Izakaya Tonchinkan 呑み屋 とんちんかん, Arcadia CA

It's unmarked from the outside, but the restaurant is very authentic. I tried the beef tongue, it's really good! It's a bit pricey for my usual spending, but the quality is good. I would highly recommend if price is not an issue for you.

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 with me forever

This is a very intimate Japanese restaurant with an extensive Sake menu. Reservations are needed. There are many small plates to order and choose from. Everything is made fresh.

Highly recommend the grilled see bass. Honestly, everything was great.

Deliciousnice sake. Wide variety of food. Grilled sea bass was perfection. Very friendly. The one dollar sign is not reflective of actual price.

Authentic high quality sashimi, small hole in the wall Japanese feel. Must try the beef tongue! Had it for the first time ever and it was surprisingly good, better than some steak I've had. Mizuno salad is delicious. Sashimi and uni is a must.

I wrote $100 for dining + tips but was charged $110. I feel they changed the tips by themselves. The sashimi and sushi are not fresh at all. Very bad experience and will not go again.

I've tried many Japanese restaurants, and this one is truly authentic and unique. All the dishes we ordered were really delicious. Refreshing salad, super tender beef tongue, fresh sushi, flavorful chirachi bowl, fatty-tasting but lean duck; all hit the right spots. Though a little pricey, but the quality of each dish made it all worthwhile. I'll be back!

Physical location is very very tiny and cozy. Menu is short and intimate, I imagine dishes rotate occasionally because everything is so fresh! The karaage is super moist, crunchy, and tasty! All main dishes come with a side of rise, miso soup, pickled veggies, and soft tofu. The fish is sushi grade and very tasty! Sushi rice was a perfect complement!

The sake menu is extensive and well curated. A place totally worth checking out!

Their food is very high-quality, delicious, and authentic Japanese. It reminds me of the food I ate in Japanese Ryokan which is special.
Also, they have many kinds of alcohol which are Japanese sake, shochu, and domestic beer.
The decor and atmosphere are great. I spent a great time while I eat there. I highly recommend this place.

Our group of 5 had a very difficult time finding this place. The restaurant signage was hardly visible at night but we are so glad to have found it eventually. We ordered so many dishes and were very pleasantly surprised that the taste was consistently awesome for every dish served. This place cannot get any better.
Very authentic Japanese food!
Super oiishi.

Authentic Japanese Izakaya with an awesome number of Sake to choose from. You must try the chicken Karaage.