Izakaya BIZAN in Los Angeles

Izakaya Bizan is located inside the Little Tokyo Shopping Center, on the 3rd floor. One piece of advice for fellow diners: If you prefer a regular table, its best to make a reservation in advance. However, if you arrive on the day without one, consider yourself lucky as you might get a chance to sit at the sushi bar.The Japanese yakitori at Izakaya Bizan was simply delicious. The flavors of the skewered and grilled meats were perfectly balanced, making it a delightful culinary experience. Each bite was a burst of umami goodness, and I couldnt help but try several different varieties.For our meal, I ordered the monkfish liver as a starter, and it was a delectable choice. Creamy, rich, and delicately flavored. As for the main course, I went with the Chirashi bowl, and it did not disappoint. The fresh assortment of fish and toppings over a bed of perfectly seasoned sushi rice was a delight for both the eyes and the palate. My friend opted for the poke bowl as the main course, and they were equally delighted.To complement our meal, we decided to try the Green Tea Plum Wine. It was an intriguing choice with a unique and captivating taste that perfectly complemented the dishes we had ordered.

Set up a reservation on yelp and proceeded to head here. They offer validation so make sure you get that. Checked in and requested the seating in front of grill, faster option as most people want a table. Got our menus and proceeded to order, they have a variety of options from sushi, ramen and of course yakatori. If you come here avoid everything but the yakatori. My girl had the ramen and we’ll we didn’t touch it much. The good chicken is good, shrimp is good, premium beef is good. Avoid gizzards, hearts, and tongue, mind you I like all of those except not here. A bit on the pricier end and the service was lacking from our server, might try again.

Was over changed after they told me California rolls and spicy tuna rolls were part of the late night happy hour. No cucumber in the California roll, making it bland and squishy with no crunch. Everything was overpriced. $35 for udon and didnt have much but the noodles and maybe 4 toppings.

Was in downtown Los Angeles with family and decided to check out it out as it was nearby.To be to the point it is a 5 out of 5. However there are certain things to be aware of. This is a place where you go to for flavor. Each dish was delicious but the price isnt cheap.Pricing 1/1You can expect to pay from 17 to 30 per dish.Portion 1/1They are a bit on the smaller side but surprisingly filling. Great for foodies but not so much for people that love quantity.Flavor 1/1Delicious, each ingredient was full in flavor and clearly defined. The sukiyaki was rich in both sweetness and beefiness. Shrimp tempura was an even amount of breading and shrimp. Udon noodles blended perfectly with all the other flavors.Service 1/1They are friendly and not overwhelming. Quick to explain the focus of their dishes and provide a bit of humor.Presentation 1/1You can clearly tell what each ingredient is and that it is presented to show highlights.Overall I would go again but will consider the pricing and aim for going with only select people.

Very busy during dinner time everyday. Some skewers are a bit too salty but most of them are great and you can taste the ingredients’ original flavor. The ingredients for sashimi and sushi are fresh. Parking is easy on-site with validation only costs $2 for

I have mostly good things to say about this place.Great value, both drinks and food are priced reasonably.I have been to many other izakaya places where only kitchen food (hot food) is good but sushi is very mediocre or the other way around, but this place is good with both sushi and yakitori.Must try food items:Chicken liver $3.5/ skewer - for someone who usually doesnt eat liver because of the bitter taste, i can say that Bizan did very well in making it tasty and I can actually enjoy it!Beef tongue $6/ skewer - so tender, so tasty!Premium beef $7/ skewer - pricy but worth the money!Uni Chawanmushi $13 - large piece of uni and lots of fixings inside. Worth the money, and feels food when you enjoy it as last item of your meal, just warm your body and soul!Kamasu sushi - $10 for 2 pcs. Looks like white fish but with high fatty content, they torched it a bit so the whole piece just melts in your mouth.Sake is priced reasonable too. They actually serve Daishichi Kimoto Honjozo as house cold sake. $9 only, good value and so versatile and pairs well with all kinds of yakitori.Great service, we requested to switch table when the booth became available. Our serve help us to swtich without hesitation.The only area for improvement would be the atmosphere! I have never been to an izakaya so quiet......Usually izakaya is a little bit noisy (with people drinking, chatting) with uplifting music. Perhaps its located in a mall (3rd floor) and the customer base are mostly older people.Id definitely revisit if I am in the area.

Visited during the happy hour and got a variety of yakitori, the Albacore Sashimi w/ Crispy Onion and Fried Baby Octopus from the happy hour menu.In terms of the yakitori, everything was kind of as I had expected. The chicken skin was probably the highlight for me in terms of flavor and quality. I kind of wished everything was grilled for a bit longer though, as I enjoy a slight crisp on the outside. Id also say that each of them could probably use a bit more sauce/seasoning as it was slightly on the bland side.For the albacore sashimi, I was slightly disappointed. The flavor of the sauce and the crispy onion was so overwhelming that I felt like I couldnt really taste the albacore itself. On the other hand, the fried baby octopus had the perfect amount of flavor and texture and was absolutely delicious!

I can see why this place is popular. Seats for big and small groups throughout. While my family and I didnt have to wait on a Wednesday @ 7pm, people kept coming to be seated. The tables are all wooden with square wooden seats with cushions, except for the long bench booths. If your by the wall, there are hold for your belongings. The food is good and the plates were bigger than I expected. If you like Coke, then youll like that it is fountain and refillable. I ordered a combination plate that was really big and came with a salad. We also had California roll and spicy tuna roll, fries and shrimp tempura. The food came out promptly, but I did have to get the waiters attention to refill the drink a couple of times. Otherwise, I would recommend coming and will come back.

Came here with a friend the other week to try it out as I’ve never been. Service was excellent I must say. Atmosphere was nice. We got there around 6 and it wasn’t too crowded (on a Thursday) but then it filled up pretty fast. The food wasn’t bad nor amazing but definitely overpriced for what it was. Tonkatsu was pretty good and crispy outside.

Ended up in this place accidentally because the one next door was already closed. The service was mind-blowing! We ordered bunch of rolls and sake and were super satisfied with the food quality as well. Great place.