Robata Jinya might be my new favorite happy hour spot. If you're a lychee martini fan, start…read morethere--it's delicious and very reasonably priced. Their happy hour is one of the better ones I've found, with a great selection of rolls, nigiri, appetizers, and more, mostly ranging from $7-10. Parking is easy too, with plenty of street parking nearby. I sat at the bar, and the service was fantastic. I ordered the chicken karaage, which only comes with three pieces, but they're huge, incredibly crispy, and still juicy inside. I also tried the wagyu taco--it was fresh and flavorful, though the sauce wasn't my favorite, but that's just personal preference. I finished with a salmon hand roll and upgraded to salmon belly for a small upcharge, which was absolutely worth it. For the quality, portions, and prices, I think this beats a lot of other sushi happy hours in the area. I'll definitely be back... although part of me wants to keep this place a secret.

Robata JINYA is a great choice for happy hour. Their prices are super reasonable and the quality of…read morethe sushi is solid. We tried many things on the menu, with the crab hand roll and crispy rice with tuna being the favs. The scallop sushi (not on the happy hour menu) was also really good. The lychee martini is a must try. It comes with a huge smoke filled bubble on top, and is not too sweet. The interior is nice with some interesting samurai artifacts and wood beam ceilings. Recommend!

We got several sashimi, some skewers, crispy rice tuna, shrimp tempura, cauliflower tempura, and…read moreagedashi tofu. Sashimi were very delicious and high quality. )-/ thick cut and no weird fishy smell. Skewers were also very thick and way bigger than i expected. Love the beef tongue the most. The shrimp and cauliflower tempura basically taste the same (sweet and sour). Def disappointed at this bc we expected the typical tempura without being soaked in the red sauce. Agedashi tofu was also just ok. It was kinda soggy even though we ate it immediately. The wasabi is good though and parking is $8 in the personal lot (more expensive bc we paid with card). I give it 5 stars because: - The generous portion and yummy sashimi and skewers. - Service is also fast and the waitress serving us was very friendly! - We brought few slices of cakes and there is no cake fee. They even put it in a nice plate with flower haha :)

If you're ordering skewers, the scallop, sea bass, and prime beef kushiyaki are absolute standouts…read more The scallop is incredibly tender, while the sea bass is the must-order. Even if don't like seabass, you must try this one! it's buttery, perfectly charred and melts in your mouth. The prime beef is equally impressive: tender, packed with rich umami flavor, and cooked to perfection. For a larger dish, you can't go wrong with either the sea bass or blue crab hot pot. It's so rich and comforting, the fish is always perfectly cooked, and it's more than enough food for two people. Be sure to order a side of seaweed and make your own hand rolls at the table. The kabocha salad is also unexpectedly delicious and pairs well with the other indulgent items in this order. They recently moved next door and they may be overbooking themselves so expect to wait quite a while- even if you have reservations.

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!!

I was in the area and stopped by for the open handroll lunch. Service was attentive, and the…read morepresentation was impressive from start to finish. One unexpected twist was the seaweed. Instead of the traditional nori typically used for handrolls, they served a salted, crispy version. While some diners may enjoy the added texture, it wasn't quite for me. It reminded me of the seasoned seaweed used in Korean kimbap--similar to what I buy at Costco and use at home--which took away from the experience I expect from a classic handroll. The fish itself was fresh and above average, especially considering the lunch special pricing. Overall, it was a solid meal, but if I order this again, I would definitely request traditional nori to better complement the quality of the fish.

Hidden gem, its underground and didn't have a big sign. Will easily miss the place unless you look…read morecarefully. Definitely worth the effort to find the place. All the dishes we ordered were really good. Spicy seafood hotpot was full of flavor. Recommend adding ramen to the hotpot. Chicken karrage and pork cutlets was fried perfectly. The skewers were juicy and flavorful. Server was friendly and attentive. Only bad thing about this place is they share restroom with the K-TV next door.

Really good Korean Style Izakaya experience. They take…read morereservations via Yelp so I would recommend getting one on a busy weekend. It's pretty hidden, in the same plaza as Pharaoh Karaoke (and share a bathroom). It's in the basement so you need to go around the outside of parking lot by the front and down the stairs to the basement... super yummy! We got some yakitori skewers and some Karaage as well as drinks. Next time I definitely want to try their sushi and sashimi as well.

I just visited the Getty's museum and took a bit too long so I figured to take my daughter to a…read morelocal place to eat and wait out the crazy traffic. I am glad I did, this place is great. I didn't have a reservation and the hostess squeezed me in on what seems to be a busy Thursday night. The staffs are very nice and the food comes out quick. I got the steak and it was very tasty. My daughter must be hungry so she ate most of the food so I order a ramen to get full. The ramen is surprisingly good for a izakaya place. If you like Izakaya, try this place. The place is pretty small so it'll feel very cozy and you can definitely hear the couple next to you having a fight. There is parking lot right next door but the attendant may not be there so you don't have to pay if he is not around. I sure didn't.

A friend brought me here and prefaced by saying it was the best japanese food he's had outside of…read moreJapan. Although it didn't necessarily live up to the hype, it was definitely an authentic spot tucked in a busy area of LA. Parking, was particularly hard to find. Definitely recommend making a reservation in advance. Immediately greeted by a friendly staff who showed us our table. Ambience was reminiscent of a local spot you'd find in Tokyo. A comforting, warm, bright place that serves as a familiar dinner spot that makes me wanna go back to Japan. For first timer, the menu was slightly hard to navigate. Lol, but I guess that speaks to the authenticity of the Japanese menu. Assorted pork belly wrapped yakitori/skewers, 7.8/10: these were hyped up by both my friend and the server, but overall it was slightly underwhelming. The skewers were all seasoned nicely, although they were a bit hard to eat since they were so big. Starting with the pork belly wrapped cabbage skewer, I don't believe the cabbage added any sustenance to the dish. I did like the bacon wrapped tomato skewer since the pop of acidity and freshness from the tomato paired well with the fat from the pork. Chicken Karaage, 9.1/10: definitely the best dish here. Chicken was fried perfectly, and was warm when it came out. The batter was not too thick or heavy. Season well with enough space.The lemon is a must for acidity and brightness. And of course they kewpie mayo is a nice touch. Tonkotsu Ramen, 7.5/10: the pork broth was rich and deep. The noodles were nice and chewy and firm clinging onto that broth. However, the portion was a bit small for the price. I was caught off guard by that. Granted, this place doesn't boast about the ramen. Overall, this wasn't anything mind blowing. Stuffed chicken wing, 8/10: stuffed generously with ground chicken ginger scallions and seasonings. The outside skin was flavorful crispy and savory. The temperature of the wings were pretty good too. Solid.

Tony (owner) is there every day to ensure operation runs smoothly. And there seems to be quite a…read morebit of regulars because I noticed Tony would greets them by their name and open arm. The hostess is always welcoming while the wait staff is attentive. Expect a slight bit of wait if you don't have a reservation but it's well worth it. We usually ask for bar seating because we enjoy watching them grill. To start, we get the Ochazuke, check the chalkboard for any specials and order some sake/beer while we browse through the menu. Honestly, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

Food: - Yellowtail fish collar: special, surprising amount…read moreof fish on the small collar, good flavor - Yaki onigiri: best value! The house special one was tasty especially with the crunchy rice. The salmon onigiri needed more salmon - Stuffed shitake: great flavor and consistency wasn't too rubbery - Steak: decent - Meatballs: I expected more flavor, but good consistency - Shiso Chicken: my least favorite dish since it had the least flavor Ambiance: - Don't be deceived by its humble exterior, this place can get packed and is quite cozy inside - Make reservations! Even on a weeknight, the restaurant gets crowded - Staff were helpful and efficient - Street parking - You can see them grilling the food in the bar area - Overall great pricing for Izakaya

My favorite place is LA! I'd give them six stars if I could. The service is great with the team…read morebeing very friendly and attentive. The staff also rotates around super efficiently. The menu is wide but is solid in all categories. The seating very intimate and chill with both indoor/outside. The bar is also available.

Glad to find this cozy neighborhood spot with authentic Japanese vibes. We enjoyed some yakitori:…read moreshisito pepppers, pork belly, gizzards, chicken cartilage, and chicken skin. My husband's favorite was the pork belly and I liked the chicken skin-could be slightly crispier. Also had some nigiri: yellowtail, salmon, and unagi-the fish was fresh and delicious. The takoyaki and tiger roll were also yummy. Overall felt the portions were quite reasonable and service was attentive.

Loved this place!! Parking was hard we needed up paying 15 dollars in a lot nearby since we didn't…read morewant to keep looking for parking. The vibe in there is amazing! it's so fun to feel like your in a whole different city or place as soon as you walk in. I did think it was going to be cheaper than it turned out to be butttt I would still go back. The highlights were the short rib and the tender beef skewer. I would go back and try more things than just the skewers but it was super flavorful and not overly sweet. The service was good too I would say the staff was nice but not overly friendly which is ok. It was fun sitting at the bar the lighting is nice and dark and it gets smokey and cool inside with the chefs cooking the skewers in the center. I would love to go back!!

Such a fun spot with an amazing vibe! It's definitely a hole-in-the-wall kind of place, which made…read moreit feel even more special. The dim lighting added so much to the overall experience and created a cozy atmosphere. Service was quick and attentive, and every dish came out packed with flavor. My favorites were the asparagus bacon, pork rib, and mushroom skewers--each one was absolutely delicious. I also ordered the deokbokki, and wow... it was SO good! Every bite was flavorful and satisfying. Can't wait to come back and try even more from the menu. Highly recommend!