50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Lawndale

“Absolutely smacks. For less than $20 this is the best meal you can get in the area. Service is good, food is better. I like the chicken more than the beef but both are great. My order is chicken avacado. Only think is I miss the chili garlic that other places have but this place is still better. Been coming here for two years. Always hits. Not a lot of seating so order takeout if you can.“

“Expectations, this is fast food, rated as fast food it is great.

Ribeye bowl without veggies, very nice.
Tokyo chicken, fair
Spring roll, hmmm, fast food.
Pepsi, perfect

Very fast service. Nice people.“

“Yama has become one of my favorite sushi shops. I first tried the K-town location and later discovered this one. Yama consistently offers fresh sushi, and this location is no exception. It's slightly smaller than the K-town location and tends to be more crowded.“

“Absolutely loved this experience. Thank you for this wonderful comfortable dinner. It’s exactly what I love. The restaurant is not big which I liked because it felt cozy and not super crowded. Non of the courses specifically stood out but everything was perfect. Service was absolutely incredible, always caring and super friendly. Loved how they kept giving extra courses and even adding a lovely Polaroid picture at the end. It’s crazy how they even thank us again by sending a letter to my address. Loved it and LOVED IT. Just go“

“we ordered a big catering order from guzzu for an office meeting. It was phenomenally good. The food was packaged really well, was hot, fresh, and delicious, and a huge hit. The salmon was moist and flavorful, the vegan katsu was surprisingly delicious, ans both the grilled chicken and fried chicken were really good. Will definitely be ordering from them again, and can’t wait to stop in to try non-catering!

Dietary restrictions: Vegan Katsu was delicious“

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

“A friendly waitresses,waiters .“

“Excelent food ! Great place !“

“When I say I’m obsessed with a place, this is the perfect example. Anytime I get the chance to come in, 10/10 I will make the time and go in and enjoy this place. Found this place by chance and one of the best decisions I have ever done. The customer service feels so welcoming and just perfect. They are attentive and so sweet and ready to explain any questions you may have. Now for the best part? The freaking sushi. I promise you that you don’t even need teeth to eat. It’s so soft buttery and fresh, I feel like it’s a sin to eat this stuff. I swear I went back to back every weekend at this place.EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF FISH 10/10. Please try this place, but actually don’t lol so it isn’t crowded.“

“Outstanding Service and Fresh Sushi!
We’ve been loyal patrons of Uzumaki for years, and even though we’ve moved away from Culver City, we still make the occasional drive back just to enjoy their delicious offerings. The Uzumaki Plus set meal is a standout favorite, always fresh and flavorful. Highly recommend!“

“Truly my favorite dining experience on Abbott Kinney. Venice was in desperate need of a GREAT sushi spot and this is our answer!!! The staff is SO friendly and warm and the atmosphere and bar are incredible. We’ve made this our favorite special date night spot and look forward to it every time!“

“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 authentic Japanese! I had their Curry udon and it was amazing. It was served super hot(not spicy) just the way I like my noodles. Came with a small salad and those rice things(yummy). 20 bucks for the meal, Not bad at all.

Not their fault but people kept walking in and leaving the door wide open and creating a cold draft. I would recommend attaching a spring or someway to automatically shut the door.

**Update, I went back. This time I got the chicken katsu curry and I was not disappointed. It was a lot of food and came with sashimi, cold ramen, and even 2 slices of roll. I think this is turning into my go to spot.“

“Nice and cozy place for fresh sushi 🍣... the service was great and the food tasted fresh. The salmon carpacio was delicious as well as the nigiri combo... the miso soup was on the house.... enjoy it with a hot house Sake my dear friends...“

“I visited for the first time since the shop moved to its new location. There is no signboard for the shop. About five minutes before the reservation time, we were allowed to enter the shop. The interior felt like a very traditional Japanese sushi restaurant, with wooden decor. There are six seats for each chef, and we enjoyed our meal while having pleasant conversations with the chef and other customers.

We chose a course that included sake tasting, featuring quite rare Japanese sake, which made it feel very special. The sushi’s flavor was incredibly authentic, with about 90% of the ingredients sourced from Japan, and we were extremely satisfied with it. Since it was a reservation for a special occasion, we also received a message card from the staff, which made the day very heartwarming. The atmosphere, the taste, and the hospitality were all top-notch, making it a first-class restaurant in every aspect.“

“This is kind of like a restaurant cafe with a Japanese-Korean コンビニconvenience store together. Think 日本7-11, 7i, Gs25. They have instant ramen bowls and cute Shiba Inu and Kitty bags and totes. Freshly made onigiri… ? with good quality rice. ?“

“We went to try out the new menu and what a great idea, We had the happy hour sushi and beers and everything was so delicious and the presentation was gorgeous!
We will make this our new spot for sushi, and can’t wait to try the Ramen and all the other choices on the menu. PS outdoor seating is wonderful during the summer months, plenty of umbrellas to go around. Fabulous service to boot“

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

“The curry is very good and not too heavy or salt. It goes very well with the poached egg and beef nikutama was very flavorful with the onions. The tempura was very soft and flaky. I've been here a couple times and loved getting the dashi broth and miso udon along with other tempura items available like the shrimp or zucchini.

There's a fair amount of seating along with outdoor seating. Plenty of parking available in the plaza with other restaurants there. The staff was nice and attentive to the items you wanted.“

“Good quality sushi at fast food prices. Always fresh. And I love their generous reward system which gives me a free roll every 4 rolls. Employees there are always very kind. I go here once a week cause my daughter is addicted to salmon avocado rolls.“

“It was a yakiniku restaurant where you could really feel Japan. The atmosphere is great. The meat is also great. The minced meat and miso that come with the kimchi and sandwich are also delicious. The clerks are also kind and work quickly, which is great. You can also eat liver sashimi and yukhoe. Cold noodles and yukke bibimbap are average. It would be even better if they had stone-grilled bibimbap.Reservations required.“

“I took a friend to eat sushi for the first time that did 35 years in prison. The shishito peppers are addicting and to die for. We ordered 3 different rolls and everything was amazing. The sake was hot and delicious...service was great and attentive. I love this place! I've been like 5 times before and would say it's one of my favorite sushi spots in LA with great prices! JUST GO HERE! you won't be disappointed.

Kid-friendliness: There was a child in there and she had toys and was not disturbing at all....gave it a great family friendly vibe.

Wheelchair accessibility: You can ROLL up on in their as easy as they ROLL the sushi lol“

“yummmmm so good. highly recommend“

“I grew up in the immediate neighborhood and for over 20 years I have loved Sachi. Unfortunately, the original owner sold it a few years ago, and although it's almost the same, there are subtle changes in the quality. Overall though it's a good option for relative fast food. I'm glad they are still in the neighborhood. So, the chicken bowl is still delicious. The sauteed veggies are on point. The curry is not bad and the salmon is always fresh.

The biggest menu change for me is the shumai. It went from small delicate fluffy pillows filled with actual meat and veggies to this large block of dough. I don't even see the meat in it any longer. They also use it in the wonton soup as a wonton - which it is not! I can't even eat them because there is no identifiable filling inside of them. How sad...“

“A joy to be at Rice, the staff so attentive, a celebration of small plates filling our table for three. A perfect sunny evening shared.“

“Tiny restaurant, but the food they serve were delicious, above average. Not a fine dining place so I didn't expect much service. Treat it as a fast food high quality beef don place, then you will truly enjoy it. Yeah, a bit pricey, but the beef quality matches the price. Must go early, we arrived at 5:15pm, left with just one table and three counter seats. By the time we finished, there was a line already outside of the restaurant.“

“it was yakitori and izakaya place. it was sooo nice and good. it's pricey though, but that's what fine dining is right..!? so i think it is pretty good, to come with famz or colleagues 😃👍🥰“

“We were just passing through and looking for something close to our hotel, and so happy we found this spot! Because it was our first time, we got complimentary chili - definitely see why it’s 7 times award winning! Very flavorful and just the right amount of spice. The staff is incredibly kind and welcoming, and very accommodating to make sure our order is to our liking. We had 2 bento boxes, Kaula pork and bbq pork. The portion sizes were perfect and the meat was very flavorful. The sides of macaroni and cucumber salad were just as good. We also had one of their many specials of the day, fish tacos, which were incredibly fresh and simple, exactly what I want for fish tacos. Next time we’re visiting LA, we’ll be sure to be back!“

“We went as a family! We have a small child, so the kids’ club was really appreciated! Soft drinks, toys, and snacks were free all the time, which was fantastic. The BBQ was delicious, and the atmosphere of the restaurant was great. The staff were all very friendly. Next time, I want to bring my parents along too. It was an absolutely wonderful place!“

“Sakura House is a Japanese treasure of the Marina Del Rey. Kushiyaki anyone? It feels
like home to me. Let’s keep this gem supported by waiting to get a seat.

Dietary restrictions: I eat everything but I
‘m certain they accommodate lactose intolerance, vegetarian, vegan, gf.

Parking: Parking in the lot may be difficult because of the dispensary. Plenty of parking around the block. Come on! You can walk a block or two

Kid-friendliness: Very friendly and the experience is amazing.

Wheelchair accessibility: Absolutely accessible“

“A unique, traditional Japanese steakhouse. We tried the omakase wagyu steak and miso yaki butterfish with sashimi, kabocha soup, jidori chicken, creme brulee and crepe cake. Every bite was to die for and magical. Best wagyu steak and butterfish I've had. Madai kobujime was delicious.
The service was amazing, warm and friendly.
The chef visited us.
The ambience is classy, yet cozy.
Looking forward to bringing the family in.

Dietary restrictions: They ask for any allergies and accomodate“

“Ramen is so good I cried.“

“It was our first time here and I must say it was totally worth it. the service was on point and always attentive. The food was amazing. The appetizers and the main dishes were honestly some of the best udon soup I've ever had. The prices are more than reasonable for what you get. We will definitely be coming back here from now on.“

“We've been frequenting this restaurant for over 2 years now. Sometimes on a weekly basis for months in a row!!
We absolutely love the fresh sushi, service and chef! I am adventurous and try different things on the menu frequently... and have loved it all!!

Parking: Generally there's always a spot available on the street upfront (meters free after 8 PM), or free parking on the side street.“

“Located in the food court of Tokyo Central in Gardena, this Japanese Tonkatsu restaurant is an authentic hidden gem for Tonkatsu lovers?

Tried their pork Katsudon set (you have a choice between pork or chicken also) and the pork upon first bite was juicy and meat was very tender. Outside katsu was crunchy, the pork is lean and didnt have any fat too. Miso soup and cabbage salad was fresh and not instant, I would visit this place again. 5 stars??“

“A hidden gem! Very fresh and tasty“

“I really enjoy this place every time I visit. Japanese cuisine is one of my favorites and would definitely recommend this place. I lived in Japan and the food and flavor is very authentic.
Place is too small but that’s how actually is in Japan.“

“Food is delicious. I love getting the curry nanban while my hubby enjoys the combination plates with cold soba noodles. The asparagus is also amazing!“

“This is a favorite of mine! Service is very friendly and accommodating. The food is plentiful and delicious! I highly recommend!!“

“Thank you for the great food“

“I first came here around 1992/3. I believe it’s the same owner?!?! Ramen is excellent…and huge portion. Their chahan (fried rice) is also to die for. And their gyoza is also excellent. These are the 3 main things I order every time. We moved to the east coast but every time I visit Southern California, I MUST stop here. I’m so happy that after all these years, they still are around.

It is a very small restaurant…but I like it and the food is what I come for, I could care less how small it is.“

“Indoor👍🏼👍🏼we opted for it but was surprised when they ushered us to the back portion of the restaurant. It makes you feel like you really are in an authentic Japanese Izakaya restaurant.“

“They have the best sushi in Southern California. Spicy with crispy rice the crab ham roll the creamy popcorn shrimp with spicy tuna and BBQ short ribs, I haven’t tried everything, but I have tried is amazing.. I recommend this place to everyone if you like sushi you’ll love this place.

Parking: They have metered parking in a parking structure, as well as on the street. There’s at least two parking structures in the area. I have never had a problem finding parking.“

“Really first rate OG Japanese ramen. Includes varieties like curry, laksa, and tomato ramen that are out of this world. Appetizers are well made and diverse ( e.g. squid tentacles, chicken gristle). Very welcoming staff. A real winner all round.“

“The hours are short and the items are slightly pricey for what you get, but it really is a clean light meal with interesting flavors. I think it's worth trying once to see if it's your cup of tea. I put it in the same category as Kura sushi, gimmicky but a fun trip. Quality is a bit better.“

“super friendly staff and awesome manager who didn't blink an eye and replaced my mom and aunts order to accommodate their health conditions. bomb food and and super fast serve time. will be back again Special shout out to Damont for being an awesome manager!“

“Yamaya Japanese Wagyu & Grill is a Japanese yakiniku specialist in the Torrance area. Ventilation is not bad, but expect to get smelly. The dimly lit dining room is clean and tidy. Servers are friendly, professional and accommodating. Corkage is US$ 25/btl. Food is fresh and of great quality. While side dishes such as Moyashi Namui (US$4.8) and Green Salad ($5.8) are refreshing, the different cuts of wagyu are simply delicious! Highly recommend the crunchy Chef’s Cut Tongue (US$42.8), the juicy Premium Short Ribs (US$ 34.8) and Outside Skirt (US$ 29.8).“

“My friend took me to the cutest musubi shop after our Pilates class! I asked the guy working there and who was Japanese which one he recommended and I ended up trying the miso beef and the curry pork musubi. Both were so delicious and of course I saw the lychee oolong boba tea so I had to try that too. The staff are super friendly service was quick and the food was yummy! I’m definitely recommending this spot to more people and can’t wait to come back!“

“Always friendly staff and great food.“

“Friendly service, everything is yummy!“