Gokigen Tori

This casual yakitori joint in Culver City serves seriously delicious à la carte skewers and a standout kushiyaki omakase. Run by a pair of best friends who’ve known each other since kindergarten, Gokigen Tori has transformed the former Harajuku Taproom space into a yakitori-focused eatery straight out of Tokyo. The prices per skewer are a little steep compared to other kushiyaki options I’ve tried in L.A., but the high-quality ingredients and cooking translate into a juicy, flavorful and still quite reasonably priced meal. A mandatory $5 surcharge lets you indulge in unlimited lightly dressed cabbage salad, which balances out the smoky char of the skewers. On my visit, I tried the omakase, which includes surprisingly tender chicken hearts (usually, they're a little overcooked and dry) and a hefty skewer of A5 Wagyu. For the price, the omakase provides a generous mix of skewers and cooked items, plus one of the simple but satisfying desserts of the day. Aside from skewers, Gokigen Tori also serves a handful of lesser known Japanese dishes like nikujaga—a cozy meat and potato stew—and a mini bowl of tori paitan. This place is the only Japanese skewer spot on the Westside that compares to Sawtelle’s longtime, perpetually busy Nanbankan. For area locals, it's almost certainly worth a visit