Review Nanban-kan Restaurant - Los Angeles

Rumors are swirling that this was Nobuyuki Matsuhisa goto spot for a relaxed dinner before he dropped the "uyuki Matsuhisa" and became known as just "Nobu." Being known by only 4 letters is such a power move ahahaha... I think I'm gonna start going by… "John." Walking into Nanban-Kan is like entering a wormhole in the sense that you walk right off of the trash littered high traffic street that is Santa Monica Blvd, and enter into an authentic Yakitori restaurant in the heart of Shinjuku. The waiting room is separated from the dining area by a short white curtain with Japanese script, and a small, maybe 10 inch, TV that has likely been hanging in that very spot since the early 90s. As I was taking in the ambiance, surrounded by traditional Japanese art and framed light flexes of Nanban-Kan being mentioned in magazines and articles, a well dressed Japanese man came and greeted us. His suit jacket fit so perfectly, that thing was DEFINITELY tailored. Don't ever mess with someone in a tailored suit you know they mean business ahahaa. He was working that room so crazy too ahahaha, just talking to all the customers, having them laughing a little too hard, checking in on everybody every so often, etc. You can tell he BEEN doing this. We were seated at the bar in the middle of the room that wraps around the open kitchen concept where you can see them grilling your skewers right in front of you. Lol I said "open kitchen." The Japanese invented the open kitchen, it really should be called the "Japanese Kitchen." The front page of the laminated menu read "Yakitori and other good things," and idk why that made me laugh, but they are NOT lyin. I came with one of my best friends, who doesn't post me on social media anymore because I don't have enough clout, as he LOVES this place with all his soul. He asked "You cool if I just order for us?" Honestly, I always say yes to anyone who asks this question because how could I not respect that level of confidence? And to be fair he does have impeccable food taste, even though he wont post me. All in all, we got shishito peppers, hot dog, bacon wrapped asparagus, eggplant, dark meat chicken, white meat chicken, NY steak, chicken leg, shrimp, fish, chicken liver, and mushrooms. I've been trying to string together some glowing adjectives intertwined with some sly metaphors and similes that will make you laugh and then cry in the same thought loop to get across how delicious this food was, but I'm just gonna leave you with this: I get why Chef Nobu was an alleged regular here. I often see restaurants that were once amazing start to go through the motions after a certain amount of time. To be in business 40+ years like Nanban-Kan has and still have this level of care and attention to detail defies the known laws of physics….they must be operating in the quantum physics realm…. Eternally grateful that my friend showed me this place, even though he won’t post me haha :( -John IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__reviews

A mainstay of authentic Japanese food on the west side. Excellent quality at a great price. Feels like being back in Tokyo. In business 35 years and going strong.

Very decent and delicious yakitori with reasonable price and exceptional service. Chicken skewers are absolute best

Tasty food and great service! I just personally don't think it's the best yakitori in the area. Parking on the streets were easy on a weekday night.

Great yakitori near Sawtelle - was busy when I got there but able to get seat at the bar. Good quality grilled food and prompt service.

One of the best Yakitori places in West LA area! The manager and staff were all super nice and helpful. Sat at the counter and watched the chefs work on grill which was even more enjoyable. I recommend you try the grilled squid, eggplant, chicken meat ball, pork belly and the miso cod.

A great yakitori for grilled organ lover, but less fun for people who are not into adventure. Went on a Saturday night, and waited for 15 minutes, plenty of free parking spots next / behind the restaurant. Very friendly staff and the chef would walk around to greet the customers - believe a lot of them have been customers for years, if you sit at the bar, you could see the grilled process in front of you. Loved all the organs especially chicken gizzards and heart. The scallop and stuff mushrooms were also good. Black cod was supposed to be the best but sold out. Most of food had a light flavour and I had to add some chilli pepper salt to them. Shiso chicken was my least favorite item since it was overcooked. The payment machine didn’t work, so you had to put down the tip number during the first time you got the bill, unless you’re tipping with cash. Something to note.

Love sea bass, yellowtail collar, corn, stuffed shiitake, dried smelt, and eggplant. Pretty expensive but delicious. I would try some different dishes next time. The black cod, squid, oyster are sold out.

My daughter and I went to this restaurant on a Monday night to meet with our friend Avi. There was plenty of parking on the street and there is parking behind the restaurant. We had a great time here. The food was delicious and the wait staff made sure our water glasses were full. We would definitely return again.

This is our go to place for yakitori. The service is very fast and friendly. Lots of choice of dishes. And the environment is very comfortable. The waiting time for dishes is very reasonable as well. Remember to make reservations over the phone before going.

Very Good & Popular Authentic Japanese Yakitori Resto @ Los Angeles (Santa Monica). Order Skewers (Tebasaki , Negima , Shiso Chicken , Sunagimo , Hatsu , Nankotsu , Nanban Yaki , Shiromi , Asupara Maki , Okura Maki). Tasty. Recommended. Worth A Visit.

I had a reservation, showed up on time, ordered and then after I complained several times, I finally got served over an hour later.  I would have ordered additional dished but that would have required staying over night.  Since I did not have a sleeping bag, I went home hungry and cooked for myself.  You should send your absolute worst enemies there!

MUST DO!!!!. This was a first time for me in a YAKITORI bar!! I was a little apprehensive because it was new to me and I was unsure of the etiquette. I did know enough to reserve a seat at the bar to watch the har working chef's laboring over the hot grills (order Tommy and his crew a cold beer...they will appreciate it). The ordering turned out to be a snap. They have a large menu and a specials menu. Just select a few items, watch them being prepared, sip your cold beer, and think about your next round of treats. The whole experience was very relaxing and people we met at the bar were very friendly and helpful in recommending selections. We ordered several things, but the chicken balls (no not those balls) were delectable with a splash of sauce applied by the chefs. We tried tuna collar, a first, and found out why most of the world love to eat this part of the fish that is discarded in the US. The atmosphere was fun and everyone was easygoing and willing to help. The beers are cold and the bill was very modest, but we were STUFFED!! If you are looking for something new, maybe a date night, give this place a try. Alot of fun!!

The wagyu kobe beef was cooked to perfection. It broke down so easily and tasted fantastic with minimal flavouring.<br/><br/>

Nanban-kan is literally steps away from the Nuart Theater so you may be wondering how I’ve managed to walk by this neighborhood favorite for so many years. My answer is simply that I usually watch movies in the afternoon so by the time Nanban-kan opens I am no longer in the vicinity.   I finally went one day because I was stuck on Santa Monica Boulevard at 6pm and my favorite butchers, Lindy &amp; Grundy love it. I figured it was a sign to stop and eat when I was literally stopped at one traffic light for THREE changes and had moved ONE car length. It is not an exaggeration when the news reports that traffic is the worst aspect of life here in Los Angeles.   I am grateful there was so much traffic because I loved the food, service and ambiance at Nanban-kan so much that it is now on my “regular” list of places to eat, i.e., places I go when I am not trying new spots that I write about here on this blog:)   Like my nearby favorite Italian restaurant, Il Grano , this place is quiet, refi