More Maps

20 Exquisite Cookie Destinations in Los Angeles

Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week, December 2023

11 Hot Brunch Spots to Check Out in Los Angeles

More in Los Angeles See more maps

Chicken tsukune skewers from Izakaya Hachi in Torrance on a textured traditional Japanese plate. — Chicken tsukune skewers from Izakaya Hachi in Torrance.

17 Essential South Bay Restaurants

The very best places to dine in Torrance, Gardena, Redondo Beach, Carson, Manhattan Beach, and more

by Matthew Kang@mattatouille Updated Jul 20, 2023, 12:19pm PDT

2 comments / new

View as Map

Chicken tsukune skewers from Izakaya Hachi in Torrance.

| Matthew Kang

by Matthew Kang@mattatouille Updated Jul 20, 2023, 12:19pm PDT

2 comments / new

The South Bay is a massive area incorporating Torrance, Gardena, Carson, Redondo Beach, El Segundo, Hawthorne, Manhattan Beach, San Pedro, and Lomita, among other municipalities. The part of town south of LAX and north of Long Beach feels like its own section of Los Angeles County, with a beachy vibe and cultural diversity apparent in its many neighborhoods. Formerly home to three Japanese car companies, the area still hosts a bevy of excellent Japanese restaurants, and Korean, Brazilian, Hawaiian, and even Oaxacan fare are now highlighted too. Here now are the essential 17 restaurants in the South Bay.

Read More

Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Ali'i Fish Company

Few of this Hawaiian restaurant’s competitors can claim they source their fish straight from the Honolulu fish auction. On top of that, the team behind Ali’i Fish Company dishes up an impressive ahi burger, nostalgic fish nuggets, and a recently added Lomi salmon (available at the Torrance location only).

409 E Grand Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

Visit Website

A bowl of poke in front of a plant. — The poke bowls at Ali’i Fish Company are not to be slept on.

Also featured in:

11 Essential Hawaiian Restaurants to Try in Los Angeles

The Slice & Pint

The South Bay has a lot of pizza shops, but New York City-style pizza fans might find the best version at this busy brewpub, where the kitchen is almost always busy stretching out thin pies loaded with pepperoni, sausage, cheese, and other toppings. With a firm, gently crispy crust that holds its shape after folding, these slices will only taste better paired with a glass of El Segundo Brewing Co. craft beers.

130 W Grand Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Slice & Pint (@thesliceandpint)

Also featured in:

Mr. Fries Man

Craig Batiste and his wife Dorothy started putting incredible, colorful ingredients on french fries in 2016, first served out of their home kitchen and now expanded to multiple locations across Los Angeles and even into Las Vegas. In less than a year, they have more than 20 franchises sold, but it all started here in Gardena. Try the Beyond Meat-loaded fries for a plant-based tray of comfort.

14800 S Western Ave suite 108, Gardena, CA 90249

Visit Website

French fries loaded with cheese, and faux meat. — Loaded fries with Beyond Meat at Mr. Fries Man

Also featured in:

Quality Of Bombay

An unsung Indian restaurant tucked into a nondescript Lawndale strip mall, the butter chicken, palak paneer, dal makhani, and specialty fish curry with coconut milk and lemongrass make for one of the most impressive South Asian meals in the city, let alone the South Bay.

15333 Hawthorne Blvd, Lawndale, CA 90260

Visit Website

Butter chicken at Quality of Bombay in Lawndale. — Butter chicken and other Indian dishes from Quality of Bombay.

Also featured in:

21 Enticing Indian and South Asian Restaurants in Los Angeles

Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop

The longtime Gardena Bowl coffee shop has been a neighborhood destination for breakfast foods and Hawaiian-inflected dishes like wonton saimin and a Royal fried rice plate topped with roast pork. It’s only open for takeout.

15707 S Vermont Ave, Gardena, CA 90247

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Richie Lee (@r_l_dub_e)

Also featured in:

Nando Trattoria

Founded by Sicilian brothers Alessio and Dario Vullo, this Manhattan Beach outpost of their Illinois-based Italian restaurant fits right into the ritzy dining scene scattered around this community. Nando’s specialties include seafood, like langoustines or blue crab and lobster ravioli, and the award-winning chicken Parmesan comes on a platter big enough to feed a party of six. Dario usually mills about the space kissing babies or hugging regulars, making this feel like a true family affair.

1131 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Visit Website

Langoustines from Nando Trattoria on a plate. — Langoustines from Nando Trattoria.

Also featured in:

17 Date-Worthy LA Restaurants That Are Actually Open on Monday Nights

The Arthur J

David LeFevre’s fancy steakhouse sports some serious retro vibes. The steaks here rank among the best in Los Angeles. Exceptional sides and a diverse wine list round out this ocean-side restaurant that is sure to withstand the test of time with its midcentury modern feel and charming old-school service.

903 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA

Visit Website

The Arthur J

Also featured in:

Torimatsu

This tiny Gardena yakitori restaurant serves the Japanese American community with some of the finest grilled chicken skewers in the South Bay. Billowing smoke flows out of the binchotan grill while the chef dips skewers into a tare, or soy-based marinade, that’s been curing and aging for decades. The best part is that most set courses are moderately priced. Just expect to wait during busy meal times.

Open in Google Maps

1425 Artesia Blvd UNIT 17, Gardena, CA 90248

Yakitori skewers from Torimatsu in Gardena on a ceramic plate. — Yakitori skewers from Torimatsu in Gardena.

Also featured in:

The South Bay’s 17 Finest Japanese Restaurants

Sushi Sonagi

Daniel Son’s impressive sushi counter is already executing at a high level, with the Korean American chef dining inspiration in seasonal varieties of fish from both Japan and local waters. The intimate six- or eight-person service means plenty of time to interact with Son and learn his sensibilities and style. The $175 menu, which can be booked up to one month out, comes with about twenty courses, including incredible dry-aged sea bream or tuna, grilled nodoguro encrusted with rice crackers, and a sizzling platter of abalone crispy rice.

Open in Google Maps

1425 Artesia Blvd UNIT 27, Gardena, CA 90248

Visit Website

Tuna nigiri from Sushi Sonagi in Gardena.

Also featured in:

Ryla

Chefs Ray Hayashi and Cynthia Hetlinger are dishing up modern Japanese and Taiwanese fare at perhaps the coolest South Beach opening in 2022. The former Laurel Tavern space now sports a snappy Tokyo-inspired cocktail bar and a menu featuring hits like tonkotsu miso ramen, Chinese sausage-stuffed fried rice, and Hokkaido milk bread.

1220 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Visit Website

Dishes from Ryla in Hermosa Beach.

Also featured in:

Baran's 2239

Take a load off and throw on a dressy outfit for a visit to this Hermosa Beach restaurant. This place dishes out a swanky brunch, dabbling in the likes of maple pork breakfast sausage breakfast burritos, and is known for its prix-fixe menus centered on clams, black truffles, and, lately, dashi.

502 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Visit Website

Baran’s 2239 Exterior

Also featured in:

19 Showstopping Breakfast Burritos in Los Angeles

Madre! Oaxacan Restaurant and Mezcaleria

Ivan Vasquez took his Palms restaurant and planted a massive flagship in Old Torrance, serving his mother’s favorite mole and other Oaxacan dishes with a huge list of mezcales. The locals have figured it out, turning Madre into one of the most reliable Mexican restaurants in the city. Try the mole estofado and tlayuda for the full experience.

Open in Google Maps

1261 Cabrillo Ave #100, Torrance, CA 90501

Visit Website

Entrance to Madre, a Oaxacan restaurant and bar in Torrance. — Madre! in Torrance

Also featured in:

Izakaya Hachi

Torrance has plenty of izakayas and drink-friendly Japanese restaurants, including Wadatsumi and Torihei. Hachi has an impressive menu of after-work Japanese drinking dishes, including pressed saba sushi and grilled chicken skewers.

1880 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90501

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Phanny's

Redondo Beach’s enduring breakfast burrito specialist has an updated coffee menu and fantastic burritos that should provide enough caloric intake for long days at the beach.

1021 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA

Visit Website

Holding breakfast burritos, cut in half. — Holding breakfast burritos from Phanny’s.

Also featured in:

Sweet Wheat

French bakery Sweet Wheat serves one of the most impressive array of pastries, breads, and cafe specialties in the South Bay, with gleaming cakes, intricate desserts, and plush baguettes featured along its wide counter. Friendly service and easy indoor-outdoor seating makes this an ideal weekday or brunch destination.

1430 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Visit Website

For a real Parisian bakery and cafe experience just steps from the beach: Sweet Wheat. — Pastries from Sweet Wheat in Redondo Beach.

The Whale & Ale

Martin O’Sullivan and his wife Susan took over the Whale & Ale down in San Pedro in late 2020 and converted it to an Irish pub soon after. It remains a staple in the neighborhood and is worth a drive for the pub’s standout fish and chips.

327 West 7th Street, San Pedro, CA

Visit Website

The Whale & Ale storefront. — The Whale & Ale.

Also featured in:

Busy Bee Market

There’s almost always a line at this busy sandwich shop in San Pedro, which makes its adorable name and logo fitting. While pretty much everything is impressive, the layered pastrami, Italian torpedoes, and dipped beef sandwiches are some of the shop’s more popular orders. The hardest part is trying to snake through the store without picking up one of Busy Bee’s vast selections of potato chips.

2413 S Walker Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731

Visit Website

A hand holds up a pastrami sandwich that is falling apart. — Pastrami sandwich from Busy Bee in San Pedro.

Also featured in:

Loading comments...

© 2023 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Link copied to the clipboard.

Ali'i Fish Company

409 E Grand Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

Few of this Hawaiian restaurant’s competitors can claim they source their fish straight from the Honolulu fish auction. On top of that, the team behind Ali’i Fish Company dishes up an impressive ahi burger, nostalgic fish nuggets, and a recently added Lomi salmon (available at the Torrance location only).

409 E Grand Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

Visit Website

A bowl of poke in front of a plant. — The poke bowls at Ali’i Fish Company are not to be slept on.

The Slice & Pint

130 W Grand Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

The South Bay has a lot of pizza shops, but New York City-style pizza fans might find the best version at this busy brewpub, where the kitchen is almost always busy stretching out thin pies loaded with pepperoni, sausage, cheese, and other toppings. With a firm, gently crispy crust that holds its shape after folding, these slices will only taste better paired with a glass of El Segundo Brewing Co. craft beers.

130 W Grand Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Slice & Pint (@thesliceandpint)

Mr. Fries Man

14800 S Western Ave suite 108, Gardena, CA 90249

Craig Batiste and his wife Dorothy started putting incredible, colorful ingredients on french fries in 2016, first served out of their home kitchen and now expanded to multiple locations across Los Angeles and even into Las Vegas. In less than a year, they have more than 20 franchises sold, but it all started here in Gardena. Try the Beyond Meat-loaded fries for a plant-based tray of comfort.

14800 S Western Ave suite 108, Gardena, CA 90249

Visit Website

French fries loaded with cheese, and faux meat. — Loaded fries with Beyond Meat at Mr. Fries Man

Quality Of Bombay

15333 Hawthorne Blvd, Lawndale, CA 90260

An unsung Indian restaurant tucked into a nondescript Lawndale strip mall, the butter chicken, palak paneer, dal makhani, and specialty fish curry with coconut milk and lemongrass make for one of the most impressive South Asian meals in the city, let alone the South Bay.

15333 Hawthorne Blvd, Lawndale, CA 90260

Visit Website

Butter chicken at Quality of Bombay in Lawndale. — Butter chicken and other Indian dishes from Quality of Bombay.

Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop

15707 S Vermont Ave, Gardena, CA 90247

The longtime Gardena Bowl coffee shop has been a neighborhood destination for breakfast foods and Hawaiian-inflected dishes like wonton saimin and a Royal fried rice plate topped with roast pork. It’s only open for takeout.

15707 S Vermont Ave, Gardena, CA 90247

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Richie Lee (@r_l_dub_e)

Nando Trattoria

1131 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Founded by Sicilian brothers Alessio and Dario Vullo, this Manhattan Beach outpost of their Illinois-based Italian restaurant fits right into the ritzy dining scene scattered around this community. Nando’s specialties include seafood, like langoustines or blue crab and lobster ravioli, and the award-winning chicken Parmesan comes on a platter big enough to feed a party of six. Dario usually mills about the space kissing babies or hugging regulars, making this feel like a true family affair.

1131 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Visit Website

Langoustines from Nando Trattoria on a plate. — Langoustines from Nando Trattoria.

The Arthur J

903 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA

David LeFevre’s fancy steakhouse sports some serious retro vibes. The steaks here rank among the best in Los Angeles. Exceptional sides and a diverse wine list round out this ocean-side restaurant that is sure to withstand the test of time with its midcentury modern feel and charming old-school service.

903 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA

Visit Website

The Arthur J

Torimatsu

1425 Artesia Blvd UNIT 17, Gardena, CA 90248

This tiny Gardena yakitori restaurant serves the Japanese American community with some of the finest grilled chicken skewers in the South Bay. Billowing smoke flows out of the binchotan grill while the chef dips skewers into a tare, or soy-based marinade, that’s been curing and aging for decades. The best part is that most set courses are moderately priced. Just expect to wait during busy meal times.

Open in Google Maps

1425 Artesia Blvd UNIT 17, Gardena, CA 90248

Yakitori skewers from Torimatsu in Gardena on a ceramic plate. — Yakitori skewers from Torimatsu in Gardena.

Sushi Sonagi

1425 Artesia Blvd UNIT 27, Gardena, CA 90248

Daniel Son’s impressive sushi counter is already executing at a high level, with the Korean American chef dining inspiration in seasonal varieties of fish from both Japan and local waters. The intimate six- or eight-person service means plenty of time to interact with Son and learn his sensibilities and style. The $175 menu, which can be booked up to one month out, comes with about twenty courses, including incredible dry-aged sea bream or tuna, grilled nodoguro encrusted with rice crackers, and a sizzling platter of abalone crispy rice.

Open in Google Maps

1425 Artesia Blvd UNIT 27, Gardena, CA 90248

Visit Website

Tuna nigiri from Sushi Sonagi in Gardena.

Ryla

1220 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Chefs Ray Hayashi and Cynthia Hetlinger are dishing up modern Japanese and Taiwanese fare at perhaps the coolest South Beach opening in 2022. The former Laurel Tavern space now sports a snappy Tokyo-inspired cocktail bar and a menu featuring hits like tonkotsu miso ramen, Chinese sausage-stuffed fried rice, and Hokkaido milk bread.

1220 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Visit Website

Dishes from Ryla in Hermosa Beach.

Baran's 2239

502 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Take a load off and throw on a dressy outfit for a visit to this Hermosa Beach restaurant. This place dishes out a swanky brunch, dabbling in the likes of maple pork breakfast sausage breakfast burritos, and is known for its prix-fixe menus centered on clams, black truffles, and, lately, dashi.

502 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Visit Website

Baran’s 2239 Exterior

Madre! Oaxacan Restaurant and Mezcaleria

1261 Cabrillo Ave #100, Torrance, CA 90501

Ivan Vasquez took his Palms restaurant and planted a massive flagship in Old Torrance, serving his mother’s favorite mole and other Oaxacan dishes with a huge list of mezcales. The locals have figured it out, turning Madre into one of the most reliable Mexican restaurants in the city. Try the mole estofado and tlayuda for the full experience.

Open in Google Maps

1261 Cabrillo Ave #100, Torrance, CA 90501

Visit Website

Entrance to Madre, a Oaxacan restaurant and bar in Torrance. — Madre! in Torrance

Izakaya Hachi

1880 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90501

Torrance has plenty of izakayas and drink-friendly Japanese restaurants, including Wadatsumi and Torihei. Hachi has an impressive menu of after-work Japanese drinking dishes, including pressed saba sushi and grilled chicken skewers.

1880 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90501

Visit Website

Phanny's

1021 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA

Redondo Beach’s enduring breakfast burrito specialist has an updated coffee menu and fantastic burritos that should provide enough caloric intake for long days at the beach.

1021 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA

Visit Website

Holding breakfast burritos, cut in half. — Holding breakfast burritos from Phanny’s.

Sweet Wheat

1430 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

French bakery Sweet Wheat serves one of the most impressive array of pastries, breads, and cafe specialties in the South Bay, with gleaming cakes, intricate desserts, and plush baguettes featured along its wide counter. Friendly service and easy indoor-outdoor seating makes this an ideal weekday or brunch destination.

1430 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Visit Website

For a real Parisian bakery and cafe experience just steps from the beach: Sweet Wheat. — Pastries from Sweet Wheat in Redondo Beach.

Related Maps

The Whale & Ale

327 West 7th Street, San Pedro, CA

Martin O’Sullivan and his wife Susan took over the Whale & Ale down in San Pedro in late 2020 and converted it to an Irish pub soon after. It remains a staple in the neighborhood and is worth a drive for the pub’s standout fish and chips.

327 West 7th Street, San Pedro, CA

Visit Website

The Whale & Ale storefront. — The Whale & Ale.

Busy Bee Market

2413 S Walker Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731

There’s almost always a line at this busy sandwich shop in San Pedro, which makes its adorable name and logo fitting. While pretty much everything is impressive, the layered pastrami, Italian torpedoes, and dipped beef sandwiches are some of the shop’s more popular orders. The hardest part is trying to snake through the store without picking up one of Busy Bee’s vast selections of potato chips.

2413 S Walker Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731

Visit Website

A hand holds up a pastrami sandwich that is falling apart. — Pastrami sandwich from Busy Bee in San Pedro.

Related Maps