Awesome awesome awesome! We loved everything with just one exception that was more personal preference. Quality of food was high. Tastes were unique. Crispy rice we had never had before. Totally see why this is a five star meal!
PaulE
Japonica was a pleasant, casual restaurant in downtown El Segundo. There is always good parking nearby and the restaurant staff were fun, casual, nice. The several appetizers were good that we ordered but these items are generally similar in quality in most sushi restaurants. We ordered a good amount of sushi which in most cases was adequate to average in taste and presentation. Asahi beers, on tap, as always are good alcoholic beverages for Japanese food.
Mike S.
Such a phenomenal restaurant!!! Excellent staff and service that is equally as good as the nigiri sushi, ramen (spicy tan tan), beer, and appetizers (shoshito peppers).This place is a gem!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Tantan, Spicy Edamame
Silvia Sanchez
The food is good but our experience with food was probably ruined by the lack of service of this place. The guy in the early shift was the only nice one. It’s crazy having a server go to your table and don’t even introduce herself or say HELLO at least?? they just go “you wanna order something?” nobody talks to you they just bring whatever you order it’s just weird. It seemed like she was so annoyed by us being there, for being latinos? idk. I guess they had a shift switch because we started seeing a new server (also don’t know her name) out of nowhere and our first one was gone. The only reason why we left some tip it’s because we all (9 ppl) work in the service industry and felt very wrong (should have tho) to put $0.00 after i left leaving not 20% on the toast device the girl looked at me so offended about the tip amount. These people really need to work on the service and their attitude, if you are a server you get paid for being at least educated and welcoming (not even nice). Like i said, the guy in the early shift (Jan 16th around 3pm) was very nice and welcoming.
Waiter seemed like she doesn't like to serve latino people , she was rude , We didn't leave a tip because service was bad , food is just a 2 stars but service is 0 , please change the attitude towards customers , if you want to keep on
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Bob Langford
It is a very eclectic atmosphere for a sushi place. They music was awesome, along with the food, service, and beers. Some unexpected but delicious combinations. The smokey soy, rocks!!
First time at Japonica and went on a Monday night during happy hour. I made a reservation on Open Table and glad I did, it was busy! Service was fast and attentive along with the food being delicious and fresh. I'll be back for sure!
Carla B.
So, I was on the hunt for a spot in El Segundo that could dish out some authentic flavors and offer a great vibe for New Year's Eve. Lo and behold, Japonica came to the rescue. The parking situation? Surprisingly painless. Considering the holiday buzz, it was manageable - nothing compared to the Friday or Saturday night madness, I reckon.Now, let's talk eats. We kicked things off with the crispy rice, and let me tell you, it was genuinely crispy - almost like a high-end hashbrown. Then came the carpaccio trio - bluefin tuna with balsamic, yellowtail with garlic ponzu, and Scottish salmon with onion ginger dressing. Fresh and tasty, exactly as promised on the menu. The mix of flavors made the whole dining affair a delight.On to the rolls - Kyoto Kryptonite, Citrus Sakura, and White Lightning. My personal winner was the White Lightning, a sushi roll with garlic butter, a first for me. Seared albacore and tempura white fish - it was a flavor bomb. Kyoto Kryptonite appealed to my spice-loving side with its spicy tuna, and while Citrus Sakura brought some traditional vibes, it wasn't my top pick given the other vibrant choices.Now, about the joint itself - a medium-sized setup that handled the holiday crowd like a pro. The food took a tad longer to arrive than expected, and our waiter was on an apology spree. Lucky for us, we were deep in conversation, so time flew. But the waiter's vibe low-key hinted at placing an order sooner rather than later.An interesting note: Our dishes were delivered and checked on by different folks. I'm guessing the waitstaff doesn't claim specific tables, but hey, it worked smoothly.All in all, Japonica left me pretty darn satisfied. I'll happily roll back for another round. Cheers to good eats and a chill atmosphere!
Really enjoyed ourselves tonight! It was a last minute decision to go out for dinner and with no reservations I was ready for a wait, but nope! The very friendly and welcoming staff sat us in seconds. With 2kids we were ready for anything. But everything was delightful the food was delicious, the staff thoughtful and friendly. Really enjoyed everything from the bumblebee tuna roll to the relaxing ambience.
Sharon M.
It was our first time visiting. I was looking for a sushi restaurant in LA and came about this on Yelp. The food looked really good, and it had 4.5 stars from about 300+ reviews. We decided to give it a try. Reservations were recommended, which I did, but when we arrived, they did not have me on their list. I showed the server my reservation on Yelp, and they kindly seated us within 5 min. That was AWESOME, and I'm glad they were able to accommodate us at an earlier time as well.AMBIANCEVery nice modern restaurant with seating both inside and out and also toward the back. There is music playing in the speakers from above, and the noise level is good where we could hear one another speaking. FOODAppetizers:1. Crispy Rice w/ Spicy Ahi - Simply amazing. It had just enough crunch and great flavors from the spicy ahi. Definitely a must get!2. Vegetable Tempura - Fried well and great pnzu sauce.Entrees/Sushi:1. Original Tan Tan Ramen - Delicious and great flavors.2. Unagi Sush Nigiri (Eel) - Sooooo yummy 3. Bluefin Bomshell Roll - No rice roll with bluefin tuna, spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber, Japanese balsamic, shiso mint leaf wrapped in soy paper (very delicious and would definrlyget again)4. Truffle Salmon - Fresh salmon with a great truffle flavor (really fresh and yummy)5. Carpaccio Trio - A must get and so so good!SERVICEOur server Chris was amazing and came to check on us often. He was so sweet and super friendly and welcoming. He did not rush us at all and always kept my hot tea filled along with our other drinks.We really enjoyed the food and service here and would definitely return when we visit. It was very busy and many other patrons walked in. The employees were very welcoming! I would recommend this restaurant.
Paul C.
I love japonica. My usual is Redondo, but I was meeting up with my brother and this one was half way between us.Smaller than Redondo or Hermosa, this location sort of misses the whole fusion vibe. Outdoor seating plus a thin interior makes you feel like you're in a submarine.The service was great, as always. The food exceptional. The location in a cute section of old town el segundo. But.... Nothing beats the Redondo location.
Genevieve D.
great happy hour food. excellent service by micheal and cindy! very nice cozy spot. the food is great quality and very fresh fish!
Tiffanie M.
Visiting LA? Then I highly recommend this spot as one of the best sushi spots in town. Think of it as trendy and quality, but not priced out. And trust I know quality fish... I'm very picky. Are you a local? Then you obviously know this spot is delicious. Please tell me your recs!I would recommend the Brussels sprouts, spicy tuna crispy rice, final fantasia, Krab hand roll and salmon skin roll. But there is so much more, I can never choose. If you visit the Hermosa or El Segundo location make sure to ask for seating in Michael's section! He's the best.
Good but not super
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Mochi, Kyoto Kryptonite, Spicy Tuna hr
Awesome awesome awesome! We loved everything with just one exception that was more personal preference. Quality of food was high. Tastes were unique. Crispy rice we had never had before. Totally see why this is a five star meal!
Japonica was a pleasant, casual restaurant in downtown El Segundo. There is always good parking nearby and the restaurant staff were fun, casual, nice. The several appetizers were good that we ordered but these items are generally similar in quality in most sushi restaurants. We ordered a good amount of sushi which in most cases was adequate to average in taste and presentation. Asahi beers, on tap, as always are good alcoholic beverages for Japanese food.
Such a phenomenal restaurant!!! Excellent staff and service that is equally as good as the nigiri sushi, ramen (spicy tan tan), beer, and appetizers (shoshito peppers).This place is a gem!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Tantan, Spicy Edamame
The food is good but our experience with food was probably ruined by the lack of service of this place. The guy in the early shift was the only nice one. It’s crazy having a server go to your table and don’t even introduce herself or say HELLO at least?? they just go “you wanna order something?” nobody talks to you they just bring whatever you order it’s just weird. It seemed like she was so annoyed by us being there, for being latinos? idk. I guess they had a shift switch because we started seeing a new server (also don’t know her name) out of nowhere and our first one was gone. The only reason why we left some tip it’s because we all (9 ppl) work in the service industry and felt very wrong (should have tho) to put $0.00 after i left leaving not 20% on the toast device the girl looked at me so offended about the tip amount. These people really need to work on the service and their attitude, if you are a server you get paid for being at least educated and welcoming (not even nice). Like i said, the guy in the early shift (Jan 16th around 3pm) was very nice and welcoming.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Spider Roll, Sapporo, Chicken Gyoza
Waiter seemed like she doesn't like to serve latino people , she was rude , We didn't leave a tip because service was bad , food is just a 2 stars but service is 0 , please change the attitude towards customers , if you want to keep on
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
It is a very eclectic atmosphere for a sushi place. They music was awesome, along with the food, service, and beers. Some unexpected but delicious combinations. The smokey soy, rocks!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roll, Bumblebee Tuna, Tuna Roll, Tuna Sushi, Japanese Wagyu
Try their house made smoked soy sauce!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spider Roll, Tantan Ramen, Bumblebee Tuna, Crispy Rice
First time at Japonica and went on a Monday night during happy hour. I made a reservation on Open Table and glad I did, it was busy! Service was fast and attentive along with the food being delicious and fresh. I'll be back for sure!
So, I was on the hunt for a spot in El Segundo that could dish out some authentic flavors and offer a great vibe for New Year's Eve. Lo and behold, Japonica came to the rescue. The parking situation? Surprisingly painless. Considering the holiday buzz, it was manageable - nothing compared to the Friday or Saturday night madness, I reckon.Now, let's talk eats. We kicked things off with the crispy rice, and let me tell you, it was genuinely crispy - almost like a high-end hashbrown. Then came the carpaccio trio - bluefin tuna with balsamic, yellowtail with garlic ponzu, and Scottish salmon with onion ginger dressing. Fresh and tasty, exactly as promised on the menu. The mix of flavors made the whole dining affair a delight.On to the rolls - Kyoto Kryptonite, Citrus Sakura, and White Lightning. My personal winner was the White Lightning, a sushi roll with garlic butter, a first for me. Seared albacore and tempura white fish - it was a flavor bomb. Kyoto Kryptonite appealed to my spice-loving side with its spicy tuna, and while Citrus Sakura brought some traditional vibes, it wasn't my top pick given the other vibrant choices.Now, about the joint itself - a medium-sized setup that handled the holiday crowd like a pro. The food took a tad longer to arrive than expected, and our waiter was on an apology spree. Lucky for us, we were deep in conversation, so time flew. But the waiter's vibe low-key hinted at placing an order sooner rather than later.An interesting note: Our dishes were delivered and checked on by different folks. I'm guessing the waitstaff doesn't claim specific tables, but hey, it worked smoothly.All in all, Japonica left me pretty darn satisfied. I'll happily roll back for another round. Cheers to good eats and a chill atmosphere!
Restaurantji Recommends
Really enjoyed ourselves tonight! It was a last minute decision to go out for dinner and with no reservations I was ready for a wait, but nope! The very friendly and welcoming staff sat us in seconds. With 2kids we were ready for anything. But everything was delightful the food was delicious, the staff thoughtful and friendly. Really enjoyed everything from the bumblebee tuna roll to the relaxing ambience.
It was our first time visiting. I was looking for a sushi restaurant in LA and came about this on Yelp. The food looked really good, and it had 4.5 stars from about 300+ reviews. We decided to give it a try. Reservations were recommended, which I did, but when we arrived, they did not have me on their list. I showed the server my reservation on Yelp, and they kindly seated us within 5 min. That was AWESOME, and I'm glad they were able to accommodate us at an earlier time as well.AMBIANCEVery nice modern restaurant with seating both inside and out and also toward the back. There is music playing in the speakers from above, and the noise level is good where we could hear one another speaking. FOODAppetizers:1. Crispy Rice w/ Spicy Ahi - Simply amazing. It had just enough crunch and great flavors from the spicy ahi. Definitely a must get!2. Vegetable Tempura - Fried well and great pnzu sauce.Entrees/Sushi:1. Original Tan Tan Ramen - Delicious and great flavors.2. Unagi Sush Nigiri (Eel) - Sooooo yummy 3. Bluefin Bomshell Roll - No rice roll with bluefin tuna, spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber, Japanese balsamic, shiso mint leaf wrapped in soy paper (very delicious and would definrlyget again)4. Truffle Salmon - Fresh salmon with a great truffle flavor (really fresh and yummy)5. Carpaccio Trio - A must get and so so good!SERVICEOur server Chris was amazing and came to check on us often. He was so sweet and super friendly and welcoming. He did not rush us at all and always kept my hot tea filled along with our other drinks.We really enjoyed the food and service here and would definitely return when we visit. It was very busy and many other patrons walked in. The employees were very welcoming! I would recommend this restaurant.
I love japonica. My usual is Redondo, but I was meeting up with my brother and this one was half way between us.Smaller than Redondo or Hermosa, this location sort of misses the whole fusion vibe. Outdoor seating plus a thin interior makes you feel like you're in a submarine.The service was great, as always. The food exceptional. The location in a cute section of old town el segundo. But.... Nothing beats the Redondo location.
great happy hour food. excellent service by micheal and cindy! very nice cozy spot. the food is great quality and very fresh fish!
Visiting LA? Then I highly recommend this spot as one of the best sushi spots in town. Think of it as trendy and quality, but not priced out. And trust I know quality fish... I'm very picky. Are you a local? Then you obviously know this spot is delicious. Please tell me your recs!I would recommend the Brussels sprouts, spicy tuna crispy rice, final fantasia, Krab hand roll and salmon skin roll. But there is so much more, I can never choose. If you visit the Hermosa or El Segundo location make sure to ask for seating in Michael's section! He's the best.