Azuma Japanese Restaurant

Every so often you come across one of those restaurants, or you know the own ers and general managers. Sole purpose is to send people home absolutely full and satisfied. This is one of those places. This hits the mark on Japanese soul food. The noodles good. The super good. The bowls and plate sizes are just insane. Have you ever eaten at a Japanese restaurant with a dinner plate? Was the size of a medium pizza? The food was so tasty. Fact. I love this place so much that I came back two nights later. And the cool thing is they are open until 10:00. I rolled in after 9:00 on both times and I was able sit down immediately. The place is extremely cozy. Very casual and a very homely feel from the staff to welcome you in. I'm coming back... Again and again.

Authentic Japanese meal. The portion is very large and it was delicious. I will say the pork cutlet alittle dry. Service staffs are good and prompt...

I took my son and his gf here for her birthday. Thankfully we showed early evening around 5pm because it got really busy. The staff was very attentive and pleasant. The food was delicious with big portions. Definitely going back soon.

I really enjoy this place every time I visit. Japanese cuisine is one of my favorites and would definitely recommend this place. I lived in Japan and the food and flavor is very authentic. Place is too small but that’s how actually is in Japan.

A delicious hidden gem! Super cozy restaurant with wonderful food! Since we came for Valentines Day it was a bit busy and the server accidentally forgot to get our drinks. Not only did our server bring out our drinks quickly after but we were also given edamame on the house! Very kind gesture and tasted amazing! Highly recommend the miso soup and sashimi. Parking is a bit tricky to find but worth it!

For fish lovers, you might want to try the Broiled Mackerel. My husband ordered Omurice and it was good too. Portion was huge enough to share

Old timers always tell me how great it was but it still is. Portions are large but also delicious. And the menu has every old school Japanese comfort food from udon to beef teriyaki to sashimi to grilled mackerel. The sashimi salad has plenty of salmon, tuna and octopus and the dressing isn't over powering. The cutlet has a great crunch and the chicken moist. The egg omelette has pieces of chicken in it so they're not skimping. Highly recommend this place

Had Sashimi set, see how thick the sashimi is. It is not pricey for what you get. Will visit again!

My friend and I had dinner. We ordered beef teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, salmon skin salad, and pork kadhi curry. Everything was great, especially the beef teriyaki--it was the best! Parking was a bit difficult, but it's understandable.

Azuma is a solid little local Japanese restaurant that has been here for years and years. It gives homey, mom and pop restaurant vibes and their food reflects that! Every time I go here, I usually come around dinner time and have to wait a bit. You'll put your name on the waiting list and then they'll come out and call your party in. Last time I came here around 6:30pm and waited about fifteen minutes before being able to be seated for a party of two. Servers aren't super friendly, but they are kind and attentive. I ordered the Katsu Curry and it took a little over ten minutes to get to me. The Katsu Curry was HUGE. Definitely worth the price in terms of portion size as well as quality. The meat was cooked perfectly and was still crispy on the outside while being juicy inside. The curry was great and not overly runny and liquidy. There are so many things on Azuma's menu and I definitely will be coming back again to try different things here!

I've been Azuma several times of many years. They are an authentic Japanese restaurant with a large variety of amazing food. Each meal has always been 5 stars and great service! It is a small restaurant, so it helps to make reservations or get there right when they open. Prices are fair and portions are large. You cannot go wrong coming to Azuma!

Long time fan, first time writer. Lunch at Azuma is a treat. You can get these enormous bento-box type entrees that includes a little bit of everything at a phenomenal price. I ordered the sashimi broiled fish ($19.00) combo plate and upgraded my broiled fish to salmon (+2.00). With this combo plate, you get 8 pieces of high quality sashimi (tuna belly, albacore, salmon + octopus)!, miso soup and salad (side + macaroni salad). My sashimi broiled fish combo plate was delish. Every component of the lunch plate was beautifully executed. First of all, the quality of fish they include in the sashimi set is incredible. You're getting some very fresh + melt in your mouth grade fish. Likewise, the macaroni salad was unusually good. It's the kind you might find at a Hawaiian restaurant. And the miso soup? *chef's kiss* Lunch on a Monday was incredibly busy, but obviously these people know what's up.

Another workday, another visit to Azuma for dinner. Azuma is part of our dinner rotation when we decide to eat out during the week. It never disappoints. It only "disappoints" when there's several parties ahead of us waiting to get seated! It's quite busy during the week and some days are busier than others. We enjoyed: Grilled salmon belly. The cooks do a good job of grilling just right. The belly was fatty and well- seasoned. Drizzle some lemon, dip in ponzu. Delish! Shio tan (beef tongue). I always order this dish. Tonight's was especially good. I was seriously considering ordering another one. Seaweed and cucumber. This was our first time ordering this dish. It's quite simple - seaweed, cucumber and a sweet vinegar. Oh my! This was quite refreshing and quite tasty! This is a repeat! Oxtail daikon. We order this dish every now and again. It's always comforting and satisfying. Best eaten with a bowl of rice. Enjoy!

- parking at the "back" even though sign in board is also back there - wait was about 25 minutes at 730pm - small place but moves fairly quickly - waiters need to be flagged down to refill water or tea - large portions for dinner plates - croquettes is 1 piece - decent but would pass on it next time - chicken teriyaki dinner plate was massive - love the tempura

Just like I remembered it. So delicious. Azuma is a Japanese Restaurant Destination that has high quality, large portion plates. We ordered the following: 1. Beef Teriyaki 2. Black Cod The plates come with salad, Mac salad, orange slices, miso soup, rice. Always a good time at Azuma :)

Great portions, fast service, cute restaurant right in the neighborhood. Had such a great meal. Definitely coming back to try more!

Highly recommend trying just the beef entree rather than the combo plate because you get 1.5x the meat (after I asked what the difference was) and you'll have hard time finishing food no matter what! It's better to share more meat rather than get 2 combos this way!

Wow wow wow!! Not your average terriyaki beef and chicken reataurant.. I was first thrown off by the hefty prices on the combo meals but I was proven wrong with the taste and overall quality of the food. I opted for the terriyaki beef and fish combo which we upgraded to the black cod option which was well worth the additional $3. First off the beef is not just your evaverage terriyaki beef that you would get at your average restaurant but a high quality ribeye that's cooked to your desire which was cooked to perfection. Secondly the black cod is grilled while still obtaining all its juicy and tender flavor that explodes with each layer you cherish with every bite. The combos also come with miso soup and a hefty helping of cabbage. My wife opted for the tempura with black cod upgrade combo and again she was super happy with the black cod and the tempura was cooked to perfection with a whole array of veggies along with two large shrimps. Overall the food was amazing and above what we were expecting. I will definitely be back to try the other combos.

One of my favorite places! Don't go here since everyone makes it too crowded!! Grilled rice balls are expensive but definitely worth it! I'd recommend getting the teriyaki steak on the side with the grilled rice ball with whatever filling you like.

Friend recommended this place and the sashimi did not disappoint! Came with a friend who said it was close to as good as Japan's! Can't get better than thatZ. Usually I'm not a huge sashimi gal, just give me salmon saki and I'm good but the pieces were so smooth I couldn't resist! It seems like a hole in the wall place but it's pretty well packed. We came on a Thursday around 1pm and got a table easily. Everyone is super friendly and we didn't feel rushed to leave at all! We ordered l the mackerel and sashimi, sashimi awesome, mackerel okay 4/5. Upgraded to black cod and sashimi, 4/5: Black cod not bad had a sweet flavor to it. Fish was cooked well, but a tad overcooked. Sashimi again was awesome. Beef teriyaki and tempura 4/5: Nice big piece of rib eye, well charred and the right amount of teriyaki on it. You have to eat it right away tho otherwise the fat start to coagulate and then it starts to look disgusting. The tempura was a bit battery and the shrimp tasted mushy/frozen. Overall, I'm glad I came and would stop in for sashimi and the beef again. Reasonable prices and great desserts close by so I will definitely come back again when I'm in the area.

Small restaurant with extensive menu serving delicious food! I recommend the beef teriyaki (medium rare) and the black cod (+3 upgrade). The combination plate includes salad, miso soup and rice. The portions are huge! If you like oysters, order the kaki fry (panko breaded fried oysters).

I came in with a friend on a weekday night (around 7 p.m.). The place was 80% packed, so I got seated right away. I got the pork cutlet combo with sashimi. The portion was very generous. I could not finish the whole plate. The sashimi was my favorite part of the combo. The thick cut was very satisfying, and the fish were fresh. The pork cutlet was slightly dry instead of juicy. The outside was crunchy in a suitable manner. Somehow, it was kind of salty. I ended up drinking tons of water after the meal. I'm unsure if it was from the miso soup or a little bit of everything. The Calpis soju was mild and had a mild taste of Calpis drink. It was a good match for the meal. I will try their yakitori session next time. The photos on Yelp made it look very appealing. The place was not too noisy. The two-person table was a bit small compared to the big portion of the food on the plates. Parking was very limited on the street side, but no worries. There are more parking spots at the back.

Azuma is poppin' in Gardena. Don't be fooled by the run down outdoor appearance or even the cramped indoor aesthetic, this restaurant is jammed packed with deliciousness, with portions that'll turn your waistline into an absolute unit. If you're indecisive or just want to keep things simple, get a combination plate. Portions will be huge but you'll get a whole lot of quality and quantity food. If you HAD to choose one thing to get, I'd say treat yourself to sashimi and black cod. Both practically melt in your mouth before you can even say the word "melt". The sashimi? Freshly caught and sliced and diced before your eyes, or at least that's how it tastes. Their tuna, salmon, yellowtail just all melt in your mouth. The black cod? Say no more. Buttered black cod with miso is just sheer perfection. I may have shed a tear from how much flavor each bite offered. I couldn't stop eating. The only way I stopped eating the cod was because my parents offered some of their food too. The beef teriyaki was surprisingly REALLY good, like, tender good. The salmon? Pretty good too. But I liked the prior stuff I mentioned more. No reservations, just walk ins, try to go at opening or later in the night as this place gets packed real fast.

Azuma impressed my friend and me because of its large menu, featuring an array of dishes from grilled skewers to fried dishes, donburi, and combo plates. The restaurant is quite narrow and has both table and bar seating. Waiters were friendly, but not super attentive, so we had to ask several times for takeout boxes and our check. We tried a variety of dishes: beef tongue skewer, ebi bacon skewer, tori nanban, and unagi donburi. The portion sizes for both the tori nanban and unagi donburi were quite generous, while the skewer sizes are standard. The beef tongue was delicious, especially when you squeezed the lemon over it. Unlike other spots like Sagami and Nana's Green Tea, the tori nanban here only comes with the sweet soy sauce vinegar sauce and there's no mayo relish on top, resulting in a lighter version of the dish than you'd typically expect. Still tasty, but I missed the mayo relish. Expert tip: drive around the corner to find parking and you can enter through the back of the restaurant!

Came back for our anniversary and once again it did not disappoint! The sashimi is so fresh and we both got such large pieces. The teriyaki beef was nice and tender. Then the tempura really tied it all together! The service was wonderful as usual, our waitress always checked on us and made sure we were okay. After our 2nd time here - I would definitely say this is now one of our go to spots!

Tip: if you get here, go through the back, they have a sign in sheet and there is parking in the back too. I was surprised at the wait when I got here around 4:45. Not knowing there was a sign in sheet, we were parked up front waiting for 5 to hit so we could go in. Luckily, we went in a bit early and they informed us about the sign in sheet and didn't have to wait. I got the sashimi salad which is delicious! Huge pieces of sashimi. Only downside is they don't have ginger!!!

I love coming here with my family and friends. They have the BEST Beef Teriyaki I order it every time I come here. I usually it medium rare. Their beef is flavorful and cooked perfectly. Their tempura is also really good. I would highly recommend this place! They also have lunch specials. I tried one of their lunch specials came with orange chicken. Their orange chicken is also really good I wish they would add that to their main menu. Note: They have plenty of indoor seating and plenty of parking spaces They do not have outdoor seating They have plenty of parking spaces

I am so glad Azuma reopened after closing due to a fire next door. Why? Azuma serves up some delicious, authentic, and fresh Japanese cuisine! In addition, the portions are very generous. Azuma is a small eatery, located in Gardena. They are always packed. It doesn't matter whether you come for lunch or dinner, be prepared to wait. The good news is the wait is usually short. The wait staff is friendly and efficient and the cooks are quick. Azuma's tempura can rival any of the Japanese restaurants in Gardena, The chicken and beef teriyaki is grilled to perfection and seasoned just right. If you decide on having grilled fish, I suggest upgrading to the black cod, a generous portion of tender grilled white filet that just hits the spot. As odd as this may seem for those that have followed my reviews, I really like their salad dressing that comes with almost every dish. I usually ask for a little extra and they are more than happy to accommodate! This time I decided to try their Wasabi Octopus. I thought it was going to be grilled but I was surprised that it came sashimi style. And what a present surprise! The super fresh chilled octopus sits in a wasabi sauce that just complement each other. It was delicious!! Next time? More tempera, Wasabi Octopus and I'll try their sashimi.

The black cod and beef teriyaki here is amazing! This small Japanese restaurant hides some of the best beef teriyaki I've ever along with their tender and flavorful specialty black cod. We came on a weekday night at 6pm and the restaurant wasn't busy with plenty of tables available. There is street parking and a parking lot in the back with a very inconspicuous entrance in the back, next to a barber shop. They have dinner combination plates which average to about $30-$35 each, but the portions are huge and quality is spectacular. Servers are friendly and attentive, filling up waters from time to time. I ordered my beef teriyaki medium rare and it came out perfectly cooked as requested and as a sliced up steak. The black cod was flaky and had bones to pick out, but tasted delicious. I also tried the sashimi which others in my party ordered and it was so fresh. Overall a great Japanese restaurant with plenty of items on their menu, from yakitori to udon to sashimi, you can't go wrong with any! I would highly recommend trying them out if you can and definitely try their black cod!

I love trying out new food, especially from other parts of the world (i.e., Japanese). The name of this dish is called oyakodon, which included a miso soup on the side. The service was quick. I did get here before the rush. Ps. They do have like lunch hour specials starting at 1130am. The place is small. I do recommend coming in early for a table.

Really good quality food, and great service. Just beware that it is a very tight space and can get busy. It's also nothing fancy as far as aesthetics so don't expect that. There is a rear parking lot that can be easy to miss, but there is plenty of room back there.

I had a wonderful experience at Azuma Japanese Restaurant! Despite us arriving close to closing time, they were kind enough to serve us without hesitation, which I really appreciated. The saki was excellent--smooth and flavorful--and the prices were very reasonable for the quality of food and drinks. The customer service was friendly and attentive, making us feel welcome even though we were there near the end of the night. The only downside is that the venue is a bit small, so it can feel cramped, especially during busy times. Overall, a great spot for authentic Japanese food and drinks!

Was craving some steak and this place hit the spot, we ordered the combo plate teriyaki beef and sashimi. Ordered the steak medium rare and it came out just a little over medium rare but great tasting and juicy sliced teriyaki steak. Sashimi was delicious and great cuts. Waiter and overall staff/chefs are very nice and prepare courses well. I think the place is a small compact environment, tables are a little close to each other but manageable.

I need to come back here again. This place was awesome. I ordered the katsu and omurice. This plate was massive, there was no way one person can finish this! Everything I tried here was delicious. We also had a tofu salad, tempura and teriyaki beef. All of it was really good. The service was also really good. There was a long wait, but it was well worth it.

3/5 - Service and ambiance is the same as always. A small restaurant vibe with some traditional Japanese touches. The omelette rice was okay... needed salt and pepper, even Tabasco; kinda bland. The pork cutlet "Tonkatsu" was much better. The portion size is good and I have plenty to eat for lunch the next 2 days minimum.

This is my new go to for Japanese food!! Inside feels like an authentic Japanese restaurant that you'd find in Japan. They have a good amount of items on their menu. I opted for the sashimi and beef cutlet plate which was only $20. I thought that was so affordable given you're getting sashimi pieces and beef. The sashimi was fresh and the beef was tender. It comes with rice, salad, Mac salad and miso! A well rounded meal.

I just love this restaurant. I wish I lived closer. Everyone who works here is friendly and a very good deal.

My family and I have been regulars at Azuma for years now! It's definitely a hidden gem / hole-in-the wall restaurant. My boyfriend and I took Azuma to-go for dinner and it was AMAZING. We usually share multiple dishes / appetizers. Our go-tos are always the beef teriyaki dinner plate (medium rare), and for appetizers, the soft shell crab, zasai buta moyashi, and the yakionigiri with ume. The beef teriyaki is basically grilled steak with a teriyaki sauce. It's served with Mac salad, cabbage salad with a thousand island dressing, a bowl of rice, and miso soup. The portion is so generous! The zasai buta moyashi is stir fried bean sprouts with pork and Szechuan pickles. Sooo delicious and the bean sprouts are always fresh and crunchy! The soft shell crab is perfectly crispy. Each appetizer seems to come with 2 whole crabs which is a great deal. It's served with their house ponzu sauce. The ponzu is great quality and seems to have pieces of green onions, daikon, & ginger in it, and it's honestly the best ponzu around. The yakionigiri comes with your choice of filling - salmon, fish egg, bonito flakes, seaweed or ume (plum). I always get the ume. It's a large rice ball and it's served with pickled cucumbers, daikon & takuan. Azuma is always such a treat.

no frills, no fuss, just wonderfully cozy comfort food. i can't tell you how many times i've come here, but my order's nearly always the same: combo with tonkatsu and broiled mackerel, served with a bowl of rice and miso soup, and more than enough to last me two meals. hope this gem stays forever. parking lot in the back or street parking. service can be on the slower side, and there are often lines.

Super big portions!! My husband and I met up with a friend for dinner. The place is kinda small but it's worth the wait. We got an appetizer and 2 combinations. I was not able to finish my pork cutlet and had to pack it to go. My friend mentioned that they were closed for some time due to a fire in the shop next door. The only not so great part is that your clothes will smell.

This place will always be my favorite restaurant. I've been coming here for over 20 years. Used to come as a child with the fam. There is a huge menu with many izakaya style options. There are also combination dinner plates which are HUGE. You can't go wrong with their beef teriyaki, sashimi salad, chicken karaage, cream croquette, tempura, okonomiyaki ... the list goes on. Everything is super yummy. Def an old school, well known gardena gem.

Came on a Sunday night with a group of 11 (I know.. that's a lot since Azuma's seating is limited but it was my grandpa's birthday). My mom and I got there early and waited about a hour to get seated (so hangry). The worker was super apologetic since another large party was socializing for a long time after they finished their food. It definitely wasn't his fault but he was so kind about it. Food was BOMB as usual. Here are some pictures that I will be thinking about forever... until next time!

Went to this establishment to celebrate my birthday and I am glad I went! Although they don't have desserts on the menu, our waiter was so amazing with his recommendations, translations, and humor. We ordered 3 dinner plates and a couple skewers to share as a family of 5 and it was beyond enough food! what we ordered: -Pork Cutlet Curry The japanese curry was soooo yummy! -Omelette & Chicken Cutlet We were under the impression the omelette would be like omurice where the egg is watery on the inside and just melts over the rice,, but unfortunately it was just a scrambled egg on top of rice LOL -Sashimi & Chicken Cutlet the sashimi was so refreshing among all the greasy meat we were having skewers: -Shio tan: beef tongue this was my favorite. tough but flavorful -Tsukune: chicken meatball -Yakitori: chicken yakitori I really loved how fast the service was, how personable our server was, and how large the portions were!

The best Chicken Teriyaki goes to...Azuma Japanese Restaurant. Located along Western Avenue in Gardena, it's one of the only authentic Japanese restaurants that is open till 10pm (many other Japanese restos in the area close a bit earlier). My friend and I came here for dinner at around 8:30pm and we were immediately seated. The place is pretty cozy and I dig the dark brown wood walls and tables. There is also a bar area in front of the station were sushi is freshly prepared. We ordered our own Chicken Teriyaki dinner plates. During the first part of our meal, the waiter served us a bowl of miso soup. It's a must to eat it while it's served warm, especially during tonight's cold weather. The miso soup was packed with umami flavor and was not too salty. As we finished our miso soup, my jaws dropped when I saw the large portion of grilled Chicken Teriyaki drizzled with their special teriyaki sauce. It also includes a bowl of calrose rice, a scoop of macaroni salad and generous portions of cabbage salad with special dressing. The teriyaki sauce was glistening and had the perfect blend of sweetness and umami that matched with the freshly grilled, soft yet tender chicken slices. This is honestly the best and most authentic Chicken Teriyaki's I have ever tasted. The macaroni salad was not too overpowering and the cabbage, piece of lettuce and blanched broccoli were crisp and paired well with the savory sweet pinkish dressing. I was able to enjoy and finish my entire plate within the hour. Street parking was fairly easy as we were able to parallel park directly in front of the restaurant. The waiter and staff were very friendly, attentive and accommodating. Of course, I will come back for this authentic Chicken Teriyaki dinner plate and will try their other lunch or dinner plates. I am also curious to try their sushi too!

This place takes me back to Japan with American sizing. The food combos are so good. I ordered sashimi and beef teriyaki combo. The salad was refreshing, the sashimi was fresh and "butter". Butter is my description for really smooth and fresh sashimi that just melts in my mouth. The beef teriyaki was not overpowering. I was initially worried since I don't like too much sauce but theirs was just enough, accentuating the taste of the beef. The beer was served with frosted glass. Just perfect lunch if you're looking for authentic Japanese lunch combos. Highly recommended

If you don't know about this place you might miss it. Always a line to get in when they first open for dinner. Sushi is fresh and tasty! I ordered the Tempura Udon for my son and ordered my go to Tempura and Beef Combo. It's gotten much pricier since Covid, however definitely a good amount of food. The tempura is nice and crispy. Very filling by itself with rice. The beef teriyaki is very tender and thick with lots of flavor! Not like other restaurants. The quality is very good. But if you decide to do izakaya/tapas style dishes then I would suggest to dine in. Small hole in the wall old school Japanese style restaurant but with some updates since I've last been here with a dining area in the back of the restaurant and a small dining area for smaller parties with the sushi chef preparing in the front. Staff are very helpful.

Azuma is like a bar slash restaurant. Seats are limited so get there before the dinner rush or after it. You can get small dishs while you drink or get there huge plates that they offer. Teriyaki beef, chicken or pork katsu curry, or tempura are really good. Finish it down with a nice pitcher of Sapporo.

The food quality is no longer good any more and the atmosphere is not so friendly, due to too many alcohol consumers making a big noise. I will not go there anymore.

Went for lunch yesterday and it was very good. Portions are big and servers are very nice to everyone. Got the sashimi lunch, which is super fresh. The sashimi and chicken teriyaki combo and the daily special. The chicken teriyaki is with dark meat and grilled to perfection. I would prefer white meat next time. The daily special was spam and spinach omelette and broiled mackerel. The mackerel had too many bones so we won't be getting that again. The omelette was fine. All came with miso soup, cabbage and Mac salad. All this was $68, which was decent since the portions were big. Would definitely come back. Place is small so it fills up quick. Also parking in the back.

Had to try this spot for the cod and it didn't disappoint--really tasty! But the portions are small and kind of pricey. The takoyaki has a nice wheaty flavor, which was cool, but the beef tongue was too dry for me.

Azuma is a small little hole in the wall Japanese restaurant! My family has been going here for years. Some of the dishes are pretty pricey, but so worth it for the quality and amount of food you get. The beef teriyaki is around $32, and it is more like a teriyaki steak! They even ask how you want your meat cooked (medium rare is the best)! I usually don't like teriyaki, but I order it everytime I come to Azuma because it is so good. Our server was also very attentive & friendly! He was always making sure we had everything we needed, and came to refill our tea often. Highly recommend trying this place out!

Large high quality portions on huge dishes made to hold a large quantity of food! Think Tokyo Lobby except higher quality but just as ginormous! I will be back!

They are back ! Along with price hike. Still very busy at night. Come early or prepare to wait

My mother is a Gardena native and has ordered from here for over 15 years. We recently decided to dine in for lunch, and our older Japanese lady waitress had the nastiest attitude towards me and my mother from the beginning. I'm not sure if it was because we're Mexican, or because of the fact that my mom isn't a size XS, because it seemed like she was more attentive to other Japanese customers that were also there. While we enjoyed the food and have ordered online multiple times before, this last experience was really disappointing and made our visit extremely uncomfortable. Many other Gardena spots to consider.

This is my favorite Japanese restaurant. if you're driving the 405 through Los Angeles in the Gardena area it's worth the stop. I always find street parking on western and they have a small parking lot in back. Also can get crowded on the weekends.

Azuma! We love Azuma for their authentic Japanese food. I know everything has gone up but man, for a beef teriyaki and tempura combo plate at about $34 is high! It does come with miso soup, rice and salad. The portion is generous but we can't afford to dine here as often as we used to. We will be dining during special occasions. This place is always on my list during my birthday month. The service is ok. The staff can be nicer and friendlier but the food makes up for that. The ambiance is loud as the restaurant isn't that big. They recently renovated and the interior does look better but the space is the same, still tight! Our favorites are the beef teriyaki and tempura combo plate, chicken teriyaki and tempura combo, unagi plate, chicken cutlet with curry and fried oysters. I love their cabbage salad. If you love Japanese food, this place is a must! They have parking in the back. They do get very busy, try to get there early. There's usually a long wait for a table but worth the wait.

CLOTHES JUST BURST OFF (Food Wars anime reference). This is definitely a hole-in-the-wall restaurant worth trying. I've been to many Japanese restaurants that looked like this in the past and sadly had never impressed me. Azuma, on the other hand, changed my mind entirely. SERVICE Accidentally walked in from the back entrance (street parking) and is very busy for a Monday evening. Came with 3 other friends and wasn't feeling hungry at the moment, so I decided to order two small dishes. Our server mentioned that the portions can be very generous to some--we should never have doubted him. Service is simple but good, we didn't need much. FOOD If I could eat everything like Kirby can, I would but since I wasn't as hungry that evening, I ordered the Shio Tan Skewer (beef tongue) and the Gindara Misoyaki Grilled Dish (Broiled black cod w/ miso). They're absolutely perfect in every way, so if you're thinking about snacking, the skewers and the cod hits the spot! I did steal a few bites of the Unagi Don, which is also one of the best I've ever tasted! That will definitely be my go-to when I have a bigger appetite. OVERALL If this place was closer to where I live, I'd definitely go almost everyday but I'll definitely visit again when I'm in the area!