If you want authentic Japanese yakitori this is the place to go!!! Only negative thing is they don't have draft beer :) read more

Every kind of chicken, every part of the chicken, every preparation of the chicken. If you do not like chicken...find a different restaurant and why are you still reading? We only tried a few things that did not contain chicken: the best cod roe Grilled Rice Ball in the world and Miso Soup. Now the chicken. The offal. I literally only eat organs now. Love the crispy Skin, juicy Gizzard, creamy Liver. The Heart is another favorite - I like how they flay them for max surface area. The Meatball is never my favorite, but I have yet to have one that doesn't wow. Even the Lotus Root is stuffed with chicken, and the meat add fragrance to the root. The Chicken Sashimi. GULP. I haven't been this adventurous since I was 5. The sashimi is barely seared on the outside, and it tastes so slick and raw, like a creamy baby hamachi on neutral. It's delicious and worth experiencing at least once in your life. Just make sure it's at a restaurant with impeccable sanitation. I don't know what they do differently at Torimatsu, but they're the only place that's ever made me dream about a rice ball. read more

5.0 stars 6/28/2019 Great Yakitori restaurant. The mood is relaxed inside and the service is good. Sasami ponzu- Great cold dish. Chicken is blanched and served rare with a tangy sauce. It is basically a sashimi dish. I pretty much went through the Yakitori list from top to bottom. I ordered everything with salt no sauce except for the liver. I enjoyed the duck as well, very tasty. Everything was good! read more

Torimatsu - Sasami ponzu. Very good - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Great flavor. Servers, though busy, took the time to talk to us. As a chef, I just have one complain.. the yakitori master would bare hand the potato or rice ball after touchin his tshirt. read more

I don't recommend eating here unless you are interested in eating boogers as well. I literally saw the cook pick his nose and then proceed to touch the food to make sure it was ready. I thought I was imagining so I take a second look and he scratches his face, picks his nose one more time and then touches/squeezes another set of food to make sure that its cooked/ready and finally places the food on a plate for it to be served. This cook is out in the open cooking in front of everyone and still he picks his nose (yes I clearly saw his pointer finger go up his left nostril) and touches food like it's no big deal. Frankly it shouldn't matter if he is out in the open or not because a clean person with integrity will be clean in front of others and also clean when left alone, but the fact that this guy (the main cook) is out in the open and doesn't care about such disgusting behavior says a lot about the cleanliness of this place. You can be sure that tiny parts of whatever is in his nose (mucus/booger particles) ends up on some peoples food. I do have to be honest... the little bit that I did eat did taste good. So yes the food is good tasting but I will pass for the lack of cleanliness. Unfortunately I was with a group of a people and I didn't feel right making a scene or else I would have just got up and left. As you can imagine I felt uncomfortable eating and didn't finish most of my food. If the cook is this dirty and careless out in the open, you can just imagine how dirty the kitchen must be... which leads to the next point. I ordered water to drink and the glass or the water smelled like spoiled lemons or something like that. I wonder if the people that have written good reviews about this place for being delicious, if they would still be writing those good reviews and return if they saw the chef picking his nose, touching the food and then serving it right after. Such a lack of care and hygiene!!! People should care about the cleanliness of a restaurant, not just how it tastes. This place needs a food inspection. read more

Wow! What an incredible experience at this traditional Japanese restaurant. I can't wait to come back!

The owner of this place is old school. He prepares the whole chicken all by himself during the day. And he grills the chicken in the evening and uses every part of the chicken for either the yakitori or bone soup. This guy is truly amazing and committed to the original way of preparing yakitori. I'm a regular and will continue to be. Hope he loves a long time. There aren't many people that preps the whole damn chicken like he does. read more

Very bad service, they're definitely discriminating， serve Japanese people really quick。

Long story short: 1. Food is good, service is the other way around. 2. Better make reservation, because waitress doesnt like walk in cusotmers 3. Treat Japanese customers better than others. At least that's how I felt that night. Went there on 4/1(Sat), arrived around 5:30pm without a reservation (party of 2). The restaurant was half empty. One of the waitress told us since we dont have a reservation, we have to leave by 7:10pm is that OK? Then we were like, sure, that's fine. Service seems fine.......until we start ordering. We decided to try this restaurant since there are a lot of good reviews about the food, now I know why not too many reviews about service there, because I believe they had provided one of the worst service I have ever been to a Japanese restaurants. First of all, we barely have less than 5 min to look at the menu, then the waitress already came to our table and asked are we ready to order? Then we kindly asked her to give us few more min to look at the menu. Then she came back again, so we start ordering. We did found some photos on Yelp that looks tasty, so we showed her the photo and asked her what that is. Her attitude was so bad to the point we questioned ourselves that what have we done to her. We then found out one of the sake cup is dirty, so I told her the cup is dirty. No apologize, all she said was, ok. The food start slowly coming ( all the food are very good btw ). Then around 6:30, the other waitress came to our table and told us, do we want to order anything else, because this is your last order. So we looked at the menu again, so we asked for a few min for us to decide. After we decided, we asked her to take our order. She keep on asking "Anything else" every time I tell her what I want. I don't know why is she rushing us SO MUCH since the restaurant STILL HALF EMPTY. There are TONS of seats for table of 2 there and there are NO ONE waiting at all. All the food came around 7:00, she put down the bill along with the food as well. Then I noticed they stopped refilling my tea, and start cleaning my table even there are food on the dish. I totally understand I promised we have to leave by 7:10, and I have no problem with that IF there are customers waiting outside and the restaurant is full. But there are no one waiting when we leave at 7:20ish and the restaurant was even more empty than we came. ( I put my card on the bill since 7, but none of waitress came pick up the bill until around 7:10 ) So I paid my bill, still tipped them 15% ( pretty much just because the chief is doing a good job ). No thank you at all from the waitresses. I then noticed that they treat the customers who speaks Japanese so much better. read more

I always love to go back to Torimatsu. Their chicken is juicy and crispy. I've been taking out their yakitori bento but can't wait for re-opening the indoor dining! read more

All yakitori we ordered were so tasty! fabulous! delicious! amazing!!! We would like to come to Torimatsu over again and again. read more

A friend has been talking about Torimatsu for the past year and says it's her go to spot for dinner. We finally made plans to join her last night for dinner here and luckily were able to make reservations for our party of 8 at the bar. Arrived to a really really warm restaurant http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#W3mXPQtdCfrvYpLsxQbFUg which was ok as I was in a t-shirt and shorts and the waitress quickly came by to ask what we wanted to drink http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#iwDxYa4mgoW4PfTlZs6hxw. On the wall next to us was a poster of the Japanese charcoal which they import for the grill http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#8_cfDBtU87sTcTsquFSjVA. According to my friend she said this specific charcoal was one of the best. I let her order the food since she already knew what was good. The first item to come out was the chicken and green onion yakitori http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#W4Bb7ueZinGYxAH2-TEPyA. This was where I able to really smell and taste the imported charcoal. A nice light smoky flavor which I had to agree was pretty damn good. The waitress then proceeded to bring out some sort of homemade wasabi sauce http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#qoLSdcE01Sg0baPIRityEQ which had just a slight kick and went perfectly with almost every yakitori item we ordered. Perfectly grilled meatballs http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#2vOqLRlQjewoZG9nqSLQpA. These guys were so good I ended up ordering 3 additional skewers later on. Perfectly cooked which was super juicy and flavorful. Grilled eggplant http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#I1YUcRGs9GdPfODiHw-PFg. A great item to order with all the meat you consume during a meal here. I added a little ginger and lemon to brighten the flavor. I believe this was the chicken tip (chicken wing) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#MrXZ9QBdODhYS-mOGCLdUg. Again perfectly cooked and with a little lemon and salt this yakitori item was amazing. Soboro don http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#ep4xH0dOmc45uPyI5x1cuw. Like most Chinese people, I need to have some sort of rice with my meal and this was another well seasoned dish. Would recommend the grilled rice balls instead of this one though. Chicken sashimi w/ ponzu sauce http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#bbkiQhlOuNLkZVMCX3sn3A. Not the best chicken sashimi (I just came back from Japan) I thought chicken had too much ponzu sauce poured onto the dish. Would skip this dish in the future. Shitake mushroom yakitori http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#CsZY5UrNz7gUoAYztCm6zA. The wife loves shroomies so these were all for her. Chicken cartilage http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#-Kmi8my8O3Yb1v5M0VfocA. I love grilled or fried cartilage when it has some chicken meat attached. Sprinkle a little sea salt and dip into the wasabi sauce and prepare your mouth for a unique texture. Ordered another 2 skewers later on. Stuffed lotus roots http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#yWtjbJGSAA42lGm0qxk2jA. Was good but could've used more stuffing of meat on the lotus roots. Wife loved these. Gizzards http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#7jf5T-_4zOFayx5PlBo1PQ. For some reason, the chef didn't season these all that well and I had to dip into the salt before getting the seasoning just right. Perfectly grilled to perfection. Last dish was potatoes served with a little butter http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/torimatsu-gardena#ByfpDjOx2zTj0PeTSX6n-Q. Well as everyone knows, butter makes everything taste amazing!.. If I had room in my stomach, I would've ordered another round of this....was damn tasty!!!! Will definitely be back in the near future and recommend this place if you're ever in the Torrance area. I don't think I'll ever step foot inside another Shin Sen Gumi yakitori restaurant as long as Torimatsu is open. read more

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A perfect five. Two nights ago, I was able to experience pure Japanese style Yakitori here at Torimatsu. The Japanese Yakitori chef in the counter does an amazing job here. From the first appetizer 'Otooshi" to all kinds of skewered chicken meat parts and vegetables, the grilled rice ball and finally the dry curry rice we tried, every single item gave me a full satisfaction. I tried and loved the following chicken parts and veggies. Tebasaki (tip of a chicken wing) Tukune (grated chicken balls) Negi-niku (chicken and green onion) Bonbochi (chicken tail) - Very very good! Nankotsu (chicken soft bone) - This makes my strong joints stronger! :) Shiitake Okura (okra) Imo butter (potato) As for drinks, I had two glasses of Robert Mondavi cabernet. The grilled rice ball with mentaiko - excellent! The dry curry rice - the best dry curry rice I have ever had! I will definitely come back! read more

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Luv their yakitori. The chef grill each one very patiently. They use long charcoal and the skewers have a strong aroma of the charcoal grill read more

My favorite yakitori place so far. This is a very small restaurant so I recommend a small party. You can try different parts of the chicken here (ex. Wing, liver, giblets, breast, tail, skin, heart, etc) Love to eat the meat balls and Ginko nut~ I always order soboro rice too ^-^ read more

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If you're looking for authentic, good yakitori Torimatsu is the place to go! At Torimatsu, you can honestly taste the quality of chicken. Torimatsu seasons the chicken skewer items only with salt (unless it's tsukune, which is lightly dipped in sauce), which brings out the natural flavor of the chicken more. I actually liked the way Torimatsu's yakitori tasted in their own way. Definitely a place I'd go again but it's not somewhere I'll bring my friends unless they're into authentic yakitori. PS Torimatsu only serves chicken so if you're looking for alternative beef ornpork option, you will not find it here. Keep that in mind! Anyway, I really like chicken organs and funky items so I ordered most of their organ-y stuff like chicken heart, gizzard, liver, chicken tail, cartilage as well as the standards like tsukune (meatball) and also tried kitsune (chicken stuffed in bean curd). I really enjoyed ALL of their organs. Chicken tail and cartilage is something I can recommend if you like crunchy texture, which I do. The one thing I thought was boring was kitsune--rather flavorless and not noteworthy. I also had a bite of my friend's sasami (chicken breast) and I didn't care for it except it came with this AMAZING wasabi sauce (almost taste like the wasabi sauced mixed in takowasa) and I used that to dip all my chicken skewer items since my friend can't eat wasabi. The meal ends with a cup of chicken broth soup that they give you for free. The soup is totally spot on and it's a nice way to end a nice high-quality yakitori meal. Will definitely be back! PS. The yakitori chef at Torimatsu is such a sweetie. It was first time visiting Torimatsu for me & my gf. Fortunately we got to sit at the counter and he thoroughly explained how the course worked and what is served in it. Since I already knew exactly what I wanted, I decide to opt for ordering myself. Everytime a skewer item was ready, he placed it on our plate and told us what each items were so we wouldn't get confused (Trust me, it's so hard to confuse which skewer item it is unless you bite into it.) Nice guy. :D read more

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I've had Yakitori in Japan and this place is the closest you'll get to authentic yakitori in the states. Try the raw chicken, you won't regret it. They import the chicken from Japan so you don't have to worry. I went right when they opened and was able to get seated but be prepared to wait if you don't have a reservation or come early. Located in a strip mall with plenty of parking. read more

Literally inedible chicken that gives charcoal grilled meat such degraded opinion.Such a meager offering to bring tears.Those wait persons have much too much time and smile simply.To say ambiance in his yakitori-ya is so opposite.Please ignore this place permanently. read more

Torimatsu - weakball - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

We don't come here often but love their yakitori and wish they are open for lunch too! Price is very reasonable and their yakitori is pretty great. Also have parking too. read more

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One and only authentic Japanese Yakitori in LA. If you are looking for real deal this is the place you must try. Love the boss "Sensei" who's grilling all day! read more

I never write reviews but for this yakitori place I have to..! I think this yakitori place is the best in this area! I felt like I was in Japan. The wait is understandable! Food is So good you'd understand! Very friendly and helpful services! read more

cute super authentic chicken yakitori bar in torrance! prolly the most authentic in all of la? they only use organic chickens from japan and bincho charcoal here. we had 1. raw chicken breast sashimi with a light char in a bath of ponzu sauce and diakon excellent ! yeah i know what you are saying "Tommy you cannot eat raw chicken" yes you can here! the chicken is raw with a light char and super high quality it just melts in your mouth try it. 2. grilled asperagi good but if it was slightly peeled before grilling it would be even better. 3. rare grilled chicken livers , best dish amazing ! 4. rice balls great. 5. chicken tsukune (meatballs) good but not as good as torihei's 6. thigh meat with onion good! 7. chicken soup w seaweed (free) great no salt used only the seaweed ! 8. chicken hatsu (hearts) oh my great ! best ive ever had ! it can get pricey here though as each yakitori is only 1 stick my score one of the best in la 4.25 stars try it. read more

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The japanese lady who answered the phone was very hasty and rude and told me to call back to make a reservation after 9pm. Needless to say, i never did call back. Thank you, i enjoyed a delicious meal elsewhere with superb service! A shame since japanese is supposed to be about "hospitality." read more

Good Japanese yakitori. The service is good and they are nice people.whatever I order, they taste good. I'll come back again.

I recommend their Yakitori bento. It's really a good deal and perfect amount and tasty! read more

We love Torimatsu! This is our favorite all-time spot for the best Yaki Tori. We would make a special trip to this place at least once a month, and enjoy it so much! We also get food to go, and enjoy another meal at home later. Now with dining in restrictions, we are so happy that we can still order a big batch of Yaki Tori and other items to go. We can place our order in person, go shopping for a half hour at Tokyo central across the street, then come back and pick up our wonderful food to take home. This place is so special to us, and we look forward to a time when we can eat there in person with friends again, and enjoy the atmosphere and special experience, watching our meal cooked on the grill. Thank you, Torimatsu!! read more

Torimatsu is a small and intimate yakitori place in the city of Gardena. We came around 6pm on a Friday night without a reservation and were able to get seated. I suggest making reservations if you have a party larger than 2. The whole place is tiny! They only have chicken and vegetables. No other kind of meat on yakitori except for duck. Compared to other yakitori places, I believe they only season with salt. It's all about the taste of the meat grilled on charcoal. So if you like everything drenched in sauce, you may not enjoy this place as much. Some of my favorite: chicken heart, chicken wing, and okra. It's definitely worth a try if you're a yakitori fan. No beers on tap, bottled beers only. read more

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I have found another winner for yakitori tonight!!!! Typically we go to Torihei but we could not get reservation tonight so we thought we try Torimatsu for a change; so glad we came and definitely coming back very soon. Yakitori here is more of an "adult flavor"-light salt flavor rather than with sauce. Salt brings out the flavor and it enhances everything so well. Torimatsu has this beer Snow Weizen that is so easy to drink and is one of my husband's favorites (next table heard us completing and ordered one right away) must get their butter potato(sounds so simple but with after cooked with charcoal the taste is amazing , gizzard, negima, bonjiri, and deep fried soft bone. The restaurant is not very good, has counter seats and limited tables. So going back, absolutely love this place! read more

Great little restaurant that I've been going to for more than a decade on and off. Its so good that it's always crowded from reservations. Their chicken bone broth soup, chicken giblets, yaki-onigiri, and curry rice are my favorite items. I have yet to find a better yakitori place. read more

My office is close to Torimatsu and this is my favorite yakitori restaurant in the South Bay. I've brought many friends and co-workers here and they love it. A good sign of a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles is when most of the customers are Japanese. This place reminds me of yakitori bars in Japan (Torimatsu has a store in Japan as well). Food is always fresh and service is good. read more

I'm sure the food is good based on the many reviews here. Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to try. Called them last weekend asking if they take reservations, a female answered that no reservations required if I turn up early (they open at 5pm). Drove 45 minutes and got there at 5:03, walked in and was told it's full with reservations only. WTF! Can't they get their story straight? You either take reservations or you don't, and if you're full of reservations for the day then just say so, instead of wasting my time. Won't go back. read more

Absolutely fantastic! Best Yakitori hands down! So much Better than the former KOKEKOKKO in DTLA. Of the several different chicken skewers, the flavor is unique with each skewer and is seasoned incredibly, cooked to perfection and not overly salted. Only two locations: Gardena and Japan! Worth the drive and exceptional eats! Pros: -Incredible yakitori -Just chicken (mostly) -Yakitori is all they do here, no 40 page menus: 1 specialty and it's incredible -Intimate setting -Wood charcoal Cons: -Get there early or reserve in advance -Just chicken (mostly) -Its way out there (Gardena) read more

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I just had sushi @ Kanpachi next door but I was still hungry. I went here first and left my name. The hostess was kinda rude but I really wanted to try their yakitori. Service sux here..especially after my 5 stars service next door. The only person who was great, fast and friendly was the guy who grilled the yakitori. The waitresses ignored us for 10 minutes after we were seated. I had to get their attention just to get something to drink first. Rude and slow service. Chicken Heart: 2.5 stars. Breast with Green Onion: not chicken thigh here..3 stars. Liver: rubbery. 2.5 stars. Japanese pepper: 2.5 stars. Meatball: 2.5 stars. Chicken in Bean Curd: 3 stars. Quail Egg: 2 stars. Grilled Onigiri with salmon: yummy!! 4 stars. Chicken Soup: served free after your meal. Delicious!! Dunno if I like this better or chicken soup they sell at Shinsengumi. Maybe this one because it was FREE =P 4 stars No minimum sticks per person..unlike yakitori-ya or kokekokko. But I wish they didn't put the menu on top of my plate for hygienic reason. Torimatsu Course: $24 for 10 pcs of yakitori, salad and soup. Shinbanshi Course: $20 for 7 pcs of yakitori, salad and soup. FUNNY HOW I GOT RUDE COMPLIMENTS FOR A REVIEW I POSTED ALMOST 3 YEARS AGO FROM FAKE YELPERS. 2.5 stars!! Torimatsu yuckytori is yuckylicious!! read more

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It's not every day you get to have decent yakitori and finish the meal with a friendly chat with a nice man from the Yakuza. Well, I did and it was kind of neat. Stupid Yakitori Bincho was closed on Tuesday so Torimatsu was the runner up. The girl and I went with one of her friends and sat at the counter. By 7:30pm the place was pretty full and remained that way through most our meal. Reservations would be good for more popular nights. The menu was populated with the standard array of chicken bits. So in true Eli fashion, we order one of each yakitori item (minus ginko nuts and potatos). 21 items total! - Uzura/Quail Egg: Really good smoky flavor and some nice runny yolk in the center! - Aigamo/Duck: Pretty good, could have been more tender. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=LllsojCMM1CEaHdcl1Kh6A - Tebasaki/Chiken Wing: Really good! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=kR8QVX5fwz9usTrCEPNYtw - Stuffed Bell Pepper: Really good! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=pp2hUNSmIgYr5xO7xrfEOQ - Negi-niku/Chicken and Green Onion: Good! - Hatsu/Chicken Heart: Mmm ironie! - Motsu/Chicken Liver: Perfect liver! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=3EkOPDfeDbNxVg5V2WVo2w - Sunagimo/Chicken Giblets: Oh these were good! - Mushroom: Good! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=q6NqTVvJZ6VKVqzUGmgZ-A - Atsuage/Fried Tofu: Who doesn't like tofu? http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=m0PR0D1mRwDwBo9lUt-I8g - Stuffed Lotus: Interesting but good. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=2dPTnjLOH2yS12i1pmdaIQ - Asupara/Asparagus: Great! - Shishito/Japanese Petite Green Peppers: I love these guys! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=C4IJ6N6U0Ar7LfvCHdKVIg - Nasu/Eggplant: Big pieces! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=xRkCj4_nuJdRhQoTEf6cjQ - Bonbochi/Chicken Tail: Yay! Chicken butt! - Kawa/Boiled Chicken Skin: Nice and fatty. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=dXsxlBUlX7N8E2LYUtrHsA - Shiso-maki/Perilla with Chicken: Leafy thing stuffed with chicken, great! - Shiitake/Shiitake Mushrooms: I love non-American mushrooms! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=Pd4DRXBj3Bl7DJzXpmw_gw - Tsumire/Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms: Really good! - Kitsune/Chicken in a Deep-Fried Been Curd: Great! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/n9t4nAEl1WX45BRj0RStrw?select=3lGtfpa3rHuc2I3GLFT_iA Me and the lady also split two large Asahi beers and I had a few bites of her friend's Soboro-rice. The food all came out at a really good pace. We were never without food for that long and never had a stockpile getting cold. Towards the end of the meal, the very Japanese guy sitting next to me starts asking me about my tattoos and he was showing me his and such. Then the girl starts asking him about tattooed people in Japanese bath houses and beaches and if it was not allowed for us to go there because of the ties tattooed people in Japan have to the Yakuza. He told us that people will just leave if he's there and parents will shield their kids' eyes. Then she asked him if he was Yakuza! Me and her friend were shocked she so bluntly asked him that! But he was nice and said yeah he was, but he lives here now doing tattoo designs. I've never met such a nice gangster before. read more

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4.5 Yum! Yaki Onigiri with fish eggs - grilled japanese rice balls with fish eggs in the center (there are other options). FABULOUS!!!!!! One of my favorite things there. Seaweed Salad - if you like seaweed, a must have! Meat/Veggie from grill -Chicken Wings: good -Duck: very good -Shishito Peppers: very good but some were super spicey! -Chicken wrapped in shiso: good They also bring out a chicken broth soup which was tasty! My friend was dipping his yaki onigiri in it. I consider this meal on the light side so if you are on a no-carb diet, this place is a great option. It can get quite costly though. Torimatsu is located in the shopping plaza on the corner of Artesia and Normandie. Curry House and El Pollo Inca are in the same plaze. Torimatsu is easy to miss, it's quite small but look for a Shiatsu massage sign and it's 2 doors down to the right. Parking isn't an issue. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the South Bay. Very flavorful unique recipes.

Good but no firecrackers at this yakitori joint in South Bay...nice clean ambience and good service but the quality and the depth of flavors at this place is so-so. Very good sasami with ponzu, and decent - nankotsu, negima, liver, hearts, skin, but awful yaki onigiri...:/....the "tare" (sauce) is not as deep at yakitori ya...:( Came on a Tuesday nite and we sat at counter and enjoyed our meal but compared to "yakitori ya" in WLA, this place ok! Total cost with tip was about $120.00 for two...oh well! read more

Torimatsu - Very good sasami ponzu at Torimatsu - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

So it was a toss up between Torimatsu and Yakitori Bincho in Redondo Beach Pier. After hearing such great reviews about Bincho and from a trusted source, I chose Bincho only to find that it was closed on a Saturday at 4:53pm. So dear sis and I decided to wait. Thinking oh it should open at 5pm maybe for dinner? Binch-NOT. After waiting for 45 minutes - we bounced and headed to Torimatsu. And I am so glad we did. This is - right now - my favorite yakitori place. I read in another review that they don't serve beef or pork here - which is chicken alright with me. (Aside: I like both beef and pork - but find beef (unless it's a burger, really tender top of the line Kobe beef, or a really good cut of steak) is hard to digest. Pork is yummy as well - but for many reasons I stay away from the swine. Okay, so we ordered the Yakitori special. There are 2 to choose from. 10 Yakitori for $24 or 7 Yakitori for $20 all of which comes with a small iceberg lettuce (bad!) starter salad and ends with chicken soup in a small cup Note: you do not get to choose which yakitori - it's chef's pick. We also ordered asparagus. The potatoes looked good - next time, must order that. I truly enjoyed everything, especially the lotus root stuffed with ground chicken in the holes. What I loved is that this place was not overly oily. I'm not too big a fan of fried things, other than french fries, and anything oily. Not once did I feel that the food was oily. HURRAH~! Now for the reason this place gets 5 stars 1. CLEAN & Bright Restaurant (as far as size goes - small - think cafe size - not good for big groups - perfect for 2-4 peeps) 2. The Yaki Onirigi - They grill this as well - so you get Crispy Rice on the outside and soft chewy melt in your mouth rice on the inside stuffed with I forget what. Anyways, it is so fun and yummy to eat. I picked it up and ate it with my hands like it was a burger. I would come back JUST for this. 3. The set yakitori special - reasonably priced and perfect for 2 people. 4. Attentive service 5. Big parking lot I know some other reviews said that you should call in, but FYI - there were very few patrons when my sis and I arrived at 6pm-ish on a Saturday. This is located in a strip mall. Peep the pix - I only took the first round of yakitori given. (It came in 2 rounds. Forgot to take a pic of onirigi - bahhhhh!) read more

Torimatsu - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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If someone said yakitori my first thought would be Shinsengumi? Not anymore. My husband's coworker told me about this place. A tiny hole in the wall but the BEST place for yakitori. She was right!!! This is yakitori at its best. The grilled rice balls with ume inside is to die for. The rice ball comes with a small cup of chicken broth that was yummy. Everything on the menu was good. They even serve raw chicken. We tried the raw chicken with ponzu sauce. It was surprisingly very good. The stuffed lotus root and gingko nuts were yummy. If you like chicken you have to get the chicken and green onions and also the chicken tip. There wasn't a single thing I ate that did not taste good. They even have this special wasabi sauce that goes well with everything. I will definitely be back for more. This place is located in a strip mall, plenty of parking. They accept credit cards. Make sure to make reservations because this place is super tiny and gets packed!! Also be ready to smell a little smokey after dinner. Now when someone says yakitori I will have to say hands down Torimatsu!!! read more

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They use the char coal called Bincyotan. The best quality char coal. The heat goes up to 1000 degree, and it turns out to be a pure carbon lump, hard as iron. Yakitori grilled on this is super delicious. If you want to try raw food, there is raw chicken breast. Very fresh raw chicken!! My favorite yakitori at the torimatsu is a Tsukune. Their Tsukune is minced chicken meat formed into ball shapes dipped into their special historical sauce. Great service. A lot of Japanese celebrities go there. Usually Japanese restaurants are closed on Monday but Torimatsu is open on Monday. Very cross to major freeway(405, 110, 91) read more

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