Culver City’s Colorful New Bar Serves Japanese Katsu Sandwiches

It’s a new day for a familiar space in Culver City, as Tokyo Guild will soon serve Japanese sandwiches, sake, and small bites. The restaurant takes over for the now-closed Ramen Bangaichi on Washington Boulevard, with an immediate second location coming to Long Beach’s Bixby Knolls neighborhood.

The arrival of Tokyo Guild comes at an interesting time for Japanese food in greater Los Angeles. Chef Takashi and wife Chika Sada have for years run Japonica down in Redondo Beach as part of the longstanding Japanese food tradition of the South Bay. Partner Joe Ando (71Above) is now on to oversee the new project as well. Meanwhile Shibumi just scored a Michelin star in Downtown LA (alongside a number of sushi spots), and the brand new Ototo in Echo Park is already one of the busiest places to drink sake and eat sandos in all of Southern California.

The plan with Tokyo Guild is to keep things especially simple for Culver City, where big ideas can often find it hard to gain traction. That means mostly small bites and familiar fare like ramen, a burger, or a Tokyo-style egg sando, plus cocktails (there’s a full bar) beer, and wine. Darwin Manahan has put together the opening cocktail menu.

Tokyo Guild opens June 8 in Culver City, and June 15 in Long Beach, serving lunch through dinner daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Tokyo Guild. 9810 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA.
Tokyo Guild Long Beach. 4262 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA.

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Tokyo Guild