Best japanese grocery store in San Gabriel, California (CA) 2024

I’ve been coming to Yama for years and have seen the transformation. I miss the days when you can meet Yama personally and have him slice your sashimi but it’s gotten so much more efficient now! You don’t have to queue up in a line anymore. You just grab a number and shop around until they call you. And speak about shopping around, this place is a legit market now! I remember the back of the store used to have old paraphernalia displayed on the walls and shelves collecting dust. There would be antique mugs and figurines, old calendars and art, random sake glasses and notebooks. Now those shelves are stocked with all the sushi-making staples! The front of the shop also got a facelift. Lots of displays full of snacks and drinks. The fridges have desserts and frozen food items. And now they rarely run out of pre-made rolls and sushi! I love that I can come in and out in less than 30 minutes. Before I would wait anywhere from 1-2 hours. And speaking of hours, they are open every day now! I absolutely adore this place and seeing it improve over the years is a testament to how successful and amazing this place is. Also, don’t judge me for how much rice I eat 🤣🤣🤣 ~CHANEL