Went to my favorite Japanese curry spot in Sawtelle called Coco Ichibanya. It is the comfort food…read morethat everyone enjoys. Back in the days there was Curry House but sadly they are all gone now. Coco is basically the last one standing. My go to order is the pork cutlet omelet rice with curry. The egg is fluffy and the pork katsu is crunchy, meaty and juicy. I order the level 6 spicy which is just enough spicy to give it a kick. The gravy like curry has hint of spices, sweetness and smooth finish. Each order is just the right amount of food. The Japanese pickles give the dish a nice crunch and you can add as much as you want. This location is in Sawtelle so make sure to check out the dessert spots nearby after your meal. I usually park by the Marshalls which has 2 hour free parking.

Super classic Japanese curry place! I grew up close to a Curry House but they sadly closed down…read moreyears ago and so this brought back feelings of nostalgia like wowww I've missed this! Sawtelle and Ktown (the 2 locations closest to me) are both out of the way + traffic so I haven't actually had Coco Ichibanya in ages. Pork cutlet omelet curry ($18.25)-- Tastes comforting, homey... everything you want Japanese curry to be. The katsu is not exactly dry but not super juicy either? Can't beat the ones at tonkatsu places but it works as a topping for curry. The omelet was thin and wasn't anything spectacular so I wouldn't get the egg again. This place is known for its customization potential. Pick your rice portion, spice level, toppings etc... buuuut be warned that it can come with a pretty steep price tag. It'll add up pretty quick. The pickles on the table are great!! Goes soooo well with curry and helps cut the fatty/greasy feeling. Or if you're starting to get tired of the taste, have more pickles! The chili powder is good too. Tip-- FREE PARKING!! Just follow the signs for restaurant parking. The entrance is around the corner + drive 1 min further down. There's a ramp to enter. Take the elevator up and you'll be where the restaurants are. They'll validate the parking slip. To get down, just go back to the same elevator (insert slip to scan or else elevator button won't work). Japanese curry is just one of things you have to be in the mood for. If you're craving then this will definitely be the spot for you. Otherwise it'll be kinda meh so just depends on you! Free parking in this area is a great bonus though.

Went for DineLA lunch and had both offerings, the tonkatsu ramen with okra tofu and wagyu hamburger…read morewith waffle fries. Service was well paced with the first course arriving in a few minutes followed by the main. We didn't have high expectations for the cold tofu and okra but it was delicious and the tofu soaked up the soy based sauce and was balanced by the slight crunchiness of the okra. The waffle fries were exceptional - double fried with a curry aioli sauce. The tonkatsu and ramen were also great. The tonkatsu had a light, crispy batter and the ramen was so delicious, with the addition of corn, peas, black fungus and bamboo shoots, truly comforting. The burger was a hit, too. Juicy and flavorful. The small details here didn't go unnoticed, the unique plates, nice bamboo chopsticks and cute hippo candy plate. We chose to sit in front by the open windows since it was such a nice afternoon but the dining area further inside was welcoming, too. I've also been here outside of DineLA and it's just an overall solid experience.

Update- was really looking forward to dinner at Chubby Curry. My friends and I have patronized this…read moreplace since it opened. It was our go-to place for almost two years. We hadn't been in about 6 months and decided to drop in for dinner before a movie- Wow, has it changed- and not in a good way. There were fewer staff and they were spread thin, with not even half the tables full. The place was a little unkept. The menu is all digital- so we had some questions ordering our favorites. We got the Wagu steak with rice and curry and the breaded chicken breast. When the Wagu arrived it was unrecognizable- brown and looked over cooked - no pink. The entire dish was completely unappetizing. It was sad looking. I tried to show the server that this looked nothing like the menu photos in the front wall. He was already flustered and told me "to calm down ma'am" and that is "how it comes- we put soy sauce on it." The calm down nonsense was a real put off. My next question was, why is a restaurant putting soy sauce on perfect Wagu? None of the menu photos show soy sauce. We have never had soy sauce drenched Wagu here ever. The amount of soy sauce - if any-- is up to the guest. We all have our sodium preferences, right? I personally liked their Wagu plate as is. I tried to get the server to follow me to the front wall to show him the photo of all their Wagu dishes on their front wall and he was really not happy. Those photos were how their food always looked- fresh- colorful and delicious looking. The comparison was stunningly different- he would not hear it - and was visible upset with me. Sending this back caused quite a problem- more like an argument with the server who insisted this is how Wagu comes. It does not and I posted a review previously with photos from several visits to this once fun to eat at place. They offered to remake it and I caught the server and chef's convo. Chef was bewildered with the whole no soy sauce thing. The server came back with a small piece of Wagu in a service cup to show me what their Wagu looked like before the soy sauce bath. It was not the bright fresh pink. It was gray, like it had been prepped a couple days ago and refrigerated. Completely unacceptable and not appetizing. I told them to please not remake it. It would be a waste and please Just remove it and we'd order something else. The server was so upset with me he told me he would remove everything and not charge us at all. I felt that was unfair to the restaurant and his attitude was like don't order anything, and do not come back. My guy friend insisted that we pay and the server came back with a bill for just the chicken. I gave him cash for everything we ordered including the Wagu, and he brought me almost all the money back. I was particularly insulted by this. This was such negative energy- I did not want to touch it. I left all the money on the table and left. Message to the owner- replacing servers with digital menus does not lessen their work. it increases their time explaining what dishes are and how dishes come. You need more people because servers have more work in less time. I really felt for this server and did not feel any of this was his fault. The quality drop in food, the excess work due to digital menus, and food not matching the promises made in photos at the front wall from opening day are not your server's fault. We were expecting the same consistency and were sadly disappointed. We will not be returning.

If you like tonkatsu (pork cutlet), this is the place to go! I am not a fan of tonkatsu, but for…read moresome reason, I really like the tonkatsu here. Sometimes, I even have a craving for it. My sister was INCREDULOUS when I said I wanted to eat tonkatsu here again. haha I always eat the pork loin which is not dry, is tender, and has some fatty bits to it. I really like the texture of their pork. And the tonkatsu sauce flavor is SPOT ON, which is very important! My sister LOVES the corn soup. It IS tasty, and so is the miso soup. I also like the salad dressing that comes with the side salad for an entree. For me, tasty salad dressing is a must or I won't eat salad! My sister always eats the shabu shabu salad, which I have also tasted and like, but I only eat salad occasionally when I have a craving, so I haven't had the salad as a meal. Unfortunately, I tend to eat the same thing over and over, so I can't comment on the rest of the menu. We also only do takeout, so I cannot comment on service, but the tonkatsu here is definitely the best I have had thus far, and like I said, I am not a tonkatsu fan, so that's saying A LOT!!!

Midoh is a casual Japanese comfort-food spot with fun beach-town vibes. We ordered the Mixed Fried…read moreKatsu Meal, Fish & Chips, corn soup, and curry. The katsu combo (chicken, pork, shrimp, and mackerel) was very crunchy, and the chicken and pork were especially tender. The proteins were a bit bland on their own, but the dipping sauces were solid and helped a lot. The Fish & Chips were a highlight--the fish was soft inside and crispy outside, and the fries were very good. The corn soup was naturally sweet and mild but surprisingly flavorful. The curry had a good level of spice and came out in a fun gravy boat since we ordered it as a side for dipping. The vibe is relaxed and beachy, with surfboards and a cool blue sky ceiling feature. Service was friendly and fast. Unlimited rice and grinding your own sesame seeds were nice touches. I'd come back to try their creamy udon dishes.

Delicious food, fairly priced and good service…read more Tried this place out on a warm weekend and sat outside. We were greeted and seated fairly quickly - total plus when you're hungry. The food was great! The karaage was delicious, had a crispy exterior and a juicy and warm interior. The curry was flavorful and the spicy fried garlic they have on the table gives a great boost of flavor and good spicy kick, too. The service was good - our server checked up on us fairly frequently and did a great job at being courteous and also accurate with our orders. Ambiance is as good as Sawtelle gets - busy street with heavy foot traffic. Not extremely noisy even with the amount of people and cars passing by, but it's definitely an active area. Overall, would come back here if I'm in the area. The food and service are worth it.

Curry Curry Curry!! Do you love Curry?…read more I think if you're into curry you gotta check out Menya Tigre. Came on a Sunday around noon. Got seated right away. Was able to try the keema noodle and some of the tsukemen with a side of karaage. Everything was delicious and virtually as I expected plus more. The place is pretty small but big on charm. I don't think Menya Tigre gets talked about as much as other shops in Sawtelle so lets get this one going! Parking: street VERDICT: Rinse and repeat

A friend of mine surprised me to this place, he said it was his treat and ordered for us. So I said…read morecool I'm fine with whatever if I'm not paying I guess lol. He got us this dish that I have never seen before in my whole entire existence. This plate was massive, pasta noodles surrounded with mochiko chicken and a side of this white yum yum sauce that's out of this world to pour onto the noodles. It was so good it blew my mind. No way I finished it, it was too much. This place had such a cool vibe and atmosphere. The service was super friendly. Parking in the back and they also validate. Cant wait to go back and try other items on the menu.

Years ago, my friends and I would go to their Sawtelle location every year for Friendsgiving. It…read morewas a tradition that we had. When they closed that location it was very bittersweet. Now this latest location is a smaller place but still the same great great food. I ordered the Pork Cutlet, but instead of curry I asked for the white sauce. Just how I used to order it. The only difference really is rather than being greeted by a host to show us to our table, we just walk in order at the counter and they bring it to our table, wherever we may sit. Please come in and enjoy the food.

seriously the best karaage in LA. It always come out crispy, piping hot, and of course delicious…read more This is a Sawtelle must have! I just moved to the area and have already been back 5+ times. The prices are fair, the service is great, and the location is tucked away on the second story of the mall. It's a cute little spot with enough seating too. My boyfriend eats gluten free and this is his favorite spot. I usually order in person, but today i ordered ahead and they drew the cutest note for me. I 1000x recommend

What I appreciate most about Tenkatori is their consistency. I periodically visit when I'm near…read moreSawtelle, and if I'm craving popcorn chicken I know that I will not be disappointed with a visit to this restaurant. They offer a variety of chicken dishes including wings, karaage, and even chicken parts such as gizzards and cartilage. You can also get combo chicken meals, bento boxes, sides such as rice and shishito peppers, and sauces to accompany your dishes. I can be a creature of habit when I find something I like, so I've only tried the popcorn chicken. The crispy texture and hint of spice is always on point, and the service is fast and personable. While I often see people ordering food to go, there are also a smattering of tables and seats if you decide to eat on site.

checked out anzu at its new location, sharing the same space as menya tigre. i loved the chicken…read morekaraage with the curry. ask for a side of their mayo!

This has merged with Menya Tigre and we took it to go. We were craving chicken sandwiches and this…read morewas what we were looking for.

We came here for dinner before a show at the Largo at the Coronet theater (3 doors down), not…read moreknowing anything about it. What a lucky find! At 6pm, we were only 1 of 2 parties; by 7:30pm, all the inside & outdoor patio tables were filled except for a couple. A large party made the indoor atmosphere pretty loud, but after they left it was easy to have audible conversation. Several people came in to pick up to go orders while we were there. Service was really warm, food came out so fast & everything was DELISH: Beef bowl - marbled beef cooked w/onions on rice. So tender & flavorful! Spicy tuna bowl - spicy tuna over rice, with a wasabi ponzu sauce. Yum! Albacore hand roll - fresh & buttery Eel hand roll - melt in your mouth delicious We were there early so it was easy to find parking at a meter. I can see why they get such consistently great reviews! I'll be back to try their yummy looking udon dishes. Highly recommend!!

Stopped by before a show at Largo, and there were only four other people dining at the time…read more Service was friendly. I ordered a diet coke, two orders of the eel sushi (each order comes with only two pieces!). I didn't feel four pieces of eel sushi was good value for $16. The hand rolls were $6 a piece which were smaller than the average hand rolls. The eel had great flavor, but the spicy tuna was off. Oh how I wish I didn't have to walk through the kitchen to get to the restrooms. I didn't enjoy seeing the behind the scenes of it all. And the bathrooms need to be cleaned better, especially around the base of the toilets. They smelled awful. I hate to say this, but I definitely wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

5 stars isn't enough for Daichan. The food was incredible and the service was phenomenal --…read moreeveryone was so sweet and welcoming. We loved the sake sampler since it was a great way to try multiple bottles. My wife's Daimyo Chirashi was packed with an amazing variety of fresh fish and flavor, while my kalbi beef was perfectly cooked with the perfect sweet heat. The garlic squid was easily our favorite dish, and the mochi with dorayaki was the perfect dessert combo to finish the meal. 100/10 experience -- can't wait to come back!

Came in for the pork katsu curry and left a fan. The cutlet is perfectly crispy, the curry is rich…read moreand cozy, and together they just work. Grabbed a canned iced tea to go with it and honestly couldn't have asked for a better meal. The staff was super friendly. Felt welcome from the moment I walked in. Did have to wait about 20 mins for a table as it's first come first serve but well worth the wait. The decor is so cozy and will def be back to try more on the extensive menu. If you haven't been yet, go.​​​​​​​

Tokyo Fast Food is a great little spot in West LA when you want quick, satisfying Japanese comfort…read morefood. The portions are generous, everything comes out fast, and the flavors really hit the spot. The teriyaki chicken is always juicy with that perfect sweet-savory glaze, and the katsu plates are crispy and super filling. The gyoza are also a must -- hot, crispy on the bottom, and great with the dipping sauce. It's simple, affordable, and consistently good. One of those reliable neighborhood spots when you're craving a solid Japanese meal without the wait.

We gave this spot a try during a busy weekend of moving and we're so glad we did!…read more My chicken teriyaki bowl was an awesome value at just $8.45 with tender meat, fresh veggies, and well-cooked rice while my wife's special unagi bowl was a sight to behold for its massive slabs of eel! Conversely, I'd skip the katsu curry as the pork was quite overcooked and the curry itself a bit clunky and not much different from that from a box. Great stuff overall and worth ordering from again to explore more of the menu.