LA｜Honto Ya — The Hidden Yakitori Gem That Made Me Cry Tears of Joy

It’s Sunday, and I was craving yakitori… only to find out many spots are closed on Sundays 😭😭😭 So I wandered into Little Tokyo, thinking I’d just grab a quick bite somewhere — and I accidentally discovered a whole new world! The restaurant is called Hondo Ya . It’s in a shopping center — there’s a Daiso on the first floor, and the restaurant is on the third floor — super easy to find! I didn’t try anything else on the menu, so I can’t speak for other dishes, but… the Yakitori — YOU HAVE TO TRY IT! It’s been so long since I’ve had skewers this flavorful! Chicken Gizzard – Crispy and tender, not chewy at all — absolutely amazing! Chicken Thigh + Scallion – So juicy and fragrant, with sweet, fresh scallions. Scallops & Lamb Chops – Straight-up applause-worthy 👏🏻 Chicken Skin – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you love chicken skin, GO FOR IT! Chicken Liver & Heart – 😝😝😝 No words — just delicious! Beef Tongue – Thick-cut with ginger-scallion topping — one bite and I was in heaven. Chicken Skewer with Fresh Wasabi – How could that combo ever be bad? Honestly, every time a new skewer arrived, my eyes lit up and I wanted to clap like a seal 🦭🦭🦭 Oh, and the Monkfish Liver (Ankimo) was rich and not fishy at all — if you’re into fish liver, don’t miss it! The vibe is classic Japanese izakaya, and the staff were really nice. You can watch the chef grill through a glass window — no smoke reaches the tables. We ordered everything you see in the photo — total came to around $110–120 (about $50+ per person).👌😊 So worth it — so, so tasty! This will definitely be my go-to yakitori spot from now on! If anyone knows other amazing yakitori places, please drop recommendations in the comments — I’d love to try them too! #MyFoodDiary #GrilledSkewers #LAEats #LateNightEats 🏮🍢