The 12 Best Japanese Barbecue Restaurants in Los Angeles – Eater LA

In Los Angeles, the two primary forms of Japanese barbecue available are yakiniku and robatayaki. Yakiniku was introduced to Japan during the Showa period as a result of cultural exchange with Korea, and yakiniku is used as a catch-all term for these restaurants to this day. It’s essentially Korean barbecue through a Japanese lens.

It includes tare, or a thick, sweetened Japanese soy sauce that’s been infused with different ingredients, such as fruits, sugar, and garlic. Diners dip cooked bits of meat (with or without marinade) in the tare to give it an extra boost of umami and cut through the richness of well-marbled beef.

Robatayaki, on the other hand, is usually handled by trained chefs who rotate skewers of cuts of meat or vegetables over a long charcoal grill, which are in turn served or sold by the individual skewer. Both are great ways to experience grilled meats. Here’s where to find the essential Japanese barbecue spots in Los Angeles.

Added: Hikari Japanese BBQ & Grill, Yamaya, YakiYan

Removed: Shin-Sen-Gumi, Honda Ya, Torimatsu

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.