Picking restaurants can be a struggle. Whether the occasion is catching up with your loved ones, hanging out with friends, or simply treating yourself to a hearty meal, it’s always hard to find an authentic place with satisfying dishes that leave everyone excited to come back.

Luckily, the best part about living in L.A. is that we have access to one of the most ethnically diverse food communities, with plentiful cuisine options and numerous family-owned restaurants. Instead of Googling “best restaurants near me,” the next time you need to pick a restaurant, just pull up this list and save yourself the hassle of sifting through countless reviews.

Here are a few of my favorite casual eateries in the South Bay:

As you can probably tell by the name, this place is the ultimate destination for tempura, the traditional Japanese art of deep-frying various meats and vegetables in a light batter.

Located in Old Torrance on Cabrillo Avenue, this restaurant is named after its founder, Carlos A. Pinto, who grew up in Peru and perfected the craft of tempura through his years of experience cooking at the iconic Hannouske in Tokyo.

In his Torrance establishment, Pinto presents a straightforward menu, with my personal favorite being the premium tempura bowls, (tendon in Japanese) which feature deep-fried seafood and vegetables such as succulent sweet shrimp, flaky white fish, spicy shishito peppers, scallop clusters and poached egg yolk that you can poke and layer over the steamed rice for that decadent bite — all drizzled with Pinto’s signature sweet soy sauce.

You can also opt to have the tempura served with soba (chilled buckwheat noodles in a dipping sauce) or a bowl of hot udon (thick chewy noodles). While this hole-in-the-wall space may not fulfill your aesthetic needs, the glistening, golden tempura will definitely keep you yearning for a revisit.

1510 Cabrillo Ave., Torrance, (424) 271-7004

This poke bar right off PCH in Redondo Beach is a local, family-owned South Bay gem, serving up authentic Hawaiian poke bowls.

Unlike other assembly-line poke restaurants, Jus’ Poke has a distinctly simple yet classic menu that focuses on delivering high-quality cuts of fish. You won’t find a whole list of fancy add-ins and toppings here to overwhelm your bowl, but you won’t be disappointed after having a bite of that fresh tuna.

The poke comes in eight flavors–original, spicy mayo, shoyu, sweet heat, California roll, Hawaiian chili pepper, wasabi or the vegetarian tofu option … which can be paired with your choice of edamame (spicy and original), seaweed salad, Hawaiian chips, wonton chips, and my personal favorite “Aunty’s Pickled Cucumbers,” on top of a bed of freshly steamed white or brown rice. Don’t forget to top the meal off with Hawaiian Sun guava or passion fruit juice.

This small establishment is almost always packed with a local crowd, so don’t be surprised to see the line wrapped around the premises. Seating may be limited at this roadside shop, but the smart choice is to take it with you down to the beach, and indulge in the freshness of the poke … with the sound of waves splashing ashore, for the ultimate coastal experience.

501 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, juspoke.com

Nestled in a little strip mall on Lomita Boulevard, this Japanese-French bakery is known for its award-winning cream puffs, or Choux a La Creme, which comes in three flavors–vanilla, chocolate and my personal favorite: black sesame. With ingredients imported from Japan, the patisserie features French-style pastries and cakes with a Japanese touch.

My personal recommendations are the signature Chateau Chantilly cheesecake, filled with pineapples and homemade orange marmalade; the Mont Blanc, chestnut puree swirl filled with chantilly cream; the Florentines, crispy French cookies with caramel and almonds; the Le Matcha, Japanese green tea mousse, and the Othello, a black sesame cake covered with black-and-white chocolate.

2383 Lomita Blvd., Lomita, patisseriechantilly.com

I hope the next time you’re craving delectable tempura, poke, or cream puffs, you’ll know exactly where to go!