Sushi! Raw fish! The artful bite! These are the kind of things that someone who doesn’t crave sushi and, more importantly, doesn’t have a menu to distract them, will say as you mouth expletives at a chef’s knife work and occasionally point to the heavens. This is why it’s always important when seeking sushi to choose somewhere that 1) serves transcendent fish and 2) has enough counter seats to allow you to melodramatically walk off if need be.
Sushi Chitose
$$$ | (310) 316-6268 | WEBSITE
Sushi Chitose is a Redondo Beach sushi bar that sits among the city’s best dining spots, and it’s definitely the refined elder sibling with a quiet confidence in its craft. Perfect strangers share their omakase discoveries with you at the counter, plates of nigiri are presented with precision, and there’s a focused energy around the chef’s station where every slice tells a story.
If you’re here to dine, secure one of the coveted sushi bar seats where you can experience the $75 omakase menu in intimate detail.
Asaka Sushi and Grill
$$ | (310) 373-5999 | WEBSITE
If you’re looking to escape the typical sushi bar experience but still want to enjoy fresh fish then heading to Redondo Beach is a savvy idea. The restaurants that make up the coastal strip are all seafood and flavor focused and Asaka, with its creative rolls and healthy options, is an ideal set-up for a date night or casual dinner. Settle in, let whoever isn’t interested in the jalapeño appetizers settle down with a bento box (a complete meal with sushi, tempura, and salad), and get involved.
King Plus Shabu Shabu
$$ | (310) 374-2351 | WEBSITE
There’s a lot to like about this Redondo Beach spot, not least because the spicy miso broth is up there with the most irresistible in California. Combining this rich broth with the high-quality Wagu steak and a seat in the spacious restaurant’s quiet, cozy corner makes it one of the more satisfying shabu shabu experiences in Redondo Beach.
That peaceful atmosphere comes complete with beautiful plating and a focus on fresh, delicious options like the impressively fresh seafood and deep, balanced tonkotsu broth.
Hoka Hoka Sushi
$$ | (310) 316-7850 | WEBSITE
Finding a sushi spot in Redondo Beach with quality and value that isn’t straight from the freezer section is no mean feat, but Hoka Hoka Sushi fulfills both of these wants superbly. The Southbay restaurant has a handful of happy hour deals around its low-key bar and is a fine place to pitch up. If you do nab a seat during happy hour, then you’ll more than likely do some serious damage to the menu.
There are Double Double Rolls and Baked Salmon Rolls for a quick bite and there are all manner of teriyaki and noodle classics on the full menu.
Lotus Chinese Restaurant
$$ | (310) 921-8650 | WEBSITE
Fried rice, Mongolian beef, and cream cheese wontons. Lotus Chinese Restaurant is the only place where you’re going to find all three. And even if you’re not looking for any of these things, you should still be coming to this Redondo Beach spot. Not because of the lunch specials or the clean dining room either, but because it’s one of the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Even if you circle for parking, you can’t lose at Lotus. Not with beef and broccoli this good.
Flyin Fin Sushi and Seafood
$$ | (310) 373-3718 | WEBSITE
At Flyin Fin, it doesn’t matter if you’re craving something classic, because there’s always a creative twist just a bite or two away. Tired of the same old California roll? Shift your chopsticks an inch and try the Top Secret Roll. Almost every inch of the vibrant indoor bar area is taken up by chatter and laughter. There’s even seating spilling out onto the street.
The whole place is from the people who understand fresh seafood, so you can always enjoy the lively atmosphere and gorge on salmon collar and yellowfin collar.
Kurisaki
$$$$ | (310) 540-5555 | WEBSITE
Technically a sushi bar, but more often a date-night destination, Kurisaki is a popular Redondo Beach spot best-known for its authentic Japanese preparations. That’s an excellent choice for intimate dining and unhurried conversation, but the sushi counter is where all the action is (and also where the omakase nigiri is served). It’s fresh and focused: California rolls with real crab, spicy tuna crispy rice, and mainstream sushi items.
Be prepared: it’s very popular for reservations and small parties.
South Bay Rice Things
$ | (310) 214-9033 | WEBSITE
Unless you’re strictly avoiding Japanese food or rice, you’ll more than likely have heard about South Bay Rice Things’ spot in Redondo Beach. This place has become sacred turf for katsu lovers and anyone who craves generous portions of crispy pork or chicken katsu, tender hamburger steak, and the standout salmon skin roll that’s considered one of the best in the area.
As well as serving some of South Bay’s most satisfying Japanese-inspired dishes, South Bay Rice Things is also just a straightforward local restaurant. There’s friendly service from the lady at the front counter, there’s reasonable pricing, and there’s a welcoming atmosphere that feels like eating at uncle and auntie’s house. But come hungry.
Yanagi Kitchen – Redondo Beach
$$ | (310) 372-6500 | WEBSITE
Yanagi Kitchen doesn’t offer much in the way of cooked entrees—spicy tuna fried rice aside—but only the most devoted regulars will know that this sushi bar and neighborhood gem along the Redondo Beach coastline is more than happy for you to order out. There are delivery service menus on the counter, great specials are always running, and the half and half hand roll with spicy tuna and tempura shrimp is just a quick call away.
It’s virtually impossible to find a seat without a view of the chefs at work; this is the kind of spot with more fresh fish than counter space.
Japonica Redondo Beach
$$ | (424) 404-6509 | WEBSITE
A sushi bar with some of the freshest fish and most memorable rolls in Redondo Beach. If you’re looking for authentic Japanese flavors around the South Bay, then Japonica is where you should be heading. The menu features tempting options like the White Lightning roll, carpaccio trio, and gyozas, and they’re known for their smoked soy sauce (made by the owner’s wife).
So whether or not everyone in your group is craving sushi, everyone will be interested in shrimp tempura, pork and ginger noodles, and mochie ice cream.
Oriental Breeze
$$ | (310) 379-6511 | WEBSITE
Part laid-back family spot and part brilliant sushi bar, Oriental Breeze is a go-to destination for a combination of ocean views and food. The main dining room of this Redondo Beach restaurant is reassuringly chill: full of simple decor, welcoming staff, and the sense of relaxation and casual enjoyment that only sunset views and kid-friendly vibes can bring. The menu meanwhile, well that’s a different story.
It’s full of varied and delicious Japanese dishes in an unpretentious, comfortable atmosphere.
Miyoda Restaurant
$$ | (310) 376-1081 | WEBSITE
Miyoda Restaurant is a popular sushi bar in Redondo Beach that marries the surprisingly hard to find combination of being both a destination restaurant and a casual neighborhood spot. The cozy dining room is usually full of the young and the not-so-young enjoying fresh sushi and classic Japanese dishes like sashimi plates or soft shell crab appetizers. And the menu features an excellent (and often very creative) selection of hand rolls as well as simpler options in the lunch specials.