Sushi Inaba (now in Torrance and not Manhattan Beach) is terrific. Don't let its low-key (in a strip mall and in a side room of the main restaurant) setting fool you. This is arguably the best sushi in the South Bay (neck-and-neck with Sushi Sonagi), arguably the best sushi in Southern California (going toe-to-to with the likes of Morihiro, Sushi Takeda, and Suhshi Gen), and possibly one of the best in the US (comparing it to Noz 17 and Sushi Sho in NYC ... albeit, with very different settings). Food: 17 course/piece omakase dinner. Everything was, again, terrific with standouts being the fatty tuna (toro), monkfish liver (ankimo), eel (unagi), and sea urchin roll (uni). Bottom Line: TERRIFIC. read more

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Was lucky enough to secure reservations for today and we arrived before 7pm. Got seated and waited 30 min before the first item came out! Chef Hirano was busy cutting fish when we were sitting there waiting. He's also quite comical. 1) uni with buckwheat noodles - I love Uni and noodles were chilled and chewy 2) sardine roll - just ok 3) Japanese egg custard with abalone - creamy egg, a couple pieces of abalone 4) suma katsuo with sauce - tastes like bonito, great sauce 5) shirako - fish sperm sac! Omg first time having this and not the biggest fan because of the texture, but it was fine! 6) monkfish - so creamy and fresh! 7) blue shrimp with pink grapefruit - refreshing, love the tangy taste 8) marinated blue fin tuna - delicious 9) striped grunt - so good 10) uni on top of fatty toro, with a sprinkling of caviar 11) horse mackerel - soft and yum 12) mehikari (green eye fish) hand roll - wow, the crispy texture of the fish was spot on 13) smoked mahata grouper - amazing, loved this one, smoky taste 14) golden eye snapper, cured in seaweed - yes!!! 15) aged (for 1 week) fatty tuna - love this again!! Ahhh... 16) gizzard shad - interesting taste! 17) uni sushi - so fresh, why can't I make this level of sushi when I buy uni?? Hahaha 18) fresh water eel (Anago) - yum 19) baby sea water eel soup - eel tastes like soft noodles 20) egg tamago, made with shrimp and scallop - sweet and lovely A wonderful food experience, exceeded our expectations! Thanks Chef Hirano for our birthday treats! This place is FANTASTIC!! read more

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After a few months of trying, I *finally* got reservations for the omakase dinner. I was absolutely blown away. I knew it was a six-seat intimate experience, but I didn't realize how awesome it would be to have a personal guided tour through some of the most exotic sushi I've ever had. Obviously with a omakase dinner, you're always going to be getting something different, but some of the dishes that really blew me away were the Bigeyed Greeneye fish--I had never even heard of this before) and the perfectly balanced piece of horse mackerel--just the right amount of "fishiness". I'll go thru and annotate photos of the nineteen(!) individual dishes we had. What a fantastic learning experience! read more

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One of LA's Best Kept Omakase Secrets - Inaba Dining at Inaba is truly an experience. Tucked away in a small private room, they only serve one seating per evening at 7:30 PM, which makes the whole vibe feel intimate and relaxed. Everyone's chill, even the chef--who, by the way, is super cheerful and low-key adorable throughout the night Uni Soba - a signature dish and no surprise it's a standout! The chilled, flavorful broth paired with creamy uni is a flavor bomb. That burst of umami with every bite? Insane. I literally drank the entire bowl of broth and wished for another. Ankimo (Monkfish Liver) - hands down, the best in LA. Creamy, fresh, and melts in your mouth like butter. No exaggeration. The nigiri selection was equally impressive. Each piece of fish was cut generously thick and perfectly balanced with well-seasoned shari (sushi rice). The flavor enhanced the fish without overpowering it--maybe I lean toward bold flavors, but I loved it. Bonus: we had three types of uni throughout the night, and somehow, each one got better than the last But the real MVP? The binchotan-smoked kinmedai (golden eye snapper) -- unbelievably aromatic and delicious. Overall, Inaba is easily one of the most worthwhile Michelin omakase spots in LA right now. The value, the quality, and the whole chill-but-refined vibe make it a gem. And good news: reservations aren't impossible! They release on Tock every month on the 1st at 12PM. read more

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This Michelin starred restaurant is definitely worth the visit. While I haven't tried the omakase, the jewel boxes and other box sets are amazing. The quality of sushi and the amount of food you get for the 85$ sushi bento box is pretty immaculate. The sushi chef is super nice and ran as a team/couple to make sure your experience is as pleasant as possible. I've done takeout on tock for the bento boxes. I've tried the negitoro bara chirashi, futomaki with kaisen boost, omakase nama chirashi and the mini seafood jewel. All were excellent and highly recommended. read more

Just WOW! I live down the street from Sushi I-NABA and it's been on my list forever! Today I finally got the try their amazing take-out boxes. I will admit, I was feeling a little lazy to celebrate my bf's bday and was looking for a cute way to celebrate at home. And this really was so perfect. I placed an order for two of their boxes (one was the negitoro and the other was the nama). First you have to place an order through TOCK. You choose a pick up time and add things to your cart. Check out was standard. They email you a confirmation and you pick up at your designated time. I opted for 5p and got there exactly at 5. I had my bf open everything like a present and we were so incredibly impressed by how thoughtful and intentional everything was packaged. We were also very impressed by the amount of food! You can't tell from the photos how big the boxes actually are. I almost bought a third item because I didn't think two was enough food! It was more than enough! Everything tasted so fresh and delicious!!! I think my one complaint would be that I wish the negitoro box didn't have the tamago included in the mix. The sweetness of the tamago threw me off a little but I got over it quickly. My bf and I cannot wait to order from Sushi I-NABA again! We also hope to try their omakase in-person one day!! read more

Sushi I-NABA Manhattan Beach - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

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Sushi Inaba seems to have a omakase course side of the restaurant and a take-out only side! I pre-ordered the Bara Chirashi and an order of 4 Futomaki with the $20 add on boost. When I went to pick it up, I entered the restaurant and was greeted by a gentleman for the dine-in area but soon found that the pick up area was behind a secret sliding door at the entrance. Our order was ready and just made fresh! The to-go orders are so cute and come in nice boxes wrapped in furoshiki (the patterned cloth). It came with plenty of ginger and wasabi, chopsticks, trays, and a super cute bottle of soy sauce! I took my partner to the nearby pier and enjoyed it. The futomaki were really good! The boost I think is generally the stuff you get on top of the rolls. If you're not trying to double the price, I wouldn't recommend the boost although it was quite delicious but it made each piece about $10. I think for the amount of food you get, you are getting a good deal on the chirashi boxes! This box ran DEEP. My partner and I were so full after the box. It was a lot of ikura but was a good portion with the rice given. The unit was definitely my favorite part, fresh, creamy, delicious! The fish was fresh and chewy, the shrimp was just as expected. Every bite you had a mouthful of fish but my partner said he prefers the feeling of slabs of sashimi versus small chunks cut up within the rice. If you feel similarly, just wanted to let you know so you might consider the treasure box instead. Would definitely come back for some amazing to-go sushi! Thank you for a great experience Sushi Inaba! read more

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Just want to preface by saying although I would love to experience the omakase at their current Torrance location, this is to share my experience with them from a food/ beer event and collaboration at my favorite brewery (also in Torrance) along with Sushi I-NABA and a brewery I am very fond of out of Brooklyn. This event is my all time favorite event at a brewery - hands down. I often reminisce about this event... and this was even before the restaurant earned their Michelin star. With that said, I can't speak to the ambiance of the Torrance location or even the service there, per se, but I will say that everyone from the restaurant was super friendly and the care and attention to detail was super evident at the event and how they went about their business. I attempted to capture this or some sort of truth in my pics. This is a crude comparison, but basically this rating and commentary is like how a person would give a rating based on take out (if a fine dining establishment did take out...I guess?). Basically, you purchased a ticket to get into the event (tix sold out in seconds), which included a box (curated/ prepared by Sushi I-NABA - contents below) and some drink tokens. There was a menu where you were able to purchase additional items and you were able to purchase more drinks too. I definitely took advantage of of the 'extras' menu since that was the only way to get the sea urchin. In hindsight, the value was off the charts! Included in the (bento or jewelry?) box: Appetizers: Miso cream cheese Salmon escabeche Flash cured garden fresh heirloom tomato Sushi: 25-Day aged bluefin medium fatty tuna from Japan Japanese knife jaw Wild halibut kobujime "Zuke" Scottish salmon A-5 Wagyu (NY) Steak: A-5 Wagyu (NY) USDA Prime (NY) Grill: Miso-marinated black cod Additional items for purchase (what I personally ordered extra of): Assorted sushi (3 pcs) Hakkado sea urchin sushi Everything was excellent. And I mean everything! I'm really hoping I am able to experience the omakase/ dine-in service in a proper setting relatively soon. I have nothing but great things to say about the food and the people. read more

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Always great food and warm hosts. Super tentative service and top notch sushi. Def one of the top sushi restaurants in LA. 7 seatings in general, small but intimate. We've been here many times. Highly recommend. read more

Amazing experience. Honestly it's hard to get better omakase then what you are getting here. Truly a wonderful experience. Service is also amazing. read more

Sushi I-NABA Manhattan Beach - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Fun intimate sushi tasting with friends. This place only has 6 seats so you get to spend a couple of hours with a fun and talented sushi chef. Reservations are a must and I don't believe that they take walk ins. The courses are omakase and seem endless so go hungry. Chef does a fantastic job cooking and presenting the food. It was an amazing experience! read more

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Michelin star in an overlooked Torrance shopping plaza. Tranquil once inside. Private tatami room available. Fresh sashimi on a season bed of rice. Will seem small in size but it's the proper and traditional way of preparation. Service feels like that of an average restaurant certainly not Michelin star level. It's nice however that a star was given to an old school restaurant in an assuming location outside the Westside. read more

As a reminder, book your table on first day at 12pm PST for the seating on the following month. I was confused on my first attempt, and the six seat / one-seating omakase experience does not allow for such mistake! I was grateful to secure a seat on the day I wish to celebrate wife's birthday, during a lunch time on MDT time zone, it was stressful and confusing enough. Chef Hirano is one of the most charismatic person I've encountered at omakase. No big entrance at his table, he just showed up like any other day at home, and asked if we need a recommendation on sake. We were accompanied by two sushi experts couples and the evening was delightful. It maybe true for all sushi chefs out there, but Chef Hirano is deliberate in every action he made. His preciseness on creating layers and depth is above and beyond. It is quite enjoyable to watch his performs and he delivers with a great smile, and professionalism. At the same time, Chef Hirano has great sense of humor and positive thinking. It is a great vibe to dine at Sushi Inaba. I highly recommended and will return on another occasion. Chef Hirano's sushi rice has to be best in town. We first experienced it in the to-go Jewelry box, and double confirm (although different rice and vinegar), the sushi rice is indeed superior compared to other omakase I've had. Lastly, thank you Yoshi for being so friendly and attention to detail on making our night a memorable one! read more

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Honestly pretty underwhelming, especially given I-NABA Omakase and bento's reputation. The dinner sushi took almost an hour to come out, and the fish also didn't taste as fresh as expected. To make things worse, I ended up with diarrhea shortly after the meal. Definitely not the experience I was hoping for. read more

BF ordered a mini jewelry box and futomaki for our early Valentine's beach picnic, and it was packed so beautifully and aesthetically and the food was fresh and of excellent quality.The fatty tuna melted in my mouth, the uni was perfectly textured and sweet. Definitely worth the cost. When we ordered, it was only available for Pickup in Torrance. 10/10 would definitely return. read more

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Tried the Futomaki with Kaisen boost again. Feel like the fish was fresher this time and the flavor melded better. The little bit of unagi also gives it a bit of sweetness reminding me more of the typical futomaki rolls. I would get this again and maybe try regular roll. --------- Also came here for the Omakase. Restaurant is located inside Inaba restaurant. It's a small 6 seater with just enough space for the chef and counter. Dinner is only 1 seating at 7pm. All the chopstick ceramic rests are different types of fish. Cute :) Dishes: 1. Hokkaido black uni with homemade soba: silky smooth with slightly al dente noodles 2. Barracuda with shiso sauce: nice and smoky; good contrast with shiso 3. Shiraku pones: soft with straight forward ponzu flavor 4. Baby anago eel: slight slimy but not in a scary way. The sauce is warm savory umami 5. Black sword perch charcoal flamed wrapped in rice with seaweed: this was okay. Perch did not have much flavor 6. Sunamono with prawn, crab and scallop: vinegar is strong in this dish. Nice and tart. The prawn is especially good 7. Ankimo with black pepper and wasabi: soft creamy flavorful. This is how ankimo should be done. 8. Australian abalone with stomach sauce: yum. The abalone is very tender 9. Asari clam soup: Simple but very good. Can drink a whole pot of this 10. Tamago with shrimp and scallop: fluffy and sweet Nigiri: Rice was well seasoned. The different seafood had interesting flavors and textures for some. Was too busy eating to write down comments for everything. 11. 13 day dry aged tuna 12. 1 week ages halibut cured with salt: slight yuzu taste 13. King Spanish mackerel: fragrant, strong flavors. very good 14. Needlefish 15. Scallop: smoky and delicious 16. Filefish with liver on top: liked the addition of the liver 17. 2 week aged stripe jack 18. 18 day aged fatty tuna: this one, chef put the tuna on a warm plate to help melt the fat 19. Gizzard shad 20. Golden eye snapper 21. Anago: a sweet ending to the sushi course Dinner overall took about 2.5 hours. All the food was great as expected from a Michelin-starred chef. Chef Yasu is warm and friendly. We learned that he decided to become a sushi chef after he was handed down his father's knife. It was a great experience and hope to come back again soon. read more

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11.25.2o22 Many people choose to shop on Black Friday, but we spend ours on food. Our friends was able to make two reservations while reservations was super hard to get. Unfortunately, he got sick for his reservation so we decided to take the other to try this place out, esp all the Yelp photos are as good as it can be! I bet those Yelpers are photographers! Anyway, we arrived at the restaurant where the front was kind of dimly lite, so it took us awhile to locate the restaurant with our terrible vision. Hahaha We got there and just waited by the door since our reservation was a few minutes away. When it's time, we were invited to this little room right by the waiting area along with two other couples with one even came after us...we were the last to enter bc it was kind of confusing. I was told this is a Michelin stared restaurant so I had quite an expectation, esp this wasn't the first one I have gone so I would have something to compare to. There were some interesting dish that was served, such as uni soba, cod testicle!, abalone in liver sauce, hairy crab and scallop in a vinegar sauce which I didn't taste the scallop at all, house roll in delicious shiso leaf sauce, the super tasty seafood soup, etc. The care of the food was excellent. The price can be reasonable for what it is especially it has the title of a Michelin star and everything has gone up in price. I think it was $280 per person, plus tax and tips, we paid close to $800 for two. Honestly, as much as how good it was, I don't think I would return as I had better for that price. read more

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Still love this place! My favorite place to order these delicious jewel boxes for take out. He makes it right before you arrive so that your sushi is fresh. read more

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Without further ado, let's move on to the nuts and bolts - the FOOD of the omakase. You can refer to the captions on my photos. Below the dishes are described in the order of their presentation during the 素晴らしい = subarashii = splendid, excellent meal. 1. ウニ　蕎麦/ Uni Soba To my knowing that the Inaba restaurant group makes soba every morning in house, from the scratch. It's fresh and a little bit chewy with the taste of buckwheat/nuttiness. Served with the Santa Barbara uni-based broth and paired with the Hokkaido bafun uni on top. 2. 天ぷら/ Tempura Chef chose the Tachiuo タチウオ Beltfish for tempura tonight, garnished with simply salt. The belt fish is typically not a classic Edomae sushi but I totally fell in love with its pleasant texture of a white fish and the clean taste. It's simple... Simply good! 3. 茶碗蒸し/ Chawamushi Savory and full of sea aromas with Ezo abalone (Awabi アワビ) The steamed egg beautifully delivers a delicate and excellent umami with its smooth, buttery finish! 4. Bonito Smoked "suma-kazo" garnished with chives, onion pickles, and chili vinegar. You cannot miss the classic while dramatic cooking technique in any Omakase. Chef Hirano elegantly incorporated Binchōtan charcoal in his searing process, which added visual and olfactory artistry to this fire-seared delicacy. 5. 黒バイ貝/ Japanese Babylon Shell Simmered in sparkling water, konbu, shoyu and sake for 16 hours. The Japanese sea snail was tender, naturally sweet and crunchy. Tasted like a trip to the ocean. 6. ノドグロ 棒壽司 / Nodoguro Bozushi I am not 100% sure if the fish was "akamutsu" (black throat sea perch) but the smoked fat and umami was undoubtedly impressive! Let alone the presentation and fragrance of the seaweed that helped perfectly capture the creamy and rich sensation of the fat. 7. Sunomono 酢の物　 Before we proceed to the FIESTA of nigiri, the appetizer of seaweed salad cleverly served its purpose to cleanse our palate and arouse the appetite for the jewel-like cuisines! Tonight's Sunomono was perfected by the Mozuku もずく from Okinawa, that provided the light, healthy and incredibly refreshing taste for the base. On top, we enjoyed the sea urchin from Ensenada which I was pretty surprised with joy! It was warmly sweet as honey but also lightly briny for its saline quality. The angel shrimp 天使のエビ (Tenshi no Ebi) played the best supporting actress in this performance, wearing her graceful makeup that is made of lime zest. 8. Nigiri x 12 - [ ] Akami Zuke 赤身漬け from Kagoshima 鹿兒島 11-day-aged and marinated blue fin tuna - [ ] Kasugo Dai 春子鯛 baby sea bream with kobujime - [ ] Aji 鯵horse mackerel - [ ] Nishi gai 西貝 Japanese cockle graciously delivered the snappy consistency while giving you a surprise gift in his sweetness that goes with the stickiness of the sumeishi (seasoned sushi rice). What a mysterious lover! - [ ] Takabe タカベ torched yellow striped butter fish with lemon drop and seaweed salt. - [ ] Shima style (Island Sushi) Japanese butterfish - [ ] UNI Duo - 赤ウニ vs 馬糞雲丹 Served without the seaweed (nori) is such a clever choice because the grassy taste of seaweed may overwhelm the subtle flavors of the protagonists- sea urchins. I personally appreciated the mineral-driven sweetness from the aka uni. Its long-lasting creamy taste was quite pleasant. - [ ] O-toro おとろ This 17-day-aged tuna belly was warmed slightly using a plate that had been placed in a hot water pot. A technique that I hadn't seen before and felt apparently sweet and considerate of the chef to do so! The fat dissolved a little bit, resulting in a particularly perfect balance of the umami of the fish. - [ ] Shima Aji 縞鯵 Striped Jack - [ ] Kohadaコハダ an ultimate edo-style neta, the gizzard shad soon became my personal favorite with its noticeably salinity and freshly fruity flavor! Superbly cured. - [ ] Anago 穴子 Not just the tenderness and purity, paired with the subtle hint of menthol from the shiso, but also the cooking technique Chef Hirano executed with the sea water eel-- it excellently demonstrated another flawless dining experience! - [ ] Tamagoyaki 玉子焼き the castella styleカステラ for Japanese transitional confectionery, containing shrimp and scallop The end. As well as the prelude to my next fine dining Japanese omakase. Hat off to the Chef Hirano and Yoshi for the amazing wonderful night at Sushi I-NABA. We will definitely come back (as long as we can secure a spot. I mean two lovely seats.) read more

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Amazing top 3 omakase in LA in my opinion. Inaba is more intimate and a great deal for what you get. Each time I have dined, I have left with new friends cause you enjoying this amazing keel with only a few people. Chef Yasu is amazing. read more

This Japanese Michelin restaurant is now located in Torrance, inside I-naba restaurant. My family has eating here couple times, and we loved it every time. The food is amazing, from fresh seafood to hot dishes. The counter sits six guests if I remember right. It's a small place, but cozy and very private. I highly recommend this restaurant if you're in the Southbay area. Plenty of parking. read more

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Ordered some of their chirashi bowels to go during the pandemic. Even to go the plating and preparation were amazing as evident by the pictures. All of the fish was incredibly fresh. I loved the presentation of the food with the vibrant colors and intentional plating of each piece of fish. I'm looking forward to going when the pandemic dies down. The to-go packaging was also very meticulous and high quality. I felt like I had just gotten food from a restaurant in japan. It was tied up in a sack that felt like reusable material and the boxes were a light lacquered wood. Highly recommend coming for amazing sushi! read more

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The food is good but it's Micheline price for Manhattan Beach crowd and not affordable for average people in Torrance.

Super delicious and fresh! We ordered one box for 2 people and we were stuffed! Could probably do 2.5-3 people pretty box. The flavor was amazing. I'm not usually a big uni person but this uni was very high quality and did not have any of the off flavors that cheaper uni often does. The marinated pieces were also interesting and different and added an extra layer of flavor that I had not tried before. The boxes come wrapped in a cloth like paper that make them feel very special and premium. A nice treat for any occasion. read more

Sushi I-NABA Manhattan Beach - Jewelry box x2 - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

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A very unique experience given that this is a 6 seater and the chef is actually a great conversationalist! He has a fascinating story if you ever get into it, and his dishes are well put together with unique and delicious ingredients. He is very experimental with his dishes, so this is not for the faint of heart! (although if you are, and still want to go, he was very accommodating for an individual next to us) He is very familiar with the extensive sake menu and his recommendations were perfect. While I've been to my share of michelins, the family dining with us has been to every 3 star in the states and still list his restaurant amongst the top, a must go. read more

It saddens me to leave a 3 star review but we came in for the omakase last week for our anniversary and it was the worst fine dining experiences we've had. I'll start with the positives. The omakase menu was thoughtful and delicious, and the chef was very kind and friendly. However, it is a small intimate room with a 6-seat sushi bar. There was another group of 3 guests who behaved obnoxiously throughout the entire dinner. They yelled and howled at the top of their lungs, laughed and slammed their fists on the bar. I am not exaggerating when I say this went on for the entire 2.5 hours. I understand this behavior is not the restaurant's fault, but it is the restaurant's responsibility to make sure their guests have the experience they paid for. If this behavior took place at a regular restaurant, let alone a Michelin star high end restaurant, those guests would have been asked to leave. So the fact that they were not reprimanded in any way was deeply upsetting. Our anniversary dinner was ruined. The chef graciously offered us a 20% discount, however, in the end we still paid $600 to have the worst Michelin star experience we've ever had. read more

I walked by Sushi i-NABA and had to stop in and try one of the lunch specials. The sushi chef is a one man show and his preparation is very precise! Nice jazz playing and the waitress Hiroku is a doll I ordered the 3 hand rolls which comes with miso soup with a shrimp head which enhances the flavor! -Sea bass with shiso leaf packed tightly with perfectly seasoned rice -Scallops with Yuzu koshu -Fatty tuna with scallion which wasn't my fave but the quality is awesome $18 plus tax and tip=$25 for a nice healthy lunch with a very engaging sushi chef/owner who I enjoyed chatting with!! He suggested making reservations for dinner on Resy I'm sure I will be back but for now 4.5 stars for a light healthy lunch!! read more

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We ordered 2 omakase "nama" chirashi to go. For sushi takeout order, these boxes are definitely show stoppers. Visually stunning an beautifully arrange, all the seafood tasted fresh as well. The rice is seasoned well, albeit just a little heavy handed for my liking in terms of the salt and vinegar balance. I feel like sometimes the rice flavor overpowered the subtle sweeter seafood delicacies. That being said, it was well worth it and the portions were plentiful for 2 ppl. I think they're temporarily located within the I-Naba sushi restaurant through a side door into a seating bar. The ordering and pickup process was seamless. For a special occasion and for ppl who are still wary of dining in, this is a great option for sushi take out! read more

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Tried this jewelry box for a family gathering, and it got the job done. The dishes were generally liked, but if I had to choose, Kaneyoshi Sushi's luxury box wins me over despite the comparable pricing. read more

Sushi I-NABA Manhattan Beach - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

Amazing. That's the best way to put it. Sushi at a whole another level. Everything was so unique and special. From the start, the crab fat tofu was so tasty. If you have never had crab fat (the green and orange "mole" as American calls is), this was a gelatin cube with a sublime crab fat flavor. So amazing. My next favorite was the bonito and seaweed broth with two little clams in it. Again, so rich and subtle. Then there were a couple of aged sushi pieces that he char flavored with a blow twitch and a slab of charcoal. Smokey, rich fish with some incredible marinated sushi rice. Anyways, not sure I've ever had anything to compare. Sushi I-naba is a must try. read more

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Wedged in between a Board Shorts Store and a Kombucha Shop you will find the glass door you're looking for. Just blocks from the M. B. Post melee it's almost serene. When you walk in, it's definitely civilized. "Hello, did you reserve?" Asks the Chef. No shrieking Irasshai, here. "Yazu", said the Chef. "Yasou" I replied as Japanese is all Greek to me. "Yahoo", I continued, "I'm happy to be here". "Me too," offered Yazu. And then the adventure began. The Decor is beyond minimal. There is a 3 sided bleached pine Chef Counter. That's it. "Taking pictures, is good" said Chef. "Leaning over where I cut, is no good." While Index Finger Tataki on Hiyaga Rice is rare, it is not recommended. There is no liquor license here but they will rent you a glass for $3 to hold the $600 Jumai Daiginjo Sake you brought from Takayama or the Gym Sock Whiskey you bought at the Thrift Store. It's your choice of 4 Omakase options from spartan to splurgin'. All are a wise choice. The tsunami of dishes all come out on Flea Market plates but who cares? That's like savoring the wine bottle and ignoring the wine. It's what you're eatin' that counts not what it's layin' on. Much of Chef Yazu's fish comes from Chiba, Japan as opposed to DTLA and when you reserve he will need up to 5 days to gather the magic together for you. The vibe is up to you. There are 3 sets of 2 seats which allows you to cocoon, whisper your oohs and ahhs or link in with your dinner mates and get the party pumpin'. Lucky me the 5 others were a convivial lot. Buckle up as here's what your 2 Benjies will let you binge on. 1. 1 week aged Amberjack with a speck of Japanese sinus clearing Mustard and a brush of Soy. Praise be on to Kouji Kimura for his aged fish prepared for aged patrons. 2. Santa Barbara Halibut cured in Salt with Crab "Butter" (a scoop-o-guts), and Hokkaido Snow Crab along with a mound of slow braised Kombu which was soft and spicy with a dusting of Japanese Chili. This is third date food. 3. Shigoku Oysters in a Ponzu puddle bathing the bivalves. Is the seaweed underneath to eat or just to steady the shell? You pick while no one's looking. 4. A hand held glowing blow torched Binchotan heats a soulful bowl full of Daikon to die for. 5. How bout some Spanish Mackerel with pickled Onions and Radish with a Chili Powder sprinkle? How bout that? Mackerel can be assertive in less capable hands. Here, it is as tame as a dead Mackerel. 6. 11 day aged Tuna on Red Vinegared Rice arrived next. This might have been borrowed from Christmas. On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...an old Tuna. Note: If you are a Rice freak, know that this rice is California grown. Chef liked this best to showcase whatever he decides to drape over it like a shawl over the shoulders of a pretty Maiko. 7. An 18 day aged Fatty Tuna from Spain was next up. And you can actually taste the extra 7 days which was flirting with funky. Hey, nothing wrong with that. I've done it. 8. This plate had Sake Steamed Baby Abalone with Yuzu and Salt. Ready to call a halt? Nope. Not even close. 9. Halibut from Chiba (Chef's family shops for each fish selected to be shipped). This was cured in Salt and was faultless. 10. Ready for your Golden Eye Snapper? (Sounds like a Bond Girl doesn't it?). This also came from Chiba. (Goldsnapper instead of Goldfinger?) 11. Loosen you belt for the Belt Fish, another Chiba catch. Poached in Lemon juice and Sea Water it made my eyes water with delight. 12. Simmered Turnip in Chicken Bit Gravy is what you'll be served now. By this time you'll have lost count of the Sake re-fills or what and how much you've eaten. You just know you're gonna skip Burrito King on the way home. 13. Have a Bloody Clam which was bloody good. 14. Just when you thought of throwing in the hot moist towel, out comes the Black Throat Perch purchased in Toyama where it left it's Momma in deep water to end up in a deep dish here. 15. Hokkaido Scallops in Nori was a fishy Oreo and just as creamy good. 16. A Madai Snapper signaled May Day but was snapped up quickly. 17. Craving a sliver of Monkfish liver? You're gonna get that next. 18. Ebi (Sweet Shrimp) was no skimpy Scampi. 19. Miso Soup signified that the end was near. (Could be your end as opposed to this seemingly endless meal), except for the... 20. Black Cod which got the nod from Chef Yazu. "Put me in, Coach" the Cod begged. 21. Baby Sweet Shrimp with Cali-Caviar was far too good. It shook me out of the chewing auto pilot mode. 22. Finally, it's time for your Matcha Mochi knob, and so it goes and has gone at Sushi I-Naba. 3 hours have come and gone. Your jaw is sore, your buttons are straining at reigning in your tummy. Chef preps quickly for the second service and you ruminate on what kind of service you want. It's back to Sushi I-Naba where I can eat like slob again. read more

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Hubby took me here for my birthday as a surprise and it was intimate and the best tasting experience sushi I have ever had in my life (better than Japan...!) The chef ferments the sushi himself and something about the fermentation deepens the flavor. He is personable and adorable. The ceramics he uses to display is sushi is very much art form and thoughtfully paired with whatever fish he is serving. He even shoveled heaps and heaps of uni and toro onto some nori, rolled it up into a cigar like form and said it was my birthday candle! My husband and I had such a wonderful and memorable time--every dollar spent here is worth it. I promise! read more

Unwrap for an adventure at I-Naba! The Jewelry Box is the most beautiful, amazing assortment. You get a box with four sections and all sorts of carefully selected fish. I got a trio of tuna: a meaty lean cut, a combination chutoro, and an otoro that tastes like fish-butter. Another section holds some sweeter cuts. There's slow-braised eel, scallops, and a perfect prawn. There's three ways to trout, with unaltered slices of perfect pink, some marinated in soy, and the rest with a smoky sear. Next the fanciest stuff: the hairy crab, the salmon roe (this one is far less fishy than most), and Hokkaido uni, which I can only describe as the best. Thing. Ever. If you're looking for a sushi splurge, I-Naba's Jewelry Box is worthy, and I-Naba itself is a hidden gem. read more

***Top Notch Authentic Sushi in Manhattan Beach*** Sushi I-NABA has been on my radar for a while, but it wasn't until this past weekend that I finally got the chance to try it. While Sushi I-NABA is often open for lunch on Saturdays, the past couple times we tried to go, they were unfortunately closed for private parties. When we called this Saturday prior to opening and were told it was open, we were stoked! The trip out here ended up being well worth it, and I cannot wait to come back. Came here this past Saturday (12/1/18) for lunch, a little past 11:30 am when they open, for my first time. Located in the heart of Manhattan Beach, and about a 5 minute walk from the pier, the location is perfect, and offers a lot to do both before and after the meal. The restaurant itself is very nice and intimate, with only 6 seats. It's a small area, but it doesn't feel cramped or crowded at all. The spacing is perfect, and all of the seats have a great view of the sushi chef and counter, which is centralized. It definitely has an authentic feel to it. To our surprise, we were the only ones there during our visit. That meant a private sushi chef all to ourselves! Even if others joined, it still would have felt the same, as there are literally only 6 seats here. I should also note that this isn't just your ordinary neighborhood sushi chef. This guy is extremely experienced, having grown up in Japan with parents in the sushi/restaurant industry. The chef here knows what he's doing. This is the real deal. They have a few options for lunch, but really, you'd be a fool if you didn't order their omakase. For $35, you get 7 pieces of premium sushi plus a handroll. If you're still hungry after, feel free to order more and ask what else they have! The chef is extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and speaks good English, so you won't have to worry. I-NABA is not a super serious sushi bar with an intimidating chef. It has a more laid back, chill vibe that fits the city perfectly. Our $35 lunch omakase consisted of the following: 1. 20-Day Aged Marinated Bluefin Tuna from Japan 2. 9-Day Aged Amberjack Belly 3. Seared Beltfish 4. Nodoguro (Blackthroat Sea Perch) 5. 20-Day Aged Chutoro (Semi-Fatty Tuna) 6. Snow Trout 7. Medai (Japanese Butterfish) 8. Tuna handroll After the omakase, we decided to order three more pieces: 1. Barracuda 2. Bonito 3. Mackerel The marinated tuna was a strong start to a very memorable meal. Every piece we tried here impressed. The sushi chef is extremely skilled and talented, making each piece flawlessly. The rice, marinated with red vinegar, was served at the perfect temperature and had a great texture. It balanced with the fish perfectly. Each piece was truly to die for. The Chutoro was among the best I've had in a while. The Beltfish and Japanese Butterfish were also favorites, along with the Barracuda we ordered at the end. Being served Nodoguro was a pleasant surprise, as it's a pricey fish usually reserved for higher priced omakases. The value here is truly top notch, and the quality is undoubtedly top tier. Authentic Japanese sushi lovers definitely need to make trying this restaurant a priority. There are very few places in Los Angeles making authentic sushi as good as I-NABA. Add in the private, intimate setting, great service, and chill atmosphere, and this has immediately become a favorite of mine. I've been to Mori, Zo, Sushi Tsujita, Shiki Beverly Hills, Ginza Onodera, Shunji, Nozawa Bar, Matsumoto, and more, and I'm here to tell you that this restaurant, while lesser known, competes with the best of them. As of now, I'd put it in my top 5 in all of LA. Go ahead and check this place out! read more

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They're a well-earned Michelin 1*, with the expected selection of sushi, sashimi, and hot food, including some particularly good baby sea eel, shirako, and this visit, a Japanese green eyes (mehikari) tempura hand roll. Chef Yasuhiro Hirano is also very personable, much more approachable and friendly with his customers than many chefs. A very different experience than a lot of fine dining, with a more welcoming vibe as opposed to a more rarefied vibe. Is it the very best sushi experience in Los Angeles? Perhaps not. But it is definitely an excellent one, and most certainly up worth the trouble if you can get a reservation. read more

Hours might need to be updated. Went today, store was closed and no one picked up the phone. Maybe they only allow online takeout ordering? Hard to find available street parking and many of the metered parking are only for 25 minutes. read more

Perfection!! I can't stop dreaming of this meal.. The seafood jewelry box came in furoshiki gift wrap and the entire process of ordering and picking up was so easy! The restaurant was a few blocks from the beach so we made it a cute date of sushi on the beach! The fish was incredibly fresh and beyond delicious. As expected, the otoro just melts in your mouth. I'm a sucker for almost anything uni and this did not disappoint one bit! The box is recommended for two or three. For two, I would say it's pretty filling. But it's all so yummy, that I wouldn't want to share it among three! So I definitely recommend it for two. I definitely plan to try some of the other boxes they have to offer and do a sushi on the beach date again! read more

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precovid review. my friend took me here for omakase dinner. it was a small space with only 6 people seating on the counter. i was kind of nervous at first being such a small group with the chef. but the chef was super nice. made our group comfortable to asked questions, joked around with us, and told us about each fish in detail. the course was amazing. each dish was delicious. the fish was fresh and great quality. i definitely enjoyed each dish except maybe for the cod sac :p but in honesty, that was pretty good too! even now, i am still dreaming of when i can eat that 19 day dry aged fatty tuna again. this is BYOB, and they'll charge $3 fee. if you love sushi, go here! you won't regret it. read more

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High quality fish! Ordered the Jewelry box and it was amazing. The customer service is top notch. When I went to pick up my order, I was wearing my son in a baby carrier. The chef offered to walk me all the way to my car (parking is rough in that area). Extremely, considerate! Loved my experience even though we didn't dine in. To reiterate.. The jewelry box does not disappoint!! Rice is delicious and everything melted in our mouths. The presentation is mind blowing. Looking forward to ordering again soon! read more

Sushi I-NABA Manhattan Beach - Jewelry Box. Came with a fancy box, rice paddle, nice chopsticks, sauce holder and a list of what's inside. Excellent presentation! - Japanese Near Me - Torrance, California

The last dine-in meal we had before the pandemic was here and now when I look back I'm so so so glad that we went. The dinner experience was even better than our first lunch experience. Everything was fresh and delicious! Chef definitely made every piece of sushi with passion and care. Every dish was well presented beautifully with perfect garnishing and plating. Definitely pick the best omakase, it's worth your every penny! Now they are open for take-out. We ordered their large Jewlery box. Every kind of seafood in there was fresh. Even the packaging was well put together, they even gave us spatula for the rice and good quality soy sauce plates. We are ordering from here every weekend, definitely satisfying my sushi craving. I can't wait to come back here again for the omakase after the pandemic. Wow wow wow, we were pleasantly surprised! It's definitely the best lunch we've had in a while, it was so good that I already made a dinner reservation. Every piece of sushi was perfectly made with meticulosity! The fish was fresh, and all the garnishes that the chef used complimented e very well. I loved their sushi rice, it was a bit warm and flavored. I can't wait to come here soon! read more

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