Tanuki

More bar than proper restaurant, dim, divey Tanuki nonetheless turns out a super affordable omakase menu of unexpected creations with nary a piece of sushi in sight—in fact, the motto, posted at the entrance, is "No Sushi. No Children." What you'll get instead is a choice of omakase (chef's choice dinner) ranging from $15 on up, followed by a parade of dishes that might include trout melting into a seaweed butter sauce, kimchi mac-and-cheese, different seafoods including perhaps something pickled, possibly even duck hearts. It goes on and on, which is basically how a meal unfolds here, always with more food than seems possible for the price. Some people complain about the waits (long), the movies (Japanese porn), or the inflexibility of the set menu (sorry, no dietary restrictions), but if you can get beyond all of that, you're in for a terrific meal.