50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Universal City

“Excellent service. Great food!“

“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!“

“The sushi here is amazing for the price!! And the katsu chicken was also so delicious !! I would suggest checking out yama!! The reason why I gave it a 4 stars and not a 5 star is because the space is super small, and it does get overwhelming! I had a rude experience with a customer, they don’t know how to say excuse me lol. (I got the Cali roll with the salmon avocado roll!) I also asked for eel sauce:)!!“

“Ended up here accidentally on a layover: Hands down, the best ramen I’ve ever had (springy, slurpy perfection), amazing cocktails (if you like gin the Japanese 75 is a must try!), and whatever the whipped cream, creme brûlée’d banana dessert was tasted like heaven. I even ordered another tonkotsu ramen to go (all the way to Florida) to bring back to my fiancé. They separated all of it, packaged it so it wouldn’t leak, and wrote directions on specific timing for heating up each item! Very impressive service. I’ll be back again!“

“Loved every bite! A bit expensive but honestly worth it ! Best ramen I ever tried.
Group of 4, everyone got the signature ramen. Mine was with no spinach, peas or green onions.
Great vibe, zero waiting time and everything clean. No free Wi-Fi.“

“The atmosphere was fantastic, and the food was delicious. However, the service was disappointing. Our server was condescending and repeatedly interrupted our moment by crossing between us without a word. When I asked about drinks, she was short and even gave inaccurate descriptions. This is my second visit, and both times with the same server have left a sour taste. I hope the service improves because the food deserves better! This is my second visit, and both times with the same brunette server, whose attitude left a sour taste.“

“I highly recommend this restaurant. Great food and great service.“

“สนุกสนานอาหารอร่อย บรรยากาศดีมีระดับ“

“⚠️ 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄“

“Salmon Ikura dish is amazing! So much flavor!“

“I had Japanese breakfast w/ miso black cod, it was tasty.“

“The food was perfect. Adam spent time understanding what we were really in the mood for and made great suggestions for us. He really made the sushi bar experience fun with light hearted conversation and laughs. A great spot for not only hand rolls but great specials too.“

“Home made tofu - fine not really anything to write home about, really does taste home made and healthy

Milk bread toast - again, fine but not a reorder

Daikon radish - a bit saucy but tasty

Nigiri - they were all good but on the smaller side both fish and rice (id rather order rolls)

Tori negi - pretty mid
Tsukne - great!
Mushrooms - bueno
Saba - fine

Mochi - shrimp shiso mushroom thing was great, forget mochi

Market shrimp tempura - pretty tasty, well cooked

Cocktails - looks great, tastes great if you order correct

Service - servers weren’t very attentive and had to flag down the staff multiple times. Also food came out in inconsistent cadence and was a bit slow too. It was also quite warm till they turned the ac on and the sun was very bright that shot through the sun shade.

For the price this is non-repeater as there’s better options out there surely.“

“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.“

“I had an absolutely wonderful time dining here. The food was consistently fresh and beautifully presented.

Every roll I tried was prepared with such care. I particularly loved the vibrant colors of the sushi, especially the beautiful orange slices of lemon resting right on top of the rolls. Everything tasted just as good as it looked.

This place is a real gem in North Hollywood. I will definitely be back again soon.“

“Alyssa… best service ever!!! Food and the view and the service was amazing. Highest quality of sushi I’ve ever eaten in my life and the drinks were so top tier and well balanced! Thank you will be a regular customer from now on!“

“Everything was amazing from the service to the food and sushi and the environment is unassuming and comfortable. Top notch!“

“My girlfriend and I have been watching Jade for a year and FINALLY took a leap! I just landed back in LA from a vacay and was determined to go to Jade. My gf and I went, I resy, just decided based on timing. We ordered the DIY Hand Roll, Hamachi Crudo and Spicy Crispy Tuna. This was enough as we took food home. Every dish was fire. The fish was fresh, the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice was unique and the flavor of all the dishes hit! Our server, Soyol was so humble and truly has a servant heart, 5 stars!!!! So glad we can this night as everyone from the door to our server were perfect and the food took the exit the experience to the next level!“

“Very tasty sushi spot with great service! The Uzumaki Plus is lovely and has many delicious pieces of nigiri. Every piece melts like butter in your mouth and they all have distinct flavors. The service is also delightful and very efficient! Definitely recommend!“

“Tench is a gem of a restaurant. The shabu shabu experience is a unique culinary experience and Tensho does it right. The dishes that are part of the meal are delectable and always different. It is always a special night at Tensho. There is no place quite like it in LA - it is very special. An evening in Japan!“

“Love this spot! The fish quality is fresh and tasty, the sushi chefs were quick and friendly. The ambiance was intimate but cozy, the bar seating and outdoor dining are great options to enjoy your meal. Free parking is available in the back, a huge plus!“

“Our waiter was great. Suggestion: your food runners should take 15 seconds longer to slow down and clearly state what they are bringing to the table and conclude by asking us if we have any questions or if we need anything else. Some did some most did not, and they generally seemed overly rushed, which is understandable given how busy you were on a Tuesday night“

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

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

“Great service and very friendly staff“

“Service is amazing and the reason to get here. Big shout out to Miss Angela!! Attentive and such good energy! We ended up making late night 10:30pm happy hour. Sushi is yum. Wished they had just ref yellowtail vs spicy. And maybe different apps that are more traditional izakaya kind. Parking near by at the $4 lot or train it! Clean and inviting and just all around ppl who love their jobs. Ya feel their good vibes. For an izakaya, that’s definitely what makes the experience!“

“It is an amazing food, comfortable atmosphere and the service impeccable I highly recommend it“

“I got in pretty much as soon as they open, so I got the special opportunity to get to talk to Kristine. After a lovely conversation and delicious food, I left feeling so full and at peace. The tempura was crispy and airy, the rice was perfectly cooked, the fish in the sushi tasted fresh. I cannot recommend visiting here enough. I am sure it can get busy, as the place is small, but I think that is part of its charm: meeting with a group of strangers for a good meal and a moment of peace before heading back into the world.“

“Easy 5 stars. Genuinely some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. Everything was incredibly fresh, and I loved that the dishes weren’t overloaded with sauces or unnecessary toppings, the quality of the fish really spoke for itself.

The salmon was buttery and melted in your mouth, the eel was warm, rich and perfectly glazed, and even the cucumber salad was ridiculously good. And if you go, definitely try the fatty tuna, highly recommend it!

This is one of those places that makes it hard to enjoy average sushi afterward. 😂 Already looking forward to going back.“

“Best sushi ever. Better than Nobu“

“I had a great time over there. Delicious food 🥘“

“I recently had the chance to dine at Sama Handroll in the Arts District, and it exceeded my expectations. The quality and freshness of the fish were outstanding, and every hand roll was prepared with great attention to detail. The menu offers a creative mix of traditional Japanese flavors and unique dishes that set it apart from other sushi spots.
The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the entire experience enjoyable from start to finish. The atmosphere is modern, welcoming, and perfect for either a casual dinner or a night out with friends.
A few standout items were the hand rolls, grilled dishes, and the excellent presentation throughout the meal. It's clear that a lot of care goes into both the food and the guest experience.
I highly recommend to anyone looking for high-quality sushi and hand rolls in Los Angeles. I'll definitely be back.“

“The best Japanese curry in LA, and we have tried a lot of places, believe me!!! Has options for vegetarians and vegans too! The miso soup comes with a lot of the meals and it's so good too. The staff know us now and they are all lovely! It's pretty small inside so probably not the best for a super big group but great for a more intimate night out and of course take out as well!“

“I had a great time over there. Delicious food 🥘“

“The best everything…so, Go!“

“I came in for lunch to grab a quick snack and get some editing done on my phone. I just ordered a sake cocktail that they made delicious! And i also ordered the chicken meatball skewer, which came paired with egg to dip and I loved that sweet with salty combination so much! I would say I couldnt really get any work done on my phone as I don’t believe its a work friendly place although the tables are great to do so. They dont have outlets anywhere near the tables so if you need to charge your laptop or phone here is impossible to do unless behind the bar.
I just ready a book for a bit and enjoyed my cocktail and snack. I do think the atmosphere is more of a come in with friends and share a meal and gossip a bit. Or for dinner I think its also a great spot. I loved what i tried although it wasnt much. I would come again with a friend to have some cocktails and some snacks as the food and drinks were really delicious!“

“This place is SOOO GOOD!! My friend and I got the spicy tuna and California rolls to split. They come with 12 pieces each and theyre such a good size. We also got the spam musubi and its DELICIOUS! So flavorful and the staff were very very lovely. I recommend ordering before you get there, so the staff have enough time to put love and care into your meal!!! :] I highly recommend this place!!! 😋“

“Ramen were super good and excellent customer service.“

“深みのある濃厚鶏白湯ラーメン🍜 つけ麺やカレーも美味しいです 😋😋😋😋“

“first impression; wow!
service was nothing but attentive and top tier.
food was brought to our table as soon as it was ordered. every intention of returning to try the specialty rolls I was too full to try this time.

the jalapeno bomb roll was everything I could've dreamed of.“

“Excellent food. Authentic Japanese. It was really delicious, thank you!“

“Ramen were super good and excellent customer service.“

“Needed something easy to eat for the road trip back to the Bay Area, so I thought a Japanese sando would be perfect—especially craving a tamago sando with whole soft-boiled eggs.

Located in a bit of a hole-in-the-wall spot in LA Chinatown, and it was surprisingly hard to find due to the lack of signage. I actually walked past it twice and had to ask a street vendor before realizing I was basically right in front of it.

Turns out they no longer offer the tamago sando (used to be a breakfast special), so I went with the egg salad sandwich instead and luckily got it on BOGO since they were clearing extra inventory.

I also ordered the chicken katsu, which took about 10 minutes to prepare—but it was worth the wait. Super tender and moist, with a great ratio of cabbage, sauce, and bread. It was a bit large, so I had to flatten it slightly to make it easier to bite into.

I do wish I had asked for extra katsu sauce on the side since I prefer mine a bit sweeter and more saucy.

Not sure why they don’t offer online ordering coz the 10-min wait was a bit awkward with no one else in the store and nowhere to sit“

“grest good service and atmosphere. loved it! will definitely be back soon.“

“Good Japanese foods , many varieties of dishes . The fish grilled sea bass is cooked just perfectly fine . The salad is kinda american Japanese fusion but still good . The carbonara noodle - I don’t really care (It doesn’t really fit with the rest of the dishes) - overall is a great place to enjoy Japanese foods“

“Must get sushi, but don’t forget the corn tempura and momotaro tomato (seasonal). Awesome sake selection too.“

“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!“

“Absolutely loved Maki Noho! Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The sushi quality was excellent, and the service was friendly and attentive. I also really liked the table ordering system—it made it super easy to order more food whenever we wanted without having to wait for a server. Everything came out smoothly and quickly. Great food, great service, and a really convenient dining experience. Definitely coming back!“

“This place oozes character and craft. An excellent assortment of dishes all with unique elements to surprise you. The sashimi specials we tried were all unique and delicious. Feel free to go with staff recommendations, you won't be disappointed. A laid back atmosphere with excellent punk decor, superb service, and food I'm still thinking about.“

“We’ve been going to Daichan for decades and they never disappoint. The quirky Japanese decor, the kindness and care of the serving staff, and the quality of the food have all remained constant over the three decades Daichan has been serving Angelenos. They have become part of our family. ❤❤❤“