50 Best Japanese Restaurants near El Segundo

“I came here for dinner and ordered the Tonkatsu set.
The pork cutlet was thick, crispy, and the meat quality was really good. Everything tasted solid overall.
The only minor downside is that parking in this area can be a bit tough.“

“yummmmm so good. highly recommend“

“Sushi Chef-Dion! His Colorful Magnificent tasty sushi will give you a great inner body experience like no other! 🤗“

“Great good and friendly staff🎉🎊“

“While unassuming. This resturant is good in most if not all ways you's expect from a smaller store/resturant.

I personally got the spicy chicken. Good portions on the chicken (more chicken than rice funny enough).
Kinda spicy so if you're not good with spice or easily get a upset stomach. You may want to stick to original.

But my visit proved beneficial.

The cashier (owner?) Took my order. Was friendly and brought the order to my tablem not something you see much of these days. Especially in larger fastfood or chain restaurants.
But either way. The overall area was well kept and tidy. They do seem to take pride in their chicken/sauce as it was well prepared ans generous as mentioned before in portions.
For around 14-20$
Cause the drinks came seperate.
You can enjoy a good simple quality meal here.
You can refill your drinks before leaving.
I'd come back as i normally visit a lot of resturants in el seguno as i work as a food delivery driver.
So i get to try the locations if they catch my attention.
And i would say.
If you're in the mood for simple and friendly.
Give this place a try.

Parking: The entrance is a bit of a downward slope. So i do recommend you see if the street parking before entering the lot is available as exiting may prove challenging.“

“The food has a great taste and I can tell the recipe of the broth is thoughtfully designed and flavored. The service was fine but the restaurant felt too crowded and loud. While I understand it’s a ramen spot, their décor and presentation are more refined than most, so the hectic atmosphere detracted slightly from the overall experience.“

“This place is a true gem and I love shopping there for all my sushi and Japanese food and sake amazing selection and excellent service! If you enjoy fresh sushi fish that are reasonably priced then you most definitely must check out this gem!!! Also they teach lessons that sell out quickly so you must sign up for their monthly news email that gives you so much information about all that they do!“

“My mother and I celebrated her birthday at Nnaka Restaurant and it was a fantastic dining experience. The set menu included 13 courses, with some special dishes. Every dish was beautifully prepared and delicious.“

“Looked for a quiet restaurant and checked out n/soto. Sometimes creative sushi and sashimi is not a good thing. n/soto delivered elevated sushi, sashimi, hand rolls along with stand out casual and prompt service.

Our service person, Nicole, delivered a well detailed explanation of favz from the menu. The patio was a great space. I look forward to dining indoors in the future.

Great decor and table layout.

A nice review is unnecessary given that n/soto was fully booked.“

“A friendly waitresses,waiters .“

“What a gem! Small, quiet, refined - here it’s all about quality, not quantity. Food is prepared really well and presented nicely. Staff is nice and helpful without being in your face all the time. The drinks menu could be a bit more inclusive. Otherwise this is an awesome place for a quiet diner for two (they only have bar seating so a party with more than 2 people would have a hard time communicating).

Also, I wouldn’t call this place especially child friendly but we took our 2 year old with us for dinner and he enjoyed most of the food (the cooked items) and the staff and patrons were rather pleased to have him there 😊“

“An adorable, cozy sushi restaurant with INCREDIBLE fresh fish. We got the special and regular omakase, and the special is absolutely worth the extra $20 because it comes with an amazing toro collar and tiramisu, along with more sushi, soup, and a carpaccio. Some memorable bites were the monkfish liver, fresh oyster, toro collar, daikon marinated red snapper, golden eye snapper nigiri, and the AMAZING housemade tiramisu.“

“This was my second time at Shunji and since it was so consistent, I thought I should give it a shout out. You may miss it if you aren’t paying attention, nestled behind a non-discrete door on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, Shunji Japanese Cuisine is a Michelin-starred gem that redefines the art of sushi dining. Chef Shunji Nakao is a legend and this intimate restaurant offers an omakase experience that is as unforgettable as it is refined.

The heart of Shunji’s allure lies in its sushi, which showcases decades of expertise as one of Los Angeles’ sushi pioneers. Each piece of nigiri is a testament to his meticulous attention to detail, with fish sourced primarily from Japan to ensure unparalleled freshness. Shunji’s (somewhat new Santa Monica location) is a departure from its former chili bowl-shaped home on Pico Boulevard, embraces a minimalist aesthetic that keeps the focus on the food and quaint experience. The space is divided into two small rooms, each with a blonde wood counter that seats just seven, creating an atmosphere of exclusivity and intimacy. Soft jazz hums in the background, and a wall of orchids adds a touch of elegance, celebrating the restaurant’s decade-long legacy. The service is impeccable, with staff (one Shunji’s wife) moving gracefully to anticipate every need, from refilling sake glasses to presenting dishes on stunning ceramic plates.

Shunji is more than a restaurant; it’s a destination The sushi is exceptional, the ambiance serene, and the overall experience a masterclass in hospitality.“

“The seared salmon and tuna were absolutely unforgettable, just as I remembered. What makes this omakase experience so special is that you can keep enjoying dish after dish until you feel completely satisfied. Truly grateful to Uzumaki for such a delightful meal!“

“深みのある濃厚鶏白湯ラーメン🍜 つけ麺やカレーも美味しいです 😋😋😋😋“

“This place was amazing!! I got the lunch special of the black miso cod and it was $19.50 and the portion was so large and truly one of the best I ever had. The sashimi was also very good and very fresh! I truly loved all the food I tried. I had also tried the blue fin tuna, yellowtail, and kanpachi and all three were very good and very fresh. The prices of the restaurant are fair for the quality.“

“My son and I tried the popcorn, chicken and burger. We love the chicken. It was juicy not dry. The burger was like your standard burger. I will have to add my son. Did not add their secret sauce so that may have made a difference. Seems like a family ran restaurant. They are very attentive and friendly.“

“Thursday after working OT, my coworker and myself were planning to have dinner before heading back home, while driving down the street on Olympic I saw this ramen shop and I noticed few fellas outside waiting to be seated , and I realized that maybe the place was good. Once we were there we have to write the name. Anyway after waiting for about 15-20 minutes it was our turn. The restaurant is not huge, but is clean. We have to scan the QR and Start from there. My coworker got spicy miso and I ordered the veggie ramen, short time after, we got our food and mine looked amazing, came with cherry tomatoes, fried eggplant, lotus, mizuna, and broccoli. Broth was perfect and very delicious. I believe shiitake would make a good match to the veggies, ear mushroom and nori and some corn, just my personal opinion. However every place is different and have their own ingredients, and I was very surprised when I saw mizuna in the ramen, never had ramen with mizuna. Highly recommend this shop for ramen lovers or anyone interested in trying it. It's worth the shot.“

“Excelent food ! Great place !“

“LOVE the poke bowl options including the gluten free/lo carb noodles!“

“One of the best Omakase (chef's choice) sashimi platters I've enjoyed in awhile. The restaurant has a fresh selection, including our favorites of sweet shrimp, albacore, Hamachi yellowtail and scallops. I loved the presentation with the whole deep fried head and artistic design with the tail and other special aesthetic details that made this a work of art, not just lunch. I hope to come back sometime soon!

Our server kept our cups full of green tea and was attentive but not intrusive. They even gave us a complimentary matcha green tea cheesecake at the end, with cold grapes. Definitely sit indoors when it gets breezy, but the door is open to allow for fresh air and people watching.“

“Good taste noodle, great customer service! interesting old Torrance neighborhood.“

“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“

“Awesome food , they’ve got great teriyaki bowls too!“

“The restaurant was very nice, the bathrooms were very clean. The server was very nice and made great recommendations. The food was really good, there was a huge variety of different textures. The soy sauce, taro, and uni was the best I've ever had and mixed drinks were super good. I would definitely recommend trying it at least once.“

“A friend who frequents this establishment brought me for lunch today with another friend. Being a vegetarian I was impressed by the selections I would love to try. I ended up ordering the salmon, scallop, spinach cream pasta with capers. It was delicious! My friends ordered the pork katsu and hamburger combo and it looked awesome. The portions are so generous and it comes with soup and salad for the combo and mine came with a small salad and homemade bread. And the family run restaurant is very service oriented, friendly and a very clean and comfortable place. Highly recommended“

“This is one of the BEST sushi restaurants you will find in LA county. With the fish being so fresh and high quality, the fact that they continue to keep the price reasonable, and the pride they put into every dish they serve. This place is so good, even the miso soup will melt your heart. And here’s my theory, if the place has good quality miso soup, then you know you’re in the right place 👍🏻“

“First time.coming down to this one. Usually hit up the one in Little Japantown.

The soup here tastes just as good!
Only gripe... Not nearly as many of the tempura options or musibis like Sawtelle. But they do have the main dishes here and it was fast on a Friday night to order.

This place is bus your own dishes after.“

“Ramen were super good and excellent customer service.“

“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 been a customer since day 1 and I can say with confidence the food is so delicious you can taste the love the chef puts into making the food! I 100 percent recommend this place to everyone , also they are very friendly and make you feel comfortable to eat there😁“

“Stumbled across Oh! Banzai on an IG ad….stopped by for lunch because I was in the area. What a gem! Had the eel sunomono (light and delicious!), and a few hand rolls. Really lovely place, great service, food is fresh and feels like a higher level dining experience than the price suggests. Definitely coming back“

“Really liked this place. It offers quick prep moderately priced sushi that tastes good for moderately priced sushi. The only weakness was the shrimp nigari which was skimpy on the shrimp. My meal included miso soup, salad and roll, wrap & funnel sushi. I had 2 bites of the roll and drank some soup before I took the picture. I was hungry!“

“Favorite place to eat quickly. It is affordable and reasonable price w loading amount food. The food here has big serving size w amazing taste. The service was rlly good(we got a free drink lol). The restaurant overall is soo cute, styled w cute cat miniatures. I’ll definitely recommend trying out here!!“

“蕎麦、日本食　最高 !“

“I really enjoyed the food here. The cutlet was juicy and crispy. The rice was really good and the service was awesome. I look forward to coming back. Keep in mind this location is within a market so dining is cafeteria style but there's plenty of seating“

“Great sushi restaurant with lots of premium rolls and classic rolls. They have a good selection of lunch specials. I came with my family and they accommodated customizing many of the rolls there to our taste. I haven’t been for happy hour, but they have a full bar and happy hour specials as well.“

“I saw this place while driving and saw a line waiting for their food, so I decided to give it a try.. Ì asked those in line, what was good there.. The answer was either the teriyaki bowl or plates, and the teriyaki burgers.. I got the teriyaki chicken bowl.. it looked and smelled great driving home.. After eating it, I didn’t understand the line of people waiting.. It was okay, but in my opinion, no big deal.. I’ll be honest, I did eat it ALL, and the serving size was BIG, so by no means was it bad.. To be fair though, I’m gonna have to try again, and see what I missed the first time..“

“A hidden gem! Very fresh and tasty“

“Japanese homestyle bento bliss with a legacy! Hard to believe this cozy gem has been serving locals for 25 years.

At the heart of the menu is their Sanuki Udon...a silky, springy noodle born in Japan’s historic Sanuki Province (now Kagawa Prefecture) on Shikoku Island. This isn’t just comfort food—it’s a taste of centuries-old tradition.

Bonus points: the menu is loaded with photos so you know exactly what deliciousness you’re ordering.

Generous portions, wallet-friendly pricing. I went for the Sukiyakidon which was hearty, flavorful, and satisfying.

Old-school interior that feels like stepping into a Japanese home kitchen.

Can be busy depending on the time thanks to all the great eateries in the plaza“

“grest good service and atmosphere. loved it! will definitely be back soon.“

“Gardena’s gem of a restaurant. Great food, atmosphere all with authentic food with a Hawaiian flair. I enjoyed a kalbi bento (it’s not on the menu but they will gladly make it for you with double Mac salad). I also had the famous chili which is THAT good. Not pictured is the somen salad which is a family recipe and is always a must. Leonard and his staff are friendly and engaging like our server Nancy.“

“I tried Azuma for the first time a few weeks ago was very pleasantly surprised how good and authentic it was. Its a small restaurant with a line starting at 5 when they open. I went with a big group and we tried the chicken teriyaki, vegetable tempura, and curry which we all enjoyed. The portions are big enough to share! I would definitely come back and recommend!“

“First discovered musabi’s in Hawaii and was excited to find this spot in Santa Monica. The shop is small with no seating, but the food is the real draw. Great selection, fresh and flavorful, and perfect for a quick snack. Love the Santa Monica vibe, a fun place to grab a bite before heading to the beach“

“Really loved this spot! Easily top 5 in LA - great food, ambiance, friendly but not imposing staff. Highlights: sashimi, chicken karaage, kabocha squash. Lowlights: mushroom rice, tuna handroll (just not as unique). We also enjoyed the duck meatballs and beef tongue. Impressed with the cocktails and n/a selection as well. Can’t wait to try the duck ramen!“

“Very satisfied great friendly service“

“yummmmm so good. highly recommend“

“Ok this is the first time I write a review before I even start the dinner. As long as I saw the chief ar Japanese I know I’ll give 5 starts for sure at the end!!!!

Ok update. I’m so full and everything is amazing
My friend orders everything double so we two finished 4 yellowtail, 4 tuna, 4 halibut, 8 eel, shrimp tempura rolls,dragon rolls, and a soba 😂“

“Sakura House – Sizzling Skewers of Kushiyaki\n\nSakura House has become our favorite restaurant in the Los Angeles area. Having traveled to Japan many times, I can say with confidence — this place is the real deal.\n\nThe kushiyaki here is outstanding — perfectly skewered and grilled to perfection over special imported Japanese charcoal, which gives every bite an authentic smoky flavor. In addition to the skewers, their bacon-wrapped creations are a must-try! From asparagus, okra, and string beans to tomatoes, enoki mushrooms, and jalapeño peppers — each one is packed with flavor and cooked just right.\n\nWe also loved the fresh edamame, Yoshi’s Owari Chicken, and the incredibly tasty black pepper chicken wings. Everything was expertly prepared, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious.\n\nIf you’re looking for an authentic taste of Japan in LA, Sakura House is a must-visit. Highly recommended!“

“Excellent in every way. Perfect!!!“