i love this place so much! i love nigiri so i'm sad they don't have it here, but both times i've been here i have always had delicious food. we waited around 30 minutes on monday night at around 7 but it was so worth it! the ambiance, service and food is so great.

Super cute and homey hole-in-the wall in Studio City for comfort Japanese food. Recommend going with a group to try multiple items. The place is on the smaller side, so there is usually a wait, but they do take reservations so call ahead if you don't want to wait. There are a lot of tchotchkes and other interesting items on the walls for decor. Service was good and efficient. Prices are great for the portions. The only downside is you have to keep in mind that the parking lot is tiny with mostly compact spots, so if you have larger than a sedan and there are no more non-compact spots, you'll have to park on the street.

I've been wanting to come eat here for over a year and finally I did. I called in to make a reservation since I was meeting a friend and also was driving from quite a distance and did not want to wait in line. The space has about 10-12 tables, so it's not super big. But it's homey and fun. Service was impeccable. The server helped us pick some sake. We had a couple of sake bottles that were really nicely paired with the food. Do yourself a favor and try as many appetizers as you can. We had the shiahito tempura, garlic squid, fried seaweed tofu and crispy spicy tuna. For entrees we shared the Japanese curry and cold soba noodles. We had a couple of desserts that were amazing and can't remember the names but photos below. Would love to come back soon.

this place fills up fast! we didn't have to wait, but a huge line formed within mins of our arrival. food is fresh & service is great! we had the garlic octopus, crunchy spicy tuna, udon w tempura, tataki albacore andddd yellowtail cut roll. will def come back!

Wanted to be more wow'd but everything was decent. I rarely drive out here so I'm not sure exactly what to expect with Japanese food but it didn't meet my high expectations given the ratings. Homey feel, seems authentic. As others have mentioned, for the price, the quantity of food isn't the best but at least the combo gave a large amount of rice which would satisfy me if I didn't have a ton of other things on the table as you saw. The serrano batter garlic chicken looked interesting but unfortuantely was only decent, seemed to be a little too cooked and the meat inside was juicy and decent, not the best karaage I've had which I think belongs to Kitakata chain and with some dedicated stores I've been to but this is decent nonetheless, might recommend you try another appetizer if it is better. Otherwise this one isn't bad to try for yourself. The cucumber was refreshing and nice, not great value unless you want the texture. Wait was like 20 minutes or something at 645pm on a Tuesday night. Seating is kinda cramped with tables close together but not real issue. Plenty of space at your table, it's just getting out but NBD. Bathroom is clean and unusually spacious. I appreciated my combo dish for what it was. Unfortunately the Zaru Soba was underwhelming, seemed not very cold at all, and not very high quality, notable was no daikon/grated radish.

Everything about my dining experience was 10/10. The people working were so kind & attentive, the ambiance and decor is so homey and cute, and the food BLEW ME AWAY. I cannot wait to go back.

Daichan is probably one of the best Japanese restaurants I have ever visited. This was recommended by a friend as they described it to be, "The closest thing to the food in Japan." I've never been, but I believe it. We started to line up around 5:15 pm before they opened at 5:30 pm on a Friday evening. When the doors opened, the restaurant was practically filled. Tip: come early! There's valet parking and street parking, so parking is limited. We ordered hot sake, iced green tea, tempura shrimp and vegetables, octopus, curry udon (not pictured), and chicken curry. From service to the quality of the food, everything was astounding. The food was absolute perfect and the curry udon was like a warm hug. Everything was affordable and quick. Not only the dining area was busy, but the phones kept on ringing for to do orders. Daichan is 5/5!!! Can't wait to come back.

TLDR: 5/5 You know its a keeper when you sit next to a family whose here on a weekly basis and has eaten most of the menu. I heard all about coming here immediately when they opened and they were correct. On a Friday night the small valley staple was at max capacity within the hour leaving many people to stand out side in the cold to get into the very warm and cozy aesthetic that is Daichan. Ordered: Chicken Katsu: 5/5 The chicken was huge and nicely battered. You can tell it was freshly made. The Katsu wasn't hot (spice) but was so well-flavored. The portion was sizable too given the price. And the side salad was nice to balance out! Tea: Delicious. Came in with refills when we were out. Miso: you can't really go wrong. No notes Service: 5/5 All the staff were so nice and warm and welcoming to our first time! They kept checking in on us about our experience and how the food is. We got refills without asking (always a huge bonus for me). Despite the line forming, I did not feel a sense of urgency to get us to leave immediately which I was grateful for. This is one of those places that I'm sad I didn't know about after all these years but I'm grateful to have known of it now. Can't wait to come back!

I arrived around 6pm and there was a pretty big line outside. I went in and added my name to the list. Waited around 30 to 40 mins to be seated. I was waited on pretty quickly. Ordered the Garlic Octopus and a tall Sapporo. I later ordered the Katsu Curry. The Octopus was delicious. I know it doesn't look appetizing. I would suggest plating this in a white bowl or something with more color. The Katusu Curry was the best I've had out of any place I've visited. It was crunchy yet juicy and not over fried. As you can see in the image it is a nice golden color and not dark or saturated in oil. The curry had these super soft potato chunks it gave the curry a nice contrast in texture. I hadn't visited this place in like 8 years but it's just as good as it was back then.