Tsubaki is Echo Park’s neighbourhood izakaya.
Charles Namba and Courtney Kaplan’s chawanmushi, skewers and a sake list worth the trip.
Just off Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, Tsubaki's warm neon sign and wood-slatted facade open into a bustling, energetic room humming with indie music and grill aromas.
Chef Charles Namba and partner Courtney Kaplan deliver soulful Tokyo pub cooking: silky steamed chawanmushi with sweet corn, crispy chicken oysters on skewers, and grilled rice balls with shiso.
Intimate, neighborhood-first hospitality; Kaplan's curated artisanal sake list is arguably the finest and most adventurous in Southern California.
Tsubaki has become Echo Park's culinary heartbeat, a place where local creatives, chefs, and neighbors gather for exceptional sake and honest charcoal-grilled cooking.
- Charles NambaChef, Tsubaki
- Courtney KaplanPartner and sake director, Tsubaki
From the MICHELIN listing
- Distinction
- Bib Gourmand · 2026 USA
- Price band
- $$
- Cuisine
- Japanese
- Address
- 1356 Allison Ave., Los Angeles
Sources
- MICHELIN Guide · Tsubaki (2026 USA) · checked Sep 28, 2026
Distinction, address, cuisine and price band come from the listing above. Descriptions of rooms and dishes are from Dine Digest’s earlier reporting and were not re-checked for this issue.
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