Back again. I remembered they have a great BENTO BOX, so that's what I ordered again and…read morerecommended the same for my friend. We had a great time here on a Saturday afternoon. The food was as great as I remember and although the restaurant had plenty of people, we didn't feel rushed. Everything was delicious from the sashimi, tempura, fish, nishime and chicken karaage. The bento box also comes with potato salad, udon and gohan. When I'm in Gardena, this is my choice for Bento Box... You literally get a little of everything!

Kotohira was a little crowded when we got there at 5pm, Saturday for dinner but luckily we got…read moreseated right away. We haven't eaten there for a while, mostly ordered take out, so it was nice to sit inside and enjoy a good meal. We ordered the tenzaru set with soba noodles, somen salad and my father in law ordered the mini Tendon set with soba. Service was pleasant and the food delicious. Parking can be a challenge but if you get there early, you shouldn't have a problem.

If you've been to Kagura and think you know what to expect--pause. This location hits differently…read more It leans more traditional, a little quieter, and very much about execution. And the tonkatsu? Legit one of the best I've had--perfectly fried with that golden, crisp exterior that somehow stays light, not greasy, and gives way to juicy, tender pork. The kind where you don't even need sauce... but you'll still use it anyway. What really seals it for me here is the gozen sets. If you're indecisive (or just hungry), this is your place. So many combinations, and everything comes out like a full spread. My current go-to is the steak gozen--basically the "why choose?" option. You get miso soup, salad, tonkatsu, tempura, soba... it just keeps coming. It's generous without feeling overdone, and somehow everything still tastes dialed in. I used to be loyal to the sukiyaki gozen (RIP, still not over it), but the steak set has filled that void nicely. Bottom line: delicious, satisfying, and surprisingly good value for how much you get. If you're in the South Bay and craving a proper Japanese set meal--not a rushed version--this is the move.

Loved eating here. The dinner set is more than enough to enjoy per person. The ambience is updated,…read moreand you can be seated in a large communal area vs in smaller quieter semi-private areas. The katsu is soft tender tasty and overall amazing.

We are staying close to the airport and the Ramen Joint was open and close by. Its on the smaller…read moreside but we were seated immediately (there was just 2 of us) and our server was very attentive. I got a hot tea, my boyfriend got an alcohol free Asahi beer, we are both alcohol free drinkers so that was a fun option to see. We ordered the cucumber salad to snack on first, and both got the Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen. My boyfriend is also gluten-free at the moment for health reasons so, although they don't have noodles alternatives, they did give him the Ramen without noodles and then brought a side of rice for him. The Ramen was SO GOOD! The service was fast and friendly, the food was great and met all my expectations. Id for sure come back again.

Actually inedible. Gave me food poisoning. You're better off eating instant noodles. Overly salty…read morekaraage, flavorless broth. Definitely bots who rated this place so highly.

I've seen this place for 20 years in route to LAX. I always thought one day I'll eat there, my wife…read morealso wished it and that day was yesterday... OMG!! We asked for The Deluxe Sushi plate and their special Spicy Ramen and of course Edemame... Amazing, there was some pieces of fish that in my ignorance I never tried before... fresh and flavory... the Spicy Ramen with a couple of pieces of pork belly and the flavor... extraordinary!!! They offer my wife a shot of a very rare delicious plum wine. The venue is old but clean and lighted. The service was very polite and quick... it's no cheap but if you like that kind of expert cuisine it's worth it... try it

Came here on a Wednesday evening around 5:30pm. Friendly and fast service. My vegan ramen was ready…read morein 5-8 mins. The ambiance is chill. Plenty of seats in there. Parking was not too bad. We parked right outside the restaurant. My ramen had good flavor. Would recommend this place. Don't understand the hate. It's not the most aesthetic place and cleanest. Vegan Ramen: 4.5/5

We had an incredible experience, excellent atmosphere and exceptional service from our server…read moreFrank, always attentive and making sure that nothing was missing, giving us suggestions in food and appetizers, we tried the spicy edamame and the japonica rice lager, super recommended, he also recommended the spicy tantan ramen, and the holy mackerel roll, all delicious! The ambience here is simply stunning. Visit this location and hopefully you are lucky enough to be attended by Frank! We definitely coming back!

If someone doesn't like Japonica, then they must have defective taste buds!…read more Japonica of El Segundo is absolutely one of the top sushi restaurants in all of the South Bay of Los Angeles. They make my Friday night fish dinner a step in the food-heaven direction. The staff is out of this world, with a lovely manager, attentive servers, and talented chefs. The spicy edamame is a perfect starter if you'd like your plain edamame to have a flavor kick. The portion is big, making it plenty enough for a group of four to enjoy together. Unless you're a glutton like I am and don't feel like sharing, haha. The bluefin carpaccio practically melts in your mouth. The cut of the bluefin is absolutely just what your stomach is craving. Soft, flavorful, and satisfying to say the least. The white lightning is a saucy garlic surprise. The ever so slight sear on the albacore makes this roll have a dance party on your tongue. The garlic butter that the roll sits in has such a great taste that I just want to drink it down. Japonica El Segundo is placed in a small "strip mall" type of location, with on site parking being limited. There are several disabled designated parking spots right in front of the restaurant. Also, there is plenty of parking up & down Main Street, allowing for closeness within walking distance. There are no stairs/steps needed to enter the restaurant and the televisions do have closed-captions. The noise level is mid, making it easy to have comfortable conversations with your party without having to shout. I would absolutely recommend taking a stroll down Main Street after your meal, giving yourself some time to digest, stretch, and maybe get a scoop of ice cream from one of the local spots.

I literally picked this place as it was in the middle of who I was meeting. We've all never been…read morethere. Saw some pics via yelp and figured there was a lot to choose from. Parking: you can either park on the street, if there is parking; or park in the lot where h can enter from the back of the restaurant. Get there before 5 to grab a seat because the place fills up QUICK. Inside is small and narrow. If you're not a big eater, share a dish. Their portions are HUGE!! Biggest plates I've seen for a Japanese restaurant. The servers there work hard and try to be quick as possible. I would definitely come back here.

There is so much to choose from on their menu. I had the sashimi and croquette combo which was so…read moregood. Service was good too. I'm assuming they were busy prior to us arriving as the floor was still dirty with chopsticks and napkin still on the floor and there was rice on the chair.

Premier find for excellent Japanese cuisine. My girlfriend and I came here for an early Saturday…read moredinner after a day on the water in Long Beach. When we arrived luckily there was no wait and were sat immediately. Luckily it was only a couple moments before a party of maybe 12 arrived behind us for dinner. Our host and server were helpful and efficient. We quickly scanned through their menu and decided on their combos (pork cutlet and tempura) Our trays of paradise quickly arrived and looked beautiful! ( see attached for reference ) i loved the balanced presentation and blend of flavors. Each tray had some miso, a 4 bite California roll, some rice, soba noodles, broth, wasabi and ginger. Mine came with some dipping sauce for the tempura. Considering the amount of food I was very satisfied. The tempura was gorgeously crafted with semi thin crisped batter, and a decent amount portioned. I was mostly amazed by my girlfriends pork plate. Their crisp cutlet had beautifully made with an easy crunchy exterior and soft tender pork savory to taste. All elements complimented each other perfectly. Their soba was also good quality and a nice touch to an already balanced dinner. While I was exactly stuffed after dinner, i was still impressed with their entree presentation, quality of food, calming ambiance and great service.

Small, traditional feel, Japanese restaurant in Gardena. I wide selection of food to choose from…read moreincluding lots of sets which I love. It's like a mix and match of chicken, tempura, soba or udon, with rice, salad and miso. I love those types of options and this place does that well. We went on a Sunday for lunch. Busy! You just stand in line. No reception or list. I think that's awkward. Need something to manage the wait. It's odd. Service is friendly. The food can take awhile to come out. It's also not the type of place where they will check-in on you or refill your water. You have to yell out. Big parking lot with lots of stores to shop around too.

This place is a must try. Menu is limited but makes it easier to decide. Tonkatsu was fantastic…read more Service is great and server notifies the customers about extra service charge as option to include. Appreciated the disclaimer. Place is very clean, nice and well lit. Will definitely return for another try.

Still stands as my favorite ramen. The broth with the extra garlic + hot sauce is 10/10 every time…read more Plus their chicken Karaage is 10/10 as well. I also love that parking is easy here.

The hearts are super tender! Order:…read moreHearts Liver Special shiro (special pork intestines, really good if you like intestines!) Shishamo (on the special menu) Ika yaki (think of like a deconstructed takoyaki without the carbs) Chicken meatball Chicken thigh Gizzard was also very good Duck Cartilage Chicken oyster Beef tongue (only alright compared to other spots) Pork belly with shiso Tail Everything was super tender! Would come again! Heart, gizzard and special shiro we ordered more of! Food was so good that I didn't take any pictures haha

the line sucks . i am not sure i'd wait more than 20 minutes for this but im honestly just…read moreimpatient, so if you are here on a weekend or something you will need to get in line or be ready way before. if you go at lunch on some random tuesday it'll probably be ok, and i've done that. the food is excellent. the interior of the place isn't anything noteable but not dirty or anything but don't expect a fancy restaurant. that said, once you are seated and ordering its great yakitori

Been coming here for years, even when it was the long counter…read more You don't get any better than KazuNori, especially this location. Sure, the parking lot is like playing chess with a grandmaster, but it's worth it.

As fans of Handroll restaurants, it was my first time dining here with my fiancé. I had a an…read moreexpectation of how it worked, but was fairly excited to try their rolls and types of fish. Parking is in a little lot with 2 hours free upon validation. You can park towards the right or left. We walk towards the back of the harbor, in order to get in line to be seated. Seated is very limited and not recommended for large parties. It's perfect in a couple or threes. It took us about 15-20 minutes to get seated with waves of people coming in and out. The server and chef we had on our side were very patient and kind. I opted for the 6 roll set of fish: I had two toro, two salmon, a yellowtail, and an albacore to go with my premium Sapporo beer. If I had to be very transparent: the prices here for fish is very, very cheap. 6 rolls of $29 is amazing. But as we all know, quantity over quality. The fish does not taste as sweet, delicious, nor does it melt in your mouth. It's very lackluster and a big call for you to dip the rolls into the soy sauce. This place is great for beginners who are experimenting with the raw fish/sashimi, but for frequent sushi goers, I'd say to avoid this place. It's not worth spending the money. I'd rather pay a bit more for quality handrolls elsewhere. Again, it's not the service itself, but it's the quality of fish that is purchased to supply their restaurant. I wasn't impressed and I don't think I'll be back.