I came here to try out some Japanese food in Torrance and ran into this gem. I ordered the Special Pork Filet Combo and it was delicious. It came with 2 salads, miso soup, rice, 6 california roll pieces, and udon. This place looks small, but still good for big groups since there is also outdoor seating. Customer service is great and the place is clean. There is plenty of parking since it's in the Tokyo Central Main Plaza. read more

Fukagawa - Pork Fillet Cutlet Combo - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Gardena is full of old school Japanese restaurants, Fukagawa being one of them. With the atmosphere chock full of regulars and wood accents, it's a very cozy place to eat. There's a wide menu, ranging from Japanese breakfast, dons, udon, soba, etc. The combination plates are the best deal though, you get to try a combination of dishes that are presented beautifully. Food is on the a bit on the pricier side, but definitely fulfilling. The service is pretty quick and friendly, but got a bit confused as no one welcomed me as I got in. I saw others in front of me get their own table and I just followed suit. You can also get a 5% discount if you follow them on Instagram. read more

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I used to be a fairly regular customer here about a year ago due to the recent renovations and fresh flavors that this place had, along with improved standards. It was nice taking friends here after work to chill and eat. I remember this place being kind of a dive before and was happy to see fresh life breathed into it Standards have fallen quite a bit since then and it's pretty sad to see the state of things. Clearly whoever runs this place is looking for cheap shortcuts rather than quality and it's sad to see this once hopeful establishment start declining again. There's other places in the plaza with better food read more

I just have say this was an amazing experience, food was so delicious and the atmosphere was on point. Everyone was giving us amazing service from beginning to end, definitely recommend this place to anyone in the Gardena area it's a must !!!!! Thank you so much ! Japanese cuisine on point, a must !!!! read more

Six years after my first visit, Fukagawa continues to be a favorite spot to grab Japanese breakfast with friends. They've changed their hours post-pandemic, so they're only open for lunch and dinner but you can still order the Japanese breakfast. This restaurant is consistently and solidly good. I order the same thing every time I go (I'm a creature of habit) and I know exactly what I'm going to get, I don't have to worry about fluctuating quality. Staff are friendly and will mostly leave you alone while you're dining. I've never felt awkward sitting for a while and catching up with friends. On my last visit I arrived just before closing and was planning to just order my meal to go, given their hours. They were happy to seat me, and even sat another person who arrived shortly after me. People who had long since finished their meals were still sitting and chatting and no one rushed them along. After you're done dining, pick up some groceries at Tokyo Central & Main or a tea over at Pruvia Cafe. read more

Located in the corner of pacific square, this is a small restaurant with inside and outside dining serving traditional Japanese breakfast, lunch and dinner. I had lunch with friends - three of us ordered the fish combination - salmon, mackerel or Japanese mackerel with miso soup, salad, noodles - either soba or udon, hot or cold, California rolls, rice and pickles. The fourth in our group ordered the tempura soba combination. Waitress greeted us and took our order promptly. Small wait for freshly prepared food. A definite jem - authentic Japanese food in authentic Japanese setting. read more

DO NOT EAT HERE....The food is horrible! All the food tasted like it was premade and just heated up, nothing was made fresh. Fukagawa used to be a very good authentic Japanese restaurant. We haven't been here in a while and were so disappointed. It's sad that some of the best Japanese restaurants like Fukagawa and Sanuki no Sato have changed owners and have gone down in taste and quality. Teriyaki chicken and the grilled fish were room temp and dried up. They charged $30 for a disgusting piece of beef that had the texture of paper which was also premade and reheated. Fried squid legs were room temp and soggy and the spinach bacon salad didn't have bacon but instead had overcooked hard pork belly that was super porky with cold solidified fat. Even the green onions for the soba sauce were dried and shriveled up. Literally every single thing was old and dried up. We spent $140 for food that tasted like bad leftovers straight from the fridge. read more

Wow, just discovered the best udon I've had in LA, and their tempura is perfect. Happy to have the plant based options!! So delicious.

The traditional Japanese breakfast was out of this world. Service was a 10 out of 10. Atmosphere 10 out of 10. If you want the real deal, this is where it's at. read more

Greatly disappointed in a place that looked like my family would enjoy! We came in on Saturday afternoon and we were not aware it is best to make a reservation but we were given the option to eat outside, which we were fine with. Once we sat a server/hostess came and gave us waters and menus. My daughter was excited to have an Udon soup. Unfortunately after 30 minutes of waiting no one came to serve us. I stood up a few times trying to get someone's attention, but no one looked. I needed to feed my kids so we left. They did so well patiently waiting and we were ignored. For this reason I will have to say if you want to eat here with your family I recommend you go elsewhere because families are not welcomed! read more

I spent 20$ for the breakfast set meal. The best things in the set was the white rice (cooked perfectly) and the saba. I think I was looking for a more exciting Japanese breakfast experience and it felt a little lack luster :-/ read more

Traditional and home style Japanese food. Everything is so fresh and the taste is very crispy and authentic. The staff are so friendly, just warm. The ambiance is very cozy. The presentation is excellent, price is average. read more

Fukagawa - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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This place is a lot like a valedictorian HS student. It had so much potential and signs of growth but then u don't know what happened to it, and it kinda succumbs to its own demise. I used to rly like this place. They had legit japanese food. But after this most recent lunch rush, I realize they're understaffed, we had to wait 25 min to get someone to take order. When the food came, they messed up like 3 of our table orders! When i ordered the japanese bfast combo plate, they asked me what kind of egg do I want. ??? I thought it was an odd question, and it was! Everyone who ordered a japanese blast plate gets the egg Tamayo. But I got a fried egg?? So weird. Wish I could recommend this place but I cant. It's also kinda pricey. read more

I came here on a Friday for dinner with some friends. I've heard that this spot is known for their Japanese breakfasts so I had to give it a try. They serve their breakfasts all day but they serve a variety of different dishes from soba, udon, rice dishes and shabu. It was fairly busy for a Friday night but we were able to get seated right away. The first thing I noticed was how awkwardly huge the tables here were. I ordered the steak combo D and my friends ordered the curry chicken katsu. The steak combo came with miso soup, natto, tofu, pickled vegetables, egg and rice. It was incredibly filling but didn't feel too heavy. The steak itself was a little overcooked and dry. It was my first time trying natto and I can't say I was a fan. I ended up giving it to my friend who enjoys eating natto. They said this natto is a little on the plain side and not that great for someone who has never tried it before. My friends who ordered the curry chicken katsu were a little disappointed by the portion of the chicken because it was smaller than they expected. Overall, this was a good spot to eat and I would definitely come back to try some of their other dishes! read more

Fukagawa - Combo D with Steak - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Went to a work lunch at this highly recommended Japanese restaurant. We all ordered the lunch combination since it had so many options for a good price. I got the shrimp and vegetable tempura, salad, soba noodles, soup and cali rolls. The portion was just right and just enough food, I actually had some leftover on my plate. The customer service was wonderful as they were constantly filling up our tea. This restaurant is located in a shopping center in Gardena, hidden gem! read more

Fukagawa - Lunch combination. Shrimp and veggie tempura, soup, salad, soba noodles and cali rolls :) - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

I've known about Fukagawa for quite a while now, but haven't really had a chance to go. Compared to other Japanese places with similar cuisine, it's definitely a bit pricier. My wife was inquiring about hot soba places, and this one stuck out to me as particularly appealing. Thus we came here for dinner. My wife loves mochi and noodles, so she ended up getting the chikara soba, which came with fried mochi and fish cake. I normally like to get meat and rice dishes, so this type I switched it up. I ordered their breakfast combo C with mackerel, dashimaki tamago, and the usual sides of tofu, miso soup, vegetables, and packaged nori. I'm normally not that big on soba, so I was surprised at how much I loved the broth in the chikara soba. The broth was super flavorful and savory. The vegetables really absorbed the flavor of the broth too. I also loved the deep fried mochi. The grilled mackerel was also super tasty, perfectly seasoned, and grilled to perfection. The grated daikon went super well with the fish, and was a delight on its own. The tamago was sweet, though I personally would have preferred just slightly sweeter. The tofu and bonito were solid, as was the salad. The soup was amazing. Everything was amazing, just slightly on the pricier side. It's worth coming though if you want some amazing home style washoku. read more

Fukagawa - Chikara soba - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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Nice little spot that has traditional Japanese breakfasts and meals. I think that's why a lot of people come here. The food here is a little above average. I really like the variety of their menu and foods too. I also really liked the service and how quiet it was inside. So ambience here was definitely 10/10. read more

Fukagawa - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

I really wanted to like this classic Japanese restaurant again. But the warmth, personality, and charm of yesterday's Fukagawa has largely disappeared with the change of ownership. Logging over two decades of working in the Southbay area, Fukagawa became one of the go-tos for authentic Japanese cuisine for me and my colleagues. In the Fukagawa of yesterday, the ambience was purely and authentically Japanese - from entering the restaurant and feeling the humid heat of the kitchen, being genuinely greeted with "Irasshaimase" from the staff, and with the stern-faced Japanese man dressed in a salary-man shirt and tie pointing us to our table, it was unmistakably authentic. We often brought our visiting Japanese colleagues there for lunch. Now, it's hip. It's Instagram. It's stories. It's craft beer. All of these upgrades were at a greater sacrifice of its nostalgic charm. Ok that's not too bad, really. They want to be with the times. The problem is that on a Father's Day, management should not take in more customers than they can serve within a reasonable amount of time. One hour to receive the first of our eleven orders is not good. One our later receiving the last of our eleven orders is down right unacceptable. We, as a family, wait for everyone to receive their meal before we eat. Well, you can imagine. The food for the first person who received it was cold. Utterly. Unacceptable. Would I come here again? Not unless Japanese management returns. ほんとうに、まずいです。 read more

Amazing food even better service! Been craving good udon since my trip to Japan and this place definitely hit the spot! read more

Fukagawa - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Best teriyaki Chicken ever. Miso soup excellent Sashimi very fresh. Very intimate and busy. I don't believe you can make reservations. Suggest getting there 1/2 hour before opening at 11:30 for lunch & 5PM for dinner. read more

There is something special about old-school Japanese restaurants in Gardena/Torrance. You know what I'm talking about -- they usually have carpeted dining areas, dark wood paneling and furnishings, and traditional decorative pieces sprinkled around. It's comforting. Fukagawa fits this mold perfectly. Some observations: most of the dinner plates come with salad, miso soup, rice, and little California rolls. They seem to excel at tempura -- everything was ridiculously crispy, not a soggy piece in sight. They were a bit understaffed, and it was getting busier as we were leaving. I felt for the two servers manning the entire dining area. They were doing the seating, taking orders, food running, cleaning -- everything! I would definitely come here again, it's especially nice when everyone is in the mood for something a little different. Fukagawa has a large selection so you can get anything from eel to sukiyaki, and everything in between. read more

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I've been coming to Fukagawa for years now and thought I had left them a review, but better late than never I suppose. **I will preface this by saying in the past, they likely would have been a 5 star but this review is based on my more recent visits.** The food has always been good. In the past I would have called it pricier but nowadays, it seems like a decent deal for what you're getting. This restaurant has different prices for breakfast/lunch and dinner and as long as I've been coming here, I've not noticed a size difference in dishes, only a $1 price hike on some dinner items. My go to items have always been either the breakfast sets or the dinner combos as they give a good amount of variety. I especially enjoy their fish and/or katsu items. I have out of town friends who must always have at least one breakfast at Futagawa before they leave. Service has always been cheerful and friendly... but expediency has always been hit or miss as when they're busy, it sometimes feels under-staffed and it may take a bit for your server to return to check or order. The atmosphere is very relaxing and calm, however it could also use a bit of an update. I do love the traditional style decor but it also feels like the whole place may need a good scrubbing from top to bottom and maybe a new coat of varnish. ITS NOT DIRTY but just kind of feels like it? Also, I've often noticed that they often have little gnats or random flies indoors (usually in the spring to summer) and it's odd cause I usually don't encounter those indoors. I don't know what they can do about that but it's always left me a bit conflicted. Fukagawa is located in southwest corner of the plaza tucked into an odd hallway (which they have since turned into outdoor seating). You may not even notice it unless you go looking for it. Don't mistake the restaurants under the "Futagawa sign" as that is not the case. The sign is located a bit east of the restaurant itself because it would otherwise not get a sign or the sign would not be visible from afar. read more

This traditional Japanese restaurant is a gem, I came here on a weekday with friends and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The food is amazing and the servers are so kind. Would definitely come back again so I can try more things on their menu. read more

Is my favorite place! The personal is so sweet I love to talk with them! The food is so good, is a lot so I have to take some Togo but is so yummy read more

Fukagawa - Yuuumy - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Unfortunately Fukagawa is a shell of what it once was. The food is so mediocre and salty and extremely overpriced. Never again. The service was good the young men were very attentive. read more

The food was decent, but the kitchen was too slow. We went there for Saturday lunch and there was only one cook in the kitchen. It took 30 minutes for our 3 dishes to come out. The food was good, but not worth the wait. read more

I've been wanting to come to Fukugawa for quite some time since it's been many years since I've been here. The restaurant is located in the Pacific Square Shopping Center, tucked away in the corner, opposite end of Tokyo Central. Fukugawa is not a fancy place, but more of a homestyle restaurant, however I was very pleased with my meal. This is the only place in the South Bay where you can get a traditional Japanese breakfast meal. We ordered the grilled salmon and grilled saba or mackerel combination meal which is served with miso soup, Japanese pickles, and tamagoyaki (sweetened egg with dashi). The meal was delicious and the tamagoyaki or dashimaki egg was very tasty and on point. The prices are a bit on the higher side, but I thought it was well worth the price. The sign says "Cash Only", but I didn't ask if they take credit cards as well. Definitely will be returning soon and not wait so long between visits. read more

Fukagawa - Salmon combination - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Everything was amazing. Can't wait to go back again. Food fresh and hot. The seating is limited so be sure to get there early

When I walked in and saw a table of 10 Japanese grandmas with perfectly coiffed gray hair on their Sunday friend's brunch, I knew this place was going to be solid. Pretty huge menu with lots to choose from. I got one of the combos with grilled salmon. It came with a choice of soba or udon, California roll, salad, soup, rice, salad, and some pickle veggies. My tray of food hit the spot. I had to be rolled out of the restaurant. They were buzzing with business, a continuous flow of tables. We got our food fast and a server was always available to call on. There's outdoor seating if needed. In the same plaza as Tokyo Central Market, there's plenty of parking. read more

Fukagawa - Salmon C Combo with Grilled Fish - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Stopped by randomly over the weekend for a quick bite to eat. I ordered the fried oyster plate and the boyfriend went with a katsu plate. We both agreed to maybe never get the katsu again. It was definitely not the best we had and it was incredibly dry. The fried oysters on the other hand, were good. The ladies who were there were incredibly sweet and showed our dog a lot of love. read more

Gardena's gem of all authentic Japanese gems. Straight up Japanese home-cooked classics and excellent service that never disappoints. The wait staff are friendly and extremely knowledgeable about their servings; and they move quickly. We had the chicken katsu plate. The breading was crispy and inside was juicy. They provided a generous amount of sauce on the side, so you can add as much, or little, as you want. Miso broth was rich. I could go on and on. Follow them on IG to get 5% discount on every visit. You're welcome. read more

[Review #690] 2022 Yelp 100 Challenge (11/100) OTM Club 01/09/22 - 01/15/22, 03/13/22 - 03/19/22 It's a new year & I wanted to start fresh, but apparently I'm behind with my reviews (so instead of being my 1st for 2022, it's #11). ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I've got a good reason, at the time of my initial visit, I was interviewing for a dream role & came here to celebrate... nailing that interview, selling a couple of stocks to cover almost 4 months of salary (I was jobless at that time), & I got a curated freebie of FRIED CHICKEN CUTLET & CABBAGE SALAD from OTM Club. =) Fukagawa is located on the southwest side (quasi hidden) of Pacific Square Shopping Center. While there's plenty of parking spaces, it can get jam packed during lunch/dinner rush & on weekends since there's so many dining options in addition to a supermarket & other businesses. It was relatively quiet when I stopped by Thursday to enjoy my freebie, & added their Thursday Special: PORK FILET SET + HALF UDON (ヒレカツセット + 半うどん). I was served a complimentary hot cup of hōjicha (roasted Japanese green tea) moment after ordering. It was great sipping this hot tea since the weather was still chill. My lunch came fairly quick, & I was surprised at the amount of food that was presented! I especially loved the cutlet -- soooooo crisp, tender, & juicy! Nom, nom, nom... can hear that crunch?! And the pork filet was just as crisp, tender, & juicy! The udon was a perfect al dente with QQ chew! Mmm... this was a most delish & satisfying lunch! The restaurant started getting busy even though it was post-lunch rush, & the restaurant manager, Sanae, was a 1-woman show, handling everyone & everything with professional ease & grace... from seating & serving customers in the dining room to handling pick-up orders & phone orders, this lady is a superwoman! Talk about service excellence!! I came back 2 months later for another OTM Club curated freebie: PORK KATSU SANDWICH (deep fried pork cutlet w/panko crumbs, cabbage, tonkatsu sauce, mayo, shokupan). There's just sumthin' about shokupan (aka Japanese milk bread) that's just so delish... & made even better when they're turned into a katsu sandwich! It wasn't the biggest sandwich, but it's got flavor, & this unctuousness that just satisfies your taste buds if not your hunger. ;-) おいしいです!! It's addicting, & I need more of this!! Fukagawa is a family-friendly Japanese restaurant, with booster chairs & entertainment (books, toys, & cards) for your little ones. =) It has a sizable dining room, no outdoor seating that I'm aware of. With excellent & friendly customer service, & tasty & quality food, you'll definitely enjoy your dining experience here. However, they're not cheap, the menu is somewhat on the pricey side but worth it IMO for what & how much you get. Word from others... is their traditional breakfast is a must. I shall be back for that & then some. Recommended: Pork Filet Set + Half Udon, Fried Chicken Cutlet, Pork Katsu Sandwich (this is a must!). read more

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I love their food ! Their spring rolls are top notch! The environment is nice and clean and serve the food pretty fast .

When I lived full-time in Hawaii some 20 years ago, I used to love the Japanese breakfasts I'd find at various restaurants. They always seemed authentic with the miso soup, fish, Japanese pickles, etc. This meal brought me back to those good ol' days. I've been spending a lot of time in the South Bay Area lately and happened to be craving a Japanese breakfast. A quick search on Yelp led me to this popular shopping plaza in Gardena (where Tokyo Central is located), however the restaurant itself is tucked away on the right side of Tokyo Central. It'd be somewhat hard to find the place unless you knew about it, but my guess is that many locals already know about it because it was crowded from the time they opened! They're a medium-sized establishment with plenty of shared parking in the open parking lot. Upon arrival, I wrote my name on the sign in sheet and was quickly seated at the last available table inside. They have only two tables located outside. The inside was reminiscent of a Japanese restaurant in their decor and overall mannerisms in the sense that the staff ran around (literally) to clean the tables and move the customers in and out. In terms of the food, I ordered the Japanese Breakfast - Combo C with grilled fish (salmon) for $16.75, and it was worth every penny! It came in a bento style box, with miso soup, rice, Japanese pickles, tofu, Japanese omelette-style eggs and grilled salmon. Everything was delicious and I was full by the time I finished it! The staff was friendly but appeared very "rushed", thus the 4 stars instead of 5. It didn't make you feel like you were in a relaxed environment at all. It felt like they were just trying to get people in and out. They have many other items besides the Japanese breakfasts, but since I came here for that meal only, I'm not qualified to report on their other offerings. If you're in the area, I'd definitely recommend stopping by. They are definitely an authentic Japanese restaurant with delicious food! read more

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Loved it! Super authentic and delicious. I wish I could eat at this beautiful place every day. Service was very good. Food quality was outstanding, even down to the tofu, which I am usually not that excited about, but it tasted great here. So different from what I buy in the grocery store. read more

Came here because I was craving traditional Japanese breakfast, and this is the one of the few places in/near LA that offers it, to my knowledge. I ordered the salmon breakfast, and my partner got the steak set. Both were delicious and very fairly priced. The people who work there are very sweet as well. Cute interior. read more

Had a coupon so we decided to use it. Here was our experience. AMBIANCE Parking: Plaza parking. It can get busy but we didn't have any issues. It's just a matter of how close you're parking. Seating: Inside seating for small and large groups. Room for about 50 people. Feels: It's off a busy street and close to the plaza. There are many eateries and Tokyo Central as well for more food shopping goods. The spot itself is nice. A lightly dimmed intimate feel, pictures of community and art. Great for a family night out or simple dine-in. FOOD: Fried Chicken Cutlet Karaage Combo (Recommend) Served with cabbage salad, potato salad, and miso soup. Holistically it was great! Fulfilling and flavorful. Broth soup keeps you warm, a free drink keeps you hydrated and the cabbage and potato salad was balancing for the umami fried flavors of the panko chicken - fresh and delivered with a great crunch. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Awesome! We ordered for pick up. Communication was simple, friendly, and accurate! TL; DR OVERALL: 4.5 Stars. Great! Delicious food, reasonable price and a good classic feel to Japanese cuisines. I appreciate this place and look forward to checking out more of their menu. Tips: * They have a difference from a lunch and dinner menu! read more

Fukagawa - Fried Chicken Cutlet combo! - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

This is such a gem of a restaurant that everyone deserves to experience. Japanese breakfast combo is the name of the game here though everything else on the menu is probably really good too. So the breakfast combos are light, yet flavorful, and filling, yet not too filling. You should 120% get the egg as dashi maki because it's so fluffy and subtly sweet which refreshes your morning. Between the steak and grilled fish it's really just a preference thing because both are delicious in their own ways. My first time having natto is here and it was well worth it. It's not overbearing and mixes quite well with the rest of your meal. So alongside an incredible meal, you also get nice hot tea, beautiful traditional decor, and some of the kindest waiters ever. So yeah, eat here because it's well worth a visit or few dozen. read more

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Fukagawa is a traditional Japanese restaurant hidden in the back corner of a strip mall. If you can't find it, it's to the right of Tokyo Central. The interior is wood-paneled and minimal. They've been around for over 30 years and are great at what they do. The woman who attended to us was so adorable, warm and smiley. Keep in mind that they accept card but have a sign stating that they prefer cash. Food is presented on trays and in cute little boxes. They seem to be known for their Japanese breakfast but the menu is extensive. I chose the Special Chicken Cutlet Combo which comes in at a very affordable $22.25 for all of the food you get. It comes with a 4 piece California Roll, half size order of hot or cold soba or udon, salad, miso soup and rice. The crisp on the chicken was perfect and the inside remained juicy. With 2 soups and all the food I just couldn't finish my meal and was able to take some to-go. They have smaller portions in the form of plates or bowls, tons of udon and soba to choose from and even hot pot. I can't wait to show more people this restaurant as my friend and I both found the food and experience to be fantastic. read more

Fukagawa - Special Chicken Cutlet Combo - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Amazing authentic Japanese breakfast! Ingredients are simple but the preparation was very well done! Definitely select the Dashi Maki egg, sweet and fluffy. The mackerel and steak are both solid protein choices! We were told to use the nori to roll up the rice. Don't be shy to ask if you are not sure how to eat the food in the traditional Japanese way! They will be more than happy to help! They also have ample outdoor seating if that is your preference. read more

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