Daichan is probably one of the best Japanese restaurants I have ever visited. This was recommended by a friend as they described it to be, "The closest thing to the food in Japan." I've never been, but I believe it. We started to line up around 5:15 pm before they opened at 5:30 pm on a Friday evening. When the doors opened, the restaurant was practically filled. Tip: come early! There's valet parking and street parking, so parking is limited. We ordered hot sake, iced green tea, tempura shrimp and vegetables, octopus, curry udon (not pictured), and chicken curry. From service to the quality of the food, everything was astounding. The food was absolute perfect and the curry udon was like a warm hug. Everything was affordable and quick. Not only the dining area was busy, but the phones kept on ringing for to do orders. Daichan is 5/5!!! Can't wait to come back. read more

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So much delicious Japanese Comfort Food, YUM! I'd heard of this spot before and the yummy Japanese food here, and finally got around to giving it a try - I most certainly feel glad that I did! I grew up with many of the staples here being favorites of mine from my Japanese grandmother whenever we would visit her. From the House Udon to the Daichan Special, I thought the prices were great for a variety of tasty and flavorful plates and bowls of udon to enjoy! Something to keep in mind - it fills up quite fast inside! The space is packed with a good amount of tables, but it's still a bit small. While we arrived before 6PM and were able to be seated right away, I soon noticed a line of people forming outside, waiting for tables to open up. Speaking of the interior, it's so quirky and cozy inside, with scores of beautiful and colorful Japanese artwork and decor lining all the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Such a fun and unique dining space to enjoy! Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Daichan, and highly recommend giving it a visit - at least once, even if you're not a huge fan of Japanese cuisine! read more

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They were so tasty! My friend and I waited about 25 mins until we were seated, we were late in making a reservation. It's so cute inside, little decorations everywhere make it feel homey. The sake flight was so good! The food came out quickly too. I would go back! read more

Wonderful variety of freshly made delicious food. The place is small and fills up fast. The parking is limited as well.

Always great food and service and reasonably priced menu. I've been coming here for years.

i love this place so much! i love nigiri so i'm sad they don't have it here, but both times i've been here i have always had delicious food. we waited around 30 minutes on monday night at around 7 but it was so worth it! the ambiance, service and food is so great. read more

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What a lovely little hole in the wall type Japanese comfort food restaurant. I had the pleasure of dining here for dinner and lunch on two separate weekdays. There was a little bit of a wait during dinner, but no wait for a late lunch. Please check hours since they close for a short period midday. For dinner we had unagi bowl, sukiyaki, and hamachi poki. Also has dessert steamed cheesecake and tempura green tea ice cream. For lunch we had unagi bowl, chicken Katsu curry, and salmon roll and scallop roll. Appetizer of steamed chicken gyoza. Very friendly service. The women working here are Japanese. (This isn't one of those Japanese restaurants owned/run by other Asians lol.) The portions were good. Just enough to be very full. Not enough for a box. But definitely satisfied. Loved the unagi bowl. Two large pieces. Perfect amount of rice to accompany it. Sukiyaki was a little different than some other places but still very tasty. Hamachi poki was very fresh. Loved the flavor of the Katsu curry but personally wasn't a fan of the side pasta salad with watermelon slice. Good quality fresh fish. The steamed cheesecake is subtly sweet. More like a sponge cake than an American cheesecake. If you're in town for Universal Studios definitely check them out. It's a lot better than the expensive and mediocre theme park food and it's only about 1 mile away from the park! read more

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Great authentic Japanese dishes! This restaurant has a variety of Japanese dishes to order, mostly noodle dishes. I ordered the Ten-Zaru Soba dish ($17), which was delicious. My only complaint is that the portion seems small, but I do think that the size is the traditional size (I just eat a lot). The prices of the menu seem reasonable or typical for dining out in La, so I wasn't turned off by the prices. The service of the place was good! The waitress was super friendly, and continuously checked in with us. The place has a very casual environment. It seemed like there were a lot of friends catching up or first dates. This restaurant is very popular, so I'd recommend getting here early or coming with a group of 2. Parking can be difficult, but you can definitely find parking; you just might need to walk a little bit. Overall, this place was delicious, and I would go again. I'd probably try a different dish. read more

Daichan - Ten-Zaru Soba - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

So good! Can't wait to go back. We had the tempura udon, curry chicken katsu and a sushi roll. Everything was delish. read more

Daichan - Tempura udon - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

Food was amazing, had so many great options so we'll definitely go back and enjoy the rest of them. Ambiance is impeccable, the decor is so cool. Service was really great, they took good care of us. Highly recommend! read more

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First time met a friend to catch up. The food great, supper cute . Server was nice , but DO NOT go if you want a long conversation . We were were literally asked to leave " people waiting" really ? Rude they should publish no long conversations get out quick read more

We love our neighborhood spot Daichan- amazing food and service. Any of the noodles, Karaage, miso eggplant are our faves

Love this place, an intimate environment with that homey feeling. All the workers are so sweet too. Get there early before the crowd (the only downside is the potential wait). 2nd time here, curry was very solid. read more

Daichan - Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

I came for the Chicken Katsu Curry Plate thanks to an LA Times article about it: https://www.latimes.com/food/list/los-angeles-restaurants-must-order-signature-dish#p=chicken-katsu-curry-at-daichan It didn't disappoint! read more

Really good food and amazing service it is a very good restaurant I would recomend the goiza dumplings,the c California roll and trmpura ice cream read more

A cutesy little hole in the wall that's a great alternative to the overpriced food at Universal Studios! It's even better knowing that the food here is filling, comforting, and perfectly priced for every traveler's budget, especially considering the area it's in. I came with a small group of friends before going to Universal, and we have no regrets eating here before going there! The front parking lot is small and fills up quickly. Luckily, there's a couple side streets with street parking, though just be mindful of the time restrictions of them. Inside, the decoration is quaint and on point to keeping an authentic Japanese restaurant atmosphere. It is a small space, so coming with big groups may be tough. Also, there is a waitlist, so it can get busy during the lunch/dinner rushes. However, coming right before dinner opening, my group of 4 had no issues being seated right away. The service is prompt and attentive, and the menu is packed with a variety of Japanese dishes that's sure to please every palate. I chose the chicken katsu curry, which was just around $16. It came with a side of watermelon slices and a pasta salad on a bed of shaved lettuce. The serving was big, and for once in a katsu dish I've had there was enough rice served to really soak up the generous curry portion! The curry had a nice spicy kick to it, the chicken katsu generously breaded and fried to juicy perfection, and the rice was more than enough to round out a solid dinner. Do yourself a favor and skip eating the overpriced meh food at Universal Studios to support this truly wonderful restaurant. Plus, you won't feel like you get ripped off for the price you pay! read more

Daichan - Katsu curry chicken - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

Great service, highly recommend that you make a reservation 1-2 days in advance to not wait outside. We ordered 4 plates and hot tea for 4 people. They're balanced and nourishing. The sashimi is excellent quality, would orden again. This is definitely a place to enjoy yummy Japanese American home cuisine when you're not in the mood to cook! read more

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TL;DR: Best katsu curry ever! Amazing Japanese hospitality in a quaint restaurant filled with love. AMBIANCE/PARKING: Daichan is in a strip mall with limited parking, but I had no problem finding parking around and walking across the street. There's also valet when it gets crowded, I believe, but I always aim for the free option. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, maybe about 10-15 tables that can accommodate larger and smaller parties. Lots of Japanese knick knacks adorning the walls make for interesting things to look at while you wait. SERVICE: We got to Daichan shortly after opening so we were seated immediately. The waitstaff is very polite and proactive and it reminded me a bit of our trip to Japan (where the hospitality is incredible). I could see it getting very busy about 1 hour after opening. You can tell that the food is made fresh because it came out slowly (this is a good thing)... maybe this goes in my next section... FOOD: The food was HOT! Like beautiful, fresh off the grill, HOT. I have never had restaurant food so hot and so fresh. And it tasted so good!!! So even though the wait after seating was a little on a long side, it was completely worth it. They take good care of you while you wait too. Katsu Curry: crazy, but hands down the best Japanese curry I've ever had!! It had so much flavor and pieces of meat in it, along with the curry. And super hot. Whew. It had a little kick to it too! The katsu was nice and crispy! Katsu Don: nice and hot with good flavor, but because of the egg and sauce, don't expect the katsu to be as crispy as it would be in the Katsu Curry! Octopus: many large meaty pieces!! So hot and fresh. Soba: very good soba, but not as *special* to me as the katsu curry. Overall, I can't WAIT to go back. Thank you Daichan for the attentive service and delicious fresh food! It is worth the wait! read more

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I've been wanting to come eat here for over a year and finally I did. I called in to make a reservation since I was meeting a friend and also was driving from quite a distance and did not want to wait in line. The space has about 10-12 tables, so it's not super big. But it's homey and fun. Service was impeccable. The server helped us pick some sake. We had a couple of sake bottles that were really nicely paired with the food. Do yourself a favor and try as many appetizers as you can. We had the shiahito tempura, garlic squid, fried seaweed tofu and crispy spicy tuna. For entrees we shared the Japanese curry and cold soba noodles. We had a couple of desserts that were amazing and can't remember the names but photos below. Would love to come back soon. read more

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A Japanese Soul Food option in Studio City! I have a UPS box across the street and pass by this place but haven't tried it until today. Very delicious, many options from katsu, curry, sushi, and noodle dishes. We got some unagi roll, sashimi platter, pork katsu curry, and karaage plate. Plates come with rice (white brown or seaweed), mini pasta and fruit. The servers were quick to bring our food and buss the table afterwards. It's a small cozy inside and was quite busy on a Tuesday evening so we understand them wanting to serve as many as they can! Inside has lots of cool Japanese art pieces, Year of Rabbit figurines. Parking is available in the small lot, but valet once it's full. You can also park on the side residential just pay attention to signs. Or metered parking on Ventura read more

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My bf has been to this place years ago and we finally got to try it with my mom! We went on a very hot day and we were starving. Got off work and immediately drove over here. Parking was a bit difficult but we found one across the street at a meter which wasn't so bad and I think their lot is valet only if I remember correctly. We waited a good amount of time. Maybe 20-30 min? They also only had 3 chairs out side but we were lucky enough to grab them and wait. Finally we got called and what a trip this place was! So much traditional decor, it was like a history museum. Beautiful decor and loved the vibe of the place. They are very authentic and the workers are super sweet. It can get very busy though and they really run the place so you may end up waiting a long time even just for your waitress to come back around. Took a while at the end for us to even pay for our check! We ended up giving it to another waitress to handle and even had to stand up for it since they never came back to us. Other than that, food was amazing. We stared with fried lotus roots which was just like a tempura potato to me but delicious. I got the seared yellowtail which was loaded with minced garlic and super good! I also got the hawaiian roll which is a cut roll of spam which I dipped in the spicy ponzu sauce that my yellowtail came in. My mom got the garlic chicken which was super yummy and had a heck of a lot of garlic but that's exactly how I like it! My bf went with his usual chicken katsu curry and it was great! It came with a little side pasta salad and had a fresh slice of watermelon which was unusual but refreshing. The melon soda is a must. I enjoyed it so much that I went looking for it at our markets but ended up not finding it! It is super creamy and such a great melon flavor. If the wait wasn't super long and drive wasn't far, I'd come here more often. Glad we got to try this beautiful spot and I highly recommend it if you want some authentic Japanese food. IG: @ammysalamii read more

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This restaurant is a gem. 100% correct Katsu and Curry. The curry tastes like that which I had eaten in Japan. It appears to be a family run restaurant with authentic and amazing food with reasonable pricing. The menu has something for everyone. Highly recommended. read more

This place keeps wowing me. Every single time, I try to taste at least one new menu item..... and it's always amazing. That's why I keep coming back. read more

Daichan - Black cod. Delish. - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

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One of the best restaurants in the valley. In fact (!!!), it's worth coming into the valley for it. Feels like you're eating at a Japanese grandma's home, who knows how to cook. read more

Love the food . Home style Japanese menu . They have always been accommodating and it's great fun to try new combinations.

Amazing food, I got the tuna poki soba and my friend got the salmon poki. My tuna soba was so refreshing on a hot day. There was a little sauce on the side that I threw on. I wasn't too keen on the pink ginger, but that was easy to eat around. Service was fast, they refilled our waters multiple times. I was nervous getting in around 1, but we were able to snag a seat. The restaurant was small but the packed in lots of seats, but still enough space to be comfortable. Parking in this area is limited to a small lot outside, thankfully we got some, but could be difficult during peak hours. Overall, super good I will definitely be making the drive back! read more

Daichan - Salmon poki bowl - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

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The food was amazing and I love Service too. They were so nice that I had had to take their face off of me because they're kissing me. And I am so ready to go back, but not to get kissed again. read more

I finally tried this place after wanting to come here for a year or so since lots of my friends recommended it. I rarely eat Japanese food out since I cook at home a lot, but Daichan definitely did not disappoint! We got grilled fish, fried lotus root, chicken katsu curry, and a couple of other sides and they were all very delicious. Like, if I were to randomly walk into a random mom n pop restaurant in my hometown in Japan, this is what it's going to taste like. Just homie, cozy and tasty. The service was good and all the obachans were kind. We wanted to order more food midway through the dinner but it got too busy we weren't able to (we would have had to wait for 30 mins for the food since the kitchen was backed up). They seemed very hectic! Parking in the lot is limited, but we were able to find street parking nearby. P.S. We really enjoyed the crafts and paintings they hang up all over the place :) read more

Our little Japan right here in Studio City. wonderful food and great people. Love the cold soba noodles and tempura!

We love his little place! Their food is soul warming, the staff is so friendly and the decor is really cute. We'll be going back to try there menu item by item. This time around, we had the baby squid, the miso eggplant as starters. Then as our main courses we had Daichan special with chicken, mackerel, and Spicy chicken. we all liked absolutely everything we had which would normally make it difficult to order new items off the menu options delicious the only difficulty will be choosing what to try next. read more

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The food was amazing and delicious I would recommend the dumplings and california roll

Amazing amazing amazing. It's a small restaurant so be prepared to wait but the turnover is pretty quick. Simplicity is key here. Nothing is flashy. It's just good quality food. Service is quick and everyone is so helpful. A must try if you're in the area! read more

Great! Japanese soul food definitely works for my soul. Delicious. Especially liked eggplant miso, katsu curry and scallop sushi. Looking forward to trying more dishes read more

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I arrived around 6pm and there was a pretty big line outside. I went in and added my name to the list. Waited around 30 to 40 mins to be seated. I was waited on pretty quickly. Ordered the Garlic Octopus and a tall Sapporo. I later ordered the Katsu Curry. The Octopus was delicious. I know it doesn't look appetizing. I would suggest plating this in a white bowl or something with more color. The Katusu Curry was the best I've had out of any place I've visited. It was crunchy yet juicy and not over fried. As you can see in the image it is a nice golden color and not dark or saturated in oil. The curry had these super soft potato chunks it gave the curry a nice contrast in texture. I hadn't visited this place in like 8 years but it's just as good as it was back then. read more

Daichan - Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Studio City, California

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We told them we were a party of 5 waiting for 2 people. They sat us down. The proceeded to complain about our newborn and said they shouldn't have sat us down. We ordered multiple appetizers and hadn't finished them yet. All within the span of 30 minutes. When I asked why she sat us down if waiting for people was going to be such a problem, she said she didn't want our baby complaining too much with customers on a Saturday. I told her to just give me my check and leave. Went to Sunni's Sushi Hut for a much better vibe. I Highly recommend Sushi by Jin, as well, for a great spot to eat. Both are good and much more family friendly. Such a shame, because I felt like this would be THE place to go to as a local. Unfortunately, the rudeness of the two waitresses was too much to overcome. read more

What a treasure! I made an order to pick and was so excited to see all the people waiting to eat there. The valet parked my car for me, he's super good at his job BTW. Inside the packed restaurant, the traditional Japanese "chatski" made me think of my grandmother and relatives living in Japan. The food was amazing, pork and chicken katsu curries and agedashi tofu, absolutely delicious. Comfort food to me. I can't wait to try more from this place. The menu prices are very reasonable, wallet friendly. You won't be disappointed. Miyuki-san read more

Local gem! We usually come around opening on weekdays so we haven't had to wait. Love the family owned vibe - everyone is always super nice and happy to see everyone! Really enjoy the tempura shrimp and veggies along with the kalbi beef plate. Have had a handful of other things as well and have yet to be disappointed! read more

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What more can I say that hasn't already been mentioned in previous reviews? If you're expecting a wide variety of specialty rolls, this might not be the spot for you--don't even expect soy paper options. But let me tell you, the fresh fish and delicious seaweed paper more than make up for it. Normally, I'm all about soy paper, but here, the seaweed is so fresh and flavorful, I didn't miss it at all. The salmon sushi may look simple, but it's incredibly delicious, and the crunchy spicy tuna--oh my goodness--packed with flavor and freshness! It's a cozy little spot with small tables, so if you come for dinner, be prepared to wait. The service is quick and efficient, and the staff really knows what they're doing. I can't wait to return! read more

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This is a small restaurant but packed with great food and great service. I think it's considered Japanese Soul Food. There are a lot of interesting art and stuff in the restaurant. We had Tempura Udon, Garlic Squid, Black Cod in a Miso Sauce, and Toro Poke. read more

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Worth the try: fried tofu, poki bowl, sushi bowl, pretty much anything you want to try Tip: The restaurant is fairly small, so try to call ahead of time and make reservations or come at off-peak hours. Bonus tip: Sub your white rice with hijiki seaweed rice if you're getting any sort of bowl or plate. Worth the extra $2! Fried tofu: deep-fried tofu with sweet ginger soy sauce. The outside is perfectly crisp while keeping the inside soft, and the sauce is flavorful yet not too overpowering. I've never had agedashi like this. Comes with 5 pieces. Vegetable tempura: deep fried vegetables, comes with eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, green beans. Thought the batter was perfectly fried and the pieces were large enough to share with my partner. Daichan Sashimi Bowl: Salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and seared albacore served over sushi rice with ginger, lettuce, seaweed. The fish is fresh and comes with choice of 2 ($18) pieces each or 3 ($27). Considering we got additional sides, the 2 piece was enough for me. Mix Poki Bowl: Salmon, tuna, and yellowtail mixed with wakame seaweed, green onion, spicy pepper seasoning, sesame oil, soy sauce. Served over white rice with lettuce, red ginger. Not your average poke shop bowl--actually, far better. The fish is high quality, the sauce is flavorful, and everything mixes well together without being too much. Persimmon Leaf Tea: Persimmon is my favorite fruit, and I've never seen this served anywhere before, so I had to try it out! Very subtle flavor but great to warm you up. Only $3.50 for a pot and 2 cups, which is cheaper than most places. PARKING: Small lot available in front, as well as valet for overflow. Limited street parking available in nearby neighborhoods. SERVICE: Staff is kind and attentive. For having a small staff, it didn't feel like we ever had to wait long for anything. ATMOSPHERE: Cute, small traditional Japanese restaurant that actually makes you feel like you're eating in Japan. My partner took me here after mentioning it's been one of his favorite spots, and it quickly became my favorite as well! It feels perfectly balanced--just the right amount of variety on the menu, the harmony of ingredients and flavors in all the dishes, and a peaceful, ambient environment to enjoy it all in. Everything was delicious and the prices were affordable. Highly recommend if you're looking for a new Japanese restaurant to add to your go-to spots. read more

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