For anyone who are planning to visit, please call them to make a reservation ahead or just give them a call even on the day when you would like to visit. It is two people operation (chef and server), and things can get very busy when all customers are ordering at the same time. Saw a few walk-ins during my recent visit. While they were not turned away, they were told to expect the service would be slow due to in-house customer orders, and they ended up passing this time. So, please call ahead so that this local gem can accommodate you. :) read more

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Great little homey restaurant with a variety of dishes to choose from, some atypical from what you would see with other Japanese restaurants. I was treated warmly, despite it being a slower night. One other couple was finishing their meal as I arrived. I heard that they use fresh eels instead of the pre-seasoned, pre-glazed packaged ones that are so plentiful in the US and so I had to come try it. I was hard-pressed looking for a place that uses fresh eels. The dish took some time to prepare but I came fully aware and ready. I can happily say that the kabayaki donburi was tasty and not sickeningly sweet! You could still taste the eel on top of the seasoning used to baste it. I really appreciated how they didn't take the easier way out and slap a ready-to-eat one on a bed of rice. While waiting for the unagi, I ordered ankimo in ponzu and in their own "Fukuno" style. Ponzu is always a nice contrast but Fukuno style ankimo just melted like butter. A shame that portions are never enough, but it was delicious while it lasted. Other side dishes were ordered too and they were overall good. Unfortunately, some of the items I was hoping to order were out of season (firefly squid and persimmons), so I will come back later to try them. As others have mentioned, this small restaurant is run solely by an older couple. Be sure to call ahead to make a reservation or confirm hours for the day. [[HIGHLIGHT]]If you do not, you may be turned away purely due to capacity and staffing limitations or they may close early.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They are a lovely duo and can only handle so much and the seating capacity accurately reflects this.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Kabayaki Unagi Donburi - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

We always look for new/seasonal dishes on the menu and try them. Add more to the "must have" list. Chef Mitsuo is the master of grills. Oysters, cod and Hamachi collars are grilled to perfection. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Seating is limited.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Be sure to make reservations!! read more

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Fukuno is an excellent restaurant, with unique dishes. It is sort of izikaya/tapas style, where your group orders a few dishes to share. The cooked dishes are excellent, as is the raw fish. The service is also very good. It is overall a nice gem of a find in Gardena. Highly recommended! read more

What sushi bar runs out of rice especially at 7 PM on a Friday night?! I feel like they didn't wanna seat me because I'm a gaijin (foreigner). [[HIGHLIGHT]]Restaurant was well open and folks were eating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Suspect behavior my man... read more

Was looking forward to trying an authentic sushi restaurant. Both Google and Yelp stated that they close at 9pm. We walked in around 7:40 and they refused to seat us, saying they close at 8pm :( So disappointed. If they open at 5, this means that they operate for less than 3 hours... read more

This place is very authentic Japanese food. Love the Battera dish. Test very good and remind part of my area seasoning. I went back again with my husband and he enjoyed as well. read more

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It was great I liked Kami nabe and sushi Better make reservations I will come back again read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a small sushi bar style place it seems that only 2 people were working it's a nice little old lady and a older guy who seems to be the cook.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Everything was great and if you're like me and don't like wasabi make sure to ask for it on the side when ordering sushi. Hope to be back to try more dishes! read more

A restaurant where you can enjoy authentic Japanese food. The seasoning is perfectly balanced, everything tastes amazing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior is clean and the overall experience is wonderful.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]We love this tiny gem of a restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The owner and his wife are wonderful and the food is amazing. Reminds me of home (Japan). read more

I would rather not to leave this review simply because I want this restaurant to be my own hidden gem. The monk fish liver and fried tuna balls are so good I will dream about them. I live an hour drive away from this place and I will definitely come back for them. read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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We've lived near this little gem of a restaurant for many years. This place is tiny - it probably can comfortably hold about a dozen or so guests. It's a mom and pop operation. The "mom" is so cute...Quickly walking about to take orders, deliver drinks, and always with friendly smiling eyes. They're wearing masks - we can assume those smiling eyes reflect a smiling face! Happy to support this local business. It took a craving for a bento box lunch to actually try this restaurant. Since we we were getting lunch, we decided to make dinner reservations. That was a great decision! Dinner was delicious! Only a few photos are posted. The chutoro melted in your mouth. The pumpkin braised in dashi was tender and sweet. The ankimo was cooked just right. The sake aged in cedar barrels was a perfect compliment. My only regret - not having enough room to try more dishes. Looking forward to our next experience! Side note- the bento box we ordered for lunch was delicious! No photos available. read more

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Went as a party of 5 which we booked ahead of time. It is a tiny restaurant so booking is highly recommended. An older couple run the restaurant and they do it well. Very authentic and their pickles are delicious. The mixed sushi plate was huge and offered a tasty assortment of fish. I ordered mackerel sushi, gamey and clean and moreish. Try the roast ginko nuts if they are in season, duck in soy sauce, mushroom with Ponzu, pickled cucumber. Everything we ate was served beautifully and artfully and was exquisite on the taste buds. This is going to be a regular for us. Arigato! read more

Small mom/pop operated store reopened after lockdown. Hours change, menu changed as now they offers take out only. Taste is still superior than most Japanese restaurants nearby and the box items change from time to time. You get a lot of items in box and they all taste good. Need to support small local business!! read more

Fukuno Restaurant - New Special Bento Box 6/18/20 - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Vibe: Most authentic Japanese style I've been to in LA. It's a homy tiny restaurant running by a Japanese old couple. Food: We went here for their chirashi bowl. It's the most authentic one I have had in LA. Price is affordable for a normal dinner and the fishes are very fresh. Love the octopus! - Dining in - Dinner - $30-$40 per person read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Chirashi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Good reasonably priced food. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Small and the hours are short so best to get there early or book[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Best Japanese restaurant in the area! The restaurant is owned by a husband and wife and let me tell you, their food is delicious and service is great. read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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Fukuno Restaurant is a hidden gem! [[HIGHLIGHT]]No need to go to Japan, this is an even better experience with an intimate ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were served by a kind older Japanese duo. The sushi was incredibly fresh. Other side dishes like pumpkin, eggplant, and bamboo shoots were delicious. Everything was fantastic and I would come here again in a heartbeat. read more

Ambiance: mama and papa style Japanese restaurant, small and limited seats inside, private parking lot, and better to make reservation for large group Service: very friendly and fast, refilled water attentively Food: simple menu items, overall great taste Maguro Dongo Nanbanzuke - **** tuna meat balls, served cold, sour bold taste, special dish here, recommend Fukuno Tokusen Chirashi - **** special select sashimi on top of sushi rice, one of the most popular sushi order, recommend Hakosushi - *** pressed sushi rice & boiled sea eel with sweet sauce on top, average taste Price: decent portions and reasonable prices, about $30 per person read more

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a lovely mom & pop shop run by two sweetest people. [[HIGHLIGHT]]the ambiance is cozy and intimate,[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the food is some of the best japanese food i've ever had. thank you :) read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great ambience, small and quiet.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Excellent selection with authentic and subtle flavors.

Let me preface by saying I have 500+ ratings on Tabelog, the Yelp-like platform for Japan. Fukuno is my favorite Japanese restaurant in LA. Growing up Japanese in the South Bay, I didn't eat out at Japanese places often because we had enough of that at home. But it feels like there used to be more eateries like Fukuno back then. Pure mom-and-pop shops, neither a part of some massive restaurateur group nor having a backing corporation in Japan. While Fukuno does have an Instagram presence these days, you'll still feel like you've time travelled back to the 90's when entering this shop. Only 3-4 tables and a counter, all managed by the husband-chef and the wife-waitress. Mostly hand-written menu with kappo-style seasonal plates in shareable portions. It's extremely low-key and muted, with not even traditional Japanese or J-pop playing in the background. So the food is the essence of Fukuno, even moreso than at other eateries. While it's labeled a "sushi bar" here on Yelp, and there's some conventional choices like a nigiri plate or chirashi (assorted seafood rice bowl), it's not front and center like most sushi shops, nor do they offer your usual Americanized rolls. For sushi, I would recommend the less common choices like the battera (mackerel with kombu) or hakosushi (pressed eel). But it's the non-sushi dishes that are most interesting. Crunchy yuzu-pickled daikon radishes. Grilled eggplants. Stewed octopus. Grilled chicken with yuzu pepper paste. The "kami nabe", seasonal ingredients cooked in broth in a paper pot. The different flavor profiles will keep things fresh throughout your meal, and there's enough variety on the menu to warrant repeat visits. Fukuno uses traditional ingredients and preparation techniques, so what you might consider to be adventurous all tastes familiar to me. And it's not at all difficult to find places like this in Japan. But in the context of LA, where it's exceedingly hard to find such an authentic experience, it's become one of my favorite eateries in town. Reservation recommended. read more

Been here several times and here's my review, food is AMAZING!!! I love this place so much that I've been here almost 3 times back to back! I love chirashi bowl and kaminabe! I can't wait to go back! read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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I am so tired about cooking. I found Fukuno in Gardena. They were closed for a while but now available for takeout! I love this Oshizushi! Very tasty! Will come back again! read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

This is one of those out dated Japanese restaurant that does not emphasise on decor or excessive service. It's just home feel great food that is consistent and last for as long as they operated. Owner carefully manage the menu so the don't carry too exotic ingredient that needs fast daily turn over. They don't sell raw shrimp, sea urchin or geo duck clam, etc. But everything on the menu are delicious, home style, simple. The soya marinated ankimo was the best, you don't get that in too many places. The marinated tuna was also fantastic. The miso soup was also very nice, freshly made to order, not scoop from a big pre-made pot like 98% other Japanese restaurants. read more

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My family was not able to rate them because they did not open up for service. We waited 15 min from their posted opening time and nobody showed up. It got very good reviews so we were disappointed. We will try them again when we are in the area. read more

Fukuno is really an outlier. I don't know how to properly describe the food, experience, and service. It's just simply perfect, but totally different from any other places at all level (3-Star, world best 50, fancy restaurants in Kyoto or Tokyo, just name it). I will definitely arrange my trip for Fukuno anytime in LA. read more

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Best of the best. Old school Kappo chef creates everything to perfection. Thank you.

be open minded and trust your sense. everything is crafted and curated. the real deal.

Items in Bento changes weekly, very detailed work are done and almost all made from scratch. Oshi-sushi is cooked perfectly with vinegar. Their food reminds me of good time in Japan. Now we can enjoy Fukuno for lunch too! read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Special bento & Battera - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

The food was amazing the husband and wife team make it seem like you're eating at a Japanese family house! I will be back and highly recommend this authentic Japanese food read more

I always judge the rice first. The rice here was perfect! Perfectly washed, cooked, seasoned and served at the perfect temperature. Tried the fancier nigiri set. The fish was cut beautifully, and each mound of rice shaped perfectly. The sushi chef makes the pieces with much care and love! The place was quite empty around 6p on a Tuesday. Hope more people check this place out! There is also a small parking lot out front so parking is not an issue. A 4.25/5 sushi, rounding up to 5/5 overall for great service, ambience (cute little shop) and care that was put into the food!! And rather affordable too! Also, something special is in the soy sauce...it is tastier then usual! Bonito?! read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Fukuno is an old school Japanese restaurant where the decor reminds me of being in one of the most nostalgic times for Japan around the 35th year of the reign of the Sho-wa Emperor. Even the owners give out old time vibes. The older Sushi chef is rather taciturn yet polite while concentrating on his craft. The sole waitress rushes around when there is a full house but is efficient in making sure the customers' needs are met. This restaurant is a rather small place with only twenty seats including the 8 seats at the Sushi bar so reserving ahead would be a good idea. Otherwise you could be in for a long wait if you insist on eating there that evening. We ordered the Chirashi Sushi which is in a shallow bowl filled with Shari/Sushi rice sprinkled w/ small julienned Nori/seaweed & mildly nutty white sesame seeds. Chirasu literally means to scatter so the Sashimi or slice raw seafood is placed on top of the Shari in an artful manner. Included are two slices of Tamago or slices of cooked egg, julienned cucumber, and Sho-ga (pickled ginger). You pick up each slice of the Sashimi and dip it into the Sho-yu or soy sauce and add on Wasabi or Japanese horseradish and eat it with the Shari. There was a healthy portion of Shari and Sashimi so that even a hearty fresser such as I got really full. It was a good deal for $16. For you Sushi purists, anything that goes on top of Shari is called "Neta" since Sashimi only refers to raw seafood or somtimes raw meat so that even Spam on top of Sushi rice can technically be called Neta, but obviously would not be called Sashimi. Fukuno is the 2nd establishment from the back of a long rectangular "strip mall" and is not visible from Western. You can pass by it a million times and not know it. The store front is discrete & understated, but coming here is like a flash from the past. The interior is folksy-homey, and unlike many of the newer restaurants in Los Angeles, it is blessedly quiet. Although I can imagine some of the patrons may get boisterous if they imbibe too much Sakè (sah keh), Sho-chu-/Japanese vodka, or Bi-ru. English oriented menu w/ illustrations will help since the other menu in plastic stands are in Japanese. If you need more clarification, the waitress will give further explanations. On its business card, written in Japanese script, Fukuno prides itself on Sushi and Kappo- which means Japanese style cuisine. 5 Years Later: I ordered the Ayu/golden trout, which is sprinkled w/ sea salt & grilled, is a must order. The fish does come out golden hued. The white meat is firm, moist w/ a faint gaminess & sweet meatiness coaxed out by the salt. The Chef is a master of fish grilling. Better than Wadatsumi imo. Next time, I will have to try out their Omakase which I hear you must reserve 3 days ahead. This will prove the true mettle of the cooking skills of Fukuno. read more

Long run restaurant in Gardena. Welcome by owner's husband & wife. Very at home atmosphere with friendly taste. Usually Japanese tapa style bar with good sake. Now you can enjoy take out bento box. read more

Fukuno Restaurant - Battera sushi & Special Bento Box - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Very authentic! Love the vibes in the restaurant and all the sashimi and foods are amazing!!!! I really recommend this place. read more

The bento box was so delicious and full of different flavors. It had a great variety of food made with high-quality ingredients. Oshi sushi is very unique. It's different from nigiri sushi you find from the most restaurants. I enjoyed learning about it from its website. The service is excellent too. The owners are very friendly. read more

- Locale Destination - It's S Western Ave and between W 162nd St and W Redondo Beach Blvd in Gardena. It's located in the back side of small strip mall. The strip mall is NOT visible from Western. Next to "Nagomi Cake House", across street from "Gardena Terrace Inn". The same side but one block from "Azuma". They need to put a big sign!! Unless you knew the place, it's hard to find this spot. They said they've been in the business +20 years or so, quite long. Ambiance: Nostalgic, very old school, simple "kappo" pop & mom restaurant. Very small. 8 seats at sushi bar and several tables. Make a reservation! Kinda quiet because all the clientele were Japanese?! Menu: Only half of them are in English (ask for the English menu, which has some pictures). It's really difficult for non Japanese clientele to understand the menu. 99.9 % of clientele was Japanese. Half of them don't even have pricing.. Bring your Japanese friend! Service: The owner chef was a bit intimidating. No picture of him! He gets mad if you did. I think his wife is the only server and can speak English. Not so much for the chef. If you needed something, ask for her. Price: Half of the menu don't even have pricing, so I guess it's a bit more expensive side than usual (in South Bay). But the quality is high. Parking: Plenty - Gluttony Expedition - Raw octopus sashimi with yuzu: It's a complimentary appetizer (1 bite size). Raw octopus is so much better than boiled one. I always order when it's served raw. Yuzu got a nice kick to it. Tuna balls: It was ok. Sweet and served cold. Ohitashi: Boiled spinach with dried bonito flakes (served cold). Ok. Nothing special. Very small portion, but was good for me. Half shell oysters: 1 order 2 pieces. Decent. Pumpkin: It was a bit undercooked, but tasty. 3 pieces. Aji tataki: Very good. Spanish mackerels were very fresh. It was supposed to be "tataki" (chopped hard and grounded in Japanese), but the fish was just cut very small pieces. Still good. Kohada: I think it was cured with vinegar. Simple yet good. Cod with sake lees: Great. Grilled perfectly. Snapper "Kabuto" yaki: "Kabuto" literally means a helmet that samurai wore in the war. But it also means "Head" in this case in Japanese. You could choose either grill or braised one. This place can grill so well, so I highly recommend for grill. I'm sure braised one is good. It was grilled so perfectly - nicely crisp outside and moist inside. Only salt for seasoning - perfect in this case. You got to deconstruct the head, so be careful on little bones and all that. Eye got a weird texture - FYI. $18. Great dish. - Conqueror's Deduction - Hidden gem. However, if you didn't know much about the essence of Japanese cuisine and/or Japanese dishes in Japan, you wouldn't understand or appreciate this place. Japanese take the food so seriously because we love to eat good food. We are the rare Asians who always go for quality, never on quantity. We enjoy the food with all the senses: Tasting good isn't enough. It has to look great, too. Quality ingredients, careful & thoughtful cooking, simple seasoning to make the ingredient flavor stand out, presentation to accentuate the dish even in your eyes etc. - the flavor could be bold or subtle. But the focus is always on the main ingredient. Less is more. Simple is the best. It's very simple, so cooking skills would stand out. It's hard to find the place that grills perfectly like this. If you loved "Dragon roll" type of the stuff or enjoyed "Shinsengumi", you might think "bland" unfortunately. If you would like to know what's true Japanese food in Japan about, try here. You must bring your Japanese friend. Otherwise, it can't be enjoyable. I wanna try more. read more

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This place is BOMB! It is such a hidden gem that you would hesitate to share with others. Once the words go around, it would be even harder to secure a table. The spot is intimate, authentic, and serving traditional Japanese food only. The reservations are highly recommended even during the weekdays. It was packed soon after it opened. They used to serve omakase, but no more now. Except for the regular menu, there was a daily special menu but only written in Japanese (without price). So if you can read Japanese, it would help you to adventure something different. We made a reservation at 6 PM and requested two seats at the sushi bar. It is always a pleasure watching the chef preparing food just right in front of you. The chef was skillful, agile, and moving efficiently with no wasted motion. Not just our food, it was quite joyful to see how the chef prepares each type of food. Though there is no problem adding more dishes anytime, if you know what you would like and feel hungry, it'd be better to place your orders all at once. Since there is only one person preparing food, and the food is prepared in orders. Dishes here are not something you can find at the common Japanese restaurants. Most of the dishes we ordered that night were my first time seeing and trying them. What we ordered that night are: 1st - Marinated Tuna Meatball (Maguro Dango) 2nd - Assorted Sashimi (Sashimi Moriawase) 3rd - Marinated Shad (Kohoda Zuke) 4th - Japanese Yam w/ Sea Urchin (Yamaimo w/ Uni) 5th - Chicken Skewer w/ Yuzu Pepper (Niwatori Yaki w/ Yuzu Kosho) 6th - Bract Leafs Pot (Houba Nabe) 7th - Monkfish Liver Pot (Ankimo Nabe) 8th - Golden Eye Snapper Sashimi (Kinmedai Sashimi) 9th - Raw Octopus Sashimi w/ Yuzu Pepper (Nama Tako w/ Yuzu Kosho) 10th - Tuna Roll (Tekka Maki) It's more like Kaiseki style so the portion of each dish was not large. Which was good so we could try more dishes and no need to worry about our bellies, right? But I was wrong and overestimated the capacity of our bellies. Our stomachs were almost exploding at the end from eating too much. All due to the foods were too good to refuse! There was no dish we didn't enjoy nor like. Food was fresh, tasty, and simple. It is a Japanese restaurant makes you think you were in Japan. read more

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Ordered the saba, salmon sushi and 4 special bentos today for family lunch. It's hard to please everyone in the family but this place did it. And knowing that the bento content changes regularly I look forward to ordering it. This will be on the family short list for COVID takeout. read more