Robata bar,it's not about robots!It's about amazing sakes and fluctuating wines. I came here twice with friends,the first time my friend and i had ordered a glass of wine and beer.The rose wine was like a fruit juice and great,and the beer wasn't bad said my friend.The second time my friends ordered sakes and beer which was considered pretty good and i got the chardonnay which was the worst wine ever!After a few sips i wanted to throw up and it made me feel extremely queasy. The place is extremely dark with the ceiling filled with yellow tassel-like things hanging above you.With black walls and dark woods and the dim lights gives the place an extremely secured and claustrophobic atmosphere,which is fine by me.The people here are really friendly and i think one of them behind the bar enjoys her free drinks way too much and makes wrong bills;from 100$ to 50$ to forgetting to bill a few drinks :) I do like this place,and its' worth a visit as long as you don't get unlucky with the wines.And oh!! my friends are completely Ga Ga about the Samurai sword beer tap.I do think it's funny,but not so funny that i could talk about it for more than 10 minutes *rolls her eyes at her friends* And they keep talking about the restroom like it's some entrance to heaven.I am still not sure if it's a good thing or not,but looks like i would be back to check that out at least! :) -Smriti read more

Great service, super friendly staff and sexy chic atmosphere. Affiliated with Sushi Roku (next door) you can expect good food and delicious drinks. Happy Hour is Amazing! $5 drinks and 3 skewered goods (robata yaki) for $5!!! Try the Sparkling Shiraz and their house fusion is super refreshing! read more

I really enjoyed dinner here the other night. I haven't had great robata experiences in the past, so I was a little skeptical but left happy. Here's what we had- - Shrimp wrapped in bacon... not the most exciting combo and tasted like... shrimp wrapped in bacon (shocking!) - Filet with foie gras and asparagus. This had the best texture and was pretty amazing. - Chilean seabass. Cooked perfectly and quite tasty. - Trio of handrolls which consisted of baked lobster, salmon + cream cheese, and spicy tuna. We liked these so much, that we asked for another order right after we finished the first. Another thing I liked is that the robata comes with a little tray of three different dipping sauces which were yummy & added to the whole experience. So in the end we got all that food, plus 1 large beer and 2 large sakes and it amounted to roughly $100. The service and food were good enough to make me want to go back (hopefully sometime soon). read more

Robata has a nice ambiance with its decor leaning more towards traditional, old-school Japanese rather than hipster Asian fusion. It's rather relaxing and would be a decent date spot, despite being in the heart of the Promenade. We saw the word "bar" in its name and figured we'd pop in for an after dinner drink. We sat down in an ample booth (three girls on one side, two guys on the other) and asked our waitress if we could just order drinks. She was cool with it, although we're not positive her boss was. Despite that, our waitress was friendly and chatty, and even suggested a new lunch place down the street to us, if we lived in the neighborhood. The drinks weren't cheap ($12 each), but they were good. The ginger mojitos were tasty, although for that amount, I'd expect a bit more than a short tumbler. But, it was either there or Hooters. I think we chose well. read more

Great place connected to Sushi Roku ( they actually share the kitchen) GOD BLESS MEAT ON A STICK I've found that Happy Hour is the best time to go here. There are a handful of great items at basically 1/2 price. The Shishitzo peppers ( from the Roku menu ) are excellent. The Crispy rice with yellowtail makes my mouth water just thinking about it. read more

Came here for a happy hour drink. Just bar hopping and passed by this cute bar. Meh. Ambiance was alright. Service was shoddy. Walked in, asked for their happy hour prices and sensed a little attitude from the bartender. Got the 5 dollar sake and my bf got the 3 dollar beers on happy hour. The whole time one of the servers, or workers, i dont really know what his title was, but i know he worked there. He was choppin' it up with a customer at the bar (i figure it was his friend) but it seemed super unprofessional. Didnt bother me much cuz we were here only for the cheap drinks. Probably woudnt come back. read more

Sunday funday at Robata bar "happy hour" was the best deal and "quality" with great service with server Leslie, who was on point with attention to details and a big smile:) we hand some sushi, skewers and a few drinks on a rainy nite. If your in the Santa Monica area and need ur fix for Japanese, this is definitely the place to visit for quality and pricing., especially for happy hour. We'll be back soon for sure! Thank you:) read more

Robata Bar - Damn good Skewers combo at the kickass Robata Bar in Santa Monica....awesome!!! - Japanese Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Meat on a stick, YES! Also there's the tremendous hospitable nature of the mgmt team. The head of dragon here is Andrew Ha who is absolutely charming and helpful. His right hand is Nash who is likewise kind and courteous. Then there's Stephanie who's dimpled smile could melt any heart. But enough about them! Let's get to the food! Must get items are: Tsukune, lalala Lambchops!, and Sake (Salmon) skewers! They are a true robata grill using special bincho ton coal and it is magic! Try a Lychee sangria to wash it down and you will be thrilled! read more

I love the satisfaction of FINALLY making it to a eatery I've been wanting to check out. Robata Bar did NOT disappoint! 1 star - LOCATION is right across the street from ocean. So after you chow down, walk the crosswalk and enjoy the beautiful ocean view, breeze and people watching 2 stars - seriously the BEST SERVER and SERVICE ever! Stephanie was super attentive, gave awesome food recommendations and just adorable. The other staff were on point...I love when old dishes get cleared right away and water is kept filled (yeah yeah we in a drought but this is always one thirsty H2O gal) 1 star - omg the BRUSSELS SPROUTS chips with truffle oil. DIE. I could eat bags and bags of them!! 1 star - KING CRAB FRIED RICE. 'Nuff said I CANNOT wait to get back! read more

It was a little spendy and the service was slow but the sushi was so good and our waitress was so sweet that will definitely come back again. read more

I've been there twice. It's in a really cool spot right by the beach. It serves Robata which is one of my favorite style of food. The decor is nice, wait staff checks on you pretty consistently. And it's never packed so you can just walk in and be seated. Unfortunately the food is not up to par. Katana in West Hollywood serves much better Robata although service there is a lot more sloppy. I think they need to import real Robata chef from Japan or something because if they get the food right, this would be an awesome place. read more

Delicious. After a long day of driving, we decided to continue Santa Monica for dinner. We arrived just in time for happy hour and ordered quite a few items from the menu: ceviche, skewers, ahi tuna, lobster fried rice amongst other dishes. Everything was flavorful and the portions were just as described "bites". The vibe is really relaxing, great after a long day, or even if you're out with a special someone. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because we received one chicken dish that I didn't really care for, otherwise everything was perfect. Definite recommend. read more

Robata Bar - Getting ready to review our dinner options.. - Japanese Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Two Aussies in SM this Labor Day weekend and we stumbled across Robata Bar. I must say I loved the decor and the waitress that greeted us was pleased to explain what they specialized in. I love Japanese dining at home so had high expectations as we sat opposite the bar. We started off with a variety of rolls,sushi and sashimi. I felt the selection was ok to good, not wow. We had some skewered meats which were nice too and toped it all of with a couple of Sapporo's. If we knew how noisy the drinkers at the bar where going to be we would have sat well away from the bar. I might be getting old or jet lag was playing a part but I nearly needed a flashlight just to read the menu,anyway we left feeling comfortably full read more

Been here twice now both for afterwork comfort booze and bites, sat at the bar. Camile the bartender took great care of me both times. Always gracefully dodging the curveballs I throw at her. I had their lamb, chilean seabass, The chicken liver, gizzards and cartilage isn't for everyone, but I enjoyed it. (I like to try that kinda stuff.) Nash the manager was really nice too. My only complaint was that they didn't have anaconda fillets. J.k. But seriously, I bet the Robata Grillardin Toshi san will grill it to bomb!! Ok Gotta go catch one. read more

Oddly, my experience at Robata has been nothing but great especially in the field of customer service. I came here with my boss and coworkers for the Heat vs. Spurs Game 7 the other week and sat at the bar. Nope, it's not a sport bar and the sound of the TV was mute, but the manager was nice enough to put the sound on during the 4th quarter. It was during happy hour and I love cheap happy hour. You can choose any 3 skewers for just $5. And to top it off, they have my favorite skewers, chicken heart! Of course I went for a fruity cocktail, the fusion special which tasted sugary and sweet until I got to the end of it, then the alcohol got the best of me. The bartender (I think her name was Kat) was super attentive. She continuously offered water and asked frequently if I would like to order anything else. The food itself was good. The skewers are all worth it. I also had the spicy tuna with crispy rice which I also enjoy. They also serve menu items from Sushi Roku which is located next door. Overall, great night with great service. read more

Been in several times for happy hour with the gf-then-wife-now and always leave fat and happy with the food and service (thanks Stephanie!). I mean, me fat, not the GFTWN. And not fat from the service, from eating too much food. Whatever you get my point. Meat skewers are all damn tasty, regular dishes (esp chicken karaage) are on point, and they got Hitachino on tap - pretty much got all my bases covered here. Definitely coming back for regular dinner here next time, right after I finish apologizing to the GFTWN for calling her fat. read more

I didn't even know this place existed until I was invited to go...and all I have to say is WOW! The staff was super friendly and attentive. Its the cutest little place with super hip decor. Ok..so about the food. We started with house salad. It was super good and fresh. The dressing was yummy. After that we had some oyster shooters. It was my first time trying oyster shooters...and OMG! SO GOOOOOD!!!!! After that we had chicken hearts, duck breast, cherry tomatoes and crispy rice cakes. The duck breast was absolutely delicious! It was so tender and had a tangy flavor to it..think it was yuzu! It was SUPERB! Chicken hearts were super good too! We also tried the yellow tail special sashimi...it was ok. The spices were overpowering the fish and it had too much garlic. We also had super good sake :D Parking should not be an issue. You can always park in a nearby parking structure or there is also valet across the street. read more

Delicious and very interesting menu. Good sushi, appetizers and plates. Very nice ambiance, perfect place for a date. read more

I don't Yelp review a lot mainly due to my limited vocabulary and preference to communicate entirely in emoticons. As a new Santa Monica resident, I definitely found my new stomping ground in Robata Bar. It being skipping distance to the beach makes this destination primely located. The restaurant is perfect for business meetings, happy hour with buddies, awkward Tinder dates, & real dates with people you actually know. The management team is extremely hospitable, active, and engaging which makes me feel like I'm getting the white glove treatment. On top of that you have tremendous servers. My favorite being Stephanie. She is light on her toes, literally sprinting to and from her tables like she's trying to qualify for the 2020 Olympics. Not to mention she is extremely intelligent with the menu options, exhibits an infectious energy, and impressively memorized the elusive 3 digit bathroom code. God bless this woman and God bless Robata Bar. #MambaOut read more

Great food. Small amounts. Can be expensive. Best to go for a few small bites. Friendly staff. Loved the atmosphere. The crispy chicken was delicious and fairly big in regards to most of their portions. The dipping sauces are delish! If you are really hungry, and broke...don't go! My friend and I however had 3 small dishes for like 13 bucks. read more

Cool little place near the Santa Monica pier. We were there during happy hour and tried several of the skewers. Very yummy! They grill it up at the bar right as you order so everything is quick and fresh. We tried one of the sushi rolls too... everything was great! Definitely worth a try! read more

we came here a few times. The staff is super friendly and the fish is always fresh! We love this one bartender her name is Lauren F. She is so nice great personality makes great drinks! They have great dishes and interesting rolls. We look forward to going back soon! Parking is always an issue in LA, but thats why there is always valet! haha read more

I may be the only person in the world who isn't koo-koo for japanese places that do the small plate meat skewer thing. Crazy, eh? I am totally not with it. Recently dined here. Sat outside and enjoyed the warmish weather and watched all the Santa Monica characters and/or white people. I've had the sushi from next door (it's swell) and you can order it here at the Robata Bar (handy) so we had sushi and meat skewers. read more

Love this place. Best happy hour in SM hands down, and great post-workout eats for those walking out of nearby Equinox or 24 hr fitness. Super friendly vibe, great service, awesome bartender, and great clientele... can't go wrong here! read more

I was so impressed by this place! The interior is composed of sophisticated, edgy, contemporary Asian lines, which pair perfectly with the food. I devoured a truffle and avocado roll, skewers of shiitake, shoshido (sp?), brussel sprouts, and asparagus, and fell in love with a hot tofu steak paired with mushrooms in a soupy broth. Can't wait to come back! read more

Can you say Yum. As a avid lover of most of the Innovative Dining restaurants, this new addition is no exception. The food is exceptional and as long as you are willing to spend at bit (I'd say the $$-$$$ range) you are going to get an excellent meal. There isn't one thing on the menu I wouldn't try. I highly recommend the: Popcorn Rock Shrimp Tempura In a Creamy Spicy Yuzu, Tuna Sashimi Carpaccio, Halibut Sashimi, Filet Mignon Wrapped Asparagus ....I could go on forever. Basically try anything your palette desires and it will be satisfied. Oh and did I mention the fabulous cocktails. The only thing I would caution is going in large groups. I'd say keep it to 4-6 unless you try to reserve a couple tables. read more

Lots of $$$ for a tiny amount of food! My boyfriend and I, along with another couple had dinner here last Friday night. I ordered 2 rolls =$20 total thinking that would be enough. NOPE. The baked lobster roll was 2 tiny pieces, taste was ok. The seared tuna tempura roll was 5 pieces and was actually delicious, which is why they get any stars at all. The atomsphere was pretty cool, although our server disappeared for a good 20 minutes. If you want amazing sushi at over $200 bucks for 4 people, try The Hump! YUM! read more

What a great restaurant and staff. First I would like to say that I am a vegan and wasn't expecting many vegan options but the bartender Jasmine actually was super knowledgeable of the menu and actually pointed out a bunch of vegan options which by the way were amazing. I had the Veggie Rolls and eggplant dish which was a perfect meal to go with the delicious cocktails she made. Definitely coming back because of the great service from Jasmine and the excellent vegan food options. Would recommend to any of my friends and looking to return soon. read more

Nothing special about the foods but expensive and small in sizes. Over cooked chicken wing with carbon all over it. Long waiting time, only had a glass of water for drink for half an hour. read more

Great Concept for this little gastropub in Santa Monica. This is the perfect place to grab EXOTIC cocktails while also sampling various types of fresh meats, vegetables, and seafood either from the robata grill or the kitchen. I loved the Lamb chops...absolutely amazing. The shooters, though very different from what I usually eat, were quite tasty. Sashimi was so fresh I could have sworn they caught the fish while we were waiting for our food. I felt a little feminine when I ordered the Kyoto White Tea Rose Martini, however once the first drop hit my mouth it was like I my taste buds entered into an orgasmic state of divine enlightenment...meaning it was damn good! Same with the Ginger Lychee Mojito and so many other specialty cocktails they offer. The best part about this little bar is that the service is what you have come to expect from a Sushi Roku establishment....nothing but the best. The staff understands how to make a customer feel at home. The servers are gorgeous....to say they look like models might be an understatment...despite their beauty they are so down to earth and really made my whole night enjoyable. My only cons for this bar is that it is a little small. It would be hard to fit a big group here. Though it felt a little tight I found it to be quite cozy. All in all I would definitely come back to this bar because the food is so unique and the servers are just too smokin hot!! :-) read more

Small and cozy, yet inviting and modern is how I would describe Robata Bar. An extension of Sushi Roku next door, it is a few tables, and a large, full bar, where you can snack - definitely a westernized, izakaya joint. Came here for happy hour, sat at the bar and definitely enjoyed it. While it isn't cheap, it isn't unheard of in terms of pricing and the happy hour specials are worth it. The robata choices were fairly extensive, with the standard fare of bacon-wrapped vegetables, and chicken wings, but was more authentic by extending into things like chicken cartilage and some other organs. I wouldn't recommend this as the best example of izakaya in LA, it definitely serves up some variety in the area, and is a good place to come after work to unwind and have some food. The small appetizer dishes are good and the service was good. I haven't gone during non-happy hour times, so I can't attest to it any other time, but for the time I did go, it was worth it. read more

My job rented this place out from 5-7PM on a Thursday night for happy hour. The drinks were great, not watered down. The $5 menu included some great drinks and appetizers (essentially your choice of 3 out of 6 skewers for $5 or 2 kinds of sushi). This included shrimp skewers, chicken, tomatoes, salmon, etc. Everything was awesome and service was quick. It was a nice place for drinks and appetizers. I can't speak to the dinner menu, but for what we needed - ambiance, strong drinks and food that wasn't the normal bar finger food - this place was great. It's a great place to rent out at no fee and the manager was responsive and cool. I'll try it again for dinner sometime. read more

Food was mediocre - rice was "doughy" in the crispy spicy tuna roll, age dashi tofu was made with that pre-made dry/hard tofu you would buy in a vacuum packed package, shrimp skewers were tasty but overcooked, Chilean seabass skewers were pretty good. Decor was cool but atmosphere was cheapened by super loud obnoxious music and drunk loud girl at the next table. Service was also substandard - had to go up to the robata chef and order my own skewers because the waitress was too busy eating and dancing in the back. read more

Here a lot since it's close by my office and it's one of the best happy hour deals in SM. Their albacore sashimi and tuna tataki dishes are really good (only $5 each), had a bunch of the skewers which are great too (3 for $5). Cheap draft Kirin & cold sake too. Staff is always nice, place is clean and they have a few small TV's that usually have a game on. Hard to beat. read more

I came expecting WOW and left saying EHH. The decor is nice and the dim lighting creates a relaxing ambiance. I say instead of the American music, why not play some Japanese tunes to make it really feel like a nomiya. Yakitori dominates the menu with a small variety of sashimi and sushi available too. The service was not rushed as most of the reviews noted but perhaps it was because the restaurant was almost half empty which was not surprising when I looked at the prices. Expect to shell out plenty of greenbacks if you're hungry. It's a decent place to come and have a few drinks, maybe a plate or two before a night on the town but if you're looking for a full, meal experience, then go elsewhere. read more

Come here for the happy hour or a light snack before catching a movie at the Mann Criterion. A large group of us decided to stop in before a movie and ordered a plethora of items off the happy hour menu. Though more expensive, I feel Katya had better offerings though the idea is more or less the same. The only thing I really enjoyed here was the dipping sauces that come with the Robata yak. The menu on the website isn't updated, but do make sure to order the yellow tail Hashim with the cucumber salad on top. Whatever sauce they dress it in is absolutely fabulous. Avoid the aged tofu, its rock hard and overly breaded. Okay food. Drinks are alright depending on how heavy (or light) handed your bartender is. What is cool about this place though is the decor. read more

Let's just say this is not an authentic Japanese izakaya / tapas place. But if you're up for Americanized Japanese experience, then this would be the place. The good: The restaurant isn't very big, but it has some outside seating. The decor is very pretty and the dimly-lit interior is great for a date or a couple's night out. The bar has a good selection of alcohol. The bad: The food is mediocre at best. If you want great skewers, there are plenty of other LA restaurants that specialize in skewers. I also ordered sushi (salmon, halibut, Spanish mackerel) but none of them were fresh. I think they come from Sushi Roku next door (the restaurant must be connected in the middle), but still they weren't great. Also on my mind... As I mentioned earlier, the place is pretty and has a romantic vibe. However, there is a huge TV screen next to the bar area that was showing baseball. So was this place trying to be a casual sports bar...or a nice dine-in? I felt like the owner couldn't make up his/her mind. Also, the customers - when I sat down, next to me was a couple with a new born baby. By the time I finished my dinner, there was a family with four young kids. I have absolutely nothing against babies and children. But again, I couldn't quite pin-point the kind of crowd they were attracting. read more

Great place for Happy Hour in Santa Monica! Ambiance is nice and welcoming. Our server, Leslie was very friendly and attentive. She had great knowledge of the menu items. Everything our server suggested were all flavorful and delicious. Few favorite items: Sashimi: salmon w avocado, yellowtail with diced chilies Skewers: pork belly, chicken wings, aged ribeye, short ribs read more

Robata Bar/Sushi Roku are my favorite place to get Sushi in Santa Monica. Robata Bar is adjacent to Roku and serves skewers in addition to the Sushi you can get at Roku. It is smaller and more intimate, so I personnally prefer to go to Robata Bar, but they are similar in many ways otherwise. Both the Sushi and Skewers are excellent there and there is a great variety of sushi one can order there. The service is always excellent, and the setting is very pleasant - and very close to the ocean, which allows for a nice walk after or before. On top of that, Robata Bar has great dessert, including the chocolate lava cake which I'd recommend to everyone. read more

Really wanted to like this a bit more. Loved the seating and very cool vibe but the food was spicy (all the skewers) and nothing we had was really worth ordering again. read more