This place meets my 3 D's requirement for a lazy weekend: delicious, decently priced (considering the quality of fish), and within driving distance. I cannot rave enough about Taisho - granted, I only ever get their Salmon Bowl or Sushi Combo Bowl, but I mean, really... What more could you need? It's always fresh and tastes AMAZING. I live more inland and it's hard to find good sashimi quality fish, and I often find myself day-dreaming about their salmon. Presentation of the dish is simple but it's just so... Perfect. Add in some soy sauce and I can pretty much down an order in under the amount of time it took to pay for it. Total price is around $11-$13 for their Salmon or Sushi Combo Bowl, but they give you a considerable amount of fish-to-rice ratio so it's worth it. Make sure to ask them to include some nori (every once in a while they forget, no biggie) and soy sauce packets. I would recommend ordering by phone before going to the restaurant - it's usually full and not really a sit-in kind of place. They accept card and are pretty quick with their to-go orders :) read more

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

Their salmon sushi bowl is the bee's knees! I like to order extra salmon with the order. I have never had a bad experience at Taisho; the staff are always very friendly and polite. I wish more businesses would follow their model, life would be so much better! read more

If there are computers that could log every single thought that goes through my mind whenever I see Taisho, it would probably look like this: *better than the one in Monrovia *their sushi/sashimi is meh. I wonder how they stay in business. Maybe they do extra stuff on the side to get by... *i don't know but does sashimi as a "fast food" actually make sense? Maybe... *hmm, Chinese owners... *but they are REALLY nice though! *oh yeah, I love their Unagi bowl, let me go get some. Fine, after several tries, I resorted to only ordering the Unagi bowl as it became the only dish that I found to my liking. Everything else has been more towards a miss. read more

Quite a deal for what you pay for! I had the chicken and beef plate for about $9. Comes with steamed broccoli, zucchini and carrots. It does have outdoor seating thats shared with pizzaology. My wife had the salmon/sushi bowl was even more delicious than what I ordered. The spicy tuna was just right and the salmon was fresh. I would definitely come back here to eat. read more

This place is a hidden gem of Monrovia. Discovered it for the chicken teriyaki rice bowls and love them for their chicken udon. The chicken udon is delicious, very hard to top. The white meat chicken is hot and well marinated within the tasty broth. The noodles are excellent. I love to add a their salmon avocado roll to side. A very nice lunch you'll be sure to enjoy. read more

Taisho - Chicken Udon with Salmon Avocado Roll - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

We waited too long for the order and everybody behind me in the line were served before me. No apology was given. Bad customer service.

This place is not 4 star! I got the chicken and tempora special. What I got was not tempora. It was fried shrimp. Sounds like the same, but it isn't. Shrimp was small and batter dry! Differently not tempora! read more

Taisho - Tempora, not!!!!! - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Sushi was actually pretty good. Staff was friendly. Portion size is not always consistent. Sometimes it's a little small. I highly recommend the Katsu. read more

I stopped in for a quick bite. As a matter of fact, I'm sitting here now writing this. First problem is that I got the number two combo (Beef/chicken), I was thinking about ordering more, but the young man behind the counter spoke so little English he couldn't answer a simple question about the menu. When I got my food the plate was warm, looked decent if a bit light on meat. The beef had bones in it like ribs and was very fatty. Flavor was ok, but pretty basic. The chicken unfortunately also had a bone fragment in it. Not very appetizing. I got a small drink as well and the total was $11 and change. I guess you get what you pay for, but even at that this seemed high for what was delivered. Will not return. read more

Best value Japanese food in the area. Stay with the sushi, it's your best bet. The salmon bowl is always a winner.

Have to agree with a lot of the reviewers. Service was great! Very attentive. Just wish food was a little better. read more

4.2/5 I decided to come here on a whim after looking on Yelp. Not the most noticeable place to have a Japanese restaurant, as it's on the very end of the Pavilions Plaza. Now there is nothing I am more of a connoisseur about than nigiri sushi. I rarely order rolls, unless I'm trying to fill up or I know the nigiri isn't going to be great. Now at Taisho, their nigiri was definitely top-notch, at least from what I can tell from the regular nigiri plate I ordered, which came with: 4 pieces of a choice of roll-I got yellowtail roll and it was good, the fish was nice 1 sake (salmon) sushi-so buttery, one of the best I've had, best thing on the plate 1 maguro (tuna) sushi-very soft 1 whitefish sushi-very good 1 hamachi (yellowtail) sushi- also very good 1 ika (squid) sushi- very nice, I love it when it gets gooey when you chew it, they also had a shiso? leaf which made it even better 1 ebi (shrimp) sushi- pretty standard as it's cooked shrimp I also ordered a piece of ikura (salmon roe) sushi- this was pretty good, not the standard ikura, I think they marinate it. They also added some cucumber which I think was a nice and clean taste to counter the fairly fishy ikura. I also need to mention that they make their nigiri the way it should be made- with the perfect amount of wasabi under the fish so that you don't need soy sauce. This was definitely one of the big pluses about Taisho. They also had good green tea- piping hot and you can see some of the ground tea leaf at the bottom. The waitress was very nice and observant. cons: The pros definitely outweigh the cons, but the food preparation is a bit slow, but they definitely take care in making their dishes. Also, I had a crunchy grain of rice in my ikura sushi. I will definitely return soon as I have found my favorite local sushi place. It's pretty pricey, but that's what I expect from excellent quality sushi. read more

I pretty like this place because the food tasted fresh. Generous portions with generous prices lol Ordered the salmon w/ avocado rolls, california rolls, some raw sushi, fried salmon (forgot the name), some chicken salad, and miso soups. All of it were good. Salmons & avocado were fresh, the rice was chewy which made it perfectly good. Fried Salmon was soft and juicy +++ I hate eating dry dry fish. Chicken salad was similar to any other sushi joint but it was good. Nice server...offered to give extra salad dressing with no extra charge Service was kind of slow...we sat ourselves, we weren't given any menu, no one came to take our order? We had to ask for service... Restaurant is kind of small but for non busy days seating was comfy but on a busy day...I am not so sure Big parking lot because its in a plaza with AU, Pavillions market, & etc... I LIKE IT! hehhe read more

I've been here a couple times and had the salmon and avocado roll. It's deifnitely a large amount of food (8 pieces for $6.50 ish) but it's not the best quality. It's a little rubbery but fresh. Overall, a decent place to grab fast Japanese food. The service is always friendly and the food comes out quickly. read more

Taisho - Salmon avocado roll - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

It's refreshing to see a Japanese take-out joint ran by Japanese folks! Food and portions are on point! One thing about this place is that you can tell they take pride in the food they serve, from the main dish down to the rice...can't tell you how many places I've been to where the rice is just plain bad, hard, undercooked; in my opinion, if you can't even get the rice right, you're in the wrong business; can't recommend this place enough! read more

Had a great value lunch. Ordered large Chicken and small Bbq beef teriyaki which comes with rice and steamed veg. Im so picky with rice and this is definitely Japanese rice quality. Chicken is lean and thin slices. Beef is so-so and thin slices too. And the teriyaki taste great, just nice. read more

Taisho - Chicken & Bbq beef teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Don't know why it's taken me so long to write a review for this place. Taisho has some of the best teriyaki chicken and chicken katsu curry in the SGV. I ordered a chicken katsu curry to-go as there usually isn't a lot of room to eat inside as the kitchen is in relatively close quarters to the dining area; it also gets a bit smoky sitting inside as ventilation is mediocre. Their chicken katsu curry is my new obsession. It has lightly battered strips of chicken lined on rice with sides of broccoli and cucumber and, of course, a hefty container of curry. In my opinion, the vegetable sides are pretty mediocre and the rice pretty standard. However, the curry has the right hints of spice with chunks of well-cooked potato and tender chicken floating within. Tip: ask for a little container of teriyaki sauce on the side to dip the chicken katsu in. The exterior of Taisho isn't the most attractive but give it a chance and you won't regret it! read more

Taisho - Chicken Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

This isn't meant to be Japanese cuisine of the highest caliber, but the food you get for the amount you pay is enough to satisfy one's hunger. Great teriyaki sauce on the chicken teriyaki bowl. Friendly staff that are nice and relaxed. A great stop on the way home when you don't feel like cooking read more

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Good food and reasonably priced! We ordered the combo sushi bowl and BBQ beef meal. Sushi bowl came with nori squares to either make a hand roll or eat on the side. Service was fast and staff was friendly. read more

I love you Taisho, your price is right, your location prime, your price.. did I mention it?? 8$ and I had sushi and a teriyaki bowl. One time I had a huge teriyaki bowl and miso and a soda for that price too. WOW. Seriously! Wow.. and it was delightful! All of the food is. It's super fresh. And the Taisho there reminds me of my Taisho! So I love it! read more

Taisho - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Taisho is definitely in our family's rotation of "we're too lazy to cook so let's pick something up for dinner" places. We order to-go from here at least 1-2 times per month. Our orders are always the same - the combo bowl, chicken katsu bowl, and california rolls. Always consistently good. Good portions of food at a good price. read more

One of my fav places. Good food . Great service and nice area. I recommend this place 100%.

Came here the other day and ordered the salmon sushi bowl. It was pretty damn good, and there was a decent amount of salmon sashimi atop a bed of seasoned white rice. This place (like other reviews have mentioned) seems like it must be owned by the same people that operate Mako Bowl. It just has the same feel and similar menus. There's nothing really special about this place, and the food isn't an amazing deal, so it's only getting 3 stars from me read more

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

3.5 If you want something small and simple, this is the place to go to. Other wise, you have Gin or Yoshida for the fancy version. They have a lot of cute AND tiny rolls for those who don't do rawr stuff. I used to eat that back in the days. Not many would have known this place cause it's a lil hidden in the corner. Same plaza as AU79, Pavillion, LA fitness... What we oredered: (1) Chirashi Bowl $16: We wanted the sashimi platter and this was the only closest one to it. They have a smaller version of it which has tuna, salmon, and yellowtail for $12. For the chirashi, you get 2-3 pieces of each and it came with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, mackerel, squid, eggs, and I forgot one more. It costs extra for avocado btw.. I thought the fish was good and fresh. I could use more ginger and wasabi though. (2) Beef Teriyaki w/Tempura $13?: Not bad for a combination dinner. I'm not sure if they have regular beef but we got the short ribs with this. The ribs weren't meaty or anything but good enough for a combination. The salads was just okay. The tempura came with 2 shrimps and side vegetables. It's nice that the dish came with edamame also. Service was a tad slow but not bad! We actually had one waitress checked up on us, which is a surprise. It would be nice if they just provide the extra plates for us because most people do share! Other than that, good service. (= read more

Taisho - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

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I absolutely love this place. Nothing fancy, indoor and outdoor dining available. Lots of Good choices on their menu and can't beat the prices. I order by phone and food is always ready when I get there. My daughter is picky and always gets the Chicken Teriyaki bowl, I get the Salmon Salad. Never disappoints. Good food, good prices, good service. read more

The best lunch place in the area. Staff are always friendly. Every item off the menu here I've had here I've enjoyed very much. Personal favorites: tuna/salmon sushi and katsu read more

FOOD- it's good! It's not like WHOA!!! But it's good. Everything is consistent but what puts the icing on the cake is: CUSTOMER SERVICE- We have ordered from work plenty of times! Each time the person on the phone has been courteous, efficient and helpful. We have a large order (for office staff) that sometimes needs separate checks and special requests. So far no mistakes despite being busy during lunch hour rush. Also, when picking up they have placed orders labeled and arranged in a box and helped me bring it to the car. read more

Tried this for lunch today. The Salmon & Avocado Roll really surprised me when I first tried it. Their Salmon is very fresh and sweet. And it's only $2.75 for 4pcs!! WOW. or you can get 8 PCS for only $5.5. I also tried the Salmon & Spicy Tuna bowl. Not bad but stongly recommend that you try out their rolls. They are the best! read more

Taisho - Salmon/Avocado Roll $2.75 for 4 PCS. good deal. - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

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This was my second time here and I still think Taisho is a small but great place for a quick gathering. The workers here are friendly and care about their customers. Whenever your drink is running out, a waitress/ waiter will come and refill your drink for you. I do recommend this place if you want something cheap-ish; however, they do make it right when you order so give yourself enough time when you have a sit-down meal. read more

Taisho - Salmon & Avocado rolls - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

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This is a decent place for some cheap sushi bowls if you're ever craving for some in the 626 area. We had two combos. The Teriyaki Beef and Chicken Combo Bowl and the Combo Sushi Bowl. The Sushi bowl was alright. For the price you pay, you get what you paid for. The Teriyaki and Chicken bowl was alright. The chicken was better than the beef in my opinion. We also got the edamame. Wish it was garlic salted though. You can add your own salt in it if you want. Overall, this place was ok. I've had better. read more

Taisho - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Good fast and Japanese. The salmon Kama is the best. Teriyaki sauce on the side is the best way to eat here. Cooked to order and good service. Order with confidence.!! read more

Taisho - Packed house - Japanese Near Me - Monrovia, California

Love this place!! Wonderful food, tasty, great portions and friendly service. A go to for sure, will recommend and will go again!!!!

I ordered a combo sushi rice and it was soooo good. The salmon and tuna were both super fresh. I added avocado and had the spicy sauce on the side for the tuna and mixed it in so I could control the spiciness. My bf ordered a teriyaki chicken & steak bowl and the portion was huge. He loved it and said it was very flavorful. I had a bite and really liked it too! The girl that works there is super sweet and friendly. Food & service are on point! Too bad it's far from where I'm from or else I would just go like every week. Can't wait to go back! read more

Really good food for the price! Giving it 5 stars because it was very full but they were still able to get our food out within 10 mins! Great sushi and teriyaki! read more

This place always hits the spot when I go. I order the same thing all the time. Chicken teriyaki bowl with California rolls. Hasn't disappointed and I've been coming here for over 4 years now. read more

Amazing food and great service. The portions are pretty big. I usually order the salmon bowl with extra salmon which is about $18 and it comes with seaweed to make our own rolls. read more

My go to! Such fresh salmon sashimi and the sushi rice under the salmon sushi bowl is just as amazing!

Stopped by last week to grab lunch to go. I got the katsu bowl. I was surprised how good it was. I'm a fan!

Great prices, friendly service. The sushi was pretty good as well. Chicken plate was huge, I eat a decent amount but had enough for another meal. Spicy tuna and salmon combo was tasty as well and greatly priced. Will be back to this gem. read more

Love this place! Delicious and affordable! Their fish is very fresh. My favorite is their curry