I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here and would like to suggest that ANYONE that likes Japanese food should come here to indulge in Amachi's fine cuisine. not only is the price right for someone on a budget, but you are getting a pretty good amount of food for a low price that is also delicious! that's a triple whammy! (big bucks, NO WHAMMIES!) their beer selection is limited to two beers. but when you walk into this location i don't think anyone would expect them to have any more than that. the best way to explain this restaurant is like feeling like you are in a small business floor that has been changed into a Japanese restaurant. the reason that this may be so is because i think that was what was done. read more

Unless you have fried or smoked your taste buds to death, I have no idea why people would ever think this place is good. The food is super boring and bland. What once was quality food is now just generic Americanized Japanese food. Yes the owner is very nice and sweet, but the food is honestly nothing special or worth eating. The one good thing is the prices are really great for "Japanese" food, even though they pretty much just had teriyaki and tempura dishes. People that rate this place 4-5 stars are either delusional or have never had descent Japanese food. Yes, I realize descent Japanese food is expensive, but sh*t, treat yourself and eat lunch solo and go wild! Aside from convenience and affordability, I wouldn't come back. read more

This place is a really nice cozy family restaurant is good food good service that only being that I see it's a bit a long wait for sitting and also for the food to arrive to the table other than that it's a nice quiet place and the food is tasty I recommended read more

PROS: Down home atmosphere, family-owned/run, super friendly and down to earth staff : ) Albacore tuna tempura (who knew?!) CONS: Fried everything.... Amachi is a total little gem of a family owned/run Japanese restaurant in Whittier. When you find it, you really feel like you're being let in on a big local secret. If you like tempura, or most things fried, then this is definitely the place for you. The bi-lingual wait staff are super friendly and no-nonsense down to earth like ; ) They were surprised to be getting Japanese customers though and mentioned that they rarely get any. They do have a very loyal clientele (which you could totally tell by the cosy atmosphere), some of whom have been frequenting the restaurant for thirty years. Unfortunately, the good cozy vibes end here. The food, perhaps to accommodate their loyal Western clientale, is mostly teriyaki or tempura related. Even my luke warm miso soup had tempura crumbs in it : ( Our pot of tea was also luke warm which was a bummer. Miso soup and tea should always be piping hot! With the wonderful atmosphere, I was hoping for some Japanese grandma comfort food, or at least to have some solid basics- good hot fluffy steamed white rice and non-oily, non fry-related miso soup. And contrary to other reviews here, the prices are NOT super low, at least in my opinion. All this said, I understand that perhaps there's no restaurant like this in the area. Even in Hacienda and Rowland Heights where there are Japanese restaurants popping up, they're all either sushi or (con)fusion places that definitely don't even have an ounce of the character, history, or warmth that Amachi offers. read more

Went for lunch today. Suprised the heck out of one of the older waitress ladies when i picked up my phone call in japanese. She was staring at me for a good 2 min. Service was a little slow, food was ok but the price was cheeeaaaap!! Would def come here again since i will know what to order. Oh they only have teriyaki stuff and sesame chicken and one tonkatsu dish... so if ur like me and dont like sashimi, teriyaki or sesame, ull have to order the tonkatsu. Bad japanese bad! read more

For what this restaurant is, which is an old-school, a-piece-of-little-Tokyo-broke-off-and-landed-here-in-the-70s, authentic Japanese family restaurant, it is as easy a five stars as any place could be. If you have read the reviews, then you should know what to expect. Those of us who have been coming here for years know what's up. It is simple, enjoyable, fresh, 100% legit Japanese family-style dining; the closest you can come without actually visiting an old friend in Japan. Whittier is proud and privileged to have such a little gem, literally hiding on a walkway from the parking lot to Greenleaf. If you want amazing sushi, go to Azabu on Philadelphia. They have a huge variety. They are also very nice people. Again, this is not a fancy place. It is good, legit, family-style Japanese comfort food. Tempura plate is this family's #1 go-to, but everything from the miso to the fresh orange slice garnish is impeccable. If simplicity and goodness aren't your thing, find someplace else to go. read more

My Favorite Restaurant EVER!!!!! This place opened the year I was born (1979) The first time I went there, I was 3 months old... They have the BEST TERIYAKI and TEMPURA EVER! Trust me I've done my research.... I recommend the Family Combo A for however many people in your party... It includes: Bite size pieces of Teriyaki Beef and Teriyaki chicken, Tempura Shrimp and Veggies... Salad with some kind of magical dressing ... also Miso Soup and these little Sliced Cucumbers in soy vinegar topped with Sesame seeds.... You also get as much white sticky rice as you can eat.... read more

This is a great, affordable place to go for savory tempura and teriyaki. The servers are pleasant and accommodating. But for me, the best part is the shumai (pronounced shoe my) -- steamed or fried, meat-stuffed dumplings flavored with onion and ginger. As I recall, Amachi's are fried, and they taste oh soooo good! Shumai dumplings are available at Amachi as an appetizer or with entrees. You gotta try 'em! (Okay, technically, shumai is a Chinese rather than Japanese creation, but it's Asian and it blends well.) On the down side, portions are a little skimpy. I wouldn't mind paying a bit more money for slightly larger portions. The outside is dingy and uninviting; the decor is dated and seemingly thrown together. The place is clean, but it could definitely use a face lift by professionals. Bottom line:, Amachi serves consistently delicious Japanese and Asian food without emptying your wallet. read more

Very tasty, awesome rice refills, fantastic prices, and very kind service! One of my favorite places to eat! The sukiyaki is the best;)

GOOD Japanese food is difficult to find , and that's too bad ... Amachi is one of the best , if not THEE best , Japanese restaurants around , bar none . Their service IS slow , but that's because EVERYTHING is FRESH , and is prepared on an as-ordered basis ; nothing sits around , and that's a good thing . Kyoko ( I apologise to her if I spelled her name incorrectly ) is a total sweetheart , and the rest of the staff ( primarily family members ) are great as well . One of the excellent things about Amachi is that they treat their employees very well ; from the dish washer to the waitresses , everyone is on the same level ; and the tips are distributed evenly with all of the staff . Nevertheless , this is my favourite dish : Beef Teriyaki , Miso Soup , Steamed White Rice ( always perfect ), Salad ( albeit , sans "traditional" Japanese dressing , which is no big to me ) , and Green Tea ... ...and Wasabi , LOTS of Wasabi ! Their ice cream is TOPS ; Green Tea , and other tasty-but-none-too-sickenly-sweet flavours . I love its ambiance ; calm , quiet , reasonably dark , and relaxing ; so relaxing that I forget that I'm in seedy Uptown ! ( yes , I grew up in Whittier : 32 years in the west part of town ! ) . I highly recommend Amachi to all I know whom crave GOOD Japanese food . read more

My sister once dated someone who swore by this place. I think her best friend also swore by this place. Faithfully, I went here two or three times with my sister. It was OK, but I didn't really like it. That was a long time ago, though. I'll add a star because I don't necessarily trust my own opinion from fifteen years ago. And good luck finding this place if you're not familiar with Uptown Whittier. read more

This is a whole in the wall spot in Uptown Whittier where they serve decent and cheap bento-style lunches. I used to come here at least once a week back when I used to work with my mom and sis. Lunch portions are well over satisfying and the servers are these cute little old Japanese women who we used to catch speaking to us in Japanese but we never cared because they're so cute and friendly. Fair warning though - the place is very old and the restaurant has no decor and has ancient furniture. Their menus are inside these 99 cent albums and tables are full of people's business cards under the glass top. Other than that, food is good and it's a good place for lunch because they're quick. read more

hole in the wall place. Cheap cheap cheap in price. It reminds me of old Tokoyo Lobby. read more

Restaurant Amachi - Clear broth - Japanese Near Me - Whittier, California

Typical family Japanese restaurant with great service, huge portions and GREAT food. So glad to see actual Japanese food in Whittier, not just sushi and teriyaki. The combination plates are such a good deal! Had chicken teriyaki, tempura, sashimi, miso soup, rice, salad and pickles... All for under $10! Definitely coming back. read more

My husband and I were looking for an affordable place to eat in Whittier. We just did a quick yelp on restaurants nearby and came across Amachi. What attracted us to Amachi was that it got 4 stars and it had only 1 $. Since we weren't really sure where the restaurant was, we parked on the street and walked a couple blocks to find it. Amachi was kind of hidden in the back, but there was actually a big parking lot behind it. When I looked at the menu, I was surprised at how cheap the entrees were. It's like the price of fast food Japanese! I looked on yelp to check which entrees were recommended, and this one reviewer said he usually gets item #12, chicken-beef-tempura combination (includes salad and soup). So that is what I ordered. The soup was delicious. It wasn't just a regular miso soup with seaweed. The soup tasted a bit like miso but it also had something crispy in it...I think it was crispy rice. Yum! Then about maybe 10 minutes later, our food came out. We were shocked at how fast the service was! When I took a bite of the chicken, I was amazed at how tasty and tender it was. My entree was only about $8!!! But my food tasted like something I would get at a fancier Japanese restaurant where I would be charged 2-3 times the price! Even though the beef was a bit dry at times, it was still good. The veggie tempuras at Amachi were perfectly fried! They weren't oily and soft like some other restaurants. The combination also came with 2 tempura shrimps...yum! The entree was a perfect size. The size of the restaurant is decent and the decor is mediocre. The setting is casual and the service was friendly. It's hard to find restaurants in Whittier that I would go back to again, but I was impressed with Amachi and would definitely go back. The only thing this place is missing is rolls...but I can live without that. read more

Both the teriyaki and sukiyaki were delicious. This restaurant is small and cute. It feels like an authentic Japanese dining experience. The staff was very friendly and attentive. You must try the green tea soda! It's a mix of green tea & sprite that is nothing short of amazing. I highly recommend Amachi. read more

Restaurant Amachi - Teriyaki combo - Japanese Near Me - Whittier, California

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Amachi is like a neighborhood corner stone, it is always there when I need good and comforting food, like the way my mom used to make it. First of all, Kyoko San is as Japanese as they come. And secondly, this is Not a sushi bar, if you want your sushi-ya, go line-up at SushI Gen in Little Tokyo and be prepared to shell out at least $100 per head without drink. I recommend Kubota Manju to go with your sushi. Instead, Amachi is where you can get bang for your buck with good everyday food and maguro sashimi, by the way, for any Japanese, maguro is the king of fish, like pork is to Chinese and Bulgarian cooking. You come to Amachi knowing you are among family and you will leave with satisfied stomach and spirit. My usual is either the chicken or beef combo with sashimi or if you have not tried yet, the sward fish tempura is excellent. As for the rice, ask if you would like more, they are more than happy to provide second, third, or what ever serving you need. I like the practice of not filling the bowl really full but provide extra when asked, this helps keep the price down for the customers and I also hate to see food wasted. read more

My favorite restauraunt. I've been going here for 20 years (I was a few days old when my parents first took me) and I've never been disappointed. I don't really care that its not the most authentic japanese food. What you get is authentic amachi food, which tastes pretty darn good. I always get the beef teriyaki with tempura and a green tea soda. Enjoy! read more

This place is decent. Prices seem good on the menu but the portions are so small. I can only assume this place got 4 stars due to the substantial lack of Asian/Japanese patrons at this restaurant. Food is okay. Anyone who regularly frequents Japanese restaurants will realize that the ratings are not an accurate reflection of the quality of food read more

This is a great Japanese restaurant! I was craving an authentic Japanese bento style meal so I went to yelp to find a reasonably priced, delicious Japanese restaurant, and that's exactly what I found! The decor of restaurant amachi outdated and low key, but that is why I love it! It feels as if you are walking into a house in Japan to have dinner. The walls in the restaurant are covered with family photos, it gives off a very "homey" comforting feel. The staff is also amazing. Me being half Japanese and very familiar with authentic Japanese food I felt as though the service and food was great for its price. I was greeted with a smile and left surprised on how great my dinning experience was. I highly recommend this place if you love real Japanese food! read more

Restaurant Amachi - Japanese Near Me - Whittier, California

Absolute hidden gem in Uptown Whittier. This place specializes in Teriyaki and other Japanese dishes. NOT sushi. Too many Japanese restaurants focus on overrated sushi- here you can experience different authentic Japanese favorites. read more

Restaurant Amachi - Chicken teriyaki dinner with pork shumai and vegetable/shrimp tempura - Japanese Near Me - Whittier, California

First time here. Tasty food, very fair prices and friendly service. It's a little outdated but nice little spot. The owner is super sweet, goes by grandma. They are celebrating their 40th anniversary and gave us nice pens and a fan (grandma amachi says it's for hot flashes) read more

I love this place! The prices are low, the food is always delicious. BTW it's not a sushi place, ok? It's tempura and teriyaki and udon (although they do offer sashimi). It's a little hole in the wall in uptown whitter. the service is good, Decor is kinda like someone's grandma tried to decorate the place, but it has it's own charm. I went today and had the beef teriyaki and tempura lunch combo w\hot sake and everything was tasty as usual. I will come back here again and again! read more

Restaurant Amachi - grace eating shumai lunch - Japanese Near Me - Whittier, California

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Amachis has been a long time family favorite. The food is consistently good and service is great! Sweet Japanese women run the show and the owner always says hi when she's around. Our family fave is Family A-chicken and beef teriyaki with tempura and salad. read more

Our favorite place to eat teriyaki chicken. The people here are so sweet. Great service! Try rice vinegar with the salad. It gives it an amazing flavor. I also love the cucumbers they give as appetizers. read more

My wife and I have been here about 5 times and we love this place. It is a Japanese diner (what!!!!). Its not a sushi joint, or a nice sitdown japanese restaurant, its a straight up japanese diner. The place is run by a bunch of old Japanese ladies, some of whom are cranky and some are very kindhearted and jovial. Food: The food here is really good. My favorite thing to get is the sukiyaki soup. Atmosphere: Imagine a diner decked out in old Japanese stuff read more

This was our first visit to Amachi and the pictures do not prepare you for the small, cramped dining area. The feeling we got when we arrived was that it was a place that the locals have been coming to for years and they have a very loyal following. On first appearance it seems dated, cramped, and not too clean to be honest. We found a table (not easy because it is a tiny restaurant and it was busy) and waiting to be noticed. There is no sign in spot nor any staff to greet new people coming in. It was okay because we were waiting for the last person in our party to arrive but we sort of wanted to try some of the appetizers that people had raved about and also to order drinks. In time someone (a bus boy) stopped and asked if we wanted water. Or a menu. We said yes to both and got them eventually. The staff was super busy, even for a Wednesday night (which is great for them and means that people LOVE them) but not so good for us. We looked through the menus and decided what we wanted and finally ordered. The food came out a little at a time, it seemed that they delivered it as it was prepared. Everything we ordered was really good and we enjoyed all the dishes we tried. The miso soup at the beginning of the meal was a bit salty, but everything else was really good. We tried the beef sukiyaki and the chicken katsu and teriyaki. Our kids tried the tempura combo plates and were happy with theirs as well. Prices are super cheap for what you get and I can't believe they can stay open with the prices what they are. Service was sort of rushed and not too friendly, even though we saw several patrons hugging an older lady there (part of the staff) and calling her "Grandma." We got the impression she was the owner or something and these various people may have been long time patrons, but newbies want to feel welcome, too. Not so much as in hugging "Grandma" but basic friendly service would have been a great start. Others have mentioned the language barrier here and I did not find it to be a big issue. They were fluent enough to understand our orders and any basic requests we had, that is all we need. I can see myself coming back for take out as the dining experience was not all that pleasant but the food was delicious and well priced. If they updated their dining room or maybe tidied it up a little bit we might eat in again but I don't think they care much about that. They are busy enough without us as it is. Recommend it for a quick lunch or dinner, do not bring more than four people or you will have trouble being seated comfortably, and consider picking up take out instead of dining in. read more

Restaurant Amachi - Japanese Near Me - Whittier, California

Wonderful family owned business. The owner is the kindest person. We've been going there for over 13 years!

I love this place! The food is great and the prices are great. Don't sleep if you are in the neighborhood. read more

Restaurant Amachi - Curry sampler - Japanese Near Me - Whittier, California

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Found this authentic place on Yelp when I was walking around old town Whittier. I think I have a gift of finding the "right" place based on what it looks like....the feeling I get. As I walked in the older style, a bit worn and dated decor, my alarm went off....THIS IS THE PLACE! It smelled like Obachan's (grandmother in Japanese) kitchen! Food was solid home style Japanese food. Not fancy and NOT expensive. Great value for the price and it was actually run by Japanese people! I can't wait to go back there. read more

I came here years ago with my parents. I remember it as very clean, quiet, and traditional. Simple. The waitress was really nice and funny too. This is where I had my first taste of and fell in love with swordfish and discovered I don't like tempura. lol! Back then I was a picky teenager but even this place appealed greatly to me. I need to go back there again soon read more

We love Amachis! We have been coming to this restaurant for years. The lunch menu is delicious and so is the dinner menu and the prices are very reasonable. The people that work there are very nice. My husband's favorite dish is sashimi. My favorite dish is the chicken and Tempura with rice. The Iced Green Tea is very good too. This has been our go-to restaurant for years. read more

Food is simple and light on flavor, but just right. Service is slow and not accurate; I ordered sashimi and beef, but got chicken instead. Good place for small snack/meal, but it wasn't filling for me. Parking on either side of the restaurant. Closer to park in the lot west of the restaurant. read more

Average Japanese food portions are super small and prices are decent except the albacore appetizer is 5 dollars and was suprised how small it was :( service was fast and friendly thats why they got 3 stars. read more

Amachi is good, it reminds me of the kind of food i can get at my in-laws. Except my mother in law has better versions of Tempura. The waitresses are VERY sweet, the ambiance is very casual. I liked it and wouldn't mind eating here with a friend. BUT, i wouldn't come here on my own, but that's just because i'm spoiled with an amazing mother in law. I ordered the Tonkatsu with Tempura. The shumai was good. Overall, if you don't have a japanese mother in law, make your way here for some yummy food! read more

This place is a humble authentic Japanese run by older Japanese women. Don't expect fancy decor... Think: Grandma's house. The lunch specials are extremely inexpensive and the it's is the real deal. Lots of sushi spots have told and dishes that aren't really Japanese. This place is simple and delicious! read more

3.5 stars. Average mom and pop food, with a small selection of Japanese items. The food was good, but not phenomenal. I would love to give 4 stars but the food was not amazing, but the service was nice. I love mom and pops too. The salmon teriyaki was a tad overcooked, but good quality. The tuna sashimi was tasty and fresh as well. My bf got the beef teriyaki, and we both got the tempura. If you love Bento boxes, this may be your spot. Plus, the price was definitely reasonable. I was a little disappointed that they did not have the standard sushi rolls you would expect at a typical Japanese restaurant. read more

Standard Japanese food - decent for Whittier, but not really stand-out. It's a nice place though, very comfortable because it's homey and comfortable. Inside, it looks pretty outdated, but in an endearing way. - FOOD I ordered the Beef Sukiyaki and Mixed Tempura combo plate - good amount of food for ~$10! I didn't come very hungry, so I was able to take a good portion of the sukiyaki (which came later) home for another meal. The tempura was nice and crisp - 5 pieces total (2 shrimp, 3 veg). I oddly got rice as part of my meal, which I ate with some of my aunt's curry sauce. - MISC Service was chill. They came and checked on us pretty frequently. One of the ladies even came by with an extra bowl of rice to see if any of us wanted some more! They're all very sweet! read more

I love amachi. I've been coming since my aunt and uncle took us there when I was 11. It's not the most glamorous Japanese restaurant but the food is quick, good, and cheap. I feel the portion size has shrunk a bit. If it's a busy night, they welcome reservations. The owner is really nice. She gave my girls free ice cream right after we finished eating dinner. read more

I preordered food and when I got there they gave me the wrong order. The server told me they can make it ASAP so I waited. Other folks were coming and going picking up there orders, it took about 40 mins to receive it. When I arrived at home I opened up the container I was surprised on how skimpy the beef and chicken was. For the price of a dinner plate was not worth it. This is the first and last time I come here. The resturant was dirty and disorganized. People get it together plz. read more