I've heard so many good things about this restaurant and they did not disappoint. Their happy hour beer set is great. One of the things I liked the most was Mapo tofu!! You can't miss it. Service is great too. read more

More like a 3.5, but I'm rounding up mostly due to the fact that they offer a dish and a fun experience that I've been wanting for probably decades (as I'm an otaku weeaboo). That experience, you ask? Making monjayaki! Monjayaki, as I was Googling it, as described as, and I wholeheartedly agree, the "wet, sloppy, soupy" cousin to Okonomiyaki, hilariously enough. I've seen monjayaki mentioned in a lot of manga and anime like March Comes in Like a Lion, DANDADAN, Otaku Elf, and even Persona 5. What makes Happa even more unique though, and because the okonomiyaki restaurants don't do this, is that they let you cook the monja ingredients yourself. They bring out the griddle hot plate, you can scan the QR code, and then follow the instructions to cook! A lot of confusion, not the most visually appealing pictures, but it was a fun process and for all my food adventures in SoCal, this was a first for us! Also thank you to the staff that eventually stepped in to let us know we don't need to mix anymore and to turn off the grill to let us know it was ready. You're a real one. For our dinner, we got the: 1) Broiled Tara Miso: -Broiled miso marinated black cod. -Moist and fluffy piece of fish. Decent portion for a snack to eat while drinking. Comes with a lemon slice. Nice sweet savory miso flavor. 2) Mabo Monja: -This comes with the cabbage and monjya base as well as the toppings and ingredients needed for the mabo flavor (mabo seasoned ground meat, tofu, green onions, etc.). -There's 2 small spatulas you use to cook and eat with, but be careful, it's really, really hot! -I'm not sure what making the circle dam is and pouring in the liquid was for as I'm not a cook versus just pouring everything in at once, but it looked like what it was supposed to and the staff didn't cut in immediately (positive). -Savory, slightly sour due to the mabo taste, not numbing, but great umami taste. Not too salty either so we didn't feel like we needed any rice, slightly gooey, runny texture (avoid this if it's not your thing) with the crips edges. My brother enjoyed this more than regular okonomiyaki as it's more protein and savory taste and less cabbage. Worth trying at least once. -Though, this was barely enough for 2 adults and we were not even super hungry, so keep this in mind if you come here starving or with a large party (maybe not the best idea to go to an izakaya or drinking focused restaurant if that's the case). Altogether, with tax and tip, this was around $60, which is pretty steep considering the amount of food we got, but it is what it is and it's more of the experience than anything. Parking is easy, you can park inside the hotel parking structure. Just wait for the gates to open. The restaurant has outdoor patio dining, a regular dining area, and a nicer area if you plan to drink. We didn't plan to drink so we dined in the regular area. Reminds us of a bit older, aged take out restaurant, so nothing fancy, super low key. Hopefully, one day we can go dine in the nicer area. read more

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Some stuff are delicious here some are meh. I love the beef tataki, very flavorful. Karaage was good, mushroom risotto is delicious. Monjayaki is not good at all. Took FOREVER to caramelize. The liquid batter didnt seem right. I dont recommend it. Ribeye was meh. Ok flavor, BUT they serve it on a sizzling plate on top of beansprouts! The beansprouts released waaay too much liquid and ended up "boiling" the bottom of the steak. I ordered medium rare steak, received it perfect and in 5 kinutes it turned into a welldone soupy steak. Service was friendly but basic. The restaurant is HOT AS HELL inside. It's summer and they didn't turn on the AC so its kinda stuffy and hot inside. read more

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It's in a spot that was kind of hard to find since it's connected to the hotel. There's a patio and inside seating and the inside seating looks like it's a bit fancy. However, the ambiance did not fit the vibe of the restaurant at all? It overall feels like an awkward space and maybe that's due to how empty it was on a Saturday night. We also had a reservation for two people at 6 pm and requested the bar seat however when we got there, they said they couldn't seat us there because people were coming. That I would have understood if it were true. We were there for the next hour and no one came in except for a big party behind us so the restaurant was practically empty. Then later on when we were about to leave another couple came in and they were given the option to choose where to sit. I somewhat got the feeling that the people just didn't care for their customers. As for the food, I first ordered the karaage as I heard it was really good here, and it was. We got it off the happy hour menu and it came with 3 pieces. the meat was nice and tender and the outside had a really nice crisp. It came with a lemon slice, but it could use a little mayo on the side. the edamame was basic but well salted. The negi gyoza was also pretty basic, but good; it was nice and refreshing. The broiled salmon miso was my favorite. It was cooked very well and the flavor was great with a slight sweetness at the end. The Buta Kimchi was a good size but I was hoping for a little more pork, however it was very savory and the kimchi was very flavorful. The Baked Potato Macaroni with Cheese was a confusing name for what it was. It was a baked Mac and Cheese with just a little bit of potato in it. It had a lot of brown butter taste in it, which I enjoyed but it was a bit over powering. Finally the Happa Original Curry Rice was just alright. It felt pretty good and the meat was nicely stewed. I think it would be even better if it were a bit spicy. With decent food, bad pricing, questionable service and an awkward ambiance, I would not come back and would not recommend this restaurant. read more

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Friendly service and relaxing atmosphere. A real izakaya of people just unwinding and having a cold one with delicious food. My friend loves the mushroom brown rice risotto. We are fans of the agedashi tofu and the steak. We really enjoy the food and drinks here, can't wait to be back!!! read more

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As always, the service is top-notch and everything went well. Tonight I had the black cod miso, small portion for 18 bucks, great flavor but not worth the price. The fried squid was tender and flavorful but a lil oily. I cant wait to come back because there are so many items to try and read more

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Ambience is cool and quiet steampunkish bar and service was very hospitable food was excellent ordered a appetizer happy hour beer for only $10 !! Great place to have dinner read more

There are a lot better overall choices to eat at in and around the area. The restaurant is inside a hotel and the ambiance, mood, and decor inside is a bit awkward and confusing. We sat in the back bar area with the tv's. Our friend said the hote caters to Japanese so that probably explains the portion sizes and a la cart style menu. The food was actually tasty and cooked well, but portions are pretty small. Tried the hamachi, ramen, cod, and garlic shrimp. Service was friendly and prompt. Although it wasn't the worst experience or food, it was not someplace any of us would return. Parking: found a spot right in front of the hotel. read more

When I hear "hotel restaurant," I rarely get all that excited, but Happa changed that! The staff is incredibly welcoming and helpful, as the menu doesn't have all the same ol' stuff. The happy hour menu was varied, and you can get a beer, karage, and edamame for a reasonable price, which is great if you just want a snack. The interior bar area is warm and inviting, and they have a few TVs so you can watch a game while having your snack. I was able to try the Monjayaki, which was a new one for me! You're given a little stove and the ingredients you choose, as well as instructions on how to cook your Monjayaki, which is super helpful. Essentially, you get to make a slightly thinner Okonomiyaki, and it's delicious! You kind of stir and chop everything into the most delicious glop EVER! Looks kinda like a stir fry, but tastes completely different! The mochi in my mix turned into a soft, chewy texture that was amazing. This is a very family friendly environment (as evidenced by the 3 kids running around) but it's still pleasant to be in. I will definitely come back! read more

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Finally made it to their Thursday evening happy hour from 4-7pm with a small group, and let me tell you - what a steal! Just $10 for karaage chicken, edamame, AND a cold draft beer? The food was unexpectedly good- so fresh and flavorful! We couldn't stop there, so we ordered the gyoza and chashu fried rice too. Both were good. Parking is a little difficult. Go to hotel parking and wait till gate opens. Otherwise park across street at Little Tokyo Central. read more

Happa Restaurant - Happy Hour Menu - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

Celebrated my birthday here and made reservations a week ahead. The table assigned to was on the older dated side of the restaurant. There was a large party reserved on the newer remodeled side. Besides placing "Baby in the corner!".. the food and service made up for it! We started off with the Happy Hour Special for $10, Beer, Edamame & Karaage, followed by breaded scallops, deep fried squid legs, chicken cartilage & agedashi tofu. All good! Perfectly seasoned and the breading was nice and crispy. For our mains we chose Kalbi & Rib-Eye on sizzling platter. To finish off we chose the Curry special Monjayaki. It was a fun experience making it on the hot plate! I'm pretty sure the server got a kick out of our mess! It turned out ugly but delicious! read more

Happa Restaurant - Kalbi Beef Short Ribs - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

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I got the rib eye. It was more like confit than cast iron seared. Trash. $30 à la cart was more like a Norms steak. Highly disappointed. Food is mid here. The Brussels sprouts were the best thing. $44 dollars definitely ain't worth it. Shoulda just went to Azuma!!! read more

Happa is a Japanese izakaya with lots of tasty options for food. It's located inside/next to the New Gardena Hotel. The ambiance is kinda bare & sparse and more cafeteria style. We had the agedeshi tofu, shisito peppers, pickled veggies, fried potato wedges, miso black cod, salmon, onigiri, and udon. Food was all really tasty. read more

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Highly recommend! The parking was convenient, the dining area is spacious and not noisy. The food was delicious! We had nasu tempura, cubed beef, Kalbi and garlic shrimp, gyoza and agedashi tofu. Service was a bit slow but tolerable as the staff is very nice. See their website to make a reservation on open table! read more

Picked up for take out for the first time and it was delicious! I ordered the Ginger Pork, Bacon fried rice and garlic edamame. I will be going back to eat there so I can try the cast iron meals! read more

I went here with my dad for the first time the other night (3/17 around 9pm) and wow it hit the spot. I want to shout out the food and staff- both were amazing! To share, my dad and I got 2 salads, the garlic shrimp, and the bacon corn. I got the udon and I believe my dad got the Kalbi beef short ribs. I love shrimp, so it was a no brainer and was delish. The salad and corn both were simple and as described but somehow I feel it enhanced the overall meal. My dad ate all his kalbi and was happy to-he said it was great. For the udon, I had been craving some noodles all day so I was more than happy to have it as an option. While it wasn't my favorite dish of the night, it hit the spot and filled me up. It's very plain (comes with just green onions unless you request the toppings) and the broth is on the sweeter side (idk if that's how most udon broth is but I'm just going off my taste buds). We also ordered take out for my sibling (broiled miso salmon dinner, small cold tofu add pickles, and kimchi) and I didn't taste any but they said it was good! This is already quite long so I'll keep the rest short. The staff were EXTREMELY friendly. I felt welcomed the second we stepped in and I genuinely have no other words to describe how nice our waitress was. I didn't catch her name but kudos to her! The actual restaurant itself is quite plain-Jane. At least in the room we were seated in, it's not super decorated, but I did notice another room connected that seemed to have a different vibe so maybe it was better decorated in there. OVERALL- highly recommend. The whole menu looked soooo appetizing to me and I hope I'm able to go back soon to try more! read more

Happa Restaurant - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

Service and food was great! Super yummy tuna yukke and ribeye. I recommend the matcha watering chocolate which is this thick and creamy custard. read more

Great service and nice cafe like japanese restaurant with homestyle cooking. Try the pork belly with kim chi and the takoyaki balls. Definitely would return. read more

This place is a true gem that I often forget about. I first found out about them when my husband went for some business networking event and I had their food for the first time when I stayed at New Gardena Hotel. That hotel serves breakfast from happa and makes the stay so much worth it! Anything you have there is amazing. Their salad was delicious. Negi gyoza was solid. Their charsiu fried rice is on the heavy and flavorful side. It reminded me of Hawaiian or Peruvian fried rice. So if you are expecting the light flavored like you get in a ramen shop this one is def more oily. We were bummed that the saba didn't come all lit up like the photo. Maybe we need to sit in the patio for that? And at the end we ordered the cheese dakgalbi and boy was it big. We were expecting a little smaller but it was super good Hope you guys chose this for your next outing. Make sure you go with 3 or more and share everything Ambiance wise their place is super dark. Their lighting has dim light that occasionally brightens up and they have a tv displaying a fire place. I personally found the lighting a little jarring lol but I think it's to emanate the fire so I guess? I think summer time the patio would be super nice! The waitress had such a cute personality. Great experience always! read more

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Absolutely terrible service. Poor accommodations. Also, terrible location. Just go to another Japanese restaurant. read more

Came here for a client lunch since the client is located in Gardena. Since I was in charge of planning the lunch, I had to pick a Japanese place. It's the right area for it after all! There were a lot of good options on the menu, but I decided to go with the Deluxe Curry because I liked the combo of hamburger steak, egg, and spam with the curry. I liked it a lot! Really well put together combination of food. Plenty of food for sure. Service was fine, no complaints from me. read more

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The one and only place you can find monjayaki in SoCal!!!! I cannot emphasize enough how happy I am to discover that this place had monjayaki. Their curries are great too, but what's unique about their menu is their monjayaki. They give you all the tools you need to cook it, and there's a QR code leading you to the instructions. The ingredients are finely chopped, and the mochi... oh, it just melts in your mouth. Service was great. The workers were quick and attentive. There's plenty of seating and parking. Definitely coming back again!!! read more

Happa Restaurant - Monjayaki - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

I've been wanting to try Happa for a while after hearing about it from friends, so I was thrilled to finally have the chance to try it when in the area! Came here on a weekday for dinner in the evening, and it was surprisingly empty. We were seated right away and provided with menus. Then our waitress came to take our order. She was very kind and helpful. We ordered: - Salmon Shio: Broiled salmon with salt - Karamen: Spicy ramen noodle with ground pork, garlic, and egg - Kaki Fry: Panko breaded deep fried oyster - Aji Fry: Panko breaded deep fried horse mackerel Everything was SO tasty and delicious! It's hard for me to even pick a favorite dish because all were great. We thoroughly enjoyed this meal and appreciated the excellent service throughout our entire visit. I would definitely return and try more of their dishes here. Had such a wonderful experience and enjoyed the nice, relaxing atmosphere of this place. Cannot wait to come back soon! read more

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I came back. The ribeye on charcoal - wow. I've been to upscale Japanese BBQ places like Manpuku or Yamaya but somehow the ribeye was on par, or better in some instances. It was very juicy, well seasoned, and well-priced. Maybe I'm tripping, or perhaps the charcoal grill added to the experience but it really was that good. The pork cheek (on their special menu, not the main one) is a must-try. It cooks fast on the grill (beware of aggressive flames!) and is delicious. The beef tongue was great too, not much to say; if you like tongue you'll like it. The ONLY dish I wasn't enthused by was the buta kimchi (pork belly). The kimchi was more sour than I wanted it to be - however, this tasted almost like the buta kimchi at one of my other fave spots, Kagura, so maybe that's how the dish is supposed to taste? Whatever it is, I wasn't feeling it so much but we did finish it all! Ordered the takoyaki as an appetizer - very nice. Creamy and flavorful, way better than expected. Also got the mackerel and it was blow torched in front of us which was pretty fun, I haven't seen that done in a while. I think I like the chicken nanban more than the karaage; the sauce is pleasant and enhanced the flavor of the juicy chicken. Finally, I ordered the Maple Brûlée and a Matcha dessert (not sure what it's called). I'm not one to order dessert but DAMN, I was feeling good. Really solid work here. This is it, this is my spot. All that's left is for me to try their curry during lunchtime. read more

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First time going here and it was AMAZING!!! The tuna yukke was unlike any other tuna I've had before and highly recommend. I also loved the ebi mayo as it was so flavorful and crispy! For dessert, we had the maple creme brulee, and that was delicious, but the matcha watering chocolate was like a mousse/fudge that wasn't super sweet, and that was the best dessert. The service was also phenomenal as well!! I can't wait to come back! read more

Great variety of interesting Japanese dishes you can't find in most places. We especially enjoyed the lemon hot pot, which is a chicken soup with lots of lemon flavor. Also loved the Monjayaki, which is a variety of Japanese pancake from Tokyo that is almost impossible to find in the US. read more

With the pandemic dominating the outdoor scene, my recent Yelp searches consist mostly of "outdoor seating" and/or "dog friendly" categories. This place fell into the "outdoor seating" group, so before making the few minutes' drive, I looked into some of their reviews, what their outdoor seating looks like and the menu. Since they all looked good to me, I went for it! Party of 3, we arrived right at opening hour, so we were seated immediately. I got their ribeye steak lunch special, Mom went for their weekly special (Katsu-Ni Set, which is a simmered pork cutlet with egg), Pops went for the Happa Deluxe Curry (my first choice, but I knew I was gonna get a taste of it anyway so I ordered something else.) RIB EYE STEAK: Served with miso soup and salad which were great starters. They asked how I liked my steak and I told them "medium." Serving it on a sizzling plate made it really look good. My mistake was not asking for the garlic butter since I was given ponzu sauce instead. The steak itself was a bit under seasoned but cooked as requested. However, since the sizzling plate remained hot for the most part, the steak got cooked to a medium well by the time I got to the last few bites. So, take note of that if this is something you're possibly eye-ing on the menu. (If you want a medium, you might wanna order it medium rare.) WEEKLY SPECIAL/KATSU-NI SET: I got a bite of the cutlet and like the rib eye, I thought it was also under seasoned. It is delicious, though, and the presentation was impressive. I just wish it had a bit more umph. HAPPA DELUXE CURRY: This also came with miso soup and salad, and this may have been the best seasoned dish on our table. It's a lot of food, so Pops shared his plate. I put every component of the dish in one bite and the taste was simply PERFECT. The curry was light but full of flavor, the burger patty was cooked well, and adding spam and the fried egg? YUM. (I'm definitely getting this next time!) FOOD: 3.5. Slightly better than good, but there's room for improvement. SERVICE: 5. No snags here. They also utilize one of those call buttons which I really like. VALUE: 3. PARKNG: The restaurant is located in the New Gardena Hotel. Underground parking is available. There are plenty of spots available. Park on level D as it is the same level as the restaurant. OVERALL: 3.75 It's a good first run. There are a few items on their menu I would like to try, so there will be a repeat visit. read more

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came here on a late friday night after seeing that they were open past 11pm as well as seeing the pictures of the food and menu prices. luckily, the food was ACTUALLY so good!! we got the ribeye with ponzu sauce on a sizzling platter, fried gyoza, and the chicken katsu curry plate. everything was SO good, fairly priced, and definitely made with quality. the service was also really good with all the staff being very attentive, quick, and so polite. the restaurant brought in lots of big groups, given it's located by the hotel it makes sense. so the ambiance on a friday night was very up beat. i've lived in long beach for years and come to gardena for other spots, but had randomly came across this place since it stays open late. super glad we did because the food was so fire, definitely will be coming back for the ribeye!! read more

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Always wanted to try this place and I'm glad we did today! This is another amazing place. Kudos to the parking attendant who was tentative to our needs. As for the restaurant, from the soup to the salad and our main dish every item was delicious! read more

Happa Restaurant - Rice , Miso Soup , Mabo Tofu. Salad, Kalbi Beef short ribs - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

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Happa Restaurant is always a good dinner choice to make. Good food, good service and good prices keeping in mind the quality of the food is a lot better than normal take out places. Our usual go to dinner is the eggplant nasu tempura and ground chicken - very delicious and recently the mochiko chicken. I forgot how tasty the mochiko chicken was so I'm glad to have ordered that again. This is will be my go to dinner from now on. Dining area is closed so you'll have to wait outside. Ample chairs just in case you have to wait for your food to be ready. read more

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This is truly a hidden gem in South Bay. Tender steak, delicious food, fast service, and most importantly it has a FULL BAR, and finally I can get a whiskey highball in an izayaka, just like in Japan. Love it! read more

Happa Restaurant - Sizzling Steak - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

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I had trouble finding this place, so let me start off by telling you it's on the property of the New Gardena Hotel and you can park at the hotel's underground parking lot. We ordered the following: Rib-eye lunch set: About as good as steak as any upscale steakhouse has and the side dishes were very good too. Katsu curry: Curry was good and the katsu portions was generous It's a dated looking restaurant, but who cares! The food is so good. I want to go back and try their other dishes. read more

This is a hidden gem in the heart of Gardena dishes up solid Japanese-Hawaiian fare in a clean and relaxed atmosphere. In this visit, we ordered the Mochiko Chicken, Ribeye steak with garlic butter sauce, the Garlic Sprouts with Pork Belly, Udon, and Mapo Tofu (that one is not Hawaiian nor Japanese, but delish nonetheless). Their meat preparation can be described as succulent on the inside while the perfect texture on the outside with tremendous umami flavor. The drink menu has a good variety of wine, sake, champagne, cocktails and beer (all reasonably priced even when it wasn't happy hour - I paid $5 for a Lagunitas IPA). We'll be back (on a Thursday night next time for live music and Karaoke)! read more

Happa Restaurant - Mapo Tofu - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

Let's get the negative stuff out of the way : this place looks like a high school cafeteria, decor is spartan at best; service is okay, one kid was a bit clueless but helpful nevertheless. The highlight then is: the quality of the food. Ordered their signature Monjayaki which was interesting (so is the grilled stingray), their popcorn shrimp is a surprise , the eggplant with minced pork is delish, lotus root salad and jelly fish appetizer is nice too. I gave it five star purely due to the food , and the lack of patron on a Thursday night. Hope this place survives. Parking is gated within/under the Gardena Hotel read more

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Note Any reviews over a year old are no longer valid. This place major changes Went back recently last Thursday. The original owner was a local grew up here, originally a fusion Hawaiian Asian joint and honestly Loco Moco food. All the others like Harry's the original Teri Hawaii. Daisuke noodles,all gone. The new wave of Kings Hawaiin, Teri Hawaii, tried to copy them but never replaced them. RIP no mas, Now it's a totally new Japanese no combo's here... Izakaya small dishes individual plates highly Japanese place. I had Takoyaki fried octopus Dango balls. Agadashi tofu special fried tofu in a light sweet broth. Korean Calif Kalbi. Octo and tofu good Kalbi over done in a Japanese sauce verses Korean. sauce. Meat was too marinated. This place is no more what is name means, it's a full on japanese heavy on small dish Japanese favorites drinking place, they also own the bar attached and they are open till midnight This place Is no longer a loco moco family style restaurant. Its izakaya full on tappes and beer and sake oriented. Not a bad thing but don't expect miso soup rice pickles or family style eating here no more. My friends had noodles spicy and red hot Korean style soup they loved it. This is a good place to experiment with Japanese style tappas beer and sake. Order and share try something old and something new. Happa slang for means local half breed mixed marriage children as a real general translation. 4 stars because now have to go back with friends and do the dine around thing no more spam musubi and Harry's fried chicken here. But Plus is open till McKnight read more

COVID update 6/1/20. They are doing takeout and Postmates. Full menu at their website http://happarestaurant.com/menu/ still being served with the exception of availability of what's at the market. They have a plate lunch box special that is a really good deal, too. Please support them! The servers that were women aren't there but the manager guy is the one helping you out at the front. Every dish was well-seasoned and really cheap. Onigiri was huge. Torched mackerel was so good. The chazuke was large and was delicate in flavor. Would definitely come back. Open late is a big plus read more

Happa Restaurant - Chazuke with ume - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

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We ordered delivery. The steak was really delicious and the cod was too. I am a little sad at the fish presentation, maybe it should've been in a smaller container or came with a side salad in such a big container lol i will be ordering again bc that steak was so good!!! Note: steak comes with s little salad and is on top of rice. The sauce naturally dripped into the rice and it made it so, so good. read more

Happa Restaurant - Ribeye steak bowl and grilled cod - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

Authentic Japanese food and drinks for affordable pricing. We come here on a regular basis and have favorites like tempura nasu with dinner set. Staff is great. Parking is free -- just know the gate opens very slowly. read more

this place reminds me of a better version of my favorite izakaya in las vegas. its attached to a hotel which makes it feel like an izakaya in japan. the servers were fantastic and charismatic all of the food was wonderful and tasted authentic. i'm sad they were out of the creme brulee when i came, but ill just have to come back and try it soon! read more

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After spending three weeks in Hawaii with locals it was super nice to come to this place. Very amazing local style Hawaiian comfort food. I used to go here with Hawaiians years ago and I went recently with a Hawaiian so it really gets the seal of approval from the culture they are presenting. I don't think you can really go wrong with anything on the menu. It's huge. Best thing is to order a bunch of things and share. Their fried chickens are top notch. Same with their rice balls. Omg their miso cod is out of this world. It's like the one you get at Katsuya or other great Japanese restaurants. read more

Happa Restaurant - Chicken Nanban - Izakaya Near Me - Gardena, California

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