Izakaya Hachi

On our list of the best special-occasion restaurants in Los Angeles.

Inside a Torrance strip mall on Carson Street, three private booths set off by wood paneling give groups a closed-off corner to work through the group omakase, a family-style spread of about thirteen dishes over two hours with a four-person minimum. Pork shabu shabu simmers in a tonkotsu broth, the pressed mackerel sushi called battera comes out in glistening slices, and beef tongue is cut thick and grilled until tender. The kitchen also runs sashimi, kushiyaki skewers, and hot pot, backed by a sake list, open nightly from 5 p.m.