Izakaya Tonchinkan 呑み屋 とんちんかん — Restaurant in Arcadia

This is, without a doubt, one of the liveliest izakayas in Los Angeles — boasting an impressively long menu and one of the most extensive selections of premium sake in the city. The atmosphere is intimate, and Itamae Chef Tatsu-san is as enthusiastic and entertaining as they come, blending humor with genuine hospitality. On our last visit, he shared that the producer for Lisa from Blackpink had dined here, and that the son of the guitarist from the rock duo B’z is a frequent guest — a testament to the restaurant’s popularity, particularly within the Japanese community.

The food is authentic, straightforward, and rooted in the fundamentals of Japanese cuisine — nothing overly ornate, but deeply satisfying and heartwarming. Many dishes are designed for sharing, with several donabe options to end the meal. The sashimi is expertly prepared: we enjoyed abalone freshly sliced while still alive, along with amaebi and shiroebi that were refreshingly sweet — ideal sake companions, especially on a warm summer evening.

Some of my personal favorites include okizuke (marinated firefly squid), ankimo (monkfish liver with ponzu), and 甲州煮 (chicken liver, heart, and gizzard simmered in sweet soy sauce). Each makes for an excellent otsumami, perfectly suited for pairing with drinks.

From time to time, the restaurant also hosts special events, such as Dassai Sake Night and Nankai Shochu Night, further cementing its reputation as not only a dining destination but also a cultural hub for Japanese food and drink in Los Angeles. The only downside is that it’s so far from where I live that I couldn’t visit more often, but I suppose that’s...

Quick Summary Great quality Japanese food. The beef tongue is a must! Sea bass is a dark horse must as well. All of our dishes were delicious. It's a small spot, so reservations are a must during the weekends

Food- 5 stars Beef tongue- this was the star of the show. One of the best beef tongue I've ever had (probably top 5 of all beef dishes). It's so tender and full of flavor. Just fantastic

Sea bass- this was very good as well. Definitely a must order

Salmon don- this was very good as well. Would recommend it just to add more substance / carbs to your meal

We also ordered the Anikimo salad, Kanpachi kama, monkfish liver, and tofu. All of these orders were great, but the top 3 were must-trys

Service- 5 stars Excellent service throughout. Staff were nice and attentative, and great with recommendations

Ambiance- 5 stars Pretty comfortable seating. Reservations are a must during the weekends (they had to turn people away because it's so packed)

Bottom Line Excellent local Japanese food spot. That beef tongue will stay...

This place is more than just dinner—it’s an experience. The energy is warm and communal, with friendly conversations flowing easily between staff and guests. It feels like a local hangout—the kind of spot you stumble into and end up staying longer than planned, or eventually become a regular.

We ordered a well-rounded spread: Japanese seaweed with dashi vinaigrette, a sake-friendly trio of firefly squid, takowasabi, and white fish with ponzu, plus torotaku tsumami, clams sautéed with asparagus, beef tongue, slow-cooked beef with yuzu kosho, and the donabe rice topped with salmon and ikura.

my favs were seaweed with dashi, slow cooked beef with yuzu kosho and donabe rice with ikura but i would recommend all of it.

I’ll be back. Make reservations if you don’t...