Sakura‑Ya is one of those Gardena institutions that doesn't need neon signs, trendy décor, or…read moreInstagram bait. It's a family‑run mochi shop that's been quietly perfecting the art of handmade mochi and manju for decades. You walk in, grab your treats, and walk out feeling like you just stepped through a time portal into old‑school G‑Town sweetness. I ordered several varieties of mochi and manju to go, and every piece tasted like someone's grandma woke up at dawn to make sure your day started right. Soft, chewy, fresh, each bite has that unmistakable "made with love" energy. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy, just pure craftsmanship. Vintage to the core. This place has that old‑school Japanese bakery charm, minimal, humble, and frozen in time in the best way possible. It's grab‑and‑go, no frills, no fuss. The kind of place where the walls could tell stories if they wanted to, but they're too polite to interrupt your mochi moment. Those who know this spot... know. It's one of those Gardena classics that locals speak about with a little pride and a little nostalgia. Service was excellent, warm, quick, and genuine. You can feel the family's heart in the way they greet you, pack your order, and keep this place running year after year. They're not trying to be trendy; they're trying to make you happy, one perfect piece of mochi at a time. Plenty of street parking. Easy in, easy out. No drama. Sakura‑Ya is a reminder that great food doesn't need flash, just skill, tradition, and heart. Every piece of mochi and manju tastes like a small pleasure crafted by people who genuinely care. If you grew up around Gardena or have been exploring its food scene for years, this place hits you right in the nostalgia. "A classic. A staple. A sweet little time machine." "Enjoying life one bite at a time!" Miguel C.

An absolute hole-in-the-wall type place that my friend Cindy introduced me to. She knew that I…read morerecently moved to the South Bay area and wanted to take me here after our little lunch date. I was so surprised by the location because from the outside, it looks a little run down and I don't imagine myself stumbling across this place unless if I was looking real hard for it, but I was so happy to have come here. First off, I've heard not from my friend Cindy but also another friend that this is probably the most tastiest, hand-made mochi spot. They have an array of delicious mochi desserts ranging from matcha flavored to the more generic snow mochi with red bean as well. I was stuffed from my lunch but managed to grab three different types of mochi and I cannot wait to go back again to try the other flavors. We found parking on the main street, but also noticed that there's a neighborhood in the back where you can park and walk over.

Such a gem! One of the perks of working remotely in Carson is trying local spots like this…read more The place is dope and also serves as a water supplier. I found parking in the front but learned after my visit that there is additional parking in the rear--using that option next time. I ordered the Thai Tea Matcha and the Peach Cobbler Matcha, both iced with oat milk--both tasty! The flavors were nuanced especially the spices in the peach cobbler syrup. Not over sweet--major plus. The matcha was prominent and was vibrant in color. First time having Thai Tea with matcha and it works! The earthiness from the matcha brings out the tea flavor, IMO. I highly recommend! The menu features a variety of signature drinks, including Rosemary Fig and Blueberry Chai. Additionally, they offer cold brew, drip coffee and espresso-based drinks. Drinks might be in a rotation so there is something new to try to every week. The place is spacious, the decor is inviting and complimentary Wi-FI is available. I also purchased a shirt and my total came to $78, including tax and tip. I plan to return! Support local and shop small!

Who knew you could sell water and matcha/coffee drinks in the same place! Parking is either in…read morefront or in the back - Pretty easy to find. I tried their Blueberry Matcha and their Peach Cobbler - Both were not too sweet, and it really tasted like I was drinking a blended peach cobbler pie and blended blueberries. I think the magic is in how the owner makes the syrup - It tastes authentic to what the name is. I think this is the best flavored matcha drinks in the South Bay. It doesn't have a manufactured taste to it, I swear the syrups are home made LOL. I love the atmosphere inside - Hanging plants, artwork on the walls, good vibes all around. There's a lounge in the back but I didn't check it out. Service was fast and friendly. Will be a repeat customer!

Everything that you would expect. Good was great…read moreService excellent Food cost more but I expected it would

I've been a regular weekly lunch customer for years , fast nice and friendly service from all the…read moreyoung lady's and guys . I would give 5 stars but a few times I witnessed total rudeness from an older lady that works here , she has a major attitude problem , she was rude to me and I was shocked to experience that attitude towards me and I seen how she is rude to others time to time , I don't know her name but she's one of the older ones that's been there for years , she needs to find love or smoke some weed to relax ... I bet if you go there you can figure out who the witch is without knowing her name ....

Can't get enough of this place! I had to come back and try a few more drinks…read more The Vietnamese Coffee was strong, bold, and perfectly rich--just the way I like it. The Pink Berry Smoothie was so refreshing and fruity, especially on a hot day. And the Passion Fruit Mango Tea was bright and refreshing, with actual bits of mango throughout for an extra burst of flavor. Beyond the drinks, I love the relaxed environment here. It's a great spot to hang out with friends, catch up, or even get some work done. The customer service is amazing, too--friendly, attentive, and welcoming every time. Definitely a place I'll keep coming back to!

MAI Coffee & Tea House is a modern fusion tea shop that specializes in Vietnamese coffee / Japanese…read morematcha / Taiwanese tea. This tea house was founded by Chef Nam and is a sister shop of NAM Kitchen. As others have pointed out, their pink colored takeout cup for hot drinks looks like a copycat version of Molly Tea's cup and the logo for MAI looks very similar to Chagee's logo. [Parking]: The tea house is located inside Pacific Square Shopping Center in Gardena and there's plenty of parking space within the lot. [Ordering]: There are two kiosks to place an order. No waiting line on a weekday afternoon. [Setting]: Plenty of indoor and outdoor tables with K-pop music playing in the background. [Menu]: Some of the top highlighted items include Pistachio Bun, Babanana Coffee, Strawberry Matcha, Double Matcha, Ube Cream Coffee, etc. For milk options, the tea house uses Straus Organic Milk. The morning menu (8 AM to 11 AM) only includes coffee and matcha and the full drink menu is available after 11 AM. *** Double Matcha (green tea organic milk swirled with velvety matcha cream foam - Straus organic milk & less ice - $8.00): Passable drink, but it didn't taste as strong as other Double Matcha drinks I have had in Koreatown. The latte portion tasted a bit watery. The drink also didn't appear to have less ice despite having picked the less ice option. *** An a-okay option for anyone who's craving matcha but doesn't want to drive out of the way to Koreatown. I had too high of an expectation for this tea house and there are better matcha options in the South Bay.

I freakin LOVE coming to Yeems! The coffee/espresso is high quality. My fav is an iced cappuccino…read moreto get the perfect ratio of milk (4oz) and espresso (2 shots). PASTRIES are also high quality. They have one gluten friendly option for the gluten sensitive baddies: a slice of chocolate loaf. It's yummy! CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ALWAYS SUPERB!! I really appreciate that the cashiers are always so nice, patient, and professional. It's a wonderful start to my day.

YEEMS IN OC PLEASE!!…read more We got the Vienna matcha, Vienna latte, and the ube buttercream latte. The ube buttercream was my favorite! The ube flavor shined through even after being completely mixed into the latte, which was pleasant. This location has a lot of high traffic and is within a plaza with ample parking. There are tables and chairs to sit inside to wait or use to study.

The good: This is a super interesting market that differs…read morefrom most Vietnamese markets I've been to because the population also caters to Caribbean (I think?) people and offers a variety of different international cuisines. They're popular for their fried fish. While the Vietnamese selection is smaller than other Vietnamese grocery stores, it had everything my mom needed (which is often the herbs). The prices were also fair. I am glad this market exists so I don't have to drive as far to Westminster area to get my Vietnamese essentials. The bad: It's not the neatest looking market inside. It could updated, more modern and cleaner. The interesting: They fry the fish for free for you up until 10 minutes before closing time.

Love this place. I come here for all my Caribbean, African and some Asian ingredients when cooking…read more This place has a huge selection of meats and seafoods and also other international ingredients.

The ceviche is sooo good the is not chopped up and of course their carne asada and the pollo…read morepreparado are top quality

They are so nice and friendly here! Hidden gem for sure…read more Best of all they offer best of both worlds - mexican and asian meats. I discovered brisket here, along with some bottled kimchi chee. They also have marinated meats and salsas. Oh they have fresh Chicharrones! The market is broken up basically into two parts. The front portion I believe is another store (Liquor and drinks) and in the back portion is the actually the Carniceria. The front portion is a bit sketchy to me, so just beware that people could be buying lotto tickets or liquor in the front.

It really is a real gem + a rare find…read more.. Been on a cane sugar soda bottle fix and can't think of a better place to indulge than Real Soda in Real Bottles. It's in the back of an office bld and each soda bottle is very cheaply priced. It is also separated by flavor. You can literally find almost every single regional brand from Boylans to Stewarts to Hank's here. It's also separated by flavor as opposed to Brand. Get the Hank's + Boylan's root Beer + Cherry birch!

How many times can you say fantastic? Depth of selection, super customer service and painless…read moreonline ordering with fast inexpensive shipping. Break away from the 7 brands at your market. You'll be as satisfied as I am. Highly recommend.

First time at Mr Meats; Upon arrival, plenty of parking,…read morecleanliness is spectacular. And as for the meats Omg, the fresh cuts will blow your mind. Lastly, we're very satisfied and worth the drive. beautiful staff with exceptional customer service. Got home in a rush just to cook the meat and it was the bomb. My husband, son and I are now in love with Mr Meats.

Walking in, I browsed their cuts and looked at the signs. I…read morenoticed their carne azada near the register was not labeled. I asked the man over the counter what cuts he had. He said "Pues pide" which means well order. So I wondered if they had diesmillo on the bone since I saw diesmillo and I like it on the bone. He responded, "no we don't do that". So I pointed at the carne and asked what cut it was. He told me it was ranchera (there is no sign) so I asked if it was prime and he said yes. I ordered meat then asked for a couple of pounds of their advertised chicken. He mentioned there were two types, I took both and some diesmillo. The flavor is good , but the service, the way he spoke to me felt rude. Just for that I wouldn't bother to make the 20 minute drive again. This is my second time there and it seems I can't look at the meat, I'm expected to know what they have, know what I want and order. But, as they rudely tell me to order and "I'll see", they didn't even have what I wanted. What am I doing wrong? I politely said, "buenos dias" and ordered in Spanish. No one was in line after me, I don't understand the rudeness. This place is a NO for me. They are not the only carnicería. One star on customer service.

My friend and I went by Tokyo Central over the weekend and loved it…read more We may like it a bit better than Mitsuwa, don't tell anyone! It's a massive two story building in Gardena with groceries and a conveyor belt sushi sit-down restaurant on the second floor. They have a large parking lot that is usually fine but can get wild on the weekends as it wraps around the building - instead of just being a huge open lot or garage. They carry many Hawaiian items, in addition to Japanese products from eats to skincare. Their grab & go sandos are pretty good - both the pork katsu sando and the egg salad sandwiches are tasty. They have a hot buffet so you can try up to 20 different items for a by the pound price. The Gindaco counter in the food section has takyoyaki (fried octopus balls) which are popular here. Love this market and will always make a point of stopping in when I'm nearby!

absolutely love this store! They have an incredible variety of products, and I can always find…read moreeverything I need to make Japanese food, sushi, and just about any other Asian dish. Their selection of ingredients is amazing, and they carry items that are hard to find elsewhere. They also have a fantastic prepared foods section. Everything is fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced, making it a great option whether you're shopping for ingredients or grabbing a quick meal. This is definitely one of my favorite stores, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for quality Asian groceries and fresh prepared foods!