50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Lake Balboa

“I've been following Jun, the owner, for over twenty years now, and I’m so happy to see them settle into their new spot at White Oak and Sherman Way. It's super convenient, especially with the Korean market right next door.

There are so many sushi places in Los Angeles, but what sets Bar Uerukamu apart is their amazing appetizers and creative drinks. It’s a great spot even for friends who don’t drink straight shochu or aren't big on sushi. Their appetizers are truly unique—not your typical fried gyoza or teriyaki chicken. You can tell there's originality and thought put into the menu. Also all the stuffs are very friendly,sweet and attentive!!“

“Dr Dre and Andersen Pak restaurant. Sign me up! The service and atmosphere were great. We ordered alot of food and got to try alot of different things. Some were great like the wagyu beef and others were just OK which is why I gave it 3 stars. It's probably closer to 4 considering the service was great. Drinks were good also. I will admit in not a sushi person so I only tried one piece of sushi and it wasnt for me.“

“Absolutely love this place! My boyfriend and I live in the area and we love being able to walk to places in our neighborhood. This is definitely a new favorite spot! I rarely write reviews but I had to share my great experience to support this business. The food is fresh and delicious and the staff is very kind.
We ordered the Rainbow and the Spicy Yellowtail rolls for pick up orders through their online website, had a lovely sunset walk during Golden Hour to and from there, and the service was timely and efficient. When we got back home the food was packaged and presented beautifully and it kept well. We thoroughly enjoyed this whole experience and will be happy to order again soon! We look forward to dining in person there as well. Definitely find out for yourself and enjoy this awesome little gem!
Thank you to the entire staff for bringing this spot into the NoHo Arts District!“

“Everything was amazing from the service to the food and sushi and the environment is unassuming and comfortable. Top notch!“

“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 is hands down my new favorite sushi place. I will never be going back to Katsuya. Joe is quite an extraordinary chef. I used to frequent a sushi restaurant he used to work at, but it wasn't the same after he left. I'm so grateful that I was able to find him here after a good hunt. Highly recommend!!!

Vegetarian options: You can ask for whatever you want that doesn't contain any meat. Like cucumber rolls, avocado rolls, egg rolls, or just miso and an order of sticky rice.“

“We had an AMAZING experience with Trevor. So knowledgeable and took the time to explain everything on the menu. Truly an incredible dining experience. He customized our experience and served us with a huge smile. We sooo appreciate his impeccable service!! Thank you, Trevor!“

“Needed a fast, casual, affordable (relative) healthy option for lunch before seeing the Strange Darling matinee at Regal Theater /Sherman Oaks Galleria. Bam! We found it at Hana. I had the teriyaki salmon bowl (crispy delicious salmon, fluffy soft rice) and my bro had chicken katsu plate crispy delicious chicken, fluffy soft rice). Both dishes came with generous portions of fresh veggies. You can eat in on clean tables, or sit in the courtyard under umbrellas. Will definitely come again. If you're looking for high end/fine dining it's probably not your thing. But the food was fresh and tasty and the service was friendly and kind. ?“

“Salmon Ikura dish is amazing! So much flavor!“

“Delicious Udon and other Japanese specialties“

“Been on my list forever and did not disappoint! The decor and environment were very charming. Quick service and all of our food was delicious. Love a miso soup (nailed it), the chicken/tofu meatballs were slightly sweet and filling, the crispy tuna rice starters were huge and had the perfect crunch. All the fish we tried was perfection, melted in your mouth good. Will definitely be coming back and would highly recommend for a lunch or dinner.“

“If I can give a 100 stars, I would. Taka is the best. The sushi is the best you can ever eat. I am world traveller, and I think Jinpachi deserve a 3 michelin stars. Keep up the good service as you should be a leader and a master to other sushi chefs.“

“Great portions. Super friendly staff. I love the options for the toppings. I wish they had sweet mayo to balance the flavors and make the bowl creamier. The brown rice felt a little heavy and dry compared to other places. Since it was my first time, the staff gave me a wonton taco shell. That really kicked the taste up a notch.“

“Great service and delicious food!!“

“I visited Jade in Beverly Hills yesterday with my girlfriend, and we had an incredible experience! From the moment we walked in, the ambiance was luxurious yet inviting—a perfect mix for a special evening.

For appetizers, we started with edamame and the spicy tuna crisp, both of which were absolutely delicious. The flavors were fresh and perfectly balanced, setting the tone for what was to come.

For my main, I couldn’t resist ordering the Diamond Roll, and wow—it lived up to its name! Packed with lobster, caviar, and topped with gold flakes, it was both visually stunning and bursting with flavor. For dessert, I indulged in a chocolate tart with strawberries and, yes, more gold flakes. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable meal.

We also paired our meal with a bottle of champagne, which elevated the entire dining experience. The staff was attentive and made sure everything was perfect throughout the night.

The vibes at Jade were amazing—chic, vibrant, and upscale without being pretentious. I would absolutely recommend this spot for a date night or any special occasion. We’ll definitely be back!“

“THIS REVIEW IS FOR TERRYAKI PLUS ON TOPANGA CYN : The best, The bombest, 2nd to none, We henrver family abd friends come into town they always say "what anout that lil Teriyakiplace you took us that one time can we eat there again" (Im sorry but the other terryaki plus ISNT as good)..“

“Definitely coming back to this place. This whole in the wall was a great spot. Had come across this place a few times but finally decided to come check it out after seeing it on an instagram post. It was fiiiire! We ordered just a few plates to try it out and we were satisfied, only thing. Missing was the sake! lol our server Chris was also great. Gave us a few recommendations and answered all our questions. Thanks for the experience sushi goken!

Yellowtail Carpaccio, Alaskan roll, geisha roll, garlic edamame are the recommendations!“

“Incredible service from Adam and the rest of the team. There is an open kitchen showing everything being prepared right before you. I was especially surprised at how quickly the dishes were coming out. The hand rolls were incredible and the most delicious specials! Honourable mention for the Mochi, a must try! Honestly some of the best sushi I’ve ever had! 100% would recommend ???“

“This is absolutely my favorite sushi restaurant in LA and I have been back now 10 times. I have lived here for 3 years and was looking for a fresh, well made sushi joint and finally found it. The owner is so kind and welcomes you upon walking in. I always get the miso soup, crispy rice and albacore fried onion roll. Everything is cooked to perfection and so flavorful. The ambiance is lovely with 1950s jazz playing and quick service. I cannot give this restaurant enough praise. Highly recommend!!“

“Huge portions and very tasty. Everything is fresh and made to order. Havent been here in a while but the new owner is awesome and super friendly so ive come back quite a few times. Guarantee you a size large bowl will feed AT LEAST 2 people.“

“This was our first time at Leona’s Sushi House, thanks to a friend who suggested we meet there—and honestly, we fell in love with the place right away. The vibe was just right—relaxed but lively—and we scored the best seats in the house, right by the open-air window on Ventura. Couldn’t have asked for a better spot to people-watch and soak it all in.

Our server was very friendly and made us feel at home. She even joked about losing her voice at the Beyoncé concert she’d just taken her daughters to—definitely a fun icebreaker.

We all went for the Omakase, and it was such a treat. It kicked off with a mushroom miso soup, then halibut sashimi topped with truffles (so good), followed by a couple of trays of assorted nigiri, and then a crab handroll. Even though we were stuffed, we couldn’t resist dessert, so we shared the chocolate lava cake, and banana puff pastry, and brought the caramel flan home.

All in all, it was an awesome night—great food, great company, and a place we intend to visit again.“

“The best sushi taste
Kindness is also the best!
The price is also very good~~
Really fresh raw fish
I feel like I'm eating healthy
There may be people who have never come, but there will never be anyone who comes only once ^^
It's really, really delicious
of all employees
Even kindness~~
Highly recommended!!“

“Genuinely the best Katsu I've had in the valley, only thing I'd change is offering macaroni salad. But the sides it came with were DELICIOUS and the serving size was amazing for the price. Will definitely be going back to try everything else.“

“I keep forgetting to take a picture. But the food is great. I had a lunch combo and so was full and satisfied. I got to enjoy a salad, miso soup, avocado and cucumber roll, salmon, and rice. I also appreciated the paper straw. The tofu was small enough for me where I could still enjoy my soup because I don't like eating it.“

“I love this place , honestly the most delicious ramen I’ve ever had .. been coming here for about 2 years and I can’t get enough of it .. staff is honestly great ! Super nice ! The atmosphere is calm ☺️ and no one is Hurrying u to finish your food . I really recommend this place .. sometimes it does get full because is super small but I don’t mind waiting ? most I waited was 10 mns“

“I love this family owned place! Great food and a great place to go on my lunch break“

“Great service and delicious food 🍱“

“Come here for happy hour! Mad we missed it by a half hour. Happy hour 5-6 and 8-9. Most of the rolls and apps and drinks are on the happy hour menu at a very discounted price. Rolls on happy hour are like 13 instead of 18 or 19.

The edamame app was huge, plenty to share. We were 3 and couldn’t finish it. And it was super fresh with a good amount of salt on it which I like. The rolls were fresh and delicious. I liked the shrimp tempura and ultimate salmon roll. The garlic ninja roll was good too. Those were my favorites. The salmon crunch roll was too spicy for me. The plum wine was very sweet. The matcha beer just tasted like beer but was colored green. I guess there was matcha in there too but I didn’t taste it.

It was quiet on a Monday night. I made a reservation but didn’t need to. Very casual place and wait service was very friendly. Lots of robots also roaming the street and picking up orders :)“

“We swung by this pleasant and personable place to satisfy an evening boba fix. We ordered a taro and an original milk tea, both of which were divine. I noticed that many of the ingredients for the various beverages were in plain sight from the counter and were quality, authentic, and fresh. Thanks for the night cap!“

“Brothers Sushi is a must. Make a reservation and you can’t go wrong with anything you order.“

“i’ve only been here a few times but every time has been a great experience. great service and great food. the servers are friendly and efficient and the rolls i ordered were amazing! i work right down the street and will definitely be back.“

“Loved every single element of the experience with“

“Excellent food Excellent service“

“We loved Sachi Sushi! We stumbled across it as we were searching for a sushi place that was open on the fourth of July, we were hungry and exhausted from a full day and we all agreed the delicious food we had was healing :)
We HIGHLY recommend the miso soup, if it doesn't come as a side with your meal you've got to add it to your order. My spicy bulgogi was filling and flavorful, and my friends finished off every bite of their multiple sushi plates.

The service was very friendly! We didn't catch her name but our server was so kind and attentive even being the only one on the floor that night. We loved the chill atmosphere of this little sushi spot so much that we returned three days later for a goodbye meal to celebrate the end our trip. Thank you Sachi Sushi!!“

“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. 😋“

“I had an amazing experience at Beto’s Tepanyaki! The service was top-notch—friendly, attentive, and fast. The chefs are truly skilled.

I ordered the New York Steak and Chicken Bowl, cooked medium-rare, and it was absolutely delicious! The steak was tender and juicy, while the chicken was flavorful and perfectly grilled. The portion size was generous, and every bite was packed with amazing flavor.

If you’re looking for great food, excellent service, and a fun dining experience, Beto’s Tepanyaki is the place to go. Highly recommend!“

“Since my last review of this restaurant about 2 or 2 1/2 years ago, this is the 1st time I went back.
I should also say that we used to go to Katana literary every week at the very least, 1 time and i experienced a very unprofessional behavior from the hostesses which I wrote about and to the management's credit, they wrote back to me and askex me to go back with my guests as their guest, which i didn't do but I appreciated it. Thank you, management, for reaching out to me.
So this time, my experience was very different than my last time there. The 2 hostesses, although they didn't know who I was since reservation wasn't under my name,
*Arica & Rushil were super professional and very nice as well as the young lady bartender "Maya" who was super nice and extremely charming. Anyway, thank you to the management for looking into it and being very professions.
Now, to tell you about the food, honesty, if you want it all, great ambiance, great service and servers as well as the boss boys, and especially the food and it's presentation is fanatic.
So again, thank you for a wonderful evening.

Vegetarian options: I think that they have plenty of dishes that a vegetarian person can enjoy

Dietary restrictions: Yes, absolutely. The waiter literary asks whether you have any dietary restrictions

Parking: So parking is a bit challenging but your best bet if you couldn't find street meter parking, they have valet

Kid-friendliness: Pretty kid friendly

Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair accessible“

“Omg it was so nice to come back here JUST for Teriyaki Ya. The number 2 is to die for. Best beef skewers if had.

Only gripe is the place is small and hot as f***. Hope they expand and make a better dining area.

Parking: Park in the back. Way easier.“

“Nice intimate dinner spot for friends or a date. I ordered the Bento box dinner combo with 3 sides for around $30 a person. (Depends on how many premium sides you pick. Sushi is a few bucks more) Comes with miso soup, salad, and steamed rice. I chose the salmon teriyaki, salmon avocado roll, and golden crunch roll. Fresh fish and hot soup. Overall 10/10 value and flavor. ✨️

Vegetarian options: Vegan ramen and sushi available.

Parking: Turn right to enter the parking garage
There's also more parking on the second level.“

“I come here often and it never disappoints. Giselle made our visit this time! She was so sweet and very attentative. Kaliah was also amazing and so helpful. Thank you ladies for making our experience a great one! Oh… and the food always fire!“

“Masa-san serves chef's choice, and the food is fresh and delicious. Eating here is an extremely delightful experience. The sweet shrimp with eggs is one of my favorites. Always finish your meal with at least 1 (maybe 2 or ...) of his blue crab rolls. The crab is carefully hand-pulled, the rice is warm, and the seaweed is crisp. You won't find that combination of quality and easy dining experience anywhere else in the Valley. Please try it!“

“I stopped by for a quick dinner on my way to LA Airport. You can't eat in the restaurant, only take out. Since we had nowhere to go, our family of four parked in the parking lot and ate it, but we inhaled a lot. They use more ingredients than other rolls, and each roll has its own unique characteristics. The miso soup that came with it was also good!“

“This is place is fantastic! It is such a unique experience, the food is delicious, fresh and so satisfying. We ate our food so quick that i didn't get a chance to take pictures of everything else we ordered.My husband and I have been coming here since late 2000's and so happy to support his business for many more years ❤️“

“one of the best! good food,good service 👍👍“

“Exquisite cuisine- chef was formally trained in Japan and his expertise shines through in every dish. Particularly the lightest, crispiest tempura once could ever hope to enjoy. Attentive, perfect service. Only knock is that it’s quite expensive, making this a once-every-five-years kind of culinary experience. That being said, we will be talking about this meal for weeks. It was *that* good. Life is short: treat yourself!“

“Who thought that classic American fare and Japanese cuisine could mesh so well??!!“

“The food is so yummy. We ordered the chicken and steak with veggies and rice plate and the tofu with veggies and rice bowl. Similar to Wa$a with better quality meats and much better customer service.

Kid-friendliness: My kid loves it.“

“Very good food. The meat was tender and delicious. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Really good food fresh and the ramen is soooooo yummy“

“Okay?get ready! This is a killer 5-star Hibachi restaurant! Hibachi is just ? ???The rice is not overcooked and fried perfectly, the steak is always from good pieces of meat without sinews,portions are huge? this is the most tasty and delicious Hibachi I have ever been eating! Thank you guys! Keep it up! THAT WAS 10TH TIME ORDER AND REPEATEDLY GREAT ? SO THEY ARE PRO“