The Best Japanese Restaurants in Los Angeles

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is a Japanese ramen chain located in a supermarket food court in Los Angeles. Diners line up to pay and then wait for their number to be called, making it a straightforward, casual experience that many find worth the wait.

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Nicole Jacobsen

Co-Founder TheFoodOffice

The white tonkotsu (pork bone) soup served with a small, pickled plum in a round bowl at @ramensantoukausmawa is worth traveling for. This is a Japanese ramen chain located in the food court of a Japanese supermarket in Los Angeles. The process is simple, you line up with your cash ready (cash only), then choose from shio (salt), soy, miso or spicy miso ramen. Move on to place your order and then just wait for them to call your number over the loudspeaker. We tried the Hokkaido-style shio (salt) ramen which is a bit lighter than other bowls of tonkotsu that we have tried over the years - and damn this was a comforting bowl!! 🤤👏🏻

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n/naka is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Los Angeles that offers a modern California approach to traditional Japanese kaiseki, using local, seasonal ingredients. Its calm atmosphere and thoughtful service create a welcoming dining experience. Reservations are released monthly through their website.

Recommended by

Geeta Bansal

EIC of Salty Magazine

Chef Niki Nakayama’s 2 Michelin star, Kaiseki California take utilizing local, seasonal ingredients. In full disclosure, a reservation at the 2 Michelin starred Kaiseki style Japanese restaurant is not easy to land but definitely worth pursuing. Chef Niki Nakayama’s version is a modern California take utilizing local, seasonal ingredients, some not usually identified with the traditional multi-course style, instilling a unique sense of place to the dining experience. The vibe at n/naka is serene and elegant, the service gracious, the sake and the wine and non-alcoholic pairing well-curated. While the exquisitely plated courses open a window into modern Japanese food they magically manage to balance the old and new in taste and flavors. The dinner service runs Wednesday through Saturday with a preset thirteen-course menu. The standout course, a Chef’s choice or Shiizakana, is a nontraditional and absolutely delicious spaghetti alla chitarra, a black truffle topped pasta dressed with abalone liver and pickled roe. Since the menu is hyper-seasonal and evolving constantly, the highlights vary with each experience adding unique taste memories. Chef Nakayama and her partner Carole Iida also opened n/soto, a California Japanese style Izakaya during the pandemic offering an evolving bento with a la carte service to follow.

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Shibumi is a cozy Japanese restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles that serves kappo-style cuisine rooted in seasonality. Helmed by chef David Schlosser, it highlights local, organic, and sustainable ingredients in a relaxed and personal setting.

Recommended by

Nicole Jacobsen

Co-Founder TheFoodOffice

It’s no surprise that Shibumi, a Japanese restaurant that specializes in kappo cuisine, tops our list of food experiences in Los Angeles! To be frank, Downtown LA was a​ disappointment for us but one restaurant not​ to miss out on is Shibumi - a restaurant that specializes in kappo cuisine, which results in an elegant and mesmerizing Japanese dinner with a focus on seasonality. We tried their medium-range omakase, twelve very different and beautiful dishes by chef David Schlosser.

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Tsubaki is a Japanese izakaya in Echo Park, Los Angeles, that pairs traditional flavors with a relaxed California feel. The cozy space offers indoor and outdoor seating, creating an inviting spot to enjoy shared plates with friends or family.

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Margaux Koopman

Foodie

Delicious Japanese restaurant. Delicious Japanese sharing plates in Echo Park with intimate ambiance. I particularly recommend the prawns and chicken skewers.

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Housed in a 1920s former bank building in Los Angeles’ Arts District, YESS is a progressive Japanese restaurant that emphasizes local, seasonal ingredients with a nod to tradition. Chef Junya Yamasaki and the team use an old-style wood-fired stove and charcoal grill in a spacious dining room that invites guests to enjoy a down-to-earth experience. Their approach highlights nature’s constant changes, creating a menu that feels both rooted and open to what the day brings.

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Randy Moon

Restaurant Owner

Yess Restaurant, one of the most exciting restaurants in the US. They've spared no expense in turning a former bank building into a supremely ambitious but also uncomplicated meal of local seafood and vegetables, California meats, and old-fashioned cooking.

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