Concierge.com's insider take:

The first thing you hear upon entering Hapa is a boisterous welcome cry. An izakaya is a Japanese pub, so don't walk in craving a California roll or expecting a refined Zen experience. Unlike the modest, down-and-dirty affairs that were Vancouver's first izakayas, however, Hapa is an upscale place, where Japanese-Canadian chef Justin Ault serves "tapanese" small plates in a high-tech room with exposed ductwork and low-slung tables. The ebi mayo may be the city's best shrimp dish, the prawns tempura-battered and drizzled with chile mayonnaise; mackerel is seared tableside with a blowtorch; kakuni is pork belly simmered slowly and served on steamed buns. Hapa's robust meals and reasonable prices attract a young, energetic clientele willing to wait for a table (there are no reservations between 6 and 8 pm). Ault opened a second location in Kitsilano (1516 Yew St.; 604-738-4272), but the West End location is livelier and service there more attentive.—Kasey Wilson

Open Sundays through Thursdays 5:30 pm to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays 5:30 pm to 1 am.