Diners' Choice: Japanese restaurants in Westside

OpenTable

Updated 05 January 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Japanese cuisine in Westside? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyses more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favourites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Manpuku Japanese BBQ Dining Los Angeles/Sawtelle

4.8

4.8 (255)

$50 and over

Japanese

West Los Angeles

About the restaurant

Traditional Japanese style BBQ Dining from Tokyo Japan.

Manpuku, which means “to be happy with a full stomach” in Japanese, opened its doors to hungry customers in Tokyo more than 60 years ago.

Reservation policy*
We will hold your reservation for 15 min.
Your reservation will be automatically canceled if you do not arrive in the time allotted.

Top review

Christopher

Dined on 20 Dec 2024

Restaurant always delivers good quality decent service speed

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ - Los Angeles, CA | West LA

4.8

4.8 (227)

$31 to $50

Japanese

West Los Angeles

About the restaurant

Founded in Tokyo in 1996, Gyu-Kaku has become the world’s #1 Japanese BBQ brand! Thanks to our devoted fans we have reached over 700 locations worldwide. Each day, hundreds of thousands of people gather around the table-top smokeless grill, a centerpiece of our dining concept, enjoying selections of premium meats, just off the grill, and other freshly prepared foods from our kitchens, inspiring laughter, conversation, and a magical dining experience.

Our authentic yakiniku (grilled barbeque) dining experience crowns you the chef. Share a variety of delicious appetizers and premium cooked meats over a flaming grill, paired with Japanese sake, frosty cold beers, or other alcoholic and non-alcoholic options of your choice. We're the perfect spot to enjoy time with friends and family, organize an office party, or to spend quality time with your significant other!

Before you go, don't forget to taste our best-seller Harami Skirt Steak or Prime Kalbi Short Rib among other must-try dishes!

Top review

Erica

Dined on 27 Dec 2024

We always LOVE Gyu Kaku West LA. Cozy, packed, neighborhood feel. Great food that never misses. Staff are wonderful.

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Experience

Prix-Fixe BBQ Courses for Everyone: Starting at...

Shirube

4.8

4.8 (163)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

The first ever Shirube was established in Tokyo, in 1968, by Takashi Uno, who quickly earned the nickname 'God Father of Izakaya'. Since then, it has become a business passed down from father to sons, who have grown Shirube to 12 locations all over Japan. Kodai and Yudai Uno have brought Shirube to Santa Monica, for its first ever U.S location. We are a traditional, Japanese Izakaya centered around quality food and amazing customer service. Our signature dishes of Sashimi Mori, Aburi Shime Saba, Corn Ribs, and Mentaiko Udon, are rapidly winning the hearts of all who give them a try. Our ever growing cocktail menu, has a blend of sake and shochu based beverages to delight the senses and offer a unique and memorable take on your favorite drinks. The interior is moody and carefully cultivated to give a cozy, intimate feeling to our diners.

Top review

lester

Dined 1 day ago

really good neighborhood japanese food and excellent service.

Asuka

4.7

4.7 (224)

$50 and over

Japanese

Westwood

About the restaurant

We adhere to the craftsmanship of traditional Japanese cuisine. Chef Kenkichi Yamamoto handpicks the freshest ingredients of the season, using them to inspire the creation of all his dishes. Our kaiseki prix fixe menu has traditional Japanese flavors mixed with french elements featuring shun (seasonal) ingredients. The 9 courses range from the chef's interpretation of sashimi to unique steamed, boiled and grilled dishes. We have seasonal fish and fish offerings traditionally found in Japanese cuisine as well as other dishes to order a la carte. The menu is set for you to experience a dinning experience like no other. Feast with your eyes and stomach! Enjoy!

Top review

LenoreVIP

Dined on 27 Dec 2024

The food is always delicious and the service is always great as well.

Katsuya & SBar – Brentwood – SBE

4.6

4.6 (2156)

$50 and over

Japanese

Brentwood

About the restaurant

Katsuya Brentwood was named one of Travel + Leisure's "Best New Restaurants," and continues to garner acclaim as one of OpenTable's "50 Hottest Restaurants in the U.S." and the Los Angeles Times Readers' Choice "Best Sushi Restaurant" in Southern California.

Featuring the dynamic pairing of Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi and design impresario Philippe Starck, Katsuya is a feast for the senses. With specialty cocktails, unique rolls, spectacular sushi & sashimi platters, Chef Katsuya skillfully translates Japanese flavors to the American palate.

Join us at S Bar, our connected sister lounge, for weekend DJ, craft cocktails & ice cold sake before or after dinner. Walk ins only. (Call Katsuya for current hours)

Large groups (9-12) are subject to an $100 food and beverage min spend per adult guest, previous to tax & gratuity. Cakes permitted for celebratory desserts, at per person cake fee$5/guest. Email KatsuyaBrentwood@sbe.com for inquiries.

Top review

RINAVIP

Dined 3 days ago

We were greeted very nicely and seated right away. Loved the flame on the yummy upgraded Burning Mandarin cocktail! Lychee elixir (non-alcoholic) was delicious as well. As always all dishes were outstanding starting with crunchy Brussels sprouts, spicy tuna on crispy rice, crab hand rolls, yellowtail sashimi and Katsuya roll. Chocolate lava cake was a hot for dessert. Top notch service throughout, can’t wait to go back!

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Popular dish

Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

Sushi Roku - Santa Monica

4.7

4.7 (1143)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Sushi Roku combines the finest, freshest fish from pristine waters around the globe with the kind of artistry that can only be provided by a mature sushi chef ensuring superlative traditional sushi, together with a splash of California innovation. Sushi Roku is a pioneer of contemporary sushi, incorporating diverse, non-traditional ingredients from Latin America (e.g. jalapeños) and Europe (e.g. olive oil) into its edible works of art. This unique culinary experience that bridges past and present is the result of an eagerness to embrace new ideas and a profound respect for tradition. Sushi Roku’s bold and diverse menu also offers an array of hot and cold specialty appetizers and an extensive selection of exotic entrées. Delivery Available through ChowNow.

RobataBar, located behind Sushi Roku features robatayaki style skewers, tapas style sashimi dishes, and sushi.

Top review

DolphinVIP

Dined on 27 Dec 2024

We have our teacher get togethers at Sushi Roku periodically and the assistant GM Grant Schrodetzki took good care of us. We also had desserts for the first time and their chocolate fondant with ice cream was amazing as well as the flaming cheesecake surrounded by cotton candy. A fabulous show! In addition to their good sushi

UO NIGIRI

4.5

4.5 (5)

$50 and over

Japanese

Marina del Rey

About the restaurant

Casual Style Omakase Sushi Dinning.
Market Fresh Sushi, Within reach.

Top review

Andrew

Dined on 14 Dec 2024

Great quality of fish! Small hole in the wall spot with great value.

Kappo Miyabi Santa Monica

4.5

4.5 (69)

$50 and over

Japanese

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Kappo (かっぽう / 割烹) means cooking food with knives and fire. In simple Japanese terms, means cutting, chopping and cooking food with knife, and so on. And means boiling, cooking food with fire. So the combination of these two Japanese characters are a different expression of cooking with a knife and fire. Kappo is a dish that is improvised by the customer's order and can be enjoyed at the counter or at the table just in front of the kitchen without much formality. From now on, Kappo will be held in Miyabi restaurant, Santa Monica. Miyabi (雅) is one of the traditional Japanese aesthetic ideals, meaning "elegance," "graceful" and "courtliness". There are a lot of complexities of Japanese cuisine, including not only food, but also visitors, music, and order of food. So, there is a burden because of the needlessly cumbersome, expensive, and unnecessary formalities, and we focus on foods that are only used to show off the cooking skills of the chefs and customers.

Top review

Martha

Dined 5 days ago

Very good food, everything tastes great. Food is freshly made and came out quick as we went during downtime. This little gem never disappoints! Must try!

Kiitsu

4.5

4.5 (143)

$50 and over

Japanese

Brentwood

About the restaurant

Step inside the warm glow of Imari's hand-made oak interior and feel transported by an ever-evolving menu under the culinary direction of world-renowned Chef Derek Wilcox of 3-Michelin-starred Kikunoi (Kyoto) and Shoji (NYC).

Here you can discover Washoku — a celebration of Japanese culture through traditional dishes, in harmony with the seasons, and local ingredients. With gracious hospitality and presented on shareable plates, Imari stays true to culture by sourcing the finest and freshest ingredients available.

Top review

Jhoanna

Dined 2 days ago

Great food and service. We got the omakase happy hour special for $45. The selection was excellent.

Benihana - Santa Monica, CA

3.9

3.9 (4114)

$30 and under

Japanese

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Welcome to Benihana, a dining experience unlike any other! Our guests are seated at communal tables in groups, where your personal chef will perform the ancient art of Teppanyaki. Watch as we slice and dice, preparing a meal that will dazzle your eyes as well taste buds, whether you choose mouth-watering steak, tender chicken or succulent seafood. You can also enjoy sushi prepared by a talented sushi chef and indulge in a specialty cocktail.

Top review

Kareem

Dined on 26 Dec 2024

It was a great experience. We went for Christmas dinner and it was very packed. Unfortunately, reservations were for 8 we started eating 9:45 / 10 . Food quality was great and made up for the wait

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