50 Best Japanese Restaurants near South El Monte

“To over priced.“

“We had a really nice experience! The side of the restaurant has enough space for a few tables to dine in, and it felt cozy. The service was quick, friendly, and efficient. I liked that they had sauces and water available right at the tables for self-service.

We dined in, and everything came out fast! We spent around $40 for a chicken bowl, two sushi rolls, and two miso soups ,perfect for two adults and a toddler. The food was amazing! My husband said the teriyaki chicken was really good, and I agree. the chicken was juicy, not dry at all. The salmon sushi was good too, just a little warm for my husband’s liking, but overall, everything had great flavor.

The music was a fun surprise, they were playing some techno, which we didn’t mind at all! It actually made the experience more fun. We even found ourselves dancing a little while eating. Definitely a place we’d come back to!“

“Been here many times before, mostly weekdays during lunch hours, never knew they get so busy on weekends. But lines moved quickly, plenty of various prepared takeout sushis in the cold storage areas. Regular customers often recommend food items to try for newbies. Overall, a pleasant place for fresh sushis.“

“Only Rating on Food and Service since I ordered the food for delivery. Everything was packaged well. The food was all delicious. I was happily surprised to find that even the leftovers were still great the next day. Well done, great quality.“

“Such a great sushi spot in San Gabriel! Everything we tried was fresh and delicious. I definitely recommend the Six Flags Roll and the gyozas both were so good! The service was great, the staff was super friendly and the ambiance was really nice. Definitely a place I’d come back to! 🍣✨“

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

“This is one of the best and only place we like to go. They are very friendly and best fresh sushi all around. it really feels like a small family enviroment“

“Fresh sashimi, cozy atmosphere & friendly staff! A must visit Japanese dining restaurant in Pico Rivera :)“

“Highly commendable service and absolutely stunning set menu! we went here for dinner last night for our Halloween date night! Their wagyu cuts are 100% top-grade and not just random "wagyu" that are below the marks. We tried their A5 and M9 meats, not to mention their salmon carpaccio that is to die for. Their sides are absolutely delicious and smart, one great example is their fried pork buns that is like a spin on soup dumplings. To top it off, you get premium ice cream in the end. Their salad is so good with yuzu and smokey salt, plus you get a chili mix too. They serve the meats fast plus your tablet menu is in front of you so you don't have to keep calling the staff to refill. I give them 9 stars! 🌟 🐄 🥩“

“Amazing! Will definitely come again! The food was so good and customer service was so amazing! :) the decoration of this place is so cute and amazing to look at the person who attended us was so sweet and definitely treated us so kindly and kept up with us making sure we were always doing well. I would definitely recommend coming here for the vibes, food, and sweet service.“

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

“Good food, portions & service...“

“Meet quality really nice to me Good service!“

“Great rolls. Big selection.... fresh.“

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

“I’ve been coming to sushi rolland for a while now, and I’d say, I’m pretty satisfied! I’ve been impressed by the freshness of the their fish, especially their salmon. I LOVE salmon, and their salmon is buttery and very good quality. For their price and quality, I’d say it’s definitely worth it. I’ve tried their salmon delight, crunch roll, dragon roll, blossom roll, salmon avocado combo, combo an and combo c. I tried out their new menu today, the salmon crunch, and I really liked it (apologies for the half eaten picture). Might be my new go to menu item. I really the fried onions on there. I always like getting their miso soup, such a good combination with the sushi. Highly recommend their combo plate, especially combo A!“

“Qauint and charming sushi place. Reaonably priced for fresh sashimi and sushi dishes. Very pleasantly surprised w the freshness of the seafood!
Service was attentive and sweet even when it got busy.
Definitely a repeat customer!“

“Best sushi on the West Side ❤️“

“Was at Santa Anita Mall and it was dinner time. Had seen Marugame Udon many times, but had never tried it until today. Tried the new Bolongese Udon with a potato croquette and sweet potato tempura. Ambience is great and the wall artwork is fabulous. Noodles were fresh and bowl was warmed before plating. I ordered a large size and was not disappointed. Free toppings were nice: tempura flakes, wake, cilantro, grunions. Tempura was nice and crispy. Potato croquet was good but a bit too sweet for my liking. Grabbed a Calamansi Ade to drink; nice Calamansi flavor and not overly sweet. Tempura dipping sauce was excellent. Appreciate the Togarashi and chili oil as well if you want a bit of spice. Free water cups also appreciated.

For the bolognese, please don’t think this will be similar to an Italian restaurant; this is the Japanese riff on bolognese. A boiled egg may seem odd at first, but it gives the dish a wonderful creamy texture when mixed with the cheese. The ground meat rounded out the dish well. Cilantro and togarashi paired really well by providing freshness and a hint of spice (I love spicy stuff). While this dish will not be for everyone, I’d encourage people to try it, as it is quite filling and really good for what it is. If you’ve had Japanese pasta before, you’ll know.

Will be coming back to try other Udon options and tempura. Udon is great comfort food, and Marugame does it well!“

“This place is a hidden gem. Unpretentious atmosphere and Japanese comfort food. Udons, ramen and my favorite... curry spaghetti! Its so delicious, I get a craving to go here fairly often. They make the curry in house, and its to die for. Staff is great and apart from the strip mall parking being full sometimes, there's really no down side.“

“I have eaten here a few dozen times now, and it never ceases to amaze me. The food was absolutely delicious every single time. You can tell they prioritize quality because the ingredients are always incredibly fresh. The ambience is warm, cozy, and inviting. What truly sets this place apart is the staff. They are always so warm, welcoming, and attentive.

It is rare to find a restaurant that maintains this level of consistency visit after visit. If you haven't been here yet, you are seriously missing out!“

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

“Amazing food and amazing customer service!! I shared it on all my social media’s so all my friends would know about this place and be able to have their own experience at home. My whole family loved it and enjoyed it. Definitely recommend this place!“

“Great food and great service“

“so far everything I've tried has been delicious!“

“Ever since I tried their curry plate, this place has been my go-to—it's honestly delicious! I haven't tried anything else yet, but the staff is always kind and the service is super fast. My only minor complaint is that they recently changed their containers, so it feels like a bit less food, but honestly, can you blame them in this economy?“

“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.“

“It was a great experience We took our dear granddaughter to celebrate her birthday !!!“

“amazing food, service and ambiance!“

“Pleasantly and delishly surprised. Place is unassuming. Its quaint and intimate.
Foodwise, its fresh and well presented. Sashimi is served warm temperture and not over ice. Which is how it should be. Rice was not overly sticky. Well balanced in combo with the fresh fish.
Service was welcoming and super friendly. Enjoyed the relax vibe.
Definitley on my list to be back“

“This place is GREAT! Not OK, not good… GREAT! I’ve been to all the teriyaki spots up and down Whittier Blvd, and you simply aren’t going to get a better deal than this. Very fair prices for very large portions, but which always means very happy customers.

Customer service is excellent, they have a soda fountain with Coke products (and cans for other brands), a few tables inside so good for a quick lunch/dinner or takeout.

This place is an absolute no-brainer for simple, great Japanese food. If you’ve never been, you need to come, and if you have been, you need to come back. Skip the Flame Broiler’s and Panda Expresses and be happy that you came here instead.“

“This spot is an absolute gem in South Pasadena. Everything we ordered was prepared with such care and presented beautifully.

The ramen was rich and flavorful, but the standout for me was the roasted brussels sprouts served in the little black cast-iron skillet. They were perfectly charred and seasoned. I could eat those every single day.

It is rare to find a place that hits the mark on both atmosphere and quality across the entire menu. We left feeling completely satisfied and are already planning our next visit back.“

“This Japanese restaurant has been here at least 20 years. The food is fantastic. The service is welcoming. This is now our favorite Japanese restaurant. We use to go to the one on Rosecrans where Albertsons is. But there is no comparison to midoris food. We will be back again and again“

“Came to Sushi Story and we were seriously amazed! The fish was incredibly fresh, and every piece of nigiri, roll, and sashimi was HUGE! They also have wide selection of sake and Japanese beer. Everything was so satisfying, and they even have claw machines, which made the whole experience even more fun!

Overall, such a great spot, we had so much fun and absolutely loved it. Definitely coming back!

What we ordered:
-The Story Set: 8pcs sushi + 6 sashimi + 4pcs roll (amazing salmon)
-Sushi & Roll Fusion: 8pcs sushi + 4pcs roll (spicy tuna rainbow)
-Salad & Miso Soup
-Asahi“

“Best teriyaki chicken“

“Sakura Tokyo is genuinely one of my favorite sushi restaurants, and I can’t recommend this place enough! The food is always amazing, fresh, and consistently delicious, but what really makes this place special is the people.

They truly care about their customers. They remember you, make you feel welcome every time you come in, and always treat everyone with so much kindness and respect. That kind of customer service is rare, and it’s one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back.

You can tell they take pride in both their food and the way they treat people. I’ve had nothing but great experiences here, and they’ve always been so good to me. In my opinion, this is the best sushi place around. Amazing food, amazing people, and an atmosphere that makes you feel like a valued customer every single time.

If you’re looking for great sushi in West Covina, definitely give Sakura Tokyo a try. They deserve all the support! 🍣❤“

“Really great poke with a good selection of protein, base and toppings. The fish was fresh and seasoned well, vegetable toppings were plentiful along with seaweed and masago. They have a variety of excellent sauces as well. The large poke was enough for two people with an av“

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

“My bestfriend and I went for happy hour and had a great time! Awesome music, great service, tasty cocktails, and delicious food! We ordered mixed tempura, octopus, ceviche and yellowtail carpaccio! Lovely presentation and everything was yummy! We especially loved the tequila and mezcal options! Will definitely come back and recommend for groups and dates!“

“My go-to sushi spot for sure. I’ve been here so many times that they already know my order when I walk in 😂. Great sushi, great service, and they always make you feel welcome. Can’t recommend this place enough!“

“Fantastic. Great service and even better sushi.“

“Really great service the workers are very nice and the food came out very fast though I did pick up and ate there. I got the Vegas roll and it was delicious you guys should definitely come here! They give you wasabi and soy sauce and the rolls are very big. Definitely worth it and I’ll be coming here more😁“

“We tried the chicken katsu and a noodle dish, they were both really good. We want to go back and try some of their other options as they have so many. The service was excellent, the gentleman brought us all the sauces and was so nice. The place is small, with a few tables but very clean. Definitely recommend this place!“

“This may be one of the best sushi deals in Southern California. I know that once the word is out that it’ll be harder to get in, but they deserve the recognition.“

“It was such a pleasant experience visiting this sushi bar! The sushi was delicious, and my personal favorite is the Philadelphia roll. They have a huge variety of sushi, so I think there is something for everyone.
The boba tea was also really tasty, and they have a great selection of beer and appetizers. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing, and the staff is very friendly and welcoming.
Overall, I had a very positive experience and would highly recommend this place. Come here with your family or friends, enjoy good conversation, relax, and have some delicious food!“

“Great food I would recommend“

“Their signature soufflé pancakes“

“I recently tried Koki Ku Sushi, a newer Japanese restaurant in Duarte, and came away pleasantly surprised.

I stopped by for their lunch special and found the service attentive and welcoming throughout the meal. The 5-piece chef's choice premium nigiri was fresh and enjoyable, with each piece offering a nice variety of flavors.

I also ordered the Salmon Teriyaki with Spicy Tuna Roll combo. The teriyaki salmon was flavorful, although the slices were a bit thinner compared to what I've had at other sushi spots. The spicy tuna roll was generously portioned and filling enough to make for a satisfying lunch.

The restaurant itself has a clean, modern design and is conveniently located in the Target plaza, where parking is plentiful and easy. Overall, Koki Ku Sushi is a nice addition to the Duarte dining scene, and I'll be back to try more items from their menu.“

“Umebana has amazing food! I'm currently pregnant and I have been looking all over for a sushi place to make food accommodations for me when I have my cravings. Umebana is always so kind to me, the atmosphere is clean and enjoyable, and the food is always made exactly how I requested it, so delicious! Thank you for taking such great care of me“