A welcome addition to the area but I feel like it could be better and the price is a little high for what you get. Nothing about it was bad but also nothing made me really want to come back either. Service was pleasant but not the most attentive. Food came out quick which is important for lunch time. One of the things I found interesting is that they don't use the plastic seaweed protectors so your nori can get mushy if you don't eat quickly. I think Temaki society does a better job in LA with more interesting filling offerings. read more

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I love this place! The unique hand roll flavors are what make this place standout vs Kazunori or other hand roll bars. The food came out quick and my favorite flavors were the salmon spicy mayo and eel shichimi. Their koso drink is a must try as well. It's not too sweet, very refreshing and apparently great for your health too. I ordered the lemon flavor but I also heard that the pineapple and strawberry are very popular. Parking is easy, they have a large private lot. We arrived on a Saturday at 11:30 right when they open and there was no line. read more

It is that time of the year for DineLA. This time, I checked out Oh Banzai because it is on the list. For $65, I got the following menu Uni Shooter 4/5. (Uni, Ikura, Grated Yam, Ponzu Jelly) I rather have uni to savor bit by bit. By its name as shooter, I basically took a shot but regretted and wanted to savor it more. Learn from my mistake. Hand Rolls (Salmon + Onion Crunchy Chili Oil, Toro-Taku, Scallop + Ikura, Eel + Egg, Crab + Spicy Mayo). 5/5 All the hand rolls were outstanding. I thought the crunchy chili oil added a nice texture to an otherwise common hand roll. Anything with ikura is automatically awesomely popping. Toro and taku is sweet and fatty. Eel and egg is a nice savory and sweet, drizzled in eel sauce. The crab with spicy mayo, yes real crab not imitation crab brings upon seafood flavor. I cannot pick a favorite so best to try all 5. Daily small seasonal side dish. 5/5 basic seaweed side dish and nothing to complain. It goes well to clean palate. Mazesoba (Noodles, Onion, Cucumber, Seaweed, Bamboo Shoots, Chashu, Green Onion, Garlic Chili Sauce, Sesame Seeds). 5/5. The sauce with chili oil goes well with rice (if you saved some rice from those hand rolls). The chasiu is thick and tender. Cucumber adds freshness to the dish. Warabimochi (Warabimochi, Kinako, Brown Sugar Syrup, Vanilla Ice Cream). 5/5 it comes in a cute bowl. What a nice way to finish my seafood-filled tongue. Overall service wa great. I booked online because that was the only time it has. However, I wanted to do earlier so I showed up 45 min earlier, and the restaurant was pretty empty. I was seated immediately Plenty of parking in the lot Of course because it's Gardena. read more

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I have driven by the strip mall a hundred times. At night there is a pop-up taco stand with an al pastor trompo that has always drawn my attention. I had never paid attention to the shops until a work pal suggested we go here for lunch. I am so glad she did. This place specializes in hand rolls. You can get 3 or 5 and mix and match. I had tuna with wasabi, yellowtail with ponzu and scallop with crunchy onion. I liked the scallop the best. You can add an extra roll for $5. The space is clean and bright. My friend says it can be very crowded at lunch, but we got there just before the rush. It is not cheap, but the price is in line for super fresh fish in a nice setting. read more

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New place where canzo used to be at, then changed to muso style then became Oh! Banzai. I love this creative name. The food was good. All the ingredients were so fresh and seaweed being able to chew without inside falling out. The Koso drink was very good actually. Service was a bit slow. We didn't get menu for the first 10 min when there were 2 servers in this small restaurant. Also they didn't give wet wipes for the table. It's just a bit careless over all. read more

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A new temaki spot opened in Gardena, and I was very interested in giving it a try. Showed up as soon as it opened; as the place is small, it's a good idea either to reserve or arrive early, since it fills up quickly. Very cozy and intimate atmosphere, and I sat at the bar to see the chefs in action. Oh! Banzai was offering a dineLA lunch special, so I ordered 5 handrolls, including paying extra for the A5 wagyu with garlic salt. For some reason, it came with 6 handrolls, but I'm not mad about it! The A5 wagyu was the star of the show, melt-in-your-mouth tender. I also enjoyed the creative iterations with tuna, salmon, and yellowtail temaki. The dineLA menu also came with a side dish of pickled root vegetables, mazesoba, and warabimochi, all of which were solid. Overall, a yummy experience. Although it's a bit expensive ($55 total for dineLA menu, as I added $10 for the premium A5 wagyu temaki, but comes with many sides), the quality is there, and Oh! Banzai is a lovely addition to the neighborhood. read more

Oh Banzai - dineLA lunch menu ($45, plus $10 for premium handroll). Assortment of tuna, salmon, and yellowtail temaki, as well as A5 wagyu. - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

We ordered some hand rolls and some appetizers/sides. All the food was delicious! The hand rolls came at one time, so you had to eat fast so the seaweed doesn't get too soggy. The fish was nice. All hand rolls came with some kind of sauce like mayo, teriyaki, ponzu or chili oil. I wish there were options to have no sauce so you can truly taste the fish itself. The average hand rolls range from $5.80-$9. There were wagyu ones that ranged $14-$22, depending on the toppings like uni. For the non-luxury ones, I would say they are pretty expensive for about 2-3 bites. They are also not that filling so you have to order a lot. We loved the food, and the server was super nice and took time to explain all the craft sake. My only gripe is the price! read more

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My husband and I love coming to Oh Banzai! A modern cozy restaurant with flavorful hand rolls, small plates, and super kind staff. Between the two of us, we usually order 5-7 hand rolls each and 1-2 small plates to share, and we leave comfortable. The Koso drink with sparkling water is also great if you're looking for something refreshing and not too sweet. It's a small restaurant, so not suitable for large groups, but you can make a reservation online! I'll definitely be back! read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Amazing! Everything was superb. Definitely 10 out of 10 Very welcoming You have a choice of seating at table or bar. read more

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Great first visit and lunch here! Staff was super nice and helpful. I got the five piece and it was plenty plenty of food. So delicious that I ate every single bite. It came with a small seaweed salad and miso soup. For drinks, I ordered the sake flight. Honestly, all three sakes on my flight were phenomenal! I like that they leave a description of each sake under neath the flight for you. We had to try the matcha Mont Blanc- looks so cool and tastes amazing. We sat at the bar and it was perfect amount of space. Would definitely come back! read more

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Great hand roll spot in the South Bay area. Conveniently right off the 405. My husband and I came mid lunch hours on a weekend and were seated right away. There is a lunch special that also applies on weekends, with 3 or 5 hand rolls (then $5 each additional), miso soup, and a side of seaweed salad for $18 or $26, respectively. I had the tuna, salmon, snow crab, scallop, and yellowtail - each with a different seasoning. I mainly opted for the onion crunchy chili oil and ponzu ones. Fish was fresh, and instead of having the fish cubed or mashed up like at other spots, they gave full thicker slices so it was like a large sushi. The Koso drink was very refreshing too, similar to kombucha. The tamago was delicious too! Will definitely be back when I crave hand rolls. read more

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Overall a nice place if you like handrolls. The fish was very fresh and having the various flavor options was a good mix for the different pairings. Also ordered a sunomono salad with eel, cucumbers which was nice and refreshing. Along with a tamago dish which was fluffy and sweet. Miso soup and lotus root comes with each set. Service was generally friendly and offered to answer questions as needed. They will let you know which hand rolls are which pairing when they bring your food to the table. The parking lot is on the little smaller but I didn't have issues to finding parking on the weekend. read more

Oh Banzai - Tuna + Kizami wasabi, Salmon + Spicy Mayo, Yellowtail + Jalapeño Ponzu, Shrimp + Onion crunchy chili oil, Scallop + Daikon - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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Food - hand rolls was visually stunting. Food porn at its best. I personally had 8 hand rolls and all of them went down without a fight. The natural flavors of the seafood stood out and the sauce dressing put it over the top. Very simple yet complex without being too much. The carpaccio was more of the same great taste that went well with the omakase sake flight. The sake flight was very delicate and refined. Each one paired so well with the hand rolls. Miso soup was balanced and helped cleared the palette for the next roll. Ambiance- simple, but felt like I was in a small restaurant in Tokyo or Osaka. Service - friendly, kind and knowledgeable. Explanation of the food made me even more hungry. Cleanliness- as expected, top notch. Bathroom was super clean. Parking - plentiful Additional notes- make reservations and have some sake if you enjoy that kind of thing. read more

Oh Banzai - Sake flight - we'll worth the flight - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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I think I put the ones I got on the hand roll picture but every single one I had was so good! Even the salad that comes with the lunch plate was really good. I was honestly a fan of every single hand roll I got, but I do remember being pleasantly surprised by the jalapeno ponzu and onion crunchy chili oil toppings! I think I would definitely come again to try out other combinations of toppings and protein choice for the hand rolls. The sunomono was also tasty and we finished it really quickly. It wasn't too packed at lunch time on a weekday and the service was very attentive and quick. Would recommend this place for hand roll lovers! read more

Oh Banzai - negi-toro, salmon + spicy mayo, scallop + jalapeno ponzu, shrimp + onion crunchy chili oil, snow crab + grated daikon ponzu - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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I discovered this place one night when it was already late, around 11 or so, and I was really hungry. It was the closest restaurant to me that was still open at that hour. When I got there, they were about to close, but they were still kind enough to take my order to go. I loved the food so much that I came back the next night, and I've been back a couple of times since then. The food is delicious and the service is good. It's worth mentioning that they have a tasting menu for around $65, which includes about seven different items, including a really good dessert. The only thing I would say I don't love is that the place is very small. There are only a few small tables and they're almost always full, so most of the available seating is at the bar, which feels a bit tight since people are constantly walking by. You kind of have to sit really close to the bar. So honestly, the only downside is the size of the place--but the food is amazing. Definitely one of the best spots I've found recently. 10/10, I recommend it. read more

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Delicious! Saw this place on IG and wanted to try it out. It didn't disappoint!! The hand rolls were delish and the fish was so fresh. I ordered pretty much one of each from the menu / special menu and they were all so so good. My favorite was the toro ikura! Each set comes with miso soup (which is the best I've had!). I also tried their koso drink in the apple and pineapple flavor. DELICIOUS! The service was great as well. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Great place! 11/10! read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

My friend took me to this awesome late-night spot and I was seriously impressed. One thing that really stood out is that the hand rolls use whole cuts of fish, not chopped or mashed like a lot of other places -- it makes such a difference in texture and flavor. My favorite bite of the night was the jalapeño scallop -- absolutely perfect. I also loved that they offer crunchy chili oil as a flavor option; it added a really special depth and heat. Don't skip the Koso. I tried the pineapple, strawberry, and apple flavors and was genuinely impressed. I didn't know much about this traditional fermented drink beforehand, but it was incredibly refreshing and noticeably soothing on the stomach. We tried almost everything on the menu, including the crab with caviar and the Wagyu, and every bite delivered. On top of the food, the ambiance is beautiful -- stylish, warm, and the perfect vibe for a late-night meal. Already planning to come back. read more

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Oh Banzai has an unexpectedly amazing lunch menu, and this has turned into my regular sushi lunch spot! Note, they stop serving lunch at 2:30pm, and I recommend arriving between 11:30am-2pm. The restaurant is not visible from the main streets, and is tucked further back into the shopping center. They have plenty of free parking in the lot, and there are two entrances to the parking lot. The staff is always extremely friendly & efficient (the hand rolls typically come within just a few minutes of ordering) and the fish quality is consistently fresh and delicious. They also had the high-quality pre-separated chopsticks. The aesthetic is very modern, and all seating is indoors, and you can either sit at the sushi bar or at tables. The Hand Roll Lunch Plate comes with a rotating side dish (the past few times it's been root-based) and miso soup, and is broken into 2 pricing tiers, 3 pieces for $18 or 5 pieces for $26, and you can add an additional hand roll for $5 each. They have a large variety included in this special, including: tuna, salmon, yellowtail, scallop, shrimp, eel, snow crab, and vegetables. On my first visit, I went with the 3 pieces lunch set for $18, and I chose: Tuna + Kizami Wasabi (my favorite) Negi-Toro Scallop + Jalapeño Ponzo (the raw jalapeño is a little spicy) Everything was so good, I added 2 more hand rolls: Tuna + Kizami Wasabi (reorder) Salmon + Onion Crunchy Chili Oil (another favorite) On my second visit, I went with the 5 piece lunch set for $26 and it was a much better choice. I went with: Tuna + Kizami Wasabi Spicy Tuna with Scallions (loved, another favorite) Yellowtail + Grated Daikon Ponzo (my first time trying grated daikon!) Scallop + Spicy Mayonnaise Aburi (delicious, but mayo overpowers taste of scallop)Snow Crab + Spicy Mayonnaise Aburi (also delicious) I now plan to go for sushi-lunch at least once a week, and I hope you enjoy as much as I have! read more

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Solid Lunch Spot with Great Handroll Deals! This place is a great choice for lunch, especially if you're craving fresh, customizable handrolls. The **5-handroll combo for 26$ Other spots charge 30+ for the same thing. You can mix and match flavors, and they're generous with the fillings. One note: The seaweed on the handrolls was tough and hard to bite through. It would be much better if they lightly toasted it or used a more tender wrap. If they don't fix this, people won't come back lol. Parking is easy (a big plus!), and I love how flexible they are with customizing orders. Overall, a good spot for a quick, satisfying meal--just hoping they tweak the seaweed texture! read more

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Ambiance: it's a small but modern Japanese restaurant, recently opened in south bay area, good for a quick dine-in meal Service: very friendly and attentive, patient with questions and refilled water adequately Food: their menu is specialized in hand rolls, with standard and premium options, the combo served with a small side dish of sweet daikon and miso soup, the seaweed wraps tasted soggier later as all the hand rolls are served at the same time Negi-Toro - ***** minced tuna with green onions, very tender texture, highly recommend Salmon + Teriyaki Sauce (Aburi) - *** flame seared salmon with teriyaki sauce Yellowtail + Grated Daikon Ponzu - **** refreshing taste and balanced acidity, recommend Scallop + Onion Crunchy Chili Oil - **** crunchy, sweet and spicy, interesting combination of flavors, recommend Eel + Shichimi - ** dry and burnt Shrimp + Spicy Mayonnaise (Aburi) - *** creamy texture Price: small portions and decent quality, slightly overpriced, expect about $35+ per person read more

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I love handrolls, so I was really excited to try this place. It's very cute inside and service is good. The menu had good options and everything tasted great. However, I think it's a little pricey for the portion sizes. The Mont Blanc was a fun dessert though! read more

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Great service, they have a lot of servers for a small restaurant so everyone is attentive. Got the 5 piece hand rolls and pork chashu. Loved how the meat was tender. Husband got the 5 pieces as well but got the premium hand rolls. Honestly, uni was not fresh. Tasted super fishy. I preferred the regular ones. Comes with miso soup and lotus root. Located in a plaza, there's a totally not a lot of parking but you'll be able to find a spot or two. Interior is very small and intimate, cannot hold large parties. I think it can fit like 20 people max. read more

Oh Banzai - 5 pcs - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

What an amazing experience me, my family and friends had here after a late night Tuesday church service! Was looking for a place that stays open late past 9:30pm and so this is the only place you should go to for the best hand rolls, mini ramen, and various vast selections of appetizers!!! Great ambiance, mood lighting, and perfect music for the vibes! And most importantly the hospitality from the servers and chefs really topped it off tonight especially coming unexpectedly with 11 people total all at once! All love!!!!! read more

Pretty cool concept. Good quality of fish. Portion is small though. Quick service. In and out less than 20 mins. Paid $26 + tax + tip and I'm still hungry... read more

Oh Banzai - 5 handroll set - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

I love the ambiance. The simplicity of the space with the beautiful wood accents, tables, stools & counter. The service is amazing. The ladies there are so helpful, patient and kind. They help with suggestions (like for the Koso, they recommend med having it with sparkling water), with the Carpaccio & Pork Tendons (normally a dinner item, they asked the chef if we could have it at the lunch hours). You must try the Koso. A delicious beverage made by fermenting fruit in sugar. The pineapple with sparkling water was delicious! Sweet, bubbly and you still get the deliciousness of the pineapple. My friend and I both got the 5pc lunch special that comes with boiled peanuts and miso soup. My first time having boiled peanuts so I wasn't sure what to expect, but they still had a subtle crunch and a nice slight saltiness to them which was a pleasant surprise. Miso soup was delicious. For my friend's 5pc Lunch Special, he got: Tuna w/Kizami Ponzu Negi Toro Snow Crab w/Spicy Mayo Scallop w/Jalapeño Ponzu Yellowtail w/Onion Crunchy Chili Oil For my 5pc Lunch special + 2 additional hand rolls, I got the following: Negi Toro Salmon w/Onion Crunchy Chili Oil Yellowtail w/Grated Daikon Ponzu Shrimp w/Grated Daikon Ponzu Scallop w/Jalapeño Daikon Ponzu +2 additional: Eel w/Cucumber Snow Crab w/Grated Daikon Ponzu We also got the Oh! BANZAI Carpaccio and the Grilled Pork Cartilage (both are usually served at dinner only) My friend land I both loved our orders and the Caroaccio. The Salmon, Yellotail and Tuna were flavorful and rich in flavor. I hate saying the sushi was fresh, because if it's a good sushi place it will always be fresh. (For those that don't eat sushi or sashimi if it smells fishy it's not fresh) But yes, the fish was fresh, beautiful color, great mouth feel. The Toro melts in your mouth. The scallop was smooth, with really good texture. The Snow Crab was sweet and flaky. The Eel was toasted perfectly with a light unagi sauce. Not too thick or too sweet, it was the perfect compliment. The pork cartilage had a wonderful grilled char on it, not too heavy, allowing the flavor of the pork cartilage to stand out. It was cooked to perfection, it too melted in your mouth. Overall a wonderfully delicious experience I can't wait to have again! read more

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Food was mediocre. Service was mediocre. As soon as we walked in we waited to be acknowledged and we had workers walking directly in front us not even saying hi or acknowledging we were standing 2ft away from them? Weird. The food was overrated, none of the tuna was good. The salmon was okay. You should really train your workers to show at least a little bit of understanding on how communication works between people. Seemed like everyone was in a rush to close for the afternoon read more

A bit delayed in my review, but this is based on their soft opening. Congrats to Oh Banzai for their grand opening recently! Food: they gave us a piece of oden (fish cake) and a piece of raddish per person as a soft opening perk. It was delicious and a great appetizer to get started. I ordered the apple Koso drink, which was delicious, but I wish I had it with a larger glass. The rolls were delicious, but since all 5 rolls came out all at once, I felt the rush to eat them before the seaweed got soggy. Seaweed was tougher than I liked, but it wasn't a dealbreaker for me. At the end, they gave us a dessert to share, and the chocolate cake was moist and sweet. Service: Even though it was a soft opening phase, Oh Banzai had a consistent stream of customers coming through. One thing to note is that if you don't make reservations ahead of time, then you have to sit at the bar. The servers were so friendly and kind, and we had a great conversation throughout our meal. Will definitely come back for their lunch special! read more

Oh Banzai - Apple Koso drink - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

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I came here for lunch on a Saturday. My friend and I came right when it opened so we were able to get a table right away. They don't accept reservations and it is first come first serve. The place is pretty intimate so it can fill up quickly. I got the five piece handroll set for $26 which also came with miso soup and seaweed salad. I chose the following five handrolls: Negitoro, salmon + onion crunch chili oil, yellowtail + jalapeño ponzu, scallop + spicy mayo (aburi), and eel + shichimi. The handrolls were all beautiful in presentation, delicious and tasted fresh. My favorite was the yellowtail and the eel. However, one gripe I had was the seaweed was already soggy even from my first bite. That's the thing with handrolls though. You have to eat it right away after they make it or else the seaweed gets soggy quickly from the moisture and heat from the rice. Overall, I prefer KazuNori handrolls for that reason as they come out one at a time as soon as they're made so the seaweed stays more crisp with their method but that's just my personal preference as I'm a very textural eater. I also got their hot green tea which comes with free refills. Their Koso drinks looked interesting and I would want to try that next time. It's a healthy drink made of fermented fruits and you can choose your fruit flavor and then add either still or sparkling water. If you want ginger on the side, you have to pay $1.50 for a tiny plate of it which was a little surprising as most sushi restaurants offer it for free. Service was really great! Food came out super fast. Our server was also attentive and super friendly. Overall a place worth trying! It's a unique handroll concept and I don't think there's any other place like this in the South Bay! Parking: free in plaza lot. Same plaza as Bonjour bakery and Kanpachi. read more

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This place caught my eye the moment they opened & started posting on Instagram. I decided to give it a try when they were offering the 1.5x bigger handroll deal. I went twice during this promo, but I don't think it's noticeable that the rolls are bigger, it just seems like the size it should normally be, which is what makes me hesitant to frequent the store during regular operations. So I figure they are on the pricier side to restaurants as Japanese sushi/handroll places usually are. Service: was great the second time but sucked the first time, so it will depend on who's working there. It's a smaller shop so even when it's completely full, I would imagine three servers could handle that swiftly w/o much hassle since they're not directly involved in the food preparation process, but the first time was horrible. They never came to check on us & multiple tables were waiting to get attention but couldn't. Felt like it was all of their first days working there. Second time was a different set of workers & they were great & quick w/ it. Ambiance: The store is small & in the strip mall w/ US bank & other stores, so parking might be hard depending on the time of day. The bathroom was also very cute & considerably set up. The tables though are fairly close to each other, so you may unknowingly be listening to other people's conversations and/or uncomfortably making eye contact w/ the people next to you from time to time. Food: I've tried the yellowtail jalapeño ponzu, negi toro, salmon crunchy chili oil, & scallop spicy mayo. I love that they have multiple mix/match options for the flavor & type of protein. All were good; I got the same order the second time. The ponzu is on the saltier side so you won't need soy sauce for that. I suspected the seaweed salad to taste like the ones in poke bowls but was pleasantly surprised. I think they season it on their own as it tastes like the perfect amount of sweet & tangy like when you try sushi rice for the first time. Sadly, after both visits though my stomach couldn't properly digest the food. Drink: I've tried both the pineapple & the strawberry koso; strawberry is much better bc the pineapple had the alcoholic taste to it. If I would sum it up, I would go back for a special event or person. read more

The hand rolls were delicious--super fresh and thoughtfully made. I really liked how you can choose the unique topping or seasoning that complements the rolls perfectly. It's a small place but the vibe is casual, the service is friendly, and everything came out quickly. Definitely a solid spot if you're craving quality sushi. Can't wait to come back! read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

We happened upon this resto as we were in the plaza running an errand. It took over the space formerly known as Can-zo. Once seated and order placed, the service is rather quick. If it's not busy, it can be a 30 min lunch. Their lunch menu is a set menu of a choice between 3-5 handroll. Each set comes with miso soup and a side. You can probably order more than 5 handrolls, if you prefer. I enjoyed our choice of handrolls and would happily eat them again! My recommendation is to try their koso drink with sparkling water. It's so light and refreshing. Perfect for a warm day! It was a nice lunch and recommend trying this place. We'll try their dinner menu next time. Enjoy! read more

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So, if you ever wanted to feel like you're on a sushi tasting adventure where each hand roll is a mini flavor bomb, Oh Banzai is your place. The deal is you pick a set--three pieces for $18 or five for $26, and each extra roll is five bucks a pop. Just a heads-up: everyone at the table needs to order their own little hand roll set. It's like a "no sharing is caring" policy, but honestly, you'll want them all to yourself anyway. Now, imagine each hand roll as a two-bite wonder--or three bites if you're being dainty. You've got a whole array of flavors: tuna, salmon, yellowtail, snow crab--you name it. And the best part is choosing your flavor twist, like spicy mayo on the snow crab (which basically turned it into a creamy little cloud of joy). They also offer wine flights, sake flights, and a few other tasting flights, which is a really fun touch. The pours pair nicely with the rolls, even if the tiny tables mean your flight stand might get whisked away to make room. Still, it's a cool option that adds a little extra to the whole experience. I also went for a couple of their special rolls, like the uni and the chutoro, which were like VIP guests at the sushi party. Honestly, they were good but not $20-a-roll amazing, so I'd stick to the combo deal for the best bang for your buck. Dessert? Oh, they had this pumpkin Mont Blanc creation, which looked like a fancy little nest of creamy pumpkin threads on a tiny cookie-like cake. It was good, not life-changing, but a nice sweet finish. Overall, the place is cozy--like "I-can-hear-my-neighbor-chew" cozy--so maybe not the spot for a super private convo. But the hand rolls are definitely worth rolling in for again. read more

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I went there with a friend on Saturday night. I love the cozy, modern decor and the plates! The staff was very friendly. The oden was a bit salty, and the mango mousse was a bit too sweet, overpowering the mango flavor. The hand rolls were tasty, the seafood portion was generous: the Fish had a thick cut and the uni was "huge". Fishes were fresh and smooth. The scallops were sweet. Uni was creamy and bold. You can choose to have extra rice. I personally prefer regular portions or rice. Would've been better if the salmon had less seasoning or maybe we can choose half seasoning/topping if possible. I like to be able to taste the fish. The Kagoshima A5 Wagyu Carpaccio was a bomb. Banzai! It was tender but had its texture preserved, taste was bold. You could feel the meat quality was different. Cannot wait for the next visit! Really a lovely place to visit! read more

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Went for lunch on a Thursday - service was fast, staff was very polite and helpful. We had the large size handrolls and they were very colorful and pretty tasty. I also enjoyed the healthy fermented drink - not overly sweet and extremely refreshing! Giving it 4 stars because these larger handrolls were only slightly larger than Kazu Nori so I don't know if their regular size would be satisfying enough read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

It's good... But also pricey. Oh Banzai is located on Western Ave and 182nd street. Parking lot is small but there's street parking. There's a security guard that makes sure you don't leave the parking lot for other things. Came here on Tuesday night and it was fairly empty. I didn't know it was soft opening. Since we came during dinner time and during soft opening, we got free oden. I ordered 4 hand rolls: Bluefin tuna negitoro ($8), yellowtail jalepeno+ponzu ($7.5), scallop jalepeno+ponzu ($8), and uni ikura ($19). They're presented really well on a wooden plate. The handrolls taste really good. However, for the amount of money I'm spending, I didn't feel full. The seafood is good quality and I'm sure it's pricey. but the handrolls itself could be a bit larger. Perhaps the handroll shouldn't be the main course but rather something that can be added on top of the main course. Service was amazing! Staffs were japanese and I was able to speak japanese to them! The service is speedy. And they have Oshibori for each person! Clean your hands before or after your meal! Really good concept, good quality, pricey and small portion. read more

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Service was overall good for us - we went pretty early when it was not their busy time. For the handrolls - it all came out at the same time so all the seaweed was soggy. It's so important for the seaweed to be crispy but that ruined the handroll experience for us. I hope they come up with a better way to serve the handrolls. read more

Banzai! Great lunch specials with great options and delicious food. They are very prompt and a great place for lunch. read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

I really wanted to like this place more but I definitely think they have some kinks to work out since their still in their soft opening! Overall the fish quality and variety of their many was good. There wasn't enough rice in the handrolls in my opinion, but it was really the low quality seaweed that made it hard to chew. Nori should be crisp and easy to eat, and it was lacking in that aspect. I think service could have been better too since it took a while for them to grab waters and take our order despite it being a small place. Servers were definitely friendly though! Their lemon koso drink was great, but at first my drink was flat despite asking for soda water so they ended up opening a new thing for me which fixed the bubbles issue. Yet at the end, our bill was entirely wrong and I had to explain to them what we ordered. Not sure if I'll head back anytime soon until they can work out some of these issues, but glad there's a new handroll place in Gardena! read more

Oh Banzai - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

Had to try this spot in the area! Honestly found it off a tik tok video and luckily we went on a Sunday during their lunch special! 3 rolls for $18 and it comes with the seaweed salad and the miso soup. The rolls were perfectly sized and had great quality! I've never seen a chili oil crunch hand roll and it was my favorite out of the three! Waiters and waitresses were all attentive and very helpful when we first sat down since it was our first time there. Will definitely come back and try their other hand rolls! read more

Oh Banzai - Tuna wasabi, Salmon chili oil crunch, spicy mayo snow crab - Japanese Near Me - Gardena, California

They get 5 stars for really really good service! I personally like Kazunori better. If this was meant to be that experience, it's not the same, but I doubt they are trying to be a copy of that. The fish they used was good quality, and very fresh, but when I go for these dishes, I really want the quality of fish to shine. This is unless I get something like a spider roll. These rolls and sauces had too much going on which to me, detracts from the quality of what we are eating. I prefer Watdatsumi. I have a new rating system......I write what I feel honestly about an establishment. The only ratings I will give are 5 stars, which is enjoyable, or 3 stars which is "needs work." read more