YES! Gotta sit in front of the grill while one of the pros is manning it. Go by yourself if you have to!
Also, @bulavinaka, I owe you an apology. I said that you had not gone to Chinchikurin due to negative posts.
I missed this in @Chowseeker1999 original post…
And did not catch the “re” in there upon first reading…
My bad.
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Honestly - if any one can keep track of every thing that every one else has posted, I would be beyond impressed. It’s all good!
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Your uncle’s business partner sounds like an upstanding guy, and you really can’t beat old-school Japanese hospitality. I do agree that the Kintai-kyo is a must-see. It’s an architectural wonder and a real beaut!
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Update 1:
We decided to give Chinchikurin another try after hearing Starchtrade wax poetic about it, and this time I was going to ask them to really soften the Noodles. 
The Loaded Kaisen:
The failing of Chinchikurin from our earlier visit (and what @bulavinaka and @J_L experienced) was this really unfavorable, hard Noodle taste. This time, we asked our server for “very soft Noodles” and hoped for the best:
It worked. 
The Noodles this time weren’t as hard and uncooked as last time, and they were actually soft and pliable.
This immediately elevated Chinchikurin’s Okonomiyaki from “inedible” to “OK” status. 
With it now being edible, we could enjoy the rest of the Okonomiyaki in peace.
The Squid and Shrimp were fine, with the Squid being a touch overcooked and rubbery, but otherwise, the flavors were much more enjoyable with a softer base Noodles now.
Chinchikurinyaki:
According to the menu this is the “local favorite” in Hiroshima for their branches there. Made with a Ground Beef mixture, there is no Pork or Bean Sprouts.
We also ordered this one with Crispy Noodles, to make sure what we got wasn’t “Crispy” the first time we went.
And after the first bite, yup, for sure what we got wasn’t the “Crispy” option: The Crispy Noodles have a very noticeable crunchy factor. What we got earlier and what @bulavinaka and JL got was just really undercooked, dense Noodles. 
The Ground Beef was OK, for those that enjoy a fatty Ground Beef, it’s definitely adding something different from the other versions.
By asking for “very soft” Noodles (and them obliging), Chinchikurin has improved since their earlier days thankfully. My friend who joined us still likes Gaja’s Hiroshima Okonomiyaki more, but at least we have something pretty decent on Sawtelle with this change.
Chinchikurin
2119 Sawtelle Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel: (310) 478-0521
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Gaja had a booth at the Cherry Blossom Festival at Huntington Central Park in HB, but I arrived too late and they were already closing up shop. 
I asked if they would be opening up another location, and the guy said not anytime soon, unfortunately.
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Thanks for the info @thechez5; surprising that Gaja is still around in some form, but sad that they’re not opening up again.
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I used to love their mochi monja-yaki.
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Monjya-yaki is so much work to get right. Too much work.
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That’s why it’s perfect restaurant food.
Sort of like fried chicken, or donuts.
#DeepFryingAtHomeSoOverrated
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Um… Recall that at Gaja YOU cook the monjya-yaki yourself at the table. The staff does minimal work - you (the diner) gots to do all that damn scraping over a hot plate. No thanks.
That’s the beauty.
All play, no clean up.
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You are befuddling.
I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.
#Blushing
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I went to Doya Doya for my second visit today for lunch.
Okonomiyaki: Pork w/ Cheese & Mochi - $16.75 Dinner ($15.75 Lunch)
The okonomiyaki comes out sizzling, as mentioned previously. When served the okonomiyaki is only topped with the brown okonomiyaki sauce. You are given the duty to top with Kewpie Mayo, Ao Nori Flakes, and Bonito Flakes. Regarding amount of sauce: I and one other member of my group considered asking for more sauce. As previously mentioned the amount of sauce given is standard, but everyone has their own preferences.
About the okonomiyaki: It is very good. The first few bites I was reconsidering my love for Chinchikurin’s Hiroshima-yaki. The the batter is cooked to the perfect doneness. At about an inch thick, the finished product would make one think of quiche or Spanish tortilla sooner than a savory pancake. Check out that orange cheese oozing out!
But… check out that orange cheese oozing out! This is similar to Kraft singles cheese. And while great for the first few bites, started to unsettle to balance of the okonomiyaki. In my experience, cheese that is put into okonomiyaki in Japan is white and melds better with the surrounding flavors.
Also, I got a bit of mochi, but would have preferred more.
As I was rounding the home stretch, I was hoping for the end–not savoring the last few bites.
I prefer Chinchikurin to Doya Doya, because you can:
・get the large Kaisen Okonomiyaki at Chinchikurin ($15.95) (DD’s Fully-Loaded Okonomiyaki ~$16)
・on Sawtelle (DD is in the middle of nowhere)
・watch the chef(s) work the hera (spatulas) at the large teppan grill (can’t see the magic @ DD)
・while drinking a cold Sapporo (DD only offers “near beer” 
)
The Doya Doya okonomiyaki is very good, but I prefer Chinchikurin.
Also: Chinchikurin location #2 is coming soon.
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Thanks for the report back @Starchtrade. 
I’m definitely not a fan of cheese on my oko, but that’s just a personal preference. 
Fair enough. I better get an INB4 in here.
I am aware that cheese is not a “traditional” topping/element for okonomiyaki.
But, it has become popular recently. And it is tough for me to avoid melted cheese. 
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The beer issue at DD used to be great. Ice cold Sapporo on draft. The catch was, it wasn’t on the menu. A couple of signs on the wall did mention beer in Japanese. I’m guessing they’d been selling w/o a license/under the table and eventually got busted. Thus, Kirin-Free.
I never had cheese on oko until at DD. Like you, I go Homer and salivate, “Oooooh - melted cheese… Drool…”
Finally got around to trying out Chinchikurin last weekend. I liked it! I was actually surprised to read back through this thread and see that others had had notsogood timez at the Chin.
Granted, my okonmiyaki journey is in its infancy (and, as I have previously confessed, I have never been to Japan). Can’t say if I like Doya or Chinchikurin more - as @Starchtrade mentioned, the styles are quite different as this Hiroshima-yaki style was more noodle dish than the Osaka-style ufo pancake I had at Doya Doya. I liked both and would happily eat at either again.
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@President_Mochi, glad you liked it!
I went on Wednesday and had their Ika Ika! (Squid) Okonomiyaki for the first time.
It was excellent!
Also: They have trained their local staff well! You no longer need to make sure that you get a Japanese cook manning the hera. You are in good hands!
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