34 Best Japanese Restaurants in Pasadena

“Its open and they really made sure its safe , service and food perfect . Happy days“

“Salad Dressing is amazing. Parking is horrible. They said 10-15 for my order. 25 minutes and I got a $52 Parking Citation🤬🤬🤬🤬“

“Best sushi on the West Side ❤️“

“ABSOLUTELY the BEST ramen I have ever had!!! The service is amazing, the fried pumpkin... off the hook!!! Spring rolls, yaaasssss!! I had the King Ramen...whoaaaaa! Daaaaammnnn!! You will NOT be disappointed. Thanks to the owners for the great experience.“

“Every dish was delectable, and great service! We all had a fantastic time there! Definitely will be back, and for celebrations.“

“Good food, portions & service...“

“Absolute perfection. The food, the service and the atmosphere are outstanding. The most buttery, delicious salmon I’ve ever had…couldn’t stop eating the salmon hand rolls. Every single thing had incredible flavor and melted in your mouth, staring with the garlic edamame. Try it out, you won’t be disappointed.“

“It feels as though this restaurant has been around for quite some time: the atmosphere, the kind and welcoming staff, the quality, and energy are all sweet! and having their own parking behind the restaurant is great. Wish the sashimi had ginger to refresh between the different fish and flavors, but a small note compared to the overall experience.“

“Well worth the drive from Palm Springs! Excellent food and service!“

“The food was delicious and the service excellent“

“It's one of the best ,beef or chicken teriyaki plates and Japanese food in California .“

“The service, the food, the environment and the kindness and efficiency of our server tonight! 😋👍“

“I gave this location a try on Friday. I was the first one. My takeout order came out pretty quickly. It took 10 minutes. I ordered a spicy one and it had some kick to it. I wish the portions were a little bigger. Fortunately, I ordered a side item to help fill me up. For the price, I would say, it is above average... but not as good a value as Curry House when it was still around.“

“Stopped by while in Pasadena and it ended up being a solid, easy meal. Nothing fancy, just straightforward Japanese comfort food that does the job. Service was quick and the dining room was clean and relaxed. We ordered the shrimp & steak plate, yakisoba noodles with chicken, sushi special box, tiger roll, and shrimp & veggie tempura. The yakisoba with chicken was definitely my favorite — good portion, well seasoned, and filling without being too heavy. The sushi was surprisingly solid for a casual spot, and the veggie skewers that came with the shrimp and steak plate stood out more than I expected. Portions were generous and prices felt fair for the area. There’s also a small Japanese snack section inside, which is a nice bonus while you’re waiting. Overall, a reliable place for a quick, satisfying lunch or low-key dinner if you’re in Pasadena.“

“It’s my second time in this sushi restaurant. The service started out slow on a busy Friday night but it quickly improved.We loved the seaweed salad, grilled shishito peppers and soft shell crab appetizer. The sashimi, salmon lover roll and Cynthia roll were fresh and nicely prepared. I asked for grilled salmon without teriyaki sauce and it came out nice. The dinner was satisfying.“

“Riquísima la comida y muy buena atención y servicio 100% 👍🏻“

“No amount of poorly-written AI reviews can do this awesome place justice, so as always, you're getting a human-written review from a human-experienced event. Yesenia was our server and she was a 10/10 all-around super professional server from the moment we set fot in the establishment. The food itself is unmatched. I have been to their San Gabriel location at least 3 or 4 times and this place is just as good in terms of flavor and quality. The ambiance is great, the server even went as far as lowering the window blinds after some new customers walked in and they sat close to one of the windows. Tsukemen will forever remain as my favorite kind of Ramen (it's basically cold noodles that you dip in a hot and salty broth served in a small bowl on the side). One of the assistant managers offered to help me in how to eat it but I was already familiar with the concept, so I thanked her for her offer and proceeded to eat. The fried chicken is another ball game, it's literally Japanese fried chicken but they also add a touch of some sort of honey-based syrup that makes it 100 times better. My parents had the tonkotsu and it was great too. Truly a remarkable experience in the heart of Old Town Pasadena.“

“There is room for dine-in, though I usually grab takeout. They sometimes use part of the seating space to store extra things, but it is a small location, and I understand the squeeze. All their food is delicious and at great prices.
If you are in Altadena and craving sushi, this is a great local place to grab it.
Sometimes, I will grab sushi from here and grab boba next door at YinYang.

Parking: If picking up, there are 20-minute parking spots by the door. Usually one is available.“

“Ok. So I have to start out by saying im not a big fan of sushi. Im your typical California roll or fried sushi. Having said that this place changed the way I think about sushi! I always wondered how real Japanese sushi would taste and I have a feeling this place is certainly close to that. I had recently watched a documentary on Netflix and how this one place in Japan you just trust the chef to serve you delicious 😋 sushi! Well this is place does the same and boy it doesn't disappoint. I've never had salmon melt in my mouth like that or had sushi rice taste sooo good. And the ginger ! Thats real stuff

I would highly recommend this place. Will certainly be coming back.“

“amazing food, service and ambiance!“

“This place is legit. Super nice fish served at the right temp. The quality/cuts of fish are up there with the best of them. They take care in what they do and know who they are. Service is very attentive and caring. Sushi chefs always go the extra mile with us and really make us feel welcome, seen and appreciated. The prices are friendly. Love this place. Oh yea, and they are open late!“

“Delicious teriyaki chicken/ rice/ broccoli, carrots, and zucchini. I love to stop whenever I’m driving back to our Hesperia house after visiting family or friends in Paramount, California“

“Always an amazing experience“

“Neighborhood’s Japanese Restaurant with good Value !“

“I ordered chicken teriyaki bowl . It was flavorful and tasty .Side Salad was spicy and tasted good. Receptionist was very welcoming and helpful. Food quality was also good . If you like teriyaki flavor with reasonable price in Pasadena, you can try this .“

“Pleasantly surprised by this sushi place, the experience was really great. The quality of the ingredients is good and everything was very delicious. They have a conveyor belt for added fun but most of the time they just bring you the dishes. The portions are big and prices are fair. Staff are very friendly and hard working, interior is beautifully decorated and clean.“

“This is the best Yoshinoya I’ve been to in a long time. They were very fast, that’s a good thing. But really it’s Hong…he’s one of the most positive people I’ve ever met in California. The guy just gives off good energy. This place is lucky to have him.“

“If you like Sushi like I like Sushi this is the place with their AYCE menu. Laura is an amazing person to know, great energy. The staff is very attentive and knowledgeable, I always enjoy going there. When you go tell them you read Don's review, thanks! Enjoy“

“Best sushi place I have eaten at with lots of thai & japanese dishes. I have tried other sushi places in the area but the quality of sushi at Oba is incomparable. I have been taste testing sushi places all over LA & SGV but I find myself back here every single time. No other sushi restaurant suits my palate like Oba.

The staff themselves are incredibly welcoming. 100/10!!

i recommend placing a reservation over the phone (super easy process) to avoid a waiting as this place is very popular for its quality dishes :D“

“Food was good, a bit on the salty side. Price is right, not expensive with a smaller serving portion. There are $10 lunch specials until 4 pm. Service a bit inconsistent among waiters and waitresses. Some were attentive and friendly while some just OK. It’s not bad, but not like so good that I want to go back again. We sat right by the door and a bit annoyed with cold air blown in whenever customers went in and out of the restaurant.“

“The food was delicious, One of the best sushi in Pasadena“

“Katsuya! The delivery from the ubereats was fantastic! Sometimes, when I am nearby, order from the touch screen display inside the room, and sushi is ready! Either way, food tasted great and loving it! Oh, just to let you know, this Katsuya is not a restaurant but a ghost kitchen, so there are no seatings!“

“The hamachi serrano is perfection!“