Pork udon at Marugame Udon
Photograph: Courtesy Jamie Orlando SmithPork udon at Marugame Udon
Photograph: Courtesy Jamie Orlando Smith

The best restaurants on Sawtelle Boulevard

Dine and drink well with our guide to this Westside neighborhood's best restaurants, both old and new.

Patricia Kelly Yeo
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Officially known as Sawtelle Japantown, this historically Japanese American neighborhood in West L.A. is now home to an array of mostly Asian dining and dessert options. Today, you’ll find Filipino, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai cuisine alongside Japanese restaurants and taverns. Smaller than Downtown’s Little Tokyo, this dining destination surprisingly offers an unusually dense collection of dessert specialists and boba shops. If you ask us, Sawtelle also doubles as L.A.’s unofficial ramen capital; the neighborhood has more noodle shops within a few blocks than anywhere else in the city. Whether your tastes run classic or contemporary, here’s your guide to the best places for dining, drinking and desserts on Sawtelle.

The best restaurants on Sawtelle

  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

Whether you’re dipping thick, ultra-springy noodles into the deep-brown umami rich broth at the original or spooning up the lighter tonkotsu broth at the Annex across the street, this famous Sawtelle ramen restaurant first helped popularize the area as a citywide dining destination back in 2011. Though the wait for a seat can fluctuate between tolerable and formidable (unless you’re dining solo, in which case you’ll usually be seated at the counter in no more than 15 minutes), Tsuijta is the rare instance where the hype lives up to reality: This is some of the best ramen in the city—at least if you like your broth as rich as rich can be. For tsukemen, or dipping-style ramen, the bowls here are the ones you’ll forever compare to all others, much to your chagrin. Put your name down and wait. It’ll be worth it.

  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle

This Japanese yakiniku spot has a level of quality and refinement you won’t find at the more maximalist-inclined national chain Gyu-Kaku. Though the specialty is beef tongue with negishio (a mix of salt and green onions), most omnivores would be equally pleased with Manpuku’s other cuts, like the prime rib eye and Angus tri-tip. For the best bang for your buck, order one of the restaurant’s tasting menus, which include a selection of side dishes like kimchi and edamame and Manpuku’s signature hot stone garlic-fried rice. While more affordable than other high-end L.A. yakiniku spots, à la carte ordering at Manpuku can still add up quickly, so be mindful if you do.

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  • Japanese
  • Beverly
  • price 1 of 4

Pull up a tray because you’re going to want a little bit of everything at Marugame Udon, the cafeteria-style chain eatery that serves budget-friendly udon bowls and freshly fried tempura. The fresh noodles get pulled to order and made before your very eyes, then slid into your choice of broth. Regular portions start as low as $5.95, and even the large sizes of most flavors are around $15, but the real gems here are the fried tempura bites hovering around the dollar amount, with a half-dozen or so options hitting the fryer at any given time. Pick your noodle bowl, then add à la carte tempura, eggs, meats and chilled accoutrements to build your perfect meal.

  • Japanese
  • Hollywood
  • price 2 of 4

The only curry ramen specialist in town, Menya Tigre on Sawtelle is giving the area’s half-dozen other ramenyas a run for their money with its velvety rich broth whose viscosity straddles the line between soup and a conventional, thicker Japanese curry. Topped with a soft-boiled egg, a few slices of chashu, and bean sprouts, their chicken broth-based ramen bowl is a surprisingly nice addition to the most ramen-saturated block in town. They also offer a curry tsukemen if you’re in a dipping (rather than sipping) mood, as well as a vegan ramen option.

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  • Filipino
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

Named after the father of chef-owner Barb Batiste, this takeout-oriented storefront on Sawtelle serves delicious rice and pancit combo plates that incorporate Filipino classics like pork sisig, chicken adobo, longganisa (a chorizo-like pork sausage) and even housemade Spam. Each combo comes with a piece of Big Boi’s pandesal—a plain dinner roll and staple carb within Filipino cuisine. Other than Jollibee, Big Boi is the only place in Los Angeles where you can regularly find Filipino-style spaghetti, a sweet, yellow cheese-covered version of the classic American dish that uses hot dogs and banana ketchup. Just note that Big Boi has trimmed its hours as of late—the restaurant is now only open 11am–8pm, Friday to Sunday.

  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 3 of 4

After opening in fits and starts since the pandemic, this Edomae-style sushi counter along Sawtelle Boulevard has reopened for dinner service with three excellent, budget-friendly set meals deserving of your attention regardless of whether you live on the Westside. Owned by the same group behind some of L.A.’s best ramen bowls, the restaurant was famous for its pre-pandemic lunch specials. While those are long gone, quality and reasonable pricing are mainstays of the current dinner service, where the most expensive offering—the $89 Tokyo set—includes three seasonal appetizers, nine pieces of nigiri, two handrolls and a delectable sake kasu ice cream, which uses the fermented byproduct from rice wine brewing as a base for a creamy non-alcoholic palate cleanser. The less expensive sets ($49 and $69 respectively) swap out premium ingredients like Wagyu and toro out for less pricey cuts, but you’ll still leave here feeling satisfied regardless of which set you order.

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  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 1 of 4

At the northern end of Sawtelle, this Hakata-based chain stalwart serves a lighter bowl of tonkotsu ramen that’s just as memorable as the richer options down the street. Look over the order sheet, where you can customize your bowl to your exact specifications—choose the intensity (i.e. saltiness) of your broth, the doneness of your noodles and toppings (egg, wontons, spare ribs, garlic ships, even cod roe)—and combine chicken rice balls, deep fried cheese egg rolls and gyoza additions. Half the fun is ordering too many toppings on your first visit, which will arrive one after another in a parade of bowls, but the fried rice bowls and other specials here are done just as well.

  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

Originally from Hiroshima, this Japanese chain restaurant specializes in okonomiyaki—the gloriously crunchy-on-the-outside, slightly goopy-on-the-inside pancake studded with cabbage, meat and seafood and cooked over a teppan grill. While there are regional variations in okonomiyaki across the island nation, Chinchikurin brings a Hiroshima-style flair to the dish, which means each pancake comes with grilled yakisoba and a fried egg on top. Aside from a few izakayas around town, Chinchikurin is the only place in L.A. where you can reliably find okonomiyaki, so stop by here whenever you’re craving a glorious, over-the-top heap of noodles, meat and seafood drizzled with kewpie mayo and a thick, slightly sweet brown sauce made of Worcestershire, ketchup and soy sauce.

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  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

The sheer variety of ramenyas, sushi bars, boba shops and other eateries on Sawtelle might preoccupy most unfamiliar diners, but this decades-old yakitoriya just down the block on Santa Monica Boulevard is one of our favorite spots in the area for a casual Japanese dinner. Perfect for pairs or groups of four, Nanbankan happens to also be the rare budget-friendly restaurant in L.A. that will transport you to Japan. Pairs of skewers come quickly from the two giant yakitori grills located behind the glowing central bar (which is almost always full), from shiso-wrapped pork loin to juicy thick slices of beef tongue, while cooked bites like rice bowls, onigiri and ochazuke add bulk to an otherwise lightweight meal of delicate bites of seafood, meat and vegetables. 

  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 1 of 4

One building over from Marugame Udon, this relatively new soba specialist serves the Japanese buckwheat noodle in a variety of ways—some innovative, some traditional. Made with organic buckwheat flour, the hand-cut dark brown strands can come with spicy chili-based dipping broth (the Shanghai), topped with sweet sukiyaki beef (the Osaka) or paired with a fusion-style pesto sauce (the Genova). Don’t overlook the tempura section either; the pieces are cooked to order, which means each piece arrives at your table fresh and piping hot.

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  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

This no-nonsense Japanese izakaya dates back to a sleepier era of Sawtelle Boulevard’s history, when the neighborhood was mostly boba shops and a handful of Japanese American nurseries. Specializing in tebasaki fried chicken wings, Furaibo offers a larger menu, with plenty of deep-fried goodies—a staple of the casual Japanese dining genre—plus a large selection of imported beer and sake to wash it all down. Throw in a few yakitori skewers and the hanpen cheese (fried fish cakes stuffed with cheese and shiso leaf) for a tasty drinking-oriented meal that’s suitable for large groups, unlike most of the other smaller restaurants in the area.

  • Filipino
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

Adobo pork belly nigiri and mushroom salpicao? It can only mean one thing: You’re at Spoon & Pork, one of our favorite spots for modern Filipino comfort food. The Sawtelle location lacks the larger outdoor patio setup of the Silver Lake flagship, but the cozy dining room is perfect for enjoying a casual lunch or dinner in the area. Opt for the delicious, pork-heavy dishes or the lighter, plant-based fare—either way, you won’t be disappointed. Our other favorites include the sizzling pork sisig, which delivers an ample kick courtesy of Fresno chilies and comes topped with a runny fried egg. If it’s your first time visiting, be sure to order their crunchy lechon kawali—or the tokwa made with organic tofu, for those with plant-based diets.

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  • Japanese
  • West LA
  • price 2 of 4


Located nearby on Olympic Boulevard, Mogumogu specializes in mazemen, a dry ramen that gets its flavor from a chili and garlic soy sauce blend. Though they also offer the tried-and-true tonkotsu ramen, the move here is one of their mazemen bowls, which come to the table (or in your takeout box) showered in finely minced chives and scallions. Paired with a runny egg, you mix all the toppings together with the sauce, producing a concentrated flavor explosion that’s worthy of an occasional divergence from your normal go-to ramen spot.

  • Chinese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 1 of 4

In the narrow, high-turnover spaces that line the ground floor of Sawtelle’s One Westside shopping center, the newest player to enter the ring is Tigawok, a Chinese fast-casual concept powered by automated woks, a.k.a. “robot chefs.” (In reality, they look more like washing machines.) Each tiny, snack-size bowl costs between $3 and $6, with 18 unique entrées to choose from. As of writing, lines already form early and last throughout the day, with diners happy to line up for fairly well-executed, affordable Chinese cuisine. On my visit, I tried every single item on the menu (a feat that requires only about $85), and while not every dish won me over, I would recommend Hunan spicy beef, “Tiga cola” chicken and any of the vegetable sides, as well as the soy-braised Wagyu rice bowl and astonishingly good soup dumplings. Where Tigawok does distinguish itself, however, is on cost—and at a time when dining out is more expensive than ever, I’m more than happy to come back. For those in the Valley: A second location in Burbank is opening in the near future.

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  • Chinese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

With several locations across the city, Dan Modern Chinese provides fast-casual Chinese food with a level of consistency and convenience that’s conducive to rush hour takeout runs and third-party delivery. The Sawtelle location, in particular, is great whenever we’re on the Westside and craving some effortless soup dumplings or a plate of saucy, garlicky dandanmien (served with your choice of protein). In general, we’ve found that the fare here is superior to that of Tasty Noodle House across the street—so if you’re looking for a tasty Chinese option on Sawtelle, this is the place to be.

  • Thai
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

The sister restaurant of Mid-City’s Chao Krung has a stylish new home on Sawtelle, where second-generation family chef Amanda Kuntee has expanded the menu with vegan-friendly items and Thai street food-inspired small plates. Although Tuk Tuk began accepting takeout orders in mid-February, the beloved neighborhood spot’s new pale pink dining room has only just opened for dine-in customers. Though you’ll find the usual Thai takeout mainstays here like pad see ew and panang curry, the newer dishes in the Street Noodle and Snack sections, like the kuay tiew hang (dried noodles with crab, barbecue pork, bok choy and wontons) and drinking-oriented barbecue squid provide more than enough justification to deviate from old favorites.


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  • Japanese
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

On the Westside, there’s no better place after midnight than Daikokuya, a longtime ramenya that’s become a cozy mainstay for locals in recent years. Inside the tiny Sawtelle outpost (which stays open the latest), whose interior resembles a lantern-lit Tokyo alleyway, late-night diners slurp up bowls of flavorful, porky tonkotsu broth and Chijire-style egg noodles. Fans of accouterments can amp it up with kotteri-style: boiled egg, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and green onions, or go big with a ramen combo adding rice bowls topped with eel, pork cutlets or tuna. If you’re not particularly hungry, the appetizers and standalone rice bowls make for a filling, affordable evening snack.

  • Shopping
  • Grocery stores
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

 

Surprisingly, this Japanese grocery offers a solid selection of sashimi, nigiri and bento boxes that make for a great, non-sad supermarket sushi lunch. Compared to American grocery chains, the vinegared rice used in the sushi here usually isn’t gloppy or overcooked, and Nijiay also tends to stock a few chirashi bowls for those craving variety beyond the usual yellowtail, salmon and tuna cuts. The large drink and snack selection make it easy to customize a budget-friendly Sawtelle lunch; if available, pick up a can of royal milk tea, which combines the creaminess of a standard (boba) milk tea with a bolder, slightly toasted black tea flavor.

The best desserts and drinks on Sawtelle

  • Bubble tea
  • Sawtelle
  • price 1 of 4

The line for Sawtelle's oldest boba shop often snakes out the door, but fear not: the queue moves quickly, giving you plenty of time to choose. Personally we recommend the time-tested combo of a good ol' fashioned milk tea with a side of Taiwanese popcorn chicken. Chewy, with a pleasant toffee-like aftertaste, the drinks here might not be the most artificial flavor-free, but they sure are delicious. Take your drinks to-go and wander down Sawtelle to work up the appetite for a second dinner. Plus, unlike most boba shops, it's open relatively late, making it the perfect place to sate your sweet tooth well past regular hours.

  • Ice cream parlors
  • Sawtelle
  • price 1 of 4

There are plenty of artisanal ice cream shops at our disposal in L.A., but this might be the first one that inspires us to hop on a plane. The flavors at this Tarzana-based local chain with an outpost on Sawtelle include options such as Thai iced tea, Vietnamese coffee, Australian pavlova and a truly phenomenal (and vegan) sticky rice with mango—essentially, the vacation you’ve been meaning to take. Everything is made in-house, including flavored cones (we’re partial to the ube and green tea options). Make the trip for a couple scoops—you won’t even need your passport.

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  • Bakeries
  • Sawtelle
  • price 1 of 4

A one-stop shop for all things sugary, B Sweet serves anything your sweet tooth might desire: a rotating selection of bread puddings, cheesecakes and other specials. On the regular menu, you’ll always find the decadent six-layer “sluttiest” brownie and ultra-smooth nitrogen-infused coffee and tea drinks. Run by Filipino American chef Barb Batiste, who's also behind nearby Big Boi, the shop also offers traditional and vegan versions of halo-halo, plus a mouthwatering bright purple ube cheesecake. Our favorite B Sweet offering, however, is the Halo—a still-warm glazed doughnut stuffed with your choice of Thrifty ice cream. Each order comes with a wet wipe, which you’ll definitely need after the ice cream melts all over your hands.

  • Bakeries
  • Sawtelle
  • price 1 of 4

If you’re the type who keeps up with social media food trends, you’ve probably heard of the mochi doughnut. Made with rice flour, these chewy, slightly bouncy desserts can now be found across Southern California, but our favorite place for them is Mochi Dochi, which has locations in both L.A. and Long Beach. This tiny doughnut and corn dog shop, located on the second floor of a Sawtelle strip mall, serves mochi doughnuts that are the perfect combination of crispy, chewy and sweet. Made to order and available for takeout and delivery, the bubble-shaped rings come in flavors like mango sugar and blueberry yogurt, but you can also opt for add-ons like Frosted Flakes, bacon and even Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. 

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  • Patisseries
  • Sawtelle
  • price 2 of 4

Since 2017, this modern patisserie along Sawtelle Boulevard has crafted the most beautiful (and delicious) French confections in town. Made with high-quality ingredients like Madagascar vanilla and Gianduja chocolate, these colorful, painstakingly crafted desserts taste as good as they look. Beyond ultra-pretty patisseries, Artelice also makes tarts, eclairs, macarons and croissants, both sweet and savory. Look out on the shop’s Instagram for holiday and seasonal specials—these gorgeous confections make for a great edible gift.

  • Cafés
  • Sawtelle
  • price 1 of 4

This Beijing-based chain aims to showcase the Chinese side of matcha desserts. Though the all-day café offerings run both savory and sweet, we’d gear you towards the 69-layer mille crepe cake, soft serve and specialty drinks. Everything is made with certified organic ceremonial-grade matcha, which gives Matcha Village’s signature desserts, plus aspects of their savory items, their characteristic vivid bright green hue.

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