Sushi Inaba

“**4.7/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨ Inaba Torrance: Quietly One of the South Bay’s Best Japanese Tables** Inaba in Torrance is the rare spot that earns its Michelin Bib Gourmand the old-fashioned way: flawless execution, zero attitude. Tucked in a sleepy strip mall, the understated room feels like a Tokyo neighborhood joint—soft jazz, warm wood, and a sushi case glowing like jewelry 🍣✨. The **sushi** is stupidly good: amberjack with yuzu zest, medium-fatty tuna that dissolves, golden-eyed snapper lightly torched—every piece perfectly seasoned and served at ideal temperature. The **katsudon** ($22) is a masterpiece: Berkshire pork loin fried to golden crunch, draped over sweet-savory egg and onions, sitting on fluffy Koshihikari rice. The **daily soup** (tonight kabocha potage) was silky and deeply comforting, while the **simmered vegetables** (lotus root, taro, carrots) arrived glistening in light dashi—simple, soul-soothing perfection 🥕🍲. Portions are generous yet refined, prices feel almost too fair (omakase starts at $80), and the staff treat you like a regular on day one. Only reason it’s not 5.0? I still haven’t tried the **tempura** (rumored to be feather-light) or the full **kaiseki** tasting—already booked for next month. Michelin usually chases flash, but here they actually got it right. Inaba isn’t loud, trendy, or Instagram-famous; it’s just quietly brilliant. Torrance’s hidden treasure. I’ll be working my way through the rest of the menu for the foreseeable future.”

“Chef Yasu made me miss Japan. This is by far the best sushi restaurant I have been to. The fish was excellent. Everything melted in your mouth. The service was fantastic. This is by far the best sushi in all of Los Angeles. What really made the night special were the "extras": Chef Yasu gave me and my partner red sake, in honor of our anniversary. His sense of humor made the entire room laugh. One particular dish used both a bowl and a cover, both of which had a striped pattern; Yasu would meticulously line them so that they would match. Our waitress would use some free time between our courses to talk to us about Japan and our experiences there. At the end of the night, both of them walked us out. It was like watching an artist work their craft; yet the atmosphere was casual, and we felt very at home. Thank you for making our night!”

“We ordered the Kaiseki dinner set and it was absolutely delicious. They serve a lot of food so make sure you have room! The fish is phenomenal and the noodles and tempura at the end are a big highlight. I can't wait to go back again soon!”

“Kaiseki provides a good variety of tasting dishes. Generally, they're all pretty good. Uni, however, smelled and tasted funny. Overall, I would come back but probably not for the Kaiseki again. Their a la carte menu is decent. For the price, the food is fair.”

“I’ve been coming here for years. Just a little sad that things have gotten so expensive. The food is good quality though. $48 for a chirashi bowl.”