Can Zo

Weird in a good way!!! I was a bit concerned about the whole canned food concept, but now that I’ve tried it, I think it’s brilliant. I must also say that they mostly use high quality, imported canned food. They also had a self-​proclaimed «Japanese Bob Dylan» play music, which was added-​value to the whole weirdness. Last but not least, the food was very cheap for its quality. We were four people and paid $ 19 each, including 20% tip.
I’m taking off one star because they ran out of rice (yes, a Japanese restaurant that ran out of rice!) and we couldn’t try other dishes because most of the menu is rice-​based. But other than that, it’s a great restaurant and I would definitely go back.

Finally found an establishmemt that has live band, great environment, great wine, and tapas!
Staffs are really friendly!
Just love how they have a live band playing non-​stop while we slip and dine!

My girl friends and I first tried this Japanese wine /​tapas bar shortly after they opened, and have gone back many times since. Its a true hidden gem and its become one of our go to spots when we want a cozy, mellow night.
We usually go later at night so we just go for wine but sometimes we’ll get the cheese/​meat plate. I think the selection changes regularly but it always includes a nice mix. Their tapas style menu items are all (or mostly) prepared using canned food items. I’ve tried a few things on their menu, and I was surprised how good it was considering its all from canned foods.
What I love about this place is that everyone is so friendly here! Tsubasa, the manager, and Frank, the owner, always take good care of us! They really go out of their ways to get to know their customers. I see them mingling with customers all the time.
Overall, its a great place to relax and enjoy a drink!

Can-​zo is a real hidden gem. I have always walked past it on my way to Sanuki next door but I finally decided to poke my head inside. And what I found was the coziest, laid back, Japanese tapas bar in Gardena and perhaps Los Angeles. The Japanese pints are cheap, tall, and crisp. The sake runs the gamut from tasty and cheap to refined and expensive. The tapas they offer are Japanese fusion and are a pleasant surprise to the senses. They also serve larger entrees that one can expect to find in a fusion bistro downtown. But the most interesting thing by far is the fact that all the domestic and imported canned food can be bought off the shelf and cooked free of charge for you. This was a pleasant find, I will be back on a regular basis.

Good place to go after you’ve had dinner. It’s one of those places that you you say «Let’s stop in for one», and three hours later… You know what I’m talking about. Whether the place is packed or you’re just with your friends, the staff is always attentive and you will have a good time. It’s only beer and wine, but I find myself falling in love with shochu. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I’m leaning toward GOOD.
I was reluctant to post this review because this place is really small. Seats maybe 20 people at the most. The rest is SRO. I may have to sit in the parking lot after this.
I’m intrigued by the canned goods. I think the next time I’m there, I’ll have them conjure something up with a can of sardines. Lol.
To the guy that posted a bad review, «This place is NOT a Denny’s. If you want «Happy Meal» prices, you know where to go.

Great concept. Terrible execution. Nothing special. Warm up a can and serve. I wanted to be surprised by what they did with the food not by the bill. Are they paying people for the reviews or are people trying to trick others into wasting their money?

I liked their wine selection and tapas style dishes (using can food!). They also have great line up of sake and shochu. We went Friday night — parking was packed, but able to find plenty of street parking near the mall.
They open till 1 PM and that’s a big plus. I’m glad I found them! Most restaurants close early in Torrance/​Gardena area, you know… It’s a perfect hang out place after the dinner :)

Nice concept. Good food. most of the food is canned. Nice presentation. Friendly staff.

At first glance, you’re like… what’s up with all the colorful little cans and pantry staples on the shelves? Then, you find out you’ve just stepped into a world of creativity and fun.
Can-​Zo first opened their doors in January 2015, and I’m hoping it will become a South Bay hot spot for a long time. It’s a small space, but it’s cozy with a perfect ambiance of modern classy with fun 90s hip hop and dance music in the background at just the right volume. BTW, they have local bands come in to perform live music on Monday and Friday nights.
In the course of 1 evening, my friends and I literally tried every single flavor of their $ 7.00 shochu and sake-​based cocktails. From Yuzu-​Citrus and White Pear and to Oolong and Lychee (my favorite), all their drinks were spot on. They also have a good assortment of wines and Asian liquors.
Oh, and the pantry items I mentioned? You get to pick whatever «ingredient» you want them to use to make you a special recipe. Just a few examples from which to choose: Kikkoman canned curries, SPAM, sardines, scallops, and even Chef Boyardee! YES!

Went with some friends last nite. Didn’t know what to expect at first. This place is small and had a good number of people in there eating, drinking and listening to music, but they made room for my party of four. Staff was very courteous and very attentive! Live music was awesome! I couldn’t stop looking around. The idea of most of the food items on the menu coming from cans was quite unique. We had a bottle of soju, the stuffed mushrooms, the cheese plate and nachos. All quite good. Great place to hang with good friends… eat, drink and listen to live music.

More of a late night spot after you’ve already had some drinks in you, but also good for dinner if you don’t mind small plates.
The place has a pretty unique concept of tapas and canned food. You can order stuff off the menu which has fresh ingredients with a touch of canned food or simply pick out a can of european or Japanese canned goods that they’ll happily heat up and serve you along side your regular dishes.
They have a nice selection of sake, sochu, wine, and a $ 25 corkage fee if you bring your own party favors.
Service was good and very personable, which I expect from a mom and pop place.
The place is only a few weeks new and I hope they stick around!

There isn’t much that compares to the excitement of a new store, shop, or restaurant opening in your neighborhood. I recall noticing the sign when it first went up… «OAN-​ZO»?! «GAN-​ZO»?! I couldn’t make out the name but sure hoped that it would turn out to be a restaurant.
The Place —
Fast forward to 1÷9÷15, while heading to a different restaurant in the same plaza I happened to get a glimpse of the grand opening. The exterior appearance is unassuming with mostly frosted glass windows leaving just a small portion of clarity that you can see through. That is… you would be able to see through it if it wasn’t blocked by stacks on stacks of canned food; that’s when it clicked, «CAN-​ZO». Tapas and wine with an emphasis on canned food imported from Japan… interesting. The atmosphere that night appeared lively and bordered between casual/​trendy with what seemed like live music. I decided that I’d have to return on a different night.
The Staff —
Jump to 1÷23÷15, Friday night with a lot of time to spend. I spent a total of 4 hours experiencing CAN-​ZO from 6PM-​10PM. In this time frame, my group of 6 shifted from 6 to 4 to 5 to 2 to 4 people and I must thank the staff at CAN-​ZO for being so hospitable the entire time. They even ran out to give the girls a small bundle of flowers after we had already left which was greatly appreciated.
The Food —
At first glance, the menu is overwhelming; a lot of items mostly in the $ 5 – 6 range with a couple picks being slightly more expensive. Additionally, you can pick any of the cans from the shelving and the staff will plate them for you to eat. The options, at least to someone who is not well versed in Japanese canned foods, were exotic to say the least. Being newbies, we opted for the staff to select 8 different dishes for us to try. Of the 8, there was a few that left a lasting impression: Chinese Salad, Stuffed Mushrooms, Meat & Cheese Board, and Baked Crab Avocado — Delicious. Sardines in Bell Pepper — Questionable.
The Drinks —
There were a number of options for alcohol as you would expect from a place that is «Tapas & Wine». I lack the sophistication needed to judge wine but the glass of Merlot I had seemed pretty standard. We did get both the normal and premium sake sampler which contained 3 glasses of sake each. The «Hakkaisan» from the premium sampler was the smoothest and crispest out of the set which convinced us to order individual glasses of it as well.
The Music —
There was live music for the night which started closer to 8PM to a full crowd (bar seating & tables) performed by Ki-​yo (kiyokiyotaka) and established musician in Japan and a friend of the owner. Unfortunately, he is returning to Japan next month and won’t be making another appearance. However, the owner reassured me that there would be future performances by other musicians and that the live music is a regular occasion.
The Conclusion (tl;dr) —
Casual/​trendy atmosphere. Live music. Plentiful sake selection. Great staff. Interesting food with a couple stand-​out plates and no real misses. Would come back again.
And yes, this is Gardena/​Torrance; the clientele is/​was primarily Japanese if not all Japanese (minus my group).

Awesome local bar!

Awesome staff. Great food don’t let the can theme throw you off, this good is legit. And beer is awesome.

Very nice atmosphere. Friendly staff. Please get some canned eel for me … lol