This delightfully old school sushi spot serves heavily seasoned rice in rolls or single pieces without very much in the way of actual raw fish. Sold in individual pieces, the small menu has everything from shrimp and saba mackerel to California rolls, tamago, and inari. Presented in individually wrapped boxes, this is throwback sushi at its finest. Remember to bring cash, and always call to place an order ahead of time.

The dream of the 90s lives on at this Yoshoku-style restaurant from chef Tadashi Kimura incorporating Western dishes and flavors with Japanese ingredients and sensibility. The laid-back strip mall space has attentive and cheerful service and hefty portions of pork katsu curry, hamburg steak with demi-glace, and various kinds of seafood and meat-sauce pastas. First opened in 1991, Akane Chaya has weathered outdoor signs and a somewhat mismatched interior, but the smooth bebop jazz tunes keep everything pretty classy.

Japanese daytime and dinner sets are on full display at this timeless restaurant tucked into the back of a large strip mall in Gardena. Fukagawa remains one of the South Bay’s oldest and most charming Japanese restaurants with stellar ingredients and well-appointed environs. The breakfast is a real draw as well, with a choice of broiled fish, dashimaki, white rice, miso soup, and fresh tofu coming in appealing combination meals.

One of the last remaining handmade mochi specialists in the LA area, Chikara has a humble, well-appointed shop in Gardena offering freshly made mochi that are beautifully adorned. The flavors are excellent too, balanced with each ingredient, and placed in lovely boxes worthy of gifting to others or yourself.

One of Gardena’s longtime izakayas, this virtually hidden restaurant is hugely popular with the after work salary employee crowd, though it’s also a fantastic place to try homestyle Japanese dishes and handmade noodles. And David Chang raves about the eel tempura here, so be sure to try that if it’s on the menu.

Originally hailing from Japan, Red Rock is the jazzy, fancy version of Yoshinoya, with gently roasted, extra tender slices of beef served over rice and covered with savory sesame sauce and dollop of creamy yogurt.

This Gardena restaurant gets raucous on weekend evenings, with people coming for takoyaki, kotteri ramen, and other booze-friendly food. Prices are reasonable and the place stays open late most nights. Don’t mind the karaoke singing — it’s coming from next door.

Inaba is the more upscale offshoot of the Ichimiann empire, and the menu is expansive here. There’s excellent sashimi and sushi, incredible udon and soba noodles, and whole lot more. But the best draw here is the reasonably priced tempura omakase, something of a rarity in LA. Sit at the tempura counter and watch chefs expertly fry bite-sized pieces of fish, vegetables, and meat, all under what one would pay at a similar place in Kyoto.

Torrance’s humble soba and udon factory is a wonderful place for a casual lunch in Old Torrance. The zaru soba is the main draw, but a lot of the soupy cold or hot noodle bowls are excellent too. The texture of the noodles is unbeatable, with a firm bite and gentle buckwheat flavor. Remember, it’s cash only.

This boisterous izakaya in the heart of Torrance serves a lot of office workers looking to escape the drudgery of cubicle life. The place packs in diners every night serving kushiyaki skewers, noodles, grilled dishes, and more in a bustling strip mall space, all at very reasonable prices.

This upscale Japanese restaurant is another place to bring a date or have a dinner meeting in South Bay. The service and ambience are definitely nicer than the strip mall spots. On the menu, the star is the donkatsu, deep fried pork chop sliced and served as a set with vegetables, rice, and a savory sweet sesame sauce. Kagura has a location in El Segundo, plus a more casual takeout/quick service version at the Tokyo Central Market in Gardena.

Boasting a lighter, more healthy broth with plenty of flavor coming from vegetables and the essence of dried sardines and bonito, this standout ramen shop has polished bowls that hold back on the relentless pork fat of other restaurants. However, there’s still amazing pork in the soup, like the tender grilled chashu slices.

Yakitori is one of the best forays into Japanese drinking food, and this tiny strip mall spot checks many of the boxes, with high quality chicken and other meats grilled over binchotan charcoal. Order up some beer, pick up a bunch of skewers, and enjoy a post-work meal the Japanese way.