"Verdict: A sad excuse for an izakaya. Even if you’re looking for somewhere “vibey,” this is a third-tier option. We had high hopes for this Echo Park Japanese spot from the HiroNori people, with its paper lamps and moody red lighting. But after stepping through the PVC flaps dangling in the doorway, things took a turn for the worse. The cramped bar feels like a bad parody of a “cool Japanese drinking den,” with speakers blasting obnoxious techno music while clichéd samurai films play on mute behind the L-shaped bar. And despite its name, there are only two kinds of gyoza on the menu (both underwhelming). The pork ones are slightly better than the bland vegan option, but neither are an improvement over the much less expensive ones you’d find in the frozen aisle at the supermarket." - sylvio martins, brant cox, nicolas zhou
