Japanese Food Expo Los Angeles 2026 at Ovation Hollywood

Japanese Food Culture Association is listing Japanese Food Expo Los Angeles for Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Ovation Hollywood, 6801 Hollywood Boulevard. Public slots are Friday 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. One ticket equals one slot. Adults 21 and up are $50. Ages 11 to 20 are $35. Ages 6 to 10 are $25. Ages 5 and under are free. Admission covers food, non-alcoholic drinks, and select workshops. Alcohol tastings and some workshops need add-ons. Children need a legal guardian. Refunds are available up to seven days before on Eventbrite.

Pick your slot carefully before you buy; the ticket is not a full-day pass. Saturday's midday break between the first and second slots exists so vendors can reset. Arrive hungry inside your window. Dress for a tasting floor, not a seated dinner. Ovation Hollywood sits at Hollywood and Highland on the fifth floor. Metro or rideshare beats hunting for a festival-night garage if you are stacking this with a nearby screening. You must be 21 for alcohol, and the alcohol add-on is separate from general admission. If you only want food and non-alcoholic drinks, skip the add-on and stay inside the base ticket. Stage notes rotate by slot: Friday's window lists a live bluefin tuna cutting, and Saturday's midday slot lists calligraphy, so read the Eventbrite add-ons for your exact window.

The same weekend, Happy Night Market runs in San Gabriel and Asian World Film Festival fills Culver City screens. Diwali Fest at Academy LA was November 7 a few blocks east on Hollywood Boulevard. Aquarium Autumn Festival is the following weekend in Long Beach. Do the Food Expo if you want timed Japanese tastings and brand booths. Do San Gabriel if you want a free outdoor night market. Do Culver if you want cinema.

Expect tasting portions, not a plated dinner. If you need a full meal after, Hollywood Boulevard options sit downstairs and next door, but your expo ticket does not transfer. Keep the Eventbrite QR ready at the fifth-floor door; screenshots sometimes fail when signal drops in the mall core.

Who this is for: Hollywood and Westside food people who will actually pick a slot and show up hungry, including families with kids who need the guardian rule clear. If you needed a free outdoor door instead, Happy Night Market covers that mood across town.

Buy on Eventbrite and double-check the time slot on the confirmation. Katsura Sunshine rakugo and other special workshops sell separately and do not automatically include expo floor access unless the listing says so. Fifth-floor wayfinding at Ovation can confuse first-timers; follow Japanese Food Expo signs from the Hollywood and Highland mall level rather than wandering the wrong suite.

When: November 13–14, 2026 (Fri 5:00–8:00 p.m.; Sat slots 11:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 2:30–5:00 p.m., 6:00–8:30 p.m.)
Where: Ovation Hollywood, 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Tickets on Eventbrite.