Aaron T.
Yelp
Haven't been to Ladybug for over 10 or so years. I think at that time they were just starting out and they were at a different location in the same local area (my memory is kinda fuzzy). My parents suggested we go there so off we went. Their current location is off Western Ave about a block or two south of Redondo Beach Blvd...if you blink, you may miss it! For those familiar with the area, it's in the former Sizzler location. Ample parking in their back lot.
From the outside, it may not seem "busy" or even open but once we opened the door and went in, it was surely the opposite...apparently IYKYK! Plenty of faithful customers enjoying their meals and some even reconnecting with old friends who they haven't seem in years.
Menu is varied and I had a couple top choices. For the record, they have Western-style breakfast, Japanese and Hawaiian stuff too. Sadly, the number of legit Hawaiian places in the South Bay have dwindled over the years so I decided to go with the lau lau plate (broiled mackerel was my next choice) since it has been some time since the last time I had Hawaiian food. My plate was a very generous serving of two scoops rice, a sizeable lau lau (pork AND fish!), lomi salmon, a scoop of mac salad and some salad greens with a CCS-esque dressing. I gotta say that I was very happy with my choice. This was the best lau lau I've had in a while (on the mainland) and the lomi salmon (though a tad too salty for me) was on point. Overall, the flavors and presentation were legit and on-point. If they offered poi, I'd be here every weekend (poi is kinda hard to get now tho so I understand) Needless to say, I finished everything:)
Service is pretty decent (we had three different young staff who tended to our table) but they could work on anticipating customer needs just a bit more. Kudos to them tho as they were holding down the full dining room on this very busy weekend morning!
As we were eating, I mentioned to my dad that when I went to Ladybug years ago, their menu was a little bit different and I don't remember them offering Hawaiian items. He said that when they moved in this location, they agreed to keep certain items from the former establishment, Bob's Hawaiian Foods...which was another legit Hawaiian restaurant. This was a good choice because you kept the former Bob's customers as well as welcoming new ones.
A very solid and unassuming place that can get quite busy on weekends. Can get loud due to people socializing and the like. Definitely a hidden gem in this part of Gardena. Charming, excellent value, lots of character and a very welcoming and comforting place for many!