Came here for a quick dinner with my friend since she wanted me to eat healthier and we were in the Torrance area. Been to the Inaba on Oahu and also Ichimiann in Torrance so when I ordered the Soba and Tempura set I was amazed at the small portion difference here compared to the other places. Sure the food and atmosphere is supposed to be higher end but I unfortunately found no value here.... Wanted to grab a burger after here since I was still hungry but kept my mouth shut since shed get mad. 3 stars read more

Inaba Restaurant - Underwhelming Vegetable Tempura and Soba set - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Fitting for my last lunch while working as a pediatrician, this restaurant provided a poignant and memorable closure to my medical career. Torrance used to be the headquarter for Honda, Toyota, and Nissen, which was the reason why there were so many good Japanese restaurants. This place survived the relocation of these headquarters and continues to draw faithful diners to this authentic Japanese eatery. Service is traditional and courteous, and their menu selection reminds me of other mom and pop Japanese diners. The tempura eel bowl was the ultimate comfort Japanese food that punctuates my last working day, and the ambiance was serene and relaxing. The tempuras were light and crispy, and the eels were rich and flavorful. The miso soup and salad complemented the main entree well. The restaurant doesn't look promising from the outside, but I certainly consider it a hidden gem. read more

Inaba Restaurant - Closed on July 3rd? At 11:40? - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

See all

Came here looking for good Japanese food and we were not disappointed. The soba was delicious and tempura deluxe variety was good. The food here is definitely up to standard but is on the pricey side. Sashimi was cut thick and had zero fishiness to it. Service was great as the waitresses were all attentive. I would come back! read more

See all

I'd never had zaru-soba so delicious. Wow. will definitely be returning. the restaurant is always busy & it's best to make reservations, but the craziness is worth it. service is also excellent. read more

See all

Went on Wednesday for lunch around 1:30. Not busy. Servers were polite and friendly. Very clean. From tables to floor. Soba : Flavorful thin and al dente. Udon: Al dente (if it's cold noodle then a bit harder ) Dashi soup: Kanto style which is salty. Tempura: freshly fried. Crunchy. Authentic Japanese place! read more

All the one star reviews for this place make me laugh because of the expectations of Inaba to be like a typical Americanized Japanese food place. Inaba is a completely classic style japanese restaurant with a huge menu. All the plates will not come with loads of sauce or deep fried stuff or ultra fancy instagrammable dishes. Japanese food is meant to be super simple and healthy but taste as natural as possible. Super important heads up: MAKE A RESERVATION If you don't, you'll be stuck waiting 30-40 mins. We came as a group of 6 people and the ordering/food drop time was super quick. You get hot tea when you're seated. I got the hot udon with veggie tendon combo. Tendon is just tempura-donburi. Do but I just means it is sitting on a bowl of rice with some sauce in it. The food was so good. It reminded me of being back home in Japan. (20/10) My mom got the sashimi which she enjoyed. Portion sizes are perfect but again, don't expect American gluttony portions. Service is amazing as expected too! read more

See all

After living in the area for decades but completely unaware of the existence of this restaurant, my family and I had the good fortune of making lunch reservations for today. What an absolute treat! I ordered the "bento lunch box," which included exquisite pieces of sashimi, tempura, grilled salmon, veggies, miso soup, rice, etc. The service was impeccable, and the vibe was proper formal without being stuffy, pretentious, or over-priced. My family and I will forever remember this experience. Thank you! read more

Inaba Restaurant - Bento box lunch. - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Lunch on a Friday was crowded as expected, but we were seated within 10 minutes. The server was very friendly and accommodating as my family and i looked over the menu. We ordered a beef teriyaki plate, a sashimi and tempura combo, a beef teriyaki and tempura combo, and an unagi bowl. The tempura was excellent. Everything was fried up light and crisp. It was the best item of the day. The unagi bowl was only so so and tasted like average supermarket unagi. The sashimi was not good at all. The pieces were stringy and very unpleasant to chew. However, the worst of the worst was the beef teriyaki. While the meat quality seemed fine, the teriyaki sauce was a watered down mess. The meat was drowning in this slop, but it had absolutely no flavor. It was the blandest teriyaki I've ever had. As we came with high expectations, it is needless to say that we were pretty disappointed. As mentioned earlier, the service was great, but the food was mostly a miss. On top of that, portions were very small. The bill came out to $122 (before tip) for four people. If you go, stick to the tempura dishes. This will be our last time. read more

Inaba Restaurant - Tasted like it came directly from a Japanese grocery store. - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

See all

Inaba is certainly a cut above all sushi places in the surrounding area and is a 1-Michelin star restaurant. You'll definitely be paying a solid amount for the food, but it's plated and tastes incredible. It's definitely a celebratory type dinner rather than a common day-to-day restaurant. We ordered the Beef Teriyaki and Tempura dinner combo for my wife because she doesn't eat raw fish and it was merely okay. The beef was mediocre, but the tempura was cooked very well. The star of the show was the Chiraishi Sushi. It comes with a small salad, miso soup, and the chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard). It was plated incredibly (see pics), and tasted phenomenal. This was the first time I've had such fresh uni that I've become a fan. Overall, it was a nice experience but most likely a one-and-done for us. read more

See all

I come here when I drive up from San Diego. The amount of food they give you for the tempura, soba combo is a decent amount but a bit expensive. Quality of tuna is amazing though read more

Such a delicious traditional Japanese restaurant. We were in the area and looking for a lunch spot. I found Inaba on yelp and we decided to give it a try ...on the outside.....It looks very basic in an older strip mall but once you come inside, you can tell immediately that it is Japanese owned, and Japanese chefs are making traditional sushi. All of the items were so delicious. We had traditional soba, hot udon, tempura, agadashi tofu, assorted sushi Nigiri, and the Gindara black cod. Even the edamame was really delicious there were thin slices of shiso leaf giving the edamame a unique flavor. Everything was top notch, and even my husband who is not a huge Sushi fan loved the lunch. I am a bit of a sushi connoisseur and I could tell that this is a special spot with very traditional style sushi. The sushi rice was perfect. This is always a telling element of Sushi dining. All of the fish seemed very fresh and melted in your mouth meaning it's been cut correctly. We will definitely go back. read more

Pretty decent Kaiseki dinner. Every sine I have been to Japan, I have been trying to find a good Kaiseki meal, which are small multicourse plates that comes out in 1 meal. (Sort of like banchans). I decided to make reservations at Inaba and called a few days ahead to say that I wanted to try the Kaiseki dinner. It was easy (but definitely inform the restaurant that you want to have Kaiseki at least a day before). I got there for the first seating of dinner, so the restaurant was pretty empty when I got seated. The service was amazing with the waitress being super attentive. I forgot how many courses came out, but a few of my favorites were the sashimi (they had pretty good fish) and the soba noodles. I ordered the cold one, but I thought the hot one might be better. Next time, I think I will order the hot one. All in all, I think it was pretty good deal for $70. I thought I would still be hungry, but I went away being pretty stuffed. The only comment that I did have was the dishes came out pretty swiftly. I wish the dishes were parsed out a little more so I can really enjoy. But, I would definitely come back here next time I am craving some good Kaiseki. read more

The dishes are plentiful.the choices are decent. I ordered the Kaiseki lunch which was too much food. The sashimi and sushi is fresh. Some of the side dishes were hit and miss. I've got only been here once before. The first visit was better. Lots of parking out front. It's a credible option to u to our Japanese cuisine. read more

Food is consistent and authentic and delicious. We go here at least once a month. Service is on spot and attentive. Recommend for lunch and dinner. Casual but classy ambience and not noisy but not quiet. Good for small groups. read more

Always my first choice when it comes to tempura. The best I've had in the Southbay. Definitely would recommend

I would give this place 6 stars if I could. After hearing about this Michelin star place in the South bay, I was excited to see they had a lunch special menu that we could take advantage of checking this restaurant out without paying an arm and a leg. We were able to waltz in on a Sunday 1pm and be seated immediately without a wait. Service was fast and waiters were super nice; my free cup of green tea was never empty. The inside felt clean and modern yet with a touch of Japanese traditional elegance. The lunch menu was a bit overwhelming with all the many choices, but always good to have options, and after asking our waiter, we settled on for the two of us: -- Bento Lunch box with upgrade to black cod -- Deluxe Tempura Lunch We started with salad that was refreshing and with the perfect amount of dressing. The Miso soup impressed me with its flavor and the variety of foods in it (not your typical miso soup with like 2 tofus in it heh). The tempura was amazing! I watched them mix the batter fresh and fry it behind the copper hood at the sushi bar. The Deluxe Tempura Lunch was totally worth as it came with probably 10 different pieces, including ones we'd never had as tempura before such as scallop and fish. Even the tempura sauce was unique with minced garlic in it. My Bento box came with the more typical pieces but still appreciated the freshness of it. The sashimi we got was exceptionally fresh and decent cuts. I especially enjoyed the toro salmon. My Bento box had " boiled veg assortment dish" which turned out to be braised chicken, potato, tofu(?) and carrot -- all cooked to perfection. Reminded me of home cooked Chinese braised dishes with soy sauce and some sugar -- so simple, but tasty if done right like they do here. The cod was also worth the $5 upgrade fee as it was tender and perfectly seasoned. The Deluxe ended with a half size soba and small scoop of ice cream -- just the right amount considering how full we were already. Parking is free and easy in the parking lot in front. Now I'm curious to come back and try their omakase! read more

See all

We came in right at opening lunch on Saturday. We were seated immediately. The restaurant filled up quickly within 30 min. We ordered the miso chicken lunch, ten zaru and charashi bowl. Quality of everything was good, although I have definitely had better quality tempura and zaru elsewhere. Fish here is very fresh. The biggest con here would be the prices. It is quite expensive for what you are getting. The service was good and the inside of the restaurant is calm and clean. read more

See all

The food is always delicious and the service is friendly and attentive. Reservations are recommended.

This is the best cold/hot soba I've ever had. They do it well, but the wait was a bit ridiculous. The kitchen was backed up and we waited a good 40 minutes to get the food even though they said we only had 40 minutes to eat. Thankfully they understood. I had the dinner course set, but a lot of the side dishes were pretty overly sweet, but loved the Japanese custard egg side dish. Chirashi was phenomenal -- sashimi melts in your mouth, but it was odd that they added pink sugar in sushi rice that was already a bit too sweet. And the hot matcha with green tea ice cream topped it off. Not anything special, but it was good. Just a bit pricey for what you get. Many reviewers stated that they left hungry, but my friends and I were all pretty full. I definitely want to come back for their hot soba. read more

Inaba Restaurant - Dinner set with mini chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Inaba is located in a very assuming strip mall next to a small Indian store/restaurant with a dry cleaners and a bagel shop. The door seems kinda hidden but once you enter, the place feels very bright, airy & clean. As soon as we walked in, they asked if we had reservations and we managed to get seated right away as it was just opening up but seems like a place that's best to plan ahead and make rezos. They have a good selection of Japanese food from fresh soba to tempura and sushi/sashimi. We also got some appetizers that were well made and tasty - nasu/eggplant and agedashi tofu. The service was great with the waitstaff constantly coming by to refill our green tea and checking on us to see if we needed anything else. The food was all fresh and I liked the nice touch of the different salts for the tempura. I'm leaving out a star only cuz the price seems a tad bit expensive. Def worth trying if u want good Japanese food. read more

See all

Dropped $40 on a small black cod with side dishes. The ingredients were top-notch, but it felt a bit pricey. Ended up waiting about 15 minutes on a weeknight. Good, but you're paying for the quality. read more

Inaba Restaurant - Black cod dinner - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

I believe this is the temporary space for the Michelin star restaurant that was in Manhattan Beach. Doesn't look like much from the outside (located in a strip mall), but once you want in, you can feel the fancy vide with amazing service, great decor, and fancy menus with a golden string. My friends and I ordered almost everything on the menu, so let me tell y'all why this place is amazing: Drinks: Great selection of fancy sakes. We had hot and cold. 1. Grilled and hot food: Hot, great texture, memorable seasoning with a wide array of flavors. We ordered beef tongue, chicken cartilage, chicken wing, tamagoyaki (omelette). Chicken burger patty with quail egg. These were some of the best we've had. 2. A whole lot of tempura: We wanted to make special requests on the tempura, and our server whipped out a special tempura menu. I mean this place can get you anything and we had them all: shrimp / veggies (normal), scallops, eel, white fish (these are to die for). 3. Sashimi / sushi: Very fresh and good (not much to say here, since good fish is good fish). But this is one of the places where you can get uni sushi with a quail egg. 4. Other memorable: I had zaru soba and miso black cod (to die for). I might have missed a few things but look at my pictures. Simply amazing. read more

See all

Well prepared and very tasty Japanese fare from this long time Torrance establishment. The tempura bar is the low key recommendation. read more

Inaba Restaurant - The Assorted Tempura appetizer. Eggplant, three shrimp, shishito pepper, fish and potato. - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

See all

We ordered 2 bento boxes, regular and deluxe and agedashi tofu. The box came with a generous variety, including fresh sashimi, crisp tempura, savory miso soup, and perfectly cooked agedashi tofu. The sashimi was fresh and the tofu had a great texture with a rich broth. But tempura is lacking kind of a kick. read more

See all

There's not much that needs to be said for Inaba. It's real deal Japanese food with lots of Japanese customers to prove it. If you want food that is restorative, nourishing, yet totally satisfying and just simply delicious... this is your spot. Walked in on a Wednesday night with most of the tables full, but we got lucky and found two spots at the bar. The service is kind, attentive, and efficient. We had a great meal and can't wait to be back soon. read more

Inaba Restaurant - Cold soba with tempura - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Poor customer service, great ambiance. I'm sure the rest of the menu is as great as what I had ordered however I won't be able to experience it as I can tell we weren't welcome. read more

How have I not heard of Inaba before, despite growing up in the South Bay all of these years? Even more surprising is that it's been Michelin-recommended, whaat?? Shock aside, I found my visit (finally!) to this place a great experience. Definitely come for the tempura (their specialty), but stay for the soba and ambiance. Ordered the tempura-soba-nigiri combo: it was decent at $33 (after all, you're paying for good-quality Japanese food) and the portions were just perfect to fill you up, no matter how not-hungry or starving you are. The tempura had the ideal crackle in the batter, before giving way to tender shrimp, pumpkin, green beans, etc. I will admit, though, the tempura shrimp was on the dry side, so I was disappointed by that. But the hot soba really stole the show: I usually get soba cold, but having hot soba was a game changer: the noodles aren't thick like ramen or udon, but it's the earthy, slightly-fermented taste of the buckwheat noodles, paired with a light, subtlety vinegary broth that makes it all a new and comforting experience. The nigiri were tasty: the chef had put wasabi underneath the sashimi for that subtle kick, which was new for me. Rice was perfect: not too hard, not too mushy. And the fish themselves were soft and melt-in-your-mouth. The pork belly side dish was fatty and tender-- the Japanese mustard was the highlight, though, as its pungent flavor cut through the fattiness of the meat. Definitely go to Inaba as soon as it opens: it's not a big restaurant, so come early if you especially don't have reservations. Inaba also does omakases, which I'd be interested in trying out someday! Overall, the restaurant is great for just about anyone: friends, dates, families, or even by yourself. Check it out! read more

Inaba Restaurant - Tempura noodle combo - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

See all

Parking is difficult on a Friday evening in the strip mall. Was able to be seated right away since we had a reservation. Service was super friendly. I was told that Inaba is known for their tempura. It's good and solid, but unsure if it's "best I ever had" type level. Like other Japanese restaurants, portions are on the small side. read more

I really enjoyed the deluxe tempura set. The tempura was fried to perfection and so fresh, each piece was still really hot. The sashimi given in the beginning was great and perfect to start the meal. The real star was the soba, it was so light and thin soba that was so refreshing with the sauce. read more

Inaba Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

See all

Clean, cute, authentic and good service all in one! I love to come here. If you have a big group like 6-8 people, you can call and order food in advance. The fish here is fresh and has good cut & good portion for the price. They made good tempura here. It was very crispy outside and light. Their soba noodles are made fresh and is a specialty of theirs. Also, they accommodated my dietary restrictions which was very nice of them. Most importantly..everything tasted good! read more

See all

An updated review for Inaba is long overdue. Since my initial visit, I returned multiple times and was highly satisfied. So much so, that I made reservations at Inaba for my birthday meal this year. It was the perfect choice in food and atmosphere. Our visit was my mom's first time dining indoors since the pandemic began over a year ago. Safety protocols were in place, including distancing, hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves. Yet the environment still felt welcoming and comfortable. They also have a small outdoor patio and takeout option. Onto the food! My ume shiso soba was delightful as always. I tried the scallop kakiage and natto seaweed roll for the first time. The kakiage was one of the best pieces of tempura I've ever eaten! The rest of my family enjoyed their choices. My return trips to LA are few and far between these days, but Inaba has risen to the top as a must visit when I am in town. Affordable prices, quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, professional service, and safe and welcoming environment. Plus plenty of parking! read more

See all

Wow! The outside of the building, and the inside is completely different. It feels like I transported to Ginza, Japan. The waitresses and the chefs are very professional, attentive, and courteous. Be aware that it is "Japan" portion size. While it may be considered small from a U.S. perspective, the food is awesome. It was a perfect amount of food! That's why Japanese and Asian in general are not overweight! ^^ The presentation and the quality of the food is amazing, and it is not any sushi place where they just throw things together and call it a bento box. BL: This is a "Japanese" Japanese sushi place not an "American" Japanese sushi place where they focus on various rolls. Highly recommend! I will come back here as one of my favorite local sushi joint! read more

The food was so delicious. Great and friendly customer service. We sat at the bar and we felt very cozy. We will be returning to try other choices on the menu. read more

I have been here to this restaurant two times. This was a special birthday dinner and celebration. We ordered assorted tempura (*known for), deluxe nigiri sushi, and deluxe chirashi. The tempura is housemade by the chefs (itamae) and visible in the tempura kitchen. The sushi was delicious as we drank the cold sake and had more than premium fishes. The service was excellent and at a good pace, not rushed. It was sad not seeing more people inside as it is a small place. Last time we came here it was also celebrating a birthday and it was packed and very busy. When we were talking to the server, she remembered those times, she was very friendly/courteous. I hope this place gets to that point again, I really like it. *Please support your local businesses. read more

See all

Inaba is great for their handmade udon and soba! Their udon is not regular udon, but it's the high-end inaniwa udon. Their tempura is great as well. I tried their $70 Deluxe Tempura Kaiseki Course. It's amazing and plenty of food. It came with Sashimi, Chawanmushi, 2 Tempura Courses, Kakiage with rice or noodles, and Ice Cream. For their noodles, I always like Cold Tororo Soba. It is $17. Tororo is grated mountain yam. It has a slimy texture, and it's yummy. Free parking in lot. read more

See all

Such delicious food! The Inaba Bento Box comes with miso soup, rice, and salad. Was pleasantly surprised to find squid in the tempura. The sashimi was so fresh and tasty. Salmon was grilled to perfection. Also enjoyed the chicken and boiled veggies. The Deluxe Bento Box costs more because it has grilled black cod instead of grilled salmon, and it's so good! The fish was buttery soft and very flavorful. read more

Inaba Restaurant - Inaba Bento Box Lunch with grilled salmon - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

See all

Amazing!! Attention to detail and quality were right where i had expected! Great staff and chefs. Highly reccomended!! read more

Unassuming small place located in strip mall. Caters to locals little foreigners here. Simple menu focus on set meals of rice bowls sushi sashimi and udon soba noodles read more

Inaba Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

See all

Delicious food with clean presentation. Quaint and cozy environment. Already have been here a few times. Staff were extremely friendly and checked up on us often. Highly recommend. Quality indeed! read more

See all

The food and service are outstanding. Four of us ordered Omakase (not on the menu) week ahead. Very limited seating, make reservations ahead of time. Each dish's portion is perfect to taste the food and we were very full. We were there from 7:30 to 10pm," on Friday and they were very busy. read more

See all