Hasu Kitchen of Japan

Reviews

• Kelsey C.

  star star star star star 2 June 2026

  A hidden gem - I didn't expect it to be this good! It's probably the best izakaya I've been to, up in the ranks with Izakaya Hachi and Torihei.
  Their skewers are simple, just meat on sticks but they're seasoned very well and grilled to perfection. The result is incredible.
  
  Lots of classics like very tender Chicken Gizzards, and I LOVE the Chicken Heart. They were tragically out of the special heart - maybe next time. Meanwhile, fluffy Chicken Meatball are great for comfort food. Pork Belly, the other white meat. Fat mixes with meat - always a great idea. The Chicken Thigh includes a strip of skin for protection and keeps it juicy. The Chicken Skin is crisp on the outside and melty underneath. Toasted Quail Eggsssss!! Amazing. Always amazing.
  The small plates are nice as well. The Wasabi Octopus is refreshing but be prepared - the octopus is very raw. Slices of Grilled Beef Tongue are meaty and soft, and it all goes great with a Grilled Rice Ball. We end with the Deep Fried Chicken Skin. It's crunchy and so satisfying.
  
  I don't know if they're still open, but I really hope they are. The first and hopefully not last time I went there, they posted a sign about the increased rent that was forcing them to relocate. Well I hope they found a way to make it work - it's too good!

• Gary I.

  star star star star star_border 25 May 2026

  Hasu Kitchen is a small, dark eatery hidden way in the back of a strip mall. Unlike friendly, lively Shinsengumi Yakitori, bustling Torihei, solemn Torimatsu, etc., Hasu has a down home, cozy feel. Hasu means lotus in Japanese, and there are  a few objets d'art depicting that theme.
  
  Although the main emphasis on the menu is Japanese BBQ, there are other options on the second page.
  
  Yakiniku, Yakitori all on wooden skewers cooked over Bincho-tan, ultra high quality Japanese charcoal:
  
  1) Negima: soft, moist meaty chicken breast interspersed w/ sliced bulb onion.
  
  2) Toma Shishi So-se-ji: Almost like Hilshire Farm pork sausage tasting, rough ground, garlIc, spiced pork, thick slices, charred Shishito- peppers, cherry tomatoes.
  
  3) Tsukunè: ground, soft, juicy chicken meat balls herbed with fresh ginger, garlic, pepper, etc. This was the best.
  
  4) Reba-: Soft, mouth rich, lightly gamey chIcken liver.
  
  5) Ton Bara Niku: white meat pork belly that is
  more meat than rich fat. Might have been over grilled since the meat was so dry.
  
  6)  Nameraka Purin: Basically a silky Crème  Caramel w/ a caramelized sugar sauce at the bottom which you don't notice til you get toward the end for an interesting two flavours in one dessert.
  
  The pudding itself has deep dairy rich Umami from the use of cream & possibly condensed milk. Bit of egg yolk may be used also to add subtle sulfur richness.
  
  1-6a) Although there are Sakè (sah keh), Sho-chu- (show chew), Japanese beers, I opted for dark Ho-ji Cha, roasted tea to accompany the meal. Next time selecting a Yamahai Junmai Sakè  will be on the list.
  
  Good solid Yakiniku~ya. 4 Yelp stars. It seems that Hasu may close soon due to the demolition of the building so get there quickly. However, they plan to reopen if they find another suitable site.  Wishing Hasu a smooth transition and their restaurant will still be nearby.

• Mark M.

  star star star star star_border 12 May 2026

  Torrance Food Crawl #332
  
  The specialty at Hasu Kitchen is yaktatori, chicken skewers grilled over charcoal. You can select individual skewers or go for a chef's menu. Last week when I was here I went with the Misaki Course, a chef's choice of seven skewers and some other items.
  
  The skewers came out first, as each type was ready. The skewers included chicken breast with dabs of wasabi, chicken thigh, chicken gizzards, chicken liver, pork belly, chicken meatballs, and quail eggs. The best was probably the chicken breast which had a fairly normal chicken breast but the little bits of wasabi added a nice spiciness. The pork belly was the only break from the chicken theme but good. The quail eggs were just slightly crispy/gummy on the outside and nicely gooey on the inside. The chicken gizzards and liver were items probably less commonly encountered but were fine, the gizzards slightly on the chewy side and the liver perhaps just a tad undercooked but good.
  
  In addition to the meat skewers a few other items are included in the Misaki Course. The Ohitashi salad used marinated green bean pods with a touch of sesame seeds. While the pod husks could have been tough and stringy they were surprisingly light and crunchy. The Grilled Rice Ball was rather plain, basically just a triangular shaped blob of rice grilled on all sides. The soup was very plain and could easily have been skipped.
  
  I was here just as dinner service started and it was very quiet. Everything looked clean and the service was very good.

• George C.

  star star star star star 8 May 2026

  We love all the small dishes that have at the restaurant. Sting ray fins were the best on top of all the other great dishes.

• Maruko X.

  star star star star star 6 May 2026

  Ambiance: Hasu(蓮) is absolutely a hidden gem, only local people know about it, and majority diners speak Japanese here. It's small and packed inside, soft lighting, narrow seats and tables, my legs couldn't even stretch.
  
  Service: it's hard to make reservation, make sure you do it early, walk-in might cause extra long waiting since the restaurant has limited capacity for guests, and it closes early at 10pm. After seated, the waitresses were very fast with placing orders and serving food. One senior waitress was very attentive refiling water and brining drink.
  
  Food & Drink: in general delicious!
   Edamame - **** salted, recommend
   Cartilage - **** deep fried, crunchy, recommend
   Beef Tongue - **** grilled thin slices, chewy and flavorful, recommend
   Pork Belly - ***** so juicy and tender, highly recommend
   Chicken Wing - ***** boneless, soft and juicy, melting in your mouth, highly recommend
   Asparagus - *** average taste
   Chicken Meat Balls - *** very dry inside
   Special Heart - *** chewy meat
   Asahi Draft - *** light taste
   Shochu Iichiko - **** distilled from sweet potatoes, stronger alcohol, recommend
  
  Price: it's a bit pricey for the portions but considering the food quality, still worth trying, expect $40 per person for food and drink
  
  I beg you not to come here. :P I'm afraid once everyone knows this authentic yakitori place, it would become over popular and even harder to reserve seats.