Taisho has been one of my favorite restaurants since high school, and it's still just as good today as it was back then. It's truly a community staple and one of those places you can always count on for a great meal. Inside is small but cozy. The staff is always friendly and welcoming, and the food is consistently delicious every single time. In my opinion, it's the best teriyaki spot in the area. The udon is fantastic, the sushi is always fresh, and the combo sushi bowl is my go-to order. It's rare to find a restaurant that maintains such high quality and consistency over the years, but Taisho does exactly that. Love this place and will keep coming back! read more

Was recommended to go here by some locals who spoke very nostalgically of the place. Maybe it was awesome back in the day, but I don't understand how this place is still so popular. Restaurant was ridiculously dirty. Every surface and door handle was sticky. There was about to be a fight outside between 2 homeless men arguing between each other. The food was meh. I ordered meal #3 (chicken and beef combo) and it came with generous portions of rice and chicken, but three slim pieces of beef and three small broccoli florets. Were they rationing vegetables because they were running low on ingredients that day or something?! The measly spoonful of cucumber/squash salad they give you on the side is honestly such a joke, they might as well not serve it. Miso soup was good. If I had to summarize in one word: gross. You can get the same meal at much better quality AND quantity at TK cafe just a 6min drive from here. Just go to TK, don't bother with this place. read more

Excellent food, Friendly service. a bit small, but they seem to do a lot of takeaways or delivery. still have wacky C19-era shields up. oh well. read more

Portions here are very generous, and prices are very reasonable. My avocado roll was very well made with a lot of perfectly ripe avocados. The salmon was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of teriyaki sauce, and the sauce was delicious. The Japanese chicken curry was super yummy, and they gave us more steamed rice for free. They also gave us free ponzu sauce for the sushi. Besides the floor being slightly dirty with trash that needed cleaning up, I had no complaints about this place! The service was very friendly and quick. read more

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I only had to come here once to know I am going to be a regular customer! I got the salmon sushi bowl and the chicken beef combo plate with miso soup. There were so many pieces of salmon and it came with dried seaweed. I basically got to make my own hand rolls. The price is affordable and the portions huge. If you go as a walk in, it is packed and quite busy. I highly recommend ordering ahead, it took about 15 minutes for the food to come out. But there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and a fountain soda machine. Unfortunately, the bathroom was out of order so I hurried home. read more

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Ordered takeout from Taisho in Monrovia and was really impressed. Everything was packaged well and arrived neatly packed. I had the chicken katsu curry with a California roll. The katsu was crispy, tender, and paired well with the curry. Great food, careful packaging, and a smooth takeout experience. I'll definitely be ordering again! read more

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Ordered the tray. Yray was ready on time as promised. Food was just ok. Lady was very nice as she carried they tray to the car for me.

An absolute classic spot. I grew up coming here! I always get the chicken teriyaki plate in a size small & the portion size is great. Reliable spot. Amazing value. read more

Taisho - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

I love coming to Taisho for lunch! They serve the best chicken teriyaki bowls & sushi salmon bowls in the Monrovia area! Their food is absolutely delicious, the rice is so fluffy & everything is always so fresh! If you order the chicken teriyaki plate you get a 4 pc. California rolls which are so good! There is always a long line sometimes out the door so pro tip: order ahead so you just wait in line to pay & pick up! Will save you a ton of waiting time(; There is seating inside but gets a little crowded so I recommend the outside seating! read more

Taisho - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

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Good, affordable food, big portions, quick service, there's limited indoor & outdoor seating, it was a little hot inside so I recommend ordering to-go. My kids love their teriyaki bowls, udon noodles, cucumber rolls and salmon & avocado rolls. My favorite is the salmon sushi bowls with avocado, it comes with seaweed but I usually order extra seaweed. This a great place to eat when you're on a budget! read more

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For the price and portion, it's worth a try. Menu is mostly rice bowls and noodles. Fast-casual. ORDERED: overall 4/5 Combo Sushi - Salmon and Spicy Tuna over sushi rice (for $15.95 per bowl, this place is more affordable than most!) Salmon Avocado Roll - 4pcs They have patio and indoor seating so you can bring your dogs too! read more

This place is small, but has more seating outside. I got the combo plate. Witch tasted pretty good. My only complaint was that I had to wait 30 mins, due to them losing my ticket. I came after working out so I was hungry to the extreme! Hopefully, next time I have speedier service. read more

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They have affordable combo plates and the food is delicious. Plenty of parking. They make the food when you order so have some patience and they'll call your number when ready. Very friendly and clean. read more

Taisho - Chicken and beef teriyaki combo bowl - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Kept driving past this place but haven't been inside. Finally stopped by to try their chicken teriyaki bowl combo with California rolls. The chicken teriyaki bowl was pretty good, but the California rolls weren't as good. It lacked flavor with cold rice and hard to eat. Quick and decent service. Limited seatings inside, but there are some benches outside. read more

Taisho - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Very cheap, healthy, quick food that is simple and pretty good. Looks run down but everything is affordable and great value. The bowls you get to choose a meat, and it comes with rice and veggies. They also have udon and sushi. Staff are friendly and there is both indoor and outdoor seating. read more

I've been venturing out restaurants in the Monrovia/arcadia area and came across Taisho. I was split between the salmon bowl or the beef rib plate and ultimately went with the salmon bowl. It was good, and what you would expect. read more

Taisho - Salmon bowl - not bad! - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

This little Japanese hole-in-the-wall is such a hidden gem! Super affordable, fast, and consistently good. I usually grab the chicken teriyaki bowl. They even have sushi if you're in the mood for something lighter. Portions are generous for the price, service is quick, and it's the kind of place you keep coming back to when you want something quick and satisfying. Definitely worth checking out if you're nearby! read more

I've been coming here for well over a decade, and it's so nice to see the quality hasn't ever gone down, and the prices have stayed low somehow haha. I always get the small chicken teriyaki bowl and it's the perfect amount of food and only costs $7! The service is always super welcoming and prompt. The food is always fresh, the meat always tender and juicy, and never cold. There's a public restroom, and plenty of seating inside and out. Wheelchair accessible entrance, dining area, and bathroom (one singular gender neutral). Thanks guys for being so amazing! read more

Taisho - Chicken teriyaki bowl (small) - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

We like to eat here as easy and easy out order to go call your order in or dine in they have a few tables the food is okay there's a nice variety everyone is happy what more can you ask for and prices are reasonable read more

Was recommended this place from some locals, and they spoke very highly of this place. My friend and I wanted to check it out to see if it was worth the hype. We were caught by surprise on how cheap the food was compared to where we lived, so we ordered a chicken teriyaki bowl and sushi combo. It tasted pretty good and definitely great value. The lady taking our order was very friendly and nice, especially we went during lunch time and it was quite busy inside. The inside of the restaurant is just a regular sit down/ fast food type of environment, nothing too special. Overall, great place and highly recommend checking it out read more

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A wonderful place in my area to get fresh, delicious and melt-in-the-mouth sushi. The teriyaki bowl has great flavors, being sweet and full of umami. Although, when I go here, I always get the salmon sushi bowl, due to the great portions and the chewy yet tender texture. It goes absolutely wonderful with the rice and packet that all of the sushi meals come with that includes seaweed, soy sauce,ginger, and wasabi. You can make your own rolls by rolling up the rice and salmon, or simply eat it with the sushi lying on a bed of rice. The service is honestly average, with the food taking a while occasionally, but makes sense because of the obvious lack of workers The restaurant is rather small, but still has a good amount of tables and chairs. Music is nice, but I recommend you to take it to-go. read more

This location has a private parking lot that's shared with other businesses. There's a simple plain cafeteria-style vibe inside. The service is fine and food arrives at a good time. You're mostly going here for some decent and fairly cheap food. The katsu is thin but the curry is already filled with chicken. The vegetables are fine. The curry has a good mild kick that's tasty. This place is serviceable. read more

Taisho - Chicken katsu curry - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Ordered a salmon teriyaki bowl and a beef rice bowl to go during covid era (they were just opened after covid). Few hours after consuming salmon teriyaki bowl, I ended up in the urgent care, diagnosis: food poisoning. First diarrhea then vomiting. We ordered from here several times before but never had a problem until last incident. Your so-call chefs should have known, if salmon is spoiled, IT SHOULD NOT BE SERVED. read more

I have the opportunity to visit taisho recently and had a good experience. They have a large parking lot making it easy to access. Food- I ordered the eight piece spicy tuna sushi, the role was large and very filling. For $8 I think it was worth it and would ordered it again 5/5 I believe the teriyaki plate was around $13 and was accompanied with a four piece California roll. Very filling and delicious. 5/5 You order at the counter and seat yourself. Turn around is pretty fast. It's nothing fancy, but it's quite tasty and good for the price. read more

Taisho - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

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Generous amount of salmon in my salmon bowl! The staff was good. The restaurant is very open and clean. read more

Taisho - Salmon bowl - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Love this place good healthy fast food joint, food is amazing and prices are too definitely worth a try and definitely recommend

I crave Japanese food sometimes but don't want to go sit somewhere. So I decide to check this place out. Ohhhhh man, I'm glad that I did. I got the large chicken plate which came with broccoli and I think cucumbers. Now mind you I looked at the price and decided to get the large because I thought it would be small, NOOO it was a good size. Large is ONLY $8.60, These prices are insane for good food. I added brown rice which was $1.50 more, not bad at all. The food was yummy. I'm still in shock about the prices lol but not complaining. The place is a bit small but I think they have patio seating, it was raining so I took it to go. There is a parking lot but they share it with other businesses. I am a fan and will be back. read more

Taisho - Large chicken plate - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

I haven't experienced the same unfortunate situation the last few times I've gone back. Hopefully, I will never get sick eating there again because my family and I really do enjoy their food. read more

As always, when everything else fails, Taisho comes through. I love stopping by when I'm in a rush and don't have time to sit down and eat. The quality is solid for the price, though the inside can get a bit chaotic since they're so busy with takeout orders. read more

I come here fairly often and I either get the chicken bowl or the combo sushi bowl and I love it! You can either call in your order or come in the store! There isn't a lot of seating available so I normally just pick up and eat at home. This place is always consistent and very tasty. Glad to say I'm a frequent customer :) read more

Taisho - Combo Sushi Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Teriyaki Chicken here is must. Very good! It's marinated for 24 hrs and grilled nicely. Also, the teriyaki sauce is good (not too sweet). Perfect rice - not mushy or old. Taisho is a Japanese owned fast casual restaurant that offers home style Japanese meals. They have a sister location in Pasadena (Mako Bowl) that offers similar menu. Their specialty: Teriyaki Bowls, BASIC Sushi Rolls and Bowls, Curry Rice, Udon Noodles, Salad and Sides. Also, Sushi platters can be ordered on short time notice. This place is NOT fancy and that's the charm of this spot! Best of all? The price! Super affordable. Taisho will win you over on quality of food and modest prices! Majority of people do take-out; if you wish to dine-in, they have a small outdoor patio a few tables inside. Parking is in a mini-mall with ample space. Credit cards and cash accepted. read more

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I visited Taisho again this past weekend, around 9 months after my last visit, and ordered the chicken katsu curry. While the flavor was very good, and the pricing reasonable, I was disappointed in the size of the chicken. It was much smaller than the last time I visited, and smaller than pictures in previous months as well. Obviously, I'm not surprised about this at all, considering bird flu and tariff prices at the moment. Just a little disappointed. read more

Great place for simple japanese food. I called in my order for an 8 piece California roll. Fresh sushi! There's plenty of parking in the lot. Casual ambiance. Service was good. I will be back to try other items on the menu. read more

The food was surprisingly delicious and priced right. A great place to eat during the week. The food was fresh and great portions. I will definitely make it a to go to place when my wife doesn't want to cook. read more

I was at the Verizon Store yesterday and today located next door to Taisho. I noticed that there was a high volume of traffic going in and out. I asked the Verizon employees is the place was good. They emphatically, said yes, that their food is fresh and delicious. They like the Chicken Curry. I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki plate to go with Miso Soup. It was delicious and will be back there soon. There is an outdoor patio if you choose to eat outside. read more

Taisho - Chicken Teriyaki Plate - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

1 Star - Disappointing Experience & Poor Follow-Up Watch out when ordering from here--finding hair in your food is not something anyone should have to deal with. Unfortunately, that was my experience! After discovering it, I contacted the establishment right away. They did offer a credit, but it was for a lesser item than what I originally ordered. Not ideal, but I accepted it. What's more frustrating is the lack of consistency and customer service afterward. When I first called, the cashier told me redeeming the credit would be simple--"just give them your name." However, when I called back to actually use it, suddenly there were additional policies, and I was told it was "really busy" and that the manager (Masha) asked me to call back. At this point, it feels like getting the issue resolved is more trouble than it's worth. Between the food quality concern and the runaround on a basic resolution, I wouldn't recommend this place. read more

Amazing staff. Will be a long wait, recommend calling in for pick up. Portion size is generous and healthy. I would highly recommend the California roll. Plenty of space to dine in as well read more

I had Taisho bookmarked for a long time when I saw my favorite food blogger rave about their sushi. I was finally in the area for work, and my dad lived nearby so invited him over for an early dinner. The parking is in an open lot, so plenty of parking. The inside is pretty small. More of a to-place as to a sit down dining place. They get pretty busy so we luckily came in before the dinner rush. The menu is pretty simple, with just 5 basic rolls, bowls, hot plates and katsu curry. _California roll (4 pcs $4.25 / 8 pcs $7.60) Sometimes I jus crave a basic roll, and calirfornia roll will be my go-to. A solid roll that will hit the spot. _Salmon avocado roll (4 pcs $4.60 / 8 pcs $8.25) The salmon and avocado were fresh. Another great simple roll. _Chicken and Bbq beef combo (Small $9.40 / Large $11.60) Chicken and Beef combo with teriyaki sauce, white rice, and steamed vegetables. I saw in pictures that they smother the plate in teriyaki sauce so I asked for it on the side. The chicken was actually pretty juicy and well cooked. I did not try the beef but my dad was a happy camper. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I think my expectations were too high. I was not a fan that the rolls had a lot of rice. The ration to rice and fish were off so iI found myself taking most of the rice off. The price is very fair and the portions are big. I do like that they have the options of 4 or 8 pcs. I am glad my dad was a fan. read more

they don't given you the drink when getting the value meals, fyi I didn't get #5 which say no drink included. It had to be medium instead of a large which is a small portion of whatever the food is medium. So basically the value meals you have to order the medium to get the drink, not the large which is only like a $1 or $2 more. Which is fucking stupid read more

My favorite dish here has to be the salmon teriyaki with rice--it's absolutely delicious. The salmon is cooked to perfection, with a perfect balance of sweetness and savory from the teriyaki sauce. The rice is fluffy and complements the dish wonderfully. What makes this spot even better is the great price--such high-quality food for a very reasonable cost. Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a tasty and affordable Japanese meal! read more

Taisho - California Roll - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California