Nanbankan
Yakitori restaurant · Sawtelle
11330 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Highlights
Charcoal-grilled yakitori skewers, rotating specials, intimate Tokyo-like dining
Charcoal-grilled yakitori skewers, rotating specials, intimate Tokyo-like dining
"Even in a neighborhood known for Japanese restaurants, Nanbankan stands out. Their dining room feels like a portal straight to Tokyo: everyone is sipping sake, kabuki art hangs from the walls, and in the center are two giant yakitori grills enveloped in smoke. This grilled skewer house serves almost anything on a skewer, from pork loin delicately wrapped in shiso leaves to salty quail eggs, plus other options like sunomono and grilled onigiri. But the real action is on the chalkboard, where you’ll find a rotating list of specials like live scallops, black cod, and wagyu beef. Snag a seat at the bar if you can." - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore, cathy park
"Even in a neighborhood known for Japanese restaurants, Nanbankan stands out. Their dining room feels like a portal straight to Tokyo: everyone is sipping sake, kabuki art hangs from the walls, and in the center are two giant yakitori grills enveloped in smoke. This grilled skewer house serves almost anything on a skewer, from pork loin delicately wrapped in shiso leaves to salty quail eggs, plus other options like sunomono and grilled onigiri. But the real action is on the chalkboard, where you’ll find a rotating list of specials like live scallops, black cod, and wagyu beef. Snag a seat at the bar if you can. " - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore
"This brightly lit yakiniku spot writes its specials on a board daily. Be sure to arrive on the early side for the most ample selection of skewers as they often sell out. Pair the fantastic tsukune (chicken meatballs) with one of the restaurant’s sakes on draft." - Mona Holmes
"A modern spot for Japanese soul food. Nanban means “southern barbarians” and is a reference to the first Europeans to reach Japan. This quirky restaurant embraces the term and serves Japanese dishes with international origins. There are options like calamari tempura, Tokyo modern ramen with beef and pork broth, and a tea-stained egg. Open for lunch, dinner, and takeaway, the restaurant makes the most of its food hall location by sourcing the majority of its ingredients from Brixton Market.Where: 426 Coldharbour Ln, Brixton, London SW9 8LF, United Kingdom" - MATADOR_NETWORK
"Even in a neighborhood famous for its Japanese restaurants, Nanbankan stands out. Their dining room feels like a portal straight to Tokyo—everyone is sipping sake, kabuki art hangs from the walls, and at the center are two giant yakitori grills enveloped in smoke. The traditional yakitoriya serves almost anything on a skewer, from pork loin delicately wrapped in shiso leaves to salty quail eggs, plus other options like sunomono and grilled onigiri. But the real action is on the chalkboard, where you’ll find a rotating list of specials like live scallops, black cod, and Wagyu beef so wonderful and tender, you’d think it were a budding romance in a rom com. Try to snag a seat at the bar." - Kat Hong
