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

This place should have letters at the bottom that say "To-Go". Ain't recently here my plate, utensils, sauce all came in to go plastic packaging when I dined in. I was charged for sriracha in which every single other teriyaki/ sushi joint doesn't do. I get it if it's to go charge away, but dine in? Keep a bottle of soy sauce and hot sauce to feel like we are dining in and not taking up space. The food is good, the price is good. If I'm ever on the go, I'll order again. To go of course. read more

Don't go eat there we found a coackarock inside one of the bags that was alive we saw it crawl out when we opened the bag read more

Rice Things - We had the food delivered - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Above is what I had ordered from this restaurant, unfortunately neither the beef nor chicken was worth the purchase. I apologize but the beef had the flavor of what reminded me of burger meet from back in HS and the chicken is riddled with clumps of chicken fat that explode with their own unique (nasty) flavor. I apologize for the unflattering review, I hope the quality of food is of a higher standard for whoever orders next. read more

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

The neighborhood Rice Things is not the same since the old couple retired and sold the restaurant. The new owner changed the name to South Bay Rice Things, raised the prices, and the quality of the food has gone down. The restaurant was always packed with young people who could count on getting good home-style food at a decent price. The old couple were not stingy on the portion sizes either. Now, the place is mostly empty and the kitchen has a tendency to get orders wrong. Not too delighted with today's takeout. read more

Rice Things - Spicy tuna rolls - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I have been coming here when it first opened. The current owner is always working hard and super busy. He is all business and serious. He is cordial. At least he is way better than the old guy that was the previous owner. Previous owner was so mean. I had a group order & called 1/2 hour before it opened. I left a voicemail message explaining that I have a group order & asked if I can get a call back to place my order ahead of time. The owner, Ron, called back & took my order. He was very accommodating and said to pick up my group order at 11:45am (that's 15 minutes after it opens). My order was almost ready when I arrived (11:35am). Right at 11:45am, my orders were all completed. The food is very good & reasonably priced. We had a few 2 item combos & a couple 3 item combos. Portions are just right. Teriyaki, karaage, spicy tuna roll, green salad, rice, tempura & katsu were all fresh. Haven't dined there in years but the restaurant looks the same. Still very casual, clean & about 8 tables. I am glad the current owner is running the business. He is doing a great job. We really enjoyed our lunch. We will definitely be back to order to-go again. read more

First time visit... Ordered Pork Gyoza - Fried (5pcs) 4/5 can't really go wrong anywhere with this Fried Spam Musubi 4/5 Crunchy spam Combo Plate - Chicken Katsu - Breast - portion size was hardly enough for my toddler. 3/5 3 Pieces, Vegan Sushi. 1/5 missing from my order Potato Mac Salad 4/5 Crunchy Sushi Roll - 5 Pieces only one little section had sauce.... 1/5 Salmon Crunchy Sushi Roll - 5 Pieces 1/5 Might just be a bad day to order read more

No frills tasty, cheap, Japanese food. Obviously not tip top quality but definitely a bang for your buck. Got the three item combo (chicken katsu, california roll, gyoza, rice, salad for about $7), and the curry udon (about $5). Everything in the combo was decent! Curry udon was clearly from the packet but for $5 you can't complain. Order at the counter and they bring out the food to you. Place has a small parking structure. read more

Rice Things - 3 item combo ($8 ish), curry udon (about $5) - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Our family has eaten here since the early 2000s and this was one of our go-to locations for cheap and delicious food. We haven't been here since 2019 but it seems like the taste/texture has dropped :( Food/Taste/Flavor: 3/5 - we ordered 2 combo plate and a sushi roll. The pork and chicken katsu were pretty dry and the sauce was fairly salty. The vegetable tempura surprised me since it's much more American ingredients than Japanese and included items such as carrots and green bean (imagine my shock and disappointment when I bit what I thought was a sweet potato.... but it was a carrot?!?! T_T). Recommendation to ask if you can get the sauce on the side for chicken teriyaki since it's a bit sweet. The chicken karaage (fried chicken) was delicious and juicy when we first opened the box but became hard fairly quick as the food cooled. The salmon avocado roll was really good with lots of salmon! The South Bay Firecracker Roll had a nice kick but we probably wouldn't get again since it really is just spicy tuna on a California roll with some spiciness on top. There's not much alvocado in the either of the rolls and they were a bit wonky. Wasabi doesn't have any kick. Ambience: 3/5 - took the food to go. The restaurant only has 3-4 tables to eat at and one of the walls was just stacked with boxes. Looks like some remodel or design has changed in the past few years Service: 5/5 - cashier was extremely friendly and let us take our time to make our order. Her quoted time of about 15 min was on point! Value for price: 4/5 - this place has increased in prices but it's still very reasonable and one of the cheaper locations. Unfortunately, the quality/taste/texture has dropped read more

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In todays times where everything is so dang expensive especially with going out to eat. There are not a lot of places that after I pay for the food, eat the food, that I'm excited that I paid for the food. This place hits the mark every time. Also, if they have made a mistake. They have always made it right, I love this place. I wouldn't go anywhere else. read more

The combo plate is a great deal for the amount of food you get! The staff is friendly and provided good recommendations! My favorite is the sesame chicken! read more

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

I enjoy Rice Things but some of the food is really hit or miss. I would always get a Spicy Tuna Roll but I had to stop because it tasted like soap every time I ordered it. I recently changed to a standard tuna roll and added Spicy Mayo on the side. A million times better but what are they putting in the Spicy Tuna roll because the Spicy Mayo doesn't taste anything like what the Spicy Tuna tastes like. Recently, I made a mistake ordering on Uber Eats and changed from a tuna roll in my combo to Shrimp Tempura. I messed up and left the avocado addition for the sushi roll on there. A manager calls me and is low key yelling at me asking about the avocado and if I wanted a refund. I said a refund was fine and he was all huffy about it and hung up on me. I called back and said to just change it to a sushi roll with avocado and then he was like yelling that he needs to tell the kitchen and hung up on me again. I was just trying to help him out since it seemed like he couldn't bear to have the kitchen make three pieces of Shrimp Tempura on my account. Anyways, food arrives and the sushi does have avocado. I've never ate in the restaurant, I usually pick it up or order via Uber Eats. read more

Been going here since my high school days. Very homey feeling, and the food has been consistent. Good portion and love the options to choose from. read more

There was a change of ownership, and now the food has what seems to me to be something of a Hawaiian flavor. Everything is ok. The sushi was good, and the portion sizes were pretty big, but all of the fried stuff was overcooked. I think my favorite of what we ordered was probably the chicken katsu and sukiyaki beef. read more

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(Under New Ownership!) We are grateful for the change in ownership as the previous owner had retired and handed over the restaurant to his grandkids, resulting in a significant decline in service and food quality. Even before the onset of the pandemic, the grandkids made questionable decisions like removing the dining tables, which greatly affected the restaurant's atmosphere. Due to all these reasons, we had given up on visiting this place until today when my family and I decided to give it another chance. To our delight, the dining tables were back, and the service was remarkable! The food exceeded our expectations, offering an excellent dining experience. Thankfully, it seems that the restaurant has been saved from its impending demise under the management of the previous owners' impolite granddaughters. The customer service was fantastic, with friendly and helpful staff members. We're thrilled to have rediscovered the new and improved Rice Things, and we're planning to return again. Thank you for rescuing this establishment and bringing back its former glory. read more

The service there is awesome. Very kind people there. Inside has lots of tasty drinks and candy. Also, the food is mind blowing. The chicken katsu with the sauce is unbelievable! Certified satisfaction read more

Rice things is a restaurant that I've grown up on ever since I was little. Since the restaurant is quite literally down the street to my house, this was always one of the options for take out. While you may think I may be biased, rice things definitely lives up to the hype. Their combos are really cheap with how much food they load in for you and their seasame chicken is a must have. Their menu has almost everything from sushi to udon and the majority of the items are very good for their acquired price point. I wish they were open later but they definitely don't need to be with how many customers they rack in! They are always busy and it definitely makes sense why. Give them a try if you seek cheap but good Asian food. read more

I ordered from here on door dash at work a few times and it's really delicious! I've only ever ordered the poke bowls and they have large portions of rice but I wish they would a bit more of the fish. They gave a free miso soup with my order last time which I appreciated! Since I've only ever ordered from here on door dash, I can't say much about the service and ambiance of the restaurant. However, I am usually delivered my food in a timely manner. read more

Rice Things - Poke Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I ordered using Grubhub and the food was ready when I got there! The Salmon & Avo roll was super yummy and fresh. The Pork Katsu was good too but it was a bit of a thinner cut so I tasted more of the shell outside more than anything. I still think it deserves 5 stars though because the price is hard to beat. This was the perfect lunch for a day in the office and I'm making this spot my go-to place. I came here in the Summer of 2019 with friends and forgot the name of the restaurant! I got a poke bowl and it's the best poke spot in the area in my opinion. I'm so happy I rediscovered Rice Things. Be back soon! read more

Rice Things - Pork Katsu and Salmon Avocado Sushi Roll (8 Pieces) - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Rice Things never disappoints! The service from the friendly lady at the front counter helped me set my three item combo. I started eating it and it reminded me of when I used to eat there as a young man. It was our go to spot every time we would get finished with surf fishing. The chicken katsu was crunchy and flavorful; the hamburger steak savory and succulent; the salmon avocado roll tasty and enjoyable! I devoured my meal in short order which allowed me enough time to get to Nijiya for a Japanese style waffle ice cream sandwich. What a great lunch! The ambiance is very friendly and pleasant. It's basically like eating at uncle and auntie's house. It may sound funny, but you can taste the care in your meal!! read more

This eatery is within walking distance of my house so I'm upset I'm just trying it for the first time. I got the chicken katsu with rice and salad. It was absolutely amazing. The service was friendly and he was helpful when I had questions about the different plates/side available. I will definitely be back, I just wish they didn't open so late during the week. That's the only reason I gave 4 stars in lieu of 5. read more

Rice Things - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Sushi bowl for $15 and 4 thin slices of tuna made me feel depressed and scammed I didn't even want to say anything because they probably can't afford to offer a decent sized portion. Why did 4 thin slices come with 1 pound of rice. read more

Rice Things - Sushi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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I'm not even sure what to review this cus the staff were suuuuuuuper nice, but then i got home and saw this... I was actually speechless there's an entire cucumber in my roll. Never seen this in my life read more

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

Rice things has been a South Bay staple since 1995, and I've probably been a patron since 2000. I had a falling out with the restaurant due to a poor experience I had back in 2007ish, but some family recently had Rice Things and they were sharing with me how they enjoyed it so I decided to give them another try after a 10+ year hiatus. Back in the day I would get their 2 item combo plate, but having looked at their menu with fresh eyes I noticed that they have two types of ramen. Being somewhat of a ramen connoisseur I decided to try their Tonkotsu Ramen. I called in an order for pickup. When I got to the restaurant the staff were friendly, and I didn't have to wait long for the order. When I got home with the food, everyone's order was correct and looked fresh. My ramen came in two parts, the noodles and toppings in a plastic bowl, and the tonkotsu broth in a larger styrofoam container. The broth was still hot, and when I poured it on top of the noodles and toppings it was able to soften and warm them up. The chasu pork had a great flavor to it, and the flavored egg was yummy too. To my delight there was a surprise topping, saffron! Funny/ironic because I recently had a conversation about saffron and how expensive it is to grow. Maybe it was meant to be? Everything considered my recent experience was really good. I enjoyed the ramen and would definitely order it again. I am also interested in trying their 2 item combo once more. read more

Love this place. It's authentic and really genuine food. It's portions are generous. This is a southbay stable. read more

Rice Things - These guys don't mess anything up. It's amazing to watch them work. - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I ordered their 3-item combo. I had white rice, Mac salad, karaage chicken, teriyaki salmon, and salmon avocado roll. This is a good bargain for under $20. food was delicious & fast service. read more

Rice Things - Salmon Avocado Sushi Roll (8 Pieces), Potato Mac Salad, Karaage Chicken, salmon - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Came in last night. Still good. Been here 100 times at least. Some things have changed since the kids took over the place. Get over it. Been coming here for 20 years. Still the best value in town. Just make sure to check if the food has any added "sweet stuff". We got the Tempura Roll last night and they add some sweet topping. (NOT my style... so do check if you don't like sweet stuff) read more

Their food is not as good as it used to be. Service is scattered and disorganized especially with to-go orders. Rice things was really good years ago now its decaying slowly read more

I think people are way too harsh on this place. The serves fast meals that are tasty and affordable. I found the staff to be super friendly. And I think for a quick restaurant the menu had a reasonable amount of variety. I got a two item combo with Gyoza and teriyaki chicken. Honestly I can barely finish it. The chicken and potstickers were great. And I was surprised at how fresh the salad was. I was able to literally eat it without any dressing. It also came with a very generous portion of rice. I really think this should be a go to place for anyone looking for a fast Asian inspired meal in the area. I can't say that it's horribly authentic. But it's solid Americanization food that you can grab and go. read more

Simple Japanese comfort food. Great fried things and quick. Gotta love these little places

I came up to the cashier and ordered two, 2 item chicken katsu plates with california rolls. I just wanted one plate for me. And one separate plate for my bf. Same food for both plates. This confused the heck out of the cashier girl. She asked if I wanted to double the katsu meat. Me:No. Then she thought I wanted the katsu plate alone and told me the plate didn't come with rolls. Me: no. I wanted the two item combo Cashier: you didnt say that. You said blah blah. Me: no i didnt I came here multiple times and always get the same thing and she wants to tell me they don't serve katsu with rolls. The heck. She was arguing to me because she thought I ordered the katsu plate alone. She pulled the whole "you said you wanted _____." I was like girl you just hear what you want to hear. Just change my order and move on, instead of arguing to me about it! Geez. I made her repeat my order back to me twice because I did not trust her. That whole ordeal annoyed me so much. Depite the cashier, the food has been consistent over the years and it's good for a little $. read more

Rice Things - 2 item combo chicken katsu plate - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I use to come eat here all the time when it had a different owner. Started coming here again recently and each time I order food, the customer service is just horrible. Not only that. But each time I have ordered the EEL roll, so hard to eat , so many bones in it. Aside from that, the California rolls are good and the chicken plate and salad are good but every time I get to work I notice utensils missing But it is like the new management just doesn't care about the customer. I hate giving bad reviews. Rarely rarely do. But getting attitude and rude customer service. Thumbs down! read more

Terrible customer service. So I came here wanting sushi and ordered the vegetable roll sushi combination. As I am currently expecting, I wanted to make sure that my order is fine ie no raw sprouts or anything like that. The guy behind the cashier is absolutely clueless and directed my question to who seems to be the boss lady, and she has the worst attitude ever. Her response was "it's all vegetables" in a condescending manner even though I politely explained that I'm currently pregnant and wanted to be sure about raw sprouts. She didn't even listen to my response and literally walked away right after saying that. I tried to explain again to her and she just looked briefly at me and you can tell that she has no interest in engaging with me. I understand that this is a no-frills casual sushi joint but that is not how you treat your customers. On hindsight, I probably should have just left instead of staying here for lunch. My last time eating here. As a customer, I don't need to be treated like this. The additional star is for the food. read more

Rice Things - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

This was my old stomping grounds during high school when I lived in the area. It's nice to see some things haven't changed. The tables, sign, surf board on the wall, fountain drinks machine all there still since 2000. Food is solid for your take out/quick grab and go or dine in experience. Perfect on a student budget without sacrificing on taste. read more

For the price, this place is worth it! Great selection of sushi, katsu, udon, salads, etc. In addition to the regular menu. You can build your own combos for less than $10. I usually get the cold udon with tempura shrimp. It's low cal -- a blend of cold udon noodles, salad, egg, and seaweed. They have a good selection of drinks including various iced teas as well as sauces for sale from their refrigerated section. Outdoor seating is limited. Free parking in the lot--also limited. read more

Rice Things - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

Hate to say it, but the extra star is for the revamped quality of food they have from my (past) usual order. The lack of stars has to deal with the pricing mostly and very minorly due to menu selection (or lack thereof in this case). I've been coming here for something like 8 years or something ridiculous. I'm not even that old, but this is just disappointing. Not entirely sure why they rid themselves of the "specialty plates", since those were cheaper if you wanted something more specific like, oh I dunno, the spicy lean chicken teriyaki plate. My wife and I got the 2 item combo which was $8.50/combo, no big deal. But what our receipt showed was an extra $2 PER ITEM that we chose??? That makes zero sense and is absolutely, undeniably a shameful money grab. It wasn't even a premium item, also; IT WAS LITERALLY THE SECOND ITEM ON THE LIST TO CHOOSE FOOD FROM (left to right, up to down). Why they cut the plates, money I guess... But why they charge extra for you to simply order FOOD THAT YOU ARE ALREADY PAYING FOR IN A COMBO??? I have not a single clue in the world. What would normally be like a $17 or $18 specialty plate with 1 drink previously is now $23 with no drink whatsoever. This was always my go-to spot when not knowing what to eat, but the pricing alone really makes me adverse to revisit. It's a real shame. read more

Rice Things - 2 item, double spicy chicken teriyaki (white meat) - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I've been going here for over 15 years. Love the food, the portion, and the price. The dining room is small, but it wouldn't stop me from ordering to go. Highly recommend. read more

Rice Things - Menu as of Jan 2024 - Japanese Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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We went a few months back and we were disappointed that the salad and dressing had changed. We did take notice on the portion size decrease and price increase. We missed the cozy family feel. Especially that Grumpy old man that made you feel just at home! However, I must say that whoever the owner is they have taken into account the reviews. We went back today because I just was not ready to let go. I have been hoping that they get it right. After all, this is the place that my husband and I would come on dates before getting married and once married and busy would save us from going hungry, AND I craved the spicy lean teriyaki during my first pregnancy every single day! It is improving!!!! The salad dressing is back! The lean spicy Teriyaki sauce is back! The rice is also just as good. I don't really pay attention to prices on the menu but we got two 2 item combos for under $20, so not bad. The only way this place is going to survive is if we all keep letting them know what we want back and they continue to improve as they are! Overall, I will keep coming back with my family as long I see the improvements. read more

Solid California roll. Yes there are swanky, better sushi places, but for it's price, Rice Things delivers. I always take it to go. My go to spot for a quick sushi lunch. read more

I had Poke Bowl on a bed of Kale salad . Sorry , hungry no picha. Tuna was fresh and had a great sauce and seasonings . Finished off with a Passionfruit La Croix. They have flavors here a I've never seen ! Cherry Blossom, Beach Bum. We'll be back ! read more