Wagyu Butcher Japanese BBQ

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.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Guided by the talent of Kenji Nakamura (中村健二) and Masahiro Fujita (藤田雅弘), both veterans from Tokyo’s legendary yakiniku houses and now part of the ever-growing Hana Dining Group, this new restaurant promises a truly distinct Japanese dining adventure. Overseeing the kitchen is Chef Haruki Sato (佐藤春樹), a master butcher and grill chef who runs his own izakaya and yakiniku bistro near Kyoto.

About the Chef: Born and raised in Ibaraki, Haruki Sato (佐藤春樹) spent his childhood learning home-cooking from his mother, a former kaiseki chef. Eager to master the art of grilling, he enrolled at the Hattori Nutrition College (服部栄養専門学校) in Tokyo and simultaneously trained at a bustling robata grill. Sato’s hands-on approach led him to work alongside famed pitmasters throughout Osaka before launching his own ventures. His passion lies in combining traditional butchery with inventive plating and attentive guest service.

A memorable twist on classic yakiniku and premium omakase—expect to walk out happy, full, and already plotting your next visit.

House Starters (Complimentary)
Today’s Pickled Daikon
Charred Edamame
Fresh Greens with Shoyu Citrus Dressing
Seasonal Dashi-Based Miso Soup

Food 4/5 — Standouts from Today’s Tasting
Shio — Australian Wagyu Skirt Steak, Broiled Short Ribs
Garlic Butter Mushroom Rice—crazy umami, wished for a bigger portion
A5 Wagyu Nigiri—touch of smoked binchotan, elevates the melt-in-your-mouth texture
Sukiyaki-Style A5 Tenderloin—unreal delicate cream sauce, next-level comfort

Service 4/5
The team is warm and genuinely welcoming; Chef Sato himself sets the tone with friendly waves from the grill. Only hiccup was needing to flag staff for tea refills, but otherwise every interaction felt thoughtful and prompt.

Parking 4/5
Convenient lot within a retail plaza, plenty of spots open during dinner. No stress about finding space.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

It's on okay spot. Food portions are small and they charge a lot for food. My waiter was unprofessional and talked too much. He lacked professionalism and decided to tone police me when I was speaking and asked to eat my curry rice. They should work on their customer service more.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 2

Went for lunch, we were almost the only people there despite them being booked out a month for dinner.
Absolutely delicious. Quality of the cuts is just out of this world. In a very unassuming strip mall.
Good for 2 people, would not work well for any larger groups

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Nice discovery. Good service (specially the actors on scene, our hotess and also the cook who prepared the meats in front of us. Will come back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We came here for our anniversary dinner and what an amazing dinner it was. From start to finish, everything was great. Definitely worth it, and make reservations.

Parking is easy in the lot. We made reservations for 7:30pm and the place is full. It’s small and cozy as part of the experience and only seats about 20-24 people per timeslot. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t feel cramped or anything in your seat and you get an up close and personal experience.

I opted for the $70 omakase plus $10 Wagyu sushi upgrade (do it!) plus the $30 sake pairing, choosing the beef tongue and inside skirt options. Wife chose the $70 with Wagyu strip and curry. It allowed us to try almost everything.

The sake pairing was great to try 5 different types of sake. Pours were generous and flavors of each sake come through from the fruity to dry ones. You get a nice spread.

We got a nice variety of appetizers from tofu, Kimchi spread (favorite was the cabbage), veggie spread (favorite was zucchini) and the Wagyu sashimi. The soup wasn’t just the simple miso soup, it was rich bone broth soup.

Meats were an excellent variety and well proportioned. All the different sections of the meats, they’ll be accompanied by a dipping sauce of some sort. They do season and sauce some of the meats as well, though I’d recommend asking for less salt/sauce in the preparation. They’re well accommodating to it.

As they tell you, cook each meat one at a time to your liking and take your time to enjoy the meals.

Personal favorites, they’ll beef tongue and a5. I love that sukiyaki butter that came with the A5 and each tongue piece was uniquely different.

Least, the sweet soy courses. While delicious, I felt like too much sauce overpowered the taste of the meat.

I highly recommend the Wagyu sushi upgrade, it was so worth it! The curry was a bit forgettable, very strong tomato taste, almost reminded me of a chili rather than curry.

Loved the pudding for dessert. Not too sweet and perfect finish to the meal.

At the end you can always order more of anything a la carte, but the omakase was plenty for us.

I enjoyed the experience so much, I would come not just for special occasions. Anytime you want to treat yourself, this place is worth a visit!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This place is very good. It is not a get all you eat place. It's an enjoy your food, each piece of food is going to be delicately and perfectly cut. Very good slices of meat.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This was an extremely unique experience and somewhere I think is worth going to once. Think “handroll bar” but for various wagyu cuts. The meat is delicious and the service is amazing.

However, the reason I don’t see myself going back is because the pricing is more than a handroll bar and I would prefer handrolls.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

Have you tried omakase but for wagyu beef? It’s my first time trying this too so follow me to find out. I had Butcher’s omakase set:

1. Appertizer: spinach cream tofu, kimchee, vegetables, salad, shio beef sashimi
7 meat items:
2. Lemon - 3 beef tongues with thin, thick, and tongue kalbi
3. Ponzu - wagyu chuck roll
4. Sweet soy - prime short rib
5. Sweet soy - prime outside skirt
6. Miso - wagyu intestine
7. Miso - wagyu hanging tender
8. A5 wagyu sukiyaki - Dipping sauce for #3: Tokyo style (sweeter) and Osaka style (more sour)
9. Rice & soup
10. Today’s dessert - Panna cotta

WOW WEE WOW WOW!!! Wagyu Butcher What a great birthday dinner at Wagyu Butcher in Torrance! With sushi bar seating and an elevated Japanese BBQ experience, everything—from the attentive service to the premium cuts of beef—was exceptional. Open since November, this spot offers generous sake pairings and heavenly meat, topped off by incredible Wagyu nigiri sushi. Highly recommended for a delightful two-hour experience. Winner, winner, Wagyu dinner!

Thank you so much for such delicious foods

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

My new favorite Japanese BBQ place, $70 Omakase was perfect. High quality beef and excellent service.
The butcher is from Japan. All the sauces were also amazing.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Definitely one of the best Yakiniku Omakase experiences you will get. The quality of the meat was fantastic.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great quality, price and service. Definitely a place i will go for yakiniku. But only counter seats... Not really for big groups.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Outstanding experience. Quality, service and value all 5 stars. A must if in the area.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5