Homareya

I'll definitely be coming back for the yakitori. The sashimi had nice chunks of fish. Service was warm and friendly. The quesadilla heavy but with interesting flavors a little too rich, so we took some home. The liver was like pate.

They have a charcoal grill!! Excellent service, food, and energy. I will absolutely be back often. My favorite was the kyoto style pressed nigiri.

Local friends invited me over during their soft opening weekend, and was excited to hear about an Izakaya opening in Long Beach. Having grown up in Torrance you get spoiled with a lot of great Japanese options, and this new spot in DTLB is on par. Got to try something different with their Japanese inspired quesadilla and it was delicious, as was the rest of the food. I was a bit disappointed to see that the Nikaido wasn't served as a highball like at the Dodgers stadium. Ended up ordering a bottle of green tea to mix it on the rocks, and was surprised that either the soda water or other options had to be purchased as a bottle to mix the drink. Overall a great place for authentic Japanese food in Long Beach, and excited to see what else they add to the menu.

I got scallop, chicken heart, and pork skewers as a tester and this place is fantastic. You can get a full meal or just stop in for a snack skewer and a drink but believe me you will be tempted to stay. Food is cooked to order in front of you

Amazing new izakaya in Long Beach! All the food we had was so delicious and you can tell they use high quality ingredients. Some of my favorites were the toro nigiri, bluefin tuna appetizer, spicy tuna handroll, meatball skewer and yuzu ikura onigiri. They also had a unique fusion quesadilla which was tasty. Customer service was amazing and the owner Chef Yoya was so friendly! Parking was easy as they are located next to a structure and the first 2 hours are free.

I don’t usually write a Google review about a place, but I had to take the time to write one. My friend and I came here on a whim because we saw a TikTok about it, and the food, the ambiance, the music playing, and the service blew us away. For a soft opening, I was still really impressed. We had the shishito peppers, the cucumber salad, the yakisoba, the quesadilla (using sonoratown tortillas btw), the matcha brownie, and the mochi and ice cream. I was sad we didn’t have enough space in our stomachs to try more of the items. I can’t wait to come back to this place.

This was a great night of food. They're still finding their rhythm when it comes to serving, but they are earnest in wanting you to have a good time. We had the Salmon grilled rice ball -salmon is so buttery and silky. That depth of flavor from the grilled soy sauce, the crunchy exterior of the rice ball, great contrasts of textures and complimentary flavors Chicken thigh skewer Basic, but still very delicious, tender, and juicy Pork belly skewer I don't know how else to explain this except as somehow perfectly chewy and creamy. The meat to fat ratio is simply luscious Eggplant skewer Vegetarian friend said no complaints, but wouldn't get them again Calamari and potato tempura Interesting contrast of temperatures and textures, but ultimately not something I'd get again. Maybe if it was heirloom/more flavorful tomatoes, maybe if the tempura wasn't mixed in with the wet stuff. But it was still flavorful and well seasoned Chikuwa tempura Just a fun, chewy, tasty, savory bite of food, perfect paired with cold beer Corn ribs tempura Hard to eat, I don't know why I always think the cob will be edible, but sweet, juicy, slightly salty corn will never not be delightful. Also perfect with cold beer. Matcha Brownie and Azuki ice cream Just incredible. I would call the matcha Brownie more of a cake, it's a very light texture/crumb. But that being said, the thick stickiness of the azuki paste gives a similar "stick to the teeth" consistency a fudgy dessert can give you, so it works out. The ice cream is a little icy in texture, but still a great flavor, giving a similar vegetale freshness in the mouth as strawberry ice cream. And it's, of course, not too sweet And the HOKKAIDO SCALLOPS WITH CUMIN BUTTER This was a remarkable bite of food. The cumin butter and sweetness of the scallop go together so so well. They play off of each other and nicely and cleanly lead into the fresh ocean taste of the scallop at the end, almost like the butter dissolved into an ocean taste. The cumin is not bitter or over powering. And the choice to include the whole of the scallop instead of a more trimmed/sanitized version gives it more texture. You have to sit and chew for a while, but the flavor is changing the whole time, so it's worth doing so. The decor and atmosphere are quite plain, but it doesn't matter, because it's clear the thoughtfulness and effort and creativity and care have gone into the food. And when the food is this thoughtful, you really just need a clean, friendly place to enjoy it. There's something liberating and utilitarian about that. Frees up your brain for more flavor.

Really delicious izakayka (and some fun non-traditional elements). They’ve got a solid selection of nigiri, the Yakitori is delicious, and if you’re looking for unexpected faire, try the japa-dilla (Japanese quesadilla) which is absolutely to die for.

This place is so good I've been twice in the past week. I tried a few new things so thought I'd update: The quesadilla - tasty, a bit on the sweet side but overall a yummy and popular dish. The yellowtail collar - super tender and delicious! Chicken Thigh skewers - these were a bit on the salty side. I preferred the chicken meatballs from last time. Service is great, they even remembered me and I love sitting at the counter for the ambience and watching the chefs cook.

I am very excited for Homareya to have a home in Long Beach, more specifically so that izakayas and traditional Japanese cuisine can build a presence in this food scene. Homareya is a cozy spot located on Long Beach's Promenade. It has a traditional izakaya menu with cold appetizers, grilled skewers, fried treats, and rotating specials. I got a little bit of everything to try. Here's what I got: Shredded Cabbage & Cucumber Salad: This is a great side dish to have as it is very refreshing. The bits of chicken skin are a great fatty addition. 6-pcs Nigiri Sushi: This was the best dish we had all night. I really enjoyed the freshness and simplicity of the nigiri. This is a must order so that you have some freshness to balance out the fried and grilled food of the night. Fried Calamari: This was good. The batter was light and airy, and the calamari was tender and not too chewy. Chicken Liver Tender: This is not for the faint of heart. The dish is just literally seasoned, sliced liver with some onions on top. It was delicious, especially for the people who can appreciate and enjoy offal, but it is not very approachable if this is your first time trying something like this.  Quesadilla Homareya Style: This was unfortunately very disappointing. The simmered meat was not soft, and had such a runny broth that it was making the entire dish soggy. It was far too sweet and lacked an overall balance. Wagyu Skewer: This was good! The chimichurri was a fantastic contrast to the fattiness of the meat. Kurobuta Pork Belly Skewer: The best skewer of the night. It was nice and fatty, but had a perfect citrussy flavor. Chicken Heart Skewer: Again, this was great if you already like offal. This is much more approachable than the liver, but it really does just highlight the true flavor of the heart. Hokkaido Scallop Skewer: This was okay. I would say that the scallop was a little overcooked. I thoroughly enjoyed them leaving the skirt on for extra texture. Unfortunately, the flavor was just a bit underwhelming in the way that it did not complement or highlight the scallops at all. I did not get a chance to try their sake, but did try their peach oolong beer, which I have not seen around here before and was absolutely delicious.  The service here was clunky, but as it is with busy new restaurants. It may be different if you get to sit at the counter rather than the tables. It just took a while for wait staff to come take our order or check on us so that we could put in more food. I would definitely come back to Homareya to share a bottle of sake and have a casual bite. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the menu. It was good and I am excited to have more traditional asian food in Long Beach for sure.

We had reservations on a Friday evening for 5:30pm, right when they opened. When we entered, we definitely didn't feel a super welcoming vibe. I requested a table on my reservation and we were immediately directed to a counter spot. After relaying that info, he first checked to see that I had requested a table before we were directed to one. A couple of tables remained empty for most of our meal. We were given two menus, one with the daily specials and a regular menu. We ordered a variety of dishes off of both menus. One dish at a time was served, with a lot of wait time in between. We weren't sharing all dishes, which caused one person to sit and watch the other eat their dish. We tried the following dishes: -From the daily specials, Oyster Miso Hot Pot 4/5. The portion size is enough for two to share. Oysters were delicious and the pot contained two large Oysters and 1 small Oyster, mushrooms, nicely sized tofu, and a lot of cabbage. Great to try, but I wouldn't order it again. From the menu:Koji Ontama Potato Salad 4/5. A unique presentation but it could have used a bit more seasoning. -Black Mussle Koji Butter Saka Mushi 4/5. Mussels were topped in the broth. Overall, the broth was good, but mussels were lacking in flavor. You had to ensure that every bite had broth. -Fried Chicken Karaage 4/5. My husband enjoyed this dish. Jidori Chicken was juicy and perfectly fried and sliced with a side of Yuzu Koyso Mayo and Pickled Cabbage. The downside, a bit too fatty. -6 Piece Nigiri Sushi 5/5. Requested with no Wasabi or soy sauce. Fish was fresh and the rice was nicely seasoned. Finally, the reason for the 3 stars, the Wagyu Skirt Steak. Something we order at every Izakaya was possibly the WORST item of the night. It arrived last, about an hour after we were seated and it was completely rare and so fatty. The one piece that was tried was completely inedible. Nothing worse than chewing on raw fat. I read a review were someone said they need to improve their grilling skills. They are definitely correct. See Pic. So, we didn't get the fun Izakaya vibe that you normally get, the food was pricey for the lack of care and quality, and the wait between dishes was so ridiculously long. We took the Wagyu home to cook it further and it was just so disappointing. We most likely will not come back. Street parking and a parking structure is located adjacent to Homareya.

So I'd been excited to try this place since I heard they were opening a few months ago... finally got around to it, a couple weeks back. I've just been a bit conflicted as far as how to distill my feelings about it into a star-rating. First off, yes, you definitely need to call ahead to get a reservation, at least on a Saturday - our stop here was fairly last minute, so we called in before we left, and snagged the last two spots (this is not guaranteed - it is a pretty small space, and word is out.) It was definitely full and quite busy when we got there, but we were seated immediately. That was, however, the only thing that was immediate - the drinks we ordered came out relatively quickly, but the food took like 45 minutes. The kitchen is right in front of you, though, so we could definitely see that they weren't being slow, just scrambling to keep up. As far as the food, I was here mainly to try two things: all their skewers, and the fusion quesadilla with Sonoratown's tortillas everyone's been talking about. The latter was... good? For 16 bucks, I definitely wasn't blown away. The tortilla is obviously a great tortilla, and the meat was enjoyable, definitely spiced really nicely, but it's not very large, and could definitely have used a bit more cheese, if you want to call it a "quesadilla". It also comes in 3 pieces, which wasn't ideal for sharing. As far as the skewers, we tried the beef (enjoyable, but as expected, not very large for the price), the scallops (also pretty small, and neither of us were particularly impressed with the flavor), the pork belly, which was *extremely* good (though also in fairly thin strips, though much more affordably so), and the tare chicken thighs, which are also only $4 per skewer like the pork belly, OMG amazing, and a bit more filling than the others, as well. So if they were a bit less busy, while I probably wouldn't be back to try the more expensive things on the menu, if they were a bit less busy sometime, I would *definitely* be back to just literally stuff my face with pork belly and chicken thigh skewers. (I was also looking forward to trying the mushroom skewers, but they were all out of all their veggie skewers the day I was there, for whatever reason.) The other reason I feel slightly conflicted in terms of rating is their drinks list - it's certainly entirely reasonable that the majority of it would be taken up by sake, but it's all pretty *expensive* sake, would be nice if they had at least one slightly more affordable option. I did think the menu of shochu on the rocks (more affordable at $7-8 per pour) was pretty neat, though. We were also sad to discover, after ordering it, that the non-alcoholic Japenese "cider" listed on the menu is absolutely actually not a cider, but an apple-flavored sugary soda drink. That felt a bit like false advertising? Then they have the standard Japanese import beers, and one local peach oolong craft beer (which I've had elsewhere, it is quite good), and that's basically it for drinks. Anyway, while I wish they had a broader menu for drinks, they could have been a bit faster, and some of their menu feels a bit pricey for their size... I do think the most important part of this review to take away from it is that, omg, in my personal opinion, the tare chicken thigh skewers are fantastic, and very reasonably priced.

What a hidden gem in DTLB this place is and again another place that deserves 4.5 stars. This little izakaya I found cause of the trusted Yelp app and I have recommended this establishment to many of my friends already. I came here to celebrate a big deal I closed at work and I will be coming back for sure. My servers were Asahi and Justin and they were awesome. I took all of their suggestions from choice of sake to the food. For being an izakaya, it's well ventilated so it wasn't all smokey which was a plus. I sat at the bar top and watched the chefs do their magic. This place really feels like you are in Japan with the decor and of course hearing the head chef speak Japanese to the other chefs. They have a wide variety of options on their menu and trust me, I ordered a lot. Looking forward to my next visit.

This is a late review but better late than never? I was really excited for an izakaya to open in Long Beach. Comfort Japanese food is one of my favorites but I usually have to trek up to South Bay for it. So high hopes for this place and it was good, not great. We came during their soft opening so maybe that was the problem. There were a few items we really wanted to try but they were out of them. We tried a wide variety of the skewers and a salad and the rice balls. Don't recommend the rice balls. Extraordinarily sweet and almost inedible. The chicken thighs were undercooked. I'm well aware that chicken thighs unlike breast don't always turn white but this was an undercooked pink. I think they were going too fast and also trying to keep the chicken tender but the result was not great and so our kids just didn't want to eat it anymore. Now onto the good. In large part, many of the skewers, including the wasabi chicken, beef, and pork belly were delicious. The seafood skewers were also great. And they had a great alcohol selection to go along with their food. The vibe is also great. Small but not crowded, really nice servers, felt like a cleaner yakitori spot in Japan. That said, it's pretty pricey and when I go to a yakitori or izakaya spot in Japan, part of the appeal is affordability and you won't find that here. I'm heavily torn about giving this place a 3 or 4 star rating. On the one hand, I want this place to succeed and it has a lot of potential. But it doesn't compare to places in South Bay let alone Japan. So I gave it 3 stars because ultimately as an elevated yakitori/izakaya, I thought it was fine but it just isn't a place I would come over trekking down to South Bay.

I am already a repeat customer of Homareya's because it's just such an amazingly delicious and cool spot in DTLB! The open style kitchen allows you to see the chefs grilling the skewers and preparing the food when you're sitting at the bar, which really adds to the casual and friendly atmosphere. All the chefs and servers were very nice as well. As for the food... AMAZING!!! My favorite dishes were the japadilla, which was perfectly flavored, and the chicken thigh (tare) skewer, which was extremely juicy and succulent. I enjoyed everything that I tried there, and I will definitely be back to try more on the menu!

I ate a salmon roll at a fundraising event that they participated in and it was the best sushi I had ever had so we very excited to go to the restaurant. I made a last minute reservation and got parking right out front. The space isn't big but the chairs are comfortable and although there was music, it never felt too loud. We were immediately greeted and given menus with some recommendations. They kind of encouraged us to order, eat, and then order some more. The highlight was the white fish hand roll with miso. I could have had three of those and a beer. The fish was sweet and everything was perfectly balanced. We also enjoyed the pork belly skewer and monkfish special. The quesadilla was unique but a little heavy for me. But that being said, we ate all of it. There were so many items on the menu that we wanted to try so we will be back again soon.

My husband and I had such an incredible Sunday dinner last night at this authentic, gem of a restaurant! I even promoted it during my weekly Monday meeting at work today hehe We made a 5:30pm res for 2 about a week or so in advance to ensure we were able to dine here while in LBC for the monthly flea market. Although we were the first ones in, by 5:45pm--it was packed! I enjoyed sitting at the bar counter so we could see the action and interact with the chef. Note: unlike in Japan, you cannot order directly at the counter. You have a dedicated wait staff that takes care of you ;) fyi only hehe The bar seating was comfy and appreciated the swivel stools and hook underneath for my bag! There was a special monthly menu in addition to their regular menu. We indulged: - Agedashi tofu w/ crab dashi (my favorite; heartwarming and tasty) - Monkfish karagge (unique & delightful - should be a permanent item imo) - Spicy Tuna Handroll (while fresh and yummy w/ excellent quality tuna and nori, I could have skipped it) - Saba (my husband's favorite fish and he was blown away at quality, flavor, and juiciness of the cut + rice used) - Charcoal veggies (perfect meal compliment) - Chicken Thigh skewers (excellent flavor and cooked to perfection; had 2 each of tare & salt) - Pork belly skewer (v good 1x) - Chicken tender skewer (v good 1x) - Chicken tail (yum! 1x) - Scallop skewer (v good but I'm not a fan of keeping the skirt on lol...amazing flavor 1x!) - Chicken meatball (v good w/ tare 1x) ***note, there was no veggie or beef skewers on the menu last night. Seems like menu is seasonal and subjected to what's available (which I personally like bc it keeps things fresh!) - Many glasses of sake (the monthly special clear skies was awesome fyi) and a few glasses of beer! Service was great and attentive. They also were knowledgeable about food and drink recommendations! Hats off to Chef Yoya-San. **Deepest gratitude bows** Wish we had investment $ to bring this establishment to LA!!!!!!! Can't wait to try the potato salad, Wagyu skirt steak, tempura corn rib, "japa-dilla", and all the desserts next time!!!!! My husband is so happy to have all his favorite dishes from home (Kansai, Japan) here in SoCal! It gave him much comfort!

I think I found my new favorite restaurant in Long Beach. It's a small place with a clean aesthetic so when you walk inside you feel like you've been transported to Japan. There's lots of counter seating overlooking the chefs, some tables for groups of 4 and one table for 6 so I suggest coming with a smaller group. Our server and the chefs were so friendly, helpful and welcoming. It's a Japanese Izakaya so all portions are small and I suggest sharing so you can try as much as possible. I thought that everything was very fairly priced. We were given two menus, their standard menu and a paper menu with daily specials. You'll get their standard offerings like skewers, rice balls and sashimi with a creative twist to it, as well as unique offerings like their quesadilla made with soy-simmered beef and a jidori egg on a Sonoratown tortilla. It was phenomenal but I did wish that the quesadilla wasn't sitting in broth as it did make the tortilla very soggy. The White Fish White Ponzu melted in our mouths and I appreciated the freshness of the fish and the bright flavors from the ponzu. We wanted to drink up the sauce. The skewers, seemingly so simple, were perfectly cooked and each elevated by their own unique sauce on top. The Kyoto-style Yakisoba was one of the more substantial dishes and definitely a must-order. And don't miss the desserts. The Matcha Brownie with Azuki ice cream hit all the right notes. Creative, not too sweet and simply delicious. To round out your experience, their sake menu is extensive and goes all the way up to the extra large bottles. All of that said, we didn't have a bad dish and felt that the overall execution of food, drinks, and atmosphere were on point.

I have been waiting for this izakaya to open for months!! Finally, they're open 6 days a week and just started serving on Sundays this week. They'll take walk-ins during the weekday, but weekends are already busy so reservations are recommended. They are currently only taking reservations by phone. My husband and I came Sunday at 8pm and had the place nearly to ourselves. I loved sitting at the bar, chatting with the owner, Yoya and chef, Noe. We congratulated their opening with a couple rounds of beers and sake. I liked the Kurokirishima Imo Shochu on the rocks ($7) which had a subtle sweet potato taste. The glasses of sake range from $13-$18 and the bottles are significantly more. Yoya recommended I try the Tedorogawa Yamahai and that was smooth and paired well with the food. Everything we had was delicious and inspired by Yoya's hometown of Kyoto and what he likes to snack on when drinking. Koji Ontama Potato Salad ($12) I don't care for potato salad but I wanted to try the marinated koji-soy onsen egg. It's meant to be mixed into the potato salad and eaten with the seaweed, the way Yoya likes it! Quesadilla-Homareya style AKA "Japa-dilla" ($16) Sonoratown tortilla, soy-simmered beef, Jidori egg, ginger, konyaku, Sansyo-pepper, Ichimi. What a combination of flavors! The tortilla was crisp and held up the stewed beef. Love that konyaku was in it too. Some juice came out of the stewed beef so it's probably best to eat it upon being served. Black Mussels Koji-butter Saka-mushi ($23) omg the broth of Koji-butter, garlic, shallots, sake, yuzu and green onions is to die for! Skewers: the Tsukune (chicken meatballs), Eringi (mushroom) and Wagyu Harami were good. The Yuzu Kosho Chimichurri they make to top the wagyu was mind blowing! They were out of the scallops and chicken hearts so hope to try that next time. Onigiri (grilled rice balls): they were out of the mackerel with miso so we tried the grilled salmon. The charred soy sauce gave it depth with the crispy salmon skin and the shiso leaf added a refreshing contrast. From the September "Otsumami" (snack) menu, I tried the pickled mackerel nigiri and the Toro-taku hand roll and they were carefully crafted and flavorful. The servers are very attentive and polite. The place is intimate and minimal, allowing patrons to focus on the action taking place in the open kitchen. Come earlier on the weekday to be able to try more on the menu and beat the crowds on the weekends! Metered street parking and parking structure nearby is free for the first 2-hours!

Visited Homareya in October 2025. The owner, Yoya Takahasi, was there, and he was exceptionally welcoming and gracious. To start, we ordered the potato salad which was a good, typical Japanese potato salad. For the izakaya, we ordered the chicken liver tenders, tempura corn ribs, and black mussels. The chicken liver tenders and mussels were very good. The corn ribs were good, albeit somewhat underwhelming. For the yakitori, we ordered a number skewers, all of which were very good. Finally, it is worth nothing that we arrived about 12-13 minutes late for our reservation. Unfortunately, they had given up our table. This was a little disturbing initially, but in retrospect, somewhat understandable given the size of the restaurant and number of walk-ins. Just be aware. Overall: Very solid addition to the Long Beach food scene.

Had to come check out this brand new spot that's open kind of late night! Immediately loved the vibe when I stepped inside. Cozy, bustling, and welcoming. Our service was fantastic. So sweet and knowledgeable. I wish I got our waitress' name but she actually ended her shift half way through our dinner so I didn't get to ask her, but she was great. We ordered her recommended sake glass, I forgot the name as well lol but it was refreshing and clean. A little pricey for a glass but it was a good pour at least. Eats: - Koji ontama potato salad; delicious! Loved the egg on top -shredded cabbage and cucumber salad (minus the chicken); really flavorful and fresh. - white fish white ponzu; threw me off because the ingredients the fish laid on appeared slimey but it was actually really good!! -sashimi 5 kinds; yum. The tuna was my favorite, so buttery I definitely want to come back and try their yakitori and dessert.

Had the most amazing experience at Homareya! If you're looking for a solid izakaya in Long Beach with a great sake selection, this is the place to go. Some of my favorite items were the bluefin tuna appetizer, toro and kingfish nigiris, spicy tuna handroll, meatball skewer, chimichurri wagyu skirt steak and yuzu ikura onigiri. You can tell they use high quality ingredients and every dish was made well. Chef Yoya and his staff provided excellent customer service! We left so satisfied. Can't wait to come back the next time I'm in Long Beach. Parking is also very easy as it's right next to a parking structure and the first 2 hours are free.

We were 4th group in line during their soft opening! Already walking in, the atmosphere felt welcoming. It is Izakaya style so I can easily see it getting busy and having a long wait during peak hours. Luckily there's that pizza place next door so you can drink beer while you wait! Food: Flavors were there, very eye catching, and the skewers were pretty tasty. Unfortunately I think one of our chicken was still a little pink so we had to let the waiter know. They were nice about it, and we wanted to be safer than sorry. The Matcha brownie is so good! Would recommend for dessert. Food did take a while to get to us, a couple of our orders were either forgotten that we had to ask about few times if it was coming or was told it wasn't put down initially. We were pretty understanding seeing as it was their opening night. Again, it's a nice ambience for a night out for a date night. Might be a little difficult for big groups. I dont think Ill go back on my own BUT will go if a friend or friend group wants to go.

Warm friendly service. Tasty yakitories and small plates. The quesadilla is on the heavier side so are one piece and brought the rest home since we wanted to taste more dishes. Clean minimal space with a traditional Japanese feel.

So excited to be here on Day #1. Soft opening. After reading Brian Addison's write-up, we just couldn't resist. The fish melted in our mouth. The skewers were perfectly grilled. Potato salad was yummy and the chicken liver was to die for. Skip on the oyster. It was just ok. This spot is half a mile from our place so we couldn't be happier that they are here.

Love this place!! So cute, love the ambience and the service. All the food was amazing and one of the best Izakaya I have had in a while. Highly recommend!

Oof. It kills me to leave a negative review of this diamond in the rough. But there's real food safety risks eating here and I'm worried it hasn't gotten better. The first sign that the kitchen doesn't have their cooking times dialed in was an order of charcoal grilled rice balls with cold rice inside. What followed later was a series of grilled chicken thigh skewers that were varying levels of doneness, including a few that were still raw(!) inside. The grilled veggie dish was excellent, grilled meatballs were delicious and the grilled pork belly was mostly good - but again, borderline undercooked sometimes. Inconsistent cooking times were the theme for the meal and I felt like I was on a roller coaster of highs of delicious flavor and lows of worrying if my night will end with food poisoning. The underlying flavors of everything are delicious and seasonings are spot on. It's the cook level that is wildly inconsistent that ruins it for me. If they could get this sorted this could be a five star place, no question.

Amazing food, service and ambience! We ordered so much, couldn't finish everything. Missing from the pictures was sashimi and the yakisoba. I would save everything is a must try, except I didn't love the salad. There was a bitter flavor, possibly from the sprouts, other then that I would get everything again. Can't wait for the grand opening!

Great little place in DTLB. Sushi and Izakaya are first class. Staff was very welcoming and attentive. I recommend getting a seat at the bar as you get a good view of the chefs working. Seating is limited, so better for smaller parties. Groups beyond 4 may have a hard time being seated together.

Wow I can't say more than good things about this place. Went with my boyfriend for dinner and sat at the bar. Definitely recommend sitting at the bar so you can see how they make every single order individually with such amazingly fresh ingredients. The chef and owner was behind the counter and was so friendly, we started chatting him up and he'd explain everything he was making for us. It was such great and delicious Japanese food. We tried a few of their skewed which are cooked over charcoal right there in front of you and they were soooooo good and juicy! Tasted some of the freshest sashimi and they have this really great quesadilla type thing that was unexpected but so flavorful! Inside was very small so I recommend reservations but it's very nice and traditionally Japanese decor inside. One of the other patrons bought a bottle of sake and was giving everyone at the bar shots. It was a great dinner experience! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Wife and I had a dinner date away from the kids, and we had a great time here. The host/waiter has good recommendations if you ask, nice guy with a fine dining but chill kinda vibe. Everything we tried, we enjoyed, ordered a number of classic yakitori items and other items scattered around each section of the menu. Would especially recommend the chicken heart, wagyu steak if you like rare beef, yellowtail sashimi which was a special and probably says a lot about the rest of their sushi/sashimi menu. We ordered a bottle of sake, chilled, took our time, never felt rushed, appreciated the pace of meal. Excited to come back and try the rest of the menu.

Trying to reserve a table for a large party. Can't do it online cause the size is 2 people too big. Tried calling, didn't pick up. Said to leave a voicemail and will try to reach back out. Can't do that though, inbox is full. Tried multiple times to see if can reach someone they automatically rejected the call.

So pleasantly surprised!! I wasn't expecting much, thinking a Long Beach version of Izakaya BUT THIS IS LEGIT!!! So happy I gave this place a try. Definitely will come back!

Vibes: Feels like an izakaya in Tokyo with a slightly higher end esthetic. Only thing missing was an astray for my cigarette at the bar. Food : High quality made with an extra set of care that elevates it from any other izakayas in torrance or costa mesa. Price: Food is pricey but priced adequately based on quality. It would be more palatable if they lowered the cost of the alcohol; my main criticism. If they cut their beer by half and offered lower tiered sake I think they would strike a perfect balance. Its personal preference, but i think an izakaya that would fit my needs is somewhere that would get me drunk before I order the whole menu. :) It would also fit the Long Beach crowd. Just saying. An izakaya should be more concerned about drinks than food. With that said I'll be here every week.

Proper Japanese restaurant. Food & ingredients are top notch. Chef is creative & skilled. Music is good. Lighting is mellow (It isn't bright like an interrogation room which seems to be the norm in almost every other restaurant in the LBC. What's up with that?)

Great food and Sake selection I loved their Eggplant Agenitashi and tofu But Horrible service disorganized

I went during the soft opening, so it was tough getting a spot (no outdoor seating, at least for now). It's a small space with an open kitchen and very, very popular with good reason: the food is incredible. I got a couple skewers, sushi, and plates to share. The ingredients must be top-notch to make simple dishes that amazing. The server was kind and explained the sake selection patiently even though he had a lot of tables to get to. This mom-n-pop place is a gem among downtown's offerings, and I hope they stay around for a long time.

This place is not good..everything is salty eventhough I asked for "tare". The service is super slow. The ambiance is nice. Please be warned this place is nothing compared to shen shi gumi. Waste of my money.

Visited Homeareya during their soft opening, and we were BLOWN AWAY!! Went right during open on Friday for dinner and were able to be sat at the bar right away. Chef was in front of us working on plates and ensuring quality across the team, and boy did it not disappoint! Really excited to have an izakaya here in Long Beach with amazing food!! Can't wait to come back to try even more things!

Look no further, this is THE SPOT! The ambiance is dope, the playlist is always fire, food hits every single time and the fact that they offer sake carafes....there is no restaurant better than Homareya for dinner. The choices in small plates is so nice, you can try a lot of different things in one meal without breaking the bank or your waistline.

Foods are amazing. They have so many variety of Sake! We love the owner, Yoya. He is the best.

Homareya is an absolute delight from the interior design, friendly and attentive staff, and genuine authenticity unlike gimicks like midnight oil. The open face kitchen concepts reminds me so much of Japan and it highlights the fabulous display of craftsmanship exhibited by the kitchen staff. Completely affordable prices for something so unique and enjoyable. Loved the components in the potato salad with the very fresh and crisp nori, enjoyed mixing the egg to our liking. Yakisoba was wonderfully fragrant and full of fresh ginger pieces and chunks of tender pork. All the skewers were an absolute delight with a highlight on the salty crispy pork belly and the melt in your mouth tskune. Loved the slivers of crispy chicken skin on the thigh skewer. For dessert we opted for mochi which was not our favorite but the ice cream companion was so superb it truly made up. I can see myself taking friends here for beers/sake and a few skewers before a night out. Wait time for food varies but cmon it's izakaya have some drinks and relax, enjoy company and wait for these incredibly prepared foods! Can't wait to come back and try more

We got a reservation here for a friend's birthday. The food was great, but unfortunately the service was beyond horrible and made us never want to go back. We ordered two "mega beers" and split them (there were four of us). The owner (I believe) came up to us after a while and said we weren't supposed to split them...meanwhile on the receipt it states "Sapporo pitcher". We felt like we were scolded for absolutely no reason. We were having a great time before that and we were not being disrespectful to anyone. The host also then came up to us and said, "just so you know, there's another reservation coming so you'll have to leave soon". He said it extremely rudely and we had only been there for 50 minutes (max), as well as I was still waiting for two salmon rice balls. So, he basically said we need to leave soon while we were still waiting for food, which is absolutely horrible service in my eyes. Mind you, we also made a reservation and felt we had the right to be there longer than 50 minutes. Host and owner - very rude! Not coming back. Our waiter was actually sweet but good luck coming here and trying to have a good time

Great news addition to the Long Beach food scene. Loved the sushi and skewers the most. Fabulous potato starter. Cool ambience with great music that doesn't drown you in beats. We enjoyed sitting at the bar and watching the magic happen. Highly recommend!

The food was very yummy! The service was adequate...due to short staffing. The ambiance was nice because the place was very clean. It is a new restaurant. I was a bit disappointed that the skewer menu was restricted. It didn't offer premium steak, more seafood options, and vegetable options. They need to add steamed rice to their menu. This is a must. A single drunk patron kept trying to talk to us during dinner and it was a bit annoying.

This place has so much potential. We came for their soft opening and while they didn't have a few things on the menu their food and service was over all really great! Their chicken was super tender and their meatballs were melt in your mouth! The potato salad was very refreshing and the quesadilla was really filling and flavorful!!

I was really excited to have an Izakaya style place open in Long Beach, but I'm a bit disappointed. Service: don't even try coming on a Friday without a reservation. A friend and I tried to walk in on a Friday at 7pm and a woman told us it might be about an hour wait so we put our name in and killed time for an hour. We came back after an hour and checked in with the staff. A man checked the list of names and said it might be 10 minutes, then saw a table was leaving and asked if we would be ok with that one. We said sure and he started cleaning it up. Then the woman from before came out and told us no, that table was not for us and it would be at least 30 more minutes. We were frankly hangry at this point and frustrated by the unclear communication from the staff. We would have appreciated a more clear estimate of the wait time, because if we'd known up front it would be 1:30+, we would have promptly changed our plan. But okay, opening jitters, new staff, we were willing to give it another chance and were excited for the food. We came back on Wednesday with a reservation this time and were seated promptly. Unfortunately, we weren't that impressed with the food. The good: - Ontama potato salad: this was my favorite. I love trying Japanese chefs' potato salad because everyone has their own twist on a classic, and this one hit the spot. Good mix of crunch and potato. The egg was tasty but was not an onsen tamago (very soft-poached egg). It was more of a jammy hanjuku tamago style. Yummy but it didn't seem like it could really be easily mixed into the potato salad like our waiter and other reviews described. - yellowtail collar: good mix of slightly crisp outside and juicy insight with nice miso garlic sauce on the side. -Nasu agebidashi tofu: this was our party's favorite. Great dashi flavor and perfectly cooked eggplant. -matcha brownie with adzuki ice cream: another favorite, good mix of textures between the rich brownie, adzuki beans, and adzuki ice cream. -yakisoba: a solid, classic flavor Ok: - yuzu ikura yaki onigiri: really good flavor on the yuzu ikura filling, and a nice crunch on the grilled rice on the outside, but the overall texture of the rice felt a bit too hard and dried out, like it hadn't been cooked with enough water or had been refrigerated and reheated. - black sesame pudding topped with amazake: the black sesame was more savory than expected from a dessert, but it grew on us. I like amazake and was not a fan of the sourness of the top layer of this pudding. If I could have removed the top layer I would have been ok with this dessert but I wanted it to have a sweet or crunchy element to balance it out. Subpar: - we were not too impressed by the yakitori we tried (chicken thigh, breast, tsukune, eringi mushroom, and wagyu harami). The meat was lacking the juiciness you get at other yakitori spots. Cannot recommend: - one of our party tried the "shochu of the Dodgers," Nikaido Mugi, which really tasted like a cleaning product. And this coming from someone who likes shochu! - the homare roll. It had the same problem with the rice as the rice ball, but more pronounced because it didn't have the excuse of being grilled. The natto also left an unpleasant aftertaste. We didn't finish this one. Ambiance: a bit loud for my taste just because the space is so small, I was straining to hear my party of 4. Hopefully Homareya gets the kinks out and lives up to the other rave reviews, but for now nothing wowed me about the experience.

Homeraya is an izakaya that recently opened in downtown Long Beach; that was definitely missing in the local scene. Open the doors and you are transported outside of Southern California, into a local place you can imagine on the countryside of Japan. The food had refined elegance with the simplicity that allowed the ingredients to speak. Yet, the environment and service was warm and made you feel like a local