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‼︎“

“Amazing and thoughtful service from Pierre!
I'm particular about my sushi, especially salmon. But I can say Azai is the best sushi I've had in California so far. The salmon sashimi is juicy and the salmon roll melts in mouth, just like my favorite sushi place in NY. I'm excited to come back!“

“I had an absolutely wonderful time dining here. The food was consistently fresh and beautifully presented.

Every roll I tried was prepared with such care. I particularly loved the vibrant colors of the sushi, especially the beautiful orange slices of lemon resting right on top of the rolls. Everything tasted just as good as it looked.

This place is a real gem in North Hollywood. I will definitely be back again soon.“

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

“I came here for the first time and it was absolutely beautiful inside and the prices are also very reasonable for the quality of the food. The sushi was soooo good and same with the wagyu gayoza. It was also my dad's birthday and they went above and beyond with a dessert and bringing out a bubble machine it was so much fun and our waitress Corinne was so fun and sweet. I had a blast I would highly recommend this place!!! 10/10“

“okay i could write an entire novel about my experience here, but i will keep it brief. my sister and i came to the WeHo Uchi to celebrate my birthday after hearing lots of buzz about it. When we entered, we were immediately greeted warmly and had a lovely exchange with the host. The ambiance was beautiful, everything was pristine and curated, and everyone member of the staff were friendly and comfortable to speak to. Our waiter—whom i sadly cannot remember the name of— truly went above and beyond with his service. We ordered the omakase for two and a few other small dishes, but he threw in two on the house— one being wagyu as a “birthday present” and the other being nigiri. We were choosing between the nigiri and a roll, and when we ultimately chose the roll, our waiter brought us both dishes anyway. Everything felt incredibly thoughtful and personal; there was even a little handwritten card wishing me a happy birthday. The food came out very swiftly—and speaking of the food, it exceeded our expectations. Everything was fresh, beautiful in its presentation, and very unique. This is one of the few sushi places in LA that I think truly lives up to the hype surrounding it. thank you for a great birthday dinner; we will be back again, again, and again!“

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

“Best Sushi in LA by far !“

“katana is a must-go every time i'm in la. the food is always wonderful, the atmosphere is beautiful, and the staff consistently goes above and beyond. BELLA was such an amazing and friendly host during my most recent visit, and EMMA was equally wonderful the last time i came. everyone made us feel so welcome from the moment we walked in. incredible service, great food, and an overall fantastic experience. can't wait to come back!“

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

“I actually wasn’t planning to come here but i saw this cute patio area of this restaurant and wanted to check out.

Honestly i was so impressed of the friendliness of the staffs and the quality of the food!

My boyfriend and I ordered the Sachi boat, assorted sushi and sashimi and a specialty roll on this cute boat and everything was delicious!

Will definitely come back here. So glad to find a cute date spot to come back to. :)“

“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 😋😋😋😋“

“I came back for lunch for the first time in nearly 25 years, and it felt like stepping back in time. Since moving away, I hadn’t visited this area at all. The interior is unchanged, the service is warm and welcoming, and the homemade Japanese comfort food is just as delicious as I remembered. You’d be hard-pressed to find another place in the Valley that serves hijiki (seaweed) rice so casually and authentically.“

“Food and owner (s/o to my girl Hazel! 🫶🏼) = immaculate vibes. If you do delivery or pickup, order directly through their website not a food delivery app!! 🙏🏽 BEWARE: THE SPICY WONTONS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!“

“I really love this place! Cocktails menu is amazing, the Lychee Mojito 10/10, always a must for me.
Place was packed, of course it was a Friday night and the Lakers were playing, I recommend making s reservation.
Despite how busy the place was, out server David took care of us, great service and delicious food!“

“We had the Ume Omakase menu and didn't even know sushi could be so good. Such a wonderful experience for our anniversary. Atmosphere is cozy and friendly.

Boyfriend's review: How do I give 100/5 stars?!? This was honestly a life changing sushi experience“

“I’m so gobsmacked at how amazing this food is that I’m writing a review while I’m still here.
We had 5 nigiri sushi rolls, the crispy spicy tuna appetizer, and the wagyu sliders. It was the most incredible meal I’ve ever had. You must come here - the server we had (Umida) was insanely amazing and super helpful - she really elevated the experience and made sure we didn’t order too much food!“

“it’s my first time at roll roll sushi and I was offered a free miso soup as soon as I walked in I ordered the salmon lover roll and the baked scallop roll and both were delicious. I had my dog with me so we sat outside under cute umbrellas they have out. I’m so happy I decided to try this place out if you’re in the valley you need to give it a try!“

“Delicious Udon and other Japanese specialties“

“I had an incredible meal here recently. The ramen was absolutely fantastic and hit the spot perfectly.

I was especially impressed by the bowl topped with fresh cilantro and a bright lime wedge. The broth had such a deep, rich flavor that kept me coming back for more. Everything was served in beautiful, unique bowls that made the experience feel special.

I cannot wait to come back for another round. It is easily one of my favorite spots on Ventura Boulevard.“

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

“The food was amazing!! Great experience.“

“Fresh, healthy food w generous portions. I had the hana salad w chicken and the iced matcha cloud latte. The salad was fresh and their sauce/condiment bar made it extra tasty. The matcha was super yummy, on par or better with any specialty coffee/tea place. The Okinawa sugar made it elevated, though I ordered it less sweet. Will def be back!“

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

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

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

“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!“

“First thing first, the sushi is really fresh. We got the toro, salmon belly, and the yellowtail belly. Saba is a little fishy. The rice is a bit mushy but good enough.

The cooked food is not as great. The agedashi tofu has too much breading and taste average. Kaiju tar tar is okayyy.

The service however took forever, and they never come to check up on us. Servers reach over to get dishes for other tables. Maybe they are short staffed but they should still handle us probably.“

“Gorgeous restaurant! Aesthetically very beautiful and the food delivered!! We got the oxtail bao, crispy rice, Leona sushi roll, the fusion baked sushi roll with carbonara sauce, and cocktails! This place is the must in the valley! The outdoor patio is also stunning!! we will definitely be back“

“Great place. Food tasted amazing.“

“If there’s one thing I love, it’s teriyaki plus. This restaurant is so inconspicuous and a sleeper hit of the area. It’s charming and the food is well priced and so flavorful. We got the katsu bowl, the gyoza and chicken kabobs. All perfect. I can’t quite explain why this place is so cute and charming but as soon as you step inside you can feel that you’re walking in to your new favorite restaurant.“

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

“This place is the Go-To spot for sushi.. always fresh and delicious 😋“

“seats 10 for a personalized tour of sushi for the purist. exceptional style and quality of fish. superbly presented by a Michelin star chef on front of you. book far in advance“

“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.“

“My go to sushi spot for a couple years now. I absolutely love the vibes, the food, and the prices. DoorDash runs deals for delivery from here all the time too if you’re looking for a chill night in. The staff is all friendly and the place itself feels welcoming. Truly a hidden gem for the locals. Gonna include some favs of people I’ve taken here: ultimate salmon roll, crispy rice spicy tuna (they don’t add mayo which I love), yellowtail kama, veggie gyoza“

“Wonderful experience with Chef Take! Truly a unique experience in the historical method and style chef prepares his experience.“

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

“Went here for my birthday after friends recommended - had no idea how cool this place would be! From the outside, you definitely don't expect it to be as special as it is inside. We loved the little bites we got. For two of us, it came to about $180 (we ordered about 8 things so not bad). Our favorites were the yellowtail cilantro roll, crispy shrimp & yellowtail sushi. A little bit of a backup when we first arrived (drinks came after our apps came) but I guess they got a rush that they didn't expect. We'll definitely be back, not enough places like this in the area! Loved. :)“

“Love it!!!! We are visiting from SF and I am very sure if they opened at SF/ Palo Alto or Mountainview they would be very popular and full at capacity all the time! Can’t believe they only have these few reviews but this place is not my favorite here in West Hollywood. Food is very fresh and delicious and they use fish directly from Japan, location is awesome for people who shopping nearby in Melrose avenue. Highly recommend tuna sets, white fish Carppacio and skewers (they have fish skewers which are very different from other Japanese skewers place as they usually use chicken). Will definitely come back again!“

“This place has the absolute BEST Oyakodon and curry. I know people focus on the ramen but for real, it’s the closest we’ve gotten to food in japan since we got back from our trip. INCREDIBLE and they have thai tea and milk tea that’s delicious!!“

“Just wanted to show some love to this restaurant I just finished watching a YouTube video from DuB family and it made me cry because the owner was so sweet and kind to the guy making videos. I pray that have more people come to their restaurant in the future. I Plan on going in a few months for my vacation week it’s an hour and 30 mins from me but I will make my way to the restaurant.“

“Chefs kiss! My husband and I love quality places. It’s pricey but worth it. The fish is so fresh and the chefs are very talented. Honestly better than some Michelin places I’ve been to. This is better than your average sushi but accessible. The atmosphere and vibes are also very cool. Intimate, chic, and relaxed space. Grab a seat at the sushi bar if you can!“

“Really Outstanding Sushi!!!“

“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!“

“Fresh and delicious. Best sushi in town.“

“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!“

“This is one of my all-time favorite restaurants! I moved away from the area a few years ago, but I really miss this place and think of if often. My husband and I would always order the chicken teriyaki bento boxes with extra teriyaki sauce and miso soup. Such a perfect lunch! Their food is delicious, fresh, affordable, and made with care. We would order take-out from here at least once a week, especially during the pandemic. The owners are very kind and sweet, and would always remember me when I called in and picked up orders. We'll definitely be back for more bento boxes next time we're in the area!“

“Service was very spotty. Our server seemed very confused, maybe new? Good and there's a lot of variety. There is a happy hour menu, but price ($1) difference between full (8 piece) and happy hour (6 piece) rolls is not worth it. Honestly, my favorite thing was the miso soup“

“I recently visited Kopan Sushi & Ramen and had a great experience. It’s one of those places that feels comfortable from the moment you walk in. The atmosphere is relaxed, the staff is welcoming, and the menu offers plenty of options whether you’re in the mood for sushi, ramen, or something in between.

I decided to try both sushi and ramen, which may not have been the most disciplined decision, but it was definitely the right one. The sushi was fresh and well-prepared, while the ramen arrived hot, flavorful, and packed with ingredients. Every bite felt satisfying, especially after a long day.

What stood out most was the consistency. Nothing felt rushed or carelessly prepared. The presentation was great, the portions were generous, and the service was attentive without being intrusive.

Kopan Sushi & Ramen is the kind of place that makes you start planning your next visit before you’ve even finished your meal. If you’re looking for quality Japanese food in a comfortable setting, I would absolutely recommend giving it a try.“