Torihei Yakitori Robata Dining

"Torihei is a strip mall izakaya with long lines and fantastic skewers. Make a reservation if you can, otherwise, they hold some tables for the line of walk-ins. When you do eventually sit down, pick something from the long and affordable list of sake and soju, and then order the karaage and xiao long bao oden (Chinese-style shrimp dumplings in Japanese hot pot) to start. The robata choices are all excellent—they'll expertly grill up just about any chicken part you can imagine—but make sure your order includes the butter scallops and wasabi beef tongue, too." - brant cox, nikko duren, kat hong, garrett snyder, sylvio martins

"Torihei is a strip mall izakaya with long lines and fantastic skewers. Make a reservation if you can, otherwise, they hold some tables for the line of walk-ins. When you do eventually sit down, pick something from the long and affordable list of sake and soju, and then order the karaage and xiao long bao oden (Chinese-style shrimp dumplings in Japanese hot pot) to start. The robata choices are all excellent—they'll expertly grill up just about any chicken part you can imagine—but make sure your order includes the butter scallops and wasabi beef tongue, too." - Brett Keating

"Torihei is a strip mall izakaya with long lines and fantastic robata. Make a reservation if you can, otherwise, they hold some tables for walk-ins. When you do eventually sit down, pick something from the long and affordable list of sake and shoju, and then order the karaage and xiao long bao oden (Chinese-style shrimp dumplings in Japanese hot pot) to start. The robata choices are all excellent, just make sure your order includes the butter scallops and wasabi beef tongue. " - nikko duren, garrett snyder

"We’re probably lucky that there’s usually a wait at Torihei, because if there wasn’t, we’d be here every week. And even though there’s usually a bit of a line, we still find ourselves driving down to this Torrance izakaya all the time. Because this is one of the best (and most fun) places to eat in the South Bay. They specialize in yakitori, and make their own sweet plum sauce that goes perfectly with pretty much anything: Chicken meatballs, chicken thighs, chicken heart, and non-poultry things, too. The beef tongue is also a favorite of ours - it’s perfectly crisp on the outside, but tender and pink inside. And don’t be afraid to get involved in their massive sake selection. It’s one of the best in town, and extremely affordable." - brett keating

"Torihei is a strip mall izakaya with long lines and fantastic skewers. Make a reservation if you can, otherwise, they hold some tables for the line of walk-ins. When you do eventually sit down, pick something from the long and affordable list of sake and soju, and then order the karaage and xiao long bao oden (Chinese-style shrimp dumplings in Japanese hot pot) to start. The robata choices are all excellent—they'll expertly grill up just about any chicken part you can imagine—but make sure your order includes the butter scallops and wasabi beef tongue, too." - kat hong