20 Best Japanese Restaurants in Santa Monica

“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.“

“I don't write Google reviews but I had to because this is the best establishment I've ever eaten at. The service was excellent. The staff was kind, checked on us just the right amount, and had baskets that sat beneath the table so purses didn't sit on the floor. The cut salmon sushi roll was fresh. The fish and chips were the best I have ever had in my life. The fries weren't crisp but the flavor made up for it. If I was from here, I would never shut up about this place. But since I'm not, a passionate Google review will have to do.“

“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!“

“Hi I loves it thanks again so much“

“Found this restaurant in March and just returned for Mother’s Day dinner xoxoxo Great quality food and drinks, very pleasant staff!!! Authentic Japanese food items plus a touch of personality of its own makes their menu awesome and unique. We will come back for many many more.“

“Hidden gem. Noticeably high quality ingredients and great service. Even my Korean mom, who is germaphobic and difficult to impress, enjoyed her meal very much. Will be coming here again.

We ordered the oyster/uni (!), the baked scallop roll (!), the chirashi bowl, the sea cucumber, and the spicy japan scallop roll. Everything tasted fantastic and we didn't leave a single grain of rice.

In my opinion, it's rare to encounter Japanese food in America that I end up loving. Every raw ingredient looked and tasted fresh. Uni here was creamy, the green tea was well-steeped, and the sesame seeds on the spicy japan roll were aromatic.

I highly recommend that you come here for a special occasion or whenever you crave extremely FRESH Japanese food.“

“Glad Hurry Curry has reopened after closing their Sawtelle location. if you are new and don't know what to order, try the chicken cutlet curry and the Chicken pasta with Alfredo sauce. The curry is bold and savory. make sure to request picked vegetables for the curry. the chicken pasta is also rich and savory. both dishes complement each other without repeating the same experience. the portions are large so bring friends or bring home plenty of portions for leftovers.“

“Luv, Luv Luv this place! Everything was fantastic!“

“Best sushi and miso soup we've had so far!“

“great food and atmosphere!“

“Great sushi place. Did one of the several course tasting options.“

“I stayed in Santa Monica for a while and every roll I ever ordered was delicious! I HIGHLY recommend the mango roll and the rockin roll roll . The staff is very kind and are quick . All I recommend is a bigger place with more seating, we almost missed out on delicious sushi bc all seats were taken when we arrived and there is no where to wait.“

“It’s nice to see something that we have back home. Always loved to order my classic kurobuta terimayo. My favourite out of all as it combines the classic hot dog with a Japanese twist. Other flavours as also good but if you ever to get one get the terimayo!
The person also who served us, thanks for the great costumer service!“

“Manager KI Bae is a true Service oriented Manager, his attention to detail, customer service was beyond exceptional. His genuine sincerity is a true testament there is still individuals that care about their performance. The entire staff was great and the main reason why we frequently attend the Santa Monica location“

“Very good food and service.“

“The line moved fairly quickly, and the busy crowd did not take away from the quality of service i received. The place was very clean, and the food was DELICIOUS... We were greeted and helped by Guadalupe, a short little mexican jumping bean with thick black hair and a kind face... she greeted us with a smile and was very informative with the menu. I got the teriyaki chicken plate.“

“Nice service and good food 🍱“

“Man I got me this one special sale 2x1 bowles or pay for 1 get the second on for 50%. The under $5 bucks menu is really awesome I had the chicken and teriyaki wht .rice Im going there just about every day

Kid-friendliness: Bring your kids they got the kids menu

Wheelchair accessibility: North side where the parking lot is also there's a handicap wheel chair access the poo parking lot gets filled up really fast because there's other business to share with“

“If you have searched in vain for poke as delicious as in Hawaii, Sweetfin is a golden find. Exquisite poke bowls with a wide array of fresh ingredients and sauces. There’s even a keto version that’s totally yummy with avocado and macadamias!

Dietary restrictions: Try the keto bowl—heavenly!“

“Great fresh food. Large portions and friendly staff.“