GINDACO HIGHBALL SAKABA Sawtelle

Absolutely amazing! We had such a great experience here that I am still reeling from it since last night. The food is fresh and piping hot, the flavors are great and feels and TASTES like the person who prepared them care about the products they put out. They have oden here, which isn't something that you see too often in restaurants around here. I had the salmon with a side of rice and it was by far the most well-cooked and well-seasoned salmon I've had. Our server was attentive and the service was great. We also had ordered the mentaiko takoyaki as well and it was also very tasty! Come give it a try!

Great crispy takoyaki! I first had their takoyaki at the dodgers stadium. I went to their sawtelle location during their grand opening and got a lot of free takoyaki since they were doing a BOGO special. My favorite was the egg salad takoyaki. The sauce on the original was a little too tangy for my taste. I also got their kobore hand rolls which were basically nigiri on seaweed paper. The seaweed was a little soggy. I also liked their skewers with vegetables wrapped in porkbelly.

Excellent experience. The place is small but the service was fast. We only wait 15 minutes to be seated. Takoyaki with cheese is a winner and the chicken was good. All with a beef and a good ambiance for a Friday night.

Edit: Your lack of record is your problem. We were a party of 5. I received my food like 30 min after everyone else got theirs. I understand things like this happen especially on a busy night and I would have been open to revisiting. That definitely won't be happening now. Very disappointing response. They forgot my order and I had to remind them twice. Food was decent and servers were nice.

Let me be honest. I am Japanese and have visited many Gindaco shops in Japan. Never been to a bad one. They are all great. Unfortunately, however, this new establishment on Sawtelle does not meet the expected standard. Far from it, in fact. The first item we ordered, their signature takoyaki, was cold. We peeked in the kitchen, and they had many pre-made. To be fair, their food, including those takoyaki, tastes good. But serving cold takoyaki is basically unheard of, and it is humiliating. I hope they will never do that to another customer. Their sushi roll came with wasabi, but there was no soy sauce that accompanied it. Their fries were quite tasty, and the service was proper and nice. However, the way the workers were talking to one another (easy to overhear) was not quite right--no teamwork. Perhaps they are good people, just not well-trained or experienced. Maybe that's why their opening was delayed by almost five months (they had announced an April opening). There are plenty of other great restaurants in West L.A. serving comfort food. I would not return to this one.

Excellent Takoyaki. And unless you're Japanese (they all know this chain!), you might think that's all they serve here. The menu is rich with options, and they even have Oden (including a-la-cart). The drinks are good, with delicious fresh fruit. Good service, great location. Highly recommended! We will come back.

Amazing food. Fantastic Shucho highballs and enjoyable City Pop music. Some of the negative reviews are far too high strung in their estimations. Service was quick, willing to accommodate, and very kind. For a reasonable price this has become a new regular spot

Amazing experience at Gindaco Highball! Our server, Jordan, was friendly and attentive. Sonya, the highball bartender, made the Ultimate Highball perfectly and was very knowledgeable. The egg salad takoyaki and Oden were delicious. Highly recommend for great japanese street food and drinks!

We got the cheese and mentaiko takoyaki, the scallion and ponzu takoyaki, the oden sampler, the tuna and salmon roll and we really enjoyed it! We've been eyeing this place since it opened and I'm so glad we made the effort to try something new. Service was amazing and she was incredibly kind and informative. Food came pretty quick but we came at like 5pm. I think portions are perfect for the quality of food and price. I really liked it and we will be coming back! The oden was the star for me as I haven't tried something like that before and it was super yummy. The vibes was definitely reminiscent of izayaka in Japan :)

I was really really excited to try this place. I had it bookmarked since when it first opened. I finally got to try it yesterday at around 8pm on Tuesday and was disappointed. It was not busy when I came. In fact while many restaurants in the plaza had lines, this place had no wait. First impressions walking in was that the place was warm. Not uncomfortable warm but definitely warm. This is not an issue, but when the room is warmer than the food, that's an issue... We ordered a oden sampler, original takoyaki, kobore handroll assorted, assorted sashimi, and a high ball. The takoyaki came out immediately. It was cold... it had good flavor though. Oden came out somewhat after, was also cold.... The broth was also really salty, but addicting...because it was super salty. Handrolls were fine. They look different from the pictures. I guess they changed their handrolls since when they newly opened. Sashimi was fresh. It didn't blow my mind with how fresh it was but it was decent, didn't get sick after. It was a good price too. Service was okay. We didn't have to wait super long for anything. Overall, this wouldn't be my first choice for Japanese food in Sawtelle. This is the only place that I know of that sells oden in the area and I'm glad there is finally that option. But I wish it could have been better.

As a japanese immigrant, this place reminds me of home. A literal slide of japan right in LA. Great drinks and service, and the bar food is authentic. The place also feels tight and busy like a real izakaya. Would definitely recommend for late night highball + food with friends. Will be coming back again soon!

This place is finally open! My friend and I have been dying to try this place but they were closed for awhile during the holidays and renovations. We finally came today and got the lemon highball and takoyaki. The takoyaki was ok - nothing crazy. I wish it was more softer cause it was more fried on the outside than the ones I've had in Japan. However the vibes were great and we loved our lemon highballs. We'll definitely be back for more drinks and try other dishes.

Came here for dinner on a weeknight during the week that the restaurant officially opened. My friend and I tried a few different items, including the Cheese & Mentaiko Takoyaki, Fried Fishcakes, Assorted Oden, and Assorted Handrolls. I really liked the texture of the fried fishcakes. The takoyaki and assorted oden were flavorful and made well. The handrolls, however, were disappointing for me and not worth the high price tag. Service wasn't bad. The entire staff was friendly. Our waiter didn't seem to know the dishes too well, but this was during their first night when new menu items were available. I always look for street parking (free after 6pm) a block or two away on Olympic.

Friendly service and good food. The 3 star is mainly because of the automatic tip calculation method. The server brought the card reader to teh table, and the "Suggested Tip" is calculated with sales tax, which means the 20% suggested tip is actually almost 22% pre-sales tax. Not that big of a deal, just not a good math formula for the customers. The handroll set (3 pcs/$10) was delicious with a beautiful presentation.

My friends and I went on Halloween night. It wasn't too busy. Since the Dodgers won, they gave us a free order of original takoyaki. We also got the cheese takoyaki as well and the sushi. Everything was spectacular and one of the best takoyaki I've had. It was soft in the inside and still crispy on the outside. The interior was really cool, feels like you're in Japan. The service was on point as well. We also ordered high ball drinks-mango, muscat, and kiwi. My favorite was the muscat! Try it if you can!

We stepped into a newly renovated, bright izakaya-like experience. What a neat addition to the plethora of Japanese food options on Sawtelle! Food Seaweed chips: these are so addictive. They're sweet and super crunchy. Very crunchy (I almost say this with a warning). Assorted oden: nice large portion of mostly fish cakes. The cube one was my favorite. Assorted kushiyaki: the onion or leak was very spicy. The tomato and bacon was really good. Takoyaki: This is so crispy this is their speciality and it shows. I recommend this. Service was good from the bar. Friendly and casual. The Japanese decor really adds to the izakaya vibes.

A great addition to the local dining scene in Sawtelle! Authentic food, friendly service, and a comfortable atmosphere. Highly recommended! SERVICE: 4/5 The service was friendly and welcoming. Our server was attentive, and we felt well taken care of when we arrived just before the dinner rush. Once the restaurant filled up, the pace of service slowed slightly, but the staff remained courteous and professional throughout. FOOD: 5/5 We tried the oden, assorted hand roll omakase, takoyaki, and sashimi, and each dish was both delicious and well-priced. For instance, their rainbow roll is priced at $12--significantly more affordable than the typical $16 we've seen at other places, without any compromise in quality. The fish was fresh and flavorful, especially in the sashimi, and the hand rolls were a standout, offering fantastic flavor and presentation. If you're visiting, I highly recommend the handroll omakase, absolutely worth it! ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 The restaurant is small but charming, with traditional Japanese decor like lanterns that create a warm, authentic ambiance. Seating options include both bar and table seating, though it can feel a bit tight when the place gets crowded. Despite the limited space, the atmosphere captures the cozy, bustling feel of a true Japanese eatery.

I liked the concept of Gindaco Highball Sakaba, but the food quality was not up to par with the prices. I understand it's hard to maintain a profitable restaurant on Sawtelle, but I felt like I was being robbed for the food that I received. Assorted Oden: You can literally get twice as many fish cakes for the same price across the street at Nijiya; just boil them at home. When eating oden at a restaurant, I expect more flavor in the broth and quality ingredients, but this dish tasted the same as quickly making it at home. - Gyusuji stew: this was the best thing on the menu. The meat was tender, and the flavors from the broth were nicely absorbed. - Chicken drumsticks in Paitan Broth: The portion was huge, and the chicken was stewed very soft, however the dish lacked flavor. The broth tasted like a mixture of chicken noodle soup and gravy, except it needed waaay more seasoning. - Takoyaki: This was so disappointing. Since this is a Gindaco location, you'd expect the same quality as the other stores. The balls weren't crispy on the outside nor fluffy on the inside. They were all just mushy with tiny pieces of octopus inside. - Drinks: they were all ok, nothing to write home about. For being called a sakaba (drinking place), the drinks seemed watered down and not very unique. Gindaco Highball Sakaba's food is mostly something you can easily make at home, and it feels like they take advantage of Americans that don't know the price or value of Japanese bar food items. I would not come back to this spot, since the food and drinks are way overpriced for the quality.

I think a restaurant could survive based on having either good food, good service, or good value, and unfortunately you don't get any of it here. The location is prime sawtelle, difficult to find a parking spot because of how popular this area is around dinner time. The wait was about 25 minutes for 2 people which would be fine if our dinner experience was actually decent but The service was definitely lacking, we were seated at a table and not provided cutlery or plates. We ordered drinks which didn't come until we reminded them. They gave us the wrong order which we had to correct, and halfway through dinner they told us they're out of an item we asked for, and when we ordered a replacement, it never came. The hosts never came to check on us and I spent 10 minutes of the hour just trying to get people's attention because the servers seem laser focused on not making eye contact.. The food should've saved it but.. it didn't. The oden was honestly at or below grocery store levels, not much flavor and sort of lukewarm, the rolls (literally 4 pieces) were bland, the takoyaki was ok but again very underwhelming compared to what you might find in a legitimate Japanese restaurant. Couldn't comment on the hand rolls since it never came (even after waiting 20 minutes just for the hand rolls). The quality was lacking and the quality was also severely lacking. The only redeeming point might be that the location is good and the restaurant is clean? But this review wouldn't even happen without this since the restaurant would've closed long ago. I think the staff are completely new and probably untrained which leads to the poor (disorganized, getting orders wrong) and absent (no one comes to ask anything, everything has to be asked for) service. Either up the food or up the service, or I guess l just wait 6 months until the cycle is complete (new business comes into sawtelle, survives off hype for a couple months then goes out of business). I don't blame the people bc most of them seemed nice, so I think this is probably very poor management and they are to blame for the bad food quality and bad service quality. Will probably try again in a year to see if they improved (if they are still here)

Food was good and came out fast. The drinks were also really good. However, they were really rushing us. It's understandable since it's a really small restaurant and there was a wait outside but we were obviously not done eating. They were very eager to take the plates away.

Note: when they first opened they were a 5/5, mainly because of their creative hand rolls, which they no longer have. We came here for V-Day hoping to recreate the experience we had when they initially opened, but the menu has changed for the worse. 3pc hand rolls: 0/5 these were mostly rice with cucumber and some oily seaweed and a thin strips of fish that doesn't even look fresh. The fish eggs topping was super salty. Overall this was borderline inedible and very depressing. Soft tofu with miso: 4/5 the flavor was good but it was supposed to be made with silken tofu, and they made it with regular tofu. I don't mind but I wish they'd say something. Takoyaki: 4/5 you can't mess this up generally speaking, so this was good Satsuma age: 4/5 I like fish cake but this was kind of soggy. Still good though Seaweed crisps: 0/5 I thought these would be freshly made, but it came out cold and it was clear they poured this out of a bag of seaweed tempura. For $5, and for someone who doesn't like packaged chips, this was mortifying to receive. I got a stomachache afterwards, like you'd get if you ate a bunch of hot cheetos

We tried the oden, salmon with mushrooms, skewers, cold tofu, fried chicken, takoyaki, and assorted hand rolls. Everything was delicious! The oden and salmon dishes were on the smaller side in terms of portions, but the flavors were excellent. The service was attentive and friendly, which made the experience even better. It's a very small restaurant with limited seating. Overall, a great spot for a flavorful meal!

Just tried this restaurant for the first time. We tried different food but nothing was that epic to my taste honestly. We had garlic seaweed crisps as appetizers which were so tasty, and we also had some good fish cakes. Assorted oden soup was so blend to my taste. The kobore handroll assorted was plated very beautifully but nothing special other than that. We tried the original takoyaki as well which was the one that I was looking forward to try the most but ended up not liking that much honestly. Also ordered some fried chicken that were too chewy and some spicy tuna roll that were normal. The service was good and the place was also cute.

I was actually surprised by how bad this place was. The wait wasn't bad but ordering was a mess and one of our orders was wrong and then when we opted for a substitution, it took incredibly long that we finished all the other food and we were waiting solely for that one item. The food itself wasn't also nothing notable, quality was sub-par and everything that drew me into visiting turned out to be a lie. The highball is usually a highlight at other places but even though this place had a lemon perilla highball, it was so lacking in flavor that I had to double check it was actually what I ordered. Also, the fish cake /oden hotpot may seem to be one of the top items here but in reality, there was nothing the restaurant was doing to differentiate themselves. Going to the market for fish cake and making a quick miso broth would've been more filling and flavorful. Service was also a huge mess that I couldn't believe my eyes. It seemed no one was taking the lead, and it took so long to get someone's attention. We made eye contact with one of the bartenders and they just blatantly looked away. I understand that this place is new but it was so disorganized and the workflow was such a mess that multiple tables were missing items and the kitchen kept producing items that had to be returned because they were a mistake. The items are on par with other places in the plaza but with how high rent this place must be, I don't think this place will stay open long if things continue the way they are. The whole experience was so foul that when we left, I was hungrier than when we sat down. Honestly would rather stay hungry than visit here again.

Really stoked to get a gindaco on sawtelle! Was a bit surprised to see that's it's more of an izakaya than the original gindaco chain in Japan but everything was affordable and delicious! We got the handroll sampler, two takoyaki flavors (cheese and mentaiko and green onion) and skewers. The skewers were just ok but everything else I would get again! The oden also seemed to be popular so will have to try that when the temperature gets cooler.

I went in with two friends and we ate like royalty! The Una sandwich was incredible! I had two wonderful servers Amber and Simone, they were both knowledgeable and super friendly, we had a great time.

Amazing foods and services:)) We tried cheese mentaiko and yuzu ponzu takoyaki which were fantastic:) definitely I can tell those are original authentic Japanese Takoyaki!! And there beef skewers!! Dying!!! Marvelous!! Kobore sushi were amazing too!! Definitely recommend and we'll be back soon !!

Nice place to celebrate my birthday! Love the ambience, sitting on the bar so that we can watch the warm oden soup during our meal. I haven't had any oden soup for past a decade. Really miss the taste. Food wise - 5/5, love everything I ordered tonight, ordered oden soup twice! Service wise - 4.5/5, very friendly servers, but sometimes, u need to wave to get their attention. Environment wise - 5/5, newly opened restaurant, clean, fancy, traditional Japanese decor. Will definitely come back if I come to SolCal next time!

Loved the food, great presentation and tasted wonderful. Our server was incredibly attentive and professional. We were indecisive but he was very patient and helped us order.

Delicious hot Takoyaki and picture-perfect cold Suntory expertly poured! Super friendly and attentive service, we were celebrating our 7 year anniversary and will definitely be returning.

One of the wonderful spots I found on Instagram was Gindaco Highball. I'm a huge highball fan, so I knew I had to visit and try their highballs. We ordered non-alcoholic muscat and mango highballs, but 10/10 get the muscat. What I was super surprised was the delicious hand roll set. I was not expecting such high quality, and the menu is super vast and well done. Also get the wagyu skewers! Super delicious. Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of the dishes- make sure to visit with friends and enjoy!

Looking at the menu, I was a bit skeptical at first because the items felt like a mishmash of things but Gindaco delivered. We ordered the hand rolls (each different and unique with attention to detail), the cabbage wrapped with pork, and the green pepper with chicken miso paste (never had miso with minced meat). It's a great place to go for fun casual vibes but still delicious food. Our server was super nice too and handled professionally what seemed to be a nearby difficult customer. Well done on just day 2 of opening!

Gindaco on Sawtelle is a new restaurant that brings such a fresh splash to Sawtelle. It's got a great vibey atmosphere and service is absolutely on point. I think the favorite of the night were of course the takoyaki but don't sleep on the kushiyaki and sushi/hand rolls too! I'm so excited to have them on the Blvd and can't wait to come back. Cheers to Gindaco!

Great service!! The lady who service us it's amazing ! And the food it's very delicious, you have to try the cold tofu with miso !

Food 5/5 A very short wait for food, had a great time with my friends chatting with servers about the new menu and their favorite additions. The quality surprised me as I'm new to Japanese food but after adding this restaurant to my list on a recent food tour it definitely reaches higher than most other places. The oden broth had plenty of flavor and the takoyaki was crispy and one of my favorites! I e had a lot of takoyaki recently and this location has my favorite! The egg salad takoyaki was a surprising option but they said it was the employees favorite and I was pleasantly surprised. Service 5/5 The servers were attentive and kind, checking in regularly and making sure our drinks were never empty or at least not empty for too long. When it got busier they still managed to keep there attention on our table which was very refreshing. Ambiance 5/5 The location may be small but it gave a very authentic feel keeping to the traditional Japanese style and vibe. The restaurant felt cozy with the soft music and kind staff. We never had any trouble getting a server or bartenders attention either. Overall a great spot, very happy we managed to find it and will definitely be returning!

Excited to try this place out. I guess my expectation is too high because Gindaco has locations in Japan. We ordered the "omakase" sushi, oden, takoyaki, 1 highball, and 1 beer. The bill came out to be about $100 including tips. Takoyaki is not freshly made. Oden is just okay. However, I got really thirsty on my way back home due to the MSG. Beer options are very limited as well. With the quality of food and consideration of the parking situation in Sawtelle, I will not return for sure.

The food was amazing ! And the servers were very nice and accommodating! I love the ambiance of this place as well. Very relaxing vibe. I will definitely be coming back !

Great addition to Sawtelle! The takoyaki was absolutely delicious. I've never had one so crispy and flavorful before. I think the oden should have more broth otherwise it gets cold rather quickly (and the broth is the best part about oden in general). Will definitely be back soon.

The Takoyaki here is really good and changed my opinion on the dish. I'm a fan now! We had the Takoyaki with Mayo, Oden, Crispy Peppers and pork skewer (they were out of the lettuce and green onion skewers). All the dishes were very well made and tasty. The Takoyaki and Crispy peppers were the standouts we'll definitely be back for. The waitstaff is friendly and the atmosphere in the restaurant is great. The prices are reasonable. Honestly a really nice addition to Sawtelle and we'll be visiting again soon; great work opening the restaurant!

Cute little restaurant with super fresh takoyaki and the best spicy tuna crunch rolls. The kobore assorted hand rolls and assorted oden were pretty average. The hot sake came in generous portions but the highballs were a bit too sweet and tasted more like juice. Wait staff was super nice and funny. Wish this place was open later but overall a great addition to Sawtelle for Japanese fast food!

Would definitely recommend coming here! We came on day 2 of their opening and were seated pretty quickly. There's a special going on for their grand opening for a free 4 piece of their traditional takoyaki which was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We also ordered the mentaiko cheese takoyaki, handrolls, oden, and kushiyaki. Everything was delicious! Our server Kenneth was friendly and took the time to explain some of the menu items to us. The only cons are parking is a bit of a mess here so street parking is probably recommended and seating is a bit cramped but it didn't bother us for a small party of 2.

Came in for dinner with a friend. We each got one drink (oolong-hi and orange-hi) alongside the assorted oden, bell pepper w/ meat&miso, original takoyaki, assorted skewers, and edokin (one ea). Drinks felt a bit weak but the food was tasty. Ended up a bit pricey (almost $100) but I'm happy there are new restaurants like this opening up here I saw there are other locations in Japan. Would be pretty cool to get other food items like the ones in Japan (okonomiyaki, karaage, ebi katsu, etc.)

wanted to try this place out and it didn't disappoint :D we got a bunch of stuff to taste, loved the hand rolls (whichever one had the hot chili sauce on it was my favorite) and the drinks were very fruity and refreshing! servers and ambiance were also great, would definitely come again only thing is that I wish there were sides of white rice you could get? I didn't get a chance to ask for it but it wasn't on the menu

Felt like I was back in Japan. Takoyaki was incredibly crisp and fluffy inside. Don't sleep on the oden -- that was my favoriteeeee! Skewers were so delicious especially with their sauces. Will be back over and over again.

Hmm how to say this. For customer service, 5 stars. Staff are very friendly. For food tho? Well, mostly not great. For one, variety is like severely lacking. There's really not much on the menu. We ordered most of the menu to try but the only thing that was good was the takoyaki. Really good takoyaki actually. But anything else? Not worth trying. The issues: They skimp hard on primary ingredients. The baked in foil salmon and mushroom plus roe was 90% grilled onions (which is not even a listed ingredient lol). The highball alcoholic drink had nearly zero alcohol. The wagyu? Disgusting. Mostly fat. Super weird and disgusting texture.

Friendly service , and I did like the flavor of their oden but it was not hot..( it was rather cold) even though we asked for hot soup ( next door tea shop, volcano's hot milk tea was a lot hotter and steaming than oden here..). They also didn't have hanpen:(. The seaweed was also stale:(

Must-visit spot if you're into small bites, especially bar-style ! The takoyaki here is yummy - crispy on the outside, soft chewy and flavorful on the inside. Paired with the muscat highball (my personal favorite); the sweet, fruity notes with the savory dishes made a rly refreshing combination. The oden and kushiyaki as well were delicious, and going with the chef's choice or popular items is a great idea, especially for first-timers (it shows on the menu when you sit down). It is very welcoming with a relaxed vibe that makes it perfect for a casual night out. The staff were friendly and attentive, making the whole experience even better :)

We have been excited to try this place after seeing that they opened a few days ago! There was a bit of a wait, which is expected for anything in Sawtelle really, but you can join the yelp waitlist with your phone ahead of time which is nice. The takoyaki was crispy on the outside and perfectly soft and creamy on the inside, we got the original and the cheese mentaiko flavors and both were so yummy! We also tried the assorted oden platter which was delicious, and the highballs were also pretty good, they make them with fresh fruit. Overall everything was very tasty and the staff were also super nice, we'll definitely be back!

warm and lively vibes in a beautiful and authentic space. the city pop floating over the background was a great choice. an amazing hangout spot that fills an under-served niche on Sawtelle. just wish it was open even later didnt get a drink but the food was good. lots of options for small bites, appropriately priced for the area. liked the kushiyaki the most

The most authentic izakaya in Sawtelle- takoyaki had generous octopus pieces and was definitely the highlight! Cozy restaurant vibes and super friendly staff on opening night (thank you Kenneth for making us feel welcome at our new favorite spot!).

I live in the neighborhood and was excited to try this new addition. Food was on point- fresh, well balanced, comforting without being heavy. Highballs were refreshing. Service was excellent as well. And the prices are extremely reasonable! There was a woman who had been there the night before and had come back to share the experience with her daughter. It's that good! Highly recommend.

This place rules!! A new must stop on sawtelle!! The food and service is great and looking forward to coming back.