50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Rancho Palos Verdes

“It’s the best sushi in San Pedro hands down. If you want a night of culinary adventure sit back and let Yoshi guide you through one. I’m a man who appreciates variety, so you can’t go wrong when everything on the menu is outstanding. I don’t know what else to say except that I’ll be there tonight. After typing this review and imagining it, I am not gonna try to fight the craving. Chirashi, Aji, Unagi roll, edamame and the best miso soup ever, I’m on my way, I’ll see you soon. 😘🌊🍣🍶🍻✌🏽 I ❤️ Tashiro Sushi + the entire staff. Your faithful lifetime customer/friend~Mario Franco“

“Sushi Akito is one of those places where quality speaks for itself. From the moment the food arrived, you can tell how fresh the fish is and how much attention goes into every detail. The sushi is clean, well executed, and beautifully balanced, allowing the flavors of the fish to truly shine.

What stood out the most was the consistency every piece was just as good as the last. The menu offers a thoughtful selection of sushi and rolls, all prepared with precision and care. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and the service makes you feel comfortable without being rushed.

If you appreciate well-crafted sushi made with high-quality ingredients, Sushi Akito is a spot you’ll want to come back to.“

“Delicious! The guy working was SO friendly and very helpful. Jumped right in to help us out on our first time ordering.

Poke was great! Loved all the topping and mix in options and the fish tasted fresh. Very good. The avocado I got was weirdly hard and really not edible… couldn’t even chew it, but I’m guessing it was just a fluke avocado situation. (You know how avocados can be. 🤷🏻‍♀️) Sauces were thick and flavorful. Best poke spot I’ve found in the area. 😋

Bonus points for a nice outdoor seating (with umbrellas!) and also a great location close enough to grab it to-go and head out for a beach picnic.“

“Service was excellent very friendly and beautiful view. Food was awesome.“

“Great Food. Price it's right.“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“Excelent food ! Great place !“

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

“A hidden gem! Very fresh and tasty“

“Went to Yamashiro for the first time today! I have to say this is probably one of the best sushi places I have ever been to. The fried oysters were delicious! We ordered three different rolls and all of them were just beautiful from a presentation and artistry perspective, but tasting them was even better! The volcano roll was served on grapefruit slices, which made them very colorful and the scallops were cooked perfectly. The Yamashara roll was not only beautiful but it's the first time I have ever had mango with my sushi rolls and it actually added a really nice dimension of tropical fruit to already super fresh tasting tuna and avocado. The crispy roll had fried onions that were somehow not greasy, which was surprising. I'm wondering if they were air fried? But really great addition to texture for the rolls. We also had the yellowtail collar, which was cooked flawlessly. Oftentimes, yellowtail collar can you overcooked so part of it can be fairly dry. This caller was moist all the way around, perfect pockets of fish fat, and a very light unami salty flavor. The last thing we had, which I think was very fortunate because they don't always have it, was the Japanese tuna Ono which was cooked in a wonderful miso sauce.

I know I keep going on about this spot, but these rules were truly unique and I eat a lot of sushi, lol! Did I mention that we had a wonderful server, which I didn't get her name, but she's a Japanese woman that may have been the owner. I'm not sure, but her spirit was so respectful and refreshing and we loved her kindness and attentiveness. Really great service! I can't wait to go here again next time I visit the Redondo Beach area!!!“

“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“

“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.“

“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“

“Favorite place to eat quickly. It is affordable and reasonable price w loading amount food. The food here has big serving size w amazing taste. The service was rlly good(we got a free drink lol). The restaurant overall is soo cute, styled w cute cat miniatures. I’ll definitely recommend trying out here!!“

“Really liked this place. It offers quick prep moderately priced sushi that tastes good for moderately priced sushi. The only weakness was the shrimp nigari which was skimpy on the shrimp. My meal included miso soup, salad and roll, wrap & funnel sushi. I had 2 bites of the roll and drank some soup before I took the picture. I was hungry!“

“蕎麦、日本食　最高 !“

“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“

“Gardena’s gem of a restaurant. Great food, atmosphere all with authentic food with a Hawaiian flair. I enjoyed a kalbi bento (it’s not on the menu but they will gladly make it for you with double Mac salad). I also had the famous chili which is THAT good. Not pictured is the somen salad which is a family recipe and is always a must. Leonard and his staff are friendly and engaging like our server Nancy.“

“I saw this place while driving and saw a line waiting for their food, so I decided to give it a try.. Ì asked those in line, what was good there.. The answer was either the teriyaki bowl or plates, and the teriyaki burgers.. I got the teriyaki chicken bowl.. it looked and smelled great driving home.. After eating it, I didn’t understand the line of people waiting.. It was okay, but in my opinion, no big deal.. I’ll be honest, I did eat it ALL, and the serving size was BIG, so by no means was it bad.. To be fair though, I’m gonna have to try again, and see what I missed the first time..“

“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“

“I tried Azuma for the first time a few weeks ago was very pleasantly surprised how good and authentic it was. Its a small restaurant with a line starting at 5 when they open. I went with a big group and we tried the chicken teriyaki, vegetable tempura, and curry which we all enjoyed. The portions are big enough to share! I would definitely come back and recommend!“

“What a neat experience in the south bay. We came across this restaurant thanks to Infatuation's 2025 list of best new restaurants to try.

We made a very last minute call to the restaurant to see if any spots opened up, and we were very fortunate to nab two seats. Parking is a little tight in this small strip mall area but not too bad in the evening.

Coming in, you're immediately greeted to a really neat setup - bar seating that surrounds an open kitchen with grills per every tea seats. Loved the modern decor with classic wooden Japanese items throughout the kitchen and fun, friendly chalkboards.

We were seated and given a tour of the menu. There are two pretty competitive omakase style beef walkthroughs. We opted to go with the $50 option as we didn't want to go with the wagyu sushi (that and a couple items were the main difference between this and the $70 option). We also had the ability to order more specific cuts of meat or go straight to the a la carte option as well.

The drink menu for non-alcohol items are a bit limited but for sake lovers, there are some great competitive options like a $30 5-sake cup flights.

Going into the $50 omakase, the options for the most part are super solid. We really enjoyed the multiple sauces that came out with the meat. The beef tongue trio was also fantastic all-around. Meats were cut right in front of you as well as marinated/seasoned. The butcher's cut curry also is oddly fantastic. It's a clever way to close out the meal using parts of the ends of meat. The grill in front of you also uses side vents so makes it a much more enjoyable experience.

I think the only bits of feedback we had (and something it seems like they are actively trying to address) is getting more helping hands. There was a bit of a chaotic energy as the tables were full and not enough hands on deck with things like front of house having to be done by the chef.

I think the servers were still superstars amidst everything going on and super kind in keeping us updated as to the situation.

They also do run out of some items of food so would advise to try to get an earlier time than later. Getting there after 8PM also means that you usually aren't able to go the omakase route as a heads-up.

Can't wait to come back and see how they continue to improve and refine a great idea.“

“So fun! love the HAPPY FISH! Going to see him tonight!“

“Very satisfied great friendly service“

“yummmmm so good. highly recommend“

“Excellent in every way. Perfect!!!“

“Great quality meat and wagyu. You need to get the wagyu plates to try all the different meats. Beautiful Yakiniku place with veggie options and they change out your stove promptly. Oxtail soup and wagyu sushi plate was delicious as well. Staff was so nice :)“

“They offer a wide variety of dishes, ranging from traditional Chinese cuisine to creative Western cuisine, and there are many surprising combinations. In addition, the restaurant pays attention to the selection of raw materials and the innovation of cooking techniques to ensure that each dish can bring you the most extreme taste experience“

“If you haven't been here you areissong out. I consider this place to be a local gem. Get there right at 5 if you don't have a reservation. This yakitori is fantastic. It is cooked perfectly every time. There are lots of options for both those who are adventurous and those who like to stay a little closer to home. This place will not disappoint.“

“Absolute gem. It can be a little hard to spot in the plaza (it's in the same plaza as candy massage and the smoke shop). The food is lovely and the staff are quite nice. I ordered the black pork steak with stamina sauce and it was wonderfully made. I would highly recommend going. The prices are very reasonable for what's included.“

“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 😃👍🥰“

“Ramen is so good I cried.“

“4.5 rounded to a 5 - came here around 9pm after a round of golf in pv. This place had been on my bookmarked list, and their late (ish) hours led us to give the place a try, and boy, it did not disappoint. We ordered the mascarpone and black beans with crackers app, and it was delicious!

Their main chicken entree, garlic fried rice, and their udon were also all very good (would pass on the rice next time). We ended the meal with the matcha tiramisu and left super stuffed and satisfied.“

“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.“

“My absolute favorite Japanese-Chinese restaurant in town!
Umemura truly feels like “町中華” — a warm, family-run neighborhood Chinese restaurant just like in Japan. Their Umani Ramen is hands down the best ramen in California… maybe even in the entire US. That’s how amazing it is!

I also love their Kanitama Chahan (fried rice topped with an imitation crab omelet). Everything is always super fresh, flavorful, and authentically prepared. This place is loved by all my Japanese friends, Japanese American friends, and even my American friends — everyone falls in love with it!

The servers are kind and friendly, and the cozy atmosphere makes every visit feel comforting.
Highly, highly recommended!“

“I organized a dinner with my daughter.
We wanted to try something new and ended up at WA Dining Suya.

The restaurant delivered a great meal and great service. My daughter and I will definitely come back.

The Kakuni was my favorite — very homey. Honestly, that appetizer with rice could’ve been my whole meal.“

“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.“

“No. 1 Sushi & Roll is a nice local spot if you’re in the mood for fresh sushi without the high-end prices. The menu has a good variety, from classic rolls to bento boxes and teriyaki dishes, so there’s something for everyone. The sushi tastes fresh, and the portions are generous for what you pay. The staff is friendly, and service is usually quick, whether you’re dining in or ordering takeout. The restaurant itself is small but clean and comfortable. Overall, it’s a reliable place for a casual sushi meal that hits the spot every time.“

“We love Yanagi. Fabulous and fresh sushi, great service and there always seems to be a table for us. My tiny humans, age 10 and 7, love their sushi. At Yanagi, they are always well taken care of.“

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

“Their recipes are undefeated“

“Been for years ..! Love it“

“It’s a famous Japanese udon shop chain located inside the Mitsuwa Marketplace. They sell udon soup dishes and various rice dishes. You can add various tempura toppings for your dishes at about $2 each. It’s quite authentic Japanese udon and rice dish shop with fast service. They also allow you to add mini rice dishes at lower price as a combo item. One negative about this food court is that they don’t offer free water so you will have to order a drink or grab something at the supermarket. There is a fountain near the bathroom though. Outside seating is available right next to the shop.“

“muy sabrosa y delicious la comida lo recomiendo y sobre todo El servicio muy bien“

“Thank you for the great food“

“Right beside Nijiya supermarket and my dog grooming place. Lots of good reviews led me here. Ordered large portion steak with potato salad. Cut don steak over rice-- menu is simple and beef is good! I didnt order wagyu slice but the flavor reminds you of trad japanese resto. Place is not fine dining but comfortable and relaxed. Potato salad is a must try- so so good and creamy. Will come back to try the sliced beef don w egg- their signature dish. The servings are good for 1-2 persons and priced a little bit more. But with the flavor experience, i think its worth it. Good date place for foodies.“

“I've been coming here for decades, a tradition every year around Christmas/New Years my family would come out here and feast! The food never disappoints and there isn't a single place I've been across the states that compares to the meat we get here. Wishing the new owners a very happy new year, I already can't wait to come back again.

Definitely recommend putting in a reservation if you're planning on stopping by, it can get very busy!“

“Great spot for soba and tempura. Set boxes were under $20 and was filling. They also have side purchases for additional piece of tempura (shrimp, chicken, veggies, etc)

Parking behind restaurant and also street parking near and around the restaurant.

Service was great and very welcoming. Recommend getting any of the set pieces to enjoy.“