My friend and I stopped by Komatsu for dinner when we were shopping in Torrance and it was a very laidback experience. We arrived during opening and was served fairly quickly. The server was nice and efficient; this is not the type of establishment where they check up on you every 10 minutes which was a plus for me since my meal felt uninterrupted. My friend and I ordered their special: Hamburg Steak Combo, the Black Pork Cutlet Combo, Fried Oysters (a la carte if you ask them), and Cucumber salad with spicy sauce. The combos came with a little pickled vegetable dish and a bowl of miso soup. Everything was delicious and well-proportioned. Please come check out this humble small business if you're in Torrance! read more

This is not a drill! Komatsu is an unassuming gem that has homey Japanese food that warms the soul and satisfies your belly. The times I've visited, the front of house is run by a single server who is friendly and polite. The inside of the restaurant is a bit run down but is the epitome of the old Torrance Japanese feel that locals know all too well. The menu is simple with classic Japanese faire like hamburg steak, tempura, katsu, and small izakaya dishes. Their tempura is perfectly crisp and comes in a plate set or appetizer if you want to keep it simple. I'm a big kaki fry (fried oyster) fan and their tartar sauce is bang on delicious. I believe they're known for their Hamburg steak which is next up in my need to try list. Their hours are a bit more limited than I would like, closing around 7:45pm but I happily work my schedule around stopping by just so I can grab a bit to eat! read more

I used to come here a lot, because the food is genuinely good. That's the frustrating part. The cooking has real skill behind it. The food is comforting, satisfying and made with enough personality that you remember it. But the energy from the kitchen can be rough. The chef comes across rude in a way that does not feel charming or old school. More like you're being punished for wanting lunch. You can almost taste the tension in the food. Talented, yes. Warm, no. The server has gotten better over time, though. She used to feel pretty cold, but my last experience with her was much warmer and more pleasant. So this is a hard one. If you can ignore the attitude, the food is worth eating. But for me, the hassle around the experience has made it harder to want to come back. Good food can carry a lot, but it shouldn't have to carry the whole mood of the place. read more

I was searching for some homestyle cooking in the area and stumbled upon this restaurant. It was empty when I went in on a weekend at 6pm, which set me off a bit. I ordered stingray fin, corn tempura, and a hamburg steak. The stingray fin came first and wow it had a nice chewiness and salinity. Rare to find a restaurant in LA area that serves it and was a nice appetizer. The corn tempura was crispy and was prepared well as its individual grains. The star was definitely the hamburg steak which was a 1 inch patty the size of a small appetizer plate alone. The hamburg steak was ridiculously juicy and meaty with my spoon being able to split it pretty cleanly. The sauce was rich, going well with the veggies and rice. Overall, incredible food that wasn't as expensive as I was expecting. I'm more surprised that the restaurant was empty given how tasty the food was. The interior is like a lil mom and pop Japanese restaurant too. I'd come back whenever I'm in the area. read more

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So good!! My family and I came here on a Thursday night for dinner. Service was excellent. We got the tempura set & katsudon. Flavor of the katsu was tasty but the meat was a bit tough. The tempura had to be my favorite. I loved the shiso leaf tempura. Portions are small for the price but quality of food is great. Super tasty! read more

Komatsu - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

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I ordered an assorted tempura set! It comes with miso soup and rice on the side! Everything tasted great, but their portions are small especially for the price. If you're a big eater, I'm not sure if I would recommend this place. I wish they put more veggies on the plate. read more

Komatsu - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

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The Hamburg Steak was really good! I would highly recommend it. We will definitely come back here. read more

Komatsu - Hamburg Steak - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Trying it out for the first time. We got a tempura lunch and a beef tongue lunch. Both came with miso soup and rice. Tempura 5/5 the portion was generous and tasty. Beef tongue 3/5. It was not soft and hard to chew. Friendly staff. Plenty of parking in the lot. read more

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One of the most authentic Japanese tempura shop around. I know people praised for the tempura Carlos in old town Torrance but this is more legit in terms of taste as well as quality is far more superior. This is your neighborhood mom and pop shop hole in the wall style. They have odd opening hours and it's hard to dine without reservations in dinner hour but still worth it. You are dining with the local Japanese business men and families. Their signature kakiage don is a must have. Also hamburger steak is their popular item too. I would also explore the specials that is placed on the wall. read more

Komatsu - Hamburger special - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

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The food was delicious and tasty here. Ordered the Stingray Fin, Vinegared Jellyfish & Cucumber, Corn Tempura and Broiled Beef Tongue w/ Grated Yam. There was one lady taking care of all the tables that night and she was on point. Drinks and food were served quick. The restaurant was inviting and cozy for a Japanese Izakaya. Clean bathrooms too. Would definitely come back here to dine if we happen to be passing by Torrance. read more

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This place is a hidden gem in Torrance. A small mom & pop place with some delicious food! We ordered a variety of foods from the Tempura Combo, Black Pork Cutlet (Tonkatsu) with Starchy Egg, Hamburg steak, Miso Flavored Broiled Cod (appetizer) & Ribeye Beef Steak w/Stamina Sauce. While all were good, the dishes that stood out were the Hamburg Steak, Ribeye and Miso Cod. This was the only place (out of many) that took reservations for a large party. Ayumi was excellent at getting our orders correct and serving us in a timely manner. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for some good, homey Japanese cuisine. read more

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If you like Japanese food, then you need to try this place. It's fun but a husband and wife duo in a small old fashioned place. It reminds me of eating at my grandma's place in Tokyo. The food is so amazing with so much flavor and depth. If you go during lunch, expect a long wait. The husband is the only one who cooks while the wife serves, so you need to be patient. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but the fried scallops and tonkatsu meal are my favorite. read more

I came here during lunch with some coworkers and my first impression upon stepping in was that this is definitely a an authentic Japanese mom and pop restaurant. We ordered from the lunch menu and I got the black pork steak with stamina sauce combo. It was definitely delicious if not a little small. They had a sign out from mentioning that service might be slow due to the chef's eyesight but the food came out at a reasonable speed and the waitress was attentive as well. I would want to come back at dinner to see what that menu looks like. read more

Komatsu - Black pork steak stamina sauce combo - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

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This was my first visit and I was pleasantly impressed. Authentic Japanese restaurant with great customer service. I ordered the Hamburg Steak and it was delicious! Very moist and tender and perfectly cooked. I'll definitely be back!! read more

My first time here. Didn't even know about it This is traditional home -style, simple Japanese food in a casual setting. I ordered the Eel with Egg which was prepared perfectly. The egg was cooked just right and not overdone. This place seems popular with the local regulars. Parking in the lot. read more

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Small, family owned restaurant that seats maybe 36ppl. One chef, one server at the time that we went on a Saturday night so it took a little bit for our orders to come out. Server also did not check up on us nor refilled water glasses. But the food came out hot, fresh and tasty. read more

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The dinner sets and tempura... AMAZING! The service is great and the ambiance really gave you that local Japanese izakaya tempura bar.

It's been a few years since I last came here. Food is still great as it used to be. I love that the tempura batter is super light. We ordered a pork katzu bowl, a tempura bowl, and boiled fish bowl. read more

Komatsu - Tempura set - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Very authentic Japanese. Really enjoyed the food and the service was great. I will definitely go again when I'm in the area.

This is the most authentic Japanese restaurant in the area, at least as far as I know--no frills, just authenticity, with a calm and pleasant atmosphere. The food is genuinely delicious and truly captures the real taste of Japanese cuisine. I don't know much about the chef, but you can tell he is highly professional. The menu offers a good balance of both meat and fish dishes, and you really can't go wrong with anything you order. This is a place I truly hope will last forever. I appreciate the chef's hard work and the staff's sincere hospitality. read more

Small family run local Japanese restaurant. Has homestyle Japanese cooking Went for lunch and had the black pork cutlet -which is Kurobuta to katsu It was excellent You need to be patient when it's busy but food is worth it In small strip mall so free parking read more

Komatsu - Black pork cutlet lunch - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

I love this place!!! This is not the place to impress someone else or may not be for everyone, but I'm a chef. I'm a restaurant owner. This is my favorite restaurant to bring my family to enjoy Japanese food read more

small, cozy restaurant. good variety of food! i had the fried scallops and it was scrumptious. it was simple but had good flavor. a perfect example of less is more. read more

Japanese home cooking at its best. Guess my mom didn't serve vegetables too. Hamburger steak: with a demiglace mushroom and onion. Very tasty. The fried katsu with starchy egg is a favorite. Oyakodon tasty but not much chicken today read more

Small hole in the wall Japanese restaurant that specializes in tempura! Located discreetly in a shopping plaza. I love the intimacy and privacy of the dining room and the elegant service provided on my recent visit. You can get their mixed seafood and veggie tempura as a bento with dipping broth (item 1 on the menu), or as a don rice bowl (item 2). Their top sellers are menu items 2,4, and 6 according to the staff. Item 4 is black pork cutlet (pork rice bowl with egg) and their item 6 is a nicely glazed Hamburg steak. They have hojicha (my fave!) for their house tea. It's only $1 pp and they give free refills that are done very attentively. read more

Food was so delicious! Tempura was on point! And the fried oysters were the best I've had since I was in Japan. Old school place, but great flavor! read more

This place is the very definition of a "Mom and Pop" restaurant. Very plain interior, reasonable prices, decent food, and friendly service. As soon as we went inside, we were greeted by an unusual sign. It said something like "Please excuse the slow service because the chef has eye problems". A little weird, but the honesty is appreciated. The lunch menu had a decent amount of items on it. I ordered the tonkatsu meal and my wife got the tendon. Prices were all below $18. Both meals came with miso soup and pickles. My tonkatsu tasted exactly like I made it at home. It was nothing extraordinary, but a decent home style meal. The tempuras on my wife's tendon were fried up nice and crispy, but the sauce was rather bland and my wife had to add some condiments to finish the rice. Overall, it was a nice experience and we plan on going back. Decent home style Japanese food at reasonable prices. Recommended. read more

Komatsu - Tonkatsu meal on top, tendon (tempura bowl) below - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Came around lunch opening on a Wednesday. The restaurant is cozy and has about 10 tables, which filled up very quickly with locals. The menu was simple and filled with combo meals. I ordered the beef tongue combo. Came with yam paste, rice, pickles, and miso soup. The beef tongue was delicious. It didn't look seasoned, but biting into it - you can taste the salt seasoning. Pickles were light. Yam was an interesting, slimy texture, but it tasted really nicely with the rice. read more

Komatsu - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Simple, small, affordable and good quality. All the things you want in a dining experience. Given there's just 1 chef they are very limited. So even though there were only 4 tables occupied out of like 12, they were turning away customers. So just know that going in. Place is small and unassuming. Located in a strip mall near the Valvoline Lube shop. I wasn't 100% sure what to get so I trusted my fellow Yelpers. We got the hamburg steak and the donkatsu donburi. Also order the white fish tempura. Every dish was flavorful and so very delicious. Such a simple and enjoyable meal. The green tea was $1 each but that was no biggie for us. Definitely on our list of one of the best Japanese places in the South Bay. read more

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Had an amazing meal here with my mom. We came in after a long day of shopping but we were not expecting such a delicious homey meal. The store was run by an older couple who take your and prepare your food immediately after. I got the Katsu meal set and I loved everything about it. The katsu was perfectly fried and was the right amount of crisp on the outside with a moist soft inside. I also really liked the sauce they had on the side. It was tangy yet flavorful. I would love to be back ! read more

A true hidden gem in Torrance. Ran by two workers and closes at random times, this restaurant is really something special. My wife and I always orders three entrees and the worker always tells us that we can opt for a la carte so we don't have an extra rice and miso soup between the two of us. Favorite Menu items: Hamburg Steak with demi glaze: perfectly cooked demi glazed meat patty with grilled onions and mushrooms with a side cabbage salad. Chef kisses deliciously good!! Mixed scallop and shrimp tempura bowl: a perfectly fried patty of scallops and shrimps sitting on top of a bed of rice and drizzled with the most intoxicating tempura sauce you have ever tasted. Black pork cutlet w/starchy egg sauce: black pork cutlet fried to perfection on top of a bed of rice with starchy egg sauce that blankets the entire dish with a cloud of epic flavors saturating ever bite. -----Pro tip, make sure you call before showing up because they randomly close at times. Overall this place has amazing food, amazing service and is a real gem. read more

Great Japanese food that is hard to get anywhere. Their tonkastu and kaki fried are the best. You have to make reservations because it is only a husband and wife team run the establishment. read more

This place is great if you come at the right time! They open and close on random days... Recommended dishes: -Mixed baby scallop and shrimp tempura bowl -Black pork cutlet with starchy egg bowl -Hamburg steak w/ demi glace sauce combo -Fried Oysters The meal set comes with miso soup and pickled veggies. read more

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This place always hits. The mom and pop vibe of this place is super nostalgic and their food is top notch. I always end up getting the fried oyster combo here because they always make it perfectly. The service is always great and the staff is super friendly. If you're looking for a good Japanese home cooked meal, this is the place for it. read more

Komatsu - Fried Oyster Combo - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

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This place has been my favorite lunch spot for more than a decade! It's totally enjoyable at night time as well. For night time, they also have a few tapas style dish selections but watch out! Each dish average $6 so if you start adding to a base meal it can start to add up. Lunch or dinner , the food you order here is amazing. They are known for their tempura so you will never go wrong selecting any meal including it. However, my personal favorite is their gyutan plate. They give you 4-5 slices along with miso soup, rice, and grated yam which hits the spot every time. read more

Komatsu - Gyutan plate - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

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A very unassuming place from the outside. It is in the corner and has simple signage in the front. There is a small small strip of parking on the side of their building, but plenty of street parking around. Their pork cutlets are the highlights of their menu and it's pretty good. A little bit on the dry side though I regret to report. read more

Komatsu - a variety of food items on a tray - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Good traditional shokudo dining. No frills just fresh and simple ingredients cook to the taste I remembered.

Authentic Japanese "mom & pops" are getting harder and harder to find, and trust me, this one's worth finding! The stand-outs include hamburg steak (should not be confused with regular hamburger as it's so much better!) tempura and tendon that's light and fluffy, black pork cutlet and fried oysters. I mean all of their entrees are great, but I tend to stick with these. It can get busy at lunch time but is certainly worth the wait. I encourage you patronize these authentic Japanese establishments before they disappear forever! read more

Came here for a quick, simple, and healthy lunch. They have a lunch menu. I tried the number 7 boiled fish. I was going to get number 8 with broiled mackerel, but the waitress says she sells number 7 more. I had to go with the popular option and always fun to try something new. The number 7 was boiled yellowtail. It had a lovely sauce that was maybe soy but also fragrant and slightly citrusy. There were two pieces of a root. Maybe burdock? I didn't eat the root. The yellow tail was wonderful and had some slivers of pickled ginger on top. There was also a thick slice of jiggly tofu! The sides were a simple miso soup with diced fried tofu and seaweed, rice, and pickled veggies. Service was fine, relaxed vibe and only one employee. When I walked in there was a small family, a couple, and then a group of Japanese business men came for lunch. Cash is preferred, $20 min for credit card. She was nice and let me pay with card although it was a few cents shy of $20! I'll be back for tempura and the saba one day. read more

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I came here for lunch after seeing the recommendations and was no disappointed! I've been looking for a really good pork katsu place and their black pork katsu is absolutely delicious! I haven't had katsu like this since my favorite restaurant changed owners. Will definitely be back to try their other dishes. read more