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    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant

    3.7 (213 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM

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    ICHIBAN JAPANESE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Ichiban Japanese Restaurant

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    Ichiban.  Appetizers, lunch specials, Korean and Japanese dishes.
    John S.

    Saturday. February 22, 2025. Dinner. My wife and I recently returned from a trip to Japan, so I will compare this restaurants to other Japanese restaurants in the United States. Comparing them to actual Japanese restaurants wouldn't be fair. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated almost immediately and they had a nice Japanese painting over our table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our waitress had a friendly smile and refilled waters regularly. I ordered the Tonkatsu ($15), which is deep fried panko breaded pork loin. I had this with the fried rice and extra cabbage. My wife and I also split an appetizer of Monkey Balls ($7.50), which are spicy tuna, cream cheese and crab stuffed into a tempura fried mushroom. The sauce drizzled on the Monkey Balls tasted spectacular, but the dipping sauce for my Tonkatsu was very bland and did nothing to enhance the taste. In addition, the fried rice turned out to be regularly cooked brown rice and it needed some soy sauce. Overall, we left full and the service was fast the food good. We spent a total of $40.36 for our dinner.

    Medium Boat
    Maria-Christina S.

    One of the hidden gems of ABQ Westside! Tucked into the corner of a strip mall Ichiban is a good spot for sushi, noodle & rice dishes and a variety of entrees. The service is always good and friendly and sure, sometimes there's a wait but the food is always good and pricing is fair. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant went through a remodel a few years ago and added outdoor seating and updated dining area, you can even sit at the sushi bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I was sad to see the individual bento box removed from the menu but there's still a bento box for two.

    Miso Soup
    Bryan V.

    We've ordered sushi takeout here multiple times and each time the sushi has been good. So we were confident that eating in would be just as good. We ordered Pajeon, Green Chili Tempura, Spider Roll, Super Crunch Roll, Sanchez Bibimbap, and Dolsot Bibimbap. Everything we had was enjoyable with no complaints. I did wish there was more sauce with the bibimbap because I'm saucy like it. The green chili tempura had good texture with the batter. My girlfriend wants to try the other Korean offerings they have, so we will be back. Service was great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a nice little hidden gem for some Korean good and you really wouldn't think of based on the name.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    The raw meat

    My husband and I were really disappointed with our experience here. Our order came out wrong, and to make matters worse, part of the meat was served raw/undercooked when it should not have been. We understand mistakes happen, but food safety should never be overlooked. The lack of attention to the order and quality control made the meal unpleasant and not worth the money. We spent $90.00 our meal and will NOT BE Back. That's really sad because this was our regular place to eat.

    Mia M.

    Ichiban is a wonderful sushi spot with amazing lunch specials. They're quick for lunch and have amazing quality! I'm pretty picky about eel but their eel handroll is amazing. There's placing in the back near savers, I would say park there so you don't have to fight for a spot! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's pretty laid back inside, not fancy at all but really high quality.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is quick and all the servers I've interacted with have been awesome!

    Sushi boat

    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant is such a hidden gem! Everything is fresh, balanced, and consistently good. It's the kind of place I keep coming back to when I'm craving quality sushi.

    Soy sauces
    Laura B.

    We were the first people in for dinner when the place opened. The Asian gal took our appetizer and drink orders, and then the tall blonde girl who looks like Taylor Swift took our food orders. You had to add your own table salt, and not rock salt on the edamame. The deep fried gyoza was over cooked and not very desirable. The California roll was good, but no wasabi. The teriyaki chicken with white rice was overcooked and veggies were mushy. The fried rice with shrimp was the best entree of the night. The yaki soba noodles with very little chicken and overcooked vegetables was a loser too. The worst of the night was the "krispy" tofu that was mushy with overcooked veggies that was a minuscule portion. The woman came to refill the drinks when we were leaving. Bad timing. Ho hum. We got the uneaten rest to go, and dumped it when we got home. Ugh! For almost $100 we definitely will not be back again soon. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Walk by this place tucked away in the corner of this strip mall. Just keep walking.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Dish bin in front of seating area
    Elizabeth W.

    The fish is always fresh and the service is fast and friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I did notice tonight if you sit at the tables, towards the front of the restaurant, you do hear the dishes banging in the dish bin.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]When you're trying to have a conversation, it is annoying and hard to converse[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], [[HIGHLIGHT]]I think I've stated before the restaurant is kind of backwards. They have some really nice items on the way to the bathroom in the back that should be in the front and the items in the front should be in the back of the restaurant[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] but overall fresh sushi.

    The meal that gave us food poisoning

    My husband and I ate here on 5/23/26 and got food poisoning and were quite sick for several days (one of the days I couldn't even get out of bed and was vomiting throughout the day). (Note- I am in my 30s and generally pretty healthy- so this was quite concerning). We called the location to let them know we had gotten food poisoning and told them what we had ordered, so that anyone else ordering the same thing wouldn't get sick. We had ordered items with Korean beef, as well as the dynamite sushi roll (see image). I don't know if the meat or the sushi was undercooked, or if it was a weird spice in the sushi roll, but either way, it made us very sick. When we called, the manager almost acted like he didn't even believe us (he said nobody else had called in about getting sick, so that made our story somehow less believable to him?) and offered to give us a 'credit' for the next time we go there. Sorry, but I'm never going back there again. He REFUSED to give us a refund for the meal that actually made us SICK. This is unacceptable. Ichiban should have higher food quality standards. We basically paid good money to get sick. Super disappointed with the experience and the management's response. Note: it is interesting because I have since seen a number of other reviews for that same week/weekend from other people having poor-quality experiences and undercooked meat. Sounds like it wasn't just us making it up afterall.

    Sushi dinner and Galbi. Already ate monkey ball! SOOOO GOOD!

    Delicious food and friendly service. I Highly recommend! [[HIGHLIGHT]]A wonderful atmosphere![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Jake T.

    First time trying this place and we were blown away with how good it was. [[HIGHLIGHT]]A consistent flow of customers made the restaurant pretty busy which we felt was a good sign.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Got the fried gzoya which were fantastic and the ended up getting 4 different rolls all of which were awesome!! The best part reasonably priced. Will absolutely come back I think we found our new sushi place!

    Teriyaki chicken build a bowl

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    Great review! We sent you a private message, so check your inbox!

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    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ichiban Japanese Restaurant

    Do they take reservations? I didn't see that option anywhere. If so, would I need them for a 5pm week night?

    Is there an unlimited sushi option?

    No, you pay for what you order. No all you can eat options here.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Sakura Sushi and Grill

    4.5
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    As someone with celiac, eating sushi can be surprisingly stressful. Soy sauce is in nearly…read moreeverything, menus aren't always clear, and I'm usually stuck asking a ton of questions or avoiding places altogether. That's why Sakura Sushi & Grill stood out right away. They clearly label gluten-free options on the menu. They also offer gluten-free soy sauce, which is a huge win. Even better, they have lunch specials with gluten-free options, which is rare. It's located in Riverside Plaza in Albuquerque, just past the river on the west side. I ordered the Sushi Lunch A with premium fish and chose the double salmon roll. Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious, and the portions were great for the price. The miso soup that comes with lunch isn't gluten-free, but they brought me a side salad with an amazing gluten-free dressing instead. I felt confident eating here, which is not something I say often. I didn't have any reaction afterward and would absolutely eat here again. One of the coolest surprises: they make their own wasabi in-house. It's not on the menu, but if you ask, they'll bring it out, and it is absolutely worth it. We considered getting a sushi boat, but the lunch specials were a better value for lunch. If we went for dinner, we would absolutely order a boat. I also had hot sake, which paired perfectly with the meal. At the end, they even brought us a sweet cinnamon tea for my friend's birthday, even though we didn't order dessert. Service was warm and attentive the entire time. My friend has a shellfish allergy, and the server made sure her plate only included fin fish, which we really appreciated. We went around 1:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, and it was quiet with only a few other tables. The atmosphere felt calm and relaxed, with a casual, comfortable vibe that made it easy to sit and actually enjoy a conversation without feeling rushed. They close at 3 and reopen for dinner, so it's a great low-key lunch spot if you time it right. My friend also mentioned she brings her young kids here often, and the woman manager or owner is especially kind and welcoming to them. I enjoyed this place so much that I called my husband on the way home to tell him all about it. We're already planning to go back with our kids, which will make this my second visit in one week. If you're gluten-free, this place is a gem. And even if you're not, the quality, service, and overall experience make it absolutely worth a visit.

    Green eyes, fried rice I could cook an egg on you…read more. Excuse me, a green tea?" From ice on rice.. Music for a sushi restaurant.. We settled in at Sakura for a late lunch... We started and finished w. delish Cold Sake.. We shared...a very well cooked delectable.. "Soft Shell Crab"..melt in your mouth good.. Up next.. "Vegetable Fried Rice" of Stir Fried Rice cooked with Peas, Carrots, Yellow & Green Onions, & Sesame Seeds w. Added Kimchi..nicely hitting the spot..:) "Sakura" is most authentically superb..:) "If the stars were edible And our hearts were never full Could we live with just a taste? Just a taste.. "Music For A Sushi Restaurant" Best, Avram Hairistyles Jr.

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    Sakura Sushi and Grill
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    Tokyo Hana

    Tokyo Hana

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    This place is always a solid choice! The chefs are always entertaining and kind, the food is always…read moredelicious, the sushi is also very good! The vibe of the place is fun and it's always a good choice! It's clean. I love the jalepino specialty roll, it has pickled jalepino in there and it's delish! Their started salad has the most delicious ginger dressing in the world! I could literally eat that salad every single day. The girls love their steak and chicken habachi dinner. The chefs are always very accommodating to our allergy concerns, they leave the egg out for us and it's always still very delicious! Love this place! We come here pretty common.

    I have eaten at Tokyo Hana 5 or 6 times. There are much better Japanese steakhouse/sushi options in…read morethe Albuquerque metro than this restaurant. To be fair, I have only ate in the hibachi side. The food is consistently mediocre with my biggest issue being the overall lack of flavor. The portions are descent and prices are reasonable; so maybe you get what you pay for. Every time I've eaten there, the chef seemed disinterested and not a great performer... after all, that is generally why most people choose the hibachi grill side. It seems the prime real estate on Coors blvd. and the malls 'restaurant row' may encourage customer churn over wowing guests so they come back... at least it feels that way. And lastly, many Japanese steakhouse hibachi 'pits' do this, and this restaurant is no acception: after you are served your initial round of drinks, it is very difficult to flag down someone to get a second. Aren't alcoholic beverages the biggest profit center? I don't know why this part is difficult to execute.

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    Counter
    Counter
    The tasty noodles with "Coke Cola"!
    The tasty noodles with "Coke Cola"!
    Teppan tonight.

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    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant - japanese - Updated August 2026

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