I came here with a friend for dinner on a Sunday and it was not too crowded and we sat inside near a window. Parking was okay; I was able to easily find a parking spot and she took a little bit longer to find a parking spot. I was very hungry so I ordered kind of a lot of food: the shrimp tempura, the shishito peppers, a crunch roll with shrimp, and a vegan vegetable roll. Everything I ordered was actually really good. The main issue that I had was that there were a lot of flies in the restaurant. There were a lot of small flies but also the big kind of flies that fly around and that made the meal a little bit unpleasant. The servers were super friendly and attentive and the meal was otherwise good. I'm not sure if I'll come back because of the whole fly situation but at least the food was good read more

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We had an incredible experience, excellent atmosphere and exceptional service from our server Frank, always attentive and making sure that nothing was missing, giving us suggestions in food and appetizers, we tried the spicy edamame and the japonica rice lager, super recommended, he also recommended the spicy tantan ramen, and the holy mackerel roll, all delicious! The ambience here is simply stunning. Visit this location and hopefully you are lucky enough to be attended by Frank! We definitely coming back! read more

If someone doesn't like Japonica, then they must have defective taste buds! Japonica of El Segundo is absolutely one of the top sushi restaurants in all of the South Bay of Los Angeles. They make my Friday night fish dinner a step in the food-heaven direction. The staff is out of this world, with a lovely manager, attentive servers, and talented chefs. The spicy edamame is a perfect starter if you'd like your plain edamame to have a flavor kick. The portion is big, making it plenty enough for a group of four to enjoy together. Unless you're a glutton like I am and don't feel like sharing, haha. The bluefin carpaccio practically melts in your mouth. The cut of the bluefin is absolutely just what your stomach is craving. Soft, flavorful, and satisfying to say the least. The white lightning is a saucy garlic surprise. The ever so slight sear on the albacore makes this roll have a dance party on your tongue. The garlic butter that the roll sits in has such a great taste that I just want to drink it down. Japonica El Segundo is placed in a small "strip mall" type of location, with on site parking being limited. There are several disabled designated parking spots right in front of the restaurant. Also, there is plenty of parking up & down Main Street, allowing for closeness within walking distance. There are no stairs/steps needed to enter the restaurant and the televisions do have closed-captions. The noise level is mid, making it easy to have comfortable conversations with your party without having to shout. I would absolutely recommend taking a stroll down Main Street after your meal, giving yourself some time to digest, stretch, and maybe get a scoop of ice cream from one of the local spots. read more

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I've been to the Hermosa and Redondo locations multiple times but first time here and while the food quality is the same, the staff and vibes at the other two locations are a notch better. I'm glad the owners are doing well with all locations but I'll be frequenting the other two spots instead. read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

Ordered takeout from Japonica and was overall pretty pleased with my order. I will say, I don't think the takeout sushi chef is the best, the rolls were coming apart and were not pressed well, however the flavors were great and the fish is really fresh. We tried the Dragon roll, Citrus sakura roll, Bluefin bombshell, Hamachi Davidson, Brussel sprouts. Everything was a hit, except for the Hamachi roll. The takeout packaging is really great too, and they provide little packets of wasabi and ginger as well! read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Top to bottom Dragon Citrus Sakura Hamachi Davidson Bluefin Bombshell Brussel Sprouts (Vegan) - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

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One of my absolute favorite ramen spots. Anytime I'm craving ramen, this is the place I come to. Everyone is always so nice, but this past Saturday really stood out. Even though it was insanely busy, our server Chris was amazing, he kept checking in on my partner and I, and made sure everything was okay the whole time. I always get the spicy tantan ramen because it has the perfect kick and a rich, nutty flavor that's so good every single time. It was also my first time trying the spicy edamame and the honey lemon drop and I drank that drink way too fast hahaha ( I love sweet drinks ) definitely ordering both again. Such a great vibe, great food, and great service. Love this place! read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Spicy Edamame (Vegan) - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

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I was in SoCal a few weeks back and had a serious sushi craving. One dinner left on the trip, early flight the next morning, so this was the last hurrah. I also wanted to see my favorite daughter. I only have one daughter, so the math checks out. Her boyfriend joined us, too, and I had my youngest along for the ride. After a few text messages back and forth, we landed on Japonica since it was closest to my hotel. Full disclosure, I've been to the Redondo Beach location before, so I was curious how this one compared. Getting there a little early was a very good call. Parking can be tight. We lucked out with a spot in the lot, but street parking is an option. On a Saturday night, though, I'd definitely plan some time for parking. We were early enough to get seated right away, which was great. I mentioned to our server that we were waiting on two more and that I'd been to the other location before. Daughter and boyfriend arrive, server comes back, and a surprise twist. My daughter knows her from Girl Scout days. The name sounded familiar to me, too, but it's been 15 plus years, so yeah, all those kids look different now. Introductions were made, laughs were had, and then it was time for the important part. Food. We started with the spicy edamame. Solid. Just the right amount of kick. Menu reviewed, orders placed. One of us is a vegetarian and went with the vegetable roll. Looked great, and they were happy, which is really all that matters. The rest of us went with the spicy tuna roll, citrus sakura, and bluefin samurai. All three were excellent, but not quite filling enough, so we added the white lightning. That one was the kids' favorite. I'm still leaning toward bluefin samurai as my top pick. Overall, great food, chill vibe, and fantastic conversation with the kids, which always makes a meal better. Service (by Morgan) was excellent, and I'd easily go back. There are still plenty of things on the menu calling my name. read more

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They have an impressive ramen and sushi menu, plus a solid selection of beer and cocktails. We asked to be seated outside and they were kind enough to turn on the heaters, which was really appreciated. The sushi was fresh and tasty, service was fast, and the whole vibe was super casual. A great spot to grab a quick bite and hang out. read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

It was good. There is a Public parking lot behind the building. They have a nice selection of rolls for the American pallet. The service is amicable. They forgot the refill of our drink requested, but were nice and gave right away after the second ask. It's a little bit on the noisier side, however it IS still conducive to conversation. Their tables are small, but it's ok because they are quick to clear-out the dirty dishes. read more

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This location has always been great! The staff here are super friendly and helpful. They make great recommendations and always check on us to make sure we have a good time. The restaurant is not too noisy and is always very comfortable. And the quality of the food here is always reliable. I know I'm getting a good meal every time I swing by! read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Dungeons & Dragons - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

Talk about good sushi! I came here with a friend this past friday and to say we were blown away would be an understatement. I love how they had unique rolls that were genuinely really good and ones I haven't seen other places. The service was pretty good and the restaurant itself while on the smaller side it was still beautiful! Will definitely be coming back here. read more

Japonica - El Segundo - inside - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

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Great food and nice atmosphere, it's a small location with seating indoors and outdoors. The staff was really good especially the bartender, she was recommending different sake's. She checked on us several times even though we were sitting outside and no where near the bar. I ordered the soft shell crab and the shrimp tempura. Everything on my plate was delicious especially the shrimp but I only received one small crab and it was expensive. My wife just had the spicy tuna and miso soup. She enjoyed her but couldn't finish it all because it was a lot of food. My brother and sister in-law had several different sushi's but they like spicy foods so I didn't bother to ask what they had. They said that this would be a place that they'd return to and with other couples. We had several different crafts of sake and we enjoyed them all read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Japonica - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

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Casual Japanese spot with sushi and ramen options. Came here for dinner with some friends and were able to walk in without a wait on a weeknight. Indoor and outdoor seating available. There's limited parking available in the parking lot but street parking is also available. I ordered the miso soup and Japonica fried chicken for a light meal, and they were good. You can easily opt to do a family style meal here. The chicken was hot and crispy, with a good amount of pieces. read more

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First timer here, was greeted by a lovely lady named Karolina and she was excellent at serving, suggesting food items to eat, and amazing personality! She always came to see if I needed anything. I tried the tasty and spicy edamame with chili garlic crisp with a delicious beef ramen soup- the mochi dessert was perfect. Sergio was also kind and made sure the table of cleared of extra dishes so I would enjoy my meal experience. I appreciated the service, smiles, and positive environment, inside and surrounding the restaurant. There is an underground parking close by when the parking lot gets full that was an added bonus. read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Strawberry and green tea mochi dessert - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

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Amazing service, everyone was helpful with our menu questions, also giving their favorites which we did order and really happy we did. The food comes out looking beautiful and tasting just the same. Everything we ate tasted fresh and exactly how the menu described. read more

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Wonderful service and great food. Japonica is our go to sushi spot on near us (Inglewood). Cute area with ample parking, bars, and other places. Must orders: Bumblebee Jessica albacore Fried chicken Fried rice read more

Tried this place out with some family and friends and enjoyed the experience. We had a reservation and were seated quickly, and the server was kind enough to let us order in the last five minutes of happy hour which was generous as many other places would not do so. We really liked the soju cocktails which were sweet and tasty. Our favorite plates were the salmon carpaccio and jessica alba roll, which tasted really fresh and delicious. The other rolls were also good and I loved the seaweed salad. They also make their own smoked soy sauce which was really interesting. We also loved the chicken karaage which was crispy, huge and had a yummy sauce on top. The servers were attentive which was great as we enjoyed slowly putting orders in since the tables are quite small. It's a bit expensive for some items but it was a cute restaurant located in a fun area. Would come back! read more

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Frank and good was amazing ! Loved the miso soup and edamame. Loved the mochi. Great friendly service read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

I want to start off by saying the ingredients here are some of the highest quality and this is a great spot for buttery Tantan ramen (all made with a pork broth), high quality sushi, and a large selection of authentic sake. The service is pretty fast, but they seem to forget about you once your place your order. The ambiance isn't bad, but it has more of a cool casual spot vibe. Here is everything we tried: 4.5/5 - The Original Tantan Ramen: spicy miso pork broth, bok choi, red bell peppers, radish sprout, and miso sesame pork. Very flavorful with a buttery texture that's true to the Tantan style. 4.5/5 - Bluefin Sushi: very fresh, was served nagari style with two large pieces. 4/5 - Kyoto Kryptonite: double spicy tuna on a crispy rice roll, cucumber, sweet soy glaze, semano smoked chili sauce, and chili pepper. It had a nice flavor with a little kick. 3.5/5 -White Lightning: seared albacon, tempura white fish, tempura asparagus, garlic butter soy, and chive. It was a very mild flavor and not that memorable for me personally. Food: 4.5/5 Service: 3/5 Ambiance: 3/5 Value: 3.5/5 Overall: 4/5 read more

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What a charming sushi spot! The restaurant was tucked away in a strip mall and had a cute urban vibe. The parking was a bit difficult but I really enjoyed my experience at Japonica. The service was efficient. They gave me space to look through the menu. The sushi choices were unique and there were many options that were no rice options. The sushi was delicious and that was due to their unique sauces. read more

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With plenty of great options to eat in Downtown El Segundo, Japonica is definitely a place to try out. Great vibe and decor. Enough tvs for sports. Taste and friendly staff. And surprisingly, the prices were too bad. Especially considering the area you are in. This place was a hit for me. I can easily tell this place attracts all folks: locals, business peeps, families with kids, and visitors like me. Enjoy. read more

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Kid Friendly, Family Approved by an 8 year old and I. We had 2x Lunch Special Combos @ approx $25, so $50 for the 2 of us and he was satisfied by the food quality and portions. Each came with 6 pieces of Sushi (Chef's choice incl. Salmon, Tuna, Albacore, Yellowtail Eel and Mackerel), 4 pieces of a cut roll (choose California or Spicy Tuna), a side dish (many choices, we opted for the 3 pieces Chicken Karrage and the 3 piece shrimp tempura bit they also offered Gyoza and other appetizer type side dishes), small tasty salad and bowl/cup of miso soup. The service was fast and friendly. They have a private free parking lot for customer convenience. read more

Will definitely be back and recommend this gem. Found it on accident, but little did I know, super aligning. Knicks even won while here. To the food and service, nothing disappointed. Frank and Kelly, helped us. Frank made great recommendations. Knew 2 things we wanted and Frank made the other 2 and they were spot on. Everything was fresh, tasty, and great shareable portions. Parking was the biggest challenge in this plaza, but it's LA and we all know that by now lol. My only request would be valet, but it was a very chill ambiance and large projector screens to display. Love the variety of food options, next time I have to try the ramen! read more

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This is not a Japanese/ sushi place. The name is misleading and an embarrassment to sushi and Japanese cuisine. I ordered miso soup, edamame and the HH Bumblebee tuna roll. How can that go wrong? Well, the miso soup tasted and looked like the dirty water after you wash a very dirty piece of cloth. It was bland not salty and it did not taste like miso. The edamame was almost raw. Why don't you steam them for 5 minutes--that's all that it takes. And the roll? horribly acidic. They added vinegar in top of the roll, so, the pieces were floating in the acidic mess underneath. It was inedible. Please save your money. There are plenty of quality place in the SouthBay that are real Japanese restaurants. read more

Ramen is great. Love the sake cocktails. But I do not recommend the sushi. I've had some ok rolls here. But others tasted off and the portion of actual fish is skimpy. Disappointing to get bad salmon in LA when excellent sushi is everywhere. read more

We live in El Segundo and have been to Japonica at this location a few times. Usually the food is good and the service is fine. Tonight, our service was horrible, and made us agree not to return. We made a reservation, yet still had to wait to be seated, despite empty tables. This was fine over all, and we were willing to wait. Then, our server took about 15 minutes to greet us at our table, let alone take our order. We were willing to look past this and have a nice dinner anyway. Our server also did not check on us, or really pay any attention to us throughout the dinner. Again, whatever. Unfortunately, when it came time to pay, we were subjected to judgement by a different wait staff member for paying with a pre-paid VISA card. He struggled to get it to swipe, while making a big show of it to the entire surrounding area that it was not swiping. He begrudgingly put in the card number manually, and rudely (and loudly) asked what the zip code was. I informed him that it was a gift card and did not have a zip code. It went through, and he made a show of setting the card reader in front of me. He watched closely over my shoulder as it asked for a tip, staring at the screen as I put in a tip amount, and said "I need to make sure you actually pay." Usually I do not leave reviews, but this left a really sour taste in my mouth and made us feel judged and unwanted at the restaurant- simply for paying with a visa gift card that had plenty of money on it to pay for the dinner. Money is money! However, even if the card was not working (which it was), there seems a nicer way to go about the situation without subjugating the customer to embarrassment. Unfortunately, my husband and I will not be returning to Japonica any time soon. read more

The sushi is good and like the salad dressing a lot. It's not Katsu-Ya or Sugarfish but it good and convenient.

Service was absolutely stellar! The recommendations were on-point and all of our food was delicious. The weather was perfect, the night we went, so we opted to eat outside and it was perfect. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day. Big shout out to Frank who served us and made everything great! read more

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Smoked soy sauce is the best thing I've ever had in my life. It's so tasty and brings so much flavor to anything you put it on. I forgot to ask if they sell the soy sauce. This is my 2nd time here and the fried chicken did not disappoint, after having for the 2nd time, the chicken was not too breaded and was not overcooked. It was flavored perfectly and adequately portioned. The unagi bowl gave plenty of eel that was very tender and tasty. Try the Japonica Rice Lager which is made locally. It's very good. Sitting in a sort of strip mall, the bar is small but the patio is pretty big and has a nice vibe on a day with wonderful weather. read more

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Frank was absolutely amazing! He was incredibly attentive and helpful with suggestions on what to order. Our favorite was the bumble bee tuna!! Definitely recommend coming here. It only was the service great , the food was great read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

Great happy hour! Fish quality is good. Portions are nice too. Location is prime since it's in the small downtown area. Inside is also cute and simple, very Japanese street style. read more

It shares a parking lot with several other businesses, or there is street parking. They have seating inside & outside, & we dined out. Service was friendly, but spastic & forgetful. They serve sushi, ramen & more. Lots of unique sushi rolls. We shared ramen, sushi rolls & some appetizers. The Crispy Rice is a must order! & I loved their nigiri specialities, so unique & flavorful. I felt like they were pretty rice forward with the rolls so see if you can get less rice. read more

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Japonica was highly recommended so we had high expectations. It's located in a small plaza with limited parking however we got lucky with street parking. Japonica has indoor and outdoor seating. We were seated immediately. Our party ordered two Unagi bowl combos, ramen combo and a sushi combo. For our sides, we got Brussels sprouts, crispy rice, and chicken gyoza. We also ordered White Lightning sushi roll. The sushi was very buttery and was elevated by the housemade smoked soy sauce. We were surprised to see tangerine slices in the Brussels sprouts but it not only gave a nice pop of color but the tartness brightened up the dish since sometimes Brussels sprouts can be bitter. I had the ramen combo and requested for the ramen to be extra spicy. The portions are generous for the lunch combos. I liked the dressing on the side salad. The crispy rice had a crunchy exterior and chewy center, topped with spicy tuna. It had a very mild kick from the jalapeño. I took most of the ramen home because I was rather full after sampling the sushi and sides. The ramen was creamy and had a depth of flavor. The noodles were perfectly chewy. One of our friends commented that this may be one of the best restaurants she's had ever. She really liked her sushi and gyoza and felt the unagi bowl had a balance of flavor and large portion of eel. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. Service was good and food was excellent. We came on a weekday for lunch so we had no wait but I would not be surprised if this place is popping on Saturday evenings read more

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Pleasantly surprised by the quality of sushi at this spot! We came in on a weekend afternoon and it was pretty empty. They had really interesting menu items like tantanmen, which was a creamy nutty broth ramen and a lot of rolls with no rice featured. The ramen was delicious and we loved the broth. The hamachi Davidson was also extremely light and refreshing with great flavor. Not a traditional sushi roll for sure. The truffle salmon nigiri was the best item we had! Unfortunately I wasn't a big fan of the Kyoto kryptonite though and would not get it again. read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Kyoto Kryptonite, Hamachi Davidson, Spicy Tantan Ramen, Salmon Truffle Salmon Nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California

This restaurant definitely has a little twist to sushi, one of our sushi rolls was even smoked, I don't remember the name. They were all very unique, but very delicious. Even the alcohol free beer was good, paired well. Great Service, good ambience. Definitely recommend. read more

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The smoked soy sauce was pleasantly tasty! I ordered the Final Fantasía (riceless roll) and the Citrus Sakura Both were yummy. I think the Fantasia is my favorite. It's a cute Sushi Bar read more

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We had a random craving for ramen. El Segundo is not typically where we hang out so it was nice that there were so many establishments to choose from in the downtown area. You can tell right away that this place is popular. The sight of people waiting for tables outside is a good sign that people are willing to wait to eat their food. There is a tablet by the door where you can add yourself to a waitlist. It did not take more than 15 minutes before we were finally seated. We ordered the popular item on the menu, the pork ramen. I was surprised the pork was ground instead of sliced. I wonder if it is a regionally based technique. It was very tasty none the less, also it had a slight kick, which I really enjoyed. The broth was also quite rich and enjoyable. I had to stop myself from picking up the bowl to slurp it down. We also ordered the crispy rice and kaarage. They were ok. I've had better elsewhere. The ramen was definitely the star without question. Lastly, the service was friendly, quick and efficient and the pricing is fair which and equal to the quality and portions of the plates. Overall, I would definitely come back here. But next time will make a reservation ahead of time to avoid the wait. read more

The food was absolutely delicious! We enjoyed a variety of dishes, all recommended by Frank, and every single one was amazing. I'm currently pregnant, and he made sure all of my dishes were cooked perfectly and checked in on us often, which I truly appreciated. Chris and Kelly also helped us throughout our visit they were extremely kind, attentive, and offered great recommendations as well. Thank you for such a wonderful experience! read more

I come often as it's my favorite sushi spot in my neighborhood! Chris and frank always give stellar service! They always so kind and helpful! PS frank makes the best Lychee Breeze :) read more

Christian was amazing. He did a wonderful job providing us great service checked on us all throughout the course of our lunch. This is definitely my favorite location and El Segundo. read more

Japonica - El Segundo - Hot Sake and Beer - Sushi Bars Near Me - El Segundo, California