There's a great new Japanese Restaurant in LO that we can walk to!

Welcome to LO KIN Izakaya and Sake bar on State Street at Wilbur across from Trainer's Club. They're open for lunch and dinner. Just opened this week!

The restaurant has a fun, comfortable vibe

Most of the tables were full on Saturday evening when we were there. Several families with kids as well as couples like us were there trying out the new place in town.

My husband Michael and I walked up and ate there Saturday evening. We had a great meal, with very friendly service and a very reasonable bill. Go check it out!

We had cucumber salad, tuna sashimi and a chicken and beef skewer. All excellent. Food was served quickly and prices were reasonable. See our photos of our meal and their "soft opening menu" which I've posted photos of below.

My husband Michael holding up the cucumber salad. He had NA Asaki beer and I had Ginger Beer. The menu is filled with lots of options for sake but we didn't partake in that.

You won't find sushi. It's other Japanese food including Sashimi, skewers, rice and noodle bowls and other salads and appetizers. It's sort of like a Japanese version of tapas we thought. It will be fun to go with friends and try more of their dishes.

KIN Izakaya and Sake Bar is a local, family-owned restaurant. We met the owner last night.

The owner on the left was a very friendly server last night

What I learned about the restaurant from online research from a story in the LO Review, "Co-owner Thanaphorn “Fair” Khusawangsri previously ran a Japanese food cart near the South Waterfront and decided to close that location and open a brick and mortar when she saw an opening in downtown Lake Oswego. Unlike fine dining or a quick-bite sushi track, an izakaya provides a place to socialize and unwind after work or on the weekends."

You'll find KIN Izakaya and Sake Bar at 363 S State St. across from Trainer's Club in the shopping center at State Street and Wilbur Street right in our Old Town neighborhood! You will see us there often. Looks like you can order online to go as well. Phone number is 503-686-8796. No website but you can follow them on Instagram @kin_izakaya

Map showing where the restaurant is in LO