50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Lake Balboa

“Great service and food💗 There are many alcohol menus and food items that other restaurants do not have, and the restaurant is not too big, so you can enjoy a relaxing, calm and stylish time. There is plenty of space for parking, and I would definitely go back‼︎“

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

“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.“

“I really enjoyed dining at Taisho Sushi! The yellowtail serrano was perfectly balanced with just the right spice, and the salmon dry miso was incredibly flavorful and fresh. The presentation and service were both excellent — definitely one of my favorite sushi spots in town. Highly recommend!“

“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 😋😋😋😋“

“My granddaughter and I were in a rush to an appointment but were so hungry. We stopped in, mentioned we were in a slow hurry and they delivered the Sushi in a flash Fresh great customer service and easy to express our likes. We will be back! Thank you so much.“

“Delicious Udon and other Japanese specialties“

“Must get sushi, but don’t forget the corn tempura and momotaro tomato (seasonal). Awesome sake selection too.“

“Sooo good!! I tried their yellowtail garlic ponzu rolls I think, something yellowtail the server recommended me and omg it was sooo good!
Also I had their curry it was so good.
The service was so nice they were so kind and the ambience was so nice the open windows were so nice it was a nice chill experience!“

“The food here is absolutely incredible! Everything we ordered was so flavorful and it felt like they had taken great care to make every dish. Fantastic service and very friendly staff. I would 1,000% recommend this place if you're in the neighborhood“

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

“We had a longer wait, but it was well worth it! My sister, her kids, my boyfriend, and I all had great food after a long day at Universal Studioes. The food was authentic and the service was so friendly 🥰 my sister and I are always looking for a good Japanese spot as we get homesick for the food!“

“We came here for my boyfriend's bday and order Omakase at the bar. We enjoy the 9 course meal, it was filling and very good. We even did a rating on the school item we tried. The only issue we had is that when the chef will say what the item was, because it was so loud it was extremely hard to hear what he was saying. Other than that we enjoy our experience, I told them it was for my boyfriend's bday we were there and they made us a delicious mushroom meal. We enjoy our first experience there!“

“Everything is delicious, made with love❤️ Clean, elegant, and delicious🤩😋 Friendly, helpful staff🌹“

“Amazing fresh old school sushi ❤️❤️❤️❤️. The owner is so friendly and knowledgeable and it’s now my happy place!“

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

“I’ve always loved coming here for their teriyaki chicken bowls, but now they’ve also won me over with their new Okinawa Matcha Cloud drinks!

The staff is always friendly and the food is consistently fresh. Highly recommend this spot!! Best matcha I’ve ever had!!“

“Those of you who know me aren’t surprised I ended up here. This place looks sketchy and the ac isn’t enough to cool the covered patio.
I have passed by this place many times and yes I was a little hot while I ate but honestly the food was great!
I had chicken and steak skewers over rice with a small green salad.
The skewers were tender and very flavorful. The rice was perfectly steamed and the salad was lightly dressed like Cole slaw.
This is not some place you want to go if you're not into hole in the wall spots. This place is perfectly suited for people like me who value flavor over frills.“

“Hole in the wall teriyaki place. You order at the counter, you pick up your food, you clean up your own table after eating. Easy free parking lot or street parking. They have a lunch special for $11.95 that includes chicken and rice with salad. They also have specials A, B, C and D that are around the $15 to $20 price range. I had the special C that had white rice, a big piece of chicken katsu, two pieces of chicken teriyaki, salad, two small onion rings and two dumplings for about $15.95. Not a bad value. You get a teriyaki sauce and hot sauce on the side. Their teriyaki sauce is very good here! The serving is very generous. I was not about to finish it in one sitting.“

“The sushi was on point. I had a caterpillar roll. The ingredients were fresh and I was full from the size of the roll! Also, it was quite a deal too as I had dinner on a Wednesday. Currently, Monday through Friday the restaurant is offering 20% off.“

“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!“

“This is an effortlessly chic sushi restaurant.

Healthy mix of couples, friends and solo eaters.

It’s easy to sink into the dark wooded, close quarters venue with soft jazz as background noise behind the bustling of the staff.

Infatuation will tell you to order the crispy rice with spicy tuna and sushi moriawise, which a lot of folks were getting.

If you have the $200/person (after tax and tip), it’s a special omakase. The ocean trout with kelp is non-pareil, sweet and umami flavors. Worth a visit.“

“I love eating here! The service is always so awesome. I love that it's tucked away, and every time I've brought someone to eat here they don't expect that the restaurant is here. As for the food, it's DELICIOUS! My son is picky, and even he couldn't deny how good the food is. The ramen is amazing, it's so good and the portions are hearty. I usually end up getting a ramen combo with a chashu bowl. Now, I get to eat there AND have delicious leftovers. My family have tried other ramen places around and we keep coming back to Futaba because it's number one in our eyes. The flavor is always on point. Definitely recommend.“

“Fresh, Flavorful, and Worth Every Bite!

I recently visited this sushi spot, and I was blown away by how fresh everything tasted. The fish practically melted in my mouth — you can really tell they use high-quality ingredients. The rolls were beautifully presented and perfectly balanced with flavor and texture.“

“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!“

“This is our go-to sushi restaurant. The food never disappoints. The service is very friendly.“

“Highly recommended place, clean, nice decor, excellent customer service, short wait times, delicious food, well presented and at a good price, 5/5 if you are hesitating to go to this restaurant, give it a chance, I'm sure you'll come back just like me.“

“This is just an all around great little sushi spot - emphasis on little! Be aware, there are very few tables and only a handful of bar seats.

That said, the food is delicious! Their happy hour is a killer deal. They have so many options, most under $10.

It's located within walking distance to the Academy Museum and LACMA, so it's perfect spot to eat at it post-museum visit. I couldn't give this place any more praise.“

“We moved a street over and were excited to try. The $80 omakase left us full and content! The perfect amount of food. The black cod, seared salmon, and otoro were huge highlights. As a ginger lover, I was thrilled with how good this was and ate my entire pile mostly plain with just with their high quality soy sauce. We couldn't help eyeballing the huge 12 piece rolls that were going out past us and can't wait to try next time.“

“This place for years has been my all time favorite. The service is unbelievably fast, welcoming and of top notch and respectful. The food is always fresh and the chefs you
Can tell are very passionate on what they do and the hold the Japanese craft to a high regard. I spoke to the manager he carries himself with his culture and pride very high. He is so incredibly kind and respectful. The restaurant really is a sight to behold and truly a gem in the United States. I drive an hour there without hesitation. As far as I’m concerned there is no place like it. Until next time 🙏“

“The food was amazing!! Great experience.“

“The food is AMAZING. I do feel a bit cheated out of the overall experience. The joint is inside the supermarket and they don’t have a seating area. Something the previous reviews neglected to mention. For a $100+ order and two have to take it to go, it’s definitely not what I expected. We did a picnic nearby to adjust. The food is a culinary trip. I highly recommend them. It is by far one of the best sushi joints in the San Fernando Valley.“

“Always amazing genuine food! I always order from here and they always get it right. The #2 special is always my go to and they make it so good every single time. A little older of a building but don’t let the looks scare you away, their food is wonderful and so are the people behind the counter!“

“I found out about hungry ninja on door dash a few months ago and have been hooked ever since. Portions are great, food is made with love and tastes amazing, and most of all the customer service is great. If you are in the chatsworth area and looking for good teriyaki this is the place I would go to!“

“Tatsuki never disappoints! It is my all time favorite sushi bar...Always fresh and delicious. Love Hector, Chris and Manuel!“

“Hadasa (sorry if I spelled it wrong) made our first impression wonderful she was patient during the rush and went over the menu with us
We will definitely come back if there’s service like that ! We loved the Birria ramen! Thank you“

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

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

“A great place to enjoy fresh sushi when visiting Canoga Park!
The building is unique with a warm and cozy vibe.
The food is consistently fresh, great portions and delicious.
The service is always great, friendly and always available

The koi pond at the entrance is awesome“

“Great service and delicious food 🍱“

“knowledgeable.

The staff is very welcoming and friendly as well.

Restaurant is clean and organized. Lighting is good. The noise level is perfect! Glad I could easily enjoy a conversation without struggling to hear or talk!! So important.

They do offer valet. I parked on the street with metered parking.

Food:
Did the full omakase for ~$120/person. This includes 3 appetizers (choice of soup), a small salad, fresh oysters, and we had white fish with truffle and a nice sauce. All of these were excellent!

The fish was fresh. However, some of the fish had one note with what at times was an overwhelming ocean taste. I know some people really enjoy that. However, it was distracting from the taste of the fish itself.

Quality wise was not the best I’ve had. Happy that the fish was not covered in sauces. Chef does let the fish speak for itself. Would have been nice to have included more tuna and a beef course.

The uni quality was not great. Maybe it is just me, but I really am not enjoying uni the way others seem to enjoy it. Last item was a hand roll made from Crab. Very tasty, but I was full.

I will mention one of the pieces, the perch, was memorable for how bad it tasted. It looked and smelled delicious, firm white meat, with some darker shades. But the taste was… It tasted like what a boat covered in barnacles looks like.

We did get to finish with a choice of desserts.

Would I return? Perhaps to try the regular rolls from the menu.“

“One of the best sushi places you could find! Every roll is beautifully made, the fish is incredibly fresh, and the flavors are perfectly balanced. The presentation is always on point, and the staff are super friendly and attentive. You can tell they care about quality and customer experience. Highly recommend trying their chef’s special rolls — absolutely worth it!“

“Excellent food Excellent service“

“This chain is amazing! Food is always super fresh and serving is good size there are a lot of options especially great for lunch those who want to eat light or be full. If you are vegan or pescatarian this place is great for you too We have options for everybody.“

“Best sushi anywhere! Been going to Sasabune for decades.“

“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!“

“Please excuse the messy photos, I was too hungry and just snapped them quickly before eating. I ordered the Seafood Yakisoba and Curry Katsu, and my friend absolutely loved it! As always, Ocean Sushi did not disappoint. We both enjoyed it so much. thumbs up! 😀“

“A new Japanese restaurant, “Soma Suisan,” opened summer in 2025 in West Hollywood. The mural of the dragons that I painted while ago is still there even though the restaurant is under a new ownership. I’m so grateful for that. The food is also very delicious and beautiful, so please everyone, check it out!“

“We were both super tired after a week of travel around the country. Decided to give the hotel restaurant a try. Super happy we did. Waitress/hostess was very friendly, fun and attentive. The food was much better than we expected. Really nice meal at the end of a tiring trip.“

“The menu is unique and named creatively, which I found charming. The food was well-made, and made in ample time. The service was amazing and the cashier walked me through the process, being very nice the whole time. The roll I ordered and the tea were delicious, and I'd love to come by again soon.“