Sawtelle Japantown

I'm originally from Japan. When I need to buy or eat anything Japanese, I always go to Sawtelle instead of Little Tokyo in downtown. You can find virtually anything Japanese you want in Sawtelle. It's easy to find parking and often free parking. It feels so much safer than downtown. My two most frequent businesses, Daiso and Nijiya Market, are in the same building. Right across the street from that building is another small strip mall with many restaurants. I highly recommend that you visit Sawtelle if you haven't already to experience Japan while in Southern California.

This place doesn't get old, always satisfying, hungry belly or just craving for a drink or dessert Every one is friendly and welcoming. Does not disappoint, always preferred to stop by

A gem of the west side. No need to go to Japan or downtown. Everything you could want is right here. The street has continued to improve with more variety of restaurants and shops. A must see if visiting Santa Monica.

Fun for a day! Great for a nice Japanese lunch and then a stroll along the beach. I would highly suggest going!

BEWARE - Parking tickets!!! on Saturday I parked one block off of Sawtelle on Corinth Ave. and got a $68 parking citation, as did all the cars near me. The signage is ambiguous: "No Parking Except" "2 Hour Parking 8-6 on Monday-Friday" "District Permits excepted" It's understandable in retrospect but seems like a parking trap to enhance the city coffers. My only consolation is that I warned 3 other cars that were about to park there, they went in search of parking somewhere else.

Havent been here for few years and I love that the 2-3 blocks of Sawtelle is popping with the best asian food. We came here on a whim to explore the westside on a beautiful sunday afternoon. Parking can be a challenge but we eventually found some street parking.

The newer J Town. I refer to it as Ramen Row, and it's a very popular area with the 20s-30s crowd especially on the weekends (as early as 5:30 pm on a Saturday night.) Street metered parking if you can find it.

The neighborhood of Sawtelle Japantown, which is formerly known as Little Osaka, comparing to Little Tokyo in DTLA, is a bastion of Asian cuisines mainly Japanese food on the westside. The historic area is home to a sizable Japanese American population and is known for the trendy shops and restaurants centered on Sawtelle Blvd. The bustling dining hub is positively brimming with noodles, sushi, bbq and other specialists, just park the car and walk the corridor to enjoy the sights and tastes. I have quite a few go-to Japanese restaurants listed in this area.

One of my coworkers lives in this neighborhood. When he mentioned Japantown on Sawtelle, I drew a blank. I had a lot to learn! This afternoon we enjoyed a ramen lunch there, then discovered B Sweet Dessert Bar. Several Japanese nurseries are clinging to their real estate on the street, sitting on a gold mine of land value. There are blocks with all manner of mostly Japanese cuisine, from sushi to ramen to even a gyoza specialist. Apartment buildings and offices also squeeze in. Parking is definitely at a premium, and can make it challenging to enjoy the options for dining or just hanging out. We scored a spot behind Tentenyu, which is where we had lunch. Their small sign announcing parking in back helped clinch the deal! Was surprised at how many people were around the area after lunch time on a Friday. It's a happening area. Three stars for the hodge-podge nature of the commercial establishments, broken / rough sidewalks, and limited parking. Otherwise, thumbs up!

Lots of fun and always busy. Live walking distance from here and consider this a gem of the neighborhood.

Located on a busy street north of Olympic and south of Santa Monica, the main business strip is 3 or 4 blocks long with virtually no parking. The side streets are resident parking only so try parking in an LA City public lot a little south of SM Blvd and walking. There are a few dozen restaurants, mostly Asian, mostly Japanese. Check out their reviews on Yelp before you eat. Have fun!

My only complaint about Sawtelle is that it is so far from where I live. Yes, Little Tokyo is a lot closer but there a some things that just make Sawtelle unique. First, its in West LA so everything is cleaner and nicer. Second, parking is a lot easier in my opinion. Third, Tsujita.

Big thanks to my good friend Anthony for introducing me to Sawtelle Japantown in West LA. This neighborhood is awesome. As I understand it, as of 2015, Sawtelle Japantown is a relatively new officially recognized neighborhood in Los Angeles. However, the area has historically been primarily Japanese for decades and known by its unofficial name, Little Osaka. I learned the neighborhood was called Little Osaka to differentiate it from Little Tokyo in downtown LA. Sawtelle Blvd is the main north-south drag that runs through this part of town, nearby and parallel to the 405 freeway. Sawtelle Japantown is not to be confused with San Francisco's Japantown. And for those familiar with San Francisco, I think Sawtelle Japantown is to Little Tokyo (Los Angeles) what Clement Street is to Chinatown (San Francisco). It's "newer," cleaner, less touristy, and located in a more residential area. It's kind of like LA's "new" Little Tokyo, but not really. Both districts are special and unique in their own way. The neighborhood is bound by Nebraska Ave to the north, W Olympic Blvd to the south, and Corinth Ave and the 405 to the west and east, respectively. It takes up a good eight blocks containing a mixture of homes, offices, retail, and dining. It's almost like a self-sustained small town. Japanese and other Asian businesses extend outside these boundaries, of course, and I've been told the neighborhood has grown and become somewhat of a trendy place to live, eat, and hang out in recent years. On a recent trip to LA, we found ourselves heading back to Sawtelle Japantown because there are just so many cool looking shops and restaurants to check out and try. Walk up and down Sawtelle Blvd and take your pick. We hung out mostly around the four corners at Sawtelle Blvd and Mississippi Ave, a spot some may consider the de facto heart of the neighborhood. We had ramen at Tatsu Ramen and sushi at Kula Revolving Sushi Bar. We bought gifts at Tokyo Japanese Outlet. We had cream puffs at Beard Papa's and bubble tea at Volcano Tea House. We went to Nijiya Market two times. They have an outdoor griddle where they make fresh goodies like takoyaki (fried octopus balls). Everything was great. By the way, my friend swears by Bachi Burger. All in all, this is a very walkable, fun neighborhood especially if you're into Japanese culture. Parking in the neighborhood is limited. I recommend parallel parking for free along any of the residential side streets west of the 405. Just be sure to read and obey the signs. You won't have to walk more than a few blocks to get to Sawtelle Japantown.

Little Osaka's stock is up and coming. With so many restaurants around this area, the place is ideal when Little Tokyo seems too routine. During, my last visit, I even saw Gwen Stefani taking her kids out for a stroll. Talk about a "Sweet Escape" for herself and the family. You want to start near Nebraska Ave, more preferably at Plan Check Kitchen + Bar. Their Chef's Favorite Burger with an Orange Smash & Screw (old school Orange Julius with vodka) is a perfect way to start your visit. Just explore Sawtelle Blvd and it's sides, which is known as one of the busiest dining destinations in Los Angeles. Afterwards, head South and partake in a multitude of venues - BlackMarket, Hide Sushi Japanese Restaurant, Manpuku Tokyo BBQ, Daiso Japan, Furaibo, Gottsui, Blockheads Shavery, Nong LA, Kiriko Sushi, Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle, Brian's Shave Ice, and Seoul Sausage Company, just to name a few. The action goes all the way down to Olympic Blvd. The list goes on and I'm afraid to say that it's actually growing. Little Osaka is where the newer Japanese American community reside. It started in the early 90's thru immigrant operated botanical nurseries and it just took off from there. These days, you can't even really say that the Japanese influence is the only ethnic variety present here. All Asian cultures are represented, as well as the American in all of us. A great ethnic mosaic is about to form here, so get ready. BACHI BURGER Now, you don't have drive all the way to Sin City to enjoy this Las Vegas burger spot. The building has been under construction for months, dealing with permit issues. Signs are up and it seems like it's just a few weeks away from the grand opening. Boasting a swell patio that overlooks the heart of Sawtelle Blvd, it's time to munch on your choice of the Kalbi Burger, the Banh Mi Burger, or the Miyagi-san's Grass-Fed Wagyu Burger. "Please sir I want some more" - Oliver Twist.

Bring your Ben Gay. A tennis match awaits you. You'll likely get a neckache from looking to the left, and to the right...because there's so many great looking places with interesting menus. Seriously, on a night where you don't know what or where you feel like eating. Come down, park somewhere, and walk the 3 or so blocks. Pick a spot. Enjoy. Very excited about exploring more in this area. I've only been a few times, and each time it's been with a purpose to get to a particular restaurant or spot. Great food, great experience, and tons of fun.

Osaka is west of Tokyo in Japan. It probably got its name because it's west of Little Tokyo. It's a quaint place to shop and dine. Sawtelle is always crowded, especially during late hours. It has a variety of flavors, including its new addition BSweet.

Ohhh soo many memories :D Since it was mentioned.. No cussing or insulting i cant storytell:/ considering my high school and university is bout a mile from here... Okaaay so this place has changed a lot since 1998. It was always a bit hipster with Nuart theatres and the brevy of art stores nearby. My fave place to eat was furaibo. The ramyun place next to old no rae bang (karaoke) was quite delish... And the curry house (doo boo curry is bomba) contributed to my meat-less phase while protesting all kinds of stuff from pesticides to north koreans. New japan is still around which is quite shocking. The 711 we used to jack hotdogs from is still there and parking still sucks!!!

A few blocks chock full of amazing Japanese restaurants , boutiques, and grocery store makes for a feast for the eyes and tummy. Took my kids here for a few hours of fun and amazing food and we all had a blast. Daiso which is like an upscale Japanese dollar tree ( some items over $1) and the crepe place are not to be missed!

I love Sawtelle Japantown, home of LA's best Sushi restaurant, Kiriko. Bon Appetit did a review of the 20 best Sushi restaurants in the country, and Kiriko was on the list. A little gem :)

Sawtelle is the place to go for local Japanese food and other restaurants. We come here often, maybe at least 6-10 times out of the year, especially on Sundays after church. We've been to places like Tsujita, ROC, Curry House, Honeymee, Nijiya Market, and more! :) Parking is always a pain, but if you can arrive before 11 am then your chances of finding street parking are higher.

Lovely little pocket of coolness in this area of Socal. Like a second Little Tokyo. Surprised it doesn't get more talked about! The restaurants and little shops are all super fun to browse casually with groups of friends and it has a youthful but very humble and cultured vibe. Even fun to just people watch. I love going to the Giant Robot gallery which supports up and coming artists and pop culture.

Sawtelle Blvd AKA Little Osaka is a cute little area located in West LA area on Sawtelle Blvd from Santa Monica Blvd to Olympic Blvd. Twenty years ago, a lot of Japanese immigrants move here and opened botanical nurseries. Nurseries such as Hashimoto and the Jungle are still there the last time I was in the area. This area has many Japanese businesses such as restaurants, hair salons, supermarkets, anime stores, hello kitty stores, and clothing stores. Some of the businesses in Sawtelle: Hair salons: Taka, Van Van. Supermarkets: Nijiya, Granada Market. Restaurants: Chibuya Noodle Bar, Asahi Ramen, Furaibo, Yakitori-ya, Robata, Hurry Curry. Anime: Giant Robot, Giant Robot 2. Clothing Stores: ANAP, Rimo, Happy Six, Black Market. Recently I saw many food trucks parked outside Nijiya market. Sawtelle is another reason why LA County is a great place to live.

This place is really good to find the restaurant. I love the place which has a lot Japanese food.

Little Osaka, a 4-block section of Sawtelle Boulevard, is probably the most up-and-coming frontier for Los Angeles restaurants. New restaurants pop up frequently and only need to worry about keeping their patrons' business since the very walkable neighborhood brings in a steady flow of interested customers. In the mood for sushi? There are at least six options for you. Japanese curry? You betcha. Izakaya, shabu shabu, and tempura? Yes, yes, and yes. And if you're interested in a ramen crawl, this is your spot: seven or eight restaurants await you and will greet you with a robust "Irashaimase!" Not feeling like Japanese food? You'll find two pizza parlors, a burger joint, a sandwich shop, and a sausage house. There's also P.F. Changs for if you want to go the Asian route but aren't ready for full culinary immersion. If you're in the mood for something sweet, there is also snow ice, shaved ice, frozen yogurt, and ice cream, along with cream puffs, bread puddings, and decadent hot chocolate. Walk through the neighborhood and see what strikes your fancy. Many places are cash-only, so come prepared or take advantage of the ATM at the Tomato Bank just north of Olympic. Parking is a nightmare along Sawtelle itself, but you can usually find spots along nearby neighborhood streets.

Little Osaka AKA Sawtelle is the closest street for the UCLA kids to go to for yummy Asian food. Since my days as an undergrad, I frequent Little Osaka a lot to get boba, ramen, sushi, etc etc. The area is becoming more diverse with other ethnic food like Vietnamese and Korean and Chinese food. There are also hipster clothing stores and a nice little nursery for you to check out! Parking can be a bit tricky when it is peak hours and traffic can be horrible because it is near the 405 freeway so try to avoid rush hour if you don't want to deal with all the crowds.

Driving up and down US 405 (considered the longest parking lot in the US) I was fortunate to have a client appointment in "Little Osaka." Coming from San Francisco's "J-Town" and spending considerable time in LA's "Little Tokyo," the strip on Sawtelle Blvd. is a "home slice" of Japan. Take out delis, restaurants, book stores, a lawnmower shop... anything "Made in Japan" is there! Move over Gardena, CA, "Little Osaka" is now the capital of Japanese America!

This is a nice vibrant little community with a variety of amazing food spots. There are non-paid and paid parking areas and street parking just a few small blocks away. You'll love this place -- and now having said that.... A few things to note and hopefully the neighborhood council will consider this: 1) Need trash cans - I don't think I saw one public trash can in the area between Olympic and Santa Monica 2) Need public seating areas 3) Fix broken sidewalks - Check out the busted sidewalk right in front of Tsujita LA Artisan Annex 4) Need a stop light on Sawtelle and Mississippi - without a stoplight in this busy intersection, there is an accident waiting to happen...

This area used to just be called "Sawtelle." You talked about the shops or restaurants on Sawtelle, and everyone knew what you were talking about. Then suddenly a lot of things online and in articles started talking about "Little Osaka." I don't know when the change happened, or why, but it's still good. It's a blend of restaurants that have been around forever, and some newer shinier restaurants, hip stores like Giant Robot and Black Market, and the neighborhood stores like the lawnmower repair and the bait shop that none of the visitors come for, but which have served the community for a long time. I hope the latter stores are doing well and don't get pushed out for some new trendy place. Getting here...unfortunately Sawtelle isn't very well served by transit options. The Big Blue Bus #5 route goes down Olympic, and the BBB #4 bus does go down Sawtelle, but it's hours and frequency are limited. There are metered spots on the street for parking, which are usually taken, and you may need to walk a block or two if you're driving. There are also a few bike racks on the street, plus the meters to lock your bike up to.

Sawtelle Japantown is a tiny Japanese-American community along a one mile stretch on Sawtelle Blvd in West Los Angeles. This street is just another Foodie dining destination to check out when visit Los Angeles. I enjoy shopping at a handful of eclectic Japanese boutique shops and Japanese-owned nurseries for my gardening needs. The Japanese grocery shopping at Ninjya Market has everything that I need. And, of course, there are all the Japanese restaurants to dine on sushi, udon, ramen, teriyaki, etc. I frequent Sawtelle Japantown all the time to run errands and to grab a bite to eat, because it is a lot less touristy than the Little Tokyo community in Downtown Los Angeles and much a shorter drive than going to the more prominent Japanese-American communities in Torrance and Gardena. At Sawtelle Japantown, you'll find what you're looking for all the time. Friday and Saturday nights are the most popular times to go, but I like going in the morning or at lunch time to avoid the long lines and the dreaded paid parking. Sundays, however, is free street parking.

Living in LA, I've learnt that even though a place is only about 10 miles away, it could take you 30 minutes to get there. As a result, I've become super lazy, but yet hate that I have to deal with mediocre Asian food. Luckily, Little Osaka is only about 3 miles from home, which still takes me a good 15 minutes to get there. Here you can have your pick of HK diner food, Japanese food (sushi, curry, ramen), Korean (BBQ, Tofu, and the newly moved in Seoul Sausage), Shanghainese/Taiwanese, and Vietnamese. Some of my favorite spots are: 1. Nong La (for Vietnamese) 2. Sushi Stop (for cheap sushi) 3. Hide (for good teriyaki and fresh sushi) 4. Seoul Sausage Company (the guys that won the food truck race, season 3!) 5. Tofu House 6. Curry House For spots to satisfy your sweet tooth, make a trip to: 1. Volcano Tea House (boba) 2. Buttercup LA (macarons!) 3. Beard Papa (pastry puffs!) I also like to make frequent stops to Nijiya to get my Japanese groceries and some Green Tea Kit Kats. This place seriously has everything a little Asian girl could ask for!

Been down here a couple of times. Great place for Japanese food and/or desserts. It's close by and whenever we're in the mood to go out, but not willing to go far, we always end up in this area. There are a couple boutique clothing shops and if you go further down, plant nursery's, offices, etc. The are isn't too crowded, but certain restaurants do get quite crowded at night. There's metered parking or residential parking.

Since when did this area started being called Little Osaka? Is there any tie to Osaka itself other than its in Japan? I can understand "Little Tokyo" since Tokyo is the capitol of Japan, but there seems to be little reasoning here to calling it Little Osaka other than the fact Osaka a city in Japan. Or maybe I'm just missing something. But naming aside, this area is great. Japanese shops abound. Nijiya, the local Japanese supermarket, is great as always and not nearly as far as Mitsuwa. The ramen restaurants here are fairly mediocre, so choose where to eat accordingly. Still need to try FuRaiBo. Finding parking is RIDICULOUS, so plan ahead. Also, pedestrians and drivers do not mix well here (mostly at the fault of the idiot drivers) so be careful.

this is the japantown for ucla students, due to its proximity to campus. note that this is not to be confused with little toyko, which is the japantown in downtown los angeles. little osaka spans several blocks and boasts a variety of japanese restaurants and shoppes. you can get anything you want, be it ramen, sushi, or bento boxes. these's also a large japanese supermarket here, in case you want to cook your own food. beware that parking can be tough here since there are many hungry students roaming this neighborhood. your best bet is to park on one of the side streets, but bear in mind that most of these blocks are 1-2 hr spaces.

THE place to get your Asian food fix (mostly Japanese food) in the Westside. The whole place is a couple of blocks and it's easily walkable, so if your favorite restaurant is all the way on the other side of Little Osaka, you don't have to worry about re-parking.

Now the official city name of the area (Sawtelle Japantown), I like the ring to it. The main strip is down Sawtelle Blvd, but there are also a few great Japanese restaurants on intersecting Santa Monica Blvd as well. Can't beat the Japanese food selection in LA, and that includes Little Tokyo in my opinion.

Not everything in the area is five stars, but it's great that we have the area, and I'm a fan of things being on the West Side. It's a nice concentration of places, mostly food--unlike most of LA, you know that you can just park and meet friends in the area, and you can walk around and you'll be able to find a place to eat that's appealing and that has seating.

Lots of restaurants and desserts places. My fave dessert place was b sweet I highly recommend it. I only went into the I robot store to check out all the cool totoros they had. I'll be back soon to try out the other places

Back in my years at UCLA, we just referred to Little Osaka as Sawtelle. Sawtelle was our Bruin haven of Asian food. I frequented this quaint street late at night and for late lunches. Imagine my surprise now a decade later to come back and discover the multitude of multi-ethnic Asian restaurants on this small street. Little Osaka has evolved into a place that is even more appealing now, because it is constituted of a taste of everything. From Taiwanese boba tea shops, food truck fare shop, Korean tofu, American dessert shop, karaoke, Nijiya market, to the traditional Japanese ramen and curry houses, Little Osaka is now a foodie haven.

With about an hour to kill last weekend in West LA's Little Osaka, my bestie Jason and I wandered about the half mile stretch of shops on Sawtelle. One of the shops which I had researched in advance and was anxious to try was the Volcano Tea House. This is a boba institution on the west-side. Like most of the best cultural gems, Volcano Tea is cash only. They also seem to have a pet-peeve for people who use their cell phone while ordering [as is stated on visible signage] -- probably because it holds up their long line and is down-right annoying. Before this experience, I didn't realize that there is "Mehh" Boba, and then there is the Real Deal! This definitely fell into the later category. I ordered the Hokkaido Green Tea with Boba and Jason ordered Rose Milk Boba Tea. With the first sip, I was hooked. My name is Paul, and I am a Volcano-holic! If you are into fashion and Jpop [Japanese Pop] culture, you will surely find joy in the handful of clothing, widget and art shops scattered throughout Sawtelle. The food in this area is not to be missed! From the Ramen Heaven of Tsujita, to the Chirashi-zushi @ Nijiya, to unexpected street delights such as the grilled tako pictured above, it's easy to find something you are in the mood for...maybe too easy. In short, there is a lot going on in this understated cultural enclave nestled in West Los Angeles. If you look close enough, you may even find a little pinch of So. Cal fusion...

This area is amazing. The food is unbeatable. Parking is iffy on weekend nights, but that's everywhere in LA. I'd live in this neighborhood in a heartbeat if I could afford it!

My wife brought me here and I've loved it ever since. It definitely has the feel of places I've been before that have a real Japanese presence. What I mean is, not the fake touristy style meant to bilk people from their money using stereotype, but the modern mixed cultural flavor of a real complex people. You have all the different flavors of food, both traditional and modern fusions. It's just a nice small very thick in atmosphere, place. It's like comfort food to those that appreciate it.

I had no idea this place was called "Little Osaka"! I work here and eat and hang out here all the time. Best little area in West LA/Westwood!

This area has changed so much since I was a kid and would go the to YMCA for swim lessons. Over the last 10-15 years it's gotten trendy and particularly popular among the college set. While it's nice that some places are now open later, it's also a pain in the butt that there's no parking, the sidewalks are crowded and there is trash all over the neighborhood. It is still one of the best places to go for Japanese food and boba, but I also miss the days when this was a hidden jem with far more parking.

Everytime I come here I see babe I wish I can live here. Cool restaurants and shops. Karaoke bars. Deserts and supermarket And babes

Great neighborhood to bring out of towners to! Pick pretty much any restaurant and you will get great (usually inexpensive) food. Fun to stroll at night and check out some of the stores, too!

The restaurant scene here continues to evolve for the better (and its starting point was already strong). Parking can be a major pain here, especially as the Ramen battle continues to fester on the Westside. It all comes down to AWESOME choices for us, after we find parking. Hard to believe, but I actually have an easier time finding parking in Little Tokyo, haha. That said, I live on the Westside, so this is much more appealing! Just carpool :)

This place is great. Lot of eateries and random Japanese shops on the strip. I frequent here as it is close proximity to my residence. Gets kind of crazy at times with rush hour traffic even on weeknights but nevertheless many choices to be made me. Don't come here if you are indecisive but do come here if you are in mood for some Asian cuisine in west side. Enjoy!

Hip, fresh and clean. This neighborhood gave me a better experience than Little Tokyo in LA and the bigger japantown in San Francisco.

i love this area, especially all those japaneseish restaurants and nijiya market. since when is this place called little osaka?? it's definitely little, but it's more refreshing than little tokyo.