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Mon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
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They say there is usually a long line but it must've been a lucky day cuz we only waited about 4-5 minutes and our table was ready!!! Now where shall I begin!! All of their dishes are sooo good!! The one that stood out the most was their chicken wings!! Gosh, these wings are marinated with a special seasoning that makes you dreaming for more!! They also have this beef dish that has one of the best sauces...even though i don't eat beef, I would have them make me a side of that sauce!! Yum yum..it goes really well with the chicken wings! :P
Hmmm...when can i go down for more wings???
Alright alright. So I've come here on both good and superb days. Today was a superb one. I've realized that the food is way too good to not give it a 5. Once again, I ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry with a miso soup on the side (since this specific dish doesn't come w/ miso soup for some reason). But whatever, it's like an extra $1.50.
Seating was pretty quick considering they didn't have any tables open. The waiters made sure that the first available table would be cleaned off Speedy Gonzales style and they kept their word. I, for reals, would come here way more often if my metabolism didn't suck.
Recommendation: order some sake with your lunch! Both warm and cold tastes good to me. Then go back to work and chill out the rest of the day. :)
Chicken Katsu Curry and sake? Oh you betcha. I eat at Furaibo at least once or twice a month.… Read more »
I've been coming here for over a decade now, and it's true, foodwise, it's probably overrated. But I like to take into factor everything about a restaurant when it comes to reviews, and there are a few things about this place that really makes it a little gem.
hanpen cheese katsu
fried baby halibut
cheap sapporo on tap
and most importantly, great atmosphere to share with friends
That gives Furaibo 5 stars all the way in my book. :)
So I have something weird to share. I went to the Redondo Beach location thinking it was the same restaurant and I'd be able to choose from a zillion things on the menu. My heart had been set on it for a couple of days and I was going to go crazy in ordering with my mother and a close family friend. Imagine my surprise when we found out it was a different place. The reviews made me think it was the same chain, and the website says it is, but it was not. Can anyone explain???
Fast forward four days later when 6'5" and I spent our last day in So Cal before heading back to VA. I'd been waiting -all day- to have a meal here before leaving. We missed lunch, so dinner it was.
We ordered the wings, boiled spinach, fried rice with sausage in it, the fish cake with cheese, and yellow tail collar.
The wings are to die for. I can't put it any other way. I don't know how to describe them other than this has edged out In-N-Out as the first place I want to go to when I land at LAX and can swing it.
The fishcake with cheese is not something I would have ever considered, but since I saw it mentioned in so many Yelp reviews, I had to order it to see what the fuss was. We were both surprised. I never expected 6'5" to put something like this in his mouth, but he tried it and he *liked* it. I would totally order this again.
Boiled spinach--not much to say here other than we wanted a vegetable and thought something boiled was a little healthier because we were indulging in several fried goodies.
Fried rice with sausage--very good. Something different about the flavor of it, but in a good way. Not very oily like I was afraid it would be because of the addition of the sausage, so that was good.
Yellow tail collar--Besides the chicken, this was the highlight of the meal for me. So tender, lightly salted, a side of grated daikon.....it was heavenly.
Top this meal off with a small sake and great service and I had the perfect "last" meal before going back to VA.
I can't wait to go back!
Now that's some chicken.
It's rare that I like wings, but oh. dear. God. These wings were so…
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This is my favorite restaurant in Sawtelle,
and... I still I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet!
Well...
It's a no brainer 5 stars!
Great service,
Always crowded,
Awesome food,
Big portion,
Reasonable pricing,
Late hours
... What else can you ask for?
Few recommendation:
They have amazing 2000+ calorie food selections,
but it's Japanese food... so it's healthy! (don't quote me on this)
I have no idea what they are called, but the waitress will understand you if you describe it this way:
Fishcake with cheese filling
Agedashi Tofu,
Yakitori set,
Beef Tataki
Sea bass
Karei (Red Snapper?)
Chicken Wing (spicy or mild)
Calimari salad
Well, you will walk out happy with a satisfied stomach and wallet :)
Great for groups and great late night grub with drinks/ Karaoke.
+ You know the drill... Disastrous parking....
Love IT, Love IT, Love IT...
Always order 3 portions of the Chicken Wings :)
plus the hanpen cheese, enoki n mushrooms, kimchi soup..
Should go there and try it out..
Since the first moment that I tasted their crispy fried Japanese chicken wings.... I have been back to Fu Rai Bo so many more times than I would rather like to admit. It has been months since my discovery of this place and I'm hooked! mMmMm, its sooo yummy!
Other than chicken wings, there are so many things on the menu - along with my staple order of chicken wings, I always find myself ordering something new every time I step into this place. This place is like a cheaper and better version of Kappo Honda in Fountain Valley.
mMmMm.... Fu Rai Bo, I am so in love with you. I dream about you and your chicken wings. I not very good with commitments, but I may just end up having a monogamous chicken wing relationship with just one restaurant!! That one restaurant is Fu Rai Bo! mMmMm!!! YUM!!!! You may just be THE ONE! Smile. Wink. Yum.
Dear KyoChon,
I know that it hasn't been very long since I discovered my love for your Korean garlic…
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This was my first time at an authentic Japanese restaurant that serves the small plate style food.. I have been to Musha but that is more of a Japanese fusion.
I read through the reviews.. I tried all the things that were highly recommended. I don't know.. not really what I would call amazing.. okay, but not WOW!
First, they can't really accomodate big groups of people. Most of their tables are for two.. so if you're here with four, you'll be in for a wait. I did like the fact they had a parking lot in the back.
The chicken wings are overrated. They are just deep fried right? I think the chicken leg yakatori was better.. really tender. I did like the octopus with wasabi.. pretty good. I also really liked the clams steamed in sake. We were not full even after getting a lot of plates... so we had to get the ground chicken with rice. That was actually pretty good.
Everything else just seems.. okay. The agedashi tofu is better at Musha. The cheese that people rave about... is really overpowered by the cheese. And the oysters with miso dissapointed.
Oh well... not everybody can be a fan! But I believe it is authentic.. lots of Japanese people here!
One of my Favorite small dish Japanese places in LA.
I found the one on Sawtelle to be the best as they have a few
locations.
This is not your quiet sit down place, good for groups and
hanging...Just be aware some nights your gonna wait as
they get pretty busy.
Hard to go wrong with anything on the menu.
It is what it is......
A standard chain with typical izakaya fare and other dinner offerings. Their dinner box (six different types?) seems to be the best all-round deal, although some other stuff (ochazuke, etc) aren't bad.
Pros: Standardized, familiar menu (think of how the menu is more or less identical at different Denny's), comfortable setting, fairly good value, dollar-wise.
Cons: Long wait time, inconsistent food quality, occasional order screw-ups, over-worked staff.
Good hang.
I like the staff.
The food is pretty good.
Get the normal wings.
They're spicy wings are just black pepper spicy. The black pepper taste coating of the spicy wings brings out this weird...dishsoap? flavor that I know now is not worth ordering.
The house salad is awesome
The morokyuu is really good.
Agedashi dofu and all their meat is ace!
DING!
goodjob
Iz-a-kay-a, say it now. No, it's not the name of the trendy restaurant on 3rd street, owned by the Katsuya people. It's actually an age-old Japanese traditional style of eating, similar to tapas, and Furaibo knows how to do it right. The atmosphere of this place says it all - loud and bustling, just like what an establishment built upon drinking should be. The menu is extremely extensive. As many times as I've been here, I've realized that recent trips have not included dishes that I have had for a long time.
My faves: Yuzu Teppa Chicken Wings -- grilled, skewered chicken wings, drenched in the burst of distinct yuzu flavor -- one of my favorite Japanese flavors.
Tako Wasabi -- because it isn't an izakaya if you don't serve tako wasabi, a staple drinking dish. It's so simple -- octopus with wasabi and green onions, but so delicious and addictive.
Fried chicken wings-- aside from the yuzu wings, these are also equally amazing, served in a variety of spiciness (less or more black pepper depending on the level you choose)
Eggplant miso -- Furaibo's eggplant miso has set the bar for me when it comes to this dish. It's so flavorful and the eggplant is grilled just until soft and still moist, not rubbery or hard like I've unfortunately experienced before. The miso is marinated into the eggplant, instead of being just a sauce squirted on at the top.
I could go on and on and on -- the menu is huge! Some tips for a pleasurable experience:
1. Street metered parking is limited, and there is a lot shared in the back, that will allow you to double park, given that you let the staff know that you've done so.
2. They won't take reservations of parties less than 5, but the wait is usually not too long.
Itatakimasu!
Furaibo has got to be one of the best destinations in LA for a fun, relaxing meal you can enjoy with your crew.
While sushi is certainly still king in LA, Furaibo serves up awesome dishes you'd find at izakayas around Japan. Think tapas style dishes perfect for sharing with selections arranging from grilled skewered meats (yakitori) to steamed egg mousse (chawan mushi) to agedashi tofu. Paired with a cold Sapporo you and your crew will feast like kings. And, if the party seems to just be getting started head next door to Blue Karaoke, where a little more liquid courage may have you belting out White Snake on stage in front of a hopefully adoring audience.
I tried Furaibo as a meeting spot with a business contact last night. Interesting spot indeed. Furaibo lies in the heart of the West LA Japanese Cultural Scene, and it offers both a downhome divey feel combined with noveau fusion cuisine.
I enjoyed the Japanese inspired decor, mixed with bright flourescent lighting, and a mix of both traditional Japanese seating and tables. The scene ranges from casual to stylish, locals to Hollywood peops, Asian patrons to ethnically mixed crowds alike. The place was truly diverse in comparison to a lot of LA places. Everyone looked comfortable, at ease, and at home. I thought it was cool going to an Asian inspired spot actually frequented by local Asian patrons, adding an air of social proof to the place.
I started a conversation with the table next to me and they offered that I try their Hanpen Cheese, which was rich with cheese and fish, baked up yummy! The wings are spicy and unique, the halibut is delish, and the Calamari grilled in Garlic Sauce was ohhhh so choice! Beef Tongue was killer! Always fun to eat a dish that might be tasting you back! While the place is primarily Japanese in its stylings, you can also get wonderful Korean BBQ and Chinese Fried Rice. YUM!
I would definitely go back. No doubt, it's somewhere between upscale and low brow, hmmm what would you call that? The place had attitude and one of a kind dishes. Both are a plus in my book.
Gyutan Yaki - charbroiled slices of beef tongue lightly salted
It would've been great if it wasn't so hard to chew...There were more tendons than meat. =P
Torishio - sake marinated chicken fillet charbroiled lightly salted
Nothing special...The chicken was really bland. I had to dip it in wasabi and soy sauce, and it still didn't improve.
Buta-Kakuni - stewed pork in sweet dashi sauce
I dared not touch this thing. -_-" I don't know why my friend ordered it.
Asari-Sake - steamed clams in sake broth
The most decent food item of the night...Thank goodness...But it still didn't get me hooked. I'd rather eat instant noodles at home because the MSG in the broth would satisfy my taste buds so much better than Furaibo's bland broth.
Service is not their priority at this place. It's understandable since there are so many customers crammed into one small restaurant. Well, I don't need to go to Furaibo for mediocre food and service. I have a more pleasant time eating at home.
We have become frequenters of this place. It was actually introduced to us by some friends who have been going here for years.
My first impression of the place was that it was really small, and I was unsure as to whether or not I wanted to eat there.
We had to circle around the area in order to find a parking place and we ended up parking pretty far. There are crowds of people that hang out outside of the restaurant, but I took that as a good sign. The inside of the place is pretty small. They try their best to cramp in as many people as they can, but you get to sit comfortably no matter where you are sitting.
We once got to sit in one of the areas where you have to take your shoes off and you sit on some throw pillows that are on the floor. That is uncomfortable, but the food makes it worth the pain and agony that you go through. Hehe.
The food is absolutely delicious!! My husband and I share the same favorite here - it is their chicken wings!! They are to die for!!! Their chicken wings are spiced to perfection. They are not oily, they are not dry, they are just perfect, and the taste is superb! I could probably eat an entire plate all by myself. I would go there just to eat their chicken wings.
Everything else we have tried is really good. We had some galbi, some fried calamari, some fried hallibut, a whole bunch of different chicken dishes - which are just the bomb!, some mushrooms, some vegetable dishes. Everything was delicious!
The best part was (aside from the food) was that the bill was very inexpensive. I love going to Furaibo because they give you plenty of food, plenty of drinks and it costs almost nothing. I will definitely be back there again really soon.
Dropped on over here the other day for dinner. Now my opinion might be a little skewed cause I did have Nobu the night before.
This place is pretty authentic and the service is ridiculously fast for what they serve. Very chill spot with basic decorations. As far as food goes, my favorite of the night would probably be the miso nasu (miso paste on eggplant). It was pretty awesome, as I am a fan of eggplants. Go eggplants!
Their yakitori was alright, but it wasn't charcoal grilled which was a bummer. The buta kakuni was pretty tasty and full of flavor. All in all, it was a good restaurant, but it didn't blow my mind. I'd come back though.
pretty tasty simple izakaya, wide variety of choices, and such a reasonable price, portions are pretty small however
thus not the best izakaya, but a satisfying meal
nothing was too fried or too dry
tebi saki, yakitori, gyu yaki, buta kakuni, kara-age, korokke, onigiri
black cod miso, seabass wasabi
Its a pretty fun place.
Here are some of the items I tried:
Sea Bass ***
Hanpen Cheese *****
Mushroom with garlic & butter ***
Rice balls (they were burnt!) **
Steak with raddish..soy based sauce **
Chicken Wings ******
Clams in sake broth ***
eggplant (too salty) ***
buta kakuni **
(not tender enough like the ones at musha)
I love this place! Their wings are good, and hooray for me being 21 I get to drink their Kirin beer that comes from a keg! Tastes so much better than the bottled Kirin.
Their eggplant is so freaking goodlicious along with the steak with the butter.. My damn so good I want to come back already!
Beware. College students are hungry and they are always crashing this place up! Gotta come early for seats!!!
And good luck finding parking because it SUCKs!
It was a good experience for me since I always eat the typical japanese food (sushi, etc.) Its… Read more »
There is a lot of street parking to come and visit a great place to eat a lot of food. furaibo has a lot of great food choices. I don't think I've ever tried anything that i haven't liked. the dishes are all reasonably priced overall.
one of the best things i have gotten there is their speciality chicken wings. i've had them sweet and spicy...all delicious!
it's also cool because you get to try a lot of fusion dishes like mushrooms in garlic sauce. YUM.
the cons: the bathroom door was really hard to close! haha. and the space overall is kind of cramped, with really small tables and chairs. if you sit at the bar though it's alright. the inside had a slight smell too. sometimes when it's super crowded you also have to wait a LONG time. definitely go earlier in the evenings if you don't want to wait too long.
service is also in general pretty great. definitely recommend if you want to try a place where you can order a lot of small portions for a reasonable price.
Teba saki wings are te best. Order them however spicy you want.
these are other good dishes:
Eggplant and pork
Mushroom butter
Scallop butter
Fried fishcake and cheese
Just try whatever sounds good to you and im sure it'll be good. But I would avoid the yakitori. I don't think they're anything special.
been twice: once for a weekday dinner, and another time for a weekday lunch
Parking: lot behind building, also street
There are a number of entrances and exits, which can make getting around interesting.
This is not a place I go to for the food, but for the experience/atmosphere. In the case of the weekday dinner date, I trusted my date to order, and I proceeded to receive a variety of "meats on a stick" which later I learned were all from the same animal - chicken - just different parts of the chicken than what I'm accustomed to consuming (e.g. chicken breast, and the occasional wing or thigh meat) and perhaps why I didn't recognize them (although I do cook whole birds so...) While I didn't eat much, I had a great time :) Hence why I returned for lunch. This place is very busy, so be prepared to wait for a table.
bottomline: worth trying but go with someone that can read the menu (visit their website to view the menu)
Some friends took me here for dinner last night. We got there right when the restaurant opened, but before all of our dishes reached the table a huge lined had formed outside. I liked the food here, but I don't know if I like them enough to wait in that long line. I normally don't like fish cake, but their fish cake with cheese was really good. A little sloppy because every time you bite into it, the cheese would leak out. The chicken wings were also really good. You can order them mild, medium, or really spicy. I guess this is one of the favorites at FuRaiBo because I notice almost every table had a dish of chicken wings. We also ordered a yakitori set. I can't say I'm a fan. I still like Torihei a lot more. The atmosphere here is very chill. The food comes out pretty quickly and they have a parking lot in the back. I would come back again.
I salivate just thinking about this place. Definitely go for dinner - where they have all the izakaya dishes. And you MUST order henpen cheese and toripirikara. Of course ending the meal with the rice soup bowl is so nice, cleansing, and soothing.
Its great because you can eat so many different dishes, drink, enjoy time with your friends and family - and the tab is still only $25 per person including tip and tax.
HEN PEN CHEESE ...
Not a bad place. I think the main draw here is the value, followed closely by a scene that's both bustling and laid-back. Highlights of the night were the harpen - deep fried fish pockets with Velveeta-like cheese, the sweet potato croquettes, and the deep-fried whole fish. And those house chicken-wings everyone talks about? Very salty and fatty, and just ended up making me drink more beer (which is probably what the folks at Furaibo had in mind). The eggplant wasn't bad and the chicken skewers were seasoned and grilled nicely, but the deep-fried chicken was completely dry and lacked any taste.
That said, the value is the real deal here. We were here for about 3 hours, had what seemed like an endless amount of food and about a dozen large Asahi's, and the final bill was roughly $28/person.
Full write-up with pics:
http://www.danieleats....
Wings?! At a Japanese place?! What an ingenius idea! Now for all of you wing fans out there, don't get your hopes up for your favorite super-crazy liability-wavier-requiring spicy wings, this is more of a mmm... gimme some more wings. Now as a spicy fan I recommend the very spicy, which isn't really even that all spicy... its more like pour some mo' black pepper on it spicy. But alas, its fried wings yumminess and at a great deal too!
Also highly recommended is the fish cakes and cheese. Now if you're not used to asian foods, you might be thinking fish cakes? really? But trust me, its de-lic-ious!
The tofu and tuna salad was flavorful and plentiful a great way to balance out our otherwise protein heavy meal.
The place itself is a bit on the small side, but its a cozy feel instead of a cramped feel. The tables are definitely close together but having been in Japan, this is quite reminiscent of the environment over there. The staff is very friendly, helpful, and quick.
Overall I had a good experience, the food was very tasty and we had a bunch of it; which was surprising considering out low bill. Definitely would recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different or maybe just a light night place for munchies.
So tasty. So inexpensive. So me!
We were seated right away in the room with floor seating. It was cozy but it wasn't as crowded/loud as the main dining room which was nice. We went around 8p this evening and got lightning fast service and servers. We found the servers helpful and pleasant.
The portions are small. But there is a lot of taste packed in that small punch! We had cod, hanpen cheese (yummy!), garlic green beans and pork (so good!), chicken wings (my honey loved them!), yakitori, 2 rice balls. And the best part? We spent under $40 bucks! I'm full as I type. I would definitely go back and recommend the floor seating area for a larger party, too.
Hanpen cheese hanpen cheese hanpen cheese! Try saying that 3 times fast...chicken wings are really good too (note: spicy is not that spicy, good kick for non-spicy lovers like myself).
Is it worth a special trip? Probably not. But if you're in the Westwood area and don't want to eat at Curry House or Hurry Curry and feel like non-sushi Japanese food...this is a good spot for a group. Fun atmosphere, I felt kinda like I was in Japan!
If you crave chicken wings, you should really try this place. They are world famous for their chicken wings...no 20 different kind of sauce like what you get at American chicken wing joints. They are just served mild, regular, or spicy, but they are perfectly seasoned and crunchy! I can eat 20 of them in one sitting.
There are plenty of other fun items to eat here: henpen cheese (fish cake stuffed with cheese and deep fried), korean bbq, agedashi tofu, etc. You can be completely stuffed and only spend $20 per person.
I can't believe I haven't Yelped this place yet. Let the good times roll... this adds the fun factor of a busy pub with the tasty factor of pork fat and chicken wings.
Of course the teba saki/chicken wings are great, and I quite enjoy the buta-kakuni, mushroom butter, and buta kimchee. I always get a bowl of rice to sop up all the fatty pork goodness. Once in a while I'll have a chicken heart or two. The service has always been decent in my experience, but I've not sat in the tatami room yet (which I hear tends to get neglected).
My dislikes are the same as most, but with silver lining inserted:
- Long wait (gives you time to visit that random Japanese goods store across the street, and perhaps pull money out from the Tomato Bank ATM).
- Hard to find parking (find parking a few blocks away, the walk will aid in digestion).
- It's crowded (which means interesting people watching).
Finally, if you park in the back, please be kind and tell the hostess if you parked behind me, you bastards!
PS - I've now been to the other Furaibo locations... Gardena is pretty close in terms of quality of food. Puente Hills/City of Industry falls short. But neither match the "fun factor" of this location.
I love this place. The wait can be horrendous and uncomfortable to get a table and the service is never friendly. However, I love the food and the atmosphere. My family is often the only non asian family in the place. The dishes are interesting but not scary for me to try.
We usually get the kaki fry- delicious fried oysters. A teba saki bento box with sweet seasoning. I used to love the boiled potato with noodles- sweet and smoky but I gave up eating pork a few years ago and there is pork in it. They always substitute chicken katsu for pork for me. The iced tea is great too. The house salad dressing is delicious.
It's basically a Japanese chain restaurant. Not fancy and not expensive. But I love going there and have for many years.
Delish but small portions.
Suggestions: chicken wings, cod, spinach and bacon.
We went for lunch with such anticipation, "TO SAY THE LEAST, truly disappointed, truly, truly, truly...ahhhh." (The Smiths)
Firstly, there was an awful odor when we first walked in...
We were open and ready to enjoy lunch, but the menu was limited and didn't have any of the great things everyone was raving about from the dinner menu.
I ordered the New York Steak, good, but a tiny portion, may have be 2oz? You get a side salad and a miso soup...so, I guess it makes up?
My coworker ordered the fish. The worse smell ever.
The other coworkers ordered the chicken and it was way over cooked and black on one side, so dry!
Needless to say, we were not happy, and will not be back.
If this place was around when I used to live a few blocks away (I can't remember), I'm glad I didn't know about it then. I would have likely gorged every other month on chicken wings. They are addicting--crispy and peppered with Asian spices and marinated. I was a bit embarrassed by how I just plowed through eight without blinking. This is the first Japanese restaurant I've been to in the U.S. where the menu wasn't entirely bento boxes, sushi and the other usual fare. I wish more of these tapas eateries were around.
Besides the wings, of course, I tried fishcake fried in panko crumbs with cheese. It was just such an odd pairing, had to try it. It wasn't a bad mix, but I didn't love it. Then again, anything fried in panko crumbs, I'd probably eat it. Also had a seaweed salad that had tomatoes, carrots and lettuce. Appreciated it was in a thin soy sauce dressing, not the creamy, fattening miso dressing you usually find. Also, got two chicken skewers that were okay. Really liked the scallop and mushroom shoots sauteed in butter garlic sauce. Another unexpected item.
I like how when you walk in, you really feel like you could be in Japan. The place is always crowded and bustling. However, I have to give them a black mark for service. They need to improve to prevent wait staff from forgetting orders. Waited at least 20 minutes for fried lotus root chips--which we ordered with other items that had long ago arrived--and it never came. Was so full that asked for the bill. When the bill came, saw the chips were on there. So, we asked if we could just take them off since they never came and whaddya know...presto...waitress comes back and says they just came out. So, I just accepted them. At least she tried to show good customer service by bringing us complimentary green tea ice cream. The ice cream is served in a big heaping scoop. Wasn't as sweet as other green tea ice cream I had.
Anyway, good think I like the food. I was willing to overlook the sloppy service. Would probably go back next time I visit L.A.
2.5 stars.
Ate here for lunch and got the yakitori chicken bowl. It was all right, nothing spectacular. I thought Furaibo had more of the izakaya style dining, but maybe that's just for dinner. The lunch menu didn't have the kind of options I was expecting. The katsu style food looked better than my yakitori. Maybe it was my fault for going with grilled instead of fried.
Love it! Best darn chicken wings. Love the spinach and bacon, the kimchee and pork -- as a matter of fact Im making myself hungry and think Ill swing by and grab some tonight!
I decided to step into this joint cause my Seattle friend wanted the teba-saki badly. I'm NOT joking when I said badly, because that's all he cared about when he ordered. According to him, they probably used "crack" as seasoning cause it was so addicting. Not for me, it looked like chicken wings fell into the salt bowl and forgot to be picked up by the cook for a long time. It's really salty!!!
I'm not really a big fan of too much saltiness in everything, but after 3 years of haven't eaten Furaibo, it made me feel that it tasted better than before, because I would have given 2 stars if I wrote my review based on my last visit before this.
We ordered:
Tebasaki (Fried Chicken) - $4.10 for 6pcs.
Yakitori special (8 skewers for the price of $14, instead of $3.80/2 skewers) - we got Gizzards, Liver, Chicken, and pork meat.
Soboro Don - Grounded Chicken with raw egg on Rice - forgot the price!
Fried Halibut - my highlight of the day after seeing the "neighbor" ate this, I ordered! - $11.50
Furaibo Fried Rice - $4.95
We ended up spending $49.xx (without the tips yet). Service when I was here was not bad, especially since we sat on the bar keep looking at all the yakitori that came out, it's not a bad view at all. I can't believe how crowded this place got as the night time came.
Parking could be a hassle if their private parking lot is full, but since I live closeby, it's not an issue for me. Overall verdict, I wouldn't come back here on my own, if I'm desperate for yakitori, I would rather eat at Terried Sake instead.
We came here the other day with some friends, and we could not have been happier with experience. From the vast majority of the Japanese restaurants in Los Angeles, you'd think all they eat in Japan is either sushi or ramen. This is a great tebasaki restaurant, which as far as I can tell is essentially Japanese street/bar food. Highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see what real Japanese eat when it's not sushi.
I think a lot of the negative reviews here are because the yelpers came for the food...and missed out on the bigger picture. Furaibo is an izakaya style, group dining, social drinking experience. The small plates and menu items are designed for groups of social drinking and having a good time. When you're surrounded by good friends and good sake, you actually begin to appreciate the slower service because the servers are letting you enjoy your meal, one small plate at a time. Prices and serving size are pretty reasonable compared with other izakayas in LA/OC and because I don't like to wait when I'm hungry, I came here at 5:30pm on a Monday night and was seated and served immediately.
Favorite Dishes -
Hanpen Cheese - Other yelpers have said it, and I'm going to repeat it. Hanpen cheese is a crunchy piece of fish cake heaven surrounded in melted cheese.
Gyu-Tan Yaki - I love beef tongue..it's just so succulent and delicious and Furaibo gives you a good serving size for the price. Other places like price gouge on this item.
Furaibo Special Chicken (Leg/Thigh in Regular Spice) - You can really tell the quality of their food by sampling any of their fried items. I've learned that the type of crunch and non-greasy taste you get from places like this, is because the cooks take the time to use fresh frying oil - which makes a HUGE difference on taste
Sea Bass with Wasabi Mayo - Fresh and delicious and cooked to perfection. Furaibo manages to perfectly cook this fish so that it has a slightly crunchy exterior, but without losing any of the natural juices
Nasu Miso - I'm also a huge fan of eggplant, so I try to order this wherever I go...and Furaibo does NOT disappoint. First off, most places complete skimp you of the eggplant and serve pathetic thin slices...Furaibo gives you the WHOLE eggplant! SO worth it.
By this time, I was too buzzed to remember the rest of the items we ordered, but what I remember most is that it was a great time...great food...and great company.
All Drinks Half Price Thu. &…
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
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Neighborhood: Santa Monica
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Category: Japanese
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Japanese
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Japanese
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Japanese
Gardena, CA
Category: Japanese
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