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Kanpachi
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
1425 W Artesia BlvdSte 27
Gardena, CA 90248
(310) 515-1391
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
105 reviews for Kanpachi
Review Highlights
"I usually go with omakase, but don't go overboard."
(in 44 reviews)
"Chawan Mushi: it had shrimp and mushroom."
(in 14 reviews)
"The ice cream was delicious, very creamy."
(in 23 reviews)
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105 reviews in English
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Review from Kazu O.
12/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Say what? I haven't written a review for this place?
This is THE best sushi spot in LA. I used to come here all the time when I was younger with Sushi Nazi Senior. (Yes, my dad). He was as picky as they came when it came to sushi... many many years ago, he used to make weekly trips down from LA to San Diego to get sushi because he could not find sushi that lived up to his standards in LA. Then... Kanpachi opened and all was well.
Super fresh, high quality fish, and skillfully packed rice. The perfect sushi is at Kanpachi!
Pro tip- I think the quality of the fish pieces that you get is 10x better when you order sushi a la carte. If you order the omakase, you only get regular ol' boring, not-so-great pieces of fish. -
Review from Teresa C.
San Gabriel, CA
11/29/2011
Yummy yummy yummy, I got sushi in my tummy!
$33 for omakase, totally perfect for when you're craving sushi after work and too lazy to cook. We got lost on the way here since someone posted the wrong city on yelp...it's Gardena guys, not Redondo Beach. After calling the restaurant, we managed to get here hungry and in need of fish. We were so hungry we accidentally walked into the yakitori restaurant next door in our rush to get in. Remember, fish to the right, cow to the left.
The chef cuts and slices away, serving your nigiri on a large banana leaf. Food is decent and really, for the price, you can't complain too much. Everything tasted fresh at least! We did add on two extra pieces each to fill up. The steamed egg (chawan mushi) was served hot and (fluffy?).
The ice cream was delicious, very creamy. I was surprised at how empty the place was on a Wednesday night. If I was in the mood for a preset sushi meal in the area, Kanpachi is on my list for sure. -
Review from Kris S.
Los Angeles, CA
11/16/2011 1 photo
My husband has been frequenting Kanpachi Sushi Restaurant for the past 15-20 years and this past weekend, I had an opportunity to dine there with him.
Our favorite sushi restaurant, Hakone is now under new ownership and we are in search of a new favorite sushi place. Kanpachi was smaller than Hakone but we were impressed with how clean it was and how efficient the service was.
We arrived at 5:30 PM on Sunday just as the restaurant opened and were quickly seated. There were already two families seated at the counter so we opted for a booth. We ordered the omakase since it was recommended by fellow Yelpers. It was a good deal, we enjoyed an entire platter of nigiri sushi along with miso soup and chawan mushi. For dessert I chose the kuro goma ice cream while the hubs ordered the azuki bean ice cream. The food was fresh and delicious although I thought the sushi was a bit smaller than what we are used to. The fish was sliced very thin and there wasn't much rice. After dining at Hakone for the past 5 years and frequenting sushi restaurants in Japan, Kanpachi was a bit of a letdown.
We would recommend the omakase if you do chose to dine at Kanpachi as it is a very good deal. The food is as authentic as it gets and reasonably priced. I suppose we are a bit spoiled by our past experiences and demand a little more from true Japanese sushi resturants. -
Review from Tony Y.
Torrance, CA
2/9/2012
Kanpachi has the best lunch for the best price available. I usually order number 3, it is a Chirashi. Chirashi means there are different slices of fish on top of the rice. Number 3 includes uni, and it Kanpachi are not stingy with their fish. The slices are thick and tasty. It also comes with miso soup. Please DO NOT ASK FOR SPOON, :D
Sitting at the bar and watch the skillful chefs preparing the fish is an art by itself. Will always come back. -
Review from julie o.
Irvine, CA
11/11/2011
We tried the $35 omakase, which includes more nigiri than I can eat by myself, chawanmushi (savory steamed egg custard), miso soup, and ice cream (goma, matcha, or azuki flavor).
For that price, Kanpachi is amazing. Overall, Kanpachi is less expensive, has fresher fish, and has overall better taste than Ikko.
Rumors of the sushi nazi was intimidating, though when I went all of the sushi chefs were quite friendly and called, "Come again," as we left.Listed in: For My Mother
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Review from Michael F.
Torrance, CA
12/6/2011
I feel like I have lost a family member. I have been going to Kanpachi for 15+ years and always had great sushi. The fish was great, warm tasty rice and great service.
Now Kido-san has semi-retired and it shows. The fish is average, the rice is cold and no flavor. The worst part is the service sucks.
There are lots of little changes that now make this an average sushi bar. Real fresh grated wasabi use to be standard, not it is the dried stuff. The fish is now smaller portions and not as good. The ponzu sauce in the past was delicious, now it is missing.
Like I said, I feel like a family member has died. -
Review from Sophia Leilani U.
Maui, HI
1/13/2012 3 Check-ins Here
be prepared to put a dent in your wallet. it's expensive, but expensively good. i only go here for the lunch special. ;D cheap.
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Review from Lisa J.
Los Angeles, CA
9/5/2011
My family and I have been coming here for years. It is a small and quaint little sushi shop with pleasant and prompt staff. We always sit at the bar with the head chef and get the omakase ($34). It comes with miso soup, chawan mushi, and dessert. The fish is good quality and the authentic and the amount of food is just right.
One of the best things here is the Yawaraka Tako (soft boiled octopus). The chef prepares it himself and it is truly amazing. Usually octopus is chewy and/or hard, but this tako is soft and melts in your mouth. I don't know how he does it and you can't find it anywhere else. It comes with a salt and katsuobushi (bonito flake) dip and it is perfection!
The staff is always very nice and gracious. I came here with 4 girl friends the other night and we sat in the tatami room and the chef brought by some home made tsukemono (various pickles) as courtesy. This place is definitely a gem in the South Bay and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an authentic sushi place with a small-town feel. -
Review from Andrea G.
Norwalk, CA
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice little restaurant tucked away in a strip mall. The waitstaff is nice and prompt. The place is clean and they give warm cloths to "wash" your hands. The chefs are Japanese and so are the patrons (at least when I went in) and the fish is fresh.
I ordered a sashimi plate which had about 2 pieces of 5 different selections, 2 hot sakes, a glass of wine and 3 rolls. The rolls were a little different, smaller in size and came in 6 bite sized pieces. The sashimi was soft and buttery and the miso soup was REALLY good! Not typical, but AUTHENTIC!
The prices are a little high. I mean, I've eaten sushi at many different places and I just felt like the prices were steep for what I got. The bill came out to a little over $100 (not incl tip) for what I ordered above.
Would I come here again? Maybe. The prices are kinda steep for my pocket book to come once a week (which is how often I need a sushi fix) but I would go back if someone else was buying!! -
Review from Penn T.
El Segundo, CA
Updated - 5/16/2011 6 Check-ins Here
This has been my consistent go-to sushi place now for the past few months and it just gets better and better, probably because I know most of the chefs now and well, it doesn't hurt to buy them some beer every time I'm at the sushi bar. Hell, they just always look so thirsty... hehe.
So at this point, since I am a regular here, I pretty much know what to order that isn't really on the menu or most places don't offer. The salt water eel is a must have. Ask him to prepare it with the sea salt and you'll discover a whole new world to eel. If you like fresh water eel, you'll LOVE the salt water eel even more.
Another special we had last night was the amber-jack (which I'd had before) but he layered it with so many different things that the flavor had so much depth. It was sweet, it was salty, it was minty...
The rest of the selection is always fresh and if you're adventurous, just ask the chef to prepare specials for you. You won't be disappointed.
Oh but it does get a little pricey so as long as you're okay with that, you'll enjoy this place immensely.
Sidenote, only eat here if they have room at the sushi bar. While dining at a table is good, you just don't get the full experience.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/17/2009
Had the chef's choice for sushi tonight. All of the selection was very fresh. Especially the… Read more »
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Review from sam P.
Perris, CA
5/29/2011
This is a great little restaurant
The place is a little small but the fish is fresh and the sushi is great!
Great fun service and experience!
Nice warm cloths to clean your hands.
I've been here numerous times and its consistently a great experience. MUST GO! -
Review from Sindie Y.
Los Angeles, CA
I thought Sen Nari Sushi was good.... this place is even better. I've been there @ the sushi bar twice already and I really like it. The last time I was there, the sushi chef prepared my sushi differently; meaning, two pieces of sushi (same fish) different way of preparing them (he was very creative and I really like it) the same fish, but taste completely different... wow...
Listed in: Best Sushi Place, Best Chirashi
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/23/2011
First time here... a small place, sushi bar and three tables, the service was very good; I was… Read more »
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Review from Richard E.
Torrance, CA
4/13/2011
This place is good, and you pay for it too.
The sushi seems fresh. the servers are nice. professional.
the place is fine. nothing fancy.
the bad thing about this place is the price! ouch! -
Review from Min T.
2/2/2011
I went here last night with a favorite girl friend and we got the $35.00 Omakase each. There were 16 different types of sushi, and they were all good. The selection is good, the red snapper was yummy, the shrimp was very creamy, the uni and salmon roe were yummy, and the other fish selections were good. Pretty fresh. Honestly not the absolute best fish but there was so much fish and variety, I was totally satisfied. I picked the fish off the rice because there was so much food, I couldn't have finished if I ate the rice too. The miso soup and the egg custard thing was really good too, and they kept our water and tea filled without fail. Finished with ice cream and I was stuffed.
Ok but the reason this place gets 5 stars and not 4 is because they have $10 corkage! They were really cool about it too. I love places that do corkage!!! -
Review from Dan P.
2/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
The omakase for $35 is a great deal. It includes about 14 pieces of sushi + chawa mushi + miso soup + ice cream.
The sushi was fairly typical in terms of variety but included a few good items in there. I remember tuna, zuke (tuna marinated in soy), uni, amaebi, squid, salmon eggs, red snapper, anago, halibut, etc.
Overall, it was a good value for the quality.
The restaurant is very small and although the table seats 4, it's still a bit tight. The sushi bar is nice and the 2 chefs are cool.
There is a lot of rice in each piece so you will leave pretty full.
I liked the amaebi and uni the best. Rather than frying the shrimp heads, they include them in the miso soup. -
Review from Tobi L.
Los Angeles, CA
3/15/2011 7 photos
Met the owner the last time we were there. We did the omekase, about $35/person. He was educating us oh how to really eat sushi. You are suppose to eat with your hand because they can pack the rice more loosely if using hand(better taste). Dip fish side first onto sauce. And always put the whole sushi in your mouth with one bite. Don't split the sushi in half with your teeth. You ruin the experience that way. If your mouth is not big enough, ask the sushi chef to cut the sushi piece in half.
We asked him what was his favorite sushi. He said mackerel and he made one for us on the house. He seared the outside of it lightly and put some sauce on it. It was delicious.
What I recommend, first of all, ask to sit at the sushi bar and ask for the owner. He was very entertaining and loves to educate his customers. And order hot sake to eat with sushi. Hot sake is pretty cheap and tasty. That small little bottle will give you a good buzz..
Sushi was great, service was great,. Ambiance was small, cute, clean, a typical sushi restaurant. -
Review from Nilo M.
Cerritos, CA
3/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
So I've been looking for a new sushi joint since the one by my place closed down. This place fit the bill.
Japanes sushi chefs...sorry but this actually pretty hard to find these days.
Japanese service. These guys are on top of that. My gf had her tea filled 3 times.
Fish: very fresh. Try the omikase if your want to splurge. For a dinner of two I'm usually at the 100 dollar mark.
There toro is slice perfect, they have both yellowtail belly and bluefin tuna belly. They also have Amberjack which is pretty hard to find these days. Finally they have red snapper that is red snapper. All were fresh and awesome. Oh they have fish collars - YT salmon and tuna.
Finally here is one thing that is difficult to find. REAL wasabi root. It puts the powdered stuff to shame. They are all friendly here and prepare your sushi, sashimi or rolls pretty quickly. Presentation is spot on too.
I'm trying to become a regular here because this place really treats their returning customers great. During Christmas they gave a bottle of special sake to their closest customers. Also you can bring in your own sake as long as you ask. -
Review from Sam S.
Cerritos, CA
3/26/2011 1 photo
Boy am I glad I passed on some other sushi place for this one. Actual Japanese people working at a Japanese restaurant? No way! WAY! There were like 4 old Japanese workers greeting my friend and I as we walked in and the ambiance was quite nice. My friend got the omakase set for $35 and I ordered a buncha rolls from salmon, yellowtail, eel, scallop, tuna, sweet shrimp and toro. You only get 2 pieces for the most part.
The food was real good. Most non-Japanese run sushi places put a little dab of wasabi on their rolls. Only when I was in Japan did they actually do this as it's normal for them to do.
We shared the rolls as my friend wasn't so willing to try the uni, baby octopus, squid and clam. I ended up eating some of the not so usual rolls he eats and they weren't that bad.
The only downside to the omakase set would be the dessert. But it's dessert you say? Yes well ice cream is always nice but the amount they give you is a child's scoop. I'm glad I didn't order any.
Overall though this place was nice to enjoy a meal as the noise level was tolerable. All the staff here are very friendly and although the prices are a bit expensive. Still I would definitely return to this place for some awesome sushi and friendly staff. Thanks for making my dining experience worthwhile! -
Review from Val B.
Torrance, CA
8/29/2011
Kinda intimidating, pretty authentic, absolutely delish. Good to do some studying before you go if you are going to sit at the counter. Pricey, but worth it. Great service.
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Review from Kentaro R.
Westminster, CA
1/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Customer service: 5/5
There's only one lady who serves you here besides the 3 sushi chefs working the counter. But the place is so small that she can manage it, and keep an eye on all the customers in case they need anything. No complaints.
Food: 4/5
The first time I went was better. I guess this time the fish wasn't as fresh. But their salmon was as good as ever. Last time I went I felt the kohada and hamachi bara was much better. Also this time the ikura was only average at best. That being said, this is the only place I know that serves sazae no tsuboyaki, and does this cool pouring sake in the sazae shell to drink the sake/sazae juice/sauce combo.
It's a good neat little very small sushi place. Sorta feels exclusive it's so small. The food is great when it's fresh. Still prefer Shibucho in costa mesa a bit more though. -
Review from E L.
Hermosa Beach, CA
1/2/2011
So I have eaten here, Sen Nari, Miura, Hirose, Kantaro, Chitose and other places in South Bay enough to say that, for less than $40, this place runs away with the best QPR (quality-price ratio) of all sushi joints south of 105.
Their omakase set for $35 gives you 14 pieces of GOOD NIGIRI (not just filler maguro or tai, but you get toro, awabi, uni, amaebi and sometimes mirugai) plus you get a real good chawanmushi, miso soup and ice cream. Love their chawanmushi with yuzu. Sometimes they give out free tsukemono too.
Sushi Zo this is not, but this place delivers, bang for the buck, time after time. -
Review from Jennifer S.
Cerritos, CA
1/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
The FRESHEST sushi you will ever eat. My family and I went to celebrate my mom's 50th birthday at Kanpachi after my dad heard about this place from a coworker who could not stop raving about it.
Kanpachi is an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant. It is extremely small so large groups are not recommended. The restaurant has an ambiance that I can't really put into words - you feel like you are really eating in a restaurant in Japan with the workers there only speaking in Japanese.
The sushi is absolutely amazing. If this place wasn't so far from my house, I would come here every day. I had the yellowtail sushi, which is my go-to sushi dish, and it was the most delicious yellowtail I have ever had. The salmon was just as delicious, and the fatty tuna was unlike any sushi I had ever tasted.
I cannot stress enough just how amazing this place really is. The best sushi you will ever taste. You MUST eat here. -
Review from Yen S.
Los Angeles, CA
11/11/2010
Was looking for a nice Japanese place in Gardena to take a friend for her birthday dinner and luckily came across Kanpachi in Yelp! Now I've been led astray by some Yelpers in the past when it came to sushi so I tried to keep my expectations to a minimum.
As everybody mentioned, Kanpachi is a very small place, not good for groups, but great for a dinner for 2-4. I was seated right away even though my friend was running late and got a cup of green tea and a hot paper towel (the kind that comes in individually wrapped packages). The waitress was very friendly and the rest of the staff was also very attentive. As soon as my friend came in, someone brought over a cup of green tea immediately.
I was surprised at how reasonably priced the omakase was - $33.50 - and decided to splurge for the evening. Considering how much some omakase meals can be, I thought I was getting a pretty decent deal. The meal came with a miso soup, steamed omelette, 14 pieces of nigiri, and ice cream.
The miso soup had a delicious flavor to it and came with a shrimp head. The shrimp definitely added a deeper flavor to the miso soup. The steamed omelette was very light and silky - I thought it was almost soft tofu like. The omelette came with pieces of mushroom and a piece of white fish.
When the nigiri came out I was so excited. The variety of fresh fish is beyond what I can even name. It was not the typical salmon and tuna nigiri. Everything was so fresh and light that I was actually surprised at the fact that I could eat the entire order (well, almost, I left the shrimp cuz I did get a little full). I enjoyed the black caviar with quail egg, uni, and salmon roe, as well as the variety of fish. I'll try to upload a photo in the next couple of days so you can see the nigiri.
The night ended with a small scoop of ice cream. I got the green tea while my friend got the sesame. It was a sweet ending to a delicious dinner.
If I want to have a special sushi dinner for a reasonable price, I would definitely come here again. Good parking, reasonable pricing, good service, and delicious food. -
Review from Melannie T.
Pasadena, CA
1/12/2011
Omakase for an excellent deal! Can't beat $35!!!
Will definitely come back to fulfill my sushi cravings.
Authentic Japanese Sushi Restaurant. -
Review from Maggie C.
4/11/2010 6 photos
$33 Omakase for 14 pieces of nigiri, miso soup, chawan mushi and ice cream.
Miso soup: there was a piece of shrimp head in the soup. Me like that. 3.5 stars.
Chawan Mushi: it had shrimp and mushroom. 3.5 stars.
The sushi I liked that night: amaebi, octopus and mackerel. I don't usually like those 3 so I was pleasantly surprised. 4 stars.
Sushi I didn't like that night: Uni. I am a fan of uni. This uni was not sweet and it smelled like tap water. 2 stars.
Everything else: 3.5 stars.
You get to choose either ogura, matcha, sesame or vanilla ice cream with your omakase.
Sesame Ice Cream: yummy!! 4 stars.
Service was 5 stars. The lady was the only waitress at the restaurant that night. She refilled the tea regularly. This lady was friendly, sweet, polite and fast!!
I was still hungry so I went next door to Torimatsu for some yakitori.
3.5 stars!!
Kanpachi is yummylicious!!Listed in: Sushi,Sashimi & Nemo
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Review from Johnny C.
10/13/2010
Another very good sushi spot in Gardena. The place is small and only has 3 tables that can sit 4 people.
The sushi (yellow tail, albacore, unagi) was very good at about $5 for each 2pc. Also ordered the salmon skin salad with very nice crispy skin. The black cod was a bit smaller than i normally expect, but the yellow tail collar was pretty nicely sized.
I will definately be back to try the omakase. -
Review from Jay B.
10/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
For years and years I've briefly glanced at this place when going to Curry House or CA Fish Grille or one of the other many establishments in this lunch plaza...and for years and years...I've been missing out!!! Man, oh man, why oh why had I never tried this place before? Sheesh!
Anyway, so I finally decided to stop by here with a coworker for lunch and boy was I glad we did. First off, the place is very small, probably seats no more than 20-30, so if you're coming with a group, forget about it. However, my buddy and I were seated right away at the counter when we got there during the lunch rush; but that was just by luck I think. Because there were other groups that had to wait behind us.
Just by eating here once, I know that this'll be one of my regular spots from now on. Very affordable(well, at least for lunch, it is), fresh, and very good. I didn't try the sushi dishes; I had the chirashi lunch bowl...and if you've gotten to know me, you know how much I love chirashi. Anyway...it's the first place I've seen that serves their sushi on a banana leaf, which I thought was very different and very cool. Anyway, I loved my chirashi...just the right selection and portion to satisfy me...and there was even this dried fish thing on there that was kinda sweet, but I ended up liking it a lot. SO....with that said, definitely one of the better sushi places I've been to in the Torrance/Gardena area. And I've been looking for a while...surprise to find that it took this long. Maybe my mind is too fixated on ramen or pho when I'm around here, ha ha ha.
Service was good, very nice waitstaff and the sushi chefs are very friendly. So it was a great meal all in all.
Parking - can get pretty crazy, so come early or later to avoid the rush. -
Review from Steph L.
Los Angeles, CA
6/26/2011 11 Check-ins Here
This place is fresh, authentic, and just plain delicious! It's located in a shopping plaza, so parking is easy to find. It's a cute little mom and pop. but I wouldn't say it's a hole in a wall because I would take a date here if wanted to impress them with some good sushi --- yummy Omakase for $35, which is very reasonable because the fish is SUPER fresh!
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Review from Yuko G.
Los Angeles, CA
3/18/2008 2 photos
I've been pretty busy at work that dipped into my personal life. I haven't been out much and I've been feeling cooped up. Finally I had the chance to go out on Sunday night and I was just so excited about the night out alone.
But then... I found it!! Yes, "it." I've been passively searching for good sushi restaurant in LA for who knows how long now, but as I said, it was a very passive quest. So many recommendations and so many trials turned out to be a huge disappointment in the past that I just simply stopped trying new sushi restaurants. Somehow I came across to this place online, both on yelp and on another site, and I had a good vibe. I decided to give it a try and I was so glad that I took the chance!!
This is a rather small, very traditional setting of sushi joint. Very few tables, L shaped sushi counter, with 2 sushi chefs nicely greeting us in. It reminded me of the sushi joint where my family used to frequent in Japan. I instantly felt comfortable and at home.
My night there started off nicely with beer and Tsukidashi (tiny dish of any sort that comes with the first drink you order at Japanese drinking joint). Tsukidashi of the night was a simmered pregnant squid. The squid ring was filled with yummy eggs, marinated and simmered in soy sauce based sweet sauce, and it was perfect to work up our appetite!
My friend and I both ordered the chef's Omakase course, which was 14 kan of nigiri (14 different kinds of single nigiri, not 14 pairs of nigiri), Chawan-mushi, Miso soup, and ice cream for about $30. I wasn't expecting much of great selections as $30 isn't much at all for sushi dinner, but noooooooo, I was so wrong! Some of the Nigiri we had were Oh-Toro (super fatty tuna), Uni, Ikura, Aji, none of which is cheap. We also had some unique (as in the USA) selections like Leucopsarion petersi (tiny transparent fish - see the pic) and Squid Shiokara (shiokara = marinated in its own guts). Also, I wasn't expecting to be full, but even my guy friend said that he was more than content with the amount of food. Well, we couldn't fit in post dinner boba drinks, so that should tell you how full we were!
Everything that we had was quite tasty and accompanied by our chef's comments like "this is also good if you grilled it" or "soon we'll have different kind of squid in a month and that one will be full of texture." I love friendly and chatty sushi chefs!!
Chawan-mushi was good, and the two complimentary appetizer, Tsukemono (pickled veggies) and Chikuzen-ni (simmered root veggies) that the chef gave us were fantastic! Their miso soup wasn't the usual cheap tofu and seaweed one, instead, it had a huge shrimp head that gave a really good flavor to the broth.
The chef said that they got some good selections of kitchen food, and he explained some of the special that they had that day. We were both full with the Omakase sushi course that we didn't get to try any of them, but how he described some items definitely made us want to come back here for sushi as well as for their kitchen food!
Overall, wonderful setting, fantastic food, and friendly and attentive service. As I said, I think I finally found "it" and I'm just very happy with the fact that good sushi restaurant does actually exist in LA.Listed in: Ethnocentric? Proud to be…
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Review from Manny K.
Redwood City, CA
10/20/2008
Uber fresh fish, no LA type pretenses + highly crafted preparation. All these can be found here without Sasabune type prices.
Been trying to come here for several months, somehow the opportunity remained elusive. Lately on strong recommendations from a couple of fellow Yelpers I decided I have to do Kanpachi or else I will lost all respect from my fellow foodies.
Got here last Sat. and it looks familiar - I have been here before! Turns out I found this without Yelp - I found it through a free Japanese market magazine. At that time I didn't know they offer omakase. I might have found this pre-Yelp but I owe this discovery to the untiring prompting from my fellow foodie Liz L and Danny C.
Went straight for the omakase. Chef lay down those lovely banana leafs while a nice full aroma green tea is served. We were the only patron sitting at the sushi bar. The rest was one of the most memorable meals I had in a while. The fatty tuna, seared abacore, Spanish mackerel, two different types of uni, sardine, snapper. The red clam was crunchy and not the tiny bit chewy and free from slime, WOW. The clam the spanish mackerel and the sardine was among the best I had anywhere.
The chef will give you suggestion about each dish needing soy sauce wasabi or not. I usually use a lot of wasabi with just a dripping of soy and always low sodium. Here at the end of the meal I found the wasabi soy paste I habitually mixed at the beginning of the meal was barely touched. BTW do eat a piece of ginger in between each course. It help cleanse the palette.
The miso soup with the shrimp head in it is several notches above what is serve in your typical Japanese place.
The ordering, the careful use of little garnishes and the coloring are all works of art. It was fun watching the chef use a gigantic stainless steel chopsticks to place tiny chopped garnishes onto the sushi. That is SKILL.
All these for $32 and you get free dessert. Usually after a sushi meal I feel I need some udon or ramen but not after this meal. Their regular menu is very interesting too. I had their grilled yellowtail collar before, it was smoky and moist. Very good eats.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Shingo A.
Updated - 5/5/2010
I felt like eating sushi today. I work in Torrance and this place was voted #1 Sushi restaurant by 2009 Bridge USA magazine so naturally this was where I ended up. This certainly was not the best sushi I've had but for the price I'm not complaining.
I went with the Omakase which is about 35 dollars per person. It comes with sushi, chawanmushi (kind of like salty version of flan or egg pudding), and ice cream dessert.
What people don't understand is that this is Japanese sushi restaurant, don't ask for California rolls, spicy tuna rolls, and
rainbow rolls. I'm sorry but those are not Japanese sushi.
If your idea of sushi is soaking the fish in soy sauce, don't bother
going to a real Japanese sushi joint because you will never
understand what good sushi is all about.
Pros:
1) Fresh fish at very affordable prices. In my opinion, fish here tastes better than what you get at Nijiya or Marukai or Mitsuwa.
2) Excellent service.
3) Chawanmushi was delicious! Ice cream was yummy also!
Cons:
1) Nigiri (rice portion) is small and fish is thinly sliced.
2) This place is not suited for larger groups. It's real tiny inside.
3) Miso soup was not so good. Felt it was too sweet but that could be from the shrimp head that was inside.
To summarize, good sushi without emptying the bank account. If you want to pay less then go to Sushi Boy or Daikichi Sushi, you won't know the difference anyway.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/17/2008
For some reason I like this place. Not the best sushi restaurant I've tried in Torrance/Gardena… Read more »
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Review from Susan C.
Los Angeles, CA
8/7/2008
This is the place I allegedly had whale sperm! I've found it finally! To clarify, my dad took me here a few times, and once I figured out it was amazing (the restaurant, not the whale sperm---pervs) he dubbed it off limits because apparently he takes hot dates there. Now, if the image of your parent trying to get their swerve on isn't a natural deterrent, I don't know what is. Anyway, up until now I couldn't remember the name.
The restaurant is run by a husband and wife team; it's a very traditional sushi bar and certainly not fancy or trendy in appearance or function, so it's not the place to order a Vegas Roll, Dragon Roll, or even a Caterpillar Roll---not because it wont taste good but because a.) you'll look dumb and b.) they wont do it. Though I must say that I had the best spicy tuna roll I've ever had in my life here. It was made to order; chef chopped up some pickled mountain root and performed some other magic to it that doesn't typically occur, and the result was an untraditional spin off an untraditional dish performed by a traditional master of a traditional craft. In short, it was brilliant! And it didn't even have pools of spicy mayo and eel sauce!
While on the topic of "best of," I've also had the best octopus in my life here, and I need to point out that by "best" I mean that if I were presented with a platter of seafood---lobster, prawns, crabs, etc---I'd still say THIS SHIT IS BOMB. I'm not big on octopus except this octopus. The largest cross-section of a tentacle is probably about the circumference of a quarter, so the octopus are small; they're cooked, sliced, served chilled, and OH SO TENDER!! Wow! I mean really tender! You're given a small dish of sea salt mixed with pepper (I think it's pepper) to dip and it's really very delicious.
The fish is of exceptional quality and so is the presentation (on a banana leaf), and I have never seen leaves of uni so fresh that they seemed to stand up in the box. You wanna know how the uni was served to me? Chef dug to the bottom of his canister, grabbed the crispiest piece of nori, delicately folded a leaf of uni with a drizzle of dark sweet sauce and said as he reached over the counter "EAT IT RIGHT NOW." It kind of makes me feel like a bottom just thinking about it.
On a side note, I also adore fresh out-of-the oven tamago and I've had it here on occasion: when compared to everything else, it's predictably delicate, fluffy, lightly sweet, and lovely overall.
I realize that such an abundance of enthusiasm might seem feigned or an exaggeration of the truth, and while I don't know anything about the quality of their their lunch specials I can leave you with at least one complaint about an experience that I once had here: I was supposedly fed whale sperm and I wasn't told until after I ate it. NOW IS THAT FUCKED UP OR WHAT?? God damn them. Of course, it was meant to be a treat, but if that isn't FUCKED UP on so many levels I don't know what is.
Forgiven. -
Review from Amar M.
Torrance, CA
10/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is bomb! Best salmon sushi I've had. Will be going way more often.
The sushi is always fresh and the selection is great. The place is small, so the service is pretty good.
I haven't had sushi that can outdo this place. -
Review from Thu N.
3/9/2010
What a cute little spot to check out in the South Bay. We ordered (that I could remember):
Uni 4 STARS
Toro 3.5 STARS
Red Snapper 4.5 STARS
Amberjack 4 STARS
Yellowtail belly 4 STARS
Halibut 4 STARS
Salmon 4 STARS
Octopus (forgot to ask the bf to rate)
+ a bunch of little weird things he pulled out (most of which I didn't try). One that wasn't so weird was a dish that had the texture of noodles but was actually made by a potato of some sort. It had a slight kick to it and was awesome!
Large Asahi
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$85.00 with tax + tip.
In summary, this would be to South Bay like Murasaki is to me in Irvine/South Coast area. It's a good solid spot for locals, decently priced, and the radius I would argue could span about 7-10 miles where I think it's worth it to check out. The sushi chefs are definitely friendly, who aren't shy to make recommendations.Listed in: I have a little crush on Sushi
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Review from Eli G.
6/15/2008 18 photos
Instead of saving for a down payment on a house, I like to eat out a lot. So when the woman and I were hungry, we decided budget sushi was in order.
Kanpachi is pretty close to where we live and she knew it had a $33 omakase so we go for dinner. Never had it felt so good to feel so foreign. I think the chefs serving us spoke two words of English to me throughout the meal. But them and the girl babbled on and on in their devil tongue, laughing and just having a gay old time. Despite that, my displacement was rewarded with a bevy of Japanese treats. She told the chef to just give us a few good appetizers and the omakase courses.
First thing that was brought out was so good I forgot to take a picture. It was a plate of bonito sashimi. I'm pretty sure bonito is one of my new favorite fishes. It was very fresh and tender with just enough fishy flavor. Next was a snapper head in a soy sauce broth:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
That was fun to eat! Apparently a skilled eater will be able to pick the head clean without making a mess of it. We did a good job of picking it clean but we kind of butchered the poor guy.
The rest of the sashimi and sushi was all placed on a giant leaf on the bar in front of us. And here's what we got:
Tuna (sashimi)
Octopus; http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Halibut
Kanpachi
? (red snapper maybe)
Tuna (nigiri)
Toro
Miso soup
Aji
Pickled cabbage, radish and squash; http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Sake with Krill; http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Ikura
Uni; http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Kazunoko
Mirugai
Chowan mushi
Kohada
Yariika
Amaebi
Tamago
Ice cream
All of it was delectable! Super fresh and melted in my mouth where applicable. It's always a delight to get stuffed off sushi and not have a single complaint about the quality of the food, level of service or the price. Sure we could have paid three times as much somewhere else and had slightly better sushi, but this is as good as it gets for the price.
The chef told the girl that in a few months the bonito fish would be fatter and even better. So we definitely will be back for that.Listed in: Sushi Sushi Sushi
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Review from Ronnie M.
West Los Angeles, CA
12/20/2007
Do you like fresh fatty tuna, yellowtail, and other yummy sushi goodies?
Do you like a good deal?
Do you want something other than sushi boy, mcdonalds, and del taco for lunch?
Do you want fresh sushi under $12 in an authentic japanese setting?
Of course you do.
Do you want to take me?Listed in: So you want a cheap date?, So you want a quickie?
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Review from Lauren S.
Gardena, CA
1/9/2009 3 photos
Last night I went here for dinner. It was a little hard to find since the sign fell off and the only sign in the front says "SUSHI". It's right next to a yakitori place and Curry House, by Teri Hawaii.
I was tempted to order the omakase, but chickened out. I ordered the Chirashi bowl with all the cuts of fish for $16.50. It comes with Miso Soup.
The bowl included salmon, tuna, clam, octopus, squid, uni, shrimp, salmon roe, mackerel, two other fish(?), egg, lotus root, cucumber, shitake mushroom, and baby shrimp powder stuff.
Other reviewers were not kidding about how attentive they are at refilling your tea cup, or rather replacing it with a new tea cup every time your cup was less than half full. Great Service!
I ate everything in my bowl! I am not a big fan of Uni, but it was delicious and creamy. It didn't taste like I was licking a pier.
It was probably one of the best chirashi bowls I've had. The price is a bit steep here, but you are paying for better quality fish.
I will return in the future to try the lunch specials and omakase. -
Review from Jolene M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/18/2009
Are you an adventurous yet cost-conscious sushi connoisseur? For about $40 a person, tax and tip included, you can get a fourteen course omakase dinner (17 courses if you include the miso soup, chawan mushi and ice cream) that will satisfy your restless sushi spirit.
I can't remember everything, but the highlights of my omakase dinner this weekend included:
-baby squid sushi (two purple baby squids, sitting whole on top of the rice!)
-a crab sushi that had some kind of sweet yellow rub on top of it--delicious!
-uni--of course, I love my uni
-various clam sushi
-homemade tamago
-toro
What I love about Kanpachi is that I was served several types of sushi that I had never eaten before. That's saying a lot--I've eaten a fair amount of sushi in my lifetime! The value is also hard to beat, and you leave absolutely stuffed. The fish is not as melt-in-your-mouth as say Sushi Zo's, but how can you compare, really? Sushi Zo's omakase is 3 times the price! Also, the sushi rice at Kanpachi is served room temperature--not served warm like at some other sushi restaurants.
Btw, the other reviewers weren't kidding when they said that they were the only ones speaking English in this place; it was the same for me and my dining companion. This is as close to being in Japan as you can get!
4.5 stars!Listed in: Eat This!, Yet another LA sushi list
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Review from Jeannie H.
Boston, MA
8/26/2010
ATMOSPHERE - It's really cramped and spartan but overall, unpretentious.
SERVICE - Perfectly fine.
FOOD - The omakase is very reasonably priced. However, the portions aren't particularly generous. There was a total of 14 pieces with some of them being very uninteresting like tamago, octopus, and cooked ebi.
For the price, you get a pretty decent meal but I don't think the fish is optimal in quality or quantity. I would eat here if I happened to be in the area but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way. -
Review from Simone T.
Hermosa Beach, CA
9/23/2008
Wow, my bf and I just got back from dinner with Danny C and Antho L at Kanpachi and I am UNCOMFORTABLY FULL!
We all had the omakase which included about 20 items (16-17 pieces of sushi, miso soup, chawan mushi, pickled cucumber, and ice cream).
Everything was very fresh and expertly cut. We had too many to go into detail but a couple highlights for me were the halibut, red clam, and giant clam. These were simply dressed with lemon and salt that the sushi chef makes himself! I loved the crunchy mouth-feel of the salt and it had a lot of depth to it. Apparently, it takes about 3-4 hours for him to just make salt. Now that's dedication!
I also loved the gunkan-maki trio of uni, caviar with quail yolk, and ikura served on one plate. It was a fun play on egg, egg with egg, and egg!
The service was outstanding. Everyone was very friendly, our teacups were never empty, and plates were always removed promptly. I especially appreciated how the chef took the time to explain certain items and got into specifics when we asked detailed questions. You could tell he had a lot of pride (and knowledge) but it never came across as condescension or "nazi-ish" as some other sushi chefs can be.
I can't believe it took us this long to discover this gem of a restaurant but now that we've found it, I know we'll definitely be coming back soon. Thanks for introducing us to this place Danny!
