The Service: Order the food at the counter (2 cashiers). They will serve the food to your table (by calling your number on the receipt). The staffs are efficient taking orders, serving food and cleaning the tables. The Food: Good combo options & price. 2 items without drink... just a little bit over $6. Combo comes with white rice and salad. Sesame chicken - good portion of chicken however, very dry & tough to chew. Maybe deep fried for too long? Vegetable tampura - 4 pieces of vegetables. Batter is light. But not much seasoning or taste. Won't order again. The Parking: Private lot (FREE). Sharing parking lot with other retailers. During lunch time... SUPER crowded!! read more

Katsu was pretty good, not fabulous. It's more like quick food, comparable to mall food. Not many options for sides. Very clean. Friendly staff. read more

The overall service was quite frankly disappointing. This is primarily due to the old guy, who I presume is the owner, who was just really rude. He hesitated on letting us sit at the only table available and I think it was because we were 25ish minutes away from closing? The waiters however were okay. The food was okay, I got the chicken katsu rice bowl along with some tuna poke as a side which was a bit pricy compared to everything else on the menu. The poke was more expensive than my katsu bowl, and not for a good reason either. The chicken katsu was like any other katsu I've ever tried, however the poke was biggest disappointment. It was marinated in a weird miso sauce (I think?) and there was an overbearing amount of garnishing and seaweed. ESPECIALLY SEAWEED. The poke cubes were on the large side but that's just preference. Finally, the old guy started to put the chairs up on the tables around us even though the restaurant was still open. He warned us that we had to finish eating within 15 minutes. A paid customer should at the very least be able to finish their food at a reasonable leisure. read more

Rice Things - Plethora of food with friends. (middle chicken katsu bowl & tuna poke are mine) - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Oh, Rice Things. My go-to in Redondo Beach for fast, affordable take-out. I've been coming here for years and am NEVER disappointed. First off, they offer 2 and 3 piece combination plates. Which gives you ALOT of food. I usually get Teriyaki chicken with two orders of sushi. It's served with a salad and rice. And it's all for about $8.50. That's just a crazy price. And as a guy that is almost never full from a restaurant meal (hungry life), I'm happy to say that this meal leaves me absolutely stuffed. I think a lot of people may be initially turned off by the setup and look of this place. So let's make something clear... This is not a fancy place to come eat a meal that's 50% about presentation. It's a simple setup in a small room, and the food isn't jazzed up to look any certain way. It's just meant to taste good. Will it be the be the best meal you've ever had in your life? Probably not. But it's still VERY good and CRAZY cheap. So enjoy it!! read more

Rice Things - Three item combination plate: Teriyaki chicken, Veggie roll, and avocado roll. All for only $8.55! - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Rice Things is my go-to place whenever I'm craving Japanese food and when I don't want to spend a fortune. They have a huge menu, with plenty of Japanese favorites like chicken katsu, chicken/beef teriyaki, sukiyaki, tuna/salmon poke, udon, and of course, tons of sushi. Everyone who works here is friendly, although sometimes service is a little slow. If you want take-out, look up the menu online and CALL AHEAD. Otherwise, you'll be waiting at least 15 minutes for your food to be ready, and there aren't many places to sit and wait in there. I tried the tuna poke for the first time tonight and it was all right. The chicken katsu was kind of disappointing as well. So I'll definitely stick to my favorites - fried gyoza, sesame chicken, and sushi sushi sushi! Give Rice Things a try if you want good Japanese food on a budget! read more

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3.5 stars! The coffee shop close to this joint just reminded me about this place. It's a small Japanese lunch box food type place with Combo options. Total comfort food...huge rolls and fried food...like katsu and tempura. It's definitely a man's place here...large portions, great tasting, wallet friendly, and quick. The place gets packed pretty quick. It's perfect for those cold weekend nights at home watching a dvd. Parking can be a struggle...like most places around here. read more

Horrible food quality, service not the best restaurant looks dirty and again the most important thing for me is food quality since i been in the food and beverage industry for many years. Not sure if this is u see new ownership but food is horrible, this was one of my favorite Japanese restauran. if I could rate them 0 stars I would, very disappointed!! read more

"I hungry...I pregnant...can you buy me some food???" Happily chomping away on my chicken katsu and sesame chicken, I am pulled out of my moment of gluttony by a random woman in orange pants trying to get me to feed her. Needless to say, my friend and I are jerks and tell her "sorry." She walks up to someone else, and a guy buys her a meal. She then proceeds to ask him for the change so she can use it for the bus. Somehow, her order gets slightly complicated, as she wants only one of this and two of these and this stuff on the side only, etc. The next thing we know, she's freaking out, calling some girl behind the counter a "stupid midget" amongst other things, and the police are called. Of course, by the time the copper shows up, the "lady" is gone. The food was decent and filling, but my eating experience was far overshadowed by the ghetto drama around me. read more

The cost to benefit ratio of this place is EXCELLENT. I feel like I pay so little, yet the amount of food and the variety of options is amazing! Rice Things is also only a good 5-10 minutes from my house- so convenient, so tasty, you can bet I will be a very loyal customer ;D I always order the two item combo with a drink. And my go to choices are probably chicken katsu+sushi, or chicken katsu+gyoza. It never fails to not only fill me up, but please my belly! And the portion size.... huge! When I order my chicken katsu with sushi, I definitely am never able to completely finish the entire plate. (Lucky me I get lunch for the next day!) I have also tried their mochiko chicken. I personally did not like it as much as I did the chicken katsu, and I compared it to a lot of mochiko chicken dishes that I have tried in Hawaii. It was still delicious though! I just would prefer getting the chicken katsu. This restaurant is small so I do not recommend bringing all of your homies and planning to all sit and dine together. But you could also order the food to go and enjoy it somewhere else! I highly recommend giving this place a try! You will definitely not be disappointed and be extremely filled :D read more

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Good Japanese food in a comfortable setting! I've been coming here for at least two years now, and just love this place. In my mind, Rice Things is Japanese take-out done well (although you can certainly eat in and not take-out of course). MENU/FOOD: There's a lot on the menu, including various specialty plates, rice bowls, salads, noodles, udon, sashimi, and sushi. You can see the menu at http://ricethingsrb.com/ . It can actually be pretty confusing for first-time customers when walking in, since while the bulk of the menu is in front of you on the wall behind the front counter, there are also menu items posted on the front of the counter itself, and even some on the wall behind you by the entrance. I always go with the 3 Item Combination Plate (you can also just get 2 items) with a drink. It's the best way to choose exactly what you want, which will come served along with a good amount of both rice and salad with miso dressing (Note: the greens in the salad always seem really fresh to me). Just be sure to take note of the price scale for each of the groups you can select items from, since some are more expensive than others. Since I always get the Combo Plate (I know what I like), I've never tried most of the rest of the menu. I did order a Futo Maki sushi roll once, which was just Ok (I've had better elsewhere). When I've ordered dine-in, the plates have always been delivered to the table with nice presentation, and certainly look appetizing. STAFF/SERVICE: I've never had any big problems with the service here. There were 2 times though that I had ordered shrimp tempura but got salmon teriyaki instead, but that may have been my fault since I'm a soft-speaker. Besides, I didn't mind the salmon teriyaki anyway. The staff working the front counter taking customer orders (both dine-in and phone-in) know the menu, seem to handle things well even when the place is busy, and are polite (they'll almost always say "Thank you!" to someone as they leave). They are also usually pretty quick at getting tables cleared and cleaned when vacated, which is a necessity when this place gets crowded. Service is usually fast, although it understandably will slow down a bit during peak hours at lunch and dinner times. I think the longest I had to wait was 25 minutes once when I ordered 3 Combo Plates for take-out during the dinner rush (~ 6 PM - 7PM-ish), but I didn't mind anyway. LOCATION: Rice Things is located in a tiny strip mall on the north side of Artesia Blvd, along with a donut shop, a small grocery mart, and a nail/hair salon. If you happen to be shopping at the South Bay Galleria, it's just a 10-minute drive west on Artesia. Parking can be a problem if you're coming during the busy lunch/dinner hours. I think a few of the parking stalls in front of the grocery mart are reserved for the mart only also, so be sure to watch for that. The place itself is a bit small, so with all of the tables and chairs which sometimes get moved around to accommodate larger groups , some might feel a little cramped. Sometimes we'll come here wanting to dine-in, but end up just taking it out rather than waiting for an empty table. PRICE: Most of the plates will cost you between $5 and $9 (not including drink). As mentioned before with the Combo Plates, just be sure to take note of the different price ranges for the different items you can choose from. The prices seem reasonable to me, although they definitely have gone up. In my opinion, you get a good amount of good food on your plate for the price though. Management did put up notices several months ago that they were increasing the prices. Still, the place seems to continue to do good business. read more

Ordered 3 different times and all orders were 100% wrong everytime I go. Perfect way to try new things.

This place is mad money because of the different items that you can choose from to go with your combination plate that already comes with rice and a salad. Two Item Combo - $4.61 Three Item Combo - $5.54 List of the things you can choose with no additional charge: Chicken Teriyaki Sesame Chicken Chicken Katsu Vegetable Teriyaki Vegetable Tempura Tofu Teriyaki Croquettes Gyoza Egg Rolls Sweet Egg Omelet California Roll Cucumber Roll Avocado Roll Asparagus Roll Inari If you think that's a lot, well there are at least 30 more items that you can choose from for an extra $0.49 - $1.29 if you want to get "fancy" with it. As for the taste, I think it's damn good for it's price - don't expect some "rich" tasting things if you're gonna pay five bucks for your meal. So much better for you than fast food; if only there was a joint like this across from my house I would be in Heaven. Thank you BF for showing me a taste of Heaven! (This was his regular spot when he was a fat kid in Jr. High - N/M, I take that back, he's still fat). read more

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Food here is pretty standard and portions are plenty. But do not expect true authentic Japanese food. The food isn't entirely bad either. Let's just say you get what you pay for. 2-3 item combos are fairly priced around $7-8. If you're looking to get full, you may want to opt for meat options such as chicken katsu, chicken karage, teriyaki and etc. Chicken Katsu: it was my favorite item because it was perfectly crispy on the outside and was tender on the inside Chicken Teriyaki: very bland and lacked flavor Chicken Karage: WAY overcooked. The meat was dark, burnt and hard. Croquette: a good option if you don't know what to get Salmon Poke Bowl: better than I imagined. I loved how the added seaweed inside. Flavor was good. read more

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What a great some for some inexpensive Japanese food! Rice Things is a popular Japanese food place and most people get their combo plates. You can choose either a 2 or 3 item combo, select from teriyaki chicken, inari, katsu, tempura etc. You can even spend a lil extra and choose from their "premium" selection which includes different rolls and even tempura salmon. It comes with a small salad as well. Get it without a drink and it's even cheaper! Usually I get the 3-item combo and go for teri chicken, veggie tempura, and katsu. Once in awhile I splurge and get some sort of fish or a roll :P It's a good amount of food and I never left feeling hungry. There's something for everybody though since the menu is pretty big. All sorts of bowls, udon, and curry if you want something even simpler. The place isn't that big so you might have to wait a bit if dining in, especially during lunch. At night, it's never that bad since I think most people order takeout. For me, it's a BIG BIG upgrade over places like Sushi Boy. It's not gourmet Japanese, but for a restaurant with no frills and good food, it's great. read more

OK people - life is hard for small business so lets help them out. The new owners are doing a great job of insuring we get a real value for our money and I am a long time customer and will continue to be. When they made some changes that didn't go well, people complained and they listened. I always get the two item combo and it so sad that I dont even order anymore. I walk in and they ask for my payment...thats service! So if you have been away, its time to try again. And no, I am not affiliated. I am a customer and have been for over 18 years and remember when the original owners kids were small. Darn Im old :( read more

One of my childhood favorite places! First of all, it's so cheap! It's always been cheap and I love that the owner keeps the same prices. It's so hard to find reasonably priced food nowadays. I love getting takeout here because it's so easy, and they give you so much food still! I just call in ahead of time, drive over in about 15 minutes, pick up the food, and leave! So simple. I always get a 2-item combo with katsu and one of their rolls, either CA roll or Crunch roll. Their CA rolls are super delicious, but the crunch rolls could be a hit or miss on some days. The last time I got it, the roll was basically all cucumber which was disappointing. Their rice dishes definitely outperform their sushi. Their udon is super good too! And they give you so much! Will always come here when I'm craving quick Japanese food. read more

This has been the third time they have gotten my order wrong then they told me to pickup my new order and made me pay more money for my order. read more

I was born in Japan so I know what's real Japanese food and what's not. But this place definitely has pretty good Japanese food for SUPER CHEAP. I think the two side option is around $7 and the 3 side option is ailttle over $8 and you have a whole selection to choose from. Some sides are more expensive than others but it's nice that you get to choose. The meals also come with rice and a salad which has this really yummy dressing. I've ordered their sushi rolls which taste like normal sushi rolls you find at Japanese market places or elsewhere. But their tonkatsu, teriyaki, tempura, and sukiyaki options are super good. The restaurant itself isn't too nice but there's a nice outside patio area that you can eat at as well. By the end of the day, you'll definitely be full and satisfied with the amount you pay for a really good Japanese meal. read more

Rice Things - spicy tuna roll and sukiyaki, spicy california roll and pork tonkatsu - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

This place never disappoints. I have been going here since high school and the quality and quantity of food and service has been consistent. The only downside to this place is that it is incredibly small! Do not even bothering trying to eat here for lunch time because it is so packed which also makes parking horrible. You're better off ordering on the phone and picking up your food to go. They have just about everything and anything to satisfy your hunger. My go to food is always the beef teriyaki and salmon crunchy roll, but you really can't go wrong with anything here. read more

After debating what I should bring to a potluck party of 7, I ordered two chicken teriyaki bowls to go. The worker was very patient and sweet so I appreciated the friendly customer service. My total came out to $10 which I thought was pretty reasonable. They were very busy with many takeout orders so the meals took quite a while. I thought the chicken was moist but lacked enough teriyaki sauce/flavoring. The rice was cooked well and I loved the veggies but wished they have given a little more. The portion of meat was great and I was overall happy with my purchase. All in all, I thought this place was okay. I am open to trying it again and will taste the sushi next time. read more

Occasionally come here for lunch, both on the weekends and during the week. The Service --- This is a typical lunch type place where you order at the counter then choose a table and your food is brought out to you. Workers are all nice --- No complaints here. The Food --- The food is good. My favorite is the sesame chicken. I usually get the 2 or 3 item plate which comes with a side salad and rice. You do get a lot for the money and I usually have leftovers to take home. They have sushi plus a lot of Japanese food like chicken teriyaki and katsu. Everything I've tried has been pretty good. There's nothing I haven't liked. The salad is good too --- They use a miso dressing (I think) which is very good. The Price --- The prices are pretty good. A 2 item plate is $5.50 and 3 item is a little less than $7. Certain items are extra. For example, if you want beef teriyaki, you'll pay an extra $.50 or if you want pork katsu, it's an extra $.90. I think it's completely worth it to pay a little extra to get what you want. However, they do have a pretty good selection of items that you don't have to pay extra for. Rice Things has good, solid food at good prices. I'm never disappointed when I come. It's a great spot for a quick lunch. read more

Rice Things - Sesame Chicken and Veggie Crunchy Rolls - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

This was my first visit to Rice Things. I had heard about them several times from friends at work and decided to try it for my birthday lunch. This clean little restaurant is located in a small strip mall. The parking is not very large but we had parked on the street a short distance away. The menu is on the wall as you first walk into the restaurant. They had different prices for their two or three item combos depending on what you order. They also have large meal combos meant to be shared by a group of people. After placing your order at the counter, you choose a table and sit and wait for them to bring your meal to you. Note: all of the tables inside the restaurant are two person tables. But, if your party is a group of three or five you are expected to squeeze the "odd" person on the side of the two person table. I ordered the tonkatsu (pork cutlet) for $6.45. It included rice, salad and miso soup. The portion was very large and I had enough for dinner as well. The miso soup was pretty good. I liked the tonkatsu as well. It had a bit of crunch to it and was tasty. Two of my friends had ordered the sesame chicken. I tried it and thought it was too greasy and didn't taste that great. Overall, Rice Things is nice little restaurant that offers generous amounts of good food for a great price (3.5 stars). read more

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Ordered Poke bowls and Katsu/Teriyaki combo. Poke bowls were packed and heavy and katsu was delicious. Chicken teriyaki was ok for us but we've always been picky with teriyakis anyway. Everything was great and order was quick. read more

Rice Things is our go-to place when we don't feel like cooking. We frequent this place at least a few times a month. We come here b/c it's cheap, filling, and most importantly- dependable. We know exactly what we're getting, and the both of us can get full for under 12 bucks! The 3 item combo or the chicken udon is an excellent deal. I would stay away from the fancy rolls (such as the spider roll), they are expensive- you're better off ordering that at a non-fast food type of establishment. Also, I thought their sesame chicken was a bit dry. In terms of service, I think it's pretty good. Slower service is to be expected during peak hours, but it's not THAT slow. The lot is pretty small, but we've never had problems finding parking. If you're in a rush, order ahead of time- we see many patrons do take-out, so parking lot turnover is quite high. Oh, and this place has got to be the most protected restaurant in the South Bay! Nearly every time we come, there is a police officer eating at Rice Things. At first we thought it was pretty funny, but we're used to it now. read more

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

YUM! Why don't I ever eat here???? The last time I came here was when I went to El Co yearssssssss ago, but I don't remember this place ever making an impression on me, good or bad. Finally dropped by for lunch on Father's Day and I've been missing out! Wahhhhh! The ladies at the register were really nice and prices are pretty cheap: we got a two item combo and three item combo for about $20. I got the California rolls (8 piece), white fish teriyaki, and shrimp tempura, yummmmmmm! The white fish teriyaki was SO good and I don't even usually like teriyaki stuff. Came with salad and rice-- I was stuffed. This place is super tiny and a pretty small parking lot, but luckily when we went, it wasn't crowded at all. Will be back! read more

Rice Things - Three item combo: Cali rolls, white fish teriyaki, and shrimp tempura! - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Rice things is always serving the best food for the prices and portions. Every time I go there I am always satisfied. Great restaurant!!!

I have been going here for 3 years now. It used to be my favorite place in South Bay to eat. You can get a whole meal for less than $10. What made me dislike this place is the cookers and the Owner! The cookers are disgusting. Whenever I go in the always look at me and one guy even blew me a kiss !! Wtf . I got so creeped out I told my boyfriend and he smirked at my boyfriend ! I mentioned it to the owners wife and she straight up laughed and ignored me ! I once saw a cockroach in there ! Only thing good about this place is the miso sauce !! But the owner is a complete douchebag and is super greedy ! Poor kids who work for Him ! read more

I have a love/hate relationship with Rice Things. I love that they are cheap, I love all their choices, I love that my toddler will eat their beef sukiyaki and rice like there is no food left on earth. I do not like their service. They take forever, and with a child that it's really inconvenient if you want to stop in and pick something up. On the other hand, if you call it in and wait 30 minutes to go get it, you are usually good! read more

Seriously, can a place be more consistent? I'm still going strong eating here fairly regularly and I'm still changing around my selections. However, I just wanted to plug that you can't go wrong with chicken katsu and the salmon crunchy roll. Also, if you're feeling so inclined, you can do double or triple katsu. read more

I really like how they have the combo plates with 1,2 or 3 items.. There's so many items to choose from too! Personally, I like sharing a three item combo plate with a friend! Only been here once but I definitely want to come back(: read more

Rice Things - Three item combo: spicy tuna roll, salmon Katsu, and croquette. - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

DAMN cheap. A three item combo is definitely enough to fill up 2 people. Our favorite items are the spicy teriyaki chicken & sesame chicken. Both are really flavorful and filling. The California Rolls are not that great. They rice in the sushi rolls are a little too vinegary for me. It makes the sushi taste spoiled. I've also had the beef sukiyaki which was meh... The onions in it was tasty but the beef was not of the best quality. And the dish reflected this. Nevertheless, it is fast food Japanese and I would eat this over hamburgers and fries any other day. Great value for the food and delicious for the price. read more

Rice Things - CA roll, sesame chicken, beef sukiyaki combo - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Updating my review because they're under new management and I believe a new owner. The service is great, the food tastes great, and the place has new decor which also looks great. read more

I have been coming to Rice Things since 2006 and when to ownership changed- things went a little south but since they made some changes and I now am happy to say the food is even better and prices are great!!! I got the Salmon Teriyaki Plate and I'm always happy - very nice piece of salmon and I get a lot of food for my money. Keep up the get work and I will always support Rice Things even during Covid!!! read more

Now, I've been recommended this place and I was in the area, so I thought to try it. Impression? Meh. One of my friends going to college in NorCal said that he misses this place when he's up there, but really, I don't get the hype. FOOD: 3/5 My mom described her teriyaki 2 item combo plate as the "worst teriyaki chicken she's ever had." That's not to say that it was bad. We live in LA, and she likes to eat in Little Tokyo. The food just doesn't feel... authentic. We also ordered a spicy tuna roll and a tuna poke salad. Both were alright. PRICE: 5/5 This is probably the best part of the restaurant. The roll was $4.99, the salad was $9.17, and the teriyaki combo plate was $5.98. Pretty insane prices. So I guess for alright food, it was worth it. It won't be the first place on my list if I was thinking of some where to eat though. SERVICE: 5/5 Not much to say about this. It's fast food, so we didn't have much interaction with the employees. The restaurant was clean and the cashiers/waitresses were very friendly and helpful. Seats are a bit hard to find because there are a lot of people, but we thankfully got a spot cleared up! More words from my wonderful mother: "It's like a Japanese Pick Up Stix." read more

Rice Things - teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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I love Rice Things and have been going there for years. The combination plates are affordable and are great portions. They have a large menu with yummy choices. The service is always friendly too. read more

I went to Rice Things for my first time since the Friday before they reopened. My first impression was it looked cleaner. Then I felt more welcomed than I ever felt in its former incarnation. I purposely ordered 2 of my usual favorites. Were the prices a little higher? Yes, but they were overdue for a price increase. Will I miss my beloved Super California Roll? Maybe, but the girl seated next to me suggested I ask next time. The salad looked much better. The salad dressing was completely different; a new formulation. The portions were just as generous. I saw a sushi bowl next to me. It looked lovely. I am glad I went in today! read more

Rice Things - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I don't know why the old Japanese owner is like this consistently for over a decade. Always cold and condescending attitude. Although he didn't mind taking my family's order half hr before closing, he also didn't mind telling us to stop eating just mins after they put our food in the table with a hard heart! I think his wiring is messed up and there's nothing gonna change except a miracle from God. How can anyone stand giving away their time to work for this ppl hater! We give him our money, and he treats us like we are worthless eaters or something, sheesh! I've seen ppl react with bitterness toward his cold hearted rudeness for years. Is he so clueless on social skills or customer service??? Do us a favor and fire yourself! read more

Grabbed a ton of food to go from here for dinner. Great value for the amount of food you get. Definitely recommend the combo plates. The chicken teriyaki was okay, the dark meat cuts of chicken weren't my favorite. But the salmon teriyaki was a decent piece of fish. The chicken katsu is also a tasty plate option. The sushi rolls are pretty basic but you can't really go wrong with them. Also love this spot for a quick but filling lunch. read more

This is always one of our favorite places to go to. This is always a great option for when you don't want to cook or just are in the mood for a little sushi. We always love supporting this business when we are in the area and have gone here at least a dozen times. read more

Local favorite for take out. Parking is limited but always available. The karage chicken is a must for any combo. Others include any of the rolls, including salmon skin. read more