50 Best Japanese Restaurants near South Gate

“We recently moved to SoCal and needed somewhere to eat while we stayed in a hotel before moving into our home. We visited Golden Bowl 3 days in a row for brunch time. We had so much food left over that it became our dinner too. I recommend the steak and chicken plate with extra protein and avocado. Their Sriracha is amazing too. Their teriyaki made my teriyaki hating husband love teriyaki.“

“Si muy buena comida todo mux rico un gran lugar que por mucho tiempo hemos llegado a xomer altameente recomendable gracias !!“

“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“

“สนุกสนานอาหารอร่อย บรรยากาศดีมีระดับ“

“Bento boxes are of great quality here. The attention to detail of this curated meal definitely lets your eyes feast first. All the little sides taste amazing, especially the candied sweet potatoes. The vegetables alternate between sweet and salty to balance out the meal. The Scottish salmon and mackerel are cooked to perfection. The little yolk in the rice also adds a nice touch to mix in and eat.“

“Tasty bbq take out outside. Amazing desserts to ans friendly staff“

“Delicious food. Fast service. Get here early to avoid a long line.“

“Super cozy spot featuring a variety of Japanese dishes. While you may have heard about ownership change in recent years, be assured that keeping things the same was important to the new owners. It is still family run, and everything I tried was excellent. The chicken and egg bowl was enough for two meals. The potato croquettes were delicious. I also like the variety of sauces and toppings available at the tables. Street parking was easy to find.“

“Amazing takeout family meal which features the most flavorful and delicious Char Siu Wagyu Short Rib with fluffy bao. All side dishes are well executed and delectable. One of the best staying at home meals I’ve had! Highly recommend it!“

“A solid addition to the area, even with all the sushi options around. Service is fast and friendly. Got a to-go order with my wife and was particularly impressed by the yellowtail collar and softshell crab cut roll. Everything we ordered was good and we'll definitely be back.“

“Amazing happy hour menu! Our favorites were the chicken heart skewer, shishito with bacon skewer, and squid ink karaage. Really liked the “For Goodness Sake” cocktail too, very balanced and not too sweet. We’ll definitely be back to try more items!“

“Nice, super clean restaurant, nice seating options. Friendly staff, fun music at a party setting volume 😎.
It's my first time here I go to school across the street. I ordered the chicken and beef teriyaki bowl. Wasn't sure if I was gonna need the plate because I wasn't sure how much food came in the bowl but wow! It's a good size bowl and it's full of chicken and beef. It's not just all rice. The price was under $20 for a drink and bowl with avocado add on. I'm very happy with my lunch! It's really fresh and no weird pieces of meat. The teriyaki has a really good flavor, I did add extra sauce to my bowl. It's very tasty. I'll definitely be back.“

“Really good sushi and kushiyaki. Rolls were well executed but uninspired. Excellent chutoro, king salmon, and kanpachi which can be hard to find at reasonable prices. Service was good but it was really hot inside and the propped door just wafted in pot smoke from outside. Didn’t see any off-street parking but it’s only steps from the little Tokyo metro station which makes it easy to get there without a car, something Angelenos could learn a thing or two about.“

“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.“

“Esther was extremely helpful and generous. Our experience was equivalent to having our own personal waitress while the restaurant was packed. Esther’s professionalism and kindness made our experience fantastic.

The food was amazing and everything brought to our table was phenomenal!“

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

“蕎麦、日本食　最高 !“

“We recently embarked on a three-week west coast “foodie” vacation, spanning five states and six major cities. Along the way, we dined at everything from Michelin-starred establishments to small mom-and-pop restaurants. By the end of our trip, everyone in our group unanimously agreed that our experience at Tensho was one of the absolute highlights.

From the warm hospitality and the evident pride in food preparation to the impeccable service and outstanding flavors, everything about our visit was memorable. We left the restaurant on a true “food high,” feeling as though if the entire world could experience what we just had, it might inspire world peace.

Be sure to order the wagyu—it’s an absolute must and a true indulgence!“

“This was our third time dining at Eigikutei and we were just as pleased this time as we were with our maiden experience. We were favored with our personal favorite of the sushi kaiseki Yawaragi (10-piece sushi). All the separate elements of the course melded perfectly for our palette. The service was attentive and on que with our pacing of eating. And the ambience was quiet serenity. We highly recommend dining at Eigikutei for any fine dining connoisseur!“

“I’ve been hoping a place would come along to give me a riceball fix and this is absolutely it! Delicious & perfect for after school or work bite! Friendly staff clean and chill hip atmosphere. I hope nothing but the best for this place!“

“A great spot in Little Tokyo that specializes in gyoza! I really enjoyed the food here and it’s at a good cost as well. The service is friendly and kind too. The dumpling soup was my favorite especially when the temperature drops at night. You get to choose your filling and can either get steamed or pan fried. The bento box is a great deal here too. Good spot for sharing food with friends!“

“Fresh udon driving through LA!! Yes, this special style of Okinawa style Udon. Great authentic flavors and super tasty items throughout the menu.

Affordable not super pricey. We were surprised on the size of each set items.“

“Food is delicious! Really liked the sushi, everything was super flavorful. My favorite so far is the red dragon roll on the bottom of the picture. It’s spicy, savory, a little sweet from the eel sauce and all the fish in the roll is super fresh.“

“I ordered for the first time from this place tonight via Uber Eats, and I got the chicken yakisoba. It was amazinggg. I was able to customize my order... It was a great portion, the noodles tasted fresh, the veggies were cooked well, and the chicken was seasoned really good. I choose the medium spicy level which was perfect. I will be ordering again🔥“

“Overall a solid sushi place. Their hand rolls are uniquely flavored. I do think some are a bit heavy on the salt so getting the sauce on the side made a big difference. The slices of sushi you get is a good amount which is probably what I liked the most about this place. The chili on the salmon hand roll was crispy and I wasn't expecting that so I really liked it!“

“Amazing food and service, everything gluten-free. I couldn't find celiac-friendly sushi while I was in Japan a few months ago, so it was even more pleasing. Cannot recommend enough.

I ordered a set and after trying some food ordered an extra sushi roll to-go.“

“This place is AMAZING! The food is delicious and reasonably priced (and plenty to take home), the atmosphere is cool and the drinks are cheap! But the real stand-out is the staff - they are super nice and are working really hard to make sure everyone feels welcome. My new favorite place in LA!!“

“My first time sitting at a sushi bar and I absolutely loved it! The atmosphere was great, and watching the chefs prepare everything right in front of you made the experience even more fun. I got to try all kinds of sushi, from fatty tuna and yellowtail to raw shrimp, and everything was fresh and delicious. The server was funny and that made the experience even better. 🍣😊“

“Great for a quick bite to eat. I bought 2 Classic and 1 Californian($22 total). I was gonna try to eat all 3 throughout my work shift, but stuck in 101 traffic back to the valley, they were devoured before I made it to universal city. There's so many flavors to try too. I found a metered Parking across the street, I had 25cents on me.“

“The restaurant was very nice, the bathrooms were very clean. The server was very nice and made great recommendations. The food was really good, there was a huge variety of different textures. The soy sauce, taro, and uni was the best I've ever had and mixed drinks were super good. I would definitely recommend trying it at least once.“

“Ramen were super good and excellent customer service.“

“Great experience overall! Everything we ordered was fresh and delicious. The flounder & shrimp sushi were super fresh, the crispy rice with spicy tuna had the perfect crunch, and the Garlic Albacore was especially flavorful. The salmon blue crab with truffle was rich, buttery, and packed with flavor without feeling too heavy.
We also tried the OMG Roll and Albacore Blossom Roll, and both were absolutely amazing — really flavorful, well balanced, and beautifully made. Honestly, every dish we ordered was a hit. Friendly service, high quality fish, and a nice atmosphere. Definitely coming back!“

“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“

“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“

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

“Overall, the food is clean, not overly salty or heavy, which makes it perfect for both adults and kids. One thing that really stood out was the open kitchen, where the Japanese owner-chef cooks everything himself—it definitely adds to the trust and experience.
We ordered chicken teriyaki, chicken katsu, beef fried rice, cold udon, and a beef bowl. The beef bowl was especially impressive—generous portions of tender meat and fresh, vibrant vegetables made it both satisfying and well-balanced. It was also very kid-friendly, which I really appreciated.
The chicken teriyaki and chicken katsu were both excellent, and the beef fried rice was flavorful and hearty—my child loved it. And especially my favorite, the cold udon, tasted even better than what I’ve had in Japan. It’s one of those dishes that you start craving again the very next day.
In my opinion, the Japanese owner-chef has an exceptional ability to transform simple, everyday dishes into high-quality meals that feel like something you’d get at a fine dining restaurant in Japan.
Another thing I loved was that the food didn’t leave me feeling thirsty afterward, which usually tells me the seasoning is well-balanced and thoughtfully prepared. If you prefer stronger flavors, you can always ask for extra sauce or seasoning on the side.
The portions were generous enough that we took leftovers home, and even the next day, everything still tasted great after reheating.
It might be a little hard to find at first since it’s tucked away, but it’s absolutely worth it. Parking was easy when we visited for a Friday lunch, which is always a plus when dining with a little one.
Highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a casual but high-quality meal, especially with kids👍👍“

“My date and I had dinner at Wagyu Butcher, and it was a wonderful experience for us both. We were seated almost immediately upon arrival, and the staff welcomed us with exceptional hospitality. Once we were seated, the atmosphere truly made me feel as if I were in Japan.
Both my date and I chose the Butcher’s Omakase course, the appetizers and every cut of meat was absolutely delicious. What really stood out to us was watching the staff cut the meats right in front of us, which made us truly appreciate the freshness and quality. We both upgraded the curry rice to the A5 wagyu sushi, which was incredible.
For drinks, we enjoyed plum wine, a Shochu Calpico cocktail, and Sapporo beer. To finish the meal, we ordered the green tea tiramisu, green tea pudding with honey, and the milk tea pudding all of which were delicious. The complimentary tea they provided to aid digestion was a very thoughtful touch.
The staff were all wonderful, and we even had a few conversations about Japan while dining. We will definitely be coming back soon.“

“The staff are friendly. We enjoyed the Kitchen boat. The garlic fried rice with chicken was very good and tasted similar to hibachi fried rice. Brought my young nephews and they enjoyed the beef and chicken teriyaki. Will definitely come again and will try other sushi and noodles dishes.“

“We had an excellent experience at Niku X tonight. Kevin, our server, was outstanding—attentive, incredibly knowledgeable, and genuinely friendly throughout the entire meal. He checked in often, answered all of our questions with patience, and really went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of.

Julian, who guided us through the tomahawk experience, was equally impressive. He walked us through each cut in detail and shared insights on the different salts they offer, which added a great touch to the experience. We especially loved the special salt blend, and it was a thoughtful gesture for him to prepare small vials for us.

Overall, top-tier service from start to finish. We’ll definitely be back.“

“Ramen is so good I cried.“

“Had such a great meal here. We did the tasting menu and everything was incredibly fresh and thoughtfully put together. The quality of the fish really stood out — clean, buttery, and clearly top tier. There was a lot of creativity in the combinations without it ever feeling overworked. The lobster roll was the highlight for me — super flavorful, perfectly balanced, and honestly just delicious.

They also had a great sake selection that paired really well with the meal and added to the overall experience.

The space has a really nice vibe, comfortable and welcoming without feeling stuffy. Service was attentive and friendly, and we never felt rushed. For the quality, the pricing felt very fair.

Would definitely come back.“

“good for romatic and I recommend here for everyone“

“I love coming here ,the service is amazing ,the old gentlemen that works there is always so lovely.And the food is always the same quality doesn't matter the day or time.I love their ramen and shrimp tempura.My boyfriend doesn't really eat ,but this man always finishes their sushi . But i really like coming here they make you feel at home .So if your in the mood for sushi or ramen i really recommend this spot!“

“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..“

“Really good food. Came in during the SILENT HILL F collab, the line was extremely long but what would you expect. Giving it a 5/5 because regardless the service was quick and efficient! Both treats offered were so good, social media was making people believe they tasted weird but nope. It’s for a certain audience to say in short. Love love love!!“

“The flavors of all the food was amazing.... everything on the menu was intriguing , I wish I tried it all!“

“I just randomly stopped in for an Asahi beer.Then I decided to try the RISING SUN ROLL. OMG.super delicious and mouth watering. I'm coming back with my friends“

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

“It was very nice. Loved the hellos and thank you for coming. I can’t wait to come back next time I visit the area.“

“Have eaten here about 10 times . This restaurant doesn’t disappoint. I’ve tried all there’s sushi roll which are always fresh and delicious.“