Apparently not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas: The izakaya transplant by way of Nevada was the city's worst kept late night secret for whales looking to make a splash in their checkbook after hours, and it's now in a La Cienega location with a strong omakase offering and truly stellar skewers. Pro tip: If looking for rich, delicious pork fat, steer clear of the belly and opt for either the pork cheek or the Iberico pork skewers. After all the meat-fueled conviviality, punctuate the meal with the katsuobushi-laden cold green tea soba.

Among izakayas, Kinjiro might be the most serious in the genre. With selections ranging from charcoal-grilled A5 Wagyu (replete with certificate of provenance) to thick cut prime beef tongue, to grilled air-dried squid getting that street-side charcoal grill treatment, it's a holistic izakaya experience with particular emphasis on the grilled goods.

With big plush booths and meat quality to die for, Yazawa elevates the yakiniku experience to previously exclusive heights. Believe them when they say they fly their beef in from Japan because the marble passes the eye test. And put faith in them when they slosh the meats in an egg mixture and grill them to a barely-cooked pink to help you truly appreciate the mellow, fatty flavor of true Japanese Wagyu. There might not be a better yakiniku experience in Los Angeles (and that includes the exclusive invite-only Totoraku in West LA). Note: Famed and notoriously exclusive yakiniku restaurant Totoraku was not included because it's available to diners on an invite-only basis.

Manpuku has solid meat quality and some interesting takes on marinating/dry-brining, including a salt-and-sesame-seed dusted pork toro (actually jowl meat) that will make you wonder why no one else has ever thought of this in Japanese or Korean barbecue. An all-around solid yakiniku experience, it's a higher quality version of Gyu Kaku at a slightly higher price point.

Almost all of Oreno's cuts are available either to order or in moderately priced "sets" that contain a certain portion of a given meat. Though the Kobe definitely looks more like American wagyu, it's hard to complain at the relatively fair price points for the 'cue. Most of the sides play more like straight-up Korean dishes (including the kimchi and hot stone bibimbap), but the inclusion of touches like miso-marinated Kobe chuck flap merit it a spot on this list.

What happens when a perfect shield of chicken fat gets grilled over charcoals until it blisters into a crackly, delicious mess that yields to juicy dark meat? Nothing. No thing but a chicken wing, that is. Get the aforementioned wing, a nice crumbly tsukune (ground chicken), and the rest of the chicken and beef skewer fix at one of the South Bay's finest robata establishments.

Yamaya sports genuine A-5 Miyazaki wagyu at a surprisingly approachable price point. At $150 for an order, there’s enough food to comfortably serve a party of two, or to be a show-stopping centerpiece for a party of three. The ribeye is just thick enough to merit a proper sear, a rich, melty descent into madness that will spoil you for American beef forever. Expertly handled by one of their skilled servers, the digs are part low-key, part lo-fi — but the food is worth every penny.

Hikari serves up decent quality beef in tapas-size portions to be seared atop one of those kitschy Japanese konro grills. With genuine coals burning inside, it’s a no-frills experience that’s a welcome change of pace from all of those high-end wagyu yakinikus that seem to dominate the landscape.

Who doesn’t love Gyu Kaku? If someone answers in the negative, they’re probably lying and ought to be avoided. This Japanese barbecue chain isn’t exactly known for stocking the highest-end Hokkaido wagyu. What it is known for, however, is some of the cheapest pitchers of Japanese beer anywhere and those cute little smores at the end of each meal. Don’t be fooled, though — the marinated meats are up to the task of getting a good night started.