When Nobu Honolulu announced its permanent closure in the summer of 2020, I thought it would take a while to fill that restaurant space again. Who, in the age of shutdowns, would want to take on such a colossal space? What made the most sense to me back then was to divvy up the space into three venues to make it more manageable to smaller operators.

Two years later, landlords and diners have scored big with the entry of Jinya Holdings, one company with three concepts to choose from, Jinya Ramen Bar, Robata Jinya and LBD, short for La Brea Dining. The restaurants bring a trendy Los Angeles vibe that appeals to those ready to party after two years of pandemic cocooning, making it feel as if the good ol’ days are back for good, promising plenty of food and a vast menu of cocktails and libations at each location.

Jinya’s origin is in Japan. Owner Tomo Takahashi grew up in his family’s robatayaki restaurant in Ehime, Japan, and opened his first restaurant in 2000. After opening five more restaurants in Tokyo, his ambition led him to L.A. in 2010, where he opened two concepts, Jinya Ramen Bar and Robata Jinya. He chose the Jinya name because of its association with samurai headquarters, which he equated with lively social gatherings.

Now based in L.A., the company has expanded to more than 30 locations in Canada and across the United States, with plans to open more than 200 by next year.

Jinya Ramen Bar

Jinya Ramen was the last of the trio of restaurants to open last month, so my experience was already colored by the Californified Japanese cuisine being served at LBD and Robata Jinya. It’s only natural after 12 years to adapt to the tastes of area residents, but Hawaii is home to a lot more authentic Japanese cuisine, so the boldness of Westernized Japanese cuisine can be off-putting, particularly to traditionalists.

That said, I was pleasantly surprised that the ramen hewed closest to the company’s Japanese roots. I was most impressed by the 20-hour tonkotsu pork bone broth, velvety thick and creamy with extracted collagen and bone marrow, as well as the thin but sturdy housemade noodles that held up well in the thick broth. Thick, gluten-free and kale noodles are also offered up as substitutes for an extra charge.

The tonkotsu broth is offered in five ramen bowls, ranging from the Jinya Tonkotsu Original 2010 version ($18.80) to Jinya Tonkotsu Black ($18.80) with the added aromatics of black garlic oil and garlic chips. Both bowls feature green onions, nori, thick cuts of chashu and seasoned soft-boiled egg.

Shrimp wonton ramen ($18.80) is also served in the tonkotsu broth, with chicken-and-shrimp wontons and thick noodles.

There are a lot of people who can’t stomach the rich tonkotsu broth, so they may want to order vegan or chicken broth options like the vegan Tsunami White Pearl ($19.80) that includes spinach, broccolini, red and green onions, and Impossible brand plant-based meat, or the refreshingly citrus-scented Yuzu Shio Delight ($18.80) with green onion, egg, spinach and pork chashu.

If you’re not in the mood for ramen, there are chashu bowls ($9.50-$16.20) and poke bowls ($10.50-$18.20), and a full array of starters such as spicy tuna mini tacos ($6.50 for two pieces), jalapeño butter corn ($7.50) and caramelized cauliflower with pine nuts, mint and lime sauce ($8.80).

Of course, there are classics such as ginger-accented karaage ($9.20 for five pieces, up to $25.80 for 15 pieces) and delicate pork gyoza ($8.80). There is also a vegan version featuring Impossible filling ($8.80).

Robata Jinya

It was a little off-putting to hear a loud “irasshaimase” upon being seated at both Jinyas. Out of the mouths of non-Japanese speakers, it sounded more like random yelling than a greeting. Maybe they should drop the show that may play better in novelty-seeking L.A. than here.

Once you settle in, you can enjoy the space left behind by Nobu that now meshes perfectly with Robata Jinya’s concept that is equal parts robatayaki restaurant and sushi bar for a varied dining experience.

It’s the robata aspect that drew me in because it’s in such short supply here. But this restaurant’s selections skew luxe, so those accustomed to $5 sausages and vegetables or $8 chicken wings elsewhere will experience sticker shock upon seeing $18 prime beef sukiyaki and $20 A5 Miyazaki wagyu skewers. Also from the grill are plated portions of meat such as 6 ounces of filet mignon ($68) and a pair of lamb chops ($28) that come with gochujang, which I thought was an overly strong and odd pairing.

But it’s possible to have a reasonably priced meal if you stick to the basics of tasty tsukune (one large chicken meatball, $6) with a splash of yuzu, and beef meatballs ($12) that combine A5 Miyazaki wagyu and Angus beef.

Also on the more affordable end were beef tongue ($7), pork belly ($5) and seafood such as octopus ($6), salmon ($6) and scallops ($13). Veggie robata options include avocado ($4), eringi mushrooms ($6), okra ($4) and sweet potato ($4).

I couldn’t resist splurging on a single piece of foie gras ($18). At about 4 ounces, this skewer was shareable but I couldn’t understand why it was so heavily salted and peppered when grilled foie gras is already packed with fatty flavor.

You may choose to start on the sushi side of the menu, with an appetizer of yellowtail sashimi ($21) in a pool of yuzu-soy sauce, each piece capped with a slice of jalapeño.

Traditionalists can stick with regular sushi offerings, while the more adventurous take their chances with Jinya special rolls such as the California Dynamite ($15), a modified California roll with baked scallop dynamite and unagi sauce, or tempura sea bass roll ($21) with avocado and baby arugula.

Most appealing to me was one of the signature hand rolls combining toro and caviar ($24). Or, you could leave it all up to the chef with nigiri moriawase starting at $48 for six pieces of sushi, to $85 for nine pieces.

A lunch menu is in the works.

LBD

LBD is the Jinya brand’s pau hana concept with open-air lanai seating, an array of cocktails and its own menu of light bites coming from the kitchen of Robata Jinya.

Some of the cocktails, such as the Lycheetini ($10) with soju and lychee juice, work better in the indoor environments of the other two Jinyas because of visuals involving a giant smoke bubble planted on top. It doesn’t form well with tradewinds blowing through the space.

Snacks here start with shishito peppers ($9) and edamame ($7), shrimp toast ($14) and rock shrimp-size ebi tempura ($10) coated in spicy mayo.

New-style salmon ($13 for four pieces) or bluefin sashimi ($14, four pieces), both with truffle soy, as well as bluefin toro with yuzu citrus ($32, four pieces), are also available, along with a limited number of specialty rolls and finally, spicy maze-men ($18), brothless noodles with bonito aioli and all the classic ramen toppings of Jinya Ramen Bar’s offerings.

Robata Jinya

1118 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu
Food:***½
Service:***
Ambiance:****
Value:***
Call: 808-480-8577
Hours: 4-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 4-11:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; Happy Hour 4-6 p.m.
Prices: About $100-$120 for two without alcohol

Nadine Kam’s restaurant visits are unannounced and paid for by Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Follow Nadine on Instagram (@nadinekam) or on YouTube (youtube.com/nadinekam).