This time we changed up and both ordered the White Lightning roll (seared albacore, tempura white fish tempura asparagus, kanikama garlic butter soy, chive). After our appetizers the roll was really filling and entirely delicious. Its presentation was elegant and its mixture of sauce and butter made this dish exceptional. read more

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When you order "extra soup" you're just donating $2 to this place. Biggest scam transaction ever. I picked up ramen because I'm sick and wanted more broth to sip on and it's just a very mediocre sized serving with no extra broth!! What the hell!! Utilize your hostess stand and mitigate your bottleneck. You have 3 people doing the roles of everyone running around like chickens. read more

Japonica - No "extra soup" - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

We went to Japanica in Redondo Beach hoping to catch their happy hour, but it was not running because of the holiday. Even with standard menu pricing, the food and hospitality made it a great dining experience. Parking is simple since they have a dedicated lot directly on the right side of the building. The staff took fantastic care of us from start to finish. Everything we ordered was well prepared and hit the spot: Japanese fried chicken: Flavorful, juicy, and fried just right. Soba noodles: Great chew, very refreshing, and paired with a delicious broth. Eel roll and California roll: Clean flavors, perfectly rolled, and super fresh ingredients. Tempura: Our granddaughter ordered this and loved it. The batter was light, crisp, and never felt greasy. This is a wonderful spot for quality Japanese comfort food. We definitely plan to return on a regular weekday to catch that happy hour menu. read more

My first time here and I can't believe this place has been around so long! We love sushi and usually head to spots south of Torrance and Gardena, but the food and friendly service here were both excellent. I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu. I also found out that the Japanese pasta place right next door is their sister restaurant. I've been wanting to try it, and now that I know they give you a 10% discount if you show your receipt from here, I will definitely check that place out too! read more

Japonica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I love this place BUT I'm saddened that Craig is no longer there. His customer service and bright attitude really made the dining experience extraordinary. (I took off a star since his departure left a void ) I'll still go here and enjoy their lunch specials but it bums me out that none of the staff I got to know well are there anymore. read more

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Service was friendly and attentive, and we were seated right away on a recent Monday night. We've passed by Japonica many times and finally decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the food was just okay overall. We started with the Salmon Skin Salad, but the salmon skin pieces were pretty thick and chewy compared to the crispy, crunchy ones I've had at other restaurants. There was also a little too much crab meat used as filler on the salad. We did enjoyed the Brussels sprouts, but the Shrimp Yakisoba was surprisingly bland and didn't have much flavor. We also ordered two rolls that didn't have rice. One was the Final Fantasia, and I honestly can't remember the name of the other one. Because they were wrapped in soy paper and had quite a bit of sauce, they ended up being soggy rather than having the texture I was hoping for. Unfortunately, these also had quite a bit of imitation crab meat as filler. With the overall quality and portions, I felt the dishes were a bit overpriced. There are definitely other sushi restaurants in the South Bay that I would choose over this one. Even though the service is good, the food just didn't impress us enough to make us want to come back. read more

One of my favorite sushi places in the South Bay!! They make their own smoky soy sauce and it's delicious! My favorite things are: spicy tan-tan ramen...mmmm the best!!! Hamachi Davidson...No Rice Roll with Soy Paper, yellowtail, spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber, garlic ponzu, baby cilantro! And the White Lightning...Seared albacore, tempura white fish, tempura asparagus, kanikama, garlic butter soy, chive!! Also, the Bumblebee Tuna is really good and on their Happy Hour specials. Daily Happy Hour 3-6pm. read more

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Very cool place with great differ decor on each wall and nicely set up seating arrangements. We parked right in front on the street parking, not sure where is the parking lot for the place but can't complaint when you're parking right infront. There are 2 outdoor tables right before you enter. The menu is great with great choices and with plenty of great sake selection to choose from. Service is very nice, friendly, and attentive. They do have HH menu that service all days of the week with certain hrs, which is great. Foods are good, nothing special or standout but good overall. Prices are okey, not bad. The only thing that we're abit disappointed was the udon, just very plain or small, taste wise is okey...but just small portion and plainly presented. Overall, we had a great dinner here with good foods and great service. read more

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The location is great and parking is in the back. We were able to walk before having dinner too. The rolls we ordered were stuffed to the brim, but it was also a con. I couldn't really enjoy it with one bite as it was too large for my preference. Also, the great part was that you get a 10% off discount to Unico (2 doors down) with your Japonica receipt. It was an awesome offer that we took advantage of. read more

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Brandon was the BEST SERVER EVER!!! He was so kind helping me pick my beer which was the Japonica Rice Lager and it was delishious!! So smooth and tasty with the sushi. We then ordered the bluefin bombshell that he recommended which was my favorite roll of the night along with the Slammin Salmon! So good and he was so funny and the atmosphere was so chill and exotic!!! Everyone was so nice here and I will definitely be coming back! read more

Japonica - Kyoto Kryptonite Truffle salmon Balsamic bluefin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Where do I even start? The food, the atmosphere, the service? I come here weekly, not only for the amazing food but also the incredible servers and bartenders that make this my favorite restaurant! If I could give a 10 star review I would! Brooklyn and Brandon are absolutely amazing!! read more

Japonica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Came here based off reviews. Overall, food is good and fresh. Portions are hit or miss. Some things are big and some are small. Prices are decent but on the higher side for sure. Lots of seating inside and out for a small shop. Parking along the street. The only downside was the service. Extremely slow and with only 1 server, they got overwhelmed and you could tell from their composure. read more

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Cute little sushi restaurant near the Redondo Beach pier. I wouldn't say their sushi is bad but it's average. I think they know that so their prices are reasonable, so hence the 4 stars. Service, it is what it is, they come , take orders, bring you food. I do like the art work and the decor in the restaurant, but that's not why I am there. Would I go back? Not intentionally. read more

Japonica - Art decor - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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I've wanted to try Japonica for about a year and finally went to their Redondo location. They have two more restaurants in Hermosa and El Segundo. The service was great and easy to grab a table because I used their website to place a reservation using OpenTable. The Tantan Ramen, Carpaccio Trio, Citrus Sakura Roll, Garden Salad, Chicken Gyoza, and Vegetable Tempura were all fine choices. The ramen had a miso sesame pork broth, which was nutty and interesting. The Carpaccio was phenomenal and came with Blue Fin Tuna with Balsamic, Yellowtail with Garlic Ponzu, and Scottish Salmon with Onion Ginger dressing. I'm partial to Tuna, so that was my favorite. The Citrus Sakura Roll was refreshing, but kind of dry. I think it needed a splash of ponzu to liven it up. All the fish was very delicious and I want to return to explore the menu. read more

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The food was good, nothing that really stood out or felt over the top. One thing that threw me off a bit was the soy sauce, it had a smoked BBQ flavor that wasn't really my preference. The ambiance and service was great though, friendly, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of. read more

Japonica - Spicy Tantan Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Been here a handful of times and it's always amazing! I am a Japanese food fanatic and I usually stick to traditional stuff. But you have to try their signature white lightning roll! It's so good. Other top favorites are their crispy rice and Brussel sprouts! Service is always on point too. Make sure to reserve a table just in case if you're eating around dinner time. read more

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This is literally my favorite sushi spot! My husband and I have been going to japonica for years, and their sushi always tastes fresh, is consistently good, and every new roll we try never disappoints! We would highly recommend trying Japonica! read more

I tried Japonica for lunch today for the first time--I didn't even realize there were a few of these locations around here until now. I ordered their lunch combo, which comes with 6 pieces of sushi, a choice of a California or spicy tuna roll, and a side. I went with the spicy tuna roll and chose the veggie tempura for my side. The sushi pieces were really good, and the wagyu beef one was definitely the highlight for me. The veggie tempura was also good and came with a small side salad. The restaurant itself has a nice, relaxed vibe, and the service was good, though there were a couple of minor hiccups with the meal itself. The spicy tuna roll was just okay and didn't taste super fresh today. Also, the tempura and salad came out much later than the sushi, which felt like an odd pacing for a lunch combo. Overall, it was a good meal and I'd probably give it another try if I happen to be in the neighborhood, but honestly, I still like Hoka Hoka better. read more

We decided to have dinner here during happy hour on a Friday night. It was very busy, but they were still able to seat us at the bar. I really liked the design of the place and the music videos playing on the screens added a fun vibe. Our bartender was attentive and even reminded us that happy hour was ending soon, so we quickly ordered from the HH menu: spicy tuna sushi (not bad, but not the most flavorful) and some edamame. We also tried the Spicy TanTan ramen with the pork on the side. The ramen itself was just okay and the ground pork was honestly terrible, completely inedible. On the bright side, they do have some great deals on draft and cocktails, which makes it worth checking out for drinks read more

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We really enjoyed our visit here! We sat at the bar and enjoyed our conversation with the server. He didn't mention his name, but he'd been with the restaurant for 20 years and had excellent recommendations for us. Listening to the banter between staff members, gave you an impression that this is a place where the employees enjoy their jobs and believe in the restaurant and its philosophy. We tried the Final Fantasia roll, Crispy Rice, miso soup and Sushi combo. Hubby thought his fish was very fresh and an excellent quality. I thought the crispy rice was unique and rather tasty, I would certainly order it again. I also thought the roll was wonderful. It did not have rice, which made it feel much lighter than a standard roll and much fresher. It also was filled with a wonderful assortment of fresh fish. I love when a roll is so flavorful there is no need for a dipping sauce and this roll fell into that category. Last, but not least, this would be the only miso soup I would consider intentionally ordering. It had a creamy and flavorful feel to it and we both loved it. read more

Been coming here for years and it just keeps getting better! They have a great happy hour, but I most recently went for their Lunch Special! We got to choose different apps, with a soup & salad, and chose the assorted sushi option. Everything was delicious and the staff was so helpful in choosing our selection. It's always so peaceful and clean inside the restaurant I will be back soon! read more

Japonica - Assorted Sushi Lunch Special - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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I found this place by walking in the area, looking for a place to eat with my girlfriend. We decided to stop here, and wow, we made the best choice of the night! First off , Emily, Ryder, and Noah were all excellent! Emily was the first person to greet us and she made sure we were taken care of and was super friendly. She allowed us to sit where we wanted to and was very warm and inviting. Noah came to the outside area and cleaned our tables , made recommendations from the menu, and made accommodations to ensure that we were warm enough while outside. Ryder came out to take our order , and since it was our very first time we needed some guidance on the menu. He was very knowledgeable of the menu and made some solid recommendations. Within 10 minutes of our visit, my girlfriend, and I both said that the service here is excellent! The Ramen here is very unique and it's not like anything I've ever tasted! We decided to go with the veggie Tantan, and two different kinds of roles! These were excellent recommendations and we will be coming back and will tell others about this place! read more

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This review is for their Happy Hour! Yay!!!! My friend and I arrived around 4pm on a Monday. Craig greeted us immediately and shared that Brandon would take over ( I guess it was shift time). I just wanted to give a shout out to Craig, as he was so welcoming! My friend and I were celebrating her birthday so we got a sample of the HOYO ( kura no hana) and we loved it so much we ordered a bottle! We tried a few of their HH food choices and hands down, everything was delicious: brussels sprouts, edamame, bumblebee tuna roll, and citrus sakura roll. You need to try them all!!! We also added the hamachi with jalapeno from the regular menu. This was beautifully presented! We could of had another, but we refrained. Brandon was an excellent server by allowing us to celebrate my friend's birthday but checked in regularly to make sure we were okay. He knows the menu well and has a passion for Japanese food. Thank you Brandon for making our meal and celebration such a wonderful time. Thank you for introducing us to the HOYO sake, now our favorite! My friend truly enjoyed her birthday! read more

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Stopped by this cute spot for dinner! Barely missed happy hour it's 3-6pm and had a sushi roll and some udon! Nice ambiance and workers were nice. A nice touch was their soy sauce was smoked! Sushi a tad much for a roll, almost $20 but still good and different read more

Japonica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

The food and service was great! Char was an amazing waitress. She gave great recommendations. The original ramen was delicious! Definitely try this for your first time here. Ambiance was cute and has lots of seats inside and outside read more

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We have lived so close for so many years and last night was the first time we visited. It wasn't planned, but we got to take advantage of some of their happy hour offerings as well as their Dine LA offerings. Our waiter was amazing, He made sure to take our order soon after we were seated and encouraged us to take advantage of happy hour. He made great and helpful recommendations. He was helpful when we were choosing our Dine LA options. He really knew the menu and what made one roll different from another. We probably ordered a lot more than was needed between the two of us and it surprised our waiter how we polished off everything we ordered. We got the Brussel Sprouts, Chicken Gyoza, Crispy Rice, Bumblebee Tuna, Spicy Edamame, Miso Soup, Albacore Carpaccio, Hamachi Davidson, and White Lightening. They were all delicious. We love the cozy vibe and loved that there were families with little children peacefully enjoying their dinner. It was comfortable and happy in there. The staff were clearly working hard serving, taking orders, clearing tables, etc. We can't believe it took us so long to dine here and can't wait to go back . Oh so we ordered rolls and such but heard they are actually known for their ramen. read more

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We came here to celebrate our anniversary, and everything was amazing! The sushi tasted incredibly fresh and delicious, and we loved the cozy ambiance. The customer service was warm and attentive, which made the experience even better. We had such a great time that this has officially become our new go-to sushi spot in town. Can't wait to come back! read more

Quality is always top. Service is attentive which I appreciate especially in a world where service seems to be non existent. I really appreciate the hospitality. The ambiance is always nice - it's not too loud where we have to shout to be heard but it's also not "dead" quite awkward. Great place to grab dinner, chat and hangout. read more

10/10! The sushi was fresh and flavorful. We ordered the Blue Fin bombshell and Hamachi Davidson, Tantan Ramen + Nigori. Highly recommend! Brandon gave amazing recommendations and service was great. Really happy we stumbled upon this place, we'll definitely be coming back. read more

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One of the best local spots for good sushi rolls! The store has a nice vibe, good music and all the workers are friendly and welcoming. Must try. read more

I can't emphasize how quickly I finished my ramen. You know what inhaling is? That's how quick I finished my plate, the ramen is superb. Specifically the Beef Tantan Ramen is what I had. The flavor of the pork broth is so nutty, spicy, smooth, and robust. It pairs excellently with the tender sukiyaki beef, bok choy, pepper, and the light crunch and freshness from the radish sprout. My only regret is not ordering two of them! The atmosphere is wonderful. There are seats right outside the restaurant and you get a wonderful breeze from the ocean that's basically a block away. If you're anywhere near Hermosa Beach, come check this place out! read more

Japonica - Beef Tantan Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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We waited 20 minutes for water after ordering--only because we had to request it. Drinks came another 10 minutes later without an apology for the long delay. The waiter was overworked and didn't seem to pay any attention to our table. Had to request ginger and wasabi and refills for our water. Wrong order fixed by another server. Kyoto Kryptonite was cold. Just not great. read more

Great spot! Always a great experience. Love it. Good food, great staff. Awesome place. read more

Japonica - Shishito Pepper (Vegan) Spicy Edamame (Vegan) both super yummy! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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I had a great experience here. Our server Olivia was very sweet, funny, and helpful. I'm not a fan of any type of seafood but I decided to try some sushi I definitely got to expand my taste buds. (I recommend the kryptonite Kyoto.) I sat in the outside Patel which had a great atmosphere. read more

The food was pretty good not the best but alright tbh. The roll did not have much flavor to it was kinda bland. The Nigiri item was actually decent but not the best. Over all the ambiance and Service was good read more

Japonica - Overall the service was good but the roll didn't have much flavor it was pretty bland kinda ruined my appetite. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

We had birthday dinner reservations at 7pm. We were seated quickly and ordered right when we sat down but the service from there on out was awful. It took over an hour just to get edamame. Our waitress paid little to no attention to us, when she did come around she apologized for the wait and they did send a gyoza on the house, but then we had to wait another 20ish minutes (for the remainder of our food, only got edamame and gyoza at this time) before we decided to get up and leave. The restaurant was busy but not THAT crowded and we saw multiple tables that came in way after us finish before we even got our main rolls. The worst part is this was for a birthday so it's safe to say that kinda ruined the night. We've come to Japonica multiple times prior but this will likely be our last. read more

Is really good great place Love food great service great Excellent customer service read more

Walked in and was seated right away by the hostess. The restaurant is really cool. There's a lot of Japanese bottles of alcohol all over the restaurant for decorations and it even has a bar. There are also really cool pictures and wall decorations. Nice ambience. For drinks, we ordered Diet Coke. For dinner we had Shrimp Crunchy Roll, Udon with Shrimp Tempura, Bumblebee Tuna Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll and Citrus Sakura Roll. Everything was really good and tasted very well. My favorite rolls in which I would recommend are the Bumblebee Tuna Rolls and Citrus Sakura Roll. Everybody was really friendly. Dinner was perfect. I would recommend this restaurant for dinner. read more

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Japonica in Redondo Beach has a nice, relaxed ambiance and a good variety of Japanese dishes. The sushi and sashimi were fresh and delicious, which made the food side of the experience very enjoyable. Unfortunately, the service was extremely disappointing. It seemed like they were short-staffed, as our orders kept getting mixed up. We initially ordered edamame and a few sushi rolls. After more than an hour, the edamame still hadn't arrived, and only two of the rolls finally made it out after I reminded the waitress. I had to mention three different times that we were still waiting on the edamame, which was frustrating -- especially since we were there with my 5-year-old daughter who really wanted it and kept asking when it would come. We also never received wasabi until I asked twice, and our drinks were never refilled. We were there on Sunday night for dinner. It's a shame, because the food itself was really good, but the disorganization and lack of attentiveness from the staff made the experience stressful. It's so sad to see that the service has gone down since my 1st experience there, which I had raved about their service and attentiveness. Hopefully, they can hire more staff or improve their system, because with better service, Japonica could be a fantastic spot. read more

Very blessed to finally try this place out. There's ample parking on the side and back lot. We came on a Friday night and got seated right away. We really loved the friendly service right off the bat! We ordered: krabby fatty - delicious buttery crab meat wrapped in rice. So good and rich but a bit too much rice, dungeon and dragon roll - we thought it was a bit too skimpy on the eel and add again too much rice, yellowtail sashimi - so fresh and delicious (comes in 5 slices), truffle salmon - melts in your mouth, and crispy rice - I really want to love it but the rice was a bit hard from time to time. Overall: love the music, service, ambient, the freshness of the food. It was a bit on the pricey side but next time when we feel like splurging a lil and not travel too far, we'll be back read more

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