Mike Gin
Co-Owner of FAR BAR
(213) 617-9990
347 E 1st St, Los Angeles
    
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Sitting on a wooden bar stool inside FAR BAR, Mike Gin talks about the historic building that houses the restaurant. He begins by explaining how the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC), in 2004, restored the building, which had sat vacant since the 1994 Northridge earthquake. He then pauses and asks, “Or should I go back further?” Restarting, he backtracks to the 1930s, when the place was called Far East Café, a popular Chinese chop suey restaurant, explaining the origins of the famous neon "CHOP SUEY" sign out front. As one of the largest restaurant spaces in Little Tokyo, it hosted many events, parties, and weddings. During World War II, it stored belongings for many who were forced into internment. After the war, it served as a community center, offering food and shelter to those struggling to get back on their feet. For these reasons, the Little Tokyo community was always loyal to the Far East Café.
Fast forward to 2006, when Mike enters the building’s story. He and his business partners, Don Tahara and Enrique Ramirez, lease the space and open the Chop Suey Café. A tumultuous economy forces them to experiment with the restaurant’s menu, look, and identity, and after some trial and error, they find success with their back patio. It is 2010, the beginnings of Yelp, and restaurant-goers rave online about this speakeasy-esque alleyway next to the neon "CHOP SUEY" sign with a “bar far” in the back. The restaurant implements a quick name change from Chop Suey Café to FAR BAR , but leaves the “CHOP SUEY” and “Far East Café” signs out front in true speakeasy style. Today, FAR BAR continues to thrive amidst Little Tokyo’s changing ethos. Read on to learn more about FAR BAR and Mike Gin, the savvy restaurateur who has high hopes for this community.
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How did you get your start in Little Tokyo?
Mike Gin: My name is Mike Gin, and I am one of the co-owners of FAR BAR. We are an Asian fusion gastropub that opened in 2006 in the former Far East Café space. I was first introduced to Little Tokyo in the late 80's while attending USC. I was a member of an Asian fraternity, and we would come up from campus for late night dinners at Far East Café and Atomic Café. After I graduated, my mentor encouraged me to join the Japanese American Optimist Club (JAO), which is when I really became involved in Little Tokyo. I helped out with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas community events and the annual JAO Samurai 5k Run.
What is your most memorable experience in
Little Tokyo?
MG: My most memorable experience is seeing, witnessing, and being a part of the resurgence of Little Tokyo. When we opened Chop Suey Café in 2006, Little Tokyo was essentially a ghost town after 5PM. Lunch business was steady, but no one came to Little Tokyo after work or at night. Right around 2010, we saw new apartment buildings being built in-and-around Little Tokyo, bringing a younger crowd to the area. During this time, we re-branded ourselves to FAR BAR, changed our menu to Asian fusion, and became the first restaurant in Downtown LA to embrace the craft beer scene, supporting local brewers when the industry was still in its infancy. This new energy reinvigorated the neighborhood—it was the beginning of what Little Tokyo would eventually evolve into today.
What is your favorite restaurant, business or shop in Little Tokyo?
MG: Apart from FAR BAR, my favorite place in Little Tokyo was Oiwake's, a local restaurant and karaoke bar that closed down several years ago. Everyone hung out there. The food and drinks were mediocre, but the service was friendly. While sometimes there would be really talented singers, it was usually just loud and obnoxious. But every night, when you walked in, you would run into someone you’d know. It was truly the gathering place in Little Tokyo during the 90's and early 2000's. Oiwake's may have closed, but Little Tokyo still has a lot of great independent shops. Being an entrepreneur, I understand that it’s not easy to survive, so I really try to frequent those places.
What makes Little Tokyo different from other
neighborhoods?
MG: Because Los Angeles is such a melting pot of people and cultures, we see an abundance of ethnic towns. But I do think Little Tokyo stands out because it has evolved while maintaining its cultural identity. Organizations like JANM (Japanese American National Museum) and JACCC (Japanese American Cultural & Community Center) do a great job emphasizing the Japanese American experience. I’m a big baseball guy, and every year my friend Josh [owner of J. Morey Co.] and I host a few baseball players from Japan’s University of Rissho. We always take them to the museums because we realized that people from Japan aren’t always familiar with the Japanese American experience of World War II.
What do you hope for the future of Little Tokyo?
MG: Once the Metro Regional Connector is completed, I anticipate a resurgence that brings new businesses and opportunities to Little Tokyo. I look forward to this and hope that we, as well as Japanese and Japanese American voices, are part of that next phase. I’d love for small Japanese gift shops and restaurants to still exist here in 20 years.
FAR BAR is our legacy. We built FAR BAR for this community, which has supported us for the last 13 years. We hope to be here for the next 13 years, as a cool and relevant gathering place where people can share ideas and encourage change for the better.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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Meet Little Tokyo is brought to you by Go Little Tokyo:
a community led effort aimed at highlighting the unique
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this historic walkable neighborhood, and Go Little Tokyo
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