Robata-Ya Japanese restaurant in West Los Angeles
![The iced seafood display on the bar at Robata-Ya, a casual Japanese restaurant specializing in grilled skewers, located on Sawtelle in West Los Angeles.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3b4ac5f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/582x498+0+0/resize/582x498!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F57%2F9a%2Ffcabcea6c6ccbb356f9d91a33a26%2Fla-fo-review01-kbkxudnc.jpg)
The iced seafood display on the bar at Robata-Ya, a casual Japanese restaurant specializing in grilled skewers, located on Sawtelle in West Los Angeles. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)
![la-fo-review02_kbkxv2nc.jpg](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/713862c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/582x496+0+0/resize/582x496!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fae%2Fd6%2F821424dbee23e8d89052b89f9519%2Fla-fo-review02-kbkxv2nc.jpg)
Grill master Hiro Takahashi works at the bar. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)
![la-fo-review03_kbkzz7nc.jpg](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ecafec7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/328x425+0+0/resize/328x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa1%2F72%2Fbf510924478fa799bb53c2ccfee1%2Fla-fo-review03-kbkzz7nc.jpg)
Grilled shishito peppers at Robata-Ya. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)
![la-fo-review04_kbkxxgnc.jpg](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2c5ca91/2147483647/strip/true/crop/582x403+0+0/resize/582x403!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9f%2Fae%2Fc36e3eb57b65dc1ff13ec59a79c5%2Fla-fo-review04-kbkxxgnc.jpg)
A dish of whitefish carpaccio at Robata-Ya. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)
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The Dover sole at Robata-Ya. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)
![la-fo-review06_kbkxtknc.jpg](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/51cdca2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/582x398+0+0/resize/582x398!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcb%2F62%2Ff12b9fc30c55e222c8162770cd49%2Fla-fo-review06-kbkxtknc.jpg)
Chicken gizzards on a skewer. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)
![la-fo-review07_kbkxwbnc.jpg](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9ff748c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/582x373+0+0/resize/582x373!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F37%2F12%2Ff59f19bae9eb08edb70663566cb8%2Fla-fo-review07-kbkxwbnc.jpg)
Robata-Ya has 15 seats at the counter and half a dozen tables. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)