I came here a couple of times about 18 years ago, I remember being impressed with their combos and loving the vibe. I remember the place looking a bit different but I remember the yummy affordable meal. The Japanese flavors, the many choices. Very happy it's still here. So almost 20 years later I came back for a quick lunch. This heat is hard on all kitchens so I don't mind the inside on this warm day. I can see the team working hard back there in this heat. I got a spicy tuna bowl and it came with a miso soup. The spicy tuna bowl was cold and warm with the rice. Perfect. The miso soup was so tasty. I wanted more. I should have gotten a fountain drink but the cold green tea drink did the trick. Everything was tasty and quick. I was taken care of quickly , great spot for a quick lunch. Thank you!!!!!! read more

Rice Things - Spicy Tuna Sushi Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Since my previous review, I've ordered the same items twice. Each time, I've noticed the dressing is packed separately with the spicy tuna roll. I believe my order was either previously left behind in the driver's car or they kept it for themselves. The manager from Rice Things also reached out to make things right which I really appreciate. Their food is consistent, staff are friendly and it's a South Bay staple. Highly recommend! read more

I stopped in during lunch with a friend, and the place was practically empty. The staff were friendly. I ordered a 3-item combo plate with green salad, potato mac salad, spicy chicken teriyaki, and beef teriyaki, along with a spicy tuna roll and a fountain drink. When my food came out, they had forgotten the potato mac salad, but the cashier quickly gave it to me and apologized. Everything was well packed, but something seemed off at first glance. The green salad and potato mac salad were both excellent--fresh, flavorful, and the highlights of the meal. Unfortunately, the rest didn't hold up. The beef teriyaki tasted old, almost as if it had been reused from previous days. The spicy chicken teriyaki had plenty of sauce, which was good, but the chicken texture also seemed off and not fresh. The spicy tuna roll was underwhelming and didn't look fresh at all--more like something you'd find prepackaged at a convenience store. Pros Friendly staff Quick apology and correction when an item was missing Green salad and potato mac salad were very good Soda fountain was not watered down Clean environment Cons Main entrees (beef and chicken teriyaki) tasted old Sushi did not appear fresh Overall food quality was inconsistent Overall verdict / recommendation While the service was solid and a couple of side dishes stood out, the overall food quality was disappointing. The entrees and sushi did not seem fresh, which made the experience underwhelming. I'm honestly just glad I didn't get sick after eating here. ***************UPDATE*************** Dear Lance, I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for reaching out and addressing my recent experience at your restaurant. Your willingness to listen and your thoughtful gesture in offering a refund truly meant a great deal to me and my friend. While the initial visit did not meet expectations, your response completely changed my perspective. It speaks volumes about your commitment to your customers and the pride you take in your business. I genuinely appreciate the time and effort you took to make things right. It shows integrity and professionalism, and it leaves a lasting positive impression. Because of your response, I would absolutely consider returning and giving your restaurant another try. Thank you again for your kindness and for valuing your customers in such a meaningful way. read more

Wow I'm actually really disappointed - Today, our order was served with undercooked rice, the salmon teriyaki was super dry/cardboard like, sesame chicken was salty, batter was crumbly, definitely tasted old, and the beef sukiyaki is more of a onion sukiyaki (very minimal tiny pieces of beef). The only thing that tasted norm, was the California roll. We've been coming here since 20? years ago... always ordered the same items. As far as taste, we are very familiar what it's supposed to taste like, and today was NOT it. There are so many good options other than Rice Things, but we continue to return to Rice Things to support this local (mom/pop) establishment. It's sad to say but if owners do not monitor and ensure the quality + taste, even their patrons will stop returning read more

Rice Things - Sesame chicken...? - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

This has been a long-time family favorite! It's changed in little ways since we've been going but consistently hits the spot! My daughter and I both went with 2-item combos. My daughter got Katsu chicken and a CA roll. I got Katsu Salmon and tempura veggies! Mine was crunchy where I wanted it to be and juicy and soft inside. I loved the many different sauces available. Always good for a quick and totally filling meal! read more

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Another place I'm always driving past as I take my pets down the street to the vet and thinking, "I've really got to try that place ". Well, I finally did. My wife and I decided to stop by after taking one of the pups in for her shots. The ratings and prices looked good so why not? My wife ordered a 2 item combo with teriyaki salmon and shrimp tempura. She enjoyed her plate but I didn't really care for the fish too much. My 2 item combo consisted of beef teriyaki and pork cutlet. The portions of food were pretty generous but nothing was really impressive. The cutlet was overcooked and on the dry side. The meat for the teriyaki was very tender but the sauce is extremely sweet and there was just too much of it for the amount of meat. You should probably ask for the sauce on the side so you can add it according to your taste. I enjoyed the miso dressing provided with the small green salad. I wish I could give a half star because RT probably deserves a 3 1/2 because the food is decent and you get more than enough but it's not like I thought it was amazing and would tell friends you must try it. It's a good place if you're hungry and want something acceptable that will fill you up. Parking is a bit limited so I can see it becoming problematic during peak hours. Service was good so no problems there. A good place to stop for a quick meal and get what you pay for. read more

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Haven't been here in forever but it's just as good as I remember. Everything was made fresh and tasted delicious. Inside was clean with plenty of seating. They had a water station too which was nice. Service was nice and I didn't have to wait too long. read more

Rice Things - Regular Spam Musubi Crunchy (5pc) Spicy California Roll (8pc) - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Well, not sure what happened. They sold the place, and quality is different. No longer have the rude "sushi nazi" but it's not the same. I used to go here 2x a week. Now maybe 2x a year and I'm disappointed each time. Oh well. They still have Island Fried Chicken which is sweet karaage, but not as light. The good thing is some dude named Lance is now there, and he is MUCH nicer than the "sushi nazi". So, I have a new rating system......I will be write what I feel honestly about an establishment. The only ratings I will give are 5 stars, which is enjoyable, or 3 stars which is "needs work." read more

Pricey and really weird service. Courteous guy but felt so uncomfortable ordering from here. I ordered Miso Soup and tastes different from what I had and not in a good way way. They could not answer any of my questions about some of the food orders and the taste was Meh. The appearance was also meh. Will be coming here again. They were nice. Just their product was just not that good in tastes or appearance. I'm so upset that I wasted my twenty dollars here. read more

Rice Things - Praying to food tastes good because the ordering process was super painful. - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

The food is consistently fresh and delicious here. Been coming here for over a decade and it never disappoints. Plenty of combo choices keep it interesting as well. If you have t been here you must try it. read more

Quick service. Consistent real food. Better option than fast food in the area. Vegetable tempura, spicy chicken, and sesame chicken. And easy quick go to for under $20 read more

Rice Things - 3 Item Combo Plate (Only 2 Sushi Rolls Allowed) - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

We love Rice Things for the convenience and consistency. It's one of the spots we frequent for take-out and appreciate the variety of options available for the combo plates. There's something for everyone: teriyaki, tempura, sushi, udon and more. Solid spot. read more

Rice Things is our go-to when no one feels like cooking but we still want to feel like we made a good choice. The combo plates are the real MVP--crispy katsu, tasty teriyaki chicken, and salmon that's surprisingly on point for a casual spot. The sushi rolls blow are fresh, solid, and never let us down. It's affordable, easy for pick-up, and consistently good. Basically, it's the kind of place you hope sticks around forever. read more

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Wow blast from the past! Rice Things was one of my very first reviews back in 2009 from early Yelp days. I actually got a good giggle from reading my review of the $5.54 combo plates. That was definitely back in the day! Fast forward to 15 years later and here I am once again writing about Rice Things combo plates. I was impressed back then and here I am still quite impressed. Rice Things combo plates are still quite the deal. Combo plates are now $12.95 for two items and $15.95 for 3 items. The 3 item combo is actually quite a lot of food and perfect for two meals or more. I chose to get the Hamburger Steak, Chicken Karaage and Vegetable Tempura along with the two sides of white rice and Potato Mac Salad (potato mac is an extra $1.50). The food was on point and I was impressed with the generous serving! I liked how crispy the Vegetable Tempura was and how flavorful the Chicken Karaage was. The Potato Mac Salad was also quite delicious and reminded me of Hawaii. The Hamburger Steak was my least favorite and I will probably pass on this next time. I didn't really care for the sauce they put on top and thought it was too sweet. I am so happy that through the years; Rice Things has maintained their good portions and good food! This is definitely a must stop when in Redondo Beach. read more

Rice Things - Hamburg steak + Karaage + Vegetable Tempira + Potato Mac - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Always a good spot to hit. Good combos, good quality. Came here since moving over from Hawaii and it reminded me a lot of the plate lunches from home. They also have curry plates, ramen, and udon. read more

Rice Things - Sesame chicken - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Nice experience I had at rice things! I haven't been here in a long time and this visit reminded me of why I used to go here so often in the past. The food was very delicious! I had gotten the 3 combo which was enough to share with myself and another person. I got the white rice & garden salad. I had also gotten the sesame chicken, fried pork gyoza, and the chicken katsu, which all were good. The fried pork gyozas were cooked perfectly and the sauce they provided was a delicious add-on. The chicken katsu was great with the katsu sauce and was very nice to eat. The sesame chicken was a little bit too salty, however, was still good. The service was good. The girl on the register was very nice and took the order very quick. The food was also prepared very efficiently. Inside is very nice, with plenty of seating, comfortable seating area. read more

So let me start of with saying this place has been my go to since I was a kid. Love love this place but they have gotten so cheap with everything. It is so disappointing honestly. The staff is kind, the AC is non existent and it was 90 degrees out. Portions have gone down so much. The food was still semi tasty but not as much as before. But the price to what you get now.. just not it. So disappointed might need to start looking elsewhere. read more

Rice Things - Combo Plate with 2 Item - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I looked up spam musubi and Yelp recommended this place. Fried spam musubi, a new one for me. A had to order and I'm glad I did. read more

Rice Things - Fried Spam Musubi - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Man this place is great it's got a chill atmosphere and the food is delicious and well priced it's tucked away in a little corner I got the 2 item combo and a coke for $18 not bad read more

Rice Things - 2 item combo salmon Teryaki and chicken Teryaki - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Def a gem in this area. If you're looking for casual Japanese-American cuisine, lots of options and big portions, come here. The food is good and they have many options from teriyaki to udon to katsu to poke. I used to frequent this place when I lived closer. Usually I would get a combo plate with a sushi roll and a veggie or meat option. Always leftovers! There is a seating area if you'd like to dine in. read more

Auntie Dot's chicken wings was a joke. It's just deep-fried chicken wings with a splash of some kind of liquid that didn't even saturate the chicken wings. A waste of money. Ordered order of Gyoza and there was maybe an eighth of an inch of Gyoza sauce. disappointing I do not recommend. read more

Not sure what happened to this place. My family had been coming here for years before the pandemic, and it used to be one of the best spots to eat. The food was always flavorful, the prices fair, portions just right, and the staff consistently friendly and welcoming. When we returned in early September, however, the experience was very disappointing. It started with the service or rather, the lack of it. We stood at the counter while the cashier stayed focused on her phone. After waiting about what felt like a minute, we finally had to cough to get her attention. Unlike before, there were no smiles, no greeting, no apology for the delay...just silence. Unfortunately, the food didn't make up for it either. The flavors were bland, and the overall quality felt far below what we remembered. The ice machine wasn't working. The bathroom was lackluster. I truly wish this wasn't the case, because my family and I once really loved this place. I'm not sure if it's under new management or simply changed over time, but sadly, it's not the same anymore. read more

Bland. Really no flavor at all. Also, beware, the take out containers are super flimsy. Easy to drop your sushi if you're not careful.

I loved this place 20 years ago so I finally went back to visit them again with my husband. The food is decent but I do think it's a bit expensive for the amount of food one gets for the prices. I got a two item combo (shrimp tempura and salmon avocado roll) and my husband got the Katsu curry. Everything felt a bit basic. Service was a bit snarky too. read more

Originally I wanted to sit down and eat but there was boxes out in the dinning area and we'll didn't give me the vide I wanted so I took my food to go no problem. They took my order pretty quickly I had ordered a combo plate with shrimp tempura , chicken fried rice (+$3 ) and chicken katsu. They made my order pretty quick it was good Ones I started to eat my food I noticed the rice tasted burnt. Keep in mind I had to pay extra and well my rice was burnt not physically but you can taste it. I work in the food Industry I don't like to complain but when you pay extra and it's burnt that's a big no no read more

My favorite Japanese take out in Hermosa Beach sadly closed. So I checked out Rice Things. I got the Two Combo Plate with 2 Item Karaage Chicken & Vegetable Tempura. The karaage was luke warm at best. It wasn't as flavorful as other karaage I've had. Maybe it wasn't marinated long enough. The vegetable tempura was lacking enough of the tempura batter and was more on the greasy side. There's plenty of off street parking shared with other businesses. read more

Rice Things - Two Combo Plate with 2 Item Karaage Chicken & Vegetable Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Randomly ended up coming here and was pleasantly surprised. The sushi here is affordable and actually good quality. We had salmon avocado roll and the salmon was a good color and tasted fresh. The salmon skin roll wasn't bad. I never had it before so don't know how it should actually taste but worth a try if you like that kind of roll. Service was good nothing crazy. You order at the register and they bring the food to you. They also have more than just sushi. Will def come back to try some more of the food. read more

Good fast, food and nice workers! My husband got both of their spam musubi and was very happy with it!

Ordered a one item combo, chicken catsu... gave us this. 4 strips of chicken, Soooooo skimpy. I've noticed They have started to get skimpy with their food. This is unacceptable with the way they are raising their prices. read more

Rice Things - One item Chicken Catsu - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Located off Artesia Bl in Redondo Beach. Small parking lot in the plaza is shared with the other businesses. The place is not big there are tables and seats inside. They have a good amount of choices from combo plates, sushi, ramen, udon and poke bowls. I got the three item combo plate got the beef teriyaki, chicken Katsu and fish tempura all were good and will definitely get again. The staff was friendly and nice. Overall a good place for your Japanese type foods and at a good cost as well. Will be back. read more

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I remember it being decent back in the day, but the last two times I went, the chicken teriyaki plates smelled and tasted of wet dog food. Also, one of the young dudes that works the counter is rude as hell -- he was folding take-out boxes at the cash register as I approached, but never once looked up at me or acknowledged me for a solid minute or so, then when I finally got his attention he decided to hit me with the "Oh, you're ready to order now? You never said anything so I thought you weren't gonna order." Maybe I'm old school, but if you're gonna be working the cash register at a restaurant you should probably not glue yourself to a task and completely ignore someone in front of you?? Customer service is something I don't even care much about, but that interaction was so bizarre that it left a lasting impression that I don't think I've ever experienced anywhere else in my life. read more

Decided on Japanese food for lunch and invited some friends. The menu combo is confusing. The place is a non conventional Japanese restaurant but rather a fast casual dining joint. We ordered Chicken Katsu, Teriyaki Chicken, Grilled Salmon, Ramen, Chicken salad. The Katsu seemed overcooked/dry and the Katsu sauce was in a packet. The teriyaki chicken was dry and the sauce was over the rice vs on the chicken. My friend enjoyed her salmon and ramen. My other friend enjoyed his chicken salad. Parking is limited due to a nail salon, liquor store, donut shop etc, sharing the parking as well. The decor could use some help as their supplies and restock is in open sight next to the dining area. The service was ok, but the young guys behind the counter could smile and be friendlier. Will I be back; not sure read more

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This place is sooooo good! The worker there idk his name he takes the phone orders and I swear he is master multi-tasker. He can memorize my order and repeat back without checking when I tell him my name. The teriyaki beef is a little salty but in a flavorful way so I still order it. I eat here a few times a month with the fam. read more

Don't get me wrong they have a great menu. The 1, 2 or 3 item bento combo is decent, but the prices have rose 20-30% in the past 2 years. This is fine, the portions have gotten so much smaller. Also you have to order food by 7:30pm even though they close at 7:45. read more

Welp i was a bit scared with the rating buuuuuut since i went in wanting veggie sushi and udon i figured maybe itll be ok. How hard is it to mess up veggies and i actually liked it a lot lol the vegetarian udon was good. Opted the fish cake for extra green onion and it was yummy. The veggie tempura was good too the sayce was whatever but hey im trying to eat healthy so ill take it as a sign lol. I can see myself coming back for the udon. read more

Rice Things - Veggie udon and sushi - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Very good was with all my friends service was excellent very fun time with all of my friends and the people were very nice and excellent

It's definitely time for a review update, especially being well after post-pandemic shenanigans. Despite me not that into Rice Things after the ownership/management change, way back, now (and for the last year +) Rice Things is in my weekly lunch rotation for my wife and me. I'm a big fan of the Hambuger Steak, Pork Katsu or Chicken Katsu, and still my favorite is their Salmon Skin Roll, which could be the best in the South Bay! Service is always prompt and friendly, and the prices are very reasonable, especially given the portion sizes. Enjoy! read more

Japanese place, this is a great place to visit with their 3 item meal including teriyaki salmon with sushi roll and we love to get the salmon and rainbow roll. Their menu is affordable with great flavor! read more

My previous review still stands, but I have to give them a bump in their rating because the poke bowl with tofu is outstanding! I can eat that every week forever and not get tired of it (and if you knew me, you'd know that's saying something as I get bored with food pretty quickly). Will be back (this week) for more! read more

We were vacationing in Redondo Beach and my wife was tired of big meals in restaurants every night. She said the only thing that sounded good was a big bowl of upon soup. I found Rice Things which was close to our hotel. I cautioned her that from what I could see the place was a true storefront joint. But looking at their menu and other reviews comments we decided to give it a try. As soon as we walked into this sketchy looking place we were enthusiastically welcomed by the guy at the counter. We found the perfect soup from a number of different offerings. I ordered a poke bowl with a couple of additions. And we ordered some vegetarian egg rolls. The soup was miso based because we are pescatarians. It came with a beautiful array of shrimp and vegetable tempura on the side. The noodles were scrumptious. And the portion was enormous. My poke was excellent. The egg rolls were tasty and not too greasy. We were the only ones eating in but there was a steady stream of locals coming for take out. This is the ultimate "don't judge a book by its cover" joint. If I drove past or stopped to peek in I would have kept going. But based on other Yelp reviews we decided to give it a try and we were definitely not disappointed. Atmosphere was 1 star. Food was 5 stars. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. read more