I've been to a few Japanese restaurants in downtown El Segundo over the years. How on earth did I miss this gem!? Huge props to my coworker for suggesting this place. Hidden in plain sight, Kagura is a top tier Japanese dining experience. It should be noted that this place is more $$$ than it is $$, and that's a compliment. I dropped $50+ here and it was easy to say it was worth it. I treat myself to the Kagura Gozen chef especial that was limited on how many was served per day and a Orion Okinawa draft beer. Plus, I had leftovers. The chef special came with more-than-a-little of everything. Each dish was unique and delicious. I was treated to a full spread of amazing Japanese cuisine. Sashimi was fresh, katsu was thick and juicy with a lightly breaded crust, eel was flavorful and soft, and the soba noodles were perfect. The restaurant is clean and beautifully laid out. I got vibes of actually being in Japan. If you have a reservation, you can get a private booth. The attractive staff were fantastic. Friendly and fast. Water glass was always full and empty dishes were promptly removed. Last tid bits. Two clean solo bathrooms and street parking. read more

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This was my first time eating at this Kagura location. Normally whenever I come to Kagura, I always order one of their katsu bentos because they're consistently delicious. This time, I noticed this location offers special Gozen set meals that I hadn't seen before. They had a limited Dinner Gozen on the menu with only 10 sets available each night. Of course I had to order it. The set came with a little bit of everything: sushi, sashimi, katsu, eel rice, toro rice, ikura rice, soba, a variety of small cold side dishes, soup, and salad. It was a huge meal and I was honestly surprised I managed to finish the whole thing. I really enjoyed it because you get to try so many different items in one meal. If you're like me and love Japanese food, this is a great way to sample a little bit of everything without having to order a bunch of separate dishes. Everything tasted fresh and the quality was excellent. The restaurant itself isn't very big, so it can get pretty busy. They do take reservations though, which I'd recommend if you're planning to come during dinner. Overall, I really enjoyed this special Gozen meal and would definitely come back. It was a fun experience and a great value for the variety and quality of food you get. read more

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I was at this restaurant the other day for dinner. It was my first time. Ordered the Premium Beef Steak Gozen set. It came with a salad, miso soup, ribeye steak, assorted tempura, tuna and albacore sashimi, pork cutlet, soba noodles, and sides. Everything I had was delicious. I especially enjoyed the steak, sashimi, and pieces of tempura. The steak, which came out sizzling hot on a skillet, was smoky, salty, and tender, the sashimi was fresh, and the shrimp tempura was crunchy. What impressed me most was that every item was served at the right temperature. The steak was hot, the soba was cold, and the sashimi was cool. Pretty amazing considering they were all served at the same time! Some closing thoughts before I wrap this review up. -The service was outstanding. The main dishes came out super fast. -I would recommend getting reservations if you're coming on a Saturday evening. I came here right at opening and most of the tables were already reserved. -If you're planning to order one of the gozen sets, you should come hungry, because you're going to get a lot of food. I would recommend this place 100%. For the quality, amount, and variety of food you're getting, as well as the reasonable price, I'm not sure how this place can be beat. read more

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This is my new favorite sushi spot! My previous favorite (Sankai Costa Meas) closed a few months ago after being my favorite for almost 30 years. So this is the culmination of a serious search for me. Located on Main Street in El Segundo it can be looked at two ways; it's a hidden out of the way gem or it's just 5 minutes from LAX. Ill let you decide which one applies to your perspective LOL We've been a few times now so I can tell you that it is consistently great! From the quality of the sushi (yes I only have the sushi LOL) to the friendly service and quick food prep. Everything on the menu looks good but all I'm here for is sushi, I've had a variety of the the sashime, nigiri & rolls and everything has been 5Stars!! My favorite would be hard to name but the Dragon & Crunchy Tiger rolls are def cant miss and the albacore is wonderful! There is plenty of seating with spots for large groups and private booths. No private lot but there is plenty of street parking and it is a nice, safe area to walk around. My birthday is coming up and I plan on coming here for sure :) read more

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The food was excellent and very filling ! Service was excellent. All 4 of us ordered the chicken katsu gozen which had Chef's Recommended sticker by it. read more

Kagura El Segundo - Chicken Katsu Gozen - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

The food was excellent! They specialize in Katsu chicken and pork, said the nice lady who seated me. I think their nigiri options were a bit limited. No Toro nor Octopus, my server told me. It's certainly worth visiting again. read more

Kagura El Segundo - Yummy options. - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

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Every time we are near El Segundo, this is a must stop place for lunch. Love their bento plates so much varieties. Makes us miss Japan so much! Everything just tastes fresh with quality ingredients. Servers are very friendly. read more

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Loved eating here. The dinner set is more than enough to enjoy per person. The ambience is updated, and you can be seated in a large communal area vs in smaller quieter semi-private areas. The katsu is soft tender tasty and overall amazing. read more

Kagura El Segundo - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

We had bento boxes here for lunch and the food was 10/10! The food and ambiance are so authentic. Every bite was so delicious in the bento boxes we ordered. The eel, tonkatsu, sashimi, and unagi were particularly special! The food is excellent quality. Terrific service. I can't wait to visit again! read more

Came to this place as the little one requested sushi. Got there a few minutes before they opened. Once the door was unlocked, we were welcomed in and asked if we had reservations. We did not, but were seated right away (I highly recommend you make reservations). The place quickly filled up, with most of the booths occupied and most seats taken. I ordered one of their pre-fix lunches and it was Devine! We also ordered a California roll, tuna roll, and a cut salmon skin roll. The little one really enjoyed her clam miso soup. I would come back when I'm the neighborhood. read more

Kagura El Segundo - Lunch - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

Yellow tail was literally melt in your mouth and the steak came out on a sizzling platter. Will be coming back soon! read more

Kagura El Segundo - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

Went for a weekend lunch with some friends. Had an rsvp and was seated immediately. Ordered a few sashimi dishes to share with the group, then also ordered a katsu combo. The katsu is very well made and side dishes were very complimentary. The price point also works out with the amount of food you are getting. Would recommend and will be back yet again! read more

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Restaurant is quaint with good service. Sets come with miso soup and salad 1. Nabeyaki udon set: Udon was nice and chewy and broth was flavorful and hot. The only downside was there wasn't much veggies and seemed noodles with a bit of chicken. 2. Premium katsudon: similar to the katsu from regular Kagura 3. Sukiyaki gozen set: tempura is well fried sukiyaki broth is a little bit on the light side 4. Katsu curry set: katsu is crispy as expected from Kagura. I didn't really like the curry itself. Is a bit salty. Reminds me of House Java curry. 5. Sukiyaki udon set: a bit flavorless for the soup Sushi: 1. Spider roll: plenty of crispy flakes 2. Dragon roll: The California roll in the middle is pretty good. Too much sauce on top of the unagi made the roll too sweet Service was fine. Overall the food was okay but I think I'll stick to the regular Kagura katsu restaurant. read more

Kagura El Segundo - Curry katsu set - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

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For my final meal in LA, I thought it would be good to try tonkatsu, so I searched out some ideas on Yelp. I found Kagura, but since we were going to head out to the airport after, we headed out to the location in El Segundo for an early dinner. They seated us at the shared table where we were facing the private tables along the opposite wall. The dinner menu was was great with photos for everything. My dinner unagi gozen $33 (freshwater eel on rice with special sauce, served with pork cutlet, tempura and steamed vegetables) came with miso soup and salad, some sashimi and a small portion of soba. It was quite a generous box meal, and I had some eel and rice left for a hefty snack. On their lunch menu, they also have unagi gozen $24.25 (freshwater eel on rice with special sauce. Served with side dishes and sashimi) for a smaller meal. read more

Called to make a reservation the same day and very friendly staff Great table in a booth that felt private. Really lovely presentation of the food in the big bento boxes. Priced well around 35-38 dollars. I got the sushi sashimi onsen box. Lovely location in downtown El Segundo and easy to park. Free parking read more

Cozy is right. This spot has top tier service. They greet you at the door and never let you sit long. Fresh fresh sashimi and many cooked options. Central location. Parking and reservations or call ahead worth planning. read more

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Unplanned dinner in El Segundo. Good food, good service & chill ambiance. Communal tables & few private tables. Many had "Reserved" plaques on them. Glad we got there around 5:30 as it got busy after 6 PM (Saturday evening). Attentive waitresses. The only small minus was I received 2 rice stuffed in tofu skin instead of 2 california rolls as seen in the menu. I would've preferred the california rolls & at least given a choice. But they didn't ask. Guests to my left got the rolls so I don't know how they decide... Portions were good & flavors were good without being overpowering. We will be back for sure. read more

Had the "gozen" set meal and was blown away how good this was. Loved the variety of different dishes it comes with like the fresh sashimi, niku tofu, soba, and of course, the katsu. There's so many other things I wanted to try on their menu but its hard to say no to the set meals at this the price point and how much food comes with it. Service was great and friendly. They have nice, large booths to accommodate groups. Last time we came with a party of 6 adults and 3 kids and we all fit in a booth. It was tight but made it work. Definitely want to come back! read more

Kagura El Segundo - Tonkatsu Gozen - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

If you've been to Kagura and think you know what to expect--pause. This location hits differently. It leans more traditional, a little quieter, and very much about execution. And the tonkatsu? Legit one of the best I've had--perfectly fried with that golden, crisp exterior that somehow stays light, not greasy, and gives way to juicy, tender pork. The kind where you don't even need sauce... but you'll still use it anyway. What really seals it for me here is the gozen sets. If you're indecisive (or just hungry), this is your place. So many combinations, and everything comes out like a full spread. My current go-to is the steak gozen--basically the "why choose?" option. You get miso soup, salad, tonkatsu, tempura, soba... it just keeps coming. It's generous without feeling overdone, and somehow everything still tastes dialed in. I used to be loyal to the sukiyaki gozen (RIP, still not over it), but the steak set has filled that void nicely. Bottom line: delicious, satisfying, and surprisingly good value for how much you get. If you're in the South Bay and craving a proper Japanese set meal--not a rushed version--this is the move. read more

One of our favorite Japanese restaurant is located in the heart of El Segundo. I've been here many times driving from Palos Verdes, meeting up with friends, and never a disappointment. We brought a family friend from Mexico ( expat) here at our last visit May 22. He was very impressed with the massive amount of food presented and how tasty everything was. Steve made a mental note to tell his niece who lives in Manhattan Beach all about this place. We try to reserve the back booth for privacy. Other than booths there is a large communal dinning table available for guests. Reservations a must as it's not a large restaurant. Quality & quantity of food is outstanding and we always had prompt and efficient service. Beer & sake offered. Did you know Asahi Beer is made in the USA now? We learned that from the bartender so Kagura opted to serve Orion, an Okinawan beer instead. You can't go wrong for a special Japanese dinner. We always order their special dozen sets! read more

We have gone to other Kaguras before this one, but I think this one is our new favorite. My chirashi bowl was delicious; the sushi rice was well executed and fish tasted super fresh. My ideal meal is having a little bit of everything, so I really loved that the lunch sets came with tempura, side dishes, miso soup, and salad. It was so much food but all delicious. Husband also enjoyed his katsu curry and even said it was the best curry he's ever had (shocking considering katsu curry is his go-to for any Japanese restaurant). We walked in for a Sunday lunch without a reservation and was seated immediately. read more

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Wow, highly recommend Kagura. We showed up on Friday night 7PM ish and were told 30 minute wait but ended up being like 5 minutes. A little chaotic in the store might explain the disconnect. We got: - Kurobuta Fillet Tonkatsu Gozen - Kurobuta Loin Tonkatsu Gozen - Agedashi Tofu Appetizer - Nigori Sake Meal came with miso soup and salad to start, which were good. One 300ml nigori sake was a good amount for 2 to split also. Agedashi was very good, different style than I'm used to with a very soft inside. I enjoyed it, although the portion was very small. Once the meals came out, I was shocked. They come with a lot of sides. 2 pieces sushi, 2 pieces sashimi, soba noodles, meat/tofu bowl, bowl of white rice, and small sides. It is truly a big portion that will be very filling for anyone. The tonkatsu fillet was very good. It's probably some of the best katsu I've had in America. The loin was good, but not as good in the fillet in my opinion as it was dryer. Overall the food here was fantastic, great atmosphere to eat and chat/have a conversation. The service was a little sparse, but not in a way that detracted from experience. Just needed to wave them down when we needed something. Overall highly recommend. read more

After a long week we came in to treat ourselves and were not disappointed. Great food and wonderful presentation. read more

Kagura El Segundo - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

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Found this Japanese restaurant while in the area - we were by the airport and my son wanted Japanese food for dinner and this was recommended in Yelp. So we were here on a Thursday night, arrived past 6:30 in the area and we parked in the street. The location is in the Main Street where there are other restaurants- we initially made a mistake and went inside another Japanese restaurant and realized we were in the wrong place and had to leave. So we finally get here and they have a waitlist on Yelp- I should've added my name but didn't see it right away. Our wait was about 30 mins - we only needed a table for 2 so we got seated ahead of some other diners who were waiting before we arrived. I can tell this is a local favorite, they have a waitlist but you can also make a reservation if you do not want to wait. When we got in the restaurant has a couple of group tables on the sides and by then front there's 2 sets of communal seating (u shape - can seat about 11/12 each counter. Me and my son both ordered noodles - he has a cold noodle while I had the tempura noodle. I tried my sons cold noodle and the soup tasted the same as mine - - except that it's cold. He has less noodles so this serving was not enough for him. We also got the crispy spicy tuna to share and the pudding for dessert. Loved the pudding. If we ever go back we will try the gonza options because the noodles and soup didn't standout for me. Service and ambiance is nice though - I get why it's popular. read more

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This feels truly authentic as you walk in. A little frazzled, but they're working hard to please their customers. We are lucky to sit in a booth (they have open shared tables as well). The menu is daunting with many options to choose from-- sushi, gozen, noodles, etc. Our party of four tried a little of everything and it was all good. My favorite was the tuna tataki, which comes like sashimi with roe on top. It had a lovely texture with a bit of smokey flavor. The crab appetizer was also excellent. We loved it all -- the sushi gozen; deep fried pork (not greasy); seaweed salad and edamame. They have lots of sake options, too. Definitely worth checking out. The service is excellent, too. read more

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My favorite place to have meuillefeuille pork tonkatsu.For appetizers, I had salmon nigiri, ankimo and fried oysters. The meuillefeuille did not come with a combo so I ordered a rice set that came with a bowl and miso soup. Such a satisfying meal. Thank you, Kagura! read more

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Love this spot and if you're ever craving authentic Japanese food, this is your spot. I like to order al la carte as opposed to the set combos to have a variety of items to share. This way you get to try more things because everything here is just so good! The squid karaage is one of the bests I've had in LA and the tempura is so light. The service is fast and friendly and they have a huge selection of sake. Indoor has private booths and also a shared table in the center of the restaurant. read more

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Love Kagura! It's a small cozy Japanese restaurant located in downtown El Segundo. The waitresses are always so sweet and welcoming, and it takes me right back to Japan. They have so much delicious items on their menu and this time I ordered the shiso spicy tuna tempura, loin katsu, and dragon roll. My favorites this round were the shiso spicy tuna tempura and loin katsu! read more

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Haiku: Kagura Best Japanese food Pork cutlet & tempura Cute, cozy decor. --- Kagura is famous for their tonkatsu. There are a few Kagura restaurants in LA & OC, but this is by far my favorite. This is the only location that carries sushi, along with an impressive selection of tonkatsu, fish, noodle, and special lunch sets. I like to graze on a variety of foods, so anything with a lunch set meal that has tiny dishes, along with the main entree is music to my ears. I know people come to Kagura for their tonkatsu, but I was craving a sashimi lunch set. Thick slices of fresh fish, tempura, and traditional Japanese appetizers were so delicious and comforting. The decor strikes a delicate balance of an aesthetically clean space with traditional light wood paneling. There are several semi-private booth seatings and the main wrap-around seating area. Service is incredibly friendly, helpful, and efficient. read more

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Its just grrat to having dinner with friend here. Authentic Japanese taste with amazing Japanese quality service. The food was amazing and the portion was generous. The interior was a little outdated, but still really enjoyable. I wish I could visit here more often. Next time I'm in the LAX area, I will definitely come back and try more stuff. read more

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Kagura has a nice Japanese interior with easy reservation and attentive staff. The menu is diverse with options. Steak Gozen 4/5. The steak gozen is huge and came out all sizzling. I think it was medium when I had it. Although my to-go option would be medium rare. The whole tray for $35 is a lot but still kinda expensive. The sashimi that came with it is soft and fresh. The pork cutlet is crispy like how it is supposed to be. All the sauces are up to taste and not too heavily spiced. The rice was al dente. I definitely recommend this set. Parking was hard to find in this area. They are street parking and are free. read more

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One of my absolute favorite spots in the South Bay! I've been coming to Kagura for over two years, and it's always my go-to recommendation when friends visit. The ambiance and decor instantly transport you to Japan--it feels so authentic and cozy. My top picks? The salmon belly and scallop sashimi-both incredibly fresh and buttery, they practically melt in your mouth. But the real star is the Black Cod Gindara Gozen. It's perfectly sweet and savory, and the bento set it comes with is packed with goodies: crispy tempura, juicy pork katsu, cold noodles, radish soup, and a few sashimi on the side. It's a seriously satisfying meal and great value for the quality. See if you can ask of a side of yuzu to go with the black cod, it's so so delicious! Pro tip: Make a reservation for lunch-it fills up fast! For dinner, it's more relaxed if you go after 7:30 PM. read more

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I was neither a fan nor impressed. I've actually been sick since my meal. I was on a layover from LAX so was not dressed to the nines. I felt I was given substandard service with a slight disregard. I would say, the only good thing was the private booths. The sushi was absolutely horrible. I ordered the Hamachi Yellowtail Gozen Grilled Yellowtail Collar, Tempura, Sashimi, & Soba Noodle. The menu said Chef's choice for sashimi. The saddest and pinkest tuna I've seen -most likely frozen and dyed to get that color. The other piece was albacore and slightly brown. Both semi warm. The rest of the meal was just ok. I also tried nigiri: scallop, yellowtail belly, and hamachi. The yellowtail hand roll was lackluster. The spicy tuna and California roll were just ok. read more

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They have a sushi bar and regular tables. We parked on the street. I don't know if they have a private lot outback. The size of the portions were enormous. We could've shared one dinner. We had plenty leftover to take home. I really want to give them 3 1/2 stars. The food was decent. But the restaurant needed to be cleaner. There was a very funky smell that was quite noticeable in the place. The servers were polite and prompt Not sure I'm running right over for a second meal read more

Food is not so good. The sushi was especially bad. Food: Not good. The tonkatsu was the only thing that was above a 5/10 at this restaurant. It was nice and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sushi on the other hand was bad. The rice was way too sticky and the fish to rice ratio was way off. I was very disappointed considering this is a Japanese restaurant. We also ordered the soba lunch special which was also 3/10. The flavour was heavily lacking and the sides were so small (example: 5 edamame beans. yes. 5.) Ambiance: Interior was nice. Not much space for seating. They have 3 special booth tables but besides that, you're forced to sit next to strangers in a large U shaped table. Parking: Ample street parking nearby, so parking was not an issue! Overall, I was not a fan of this place and not be returning. I cannot recommend this place as a good Japanese restaurant. I was really looking forward in trying this place due to the good reviews, but I was disappointed. read more

Kagura El Segundo - Spicy tuna roll + tuna nigiri - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California

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I really enjoy the gozen sets at this location. I still prefer the tonkatsu at the Torrance location, but I always have bad luck with service at that location. This El Segundo location never lets me down. Every gozen comes with a small piece of of tonkatsu cutlet even if you don't order tonkatsu as the main dish. The gindara gozen is my usual, with black cod, tempura, soba, sashimi, and the other sides that come with all their sets. read more

I'm giving this place 3 stars because I expected more from the food based on the pictures and reviews I saw. The food was not bad though. Walking in, the interior was nicely decorated. I thought the seating arrangement was a bit strange since every table was facing a wall, but I'm assuming that might be based off the private seating at restaurants in Japan. The service was great too, the waitresses handling us were very nice, polite, and attentive. Since the menu was extensive, it took my group a bit of time to look over the options and the waitresses kept checking on us to order which was nice instead of having to flag them down. For the squid appetizer, I thought it was pretty mid. The texture felt like the squid was old and I wasn't a big fan of the seasoning. For my main I got the cold noodles with tempura set. It looked pretty, but the food was just alright. The tempura was nicely battered and fried, but some of the veggies and potatoes were too thick and could've used more seasoning. The soba was just alright, it felt and tasted like an instant soba kit from a Japanese supermarket. Overall, I was but disappointed with the food since it seemed pretty average, but it wasn't bad. I don't know if I would eat here again unfortunately. read more

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Had a wonderful experience and meal at Kagura El Segundo! We walked in without a reservation on a weekday evening and was seated right away. Service was very friendly and quick. I had been to the Kagura location in Torrance and did not think the food was very good, and the experience overall wasn't great. But Kagura El Segundo was much much better! We ordered a salmon gozen and a tonkatsu meal and they were both wonderful. Tons of food and for a good price, too! I can't wait to return. read more

Came here on a Thursday night with a party of 6. We joined the waitlist ahead of time by choosing the 20-30 min option since we were 20 min away. There was no one else on the waitlist at that time. But by the time we got there, we still waited for at least another 30 minutes so I don't really understand their waitlist system. As for the food, they really shined with their gozen sets. The portions are big and it comes with a variety of sides. My favorite was what my boyfriend ordered: the premium loin tonkatsu gozen. The pork wasn't too fatty and the breading was light. I had a craving for udon so ordered their sukiyaki udon but I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like sweet soup. I have a sweeter palate but even this was too sweet for me. The udon noodles were perfectly chewy though! I also enjoyed their beef tongue and ankimo apps. I'd definitely recommend this and would return here when I'm in the area again. read more

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Hidden gem just 10 mins from LAX! Was looking for some comforting authentic Japanese food after a long flight and saw this on Yelp. I love when the food comes on trays with various sides. I ordered udon as well as crunch roll sushi. Everything was great! This will be my new pit stop after flying in. Heads up, it's downtown area so parking can be a bit rough, and reserve in advance because the place is small. Lots of reservations available though, I was able to reserve 30 mins in advance after leaving the airport and my table was ready when I arrived. read more

Kagura El Segundo - Udon - Japanese Near Me - El Segundo, California