"The courtyard at this Mission izakaya has string lights twinkling, plants everywhere, and is serene—so go here if you want to forget about whatever’s dumpster fire-ing in the world over the best Japanese small plates in the city. We almost always have trouble narrowing down an order because everything on the menu is fantastic. But when in doubt, go with the gorgeously charred tsukune, gyoza dressed up with lacy skirts, and miso cod plated alongside a leaning tower of sunomono." - lani conway, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong