Furaibo

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.