50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Marina Del Rey

“A friendly waitresses,waiters .“

“We come to Enya often, and love the food and vibe. The rolls are creative, the fish always fresh, and the chefs and staff are welcoming and attentive. One of our fave spots in Venice/MDR!“

“5 stars. Best hand rolled sushi. Great atmosphere and customer service. Beautiful view of the Marina.“

“I was expecting a hole.in the wall since the area looked busy and the surrounding buildings looked run down. I was wrong. This place has a nice building and very nicely decorated inside. Clean. Staff was attentive and friendly. The sushi was very good and fairly priced. I would definitely recommend and will be personally coming back for more.“

“Best of Best...“

“While I was visiting LA for Thanksgiving, after strolled around the marina area in Marina del Rey, I came to this Sugarfish restaurant for lunch in a shopping plaza not far from the marina. I was pleasantly surprised: how they serve food, food & service, and price & bill.

Once an order was made edamame is served in no time then the food I ordered came out like a 3 or 4 course meal depending on what you ordered. The sushi was exceptional because they serve as they are made - the temperature of rice was perfect as well as the temperature of fish. How they bill and making payment was the most efficient and straightforward I’ve ever seen. In the bill the final amount includes tax and tip and clearly sated ‘no tipping is necessary.’ Therefore no further calculation with % of tip, then addition and total, processing the credit card twice with customer signature. While I was wondering about the bill the manager noticed and came to explain to me. I wish all other restaurants make the billing and payment as simple as that!“

“Casual dinning atmosphere“

“We ate here several times whilst staying at MDR. I could not fault. Excellent customer service. Waiting staff were very friendly and the food was excellent.
We ate a full and varied range, from omelettes to Burritos and simple eggs.
If you never been here then all I will say is give it a go.“

“I went to the Tonchin location in New York late last year, so I came into the Los Angeles location excited and with high expectations. The food was good overall. My wife did not quite understand the hype around it, but I personally thought it was solid, even though it did not stand out as much as the New York location.

Where the difference between the two locations stood out the most was in customer service. We had to wait nearly twenty minutes just to receive the check, and throughout the meal the server rarely came by to check on us. Because of this, the overall experience at the Los Angeles location fell short of what I experienced in New York.

I do recommend the regular tonkotsu ramen and the buns“

“The food has a great taste and I can tell the recipe of the broth is thoughtfully designed and flavored. The service was fine but the restaurant felt too crowded and loud. While I understand it’s a ramen spot, their décor and presentation are more refined than most, so the hectic atmosphere detracted slightly from the overall experience.“

“This place is a true gem and I love shopping there for all my sushi and Japanese food and sake amazing selection and excellent service! If you enjoy fresh sushi fish that are reasonably priced then you most definitely must check out this gem!!! Also they teach lessons that sell out quickly so you must sign up for their monthly news email that gives you so much information about all that they do!“

“My mother and I celebrated her birthday at Nnaka Restaurant and it was a fantastic dining experience. The set menu included 13 courses, with some special dishes. Every dish was beautifully prepared and delicious.“

“I was craving a kaiseki meal for my birthday and discovered UKA. It is very hard to find a traditional kaiseki restaurant in Los Angeles. Everything was amazing, with incredible attention to detail in every dish. I truly appreciate the chef Mr. Mitsue and service for this exceptional experience.“

“One of my favorite places, everything they do is well executed, and the staff are equally kind and personable. My last experience in particular where I ate at the bar was oddly especially warm and welcoming, where I got to chat with a really cool staff member named Reed, who apparently not only makes the drinks, but bakes delicious cookies they currently serve with one of their cocktails (The Hot Toddy, if you're curious).

It's also some of the best tongue meet (on the Skewers section) that I've ever had; if you're a fan, I highly recommend getting one of those at minimum!“

“The seared salmon and tuna were absolutely unforgettable, just as I remembered. What makes this omakase experience so special is that you can keep enjoying dish after dish until you feel completely satisfied. Truly grateful to Uzumaki for such a delightful meal!“

“Note: This review is part of a Yelp elite experience.

Shoutout to Sarah and the yelp intern for organizing a fabulous event. The westside elites were a wonderful bunch, and its immensely gratifying when everyone shares the love of food.

Wadaya is one of the top places to eat and you can see why. It was my first time experiencing the mazemen, which I had ignorantly ignored for the brothy ramen. However the manager mentioned that there was a dearth of good mazemen places, and the chef from Japan decided to fill that niche. Lucky for us, this is a great option for the noodle lovers amongst us (who isn't?).

I was one of only 2 elites to opt for the vegan experience that included Vegan Tokyo Mazemen, Shishito peppers appetizer and a Yuzu-forward Lemonade.

As with any good ramen, you need to mix in all the ingredients to coat the mazemen noodles with the sauce and all the accouterments. The vinegar table-side was a great addition to add in the umami, as if the brothless noodle experience needed any more umami. The yuzu lemonade was full of yuzu, light on the sugar (compared to so many other lemonades that are more sugarades) and had plenty of lemon (acid) to cut through the richness of the noodleicious dish. I liked the ratio of veggies to the noodles, although when I order takeout (which the manager said is a great idea since the dish holds well) I'd love a more veggies please option.
Tip: This dish is garlic forward, so if you love garlic, you'll be in heaven. Just carry some mints :)

Service was impeccable. The only feedback for the crew would be to jazz up the shisito peppers as they lacked a little flavor, but this may be because of the sequencing of dishes, when your flavor buds are saturated with the mazemen. However adding the vinegar gave it the right pep and it was a great complement to the main dish.

Thank you to the yelp team for shining a light on a neighborhood gem that many of us passed by but had not noticed. Wadaya know, it's now a solid addition to all of our radars. Cheesy pun unintended, or was it?

Tip: Plenty of 2 hour free parking in the neighborhood, since the lot is small and has only 3 spots for Wadaya.“

“Uchi is pretty decent. The vibe is cool trendy. Service was polite but felt bit rushed and not as personable.
Food-wise, nothing was terrible, but not mind blowing either. A couple of dishes were tasty, a couple were bland, the sushi rice is left to be desired.
Prices felt a bit high for an experience that screams ‘it’s fine. Not in huge rush to be back.“

“What a gem! Small, quiet, refined - here it’s all about quality, not quantity. Food is prepared really well and presented nicely. Staff is nice and helpful without being in your face all the time. The drinks menu could be a bit more inclusive. Otherwise this is an awesome place for a quiet diner for two (they only have bar seating so a party with more than 2 people would have a hard time communicating).

Also, I wouldn’t call this place especially child friendly but we took our 2 year old with us for dinner and he enjoyed most of the food (the cooked items) and the staff and patrons were rather pleased to have him there 😊“

“Best Sushi in LA by far !“

“An adorable, cozy sushi restaurant with INCREDIBLE fresh fish. We got the special and regular omakase, and the special is absolutely worth the extra $20 because it comes with an amazing toro collar and tiramisu, along with more sushi, soup, and a carpaccio. Some memorable bites were the monkfish liver, fresh oyster, toro collar, daikon marinated red snapper, golden eye snapper nigiri, and the AMAZING housemade tiramisu.“

“We went to Katana for Dine LA and had a great time! Our waiter was super nice and the vibe was cozy and trendy. The patio has a great view of the street. Food was great too! Definitely recommend for a fun night out in LA. The portions were huge and the quality was great. I can’t wait to go back!“

“Was craving soba on a Saturday morning and luckily found SOBAR. Soba made in house - 100% buckwheat, cooked to perfection. Some of the best soba I’ve ever had with strong but clean dipping sauces. Had an extra full serving of soba to polish off the dipping sauces. Service was as good if not greater than soba itself.“

“This was my second time at Shunji and since it was so consistent, I thought I should give it a shout out. You may miss it if you aren’t paying attention, nestled behind a non-discrete door on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, Shunji Japanese Cuisine is a Michelin-starred gem that redefines the art of sushi dining. Chef Shunji Nakao is a legend and this intimate restaurant offers an omakase experience that is as unforgettable as it is refined.

The heart of Shunji’s allure lies in its sushi, which showcases decades of expertise as one of Los Angeles’ sushi pioneers. Each piece of nigiri is a testament to his meticulous attention to detail, with fish sourced primarily from Japan to ensure unparalleled freshness. Shunji’s (somewhat new Santa Monica location) is a departure from its former chili bowl-shaped home on Pico Boulevard, embraces a minimalist aesthetic that keeps the focus on the food and quaint experience. The space is divided into two small rooms, each with a blonde wood counter that seats just seven, creating an atmosphere of exclusivity and intimacy. Soft jazz hums in the background, and a wall of orchids adds a touch of elegance, celebrating the restaurant’s decade-long legacy. The service is impeccable, with staff (one Shunji’s wife) moving gracefully to anticipate every need, from refilling sake glasses to presenting dishes on stunning ceramic plates.

Shunji is more than a restaurant; it’s a destination The sushi is exceptional, the ambiance serene, and the overall experience a masterclass in hospitality.“

“Delicious Udon and other Japanese specialties“

“Ramen were super good and excellent customer service.“

“Chinchikurin was my first ever Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. I've had the Osaka version in Japan many years ago, but haven't had okonomiyaki of any kind in the US since. So this experience was definitely fun. The food was very tasty and well built. I ordered the Loaded Kaisen, which was the seafood okonomiyaki as part of the 11-layer savory pancake. It was very filling. After the cooks make the okonomiyaki at the main teppan grill, you eat it at your own personal grill at your table, which keeps your order nice and warm. Be sure to put a lot of the mayo and otafuku sauce atop it to make the flavor even bolder and more exciting. If you've never had okonomiyaki before, Chinchikurin is a great place to start. There are very few of these kinds of restaurants in LA, so Chinchikurin is a very unique Japanese cuisine in Little Tokyo worth scoping out. I did a YouTube video of my eating adventures here, which can be found on my channel called Rockstar Eater“

“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’ve been struggling to find a decent Tonkatsu, but this one is among the best Ive had in the US. I’m not an expert in Japanese cuisine but I have been to Japan a few times an this place is within striking distance of the average tonkatsus I had there. I’ll be back when I’m in the area“

“5 stars for the delicious and high quality sushi. plus i have a gluten allergy and the chef/ server was super considerate and knew exactly what needed to be modified. my favorites were the bluefin tuna nigiri and the yellowtail hand roll (with soy paper), and i don’t typically like yellowtail.

however, i did not realize there was a 16% service fee included in the bill. it says so on the menu so that’s my oversight but at kazu nori, for example, the server tells you not to tip because of the service fee. so on the little screen i tipped 20% on top of the 16% service fee and tax. it’s my bad for not paying closer attention but they don’t verbally tell you either.“

“Sushi fish was very fish, service was great! Food came out pretty quickly and everything was good, did not have one bite I didn’t like. Our orders included the California roll the spicy tuna roll. The salmon roll, baked salmon, premium roll, tuna and salmon and yellowtail sushi as well as the miso soup and the chicken yakitori. All were delicious. Did feel slightly rushed to leave as the waiters and waitresses kept coming to clean our plates while still eating - but that could also be received as good service so take it as you will. Took no photos because everything was eaten so quickly!“

“Took a friend here for a birthday dinner and ordered the scallop uni and 4 nigiri/4 hand roll combo and every bite was perfection. My favorite bites were the salmon nigiri, salmon truffle and blue crab hand rolls. I definitely will be back bc I’m already craving it again and I want to try the wagyu nigiri. Only slight downside is that you’re limited to 90 min but it’s a small space and I get that they need to turn seats quickly.“

“This place was amazing!! I got the lunch special of the black miso cod and it was $19.50 and the portion was so large and truly one of the best I ever had. The sashimi was also very good and very fresh! I truly loved all the food I tried. I had also tried the blue fin tuna, yellowtail, and kanpachi and all three were very good and very fresh. The prices of the restaurant are fair for the quality.“

“My son and I tried the popcorn, chicken and burger. We love the chicken. It was juicy not dry. The burger was like your standard burger. I will have to add my son. Did not add their secret sauce so that may have made a difference. Seems like a family ran restaurant. They are very attentive and friendly.“

“Excelent food ! Great place !“

“We just happened to be in the area and I heard good things about Jade so I wanted to try this place out. There was a wonderful piano player singing while we were there. I liked her music. We happened to get there around happy hour so we got the Tokyo mule and Beverly blossom. Both were delicious. Many of the items we tried were cheaper than the dinner rush. We ordered spicy tuna crisp and the wagu Gyoza. Both were absolutely delicious. We also ordered the diamond roll which was perfect. All the flavors were amazing. We ordered the mango mochi and meringue desserts to try out after. If you havnt been to Jade yet, you have to try it out. It's a great date night spot or even a girls night out spot.“

“A hidden gem! Very fresh and tasty“

“Intimate restaurant with single dining room where everyone sits at bar. Room is very attractive with waves of white curtains hanging over center of bar and waves of gold on black walls. Sushi is the best I ever had!! Don't miss yellowtail Serrano! Order prix fixe menu for $67. It's well worth it!“

“grest good service and atmosphere. loved it! will definitely be back soon.“

“I absolutely love this place. I’m visiting from out of state and was wanting to try some sushi over here on the West Coast. I couldn’t have picked a better place! My friend ordered the Philly and spider rolls and I ordered the crunchy dragon roll and pumpkin carrot soup. We also ordered the fusion bun with imitation crab and plum sake. Everything was delicious and Atko, our hostess, was so very lovely. 10/10 highly recommend.“

“Awesome food , they’ve got great teriyaki bowls too!“

“First time.coming down to this one. Usually hit up the one in Little Japantown.

The soup here tastes just as good!
Only gripe... Not nearly as many of the tempura options or musibis like Sawtelle. But they do have the main dishes here and it was fast on a Friday night to order.

This place is bus your own dishes after.“

“Ramen were super good and excellent customer service.“

“I love coming to this place for their combination fried rice. The people tending the place are very friendly. They have other menu items that I would like to try, but I always get the rice because is easy to eat on the go and even cold it retains its flavor. I highly recommend this place.“

“Saloon Osaka is an exceptional Izakaya.
Highly recommend this El Segundo gem!
From the nigiri, rolls, unique flavorful salad options, even the top grade caviar! Thank you Chef and staff, we had a wonderful experience and cant wait to be back soon. -Arigato Gozaimasu🤍“

“Stumbled across Oh! Banzai on an IG ad….stopped by for lunch because I was in the area. What a gem! Had the eel sunomono (light and delicious!), and a few hand rolls. Really lovely place, great service, food is fresh and feels like a higher level dining experience than the price suggests. Definitely coming back“

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

“蕎麦、日本食　最高 !“

“This place is awesome! I’m so confused as to why there’s not more people in here right now. The staff is so friendly and were welcoming from the moment I walked in! The food was incredible, and even rivals what I have had in Japan. Stop here if you can!“

“I really enjoyed the food here. The cutlet was juicy and crispy. The rice was really good and the service was awesome. I look forward to coming back. Keep in mind this location is within a market so dining is cafeteria style but there's plenty of seating“

“Japanese homestyle bento bliss with a legacy! Hard to believe this cozy gem has been serving locals for 25 years.

At the heart of the menu is their Sanuki Udon...a silky, springy noodle born in Japan’s historic Sanuki Province (now Kagawa Prefecture) on Shikoku Island. This isn’t just comfort food—it’s a taste of centuries-old tradition.

Bonus points: the menu is loaded with photos so you know exactly what deliciousness you’re ordering.

Generous portions, wallet-friendly pricing. I went for the Sukiyakidon which was hearty, flavorful, and satisfying.

Old-school interior that feels like stepping into a Japanese home kitchen.

Can be busy depending on the time thanks to all the great eateries in the plaza“