review forthcoming @SithLord?
8 Likes
haven’t been but i can try, thank you for the new year’s eve peer pressure
6 Likes
Anyone? Is it worth it? It sure looks pretty from the pictures, but you can’t eat pretty.
1 Like
$280 is AGGRESSIVE. There’s almost no background on this restaurant. They paid for some influencer marketing but that’s the extent anyone knows of it
4 Likes
$100 more than the top yakitori places in nyc, torien and kono.
3 Likes
Just went to Yakun last evening. Almost everything was delicious. Grilled items: I counted 16 sticks in all, not to mention quite a few otsumame beforehand. Only one or two misses, but many highlights too. Best restaurant bathroom in West LA. After drinks, tax, tips, it was $400+ per person out the door.
I’ll probably do a more in-depth review soon…
15 Likes
Wow I always forget how things add up after tax, tip (and I guess drinks). On Tock it says $280 a person. Not sure I’m ready to make the jump from $280 a person to $400. 
1 Like
We’re avoiding the top LA tasting menu restaurants now. We use the annual savings to travel to Japan or Europe to eat.
Follow-ups to non-regional miscellany please. Don’t want to be a thread hijacker.
3 Likes
@J_L did you happen to ask the Chef where he was working before Yakun?
1 Like
Sorry, nothing more specific than that the chef hails from Kyoto…
3 Likes
So sad that the phrase, “It’s cheaper than a plane ticket” apparently isn’t always true anymore.
3 Likes
Yakun looks absolutely stunning from the photos, but I am just not sure I would enjoy it more than a place where, for example, I could get out for $300 or so a person tax and tip and corkage included versus $400 a person – paying for 2 = $200 additional.
So for me, unless someone else is paying, the calculus is will I enjoy it $200 more? The restaurant sure is beautiful though and I hope it succeeds.
4 Likes
Going tonight, will report back!
6 Likes
Enjoy! Ask where the Chefs has previously cooked. Inquiring minds wanna know lol…
4 Likes
no mention of the chef in this press release
5 Likes
This write-up somehow made me want to go less 
6 Likes
Oh boy. I don’t want to crap all over a brand new place in our city, but the point of this post is to forewarn fellow FTC’ers before they decide to plop a good chunk of money on this dinner, which for me and my wife came out to be $827 after tax, tip, and two cocktails.
Yakun’s build out is gorgeous, there’s no question they spent a ton of money on making this place look great, using high end ceramics, toto, decor, etc. That being said, the chairs are way too deep and wide and low for the height of the counter. Not a big deal to me, but it’s worth pointing out.
Service. I could tell everyone was trying to do their best to provide a Michelin style service, but I can’t help but wonder if something is lost in translation when it comes to LA dining culture and what Angelenos expect vs what the operators of this restaurant believe is “high end dining”. The main host/server was extremely talkative to each of the five guests last night, to the point where it became really over bearing and kind of ruined the meal. Examples include him asking my wife about her accessories (purse, earrings, etc) at least six different times, each conversation lasting 2-3 minutes, him touching my skewer after it was placed on the plate for me to face it in the “correct” direction since I’m a lefty (Yes, it is appreciated when a sushi chef does this as the nigiri hits the plate, but this was just weird), and overall sense of hovering over my shoulder throughout the night. The staff explained the dishes to us as if we’ve never had eaten yakitori, let alone Japanese ingredients. BTW @J_L, I asked Chef Hongo where he worked previously, he didn’t give me a direct answer, but said somewhere in Kyoto and the place has closed since then…
Food was not at the quality it should be at this price point. Honestly, worst yakitori I’ve had in LA. Breast was overcooked and dry. Bonjiri and Kawa were undercooked, chewy, and rubbery. Abalone had zero flavor to it, liver was overcooked to hell. Chawanmushi wasn’t the right consistency, and had a hello kitty fishcake inside of it. No use of tare on any of the skewers throughout the evening. I found a hair in my wagyu soboro. They use ingredients that are buzzwords for most diners, but there’s no real reasoning for why it’s on the menu. Why use ground wagyu for your soboro at a chicken focused meal? If you do, throw some chives on top, or something to elevate this course, even slightly. The bacon burdock skewer was their best bite. Also, the pacing of the skewers was insanely quick. Each skewer hit my plate before I could even finish the previous one.
I really wanted this place to be excellent. LA deserves a great high end yakitori destination, but THIS AINT IT. I would much rather spend the same funds throughout four dinners at torigoya or Gokigen. Truly the worst meal I’ve had in a long time. I feel robbed.
27 Likes
Picture please! LOL
3 Likes
Thanks for taking one for the team.
That would be a deal killer. Quiet luxury, please.
2 Likes
Geez sorry to hear and thanks for taking one for the team
1 Like