Best Restaurants that are Worth The Drive in Hawthorne / Gardena

Meat was overcooked on half of its side. Didn’t bother to let the server know as we were celebrating a happy event and didn’t want to cause grief or commotion. It was quite obvious when they served it…probably why I was given a thicker cut.

We made the perfect choice for our New Years Day 2025 dinner. Ammatoli gave us an unforgetable meal and memorable service by Jennifer J. We only live less than 2 blocks away & we were always walking past, seeing the meals and taking in the aroma of the food. We decide what better day than New Years Day to stop in. We had 5:15 reservations (we were shocked that they had availability). We arrived about 5:05 and we're seated promptly at 5:15. I'm not sure of the hostesses name, but she was very friendly, welcoming and had a big smile. Walking inside, it was gorgeous. The decor and ambiance was amazing, classy yet not formal. Thank goodness because we were bundled up and warm, we wouldn't have passed for formal. We were seated in the far corner near the dessert display and the bar. Everything looked great and the seats were very comfortable. Our tabled was lightly lit, gave it a romantic feel. Again, perfect! Our waitress, Jennifer J approached, bright smile and glowing personaility. We welcomed us and as first timers went over the menu, offered a couple suggestions for drinks and promptly returned with a Mint Lemonade (OMG it was good). Great recommendation Jennifer. She gave her her personal faves as well as popular menu items. For appetizers, we chose Roasted Beets Labne (a dip of sorts similar to a hummus only more creamy). The way Jennifer described it made us want to try it, and she was on point. It had a little tartness from what I believe was a sour cream mixed with beet. It's tough to explain but try it, definitely won't be disappointed. Oh and get the fresh baked pita, delicious! We also had the Fried Cauliflower, it was so good. Came with a dipping sauce but honestly it didn't even need it, it was bursting with flavor without it. Then the main course, my wife went with a popular item the Spicy Garlic Lemon Chicken. She devoured it, nothing left on her plate, she said it was amazing. I had the Moussaka, a favorite of mine and it did not disappoint. The sauce

Very great experience dining here! I usually come here when it’s super packed but luckily the day I went (and the time) it was not packed at all. With it being less busy, the ambiance was nice and quiet. I was able to hear my conversations. The food was amazing!! The Sweet Corn Agnolotti was very good but lacked a sufficient amount for how much the dish is. The Spicy Pomodoro was amazing!! One of my favorites here and for the amount of pasta it has, it is worth your money. I was not expecting to like the Banana Tiramisu but I enjoyed it so much! I wish I got two but I ended up getting so full haha. Overall 9/10 experience!

Our family has been enjoying this wonderful neighborhood Japanese restaurant for years, and it truly feels like a hidden gem. The food is consistently excellent, with fresh and flavorful dishes that impress even our friends with sophisticated palates. At the same time, it is incredibly family-friendly—our two small children are always welcomed with warmth. The service is exceptional, and the prices are almost unbelievably reasonable. While part of us wants to keep this treasure to ourselves, it is simply too good not to share. Highly recommend it for both intimate family dinners and outings with friends!

This app is a great idea in theory but it didn’t help my wait time in the least bit. I made my reservation early in the morning for a 5pm dinner. When I arrived they already had my name down and said it would only be a 5-10 min wait. Awesome. But then 10 min came and went a few times over. I ended up waiting over and hour and twenty minutes to be seated. Loved the food and service. Definitely won’t be using the app again. Too much false hope lol