They accommodated 4 of us @530pm without a reservation! The staff are very friendly and attentive. They were always cleaning our table and checking in to see if we wanted more skewers. I was also surprised by overall how affordable the meal was. My favorites were definitely the cod, pork belly, and mushrooms. So delicious, tender, and flavorful!

We love to come here for date night when we miss Japanese foods. The staff and food quality are always consistent. Prices are good. Remember to make reservation because it's often crowded on the weekend.

NAMBANKAN DOES NOT HAVE A WEBSITE. Link on Yelp is to a fraudulent site!! Beware!! Yelp should remove fraudulent link!!

Nanbankan Sawtelle Blvd! Heard it's really tough to get reservations or seats in general here! We got in on a Thursday early evening! Was on a yakitori crave and had a heated discussion on where to go... and wow!!! This place is soooo good!!! I'm sorry to say... but they blew away everywhere else I've had yakitori here in LA. Each skewer was better and better than the last... not over cooked, but juicy with the right amount of char from the coals... Some highlights- chicken giblets, chicken hearts, chicken liver, chicken skin, chicken gizzard (HUGE!!! Possible fav of night), beef tongue, chicken wing, tsukune chicken meatballs, negima chicken thigh with green onion... we got more but I forgot! Sides of yuzu kosho and a whole lot of shichimi spice... with a pickled plum ochazuke! I wish they were closer to me... and not all the way in sawtelle... I remember having so much fun learning about and cooking the yakitori back at Gonoachi when I worked in Bev Hills... yakitori has always been one of my favorite foods!

Make reservations and it's really only for dinner! Sat at the bar and it was cool to see them grill but also concerning because they don't use gloves! Definitely a more intimate setting. So it's definitely a place to try everything! In the end the most memorable for me was the beef tongue and Australian lamb - which is funny enough was what we started and ended with, respectively. Everything in the middle was a blur, but definitely filled us up. They do have the top 3 recommended chicken options but I definitely was not impressed by any of it. Skip the onigris. I also really liked the stuff mushrooms. Overall, glad I got to try this place! But the place can be a pricey of about around $40-50pp to make you full, depending on your appetite of course.

I've been going here for 17 years. There's never been an off-day here... ever... I probably ate everything on the menu at this point, and all are really good, but my favorites... the lamb, the onions, the yaki Onigiri (plum), all the yakitori (like all, but the skin wings, meat ball, Ochazuke, Ebi shrimp, garlic, the sausage, are literally things that I would eat before my final dinner. Service is amazing, and there's a small corkage fee, which is really nice because it's obvious that the restaurant cares more about you enjoying your time there than trying to rip you off. There's never been a day that I wasn't excited to come here.

Delicious Chilean seabass skewers. Definitely recommend you order these. They're tiny but delicious. Chicken neck collar was also surprisingly good-- to the point where they ran out for the night. I'm a big fan of beef tongue and I wasn't a big fan of it here. Japanese food is mildly seasoned and I felt like it was a bit too gamey tasting. Service was fantastic. Staff is constantly clearing your plates and checking up on you, in a non-annoying manner. We had a light dinner and it was nice. For two people, we spent about $65 without tip with a beer. Overall I wouldn't come here super hungry but for a nice light dinner. I jokingly call it "first dinner" since I'll follow it up with "second dinner" Parking can be a bit tough around these parts but definitely did see a parking spot here and there.

This spot is a hidden treasure, and I want to keep it that way. A fair warning to those in the area looking to dine in without a reservation. You will be turned away. The majority of the bad reviews are around that. A little tip, call in your reservation on a weekday not during their busy hours. I never had trouble. Tony, the main host, gets a bad rep for having to turn away walk ins. He is the pulse of the restaurant. When those guests that came with a reservation, he is welcoming and takes care to make sure you are enjoying your dining. He is an amazing host. You can tell from the number of regulars who joke and laugh with him. The inside is small, but cozy. I would recommend getting a seat at the bar. You can watch the cooks while you enjoy your food. Prices for yakitori are amazingly fair for a place this caliber. They also write down the specials of the day on a chalkboard. Always look into those. I love this place. I recommend it to everyone I can.

What a beautiful little treasure nestled in almost a secret corner where only the smart and savvy foodies are lead to! Seated at the bar where I can watch each savory dish be placed on the counter I was able to be drooling at all the options coming out. I could watch the grill and the hustle of the chef's dipping the various veggies and meats into the secret sauce then unto the grill. Meticulous and fast! The place is packed and I can understand why. The food was delicious and the prices were insanely reasonable for what you were ordering. Authentic and traditional the kind owner and entire staff were so amazing and the service exceptional! Not once did I have to ask to have my water glass topped off. I don't want to share this place. I want it to myself. It's a gem and treasure of a place to know something like this still exists in this city. Tapas style each dish comes out one by one fresh and hot. Parking is in the very back of the building across the street at a public lot, or if you're lucky you can catch a meter. Make sure you call and reserve way in advance!