Ambience-5 Food Taste-5 Food Cost-5 Cleanliness-5 Menu Choices-5 Parking-5 Planning to eat there again real soon. read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

We called ahead to confirm they had the 50% off tuna since it was listed as limited quantity. They assured us it would be available all day, which is the main reason we decided to come in. When we arrived, we ended up waiting about 30 minutes for a table for just two people, even though there were clearly open tables inside. During that entire time, none of the staff acknowledged us or gave any updates. We were also the only ones waiting, which made it even more frustrating. After finally being seated, I asked for the 50% off menu, and that's when they told us they were already out of stock. This completely defeated the purpose of us coming in, especially since we had called ahead to confirm. This isn't the first time I've had issues here either. On a previous visit, we weren't seated despite there being open tables. Overall, the lack of communication and organization is really disappointing. Unfortunately, I won't be coming back. read more

Food is fine, but the service is absolutely god awful. Please please please triple check your bill before you leave. They run a terrible system where they are overstaffed but everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off with no clear roles. We waited over 45 mins between our two courses and by the time the second course came out, they ran out of otoro. As a result, instead of 12 rolls, we only received 10. Didn't ask us if we wanted anything else, but we didn't want to wait another 45 mins anyway so whatever. The biggest frustration came with the bill. Not only were we charged for the higher priced fish that sold out, I was also charged for another iced green tea, which says refills are COMPLIMENTARY on their menu. I had to bust out the menu to show our waitress since she did not believe me. What ensued was a 10 min bill revision going line-by-line because our waitress insisted we received items we didn't and didn't understand that their restaurant running out of food meant they had to keep tabs themselves on orders that weren't fulfilled. She tried to overcharge us $50+ and was getting frustrated at us for carefully calling out each issue. No apologies of course at the end of it for their own mistakes. Spare yourself the headache and go to Kazunori. read more

Came to Oh Banzai for handrolls. Each handroll costs between $5.80 to $20, depending on the ingredients you choose. The lower end will cover the basic tuna/salmon handrolls and the top end covers uni, wagyu, scallop, caviar, or a combination of these. The shop has counter seating and a few tables. They give you an option of a single or double serving for your handrolls. We opted for a double portion of rice as it was filling; however, the ratio of rice to fish could be more enjoyable for a single portion of rice. Quality of the handrolls was good, service was friendly enough, flavor combinations felt pretty authentic. This said, don't expect huge flavor bombs here. When you get ponzu + daikon, or chili crisp topping your fish, it's going to be understated so that it doesn't overpower your fish and rice. My favorite handroll was the wagyu handroll with "garlic salt sauce". Didn't have much to report about the other handrolls that I ordered. Note that they serve all of your handrolls at once. If you want to take your time, maybe order a beer/sake and consider ordering 2-3 rolls at a time, so that your seaweed doesn't get soggy or cold. In Southern California we are lucky to have several options for handrolls, and this is a decent one for the South Bay; however, I still prefer the experiences at Kazunori or ROL in LA and OC counties. read more

See all

I initially ordered 3 hand rolls, since I'm notorious for not finishing my food, but I ended up surprising everyone by ordering 2 more! I couldn't help myself, the hand rolls were so delicious! My favorite one was the salmon chili oil! I ordered 2 of those and tried other hand rolls that were also delicious! I enjoyed the Wagyu carpaccio, the touch of lemon makes it even more delicious. The tofu cheese was surprisingly pleasant with the wasabi. It didn't make sense, but when I had it the flavors were amazing together. It's not actual cheese, but tastes like it and has the texture of it. Highly recommend the Sakura lemonade, so good! The waitresses we had were courteous and didn't judge me for adding more rolls when everyone else was done eating, so I really appreciate the no judgement vibes. :) Ambience reminded me of Japan! Good amount of space with at least 5+ tables. read more

See all

I came here twice this week due to an amazing deal they had. They were giving out 1 free roll per person. I also came here maybe about a month ago and absolutely loved it! I've had multiple rolls at this point and have not been disappointed once. My favorite rolls always include the scallops but all their toppings on their rolls are so good too! Can't wait to come back! read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

See all

I randomly stopped by this place because I was in the area and another sushi spot was closing, and wow -I'm so glad I did. This place turned out to be an absolute gem and is now one of my new favorite sushi spots. The sushi was incredibly fresh and delicious. Every bite felt like an explosion of flavor. Honestly, everything I ordered was amazing nothing was even close to mediocre. I loved the generous portion sizes, & also loved the garnishes they paired with the fish on each hand roll; they really complemented the flavors perfectly. I ordered their sake flight, which was solid, and ended up getting six hand rolls, bluefin tuna, salmon, rockfish, scallop, and I also tried my friend's snow crab roll. I'm pretty sure they use real snow crab because that one was especially delicious. After 10pm they serve a mini truffle ramen, and wow that dish was surprisingly good too. Another thing I appreciated is that they offer a free double portion of rice on the hand rolls, which is a nice touch. Service overall was good one of the girls was just okay, but nothing that took away from the experience. The ambiance was really nice and super clean, and it would definitely make a great date spot. read more

See all

I've been wanting to try this place forever but it's been difficult for me to make the trip since they opened. Finally I was able to come during Dine L.A. week. The location of this restaurant is in a very small and overcrowded plaza this multiple restaurants and a bank. Parking here is insufferable to say the least. I drove around the lot 3 times and ended up across the Main Street on the road and walked over. The restaurant itself is also fairly small. And it gets packed very quickly. I got lucky to be seated right away but the crowds came right after and the wait looked long. I got a bunch of different hand rolls, chicken skin appetizer, some drinks. The server also gave my party free seaweed paste to take home to eat with like noodles. We tried that at home and it was actually delicious. All the food there was fresh and filling. I definitely want to come back and try their happy hour where they have a special for 3 hand rolls for $18 or 5 for $26 read more

See all

Perhaps I don't have a refined palette, but I felt like this was just okay. The fish tasted fresh, but you don't get very much of it. You need to ask for double portion of rice. The single portion is way too little. Some of their recommended options were not stellar either. They have an option of tuna with wasabi and some white yam/root thing and that was super off putting. Slimy and flavorless. At the end, we ended up paying about $80 per person. Completely not worth it. read more

Quick handroll fix after a late night workout. Really glad this place is open late - there's not too many options so happy to have some pretty good food later in the evening. Ordered a few handrolls - was easy eats and no frills. One thing to note - the rice portions are different for lunch vs dinner - dinner is typically a bit less I think. They would add more rice on request though. Will be back! read more

See all

Dine LA 2026 Friday 1/30/2026 After work, heading home - spur of the moment decision to head into Gardena to try Oh Banzai. Made a reservation while driving down just in case it was busy. It wasn't. But it picked up by the time I was leaving. For starters, located on the corner of 182nd and S Western. Free parking lot but know that when that plaza picks up, parking can be challenging. My res was at 5:15. Parking lot was practically empty. I parked right in front. Seated immediately at the bar. Small place. Bar seating along with some tables. I didn't count but just know if you have a large party, better call ahead and know it'll be tight. Small dining area made for pretty good service. All I had to do was look at the servers (team of 2) and there were right there. Food was brought out quickly and timed pretty well so I wasn't sitting there with a bunch of different dishes. I opted for the DineLA menu plus a couple of appetizers and a large beer. See pics. I'll start with the handrolls. Crispy Nori. Fish, clean and fresh. Mix of ingredients complimented each other - nothing overpowering. Enjoyed all the rolls and would order each one again without hesitation. The simmered beef was a good but not a standout for me. It may have been if it were served with rice. Otherwise, it was like a bowl of soup with beef but not quite soup. Keep in mind, it's a preference thing. As for the appetizers, liked the seasoned quail eggs but really loved the sunomono with scallops and shrimp. Seasoned quail eggs taste for me didn't align with the rest of dinner. But that was on me. I wanted them because I hadn't had them in a while. I knew better but I didn't care. The stomach gets what it wants. Finished it off with Zenzai. Sweet Azuki Beans and Rice Flour Dumplings. Light and a perfect way to cap dinner and the work week. read more

See all

We went during their soft opening and have been back a handful of times. Honestly, go my wife and I, the food is high quality and so damn tasty! We haven't had a bad dish, from appetizers such as the carpaccio, to uni, to hand rolls, everything has been spot on. The service is friendly and polite. Our servers always seem so appreciative when we speak the little Japanese we know :). As expected, as word spreads about this place, it gets busier by the day but the ambiance stays the same, it's so chill and relaxing. I highly recommend you try this place. read more

Oh Banzai - Luxury Set - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

See all

3 hand rolls for $18 is the lunch special! It was yummy and the kosa drink was delicious and healthy! 10/10 place overall. read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Popped into this restaurant for lunch over the weekend with the wife. She suggested it after seeing some positive reviews on Yelp. I came here with very low expectations since I've never been a fan of hand rolls. I mean, it's a hand roll. How great could it be right? Well, spoiler alert, I left with a newfound appreciation for hand rolls. From the menu, I ordered the 5 pcs set which comes with 5 hand rolls (you get to choose the type of hand rolls you want from a list of options), a small dish of green veggies, and miso soup. For my rolls, I ordered the following; -Tuna + Kizomu Wasabi -Negi-Toro -Spicy Tuna -Onion Crunchy Chili Oil Salmon -Grated Daikon Ponzu Snow Crab I thoroughly enjoyed every roll. Each roll had fresh fish/meat on them, and the toppings paired perfectly with each of the main ingredients. Note: It looks like a lot of food when you get the rolls, but they're surprisingly light and not filling at all. You may end ordering extra rolls! For my drink, I ordered the Pineapple Koso Enzyme Drink. At first, I thought it tasted funny. Then it started to grow on me as I took more and more sips. It's very refreshing and a welcome change from your typical fruit drink. Finally, for dessert, I ordered their cake of the day which was a roll cake topped with chestnuts. Actually, my wife and I both did. The server told us that they get the cakes from the Bonjour bakery a few doors down in the same strip mall the restaurant is located. I think the restaurant did jazz the cakes up a bit before serving them to us. We enjoyed the cake so much that we stopped by the bakery after we ate at this restaurant. Unfortunately, most of their cakes were sold out by the time we got there. Anyway, I have to highlight the service at this restaurant. It's top notch. Every employee, not just our server, was pleasant. They created a welcoming environment. Also, the food and drinks came out very fast. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at this restaurant and plan to come back very soon. This is one of those places I can imagine coming back to on a regular basis. I highly recommend you give this place a try. It converted me into a lover of hand rolls. read more

See all

Solid spot for some hand rolls. We ordered several appetizers to try, our favorite being the ocean gem tartar which was one of their new items. All their rolls were good except the chili crisp salmon, the salmon was really chewy. Everything else was fresh, flavors were great. The service was pretty good, food came out at a decent pace. read more

See all

Based on social media and other Yelp reviews, I thought this would be better. Quite pricey for the amount of food, and size of fish is small. What really threw me off was the yuzu jelly they use in some of their hand rolls. The texture was not it for me. The chicken wings were also way overpriced and not seasoned at all. Service was good and friendly, but I'd probably go elsewhere unfortunately. read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Make your reservation! This lovely place has so many tasty options in one week I went here twice! What made me return was their Ocean Gems appetizer! Please see my pics! Service was helpful and gave great suggestions on what to try.. Save this spot for drinks & bites into the late night! If you love sake and seafood you are in for a treat And please don't miss out on the Sweet Potato Brûlée to finish! read more

See all

The spicy edamame is a must order! The only roll I didn't like was the salmon one. It was a bit too bland for me. Other than that, all the other rolls were tasty, and two of them had a really interesting sauce that elevated the rolls. good amount of seating inside and sufficient parking inside. Staff was quick and friendly. Well lit and not too noisy. read more

See all

This place is incredible, and my husband and I will be regulars at this establishment moving forward! First of all, their fish is so fresh, their hand rolls are a good size and also a good price. I like that you can customize the toppings/flavors based off of your own personal preferences, and you can pick your own proteins as well for their three or five hand roll set. They were pretty busy on Sunday, however, food still comes out really quickly. The service is very polite as well. The Matcha, Mont Blanc dessert is amazing, my husband ate half of the dessert, and he is not a dessert person. It was the perfect amount of sweetness as well. We also really enjoy their enzyme drink, Koso, it's perfectly sweetened, bright, and sparkling. read more

Oh Banzai - 5 handroll set TikTok: @xu.Kathy - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

See all

I walked in with a friend pretty last minute on a Saturday night and was promptly seated. The restaurant was willing to work us in around their reservations, which we were very grateful for. The fish is fresh and high quality. Flavor is good. That being said, pricing is probably the main thing that discourages me from coming back. It's hard to get full on rolls and they only allow a la carte ordering for dinner. So if you're looking to splurge, then come to Oh Banzai for some good rolls. Otherwise, maybe save your money! read more

Went here for before a friend's stand up gig. I really love the selection here as they had more fish than most other hand-roll places. It's pretty awesome that they made these fairly quickly so you can order more as you go in case you still want more. We got the sake that ANA serves to their first class patrons so we were able to enjoy the hand-rolls even more. The highlight for me was the tofu cheese given the taste and texture. The combination with the wasabi was chef's kiss. The atmosphere was very similar to most japanese restaurants so it added to the overall experience. If i am ever in Gardena I would definitely stop by again! read more

See all

Beautiful delicious food made with care and fresh ingredients, affordable price points, attentive service, modern and clean aesthetic, this place checked all the boxes and I could not have asked for more! We made a reservation for lunch (you need to call, online reservation not available for lunch) and ordered the 3 hand roll special for $18. Yes, you read it right, $18, I got scallop, shrimp and unagi. I recommend the teriyaki sauce, spicy mayo and the onion crunchy chili oil for flavoring. We also got the matcha Monte blanc for dessert. It was divine! Highly highly recommend this place! Parking is free. read more

See all

What a great food and service experience. St Patty's day with a special Iced Barley Sprouts Tea from Golden Aojiru from Kyushu. I had the 5 roll lunch, and each roll was superb. Friendly staff and very gracious service. 5 Stars! read more

See all

Came here for lunch and really enjoyed it! Freshly made sushi hand rolls that make a nice light lunch. It's located in a plaza so a good amount of parking. There are a few tables and seats inside so can get busy. Service is friendly and nice too. The vibe is pretty relaxed and easy going. I really enjoyed the salmon with the spicy mayo on top! Overall would come back! read more

See all

Loved this handroll spot. I love that you can pick your own 3 or 5 rolls and there's no set menu. The salmon chili crunch oil was my favorite. The set also comes with a side of seaweed salad and miso soup. I will definitely be back. read more

Oh Banzai - 5 handrolls, miso and seaweed salad - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

See all

Tried a variety of rolls. Most are the same with similar types of toppings. Food came by quickly The waitress was pretty busy but didn't have to wait long. Overall the food was good. The only negative would the wings which was a bit too burnt. The seaweed wrapper gets soggy pretty much right away because of the dressing/toppings. *Would get again. 1. Negi toro * 2. Yellowtail jalapeño ponzu 3. Yellowtail grated ponzu* 4. Yellowtail teriyaki sauce 5. Salmon onion crunchy chili oil 6. Scallop spicy mayonnaise * 7 Eel shichimi * 8. Eel cucumber 9. Snow crab spicy mayonnaise 10. Wagyu sirloin 11. Uni * 12. Overflowing ikura 13. Chicken wings: too burnt Would come back and try some of the other rolls. Overall 3.75. read more

See all

I'll be honest, this was a case where the social media marketing got the best of me. Came here with a friend for dinner and I'm here to report I was very underwhelmed. The quality of the hand rolls are subpar and the other dishes aren't exactly stellar either. I doubt I'll be coming back again.. read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Came to try this for lunch on a Saturday during LA Week with a friend. Got try the premium hand rolls along with a few other items including a special in house drink. Hand rolls tasted great! One that was a bit chewy was the toro. Other than that, the rest of the food was fresh and tasted delicious! read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

See all

So good! We got takeout from here when they were doing their special for Japan in LA week. Their takeout setup was so thoughtful, the seaweed is has a plastic wrap that you pull off when you're ready to eat, so that it doesn't get soggy like other hand rolls we've gotten to go at other places. Most everything we got was delicious, especially the eel and scallop hand rolls. The only ones I didn't love were the crab rolls, they weren't as flavorful. The onion and chili crisp was probably my favorite style! And the ponzu but that wasn't as readily available with all the fishes. The tamago egg, sunomono, and carpaccio were also so good They have a more limited online ordering menu, so we did have to go in person to order and get the special. It took about 20 min, so I put in the order, did errands and came back. It's a lovely place, I wish we could've eaten there, but it's tricky with a newborn . Hopefully next time! read more

Oh Banzai - Takeout - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

I think I put the ones I got on the hand roll picture but every single one I had was so good! Even the salad that comes with the lunch plate was really good. I was honestly a fan of every single hand roll I got, but I do remember being pleasantly surprised by the jalapeno ponzu and onion crunchy chili oil toppings! I think I would definitely come again to try out other combinations of toppings and protein choice for the hand rolls. The sunomono was also tasty and we finished it really quickly. It wasn't too packed at lunch time on a weekday and the service was very attentive and quick. Would recommend this place for hand roll lovers! read more

Oh Banzai - negi-toro, salmon + spicy mayo, scallop + jalapeno ponzu, shrimp + onion crunchy chili oil, snow crab + grated daikon ponzu - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

See all

Wow! I went here for lunch with some friends and was greeted by staff warmly. Everyone was super welcoming. We each ordered the 5 handrolls for $26. What a great deal! The handroll set also comes with some miso and seaweed salad. I got the Negi toro, salmon with onion crunchy chili oil, yellow tail with daikon grated ponzu, scallops with jalapeño ponzu, and snow crab with grated daikon grated ponzu. It was delicious. The staff was very accommodating when we were intrigued about a dinner only item, which they made for us! Thank you so much for the amazing food and atmosphere. read more

Oh Banzai - Negi toro, salmon, yellow tail, scallop, and snow crab. - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Please pay this place a visit. Staff food is the best you will have next to a trip to Japan Ayumi and tomo made this experience the best you will ever have. I recommend so much the wagu is unreal the sake flight is so good it makes others like silly. But the over all experience is the best ever read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Such a charming spot! I ordered the set of five which came with a side of miso soup and seaweed salad. I ordered the spicy tuna, jalapeno eel, crunchy onion chili oil salmon, grated daikon ponzu snow crab, and the shrimp spicy mayo. My favorite was the crunchy onion chili oil salmon. Seafood was fresh and everything paired nicely with the hot soup and refreshing salad. Service was friendly and welcoming. Table and bar seating available. read more

Oh Banzai - Set of 5 (spicy tuna, jalapeno eel, onion crunchy chili oil salmon, grated daikon ponzu snow crab, shrimp spicy mayo) - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

They only serve hand rolls and small plate appetizers. After 10pm they serve ramen. They are open late until midnight everyday and until 1am on Fridays. Everything we ordered was super fresh and flavorful. My favorites were the carpaccio, yellowtail onion chili oil, shrimp tempura daikon ponzu and the wagyu garlic salt. Serve was top notch friendly, prompt and just overall very attentive. We also ordered Homare sake and loved the presentation. It was in a shot glass which was filled to the rim inside another bowl like container with even more sake. read more

See all

A welcome addition to the area but I feel like it could be better and the price is a little high for what you get. Nothing about it was bad but also nothing made me really want to come back either. Service was pleasant but not the most attentive. Food came out quick which is important for lunch time. One of the things I found interesting is that they don't use the plastic seaweed protectors so your nori can get mushy if you don't eat quickly. I think Temaki society does a better job in LA with more interesting filling offerings. read more

See all

I love this place! The unique hand roll flavors are what make this place standout vs Kazunori or other hand roll bars. The food came out quick and my favorite flavors were the salmon spicy mayo and eel shichimi. Their koso drink is a must try as well. It's not too sweet, very refreshing and apparently great for your health too. I ordered the lemon flavor but I also heard that the pineapple and strawberry are very popular. Parking is easy, they have a large private lot. We arrived on a Saturday at 11:30 right when they open and there was no line. read more

Lunch specials are probably where it's at for this place since anything else gets a little too pricey for the quantity you're eating. Now, with that being said, Oh Banzai is definitely a quality type of restaurant. While not a full on handroll size, each piece is made with high quality ingredients. But for $26, you'd expect to be somewhat satiated afterwards. Instead, my fiance and I had to go get a little extra food at Tokyo Central afterwards. That aside, the sushi is pretty darn good. The fish quality melts in your mouth, they give decent flavors in their sauces, and everything is presented so nicely! It's worth trying this place out at least to see what all the hype's about! read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

See all

Food: good fresh sushi on top of nice warm white rice, wrapped in crispy seaweed, each bite was a treat for sure. BUT I was not full even after the 5 pieces, and opted to go to nearby Tokyo Central afterwards to fill the rest of my stomach. Price: pretty pricey, it cost $26 for the 5 piece during lunch time, which is more than $30 including tax and tip, and I left not even feeling full sigh, I don't know if it's actually worth, probably won't be back. Ambiance: small cute Japanese place, with about 5-7 small tables and bar seating. there was not much wait since this place is still relatively new. very clean and bathroom available in the back. good for hangout with friends or casually grabbing a bite with family/partner. Service: good, the waitresses spoke mostly Japanese but still fluent in English. we got all the food we ordered and a check in the end without any issues. Parking: located within a strip mall, decent amount of available parking spots right outside. read more

See all

Amazing! Everything was superb. Definitely 10 out of 10 Very welcoming You have a choice of seating at table or bar. read more

See all

This is a nice trendy new spot in Gardena that had a lot of hype on Instagram. I stopped by for a quick early dinner and ordered 6 hand rolls ... they had a nice early special on salmon ikura so that was good. Overall, I thought service was good and they had a huge variety in menu. But I have to say the hand rolls are somewhat pricey and small in size. If you want anything that is not super basic it will add up. I really enjoyed the salmon onion crunchy chili oil one for a basic roll. A 30 minute stop was about $65. I would come back but more for a special occasion then an every day dinner spot. read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California