Otafuku is well known for its variety of soba and yakitori dishes, though the entire menu looked tempting. I ordered the hot seiro soba with Japanese mountain potato. Note that all of the soba toppings are priced separately, which can make the dish a bit expensive. That said, we added shrimp and scallop tempura, and it was absolutely delicious. For yakitori, we tried the chicken wings and the chicken meatball. The meatball was amusingly served as one giant chicken-sicle! The wings had great flavor, though the skin was a bit too fatty. My husband also ordered a pork cutlet bowl, and we shared a sashimi plate with scallop, cod, salmon, and two types of tuna. Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious. We also shared the jidori egg and seaweed salad. Out of everything we ordered, my favorites were definitely the sashimi, the shrimp and scallop tempura, and the jidori egg. They do take reservations, but when we visited on a Sunday night, we were lucky enough to be seated right away. Dining here really felt like being back in Japan, and we'll definitely return. read more

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Easy eats soba noodles in a low key space. Went for a Friday evening dinner - would recommend RSVP'ing but was able to walk in. There is a parking lot in the back but would recommend street parking as it gets pretty cramped in the lot. Vibe feels like an old school mom n pop Japanese restaurant - relaxed and welcoming. Was sat immediately - ended up ordering the hot Seiro soba, some shrimp and veggie tempura, and a beer. Everything was light, but filling and tasty. Noodles disappeared pretty quickly - definitely enjoyed it, as well as the broth. Tempura was also very well cooked. The shrimp tempura wasn't sad shrimp, they were sizable. Two meals were about $65 ish all together - not bad. Would come back! read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Seiro soba w/ shrimp & veggie tempura - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

On a weekday night around 6:45, we were able to be seated right away, but by the time we left, I think it was a full house! They do take reservations. Our waitresses were very kind and helpful; great service! They have 3 different kinds of soba. I got their signature seiro soba which is 80% buckwheat and a white noodle. This alone is $18 which I think is steep for the amount of soba and dipping sauce. It was tasty though and I enjoyed it because it felt lighter than other soba dishes I've had. Then you can add some other items on to make a combo, so I got the vegetable tempura. This is more worth its price at $14. It came with a variety of 8-9 pieces of tempura in a light and crispy batter! It was a good combination, just wouldn't necessarily pay $30+ for it again. But I would come back to try other items! At the end of the meal, they bring hot water to pour into the rest of the soba dipping sauce and become a broth. It was warm, savory and according to our waitress, "good for you!" read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Seiro soba (regular) with vegetable tempura - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Delicious in house made Seiro Soba. If you're a fan of soba or havent had Seiro Soba coming to Otafuku should be on your list of things to try. Came by for lunch with a friend on a sunday at open and was able to snag a seat easily, but the crowd followed shortly after. Very homely vibe in here with families and friends of all types to try the food here. I got the Cold Seiro Soba with the Tempura, and Ive gotta say the Seiro soba is so nice and bouncey, and soaks up the Tsuyu really well to get a full flavored bite with each dip. I prefer cold soba because i like my soba chewy the whole meal, so if you do so i reccomend getting the cold soba. The tempura that came w the order was so nicely and lightly battered that even after eating i didnt feel any sort of heaviness. The Shirmp tempura were surprisingly big, but the shrimp they choose here is also really nicely sweet! Definitely reccoment getting the tempura set with your soba while you're here. Glad ive finally had a chance to get down there any try their soba after years of not getting around to it. Definitely a place worth checking out, and especially to try their Seiro soba! read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Seiro soba (8.5/10): delicious. I preferred cold over hot, as the cold noodles have an amazing chew. We got the shrimp and veggie tempura with it. Not sure why it costs $14 (nearly doubles the price of the soba), but I do concede that the tempura was perfectly fried. Jidori Egg Omelet (9/10): this was an experience. Never had anything like this before. Really elevated egg to a new level. This is a must-order Chilled Supreme Tofu (8/10): very soft and custard tofu. Great starter for the meal Karaage (8/10): nicely fried and tender within. Salt levels were perfect. Jidori Egg Custard (9/10): omg this dessert is so good!!! Save room for this at the end. So creamy. Red bean Soup (8/10): also a great dessert. Less unique than the egg custard, though Service was fantastic. Restaurant space is very nice as well. read more

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This local Japanese noodle spot came across my feed and when I asked a friend who's from the area if they'd join she said she loves this place. The very simply decorated restaurant felt like I was back in Japan. The noodles and food live up to the hype. The appetizer fried chicken had some of the lightest tempura batter I've ever had. The tempura was super light and also comes with a shiso leaf. The zaru soba was excellent and they give you some hot noodle water towards the end of the meal to turn the dipping sauce into soup. I'd love to go back. read more

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Flavors were interesting and tasty. Soba noodles did not seem up to par... They were short abd broken...not very long. Beef tendon was soft and well cooked and interesting as an appetizer. Service was friendly. read more

Service is super kind and they don't rush you out of the restaurant. Space is a little tight but very reminiscent of traditional Japanese restaurants which I love. Got the cold seiro soba- yum! Mackerel rice bowl - omg I lovedddd this. Definitely my fave Eel and vegetable tempura - good! Shrimp and vegetable tempura- also yum! The tempura was all fried perfectly very crispy Such a great homey Japanese spot. excited to come back and try other things! read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Seiro soba, mackerel bowl, tempuras - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

For me, there's nothing better than Japanese comfort food. I love looking over a menu full of familiar favorites that my mom or grandma used to make. When we walked in after parking in their back parking lot, we were greeted with friendly smiles. We called ahead on a Friday night, but they still had a few open tables. What makes Otafuku extra special is their homemade soba noodles. You can order them hot or cold and can choose from side dishes to make it a combination. I went with hot brown soba noodles with mixed tempura. While the noodles are popular, my husband tried the tonkatsu donburi, which was also very good. It was a large portion and he was only able to eat about half, but he enjoyed it a lot. We also ordered a side of potato salad. Japanese potato salad is something special and I enjoyed it a lot here. The food was warm, comforting and absolutely delicious! read more

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We came around lunch time on a weekend and it was packed. Despite the business, they were able to accommodate us at the bar. It has a very homey and family owned feel. The service was fairly quick. The parking lot in the back was a tad tight so we ended up street parking in the neighborhood. We ordered the seiro soba (one hot and one cold with diakon radish/green onion), a combination of shrimp+veggie tempura, and a small salad with yuzu dressing. The food was delicious! Well balanced and delicious! read more

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Soba noodles are remarkably chewy and delicious. Once you're done, they give you hot buckwheat water to mix with your dipping sauce. I think it's supposed to help with digestion. I recommend the tempura eel and the mackerel petite bowl! If you like dessert, the cold red bean soup is to not be missed! read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Seiba soba and petit mackerel bowl - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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After hearing great things about this spot, I decided to try it out on a Sunday for dinner. I arrived right when they opened at 5p and was sat at the bar top. By 5:30p the crowd rolled in. It is a quaint, hole in the wall style Japanese restaurant, no frills. Service is efficient and kind. I ordered the edamame, hot seiro soba, shrimp and veggie tempura and the marinated miso black cod. Overall, it was an 8/10. It was my first time trying soba, so I wasn't sure what to expect. It had a light, sweet flavor and the noodles were cooked well. The tempura was cooked perfectly and the cod was beyond delicious. Edamame was a bit firm but not bad. I did feel it was overpriced. I paid $71 total for those 4 items. I may try the skewers or rice dish next time. read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Siero Soba hot, Shrimp and veggie tempura - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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Omg the tamago/egg omelette is delicious! Not super sweet, perfectly fluffy and was served hot! The radish on the side with some type of flavored soy sauce drizzled on top complemented it very well. The jidori chicken was super flavorful and tender. There is a tiny lot in the back and seemed to get pretty crowded shortly after opening. read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Tamago/egg omelette - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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I came here to meet up for lunch with a friend and everything from the tiny parking lot to the interior aesthetics felt like an actual restaurant in Japan. The kitchen was pretty open and it was nice to see the chefs in action. The staff was very friendly, as one would expect at a Japanese restaurant. The way it works for part of the order is you first order the type of noodle you want, then you order the toppings/accompaniment with it. My friend and I both ordered the Seiro soba noodles with vegetable and eel tempura, and we also shared the Japanese omelette. The soba noodle came separately from a big bowl of broth for dipping both the noodles and the tempura. The eel and veggie tempura were a very generous portion! Almost intimidating when it came out. When all was said and done, I did think the Seiro soba noodles were the star, with a perfect chewiness to it and the broth with just the right amount of saltiness to it. The eel was fine - I've never had it served like that, and I think I just like it with unagi sauce better. The omelette was great and I highly recommend getting that. Towards the end of our meal, the waitress came by with a pot of something, maybe hot water(?), to mix in with our broth to drink. I thought that was the perfect end to the meal. I would definitely consider coming back. The prices were a little higher than I would normally pay for noodles, but it was a nice treat. read more

Small unassuming gem. Extremely popular place thats authentic Japanese. Waitresses were attentive and helpful. Food had perfect portions and was definitely the right choice. Will add this one to the list! read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Wild sea eel tempura rice bowl - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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Five stars for Otafuku! This place is packed with Japanese nationals so you know it has to be GOOD! I was so excited to try this place, I ordered three dishes for myself! Anago eel tempura. There was a generous portion of eel, deep fried perfectly. The crunch on the outside was perfect and it was not greasy! Serves with a tempura dipping sauce! Grade: A Next I ordered the tempura combination. Generous pieces of shrimp and assorted veggies. The tempura was cooked to perfection. Grade: A I also ordered the anago soba combination. Uiu get to choose between two types of soba. I got the one that was a higher percentage of buckwheat grain. You also get to order it hot or cold. I got the hot. This dish was amazing and I noticed that most tables ordered the lower buckwheat grain soba. All looked good! Grade A Service was amazing. Friendly and helpful! Overall impression grade: A! read more

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Otafuku gives the most minimalist, understated vibes. You enter through the back and once you make it through the narrow hallway, it opens into a sleek dining room. It's surprisingly new for such an old institution. The food, like the deco, is understated but bursting with flavors. To start, we shared the Japanese style egg omelet ($9.00). This was so good. The egg is delicately rolled into a fluffy roll. It has a hint of sweetness which is a really nice compliment the egg. I also loved the char-grilled Berkshire pork with yuzu pepper paste ($18.00). The yuzu pepper taste gave each bite a little bit of heat without overshadowing the tender pork. The real star of the evening was the soba. I ordered the zaru soba ($16.00) which is the classic brown soba noodles. They recommend eating this version hot, but I opted for a cold noodle instead. On their own, these noodles were/are intensely good - they're al dente with the perfect amount of chew. I added on tempura crumbles ($2.00), grated daikon radish ($2.50) + dipping sauce with green onion and wasabi. ($2.50). Honestly, the sides/add-ons are very shareable portions so one order is (aside from the dipping sauce) more than enough for 2 people. You can also add on a protein - wild sea eel is delish. (+$16.00). Come early. I came at 5:30 on a Sunday and it was pretty cracking. I think they may or may not take resys, but I could be lying. Come early. read more

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Lunch with a friend and I finally convinced her to try something new out of our regular South Bay rotation of Japanese restaurants. I have been looking forward to going to Otafuku for quite some time. Because who wouldn't want to choose between 3 levels of buckwheat levels for soba? Leisurely lunches means we order whatever we want regardless of how many of us are at the table so we got both salads, dashimaki, cold tofu, roasted ginkgo nuts, and soba. Loved it. This was the lightest and satisfying meal. Each dish was thoughtfully prepared and executed well. We didn't feel overtly stuffed afterwards...and I needed to portion control to ensure I had space for Felix later. My friend kicks herself for not agreeing to come here sooner. read more

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More so 4.5! Ordered the hot soba, salad, grilled sea bass, and vegetable and eel tempura. Everything was pretty good, with my favorite dish being the grilled sea bass. So buttery. Service was helpful and cheerful! They also take reservations. Ample seating, best for parties between 1-4, maybe up to 6. Our only issue was that our tempura was a bit oily. However, we'd come back and try it again! read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Eel and vegetable tempura - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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Fresh made soba goodness. So glad I was able to finally try this place. Humble down home Japanese food that makes their own soba noodles on the spot. Fresh made in house justs hits different. Multiple styles of Japanese soba noodles served hot or cold and paired with proteins or other options like tempura flakes, shrimp tempura, blue fin tuna, etc...I went at lunch and was able to walk in but this place gets super busy so reservations are recommended! read more

Superb soba place with the only complaint being the relatively expensive price. Rice dishes were good too but come here for either hot bowls or cold plates of soba. read more

Love this Japanese restaurant. You can taste the freshness of the ingredients they use, and can see that they put effort into presentation and style. They are known for their soba but rice dishes are great too. Highly recommend. Parking is at the back. read more

Came here on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. Wasn't too crowded which was nice. The restaurant has a small parking lot in the back with an entrance. I ordered their signature Seiba soba noodles which was pretty good, but the extra 10% flour really does make it a different experience. Good to try, but I'll stick with traditional next time. Ordered a small salad - their homemade dressing was pretty good. The tempura was nice and crispy. The okra tempura was surprisingly good. My friend had the eel tempura which was pretty interesting as well. The service was great. Friendly staff. Worth checking out if you're in the area! read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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Small place with open kitchen. The fried greasy smell permeated the restaurant. You will leave w/ greasy smell after. Food was quite expensive for basically a bowl of soba and a bowl of dipping broth and a dash of wasabi and green onions. a whopping $15 you get nothing else with a small portion and leaving you feeling empty lol. You can add additional $10 for probably like eight small pieces of vegetables, well one piece was literally a piece of shiso. Regular price for the tempura is $13. And the dipping broth for your soba also acts as the tempura sauce. The soba was firm and chewy, which was not bad but not worth the price. Taste was also OK if I'm being honest. There was nothing that really stood out from this place for the price. Park in the back but very limited spaces. Restaurant and restroom were both accessible. read more

This is one of my favorite Izakaya spots in Gardena! otafuku is one of my go to spots when I'm craving Japanese food in Southbay Los Angeles! It's a small, izakaya spot in Gardena that you can easily miss while passing by. They have a wide range of dishes which vary from yakitori, sashimi, soba, and more. The menu will change from lunch to dinner, and they have a good variety of sake and beer too. My favorite dishes are their takowasa, mackerel salad, small rice bowls, and chicken skewers. They're also known for their soba, which they make in house as well. Definitely a hidden gem in Gardena that you should save for later! read more

Otafuku Restaurant - IG @snacks_with_steph - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

This place is legit and so cute inside. I really loved the ambience and the food. I just wish it didn't take so long for the food to come out (though service is very nice). We got the hot seiro soba, miso black cod, vegetable tempura, and karaage. All were solid and 5/5. There is a slight discount if you pay by cash. read more

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I've only been to this restaurant twice with a big gap between the visits. On my last visit, they did not have their signature Seiro soba. I ended up ordering the Zaru soba which I can make at home. It was good. The chicken wings were also very good. read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Chicken wings - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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I came back in the summer for the handmade soba. The noodles were bold with the buckwheat flour and held a chewy texture. The chicken ball skewer was tasty. It was thick but well-marinated. The ankimo was fresh and not too greasy. Tamago was my favorite. It was so fluffy, soft, smooth, and savory. It felt like you were biting on a cake. The place was packed, and parking was to the back, but it was still limited. My friend and I parked on the street that was maybe two blocks away. It took a while for us to have our food ordered. But the Food was served fast, though, and the place was not too noisy. read more

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still one of our favorite restaurants down in the South bay. good service with a smile. It's an izakaya, so doesn't have loads of ambiance, but is clean with tightly pack tables. Can be boisterous at times if filled for dinner. Some of the best karaage out there, and the soba is delicious as well. read more

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Otafuku has become one of those rare places I keep returning to. It's an unassuming little spot that quietly delivers some of the best Japanese food around--easy to miss if you're not looking for it, but unforgettable once you've been. Their menu has this understated, elevated quality. My family has a few favorites: the dashimaki tamago--a Japanese-style rolled omelet made with dashi--is always perfectly done. It's soft, savory, slightly sweet, and kind of addictive. The donburi bowls are cozy and flavorful, and the sashimi is clean and fresh without needing anything extra. The karaage deserves a special mention--probably the best I've had in town. And that's saying a lot in a place like this, where good Japanese food is everywhere. It's super crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and never greasy. Just spot on. The soba is also something special. Made in-house with flour imported from Japan, the noodles have a delicate flavor and smooth, fresh texture. The cold seiro soba is especially great when you want something light but satisfying. There's a calm, no-frills vibe at Otafuku that I really appreciate. It doesn't try too hard, and it doesn't need to. It's one of the few spots we all agree on without hesitation. If you're looking for something unpretentious but truly good, this is it. Highly recommend. read more

A YouTuber raved about this place, so we came w/ high hopes bc the person I came w/ really wanted to come. Glad we tried it, but won't be back. Price point is too high & the food was good but it tasted like what other Japanese places are doing & at more reasonable prices. If you're wanting to try once in your life or are there just for the vibes & your company, you might have a better experience, but solely on food quality & price alone, I wouldn't recommend it. Portions & quality of food/service are disproportional to what they're marketing. The wait could get crazy & service can be a hit or miss, so I'd take that chance to eat somewhere else for a better time. Service was very slow. The biggest disappointment was that there was a huge gap between our tempura order w/ the rest of our order, but we saw that the Japanese lady who was freshly seated alone got her food right away. There was also a size difference from our tempura order to the table next to us which was interesting. They also need better air circulation bc the fried smell heavily lingers & follows you home. Based off reviews, we got the cold soba, mixed tempura, & the chicken karaage. Interestingly they give extra salt w/ the tempura & karaage, which I don't think it needed but it would've been nicer instead to have an aioli or some type of dipping sauce to enjoy with the karaage since the flavor got too fried & oily to eat on its own. Parking could also be hit or miss since the lot in the back is small, but street parking isn't an issue in this area. Safe but sad to say it didn't meet her expectations. read more

We came here on a Friday night -- upon entering the parking lot (in the back, quite small), we realized we should try making a reservation if possible, since it seemed like a lot of people were waiting. We called at 5:13 for a reservation at 5:30, and the person who picked up the phone was very accommodating and gave us a reservation for 3 people for 2 hours! The space is really clean and bright, which I think is quite unassuming from the outside. There are two single stall men's and women's restrooms, which are clean but small. I ordered the Soba Combo, with Zaru Soba and Vegetable Tempura. The soba was a really nice texture, and the tempura was crispy. We also shared the Char-grilled Berkshire Pork w/ Yuzu Pepper Paste, which was a bit on the saltier side. We ordered the Chicken Skin as well, which was really good. read more

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If you're a fan of udon or soba, I highly recommend this place. All the noodles are homemade, and their tempura is fantastic! However, I found the shrimp cake tempura to be a bit heavy on the mayo. For starters, don't miss the ginkgo nuts--they're delicious! The service is friendly, but the space is a bit small, so it's a good idea to make a reservation if you can. read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Best Japanese food In the South Bay. If you're here make sure you don't miss out as it's #1. The vibe is casual and the service is top notch but i would still come even if it was the worst service cause the food is WORTH IT read more

Otafuku Restaurant - Karaage - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

I'm no expert on noodles but this is really good. We ordered the signature white soba with chicken and the classic brown buckwheat served hot with a side of shrimp tempura and veggies. The broth was very flavorful. The meal was simple but filling. Our service was excellent and everyone was very nice and cheerful. Will definitely come back to try more dishes. read more

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We came for lunch around the new year's week time frame. The hours were a bit different but we got seated last for lunch, which was awesome because we had made the trek out to Gardena just for Otafuku. S is a huge fan of soba and this has been on his list of restaurants to try for a while. There is a parking lot in the back, but I thought it was kind of small. We were lucky (yet again!) and got the last spot. Anyways, we both got the white soba (hot) aka seiro soba. I got the wild shrimp + veggie tempura combo and he got the eel + veggie tempura combo. The tempura was definitely the wow factor of the meal. The shrimp tempura was SO huge. I definitely felt the combo was worth the extra $10. Oh the other hand, the eel was a bit too meaty? We both agreed that the shrimp tempura was the better option/ The soba was really good and so was the broth! As much as I enjoyed the lunch menu, I see pictures of their dinner menu online and it makes me envious. We definitely want to come back for dinner some time and I'm sure we'll have another great meal. Staff was really warm and quick. read more

Definitely interesting menu had a small garden salad topped with dry sardines, a shrimp and scallop rice bowl. This was accompanied by some miso soup and A few small pickled veggies My dining companion had a small salad no sardine and a small bowl of tofu which was a caramel color and topped with small tablespoon of ground ginger and green onion. Good Value 37$ lunch for 2 and very friendly Japanese server. 1st time here definitely going back, like going to Tokyo without leaving So Bay read more

There are 3 different types of sobas. My not so discerning palate cannot tell the difference, but it's a bit surprising that they demand such a premium ($14 minimum for plain sobas). The ingredients are imported from Japan, Hubby reminded me. Only the Kikouchi Soba comes with a dipping sauce. All 3 of us did an add on to the noodles. We tried Bluefin Tuna Bowl, Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura and Wild Sea Eel & Vegetable Tempura. They were all well prepared. They would have cost more on their own without the noodles. Worthy of mention is the Wild Sea Eel. It was ginormous. It can feed 2 people. Service was ok. The servers seemed very busy. What we asked for (more water, more dipping sauce), we did get promptly. There is a parking lot at the back of the restaurant. Unless you are a soba fan, it seems more like a one and done restaurant. read more

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We recently discovered a low-key Japanese restaurant hidden in Gardena, and it was such a delightful experience for our family. The restaurant exudes a cute and charming atmosphere that instantly gave us good vibes. The customer service was spot on, making us feel welcomed and well taken care of. My husband and I tried the fried eel--he paired it with cold noodles while I enjoyed it with hot noodles. Both dishes were exceptional. We also ordered tempura and Katsudon for our kids, which they absolutely loved. This is probably the most authentic Japanese spot I've ever visited. Every bite was infused with that perfect umami flavor that many other places lack. It truly hit the spot for us! If you're looking for an authentic and cozy Japanese dining experience, this hidden gem in Gardena is a must-visit. They have different menu options for lunch and dinner. Their hours differ too so they can prepare for the lunch and dinner crowd. Parking is tight so find parking on the street and walk towards the back where the entrance is located. read more

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We love Azuma! We were so glad to live walking distance from it as we frequented it often. I recommend coming early to avoid the wait. As everyone else mentioned, the beef teriyaki is basically a ribeye with teriyaki sauce so def get that. If you like sashimi, get the sashimi salad as the portions are huge! Honestly, everything in their menu was always a hit. They also have weekly lunch specials so stop by during lunch. It's great as an izakaya at night too, so enjoy some beer. Ambiance is pretty chill as there's counter seats and more tables in the back. They have a private parking lot in the back and also have street parking available. read more