Daichan is Studio City's quirky, beloved Japanese spot

Daichan has been holding down a stretch of Ventura Blvd in Studio City for long enough to earn 4.8 stars across more than 400 reviews. That kind of rating, at that volume, doesn't happen by accident. People keep coming back.

The room is small and packed with knickknacks, the kind of place that has actual personality rather than a mood board. The menu covers a lot of ground for a spot this size: stews, rice bowls, sushi. That range makes it genuinely easy to return often without ordering the same thing twice.

It's a $$ place, so you're not breaking the bank. They take reservations, which matters because it fills up. Takeout works too if you'd rather eat on your couch. Beer is on hand if you want to stay a while. If you've been sleeping on Daichan, this is your nudge.