plates.

The quality of the fish is clearly top-notch. I was blown away by the freshness of the uni and the rich, delicate flavors in every bite. It is rare to find a spot that pays this much attention to both the taste and the plating.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the creative touch of seeing their logo on the sake cups. This place is a gem and I cannot wait to come back for another meal.“

“Food was delicious!!! We had our two great granddaughters with us, they treated them so nicely, gave them extra tofu and attention!!! We will be visiting again soon!!“

“Been here many times before, mostly weekdays during lunch hours, never knew they get so busy on weekends. But lines moved quickly, plenty of various prepared takeout sushis in the cold storage areas. Regular customers often recommend food items to try for newbies. Overall, a pleasant place for fresh sushis.“

“I've been coming here for over 10 years and absolutely love this spot. Hideo has been making sushi ever since I've been going here and he is excellent. Service is always good, the place is a little small, but always busy. They have the best muscles, best albacore capaccio and rolls. Nice vibe in there. I highly recommend as this is my favorite sushi spot in the SGV.“

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

“Absolutely incredible experience! The sushi here is some of the freshest I’ve had — you can really taste the quality in every piece. The fish was buttery and perfectly cut, rice seasoned just right, and the presentation was beautiful without being fussy.

Service was warm and attentive without being intrusive, and the chef clearly takes pride in the craft. We tried the omakase and every course was a little surprise — the fatty tuna and the seared salmon nigiri were standouts.

Prices are fair for the quality, and the atmosphere is cozy but still feels special. Will absolutely be back and already thinking about what I’ll order next time. Highly recommend for anyone who takes their sushi seriously!“

“Highly commendable service and absolutely stunning set menu! we went here for dinner last night for our Halloween date night! Their wagyu cuts are 100% top-grade and not just random "wagyu" that are below the marks. We tried their A5 and M9 meats, not to mention their salmon carpaccio that is to die for. Their sides are absolutely delicious and smart, one great example is their fried pork buns that is like a spin on soup dumplings. To top it off, you get premium ice cream in the end. Their salad is so good with yuzu and smokey salt, plus you get a chili mix too. They serve the meats fast plus your tablet menu is in front of you so you don't have to keep calling the staff to refill. I give them 9 stars! 🌟 🐄 🥩“

“I was literally surprised that the place was empty when we went! It was my first time there, and I’m so glad we decided to give it a try. The staff was super friendly and welcoming, and the food was absolutely delicious! Everything was great, and I would definitely come back again. Highly recommend! ❤“

“I’ve been coming to sushi rolland for a while now, and I’d say, I’m pretty satisfied! I’ve been impressed by the freshness of the their fish, especially their salmon. I LOVE salmon, and their salmon is buttery and very good quality. For their price and quality, I’d say it’s definitely worth it. I’ve tried their salmon delight, crunch roll, dragon roll, blossom roll, salmon avocado combo, combo an and combo c. I tried out their new menu today, the salmon crunch, and I really liked it (apologies for the half eaten picture). Might be my new go to menu item. I really the fried onions on there. I always like getting their miso soup, such a good combination with the sushi. Highly recommend their combo plate, especially combo A!“

“Was at Santa Anita Mall and it was dinner time. Had seen Marugame Udon many times, but had never tried it until today. Tried the new Bolongese Udon with a potato croquette and sweet potato tempura. Ambience is great and the wall artwork is fabulous. Noodles were fresh and bowl was warmed before plating. I ordered a large size and was not disappointed. Free toppings were nice: tempura flakes, wake, cilantro, grunions. Tempura was nice and crispy. Potato croquet was good but a bit too sweet for my liking. Grabbed a Calamansi Ade to drink; nice Calamansi flavor and not overly sweet. Tempura dipping sauce was excellent. Appreciate the Togarashi and chili oil as well if you want a bit of spice. Free water cups also appreciated.

For the bolognese, please don’t think this will be similar to an Italian restaurant; this is the Japanese riff on bolognese. A boiled egg may seem odd at first, but it gives the dish a wonderful creamy texture when mixed with the cheese. The ground meat rounded out the dish well. Cilantro and togarashi paired really well by providing freshness and a hint of spice (I love spicy stuff). While this dish will not be for everyone, I’d encourage people to try it, as it is quite filling and really good for what it is. If you’ve had Japanese pasta before, you’ll know.

Will be coming back to try other Udon options and tempura. Udon is great comfort food, and Marugame does it well!“

“This place is a hidden gem. Unpretentious atmosphere and Japanese comfort food. Udons, ramen and my favorite... curry spaghetti! Its so delicious, I get a craving to go here fairly often. They make the curry in house, and its to die for. Staff is great and apart from the strip mall parking being full sometimes, there's really no down side.“

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

“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.“

“Good food, portions & service...“

“Me encanto el lugar muy agradable el personal no se diga muy amables“

“A Mazesoba spot in Walnut, had to try it since it's rare to have this type of restaurant around. My wife and I were immediately seated as it wasn't busy when we entered, although busy a bit later. We were guided by Yuki, he was very friendly, and guided us through the menu since it was our first times at this specific spot. Top notch staff, friendly, professional, and very informative.

My wife and I ordered the Classic Mazesoba & Champion Mazesoba. (Both non spicy) Both came out pretty fast and the presentation is spectacular.

1. Champion Mazesoba came with 2pcs Chashu, Marinated egg, minced pork, poached eggs, 3pcs nori, shredded seaweed, green onions, chives, and garlic. All mixed together with the ramen noodles creates the perfect dish. It wasn't too salty, and everything mixes just melts perfectly.
The noodles were already seasoned well, which makes the mixing extra yummy.

2. Classic Mazesoba came with minced pork, poached egg, shredded seaweed, green onions, chives, and garlic.

Cheaper than the champion bowl, less ingredients, but just as tasty. This dish is perfect for customers who like less meat, and loves more simplicity in their mazesoba. Noodles taste very similar despite some of the lacking ingredients

Overall, Mazesoba Hero is amazing, service is great, parking is free (popular plaza), food is top quality, and for those who are new or interested in mazesoba type food, this is the perfect place to start. Can't wait to come back to try the other dishes.“

“Pleasantly and delishly surprised. Place is unassuming. Its quaint and intimate.
Foodwise, its fresh and well presented. Sashimi is served warm temperture and not over ice. Which is how it should be. Rice was not overly sticky. Well balanced in combo with the fresh fish.
Service was welcoming and super friendly. Enjoyed the relax vibe.
Definitley on my list to be back“

“Great food and great service“

“Everyone this place is a hidden gem. Ordered a bento box and the portions are very large, has so many different sides, all tastes good and the price is reasonable. Food is super fresh not premade, and the pork katsu w cheese is delicious. Recommend to dine in cuz it tastes the best when it’s hot. I’ll definitely try other dishes next time!“

“Fantastic. Great service and even better sushi.“

“My go-to sushi spot for sure. I’ve been here so many times that they already know my order when I walk in 😂. Great sushi, great service, and they always make you feel welcome. Can’t recommend this place enough!“

“Always wondered about this restaurant as there's always a line outside the establishment. My wife and I were seated with our friend group pretty quickly, a nice perk to the staff that handed out menus to choose your order to improve efficiency.

I love that the ramen is very customizable, from the amount of salt, oil richness, ingredients mix, sauce, and even noodle style. (Thin/Thick) There's moderate seating inside, some for large groups, duos, and some wall seats as well. It definitely has the vibes for a ramen shop, lights are a bit dimmer inside which highlights the kitchen staff (open kitchen). working on orders.

My wife and I both ordered the Original King Ramen and shared some appetizer (Chicken Karaage) with our group.

Orders came out pretty quickly and the portions are pretty decent size, a bit deceiving I'd say for the size of the bowl you receive.

1. The ramen is very flavorful, can't go wrong with either thin or thick noodles. In my opinion, the chashu is a must because it mixes the broth flavor with the meat, creating the savory flavoring, super yummy. A little side note is that the ramen is priced nicely, however the extra add-ons can accumulate in total.

2. The Chicken Karaage is a classic must try, Japanese styled fried chicken, super crispy coating, very flavorful meat, and bite size. The karaage is marinated very well & comes with some lemons for that sweet flavor if preferred. Highly recommend.

Overall, Ramen Nagi has very delicious ramen and is very much affordable. Huge plus for the ramen being very customizable & even has chefs recommendations for first timers. Only downside is that the shop is not super big, and long lines but it moves moderately fast if you don't mind waiting a bit.“

“this place is bomb.!! and the service is incredible..“

“Everything about this meal was fantastic. I loved the variety of textures in the baked sushi, especially the contrast with the crunchy fried items.

The baked mussels were perfectly prepared and seasoned just right. It is rare to find such a consistent experience, but this place really delivered. I will definitely be back soon.“

“The best-quality sushi I’ve had. Honestly, it’s on par with Nobu. I’ve had sushi at Nobu that wasn’t even that great, but this place is consistently incredible. The sashimi literally melts in your mouth.“

“This is a delicious Chinese restaurant! Staff were really friendly and helpful. Parking is very limited because it is on a tiny lot but I came early so parking wasn't an issue. It appears there is free street parking. The food was amazing and reasonably priced. I had the Cheung fun with peanuts, Cheung fun with egg, shrimp fried rice, this green dessert, and tofu wrapped around rice roll. Everything was delicious. Cheung fun and tofu wrapped around rice roll were my favorite. The Cheung fun was thin and the sauce was so delicious! The tofu was crispy and it had some garlic inside and it was so delicious. The waitress brought out an extra sauce for my Cheung fun without me asking. They were very attentive. Restaurant was also really clean. I live in Thousand Oaks but needed to come into this area for business and decided to give this place a try. Well worth it and I will be back again next time I am in town. I also purchased another Cheung fun with peanuts to go and my daughters loved it and they are picky eaters.“

“Shabu Shabu good prices with great quality meat. My kids and I loved the ribeye, beef belly, and pork belly the most. All of the meat were good but these three were the table fav. Their appetizers were amazing as well. The fried squid legs, shrimp eggrolls, the blue crab, and the potato wrapped shrimp were sooo sosososososo good. you can tell a restaurant knows what they're doing when the fried appetizers are on point. I got one regular house soup and I got the mala for myself. They were bot so delicous. Also, the prices were very 2016 even in this infaltion. A must try. we went to chicha san chen right after. it was only 3 minutes away. Love this spot on the edge of rowland heights!“

“Ever since I tried their curry plate, this place has been my go-to—it's honestly delicious! I haven't tried anything else yet, but the staff is always kind and the service is super fast. My only minor complaint is that they recently changed their containers, so it feels like a bit less food, but honestly, can you blame them in this economy?“

“A Delightful Sushi Experience! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The sushi was outstanding—fresh, expertly crafted, and beautifully presented. The chef’s special sashimi, were bursting with flavor. The nigiri was a standout, with perfectly seasoned rice and melt-in-your-mouth fish. Service was impeccable; the staff was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. They even made excellent recommendations based on my preferences. One thing to note: Fillet doesn’t have a liquor license yet, so if you’re someone who enjoys pairing sushi with sake or wine, this might be a consideration. They said it’s coming soon, I can’t wait to come back here again.“

“honestly The food is very very good, I rate the his place a 10/10 in food and service. For being a Japanese restaurant this food is very tasty, the only thing is that they will serve your food in to go plates. Understandable, but if you are craving something with a lot of variety very good food, healthy and good in nutrients I have to recommend you this place. Also, if you are on a diet this place have the BEST fresh produce you can imagine so gymbros and gym girls do not miss this place 👍✅“

“Quality food & service at reasonable prices 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻“

“How does this place have no reviews? Probably the greatest hot pit in Houston. Different levels of Wagyu. Includes many sides seafood drinks desert it’s just awesome. Great service. Great vibe. Amazing place. Keep up the good work.“

“This is a no-frills simple traditionally Ramen. The interior is clean. The atmosphere is very minimalistic. The surf surf great, including just the flavored water that’s given. Not a fan of the fusion items. However the Ramen is solid. Grape flavor, not too oily. Would highly recommend for those who’ve been to Japan and want to have traditional Ramen. Is a smaller location, it cannot accommodate more than 40 people. They do have to go options. They also have vegetarian and vegan options as well.“

“WOW! got a lot of food for the money paid! we ordered the chicken and pork combo 3 pieces of katsu , a cabbage salad , a soup, a side of rice and 4 dipping sauce/ dressing!! easily 2 people can share this dish. food was really good can't wait to go back!!“

“Well worth the drive from Palm Springs! Excellent food and service!“

“Yesterday, my best friend, her sister and I drop by for lunch. We ordered mohinga, coconut khao soi, paratha, opo squash tempura and samosa. The food was delicious. This is the 5th Burmese restaurant I've been to and one of the best. My best friend and her sister were born and raised in Burma. They speak Burmese and are very knowledgeable about Burmese food. If I'm in the area, I will definitely drop by again.“

““Oh wow” the first words that I could come up with when my wife asked me how the food was.
We ordered: Japanese ceviche, Y-not roll, Salmon roll, California roll, yellowtail sushi and halibut sushi.
Everything was absolutely fantastic, fresh and full of flavor.
I highly recommend the yellowtail sushi if you want raw sushi
I recommend the y-not roll if you want a specialty roll, it is a little spicy so beware.
If you want to try something new we recommend the Japanese ceviche, it has the perfect mix of sweet and salty.
Overall you could tell the fish are fresh and not old mush, and even the plating of every dish was admirable.
The service is also fantastic, we were checked on regularly by our servers, had all of our questions answered and even got solid recommendations.
This place is definitely worth traveling for, decent prices too!“

“great sushi and reasonable price..“

“The shop has a cozy atmosphere, and the staff are very nice. I really like the beef rice here, but the curry rice is truly not good—just as some people have said—because the curry is poorly made. The sushi rolls are decent, though; if I were to make a recommendation, I’d only suggest the beef rice.“

“Came here based on recommendations from our friends and it did not disappoint. We ordered the sushi boat for 2 which came with thick cuts of sashimi, deep fried soft shelled crab, shrimp and veggie tempura, fried chicken, and teriyaki (we got the beef and chicken mix). There was so much food it was probably enough to serve 4 people!

They offer miso soup and edamame for the table when you get seated. The restaurant itself is pretty small but we came for a late dinner on Fri and was seated immediately. Sashimi is very fresh and portions were generous. Our friends really recommend the chirashi bowl so that’s what we’re gonna get next time we’re back. What a hidden gem of a restaurant! :)“

“Great food and great service!“

“We always like to go to Picnic Time to get their Yubu. It's a small and cute cafe, but the ambiance is welcoming and comfortable. They also have a lot of new items on the menu. We ordered their seared salmon Yubu x 3, one Kimchi Yubu, one Lemon Ponzu Salmon Yubu, and one eel Yubu.
The food was fresh and delicious. The server was friendly.“

“It's one of the best ,beef or chicken teriyaki plates and Japanese food in California .“

“This is a very cozy spot to grab a good meal. It’s not fancy or over the top, but that’s honestly part of its charm. It feels like a small local Japanese place where the focus is simply on serving good, comforting food.

The staff were very kind as well. It happened to be raining when we arrived, and they were nice enough to let us come in a little earlier than opening, which we really appreciated.

I ordered the pork cutlet with curry and the portion was very generous — definitely satisfying and full of flavor. The only small hiccup was that my Diet Coke was forgotten at first, so I had to ask again, but they brought it out shortly after.

Overall, it was a really pleasant experience. If you’re looking for a casual place with tasty food and a relaxed atmosphere, this spot is definitely worth checking out. The price per person is also very reasonable for the portion sizes you get.“

“Went for lunch AYCE. Overall good; fish was good, mussels were excellent, service was decent, little bit crowded.
Order was slightly off by the second round. Ordered 4 seared salmon, 2 ikura, 1 scallop. Got 1 seared, 4 ikura, and 6 salmon. Oh well...AYCE and we still eat those so 🤷🏻‍♀“

“This is such an amazing restaurant! I first came here in 2024, but I left LA for a while and hadn’t been back in a long time. When I decided to come again today, I was honestly a little worried. Two years had passed, and I wondered if the food would still be as good as I remembered, or if the fish would still be as fresh. Thankfully, my worries were completely unnecessary!

I ordered a similar combo to what I had two years ago. The price has gone up a little, but honestly, I think that’s completely reasonable given how much the cost of everything has increased. My friend initially thought it was a little expensive, but once the food started coming out, he completely changed his mind and said the meal was absolutely worth it.

We ordered the $90-per-person combo, and it was SO much food. Every time we thought the meal was finished, the owner would come out with another dish! The lobster was unbelievably fresh—you could actually see its antennae still moving when it arrived at our table. At the end, they took the lobster head and claws to make soup for us, and the soup was delicious.

The uni rice was just as amazing as I remembered it, and the grilled salmon head was another highlight. It was incredibly fatty, rich, and flavorful. You can really tell they use high-quality salmon. My friend even joked that the salmon must never have exercised in the ocean because it was THAT fatty 😂

The staff are Korean, and they were incredibly kind and attentive. I asked the owner if I could take some of their barley tea home because I really liked it. They didn’t have any disposable cups available at the time, but the owner actually went out of his way to give me a cup and poured some barley tea for me to take home. I really appreciated that small gesture!

We also had some sashimi left over, and when they packed it for us, they even included an ice pack to keep it fresh.

Overall, this is absolutely a restaurant that gives you way more than what you pay for. The food was incredibly fresh, the portions were generous, and the service was wonderful. Most importantly, this restaurant genuinely made my night. I will definitely be coming back again! ❤

One little note: English isn’t my first language, so I used AI to help polish and improve the wording of this review. However, all of the thoughts, opinions, and experiences described here are genuinely my own.“

“Great customer service, fresh food and a local spot!“