Budonoki
Restaurant · East Hollywood ·
Thai-Japanese izakaya with bold flavors & lively atmosphere
Thai-Japanese izakaya with bold flavors & lively atmosphere
"I used to live much closer to Thai Japanese izakaya Budonoki, one of Eater’s Best New Restaurants in 2024, but even now that I don’t, I still take any excuse to settle into this neon-lit dining room. On a recent trip, I noticed steak frites on the menu and immediately had to order them. Steak frites stands among my favorite dishes ever; I don’t know if there’s a better pairing than steak and crispy, salty fries. My favorite version of the dish is probably at Bell’s in Los Alamos, but that’s a two-hour-plus trek away (on a good traffic day). It seems like Budonoki has shifted its wagyu zabuton into a steak-frites situation, which makes sense against the rest of the menu’s inventive takes on drinking dishes and snacks. The steak gets cooked to an ideal medium-rare and bathed in a smooth au poivre sauce. The fries, golden brown and hot, have just the amount of crisp. Make sure to also get the Budo-gnocchi; the leftover dredges of truffle sauce make for great fry dipping. — Rebecca Roland, Eater Southern California/Southwest editor" - Matthew Kang
"Entering feels like stepping into a cool party: neon LED wall art lights up the room, 2000s R&B hits are bumping, and the inviting vibe permeates all corners. Helmed by executive chef Dan Rabilwongse with partners Eric Bedroussian and Josh Hartley, this 2024 Eater Best New Restaurant winner is an adventure that combines Japanese precision with bright Thai flavors and French techniques, set on the first floor of an apartment building that once housed Cha Cha Cha and transporting diners to a sake den in Brooklyn or Tokyo with bumping tunes and swift service. Start with the naem, a fermented Thai pork sausage whose recipe Rabilwongse learned from his mom; it’s eye-wideningly spicy and sour, and pairing it with red curry–flavored crispy rice balls (and cabbage slaw) evokes crispy tuna rice while being wholly its own. The "budo-gnocchi" submerges toasted, chewy rice cakes in a luxuriously silky shimeji mushroom and Parmesan cream sauce blanketed with freshly grated black truffle, while the scallop crudo is reliably fresh and changes seasonally—the current version includes figs and a pomegranate and coconut mousse; don’t sleep on the flame-seared pressed sushi, either. The most iconic drink is Girl’s Night Out, a sweet, citrusy plum wine cocktail in an adorable animal-shaped mug—half the fun is discovering which whimsical creature you’ll get, from otters to whales to penguins—and there’s an extensive sake list to explore. Best for a birthday party (book a large patio table or the round table with a lazy Susan that foregrounds the host’s stand), a meal out with friends, or a date night that doesn’t feel too fancy but still impresses. Insider tip: save room for dessert—the soft serve’s rotating flavors are never cloying, and it arrives with a cute shovel-shaped spoon you can take home." - Kat Thompson
"Despite being located in a new apartment complex in Virgil Village, Budonoki feels like it’s been around for years. And that’s a compliment. The casual izakaya is dimly lit with exposed piping and has a sort of sticky grunginess that suits a semi-riotous birthday dinner. You’ll eat tons of delicious, shareable plates like jidori chicken oyster skewers and bowls of wagyu yakisoba. Old-school Missy and Ja Rule blast over the speakers. Someone will absolutely do a sake bomb. And by that, we mean you. It is your birthday." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"In 2023, the newly opened Los Angeles izakaya Budonoki dressed up as an Italian trattoria for Halloween and accidentally created a signature: the Budo-gnocchi. Because nobody in the kitchen wanted to make potato gnocchi from scratch, they used chewy Korean rice cakes (tteok) instead—steaming them to soften, then searing for a crisp exterior—and finished them with sautéed mushrooms, a dashi-butter pan sauce, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The Budo-gnocchi was so well received it became a permanent, comforting menu staple that pairs well with drinks; since then it has evolved into a loose template (sometimes finished with black truffle shavings or swapped for summer corn and tomatoes) and even appeared as a malai Budo-gnocchi in a collaboration with Pijja Palace, helping the restaurant earn an Eater Best New Restaurant nod in 2024." - Bettina Makalintal
"When in doubt, izakayas are a good bet for big group dinners, and Budonoki is proof. The dimly-lit spot in Virgil Village has a fun, infectious energy that hits the second you walk through the door. Groups of friends huddle around tables snacking on shareable dishes like jidori chicken oyster skewers, bowls of wagyu yakisoba, and pineapple soft serve. Old-school Missy and Ja Rule blast over the speakers. This is the kind of place you could show up to half asleep and walk out ready to book a flight to Vegas. Plan your night out accordingly." - brant cox
