great place known for their noodles and tempura. so good although, service was a bit slow and parking wasn’t super easy on a friday night. highly recommended nonetheless!

This restaurant , Japanese noodles , SOBA is main , but their TEN PURA is with thin batter. You can enjoy what's inside. = Most TEN PURA in America is huge outside batter. Inside tiny little contents. Surely great TEN PURA sauce. American , who stayed in Japan little while , can figure out this is real DASHI.

Oh man, best katsudon (deep-fried pork cutlet, eggs and condiments) I've ever had. That hint of citrus yuzu on that pork is just perfect for my taste buds. Its so good that it distracts me from what this place is known for, their white soba. Soba is great. Love how it doesn't leave me with a weird after taste. Once you're done they give u water boiled from soba to drink out of your dipping cup (it's nutitrious). SHIRATAMA: Mochi with red beans and dried fruit. Shiratama was yummy til the hidden dried apricot fruit threw me off. FLAN: All I can say is my flan-enthusiast sister approves. MISO SOUP: Nothing amazing. PARKING: The mini parking lot behind the shop... Don't be an ass and park next door behind the Mexican bar. There are plenty of street parking as well. TIP: Show up super early. There's always a wait. The restaurant is small.

Some of the best food I ve had in the area. Nice low-key spot. Good service.

Love the tempura here! And soba too 😍 This place was on Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner on Netflix

The noodles here we're fantastic. I had to dive Right in before I took a photo. A real hole in the wall place. Parking is in back.

Feels like Japan and tastes like I've been transported to Japan!

+6

Small izakaya. Great staff with friendly service. Good food. Still one of our favorite places in the South Bay. The tendons are good, killer Kara age, yummy soba.

Nice Japanese restaurant, love the food.

+1

A delicious and completely unique experience starting with the simplicity of the restaurant which shows the open kitchen and everyone working in a “orchestra like” manner. Then is the service, our server recommended some items that we would have never thought of ordering and they were great. Finally the food was delicious, simple and cooked to perfection. The Karaage chicken was crispy and juicy the tempura was lightly battered which lets you taste the vegetables and the Katsudon was a work of art, everything was reasonably priced and very fast, highly recommended. I really can’t get over the friendly service

I came here for lunch the other day and thoroughly enjoyed it. The noodles look like they are all handmade in the kitchen. You can clearly see the care that is put into making the food. The ingredients are of high quality and the presentation is very good. Definitely worth repeat visits.

Lively atmosphere and delicious food. The curry udon and tonkatsu are amazing.

Good ol’ soba mmmm. Got this with the rice bran veggies

Yummy izakaya style Japanese food but they specialize in soba. All of the Japanese waitresses were very friendly and helpful. Cold seiro soba is a must try. First time trying sea eel tempura and it was delicious. They have a small parking lot in the back. They accept reservations. Small restaurant so come early to get a seat.

Otafuku has been our go-to spot for soba and tempura when visiting the Southbay! This past visit, we ordered: -Seaweed and mixed green salad -Mini bluefin tuna bowl (the tuna was melt in your mouth amazing!) -Chicken wing and chicken skin yakitori (perfectly charred) -Ginko nuts -Kikouchi (100% buckwheat) soba with mixed tempura. Loved the chewy texture and the tempura was perfectly crispy! -Hot Zaru soba with mixed tempura It was one of the most comforting meals I’ve had this year! Service has always been accommodating! The restaurant space used to be very small, but I’m glad they expanded and added another dining area! Parking can be a little tight in the back, especially when they’re busy.

Great place! Super friendly staff. Amazing food. All the tempura is delicious. The sea eel and fish cake tempura were so good, and a good amount. Even the shiso leaves in the veggie tempura were tasty. The dashi they use for the udon & soba is really good, too! Definitely will be back. [July 2021 update] Still delicious! Really glad this place has survived the last couple years!

Came here after picking my friend up from the airport. I made reservations ahead of time via IG for Saturday noon. They have both indoor and outdoor sitting. We sat inside and it was pretty well distance from others. The soba noodles were good. I had the opportunity to try a little bit of everything. Felt pretty authentic. Beware the beer bottles are large!

Was little hot in there because there were no a/c. But foods were good.

Incredible service and delicious japanese eats. I can't recommend the soba (cold or hot) enough.

How do I give a 6 star review siri? Great food great service period..... 🍤 shrimp fried egg rolls 😋 are a must try 😋

Delicious food and great service. Will come back!

+1

A real delight. I can’t wait to come back. Soba noodles with vegetable tempura + rice with pork and cabbage, cold tofu. The service was excellent and the restaurant is beautiful

Best soba I've had in California. Noodles were nice and chewy, eel tempura was crispy and delicious. Tamago (egg omelet) was fantastic as well! Highly recommended!!!

This is our favorite Japanese restaurant! Delicious food! Nice servers and a great deal for how quality it is. Our waitress Mieko was super sweet and fun to talk to! We will be back soon! Must try the unagi tempura bowl and sashimi!

Otafuku in Gardena offers the best soba I’ve had outside of Japan. The food is authentic and delicious, capturing the true essence of Japanese cuisine. The service is friendly and efficient, making the dining experience enjoyable. The ambiance is cozy and traditional, perfect for a relaxing meal. Highly recommend for anyone looking for top-notch soba!

Consider this a local gem! Plenty of high praise to this restaurant and it's undoubtedly correct. This soba noodle spot made some of my now favorites. Soba noodle as perfect as it can be paired with a broth so smooth with the perfect kick of saltiness. @phidingthefam

The food quality here is amazing and always consistent. Very friendly staff too. I always get the buckwheat soba. Grilled chicken thigh was delicious. The tofu appetizer with ginger is also refreshing and yummy. Free parking at the back.

Such a cute place. I love the ambiance. The servers are all very friendly and attentive. The food was tasty and high quality. Everything tasted very fresh. We tasted the hot soba noodles, chicken karaage, shrimp and veggie tempura, and the chicken meatballs. The food was light yet savory. I enjoyed it and I recommend it.

This restaurant provides an excellent array of tasty and subtle dishes, in a building that creates an intimate dining setting with very few bells and whistles. Simply put, amazing Japanese cuisine at an affordable price. Yakitori here is a must, with rustic versions like Chicken Liver and Heart, even Gizzard (if you are brave!), also classic renditions of Chicken tenders with Ume Plu as well as Chicken tenders with Fresh Wasabi. Tempura was a hit from the start, they mix it up more so than then normal sushi spot would, includes red pepper, eggplant, Japanese pumpkin and asparagus! Cold zaru soba is a buckwheat noodle, also my go-to item for a filling noodle with a refreshing soup dip, (yes!) makes it worth every visit. Friendly Staff who remember your face and treat you like family are always a pleasure to see :) Walking here from my place is a mission (4.5 blocks) but when you eat this nice it makes every trip worth the walk (burn some calories, save some gas).I am grateful to have access to restaurants of this caliber right around the corner. Give this place a try, you will be pleasantly surprised. P.S. Try the plum wine! It's truly the tastiest wine they offer.

5/5 no questions about that! Incredible noodles, friendly faces :) incredible tasting product with great thought and execution. Definitely one of the best restaurants in LA 💯

Still my favorite place in LA ❤️ Nobody does it like Otafuku. Such a hidden gem. Most authentic Japanese restaurant around.

Excellent soba and sorei noodle place. It's perfectly Al dente with dipping sauce that turns into broth at the end of the meal. Especially surprised at the tempura eel, never had it before

Great place to eat Japanese food. Very nice staff. Low key but very good food. Try to visit. You will not get disappointed. Limited parking at the back but street parking is available. Drove 10 miles from LAX just to experience their food. No regrets.

I didn’t know this place was actually a running business, a restaurant, every time I passed it. It looks almost camouflaged and unless you’re looking for it, you wouldn’t notice it’s there! But as you open the door, for me it felt like I just walked into a long-standing restaurant in Japan. It feels very traditional and authentic and their service is great. My colleagues who grew up in Japan love this place and 100% approved their authenticity. Plus the pricing is affordable!! Their house-made soba noodles and broth are on-point! Their custard is also a must try. I tried their udon before, but I would recommend their soba even if you’re not a fan. It’s different here ;)

Dropped by Otafuku right after we landed! The handmade soba was so good, long with the udon!

Great fresh Japanese food, good service and prices. Casual and busy an a Monday lunch. Very fresh!!!tuna, loved the sea Eel tempura and loved the fresh soba.

If you like genuine Japanese soba and udon, you will love this place... Shocking to have found such a traditional Japanese place in Los Angeles...

Authentic Japanese food, both cold dishes and hot dishes are very good. Feels like dining in a small place in Japan

+5

I love this place so much. We BALLED out this nice and drove out from the westside to give this gem a whirl.

+2

Delicious cold soba with tempura along with a side of karaage. Cozy interior, lovely and attentive wait staff, and

Had such a delicious dinner here. We knew they were known for their soba and tempura and we enjoyed these for sure, but I can’t stop thinking about the Berkshire pork rice dish! The atmosphere was cozy and the service was so friendly. Also thought the prices were reasonable for the quality and portions. I’m looking forward to going back!

Great food staff is amazing!! 10/10

+3

We love Otafuku! Had the Conger eel x veggie tempura with hot udon - you’d be hard pressed to find a better bowl of noodles anywhere in LA! The atmosphere is great and the service is best in class. Katsudon is also excellent. We will be back to try more and enjoy the great food, service & space!

Excellent lunch experience! Quick, efficient, premium service and great authentic cuisine.

10/10 on everything. The udon combo chicken soup was delicious and very flavorful. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the udon soaked up all the yummy flavors. The seiro soba was very nice as well. We added crispy tempura flakes (you can share toppings with your table because they are pretty big portions) and next time I want to try the mochi. The shrimp egg rolls were incredible and they will probably be in my dreams. If you like Umeboshi do not skip these egg rolls. The tempura was light, fluffy and crispy! Service was impeccable and I was lucky to find a parking spot in the lot out back. I will definitely be coming back soon.

Where Japanese ex-pats go to eat and drink. Good udon, great soba, good service. The broth was sightly on the strong side but still very good. Great for outdoor seating with outdoor heaters. Warm soup and noodles on a cold night is pretty awesome. Staff spoke Japanese, most of the customers spoke Japanese. Curious what the Thursday/weekend menu is like, next time.

This is my go-to for soba. They have other dishes, but they really know their soba, which is rare for JP restaurants in the States. Popular among JP expats. Outdoor dining in their parking lot. It’s quiet area, unlike those mall parking lots.

The wild eel tempura is perfectly fried. The texture is on par with tempura places in Japan. The popular cold seiro soba has great texture. Also order the monk fish liver and the shrimp roll with plum sauce and shiso leaf. Support this amazing local business.

Great japanese spot that transports you to Japan. The black shrimp and vegetable tempuras were nicely fried. Kikouchi soba had some good bite to it and dipped in the broth was perfectly seasoned. Highly recommend the kakuni, braised pork belly which was really soft and salty, sweet, and the tamagoyaki (japanese egg omelet), which might be my favorite dish I ate. Texture was siilky smooth with just the right amount of sweetness.

+2

Housemade soba and udon. Try the 100% buckwheat noodle. .. Gluten free! The noodles taste fresh with a chewy Q bounce. Get the largen portion! It's good plain but even better with the dipping sauce. The eel tempura is delicious but better shared.

+3

Absolutely amazing. The staff is friendly and attentive. The food was amazing. Hubby amd I came forna date night we shared a few appetizers the blue fish tuna sashimi absolutely delicious, the egg omelet (Dashimaki Tamago) Delish, we had the char grilled Prime rib steak with ponzu and a mixed greens. Would definitely come again. Wonderful experience. DESERT WAS AMAZING TOO, NO COMPLAINTS .

Delicious appetizers, noodles, and fish. The miso sea bass is to die for! Melt in your mouth delicious and the ginko nuts are light and tasty! Highly recommend the karaage chicken. Enjoyed the buckwheat tea, hot soba and tempera too!

Yummy Izakaya. Patrons speaking Japanese which is always a good sign. Parking in the back which can be a tad tight. Street parking in the front. We had chicken wings (yum) , karage (yum), ginger pork (looked good but i did not personally try), soba (yum). We were lucky to get a table without a wait. The telephone was ringing a lot. The servers were super sweet and the whole team was nice. Looking forward to returning.

The staff is wonderful and the good here is great. My wife enjoyed her cold soba and we shared the deep-fried shrimp egg rolls. Oddly, the wrap wasn't that crispy but the tail was (which is what I really care about) and the flavor was fantastic. I think it has to do with moisture from the shiso leaf inside. I'm not normally a fan of shiso but this was delicious. I have to say the bowl was fantastic. Everything was cooked and seasoned well. The portion was big! Great item! Just a heads up- this place gets warm. My wife and I went on a rather warm day and there's no AC. Thankfully, where we were sitting, a breeze would come in through the backdoor from the kitchen every now and then.

The most amazing and authentic soba noodle restaurant in LA county! The soba noodles here have a great texture and go perfectly with their special broth. My most favorite soba here is Seiro soba noodle. This is so addictive and extra noodle is not enough because I want to keep eating! Otafuku is a one of a kind and taste is better than some of soba noodle restaurants in Japan. And soba tea they have is also pretty tasty. And then try their Aji gohan bowl (Spanish mackerel bowl)! Everything here is so delicious! I strongly recommend this most favorite restaurant of mine!

Ordered the Japanese Style Jidori Egg Omelet (Dashimaki Tamago), Deep Fried Jidori Chicken (Karaage), Deep Fried Shrimp Egg Rolls with Plum Paste and Shiso Leaves, Zaru Soba (hot temperature) and had Wild Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura on the side. The Egg Omelet was a sweet and plump dish, the omelet was juicy and had a firm but soft texture. The soy sauce with grated radish on the side was a pleasant salty addition to this appetizer. The Deep Fried Chicken was very hot, crispy outside and firm inside chicken meat; complemented by the lemon and sugar on the side. The Deep Fried Shrimp Egg Rolls were a good take on deep fried shrimp, decently sized shrimp and crispy exterior. The Zaru Soba was dense and delicious, soaking up some of the soba broth flavor in its nice QQ consistency. The additional wild shrimp and vegetable tempura were all nice to have on the side too, especially the tempura kabocha slice which had a nice sweetness to it as well. Service was fast and patient with our order. The place is warm and inviting, the interior is well designed with great Japanese themes, lots of woodwork and traditional decor. Parking in the rear can be a little tight but alright at dinnertime. Great spot to have soba noodles.

Heard that Torrence was the place to go for real Japanese food so we made a trip from downtown to Otafuku. Awesome food in a casual setting. The soba noodles were amazing…chewy and delicious with the dipping sauce. Got the tempura as well, which was light and crispy. The mackerel and rice was a perfect side and didn’t have any “fishy” taste to it. Beyond the food, service was also fast and friendly.

What a great find! I want to try everything here. My first trying roasted ginko nuts, and it was interestingly good. Seiro Soba with ume and vegetables was delicious. Friendly staff. Lunch was great and I look forward to visiting for dinner.

Dined in the outdoor patio. Indoors is open for dining as well but it’s a bit cramped for my taste and the outdoor patio is nice enough with cute bistro lighting and some nice plants. Everything we ordered was top notch delightful from the sashimi to the tempura. The tempura was light and delicate, the karaage was very juicy, the pork cutlet permeated all the rice in the bowl in the best way possible. Dining here was a treat.

Delicious and fresh! Such amazing broth and tender noodles. The best tempura and shrimp we’ve had outside of Japan so juicy. Amazing dinner it can get a little loud inside, but the food makes you not care.

🇯🇵 JAPAN (via Eat the World Los Angeles) - Like any great izakaya, the menu is expansive and can cover any direction you want to bring your meal. It also seems to have a lot of more special and/or rare things that are not seen on a ton of other menus around town. Most likely at dinner there could be a wait if you show up unannounced, but it is always worth it as proven by the wide variety and ages of customers who are consistently enjoying meals.

Authentic, high-quality, and classic Japanese restaurant known for their soba noodles. Everything was delicious and the flavors are straight from Japan, across the Pacific Ocean, to the South Bay. Their sashimi was melt-in-your-mouth fresh. Honestly there's nothing but good things to say about Otafuku. From taste to service to price to size, it's no surprised they're a stable of the community. You know it's authentic when you show up 30 minutes before restaurant opening and there are already squads of Japanese elderlies waiting outside. The only downside is the tiny parking lot in the back. Expect to pay $60 per person and be stuffed!

This was incredible Some of the best sashimi I’ve had in a long time And the yakitori was phenomenal as well - we got everything!! They were out of tendon and chicken wings unfortunately but we got just about everything else on the menu. We were in a group of 4, with one of us having spent 6 months in Japan recently so it helped to have his expertise in ordering. Parking was plentiful and service was excellent. They were able to accommodate most things for my gluten free preference wife. With the yakitori sauce having some gluten they just prepared it with no sauce and a bit of salt only - still delicious. Can’t wait to go back!

My favorite noodle shop. Several types of store made soba noodles. Also one of the best tempura in SoCal. Try the aji mini bowl for something a little different. Also look at the different tempura offerings - you can get shrimp anywhere but anago is harder to come by.

Instead of sitting through traffic I decided to hop off and have dinner. Best Japanese food I've had in California. Authentic everything including the vibes and service. I'm shocked with the attention to detail and delicate flavors. Yey for spontaneous adventures! I ordered the grilled steak (half portion) and cold sero soba (half portion) and it was the perfect combo and portion. I recommend eating every part of the steak. It's perfectly grilled even down to the rendering of the fat.

Kris Takasuka

Yummy Izakaya. Patrons speaking Japanese which is always a good sign. Parking in the back which can be a tad tight. Street parking in the front. We had chicken wings (yum) , karage (yum), ginger pork (looked good but i did not personally try), soba (yum). We were lucky to get a table without a wait. The telephone was ringing a lot. The servers were super sweet and the whole team was nice. Looking forward to returning.

Don Nguyen

The staff is wonderful and the good here is great. My wife enjoyed her cold soba and we shared the deep-fried shrimp egg rolls. Oddly, the wrap wasn't that crispy but the tail was (which is what I really care about) and the flavor was fantastic. I think it has to do with moisture from the shiso leaf inside. I'm not normally a fan of shiso but this was delicious. I have to say the bowl was fantastic. Everything was cooked and seasoned well. The portion was big! Great item! Just a heads up- this place gets warm. My wife and I went on a rather warm day and there's no AC. Thankfully, where we were sitting, a breeze would come in through the backdoor from the kitchen every now and then.

Jaja C

Delicious appetizers, noodles, and fish. The miso sea bass is to die for! Melt in your mouth delicious and the ginko nuts are light and tasty! Highly recommend the karaage chicken. Enjoyed the buckwheat tea, hot soba and tempera too!

C N

What a great find! I want to try everything here. My first trying roasted ginko nuts, and it was interestingly good. Seiro Soba with ume and vegetables was delicious. Friendly staff. Lunch was great and I look forward to visiting for dinner.

DAISUKE OKAMOTO (OKAINA IMAGE)

The most amazing and authentic soba noodle restaurant in LA county! The soba noodles here have a great texture and go perfectly with their special broth. My most favorite soba here is Seiro soba noodle. This is so addictive and extra noodle is not enough because I want to keep eating! Otafuku is a one of a kind and taste is better than some of soba noodle restaurants in Japan. And soba tea they have is also pretty tasty. And then try their Aji gohan bowl (Spanish mackerel bowl)! Everything here is so delicious! I strongly recommend this most favorite restaurant of mine!

Kevin Chen

Ordered the Japanese Style Jidori Egg Omelet (Dashimaki Tamago), Deep Fried Jidori Chicken (Karaage), Deep Fried Shrimp Egg Rolls with Plum Paste and Shiso Leaves, Zaru Soba (hot temperature) and had Wild Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura on the side. The Egg Omelet was a sweet and plump dish, the omelet was juicy and had a firm but soft texture. The soy sauce with grated radish on the side was a pleasant salty addition to this appetizer. The Deep Fried Chicken was very hot, crispy outside and firm inside chicken meat; complemented by the lemon and sugar on the side. The Deep Fried Shrimp Egg Rolls were a good take on deep fried shrimp, decently sized shrimp and crispy exterior. The Zaru Soba was dense and delicious, soaking up some of the soba broth flavor in its nice QQ consistency. The additional wild shrimp and vegetable tempura were all nice to have on the side too, especially the tempura kabocha slice which had a nice sweetness to it as well. Service was fast and patient with our order. The place is warm and inviting, the interior is well designed with great Japanese themes, lots of woodwork and traditional decor. Parking in the rear can be a little tight but alright at dinnertime. Great spot to have soba noodles.

wook kim

Heard that Torrence was the place to go for real Japanese food so we made a trip from downtown to Otafuku. Awesome food in a casual setting. The soba noodles were amazing…chewy and delicious with the dipping sauce. Got the tempura as well, which was light and crispy. The mackerel and rice was a perfect side and didn’t have any “fishy” taste to it. Beyond the food, service was also fast and friendly.

Monica Guevara

Dined in the outdoor patio. Indoors is open for dining as well but it’s a bit cramped for my taste and the outdoor patio is nice enough with cute bistro lighting and some nice plants. Everything we ordered was top notch delightful from the sashimi to the tempura. The tempura was light and delicate, the karaage was very juicy, the pork cutlet permeated all the rice in the bowl in the best way possible. Dining here was a treat.

Tonalli Martinez

Delicious and fresh! Such amazing broth and tender noodles. The best tempura and shrimp we’ve had outside of Japan so juicy. Amazing dinner it can get a little loud inside, but the food makes you not care.

Jared Cohee

🇯🇵 JAPAN (via Eat the World Los Angeles) - Like any great izakaya, the menu is expansive and can cover any direction you want to bring your meal. It also seems to have a lot of more special and/or rare things that are not seen on a ton of other menus around town. Most likely at dinner there could be a wait if you show up unannounced, but it is always worth it as proven by the wide variety and ages of customers who are consistently enjoying meals.

CH

Authentic, high-quality, and classic Japanese restaurant known for their soba noodles. Everything was delicious and the flavors are straight from Japan, across the Pacific Ocean, to the South Bay. Their sashimi was melt-in-your-mouth fresh. Honestly there's nothing but good things to say about Otafuku. From taste to service to price to size, it's no surprised they're a stable of the community. You know it's authentic when you show up 30 minutes before restaurant opening and there are already squads of Japanese elderlies waiting outside. The only downside is the tiny parking lot in the back. Expect to pay $60 per person and be stuffed!

Doctor Bo

This was incredible Some of the best sashimi I’ve had in a long time And the yakitori was phenomenal as well - we got everything!! They were out of tendon and chicken wings unfortunately but we got just about everything else on the menu. We were in a group of 4, with one of us having spent 6 months in Japan recently so it helped to have his expertise in ordering. Parking was plentiful and service was excellent. They were able to accommodate most things for my gluten free preference wife. With the yakitori sauce having some gluten they just prepared it with no sauce and a bit of salt only - still delicious. Can’t wait to go back!

Fumihisa Biff Yamazaki

My favorite noodle shop. Several types of store made soba noodles. Also one of the best tempura in SoCal. Try the aji mini bowl for something a little different. Also look at the different tempura offerings - you can get shrimp anywhere but anago is harder to come by.

Zin Chiang

Instead of sitting through traffic I decided to hop off and have dinner. Best Japanese food I've had in California. Authentic everything including the vibes and service. I'm shocked with the attention to detail and delicate flavors. Yey for spontaneous adventures! I ordered the grilled steak (half portion) and cold sero soba (half portion) and it was the perfect combo and portion. I recommend eating every part of the steak. It's perfectly grilled even down to the rendering of the fat.

Kayla F

10/10 on everything. The udon combo chicken soup was delicious and very flavorful. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the udon soaked up all the yummy flavors. The seiro soba was very nice as well. We added crispy tempura flakes (you can share toppings with your table because they are pretty big portions) and next time I want to try the mochi. The shrimp egg rolls were incredible and they will probably be in my dreams. If you like Umeboshi do not skip these egg rolls. The tempura was light, fluffy and crispy! Service was impeccable and I was lucky to find a parking spot in the lot out back. I will definitely be coming back soon.

D J

Where Japanese ex-pats go to eat and drink. Good udon, great soba, good service. The broth was sightly on the strong side but still very good. Great for outdoor seating with outdoor heaters. Warm soup and noodles on a cold night is pretty awesome. Staff spoke Japanese, most of the customers spoke Japanese. Curious what the Thursday/weekend menu is like, next time.

We had a lovely dinner! Every dish was mindful and delicious. We felt incredibly spoiled and wished to have a second stomach to eat all over again. We were too busy enjoying ourselves to take photos but had the kikouchi dipping soba, shisito with sardines, yellowtail collar and sea bass. We look forward to coming back and trying more from the extensive dinner menu. (Please note they unfortunately don’t offer outdoor dining anymore. We were really hoping that they did)

This is more of a cooked food restaurant than a sushi house. They have some sashimi dishes, but their specialty is cooked Japanese appetizers and meals.

Ordered a variety of tempura, quality goes: scallop > sea eel > veggie > shrimp. I suggest not to get the shrimp. The shrimp itself wasn’t of great quality. Service was great!

Decided to go here to meet a friend for lunch because I just watched ugly delicious over the weekend and I was curious. I went here about 2 years ago as well but I forgot so this is my review from my recent visit. I ordered the buckwheat noodles with the hot jidori chicken soup to dip it in. It was around $15 ... I think the food here is good.. But I think it is kind of overrated. I usually love soba noodles but I don't think it's worth $15 😔 but I guess it's still worth a try. Maybe next time I'll try something else

Very simple but, overall, very good eating experience. The shrimp tempura was light but tasty, the noodles and broth were just as good. Compared to a some noodle houses there is a lot of subtlety in their cooking here. The ingredients are what really shine through and they definitely make Otafuku stand out over a lot of it's peers. More traditional than not, the noodles were a big hit with my mother who came here from Tokyo some 87 years ago. The next time we are in the area I expect her to ask to have lunch here. For me, at least, that says a lot.

Traditional Noodle House very petite and cute.🎀 Helps if you speak or know Japanese.🇯🇵 But doesn't really matter because everyone speaks English and they menu is in English as well. 📋 Very traditional non-american influenced menu. 🍄 Noodle dishes are super yummy with traditional hand selected ingredients. 🍲 Portion sizes are reasonable. 👌 Staff is very welcoming and acomadating. 🙋🏻‍♀️ You can enter through the front door but the back door has a small parking lot. 🚪 Parking can get squeezy. 🚗 Menu doesn't have a million items it has the perfect amount.🍜 This place has booze . 🍶

+1

Parking: located in the back and limited, more in the streets on Western. Food: authentic, fresh and good quality. Service: friendly, I just wish the sake sampler was served with a little more in it. To be honest, I was rather disappointed. Atmosphere: ok Bill: the suggested tip calculation didn’t quite match so do your own calculation. We normally do 20% but it was higher in the suggestion.

Bar good soba place, but even better as a Izakaya! All the appetizer are great

+6

Soba and tempura were good dont get me wrong. But holy theres no ac in there and it was SOOO hot that the ice water was melted down and the soba sauce came out quasi lukewarm. The kicker was that they didnt give us our appetizer and still charged us—we just didnt notice because we didnt pay close enough attention. Ugh. I dont think ill return to be honest.

It’s a nice and cozy place to have lunch. Although the menu is limited compared to the dinner menu, there are still a variety of items to satisfy your craving. The tuna bowl was done really well; it was a perfect mixture of Akami and Chutoro. Tempura and fresh homemade soba noodles were great.

Little hard to find but seems a real authentic place. Restaurant was full and food was very delicious and something I have never tasted before. once I haven’t been to Japan I guess that’s a flavor what comes very similar to. I also got the recommendation from Japanese friends and was nice to try.

Japanese restaurant specializing in soba. Came here for dinner on a Sunday around 5pm with a friend and got seated immediately. There’s a couple of outdoor tables as well as indoor seating available. There’s a private lot in the back or you can park in the residential neighborhood. Credit cards are accepted. There are single occupant bathrooms available. Dogs were allowed outdoors. They do serve alcohol. The kitchen is open so you can see the chefs prepping all the food, which is cool. For the soba, you have the option to get cold or hot, and then get add-ons. I got the hot soba with a Jidori chicken curry mix, and the soup was extremely viscous and hot. They did provide more hot water at the end to thin the broth. The noodles still kept the next day for leftovers and they made sure I got two containers so I could separate the soup from the noodles. My friend’s cold soba with tempura was lighter and more refreshing - a more summery meal. The waitresses were polite and helpful.

Rachaphon Wangtepanukhor

It’s a nice and cozy place to have lunch. Although the menu is limited compared to the dinner menu, there are still a variety of items to satisfy your craving. The tuna bowl was done really well; it was a perfect mixture of Akami and Chutoro. Tempura and fresh homemade soba noodles were great.

Florian rockstroh

Little hard to find but seems a real authentic place. Restaurant was full and food was very delicious and something I have never tasted before. once I haven’t been to Japan I guess that’s a flavor what comes very similar to. I also got the recommendation from Japanese friends and was nice to try.

Shanelle S

Japanese restaurant specializing in soba. Came here for dinner on a Sunday around 5pm with a friend and got seated immediately. There’s a couple of outdoor tables as well as indoor seating available. There’s a private lot in the back or you can park in the residential neighborhood. Credit cards are accepted. There are single occupant bathrooms available. Dogs were allowed outdoors. They do serve alcohol. The kitchen is open so you can see the chefs prepping all the food, which is cool. For the soba, you have the option to get cold or hot, and then get add-ons. I got the hot soba with a Jidori chicken curry mix, and the soup was extremely viscous and hot. They did provide more hot water at the end to thin the broth. The noodles still kept the next day for leftovers and they made sure I got two containers so I could separate the soup from the noodles. My friend’s cold soba with tempura was lighter and more refreshing - a more summery meal. The waitresses were polite and helpful.

Food was good though not amazing. Hot soba broth was slightly salty. Service was not great- didn’t check in after our food came out. Also a side of noodles I ordered never came out.

This place does something unique, and that’s the delicate and well prepared chilled soba. During my experience, the service was a failure. The staff was not able to well communicate the openness of tables, forgot to bring silverware and the bill, asked twice.

After getting a recommendation to try this place I was in the area and decided to try it. The building layout and seating was odd. I went up to the host and asked for a table and they denied me stating “I was a single”.and was told to sit at the counter with all the other single men (felt odd like being at a gay bar with all this men who are strangers). I ordered a tempura dinner set. I waited a while for my order but did watching them prep and cook the food as the counter was facing into the kitchen. The food was hot and fresh, BUT as for the tempura dinner it was meh. I’ve had better Tempura at Fukugawa, Tempura Tendon Carlos Jr.and Kagura Torrance location. It could be the atmosphere at Otafuku, or the odd counter seating that brings down the appeal or taste of the food. I really should have left the restaurant when they refused to seat me at a table. Well at least the prices were fair. I won’t be going back to Otafuku as there are so many authentic Japanese restaurants with better food and atmosphere. The place was crowded the night I went and was told it’s always busy. So I doubt my review will put a dent in their business

1 hour wait then another hour for soba to come out on a Friday 8pm. Food was good, but I can’t say enough to come back with those circumstances. I prefer the brown buckwheat over the white soba noodles - brown chewier and nuttier flavor, white almost reminded me of vermicelli/bun but could be just my preference. I had the scallop vegetable tempura and needed to season with soy sauce to add more flavor/salt

Parking problematic w/rear entry via alley. Reservations emphatically necessary. Without reservations we got seated for 1 hour max. Seating somewhat cramped.

Got the soba noodles which were great, but prices were very high. $16 just for the noodles and broth, additional $14 just to add tempura veggies? Tasty but not worth the price

Disappointing Noodle Experience I had high hopes for this restaurant's noodles, but sadly, they fell flat. I drove from central LA. It took about an hour to get our meal after arriving. The portion size was surprisingly small, especially for the price—I expected much more for what I paid. The noodles themselves were bland and lacked the depth of flavor I was hoping for. By the end of the meal, I was still hungry, which is not what I wanted after spending that much. I actually ended up heading to Chipotle right after to feel full. Overall, definitely underwhelming and not worth the price. Wouldn’t recommend unless they seriously up their game.

Soba is a bit pricey - it didn't blow my mind to cost more than other places. The tempura was average and unfortunately I did find a strand of hair in my soba. The tamago is very good and service is nice. Always busy so be ready to wait or make a reservation. Atmosphere felt authentic.

Saturday lunch. It's 150 dollars for three people. It's delicious, but I can't recommend it if it's 50 dollars per person for soba and tempura. I should find a restaurant that is more delicious and reasonably priced.

Maybe the move is to go for dinner but our lunch experience was only so-so. Vinegar noodles were very good but nothing remarkable about the soba,tempura, or katsudon. Lots of great authentic choices in the area and this one didn’t live up to the others we have tried. Dining room also had very little character.

Daniel John

Maybe the move is to go for dinner but our lunch experience was only so-so. Vinegar noodles were very good but nothing remarkable about the soba,tempura, or katsudon. Lots of great authentic choices in the area and this one didn’t live up to the others we have tried. Dining room also had very little character.

Waited over 30 min to get a seat, 10 minutes to get a menu, waited another 20min for appetizer and another 30-40min for boiling noodles . Server were not trained and they don’t answer when we call them. Soba noodle portion was too small not boiled well, and soba sauce was worse than market brand. Very disappointed! Only thing good taste was chicken karaage. We drove 1 hour to get here , but it was bad experience. I don’t recommend this place for noodles.

Very expensive for what we got. $15 just for a little bit of noodles with the soup that just tastes like soy sauce and water . Doesn’t even have any kind of meat. $11 for 1 leave, 1 piece of thin squash slice, 2 green beans and 2 shrimps. Very disappointed and not worth it

Nowhere indicated the need to make a reservation ahead of time. So imagine my disappointment after making my way over there and not being able to dine. The website is a link to the menus so I’m assuming I can only make a reservation over the phone. I decided to try calling to make a reservation: 1st call - dial tone, 2nd call - no answer… Parking is non existent and the entrance is incredibly narrow, blocked off by chairs. I’m not sure I’d be interested in going back regardless of the food quality.