had a date night with my wife here and as a huge izakaya fan, i crave yakitori, sushi, and hamachi kama on a daily basis. while i usually have high expectations, long beach at times, does disappoint with too much salt and heavy sauces, but homareya has changed all of that. i was transported to japan with the feel of a master at work with a menu that was just unique enough to include a variety of techniques. the veggies were insane. the yakitori was insane. and the hospitality was also just perfect. i only wish it was nearer to me so i could eat it every day. thank you for existing homareya! read more

I had a scallop skewer, pork belly skewer, sashimi, and the famed Shinsyu premium Wagyu steak. Service was great in the beginning, but when my original server went home for the night, his coworker didn't hold the same standard. Its a small place, and it wasn't overly busy. Its likely that it was a slow night and server #2 appeared to be socializing with some friends seated at another table. In other news, I don't understand the hype over the Wagyu. In my opinion, it was oddly greasy but overcooked. No one asked how I like my steak - which is fine if that's customary in Japanese cuisine - but the end result simply missed the mark. However, I want to add that the owner was absolutely lovely! He made me a drink that resembled an Old Fashioned, and it was delicious. I can tell the owner truly cares about his restaurant - and for that reason - I'm willing to come back and try something different. read more

This place is a true hidden gem. The food was Truly Delicious and it felt like I was back in Japan. The sashimi was fresh, the skewers were amazing and the pork rib was melting in our mouths. There are a couple of things to note when coming here -- be prepared to wait. Our reservation was at 07:30 pm , we checked in with the host and was told it would be a 10-15 min wait, we told him we would wait outside. Then many groups started to arrive and checked in as well, finally 3 tables became available and I assumed we would be seated first but I was wrong. The host started seating groups that had arrived after us -- I then went inside to get an update ... the host was not trying to make eye contact but I was finally able To get his attention and informed him we had been waiting for 30 mins at this point. Luckily there were 2 seats available at the bar so he offered us to sit there and we accepted. Once seated we were greeted and given water quickly. We ordered a few dishes to Try and sake and beer. Like I mentioned earlier be prepared to wait when you come here , the dishes come out in courses and it may take awhile in between but it is worth the wait ! I would be back but maybe not come at dinner rush on a Friday and if you do , don't wait outside , be persistent and you will get seated eventually. It is a very small space but it's intimate and honestly sitting at the bar was better than a table because you can see everything going on in the Kitchen ! read more

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I happened upon this place when visiting downtown LB and snagged a table without a reservation. The space is intimate. Reservations are highly recommended. Service was attentive despite being packed. I was impressed with the quality of food. The Wagyu steak, chicken karaage, yakitori, and tempura were excellent. We also had the pork belly yakisoba and kampachi, which were solid. The steak was absolutely the highlight. It was one of the best bites I've had in a long while. The cocktails were also fantastic. I cannot wait to return and recommend this place for a small group or date night. read more

Homareya - Mango chili cocktail - shochu, mango, lime with a tajin rim - Izakaya Near Me - Long Beach, California

I am so happy to have a Japanese Iazakaya in Long Beach. Long Beach is overall lacking in Japanese cuisine, so having something authentic and delicious is so wonderful. I started off with a Jumbo beer, which is worth the upcharge. It's too much beer and definitely a good time. For appetizers, I got the egg salad, the cabbage salad with chicken skin, and the charcoal roasted vegetables. The roasted vegetables were so good that I ordered a second round of it later in the meal. It's so simple, yet so perfect. The other salads are good to have to start your meal. When at Homareya, you MUST get their nigiri. It's not what they're necessarily known for, but I think that Homareya has the best sushi in all of Long Beach. The rice is perfectly cooked and seasoned, and their fish is fresh, simple, and so freaking delicious. I also got a couple of their handrolls to try, which were also good, but you NEED to get their nigiri sampler plate. They are known for their skewers, so I got some pork belly skewers, which were good. It's fun to sit at the bar and watch them work. Off of their specials menu, I got their Japanese curry inspired beef tongue, which was such an amazing and inventive interpretation of japanese curry. It was super flavorful and the tongue was tender. They have definitely come into their own now that they've been open for a while. Service was fantastic this time around, and the experience at the bar was great. I would highly recommend checking this spot out. read more

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We had a very disappointing experience unfortunately and I'll likely not return. It boils down to customer care. We rarely if ever send a dish back to the kitchen, and in this case we were just letting the waiter know that the meat was not edible as it was thought and we couldn't chew it. Instead we were given a lecture of the difference between a 30.00 wagyu cut and a 200.00 wagyu cut of meat. If the dish is not edible I don't care if it is 1.00, the kitchen should know. read more

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STEPH JUDGEMENT: Amazing food, warm service. I'd been wanting to try this place ever since I first heard of it and met up with fellow LB Yelper Morgan H for dinner one night. We'd made reservations and got seated at the counter, which offered a great vantage point from which to see the chefs work. We ordered: - Potato salad with nori and onsen egg (truly extraordinary potato salad) - Hokkaido scallop skewers (good but a bit too salty) - grilled rice ball with spicy cod roe (delicious) - white fish sashimi in ponzu (beautiful presentation and great flavors) - monkfish karaage (delicately fried pillowy white fish with intriguing matcha salt accompaniment) - black mussels (perfectly cooked juicy mussels in a delicious citrusy buttery broth that I seriously could've just drunk down) The service, while friendly, was slightly uneven: an extra rice ball we ordered got missed but we were able to take it off the bill, and a requested green tea refill took a really long time to come. But the staff were all so friendly and enthusiastic and the place was so busy I was willing to cut them some slack. It's a beautiful, fun place and I wish it continued success! read more

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Went here for a birthday party with 9 other girls. It's a small venue not conducive for big parties. The sashimi dishes (trout, white fish), spicy tuna and uni hand rolls were good. However several skewers were undercooked and scallops were too fishy and chewey. We had cucumber & cabbage salad, mussels, yellowtail collar and skewers: scallop, heart, chicken breast, liver beef flank, & Wagyu. Service was good, they took back several dishes that were a bit raw and either re-cooked or didn't charge us. read more

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1st time at Homareya and it didn't disappoint. Made a reservation and seated very quickly, special menu was interesting, loved the beef curry focaccia bread & quesadilla! Service was great, will definitely come back. read more

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First visit was A++. Tonight's visit was a 2 star, really marred by 2 dishes. First , the great. Great service and a really good drink menu. Sake selections are nice and I like a nice big Sappora on draft. We enjoy the monkfish kaarage. The omelette is also a go-to item. Tonight's special of the matcha soba with duck was phenomenal. We loved the veggies our last visit, but tonight it was over charred and flooded with a peppery thick sauce. The yakitori at the end that spoiled our visit tonight. Pork belly was overcooked and oversalted. The chicken liver was the same. Our server was very understanding and offered to comp the items (out of principle we declined). Anyway, if you see a nice gentleman over the coals then it is probably going to be great. If you happen to see the tall woman we had, then maybe stick to off grill items unless you love a nice salt bath on the tongue. read more

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Love this place! You can get classic sushi and skewers and some really innovative dishes as well. Service is great. The chef is a delight and fun. Been there there couple times now and will be back. Ambiance is very laid-back. There is a free 2-hour parking garage nearby. read more

So I'd been excited to try this place since I heard they were opening a few months ago... finally got around to it, a couple weeks back. I've just been a bit conflicted as far as how to distill my feelings about it into a star-rating. First off, yes, you definitely need to call ahead to get a reservation, at least on a Saturday - our stop here was fairly last minute, so we called in before we left, and snagged the last two spots (this is not guaranteed - it is a pretty small space, and word is out.) It was definitely full and quite busy when we got there, but we were seated immediately. That was, however, the only thing that was immediate - the drinks we ordered came out relatively quickly, but the food took like 45 minutes. The kitchen is right in front of you, though, so we could definitely see that they weren't being slow, just scrambling to keep up. As far as the food, I was here mainly to try two things: all their skewers, and the fusion quesadilla with Sonoratown's tortillas everyone's been talking about. The latter was... good? For 16 bucks, I definitely wasn't blown away. The tortilla is obviously a great tortilla, and the meat was enjoyable, definitely spiced really nicely, but it's not very large, and could definitely have used a bit more cheese, if you want to call it a "quesadilla". It also comes in 3 pieces, which wasn't ideal for sharing. As far as the skewers, we tried the beef (enjoyable, but as expected, not very large for the price), the scallops (also pretty small, and neither of us were particularly impressed with the flavor), the pork belly, which was *extremely* good (though also in fairly thin strips, though much more affordably so), and the tare chicken thighs, which are also only $4 per skewer like the pork belly, OMG amazing, and a bit more filling than the others, as well. So if they were a bit less busy, while I probably wouldn't be back to try the more expensive things on the menu, if they were a bit less busy sometime, I would *definitely* be back to just literally stuff my face with pork belly and chicken thigh skewers. (I was also looking forward to trying the mushroom skewers, but they were all out of all their veggie skewers the day I was there, for whatever reason.) The other reason I feel slightly conflicted in terms of rating is their drinks list - it's certainly entirely reasonable that the majority of it would be taken up by sake, but it's all pretty *expensive* sake, would be nice if they had at least one slightly more affordable option. I did think the menu of shochu on the rocks (more affordable at $7-8 per pour) was pretty neat, though. We were also sad to discover, after ordering it, that the non-alcoholic Japenese "cider" listed on the menu is absolutely actually not a cider, but an apple-flavored sugary soda drink. That felt a bit like false advertising? Then they have the standard Japanese import beers, and one local peach oolong craft beer (which I've had elsewhere, it is quite good), and that's basically it for drinks. Anyway, while I wish they had a broader menu for drinks, they could have been a bit faster, and some of their menu feels a bit pricey for their size... I do think the most important part of this review to take away from it is that, omg, in my personal opinion, the tare chicken thigh skewers are fantastic, and very reasonably priced. read more

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Oof. It kills me to leave a negative review of this diamond in the rough. But there's real food safety risks eating here and I'm worried it hasn't gotten better. The first sign that the kitchen doesn't have their cooking times dialed in was an order of charcoal grilled rice balls with cold rice inside. What followed later was a series of grilled chicken thigh skewers that were varying levels of doneness, including a few that were still raw(!) inside. The grilled veggie dish was excellent, grilled meatballs were delicious and the grilled pork belly was mostly good - but again, borderline undercooked sometimes. Inconsistent cooking times were the theme for the meal and I felt like I was on a roller coaster of highs of delicious flavor and lows of worrying if my night will end with food poisoning. The underlying flavors of everything are delicious and seasonings are spot on. It's the cook level that is wildly inconsistent that ruins it for me. If they could get this sorted this could be a five star place, no question. read more

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This is a late review but better late than never? I was really excited for an izakaya to open in Long Beach. Comfort Japanese food is one of my favorites but I usually have to trek up to South Bay for it. So high hopes for this place and it was good, not great. We came during their soft opening so maybe that was the problem. There were a few items we really wanted to try but they were out of them. We tried a wide variety of the skewers and a salad and the rice balls. Don't recommend the rice balls. Extraordinarily sweet and almost inedible. The chicken thighs were undercooked. I'm well aware that chicken thighs unlike breast don't always turn white but this was an undercooked pink. I think they were going too fast and also trying to keep the chicken tender but the result was not great and so our kids just didn't want to eat it anymore. Now onto the good. In large part, many of the skewers, including the wasabi chicken, beef, and pork belly were delicious. The seafood skewers were also great. And they had a great alcohol selection to go along with their food. The vibe is also great. Small but not crowded, really nice servers, felt like a cleaner yakitori spot in Japan. That said, it's pretty pricey and when I go to a yakitori or izakaya spot in Japan, part of the appeal is affordability and you won't find that here. I'm heavily torn about giving this place a 3 or 4 star rating. On the one hand, I want this place to succeed and it has a lot of potential. But it doesn't compare to places in South Bay let alone Japan. So I gave it 3 stars because ultimately as an elevated yakitori/izakaya, I thought it was fine but it just isn't a place I would come over trekking down to South Bay. read more

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I am already a repeat customer of Homareya's because it's just such an amazingly delicious and cool spot in DTLB! The open style kitchen allows you to see the chefs grilling the skewers and preparing the food when you're sitting at the bar, which really adds to the casual and friendly atmosphere. All the chefs and servers were very nice as well. As for the food... AMAZING!!! My favorite dishes were the japadilla, which was perfectly flavored, and the chicken thigh (tare) skewer, which was extremely juicy and succulent. I enjoyed everything that I tried there, and I will definitely be back to try more on the menu! read more

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I think I found my new favorite restaurant in Long Beach. It's a small place with a clean aesthetic so when you walk inside you feel like you've been transported to Japan. There's lots of counter seating overlooking the chefs, some tables for groups of 4 and one table for 6 so I suggest coming with a smaller group. Our server and the chefs were so friendly, helpful and welcoming. It's a Japanese Izakaya so all portions are small and I suggest sharing so you can try as much as possible. I thought that everything was very fairly priced. We were given two menus, their standard menu and a paper menu with daily specials. You'll get their standard offerings like skewers, rice balls and sashimi with a creative twist to it, as well as unique offerings like their quesadilla made with soy-simmered beef and a jidori egg on a Sonoratown tortilla. It was phenomenal but I did wish that the quesadilla wasn't sitting in broth as it did make the tortilla very soggy. The White Fish White Ponzu melted in our mouths and I appreciated the freshness of the fish and the bright flavors from the ponzu. We wanted to drink up the sauce. The skewers, seemingly so simple, were perfectly cooked and each elevated by their own unique sauce on top. The Kyoto-style Yakisoba was one of the more substantial dishes and definitely a must-order. And don't miss the desserts. The Matcha Brownie with Azuki ice cream hit all the right notes. Creative, not too sweet and simply delicious. To round out your experience, their sake menu is extensive and goes all the way up to the extra large bottles. All of that said, we didn't have a bad dish and felt that the overall execution of food, drinks, and atmosphere were on point. read more

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I have been waiting for this izakaya to open for months!! Finally, they're open 6 days a week and just started serving on Sundays this week. They'll take walk-ins during the weekday, but weekends are already busy so reservations are recommended. They are currently only taking reservations by phone. My husband and I came Sunday at 8pm and had the place nearly to ourselves. I loved sitting at the bar, chatting with the owner, Yoya and chef, Noe. We congratulated their opening with a couple rounds of beers and sake. I liked the Kurokirishima Imo Shochu on the rocks ($7) which had a subtle sweet potato taste. The glasses of sake range from $13-$18 and the bottles are significantly more. Yoya recommended I try the Tedorogawa Yamahai and that was smooth and paired well with the food. Everything we had was delicious and inspired by Yoya's hometown of Kyoto and what he likes to snack on when drinking. Koji Ontama Potato Salad ($12) I don't care for potato salad but I wanted to try the marinated koji-soy onsen egg. It's meant to be mixed into the potato salad and eaten with the seaweed, the way Yoya likes it! Quesadilla-Homareya style AKA "Japa-dilla" ($16) Sonoratown tortilla, soy-simmered beef, Jidori egg, ginger, konyaku, Sansyo-pepper, Ichimi. What a combination of flavors! The tortilla was crisp and held up the stewed beef. Love that konyaku was in it too. Some juice came out of the stewed beef so it's probably best to eat it upon being served. Black Mussels Koji-butter Saka-mushi ($23) omg the broth of Koji-butter, garlic, shallots, sake, yuzu and green onions is to die for! Skewers: the Tsukune (chicken meatballs), Eringi (mushroom) and Wagyu Harami were good. The Yuzu Kosho Chimichurri they make to top the wagyu was mind blowing! They were out of the scallops and chicken hearts so hope to try that next time. Onigiri (grilled rice balls): they were out of the mackerel with miso so we tried the grilled salmon. The charred soy sauce gave it depth with the crispy salmon skin and the shiso leaf added a refreshing contrast. From the September "Otsumami" (snack) menu, I tried the pickled mackerel nigiri and the Toro-taku hand roll and they were carefully crafted and flavorful. The servers are very attentive and polite. The place is intimate and minimal, allowing patrons to focus on the action taking place in the open kitchen. Come earlier on the weekday to be able to try more on the menu and beat the crowds on the weekends! Metered street parking and parking structure nearby is free for the first 2-hours! read more

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Sadly this was our last meal here. The way I feel right now, I want to give this experience one star, but I won't. This place has been open under a year. We were there for their soft opening - Day 1. Their 1st review on Yelp is from me and so far we've visited them about ten times. We live on Ocean Blvd in downtown Long Beach. They are within walking distance. We love their food, the service, the banter with the chef/owner and did everything possible to uplift this spot. We want to support a local place that's not a chain. We always order what's suggested, their specials, and high priced items. Dinners here cost us on average $150-$200. As usual, we ordered lots of specials, including a promotional cocktail. Soba noodles with duck was excellent, uni hand roll exceptional. Monkfish liver karaage delicious. White gem box outstanding. We wanted to finish our dinner with the Wagyu Skirt steak. You'll see in the picture the beautiful marbling. Grilled beautifully to a medium rare. About 8-9 slices. One slice - couldn't bite through it or chew it, second same thing, third, fourth....... You'll notice in the picture that our best efforts with our god-given teeth were a waste of time. The steak was not chewable. I'd swallow it whole, but wagyu is too rich for that. I let the server know that we couldn't eat it. Chef/owner Takahashi was gracious enough to come out and talk to us. Gave us a lesson in different types of cuts of Wagyu. Different price levels. Went on a bit about what this type of steak is and closed with "I will not be able to take it off your check". What a total shock and disappointment. I don't really care to be taught about steak when I can't chew it, eat it or swallow it. The duck in the soba noodles also didn't melt in our mouths, but we could chew it and it was rare and it was eatable. This wasn't! I have had dinners on six continents. From street food to Michelin star restaurants. I know what any cut of meat is suppose to taste like and look like. This was either sourced, stored, sliced, or cooked incorrectly. It's not personal, nor did we blame anyone. This happens in every kitchen, every night, in every type of a restaurant. Mistakes and accidents happen. It's ok. How you handle a situation is a difference between a happy customer who keeps coming back or biting a hand that feeds you. We've been feeding chef Takashi, but tonight we got bitten. We are not returning. And a $26 dollar skirt steak will now cost thousands because we will give our money to other local spots. Very sad. read more

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I love coming here! I've been 3 times already, and I'm looking forward to coming again. The food quality is high, and the special menu dishes are fun to check out each time. read more

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Genuinely a disappointing experiencing. My table went down the menu and as we got further from our first dishes they became less and less impressive. Highlights : Some speciality items were great but are not there all the time I believe. I think they are seasonal or in rotation. I've cream with mochi: ice cream was tasty and the balance of sweetness with the mochi was perfect. Potato salad was delicious. Creamy and savory. The seaweed gave it an extra roasted depth of flavor. The downsides: Corn ribs were okay. Nothing special. Skewers all pretty much were very bland. Not much going on. Disappointedly the wagyu skirt steak was the chewiest meat I've had. Despite being wagyu. Waste of money. Beef tongue was also chewy. We expected they would be thinly sliced but they were chucked and dried. I hate wasting food but we literally chose to not eat anymore than our first bite and these got tossed. Rice ball was way too thick not worth getting any at all either. One's with fish has a small strip. The ratio was terrible. Chicken karage was more like katsu and pretty underwhelming despite being popular. Not pieces but strips. Not at all what you will be expecting. Black sesame pudding was INTENSELY sesame forward. As someone who gets black sea same wherever I can it was terrible. It tasted tarry and had no pudding taste. This was also thrown away by us. Overall a very disappointing experience that seemed to have fooled us with their specialty menu. Will not be coming here again. In my opinion find a different spot. While the vibes and ambiance are nice it's really the only thing it has going for it. read more

Had to come check out this brand new spot that's open kind of late night! Immediately loved the vibe when I stepped inside. Cozy, bustling, and welcoming. Our service was fantastic. So sweet and knowledgeable. I wish I got our waitress' name but she actually ended her shift half way through our dinner so I didn't get to ask her, but she was great. We ordered her recommended sake glass, I forgot the name as well lol but it was refreshing and clean. A little pricey for a glass but it was a good pour at least. Eats: - Koji ontama potato salad; delicious! Loved the egg on top -shredded cabbage and cucumber salad (minus the chicken); really flavorful and fresh. - white fish white ponzu; threw me off because the ingredients the fish laid on appeared slimey but it was actually really good!! -sashimi 5 kinds; yum. The tuna was my favorite, so buttery I definitely want to come back and try their yakitori and dessert. read more

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We were 4th group in line during their soft opening! Already walking in, the atmosphere felt welcoming. It is Izakaya style so I can easily see it getting busy and having a long wait during peak hours. Luckily there's that pizza place next door so you can drink beer while you wait! Food: Flavors were there, very eye catching, and the skewers were pretty tasty. Unfortunately I think one of our chicken was still a little pink so we had to let the waiter know. They were nice about it, and we wanted to be safer than sorry. The Matcha brownie is so good! Would recommend for dessert. Food did take a while to get to us, a couple of our orders were either forgotten that we had to ask about few times if it was coming or was told it wasn't put down initially. We were pretty understanding seeing as it was their opening night. Again, it's a nice ambience for a night out for a date night. Might be a little difficult for big groups. I dont think Ill go back on my own BUT will go if a friend or friend group wants to go. read more

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We had reservations on a Friday evening for 5:30pm, right when they opened. When we entered, we definitely didn't feel a super welcoming vibe. I requested a table on my reservation and we were immediately directed to a counter spot. After relaying that info, he first checked to see that I had requested a table before we were directed to one. A couple of tables remained empty for most of our meal. We were given two menus, one with the daily specials and a regular menu. We ordered a variety of dishes off of both menus. One dish at a time was served, with a lot of wait time in between. We weren't sharing all dishes, which caused one person to sit and watch the other eat their dish. We tried the following dishes: -From the daily specials, Oyster Miso Hot Pot 4/5. The portion size is enough for two to share. Oysters were delicious and the pot contained two large Oysters and 1 small Oyster, mushrooms, nicely sized tofu, and a lot of cabbage. Great to try, but I wouldn't order it again. From the menu:Koji Ontama Potato Salad 4/5. A unique presentation but it could have used a bit more seasoning. -Black Mussle Koji Butter Saka Mushi 4/5. Mussels were topped in the broth. Overall, the broth was good, but mussels were lacking in flavor. You had to ensure that every bite had broth. -Fried Chicken Karaage 4/5. My husband enjoyed this dish. Jidori Chicken was juicy and perfectly fried and sliced with a side of Yuzu Koyso Mayo and Pickled Cabbage. The downside, a bit too fatty. -6 Piece Nigiri Sushi 5/5. Requested with no Wasabi or soy sauce. Fish was fresh and the rice was nicely seasoned. Finally, the reason for the 3 stars, the Wagyu Skirt Steak. Something we order at every Izakaya was possibly the WORST item of the night. It arrived last, about an hour after we were seated and it was completely rare and so fatty. The one piece that was tried was completely inedible. Nothing worse than chewing on raw fat. I read a review were someone said they need to improve their grilling skills. They are definitely correct. See Pic. So, we didn't get the fun Izakaya vibe that you normally get, the food was pricey for the lack of care and quality, and the wait between dishes was so ridiculously long. We took the Wagyu home to cook it further and it was just so disappointing. We most likely will not come back. Street parking and a parking structure is located adjacent to Homareya. read more

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What a hidden gem in DTLB this place is and again another place that deserves 4.5 stars. This little izakaya I found cause of the trusted Yelp app and I have recommended this establishment to many of my friends already. I came here to celebrate a big deal I closed at work and I will be coming back for sure. My servers were Asahi and Justin and they were awesome. I took all of their suggestions from choice of sake to the food. For being an izakaya, it's well ventilated so it wasn't all smokey which was a plus. I sat at the bar top and watched the chefs do their magic. This place really feels like you are in Japan with the decor and of course hearing the head chef speak Japanese to the other chefs. They have a wide variety of options on their menu and trust me, I ordered a lot. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

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I ate a salmon roll at a fundraising event that they participated in and it was the best sushi I had ever had so we very excited to go to the restaurant. I made a last minute reservation and got parking right out front. The space isn't big but the chairs are comfortable and although there was music, it never felt too loud. We were immediately greeted and given menus with some recommendations. They kind of encouraged us to order, eat, and then order some more. The highlight was the white fish hand roll with miso. I could have had three of those and a beer. The fish was sweet and everything was perfectly balanced. We also enjoyed the pork belly skewer and monkfish special. The quesadilla was unique but a little heavy for me. But that being said, we ate all of it. There were so many items on the menu that we wanted to try so we will be back again soon. read more

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My husband and I had such an incredible Sunday dinner last night at this authentic, gem of a restaurant! I even promoted it during my weekly Monday meeting at work today hehe We made a 5:30pm res for 2 about a week or so in advance to ensure we were able to dine here while in LBC for the monthly flea market. Although we were the first ones in, by 5:45pm--it was packed! I enjoyed sitting at the bar counter so we could see the action and interact with the chef. Note: unlike in Japan, you cannot order directly at the counter. You have a dedicated wait staff that takes care of you ;) fyi only hehe The bar seating was comfy and appreciated the swivel stools and hook underneath for my bag! There was a special monthly menu in addition to their regular menu. We indulged: - Agedashi tofu w/ crab dashi (my favorite; heartwarming and tasty) - Monkfish karagge (unique & delightful - should be a permanent item imo) - Spicy Tuna Handroll (while fresh and yummy w/ excellent quality tuna and nori, I could have skipped it) - Saba (my husband's favorite fish and he was blown away at quality, flavor, and juiciness of the cut + rice used) - Charcoal veggies (perfect meal compliment) - Chicken Thigh skewers (excellent flavor and cooked to perfection; had 2 each of tare & salt) - Pork belly skewer (v good 1x) - Chicken tender skewer (v good 1x) - Chicken tail (yum! 1x) - Scallop skewer (v good but I'm not a fan of keeping the skirt on lol...amazing flavor 1x!) - Chicken meatball (v good w/ tare 1x) ***note, there was no veggie or beef skewers on the menu last night. Seems like menu is seasonal and subjected to what's available (which I personally like bc it keeps things fresh!) - Many glasses of sake (the monthly special clear skies was awesome fyi) and a few glasses of beer! Service was great and attentive. They also were knowledgeable about food and drink recommendations! Hats off to Chef Yoya-San. **Deepest gratitude bows** Wish we had investment $ to bring this establishment to LA!!!!!!! Can't wait to try the potato salad, Wagyu skirt steak, tempura corn rib, "japa-dilla", and all the desserts next time!!!!! My husband is so happy to have all his favorite dishes from home (Kansai, Japan) here in SoCal! It gave him much comfort! read more

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Had the most amazing experience at Homareya! If you're looking for a solid izakaya in Long Beach with a great sake selection, this is the place to go. Some of my favorite items were the bluefin tuna appetizer, toro and kingfish nigiris, spicy tuna handroll, meatball skewer, chimichurri wagyu skirt steak and yuzu ikura onigiri. You can tell they use high quality ingredients and every dish was made well. Chef Yoya and his staff provided excellent customer service! We left so satisfied. Can't wait to come back the next time I'm in Long Beach. Parking is also very easy as it's right next to a parking structure and the first 2 hours are free. read more

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Visited Homareya in October 2025. The owner, Yoya Takahasi, was there, and he was exceptionally welcoming and gracious. To start, we ordered the potato salad which was a good, typical Japanese potato salad. For the izakaya, we ordered the chicken liver tenders, tempura corn ribs, and black mussels. The chicken liver tenders and mussels were very good. The corn ribs were good, albeit somewhat underwhelming. For the yakitori, we ordered a number skewers, all of which were very good. Finally, it is worth nothing that we arrived about 12-13 minutes late for our reservation. Unfortunately, they had given up our table. This was a little disturbing initially, but in retrospect, somewhat understandable given the size of the restaurant and number of walk-ins. Just be aware. Overall: Very solid addition to the Long Beach food scene. read more

I've booked marked this place for quite some time & finally got to try it out. Hubby & I came here for dinner on Friday. We made reservations & got seated right away at the bar. Ambiance is small but felt cozy. Service was cordial however, 2 of our items didn't get delivered which was disappointing. The place got busy as time went on which I understand but we sat at the bar & usually bar service is efficient. The server apologized for the delay & asked if we still wanted our order but by that time, a lot of time had passed & I didn't want to wait bc they got real busy. For this reason, I rate this place 3.5 stars. With that being said, I would give this place another shot bc mistakes can happen & there are other items on the menu I'd like to try next time. As far as what we ordered, the omakase nigiri was up to par. The fish was super fresh & the rice was cooked perfectly. We also tried the umami trout which was well balanced & very delicious. Lastly, we had the chicken thigh & chicken tender skewers. Both tasted bland. I've had better elsewhere. The server recommended "heavens door" sake to pair with our dishes & it did not disappoint. The owner was at the bar cooking away & he kindly cheered a couple of shots with us which was nice of him! read more

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$350 to be treated like an inconvenience. Incredible. Let me start with the 45 minute wait PAST our reservation time. Not 10, not 15, forty five minutes. Did anyone come over to acknowledge it? Nope. We just sat there watching the host staff do absolutely nothing with urgency. But okay, we were starving, so we stayed. We ordered big -- like, embarrassingly big, probably 80% of the menu plus sake -- because we wanted to give this place a real shot. And look, some of it was actually great. But some of it was not edible. Not "not my taste," not edible. So we sent those dishes back, which is a completely normal thing to do at a restaurant that charges these prices. What happened next genuinely shocked me. The chefs took it as a personal attack. Rude comments, visibly annoyed, staring us down from the kitchen for the rest of the meal. We couldn't even enjoy the good food because the whole vibe became hostile. It were so uncomfortable that we honestly just wanted to leave. $350. That's what we spent. And we left feeling like we ruined someone's night by simply expecting edible food. The disappointment isn't even about the dishes it's the attitude from the front staff all the way back to the kitchen. You can train a team. You can't teach humility, and you damn sure can't teach someone to care. Do not recommend. read more

I visited during the pre-opening. All the food was great, and the chef and servers were very friendly! My only note was that the grilled onigiri was a bit overcooked, making it a little hard to chew. Overall, a great experience! read more

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This place was absolutely incredible. Every single dish was a unique experience, blending traditional Japanese fair with modern twists and spins. We got the charred cabbage wedge, duck and soba, three raw fish specials, chicken liver skewer, pork belly skewer, and hotate skewer. Oh! And we also got the giant oyster, which was absolutely phenomenal and a total sleeper hit of the entire meal. Everything was absolutely immaculate, playful, and the chefs behind The Counter were so friendly that the whole meal played like a 21st-century global Cheers episode. I left with the biggest smile on my face and will definitely be coming back. read more

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Amazing food, service and ambience! We ordered so much, couldn't finish everything. Missing from the pictures was sashimi and the yakisoba. I would save everything is a must try, except I didn't love the salad. There was a bitter flavor, possibly from the sprouts, other then that I would get everything again. Can't wait for the grand opening! read more

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We are back! Stopped by for a light date night dinner to try their white fish ponzu which I'd seen other people eat there. It was delicious! Citrusy and the fish has a good bite. We also had the jewel handrolls which were also super delicious. The pork belly skewer was more tender this time and not as salty as last night which really appreciate. Service is always great here. Love this place read more

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Great little place in DTLB. Sushi and Izakaya are first class. Staff was very welcoming and attentive. I recommend getting a seat at the bar as you get a good view of the chefs working. Seating is limited, so better for smaller parties. Groups beyond 4 may have a hard time being seated together. read more

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What a gem on 4th street and Orange County in general. Fun atmosphere and the food was unique and delicious. The vegetables were beautiful and the sushi was really good quality. Definitely check them out. read more

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What can I say this food instantly took me back to Japan. The skewers reminded me of a late night out in Osaka, and the fish brought back memories of traveling throughout the country. Everything was so good we honestly didn't want to stop eating. Definitely make reservations. Highly recommend the chicken thigh skewers, wagyu harami, the 6 piece nigiri starter, pork belly, and the Spicy Kara Tekka hand rolls. An amazing experience from start to finish. read more

My wife and I came here on a weeknight for dinner and it was fantastic. I usually don't expect too much from Japanese restaurants in Long Beach but I was very surprised. The yakitori was prepared just right we got both the salt and tare. The fish was all really good quality as well. I even was able to get a cut of Mackerel that was prob the best I've had in the states. The staff were very friendly but they are a new restaurant so still getting a few things ironed out with service but nothing to be too mad about. The inside is very nice izakaya vibes good for like a date night. Prices were super fair as well. My whole dinner and drinks for two was under $100. Overall would for sure recommend! read more

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Food was good, not great. The best part was the mega beer which was a good price. It took 20 minutes to get water once they sat us. Nobody greeted us when we entered and the entire staff except for the blonde lady who took out order was in a bad mood. Never coming here again. Good luck in Long Beach read more

Wow I can't say more than good things about this place. Went with my boyfriend for dinner and sat at the bar. Definitely recommend sitting at the bar so you can see how they make every single order individually with such amazingly fresh ingredients. The chef and owner was behind the counter and was so friendly, we started chatting him up and he'd explain everything he was making for us. It was such great and delicious Japanese food. We tried a few of their skewed which are cooked over charcoal right there in front of you and they were soooooo good and juicy! Tasted some of the freshest sashimi and they have this really great quesadilla type thing that was unexpected but so flavorful! Inside was very small so I recommend reservations but it's very nice and traditionally Japanese decor inside. One of the other patrons bought a bottle of sake and was giving everyone at the bar shots. It was a great dinner experience! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! read more

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