A few friends and I stopped by Ichiro Izakaya Yakitori on a Saturday afternoon right when they opened at 4:30, and there was already a line forming outside. If you've been wanting to try this place, I'd definitely recommend arriving early. Parking was probably the most challenging part of the visit. There was a rummage sale happening nearby, so the area was busier than usual. They do have a designated parking lot, but it's very small and fills up quickly. Most people will likely need to rely on street parking, which took a little patience that day. The restaurant itself is tiny, but that's part of the charm. There's a bar area that seats around 10 to 12 people and only a handful of tables. We were a party of three and were seated right away, but I could see larger groups having a harder time finding space together. The tables are also on the smaller side, so once the food starts arriving things can get a little crowded. That said, the food completely lived up to the hype. Everything we ordered was delicious. The chicken karaage was crispy and flavorful, the marinated ribeye was tender and packed with flavor, and my favorite dish of the night was easily the beef yakisoba. We each ordered a starter, three skewers, and a side that our server recommended, and every plate disappeared quickly. The atmosphere felt lively and busy, with Japanese figurines and decorations displayed throughout the restaurant. I overheard another guest mention that it reminded them of places they had visited in Japan, which made me appreciate the attention to detail even more. One thing to note - we were told they don't split bills, which wasn't a problem for our group, but it's something to know ahead of time if you're dining with friends. read more

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Overall, they did an excellent job recreating the classic izakaya experience. With a lemon sour in my hand, the grill flaring up in my face, and the sound of friendly conversation all around, I felt truly nostalgic for that hour and was not broken out of my delusion by the reasonable prices. The two downsides I experienced were the bar chairs and the chicken karaage. The chicken was dry on the outside without any sort of battering, which I had not experienced outside of diet naked tenders and certainly not anywhere I ate in Japan, but the quality of the chicken itself was good and highly juicy to the point where I burned myself on my first bite with a geyser of hot water. The bar seating was a nice touch but I found myself constantly sliding back in my chair and very low to the table. The sheer number of chairs packed into the bar was also authentic, as brushing elbows does indeed happen a lot in little shops like this, even if we are not used to it here. The yaki onigiri was absolutely amazing, crunchy and sweet, and the yakisoba was delicious with the rather interesting addition of mayo on the side. I wasn't sure I'd like it but it worked well. All in all, I'd definitely come by again to scratch the itch to not drop a grand on a trip lol read more

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I still can't believe we drove all the way to Fort Worth to eat here. I have been to Japan several times and I can tell you besides the decor and layout of the restaurant, this is NOT what you will find in Japan. We came early on a busy Saturday evening and ended up waiting for a table for 4 for at least a good 30min. Once seated, the server seemed like he was too busy to give us the time of day. The table was also disgusting - sticky and food still on the ground from the previous people who ate there. The ventilation is terrible. It is hot and smokey in there. You will literally walk out smelling like smoke. I felt bad for the people who work there, because I wasn't even cooking and I was sweating. On top of all this, the food is WAY overpriced. Our bill was about $200. At first it seems quite affordable, but the menu is set up so that the portions are small. It is priced per stick of meat so the price adds up quick. I've had WAY better tasting Japanese food at other restaurants around DFW. I've never regretted spending this much money on a restaurant before and was really trying to figure out why this place is such a hit. As a Japanese American I was quite offended by the way this restaurant was run. I hardly write negative reviews (you can check my profile), but this is my honest opinion. read more

Overall, I did enjoy the restaurant, but I think you have to go into it with some insights that would've been much appreciated if I had them prior to going. First and foremost, the bill cannot be split per an item ordered by an individual. You either split it equally, or it's paid in full. I went to dine with two other individuals, and we all ordered without knowing this which was rather confusing when the check came. Next, while they recommend what you order in select categories, be aware that your food is not going to be coming out in the order with which each the categories sit. We were getting items that were listed in the third category, so what should've been eaten prior to dessert before we got any of the yakitori. The location is downtown so be aware of parking, I recommend coming early, or when they open because it gets full quickly we got there at opening, but there was already a line to get in and eat by the time we were leaving. The restaurant is also relatively small, so leave what you can in the car. We didn't have anywhere to place purses so I ended up sitting with mine behind me. It was also difficult because the plates didn't fit on the table as they brought them out because we weren't eating in the course order. Lastly, remember the name of everything that you get. I ordered mushrooms, shiitake, we got mushrooms dropped to the table, but they weren't the correct ones and that seemed like a bit of an issue. The food was good, I would say the best part was definitely the yakitori, and the main dish items. I could take or leave the appetizers, the tonkatsu wasn't memorable for me, it tasted like the meat wasn't seasoned enough with salt and pepper prior to coating in flour and breadcrumbs. I also think the tonkatsu sauce was a bit bland that sat on top of it and it's something I prefer to have on the side. The highlights my meal were all of the yakitori, I enjoyed the chicken breast, soy ribeye, and shiitake mushrooms. I also liked the beef yakisoba, it's nice that they had the Japanese mayo on the side of it. I think when that's included, it always adds a nice richness. I was also a bit disappointed with the yuzu lemonade since it didn't have dried citrus in it, I'd seen prior. I thought about getting the high ball, but that was because I like the look of it overall so I was happy I didn't. If my friends wanted to go back, I would, but I don't think this is something I'd seek out read more

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Service was great i liked that they played anime music i was jamming out. The ambiance was cool i liked all the figures and decorations. The shrimp tempura was good, the wasabi tenderloin was delicious. The wing was ok it was burnt but still pink in some parts. Ill be back for sure to try new things read more

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We came here to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. We got here around 4:30 and were the second group seated. We ordered a few skewers, and everything was delicious. I do wish the matcha crème brûlée had been a little colder, but I get it with the Texas heat. The service was attentive and friendly throughout our meal. It was a little pricey for the portion sizes, but overall, we'd definitely come back to try more of the menu. read more

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An Izakaya only spot in my favorite part of town? Hell yeah! Ichiro Izakaya Yakitori is a new entrant into the burgeoning South Main/Magnolia food renaissance. For the uninitiated, Izakaya a type of Japanese bar/restaurant that specializes in small dishes, usually grilled over hot coals. Here in Fort Worth, we have several great Ramen spots that also feature quite a bit of Izakaya type dishes, but Ichiro is unique in that is all they serve. Another bonus is that it is currently in the space of one of my previous favorite spots on South Main, Black Cat Pizza (RIP). Walking in, it is exactly what you would expect from an Izakaya place, a narrow, bustling, and fun atmosphere with the delicious sound of sizzling meats being cooked over hot coals emanating in the background. So what did we order? Well damn near everything. We started with some dumplings , then ordered some Hatsu, Yellowtail collar, pan-seared scallops, Negima (Duck breast), Beef Tongue, and split a few dishes of fried rice. I may have forgotten a few. I meant to take more pictures but we ended up devouring some of the dishes too quickly. Everything was great. The yellowtail collar is popular there and is a must order. My other two favorites were, surprisingly, the Negima and Beef tongue. Great thing about Izakaya is that you get to try so much, you get to expand your horizons a bit without having to take in too much so order to your heart's content and don't be shy. We are definitely going to be back to explore more of this delicious menu and this awesome atmosphere. read more

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Delicious food, awesome ambience. If we only lived close, we'd be regulars! The rib eye! the boneless chicken wing was a great ending to our meal! read more

Ichiro Izakaya Yakitori - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Fort Worth, Texas

Food 10/10 Drinks 10/10 Ambiance 10/10 Loved this place ! Definitely worth the wait it is small so the wait might be long just do it. read more

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WOW! This place was so delicious! Every dish we tried was a 10 out of 10! Even my drink with lychee was amazing. I can't even pick what was my favorite but the chicken wings were at the top of my list! DON'T SKIP THE MATCHA CRÈME BRÛLÉE amazingggg! read more

I've been on a Japanese food kick ever since visiting Japan this summer, so I was excited to try out this new spot! I ended up ordering... well, basically everything on the menu. My absolute favorites were the duck, yellowtail, the salmon, and honestly any chicken skewer. I also tried a few cocktails. None stood out as a must-order for me, but the drink menu is really diverse and I think almost anyone could find something that fits their taste. One tip: it does get super busy, so I recommend keeping track of what you order -- it'll make things a lot easier once plates start flying out to the table, as well as when it's time to pay the check. Overall, I love, love, love the concept, the execution, and the variety. If you're looking for a way to explore some good Japanese yakitori you gotta stop by here! read more

Everything we ate was delicious. It's essentially all small plates, so you pick and choose a few things you want. Best chicken katsu I've had in a long time. You should come here. read more

Founds this restaurant on Yelp. Went in early December. Wait time for 4 people was about 20 minutes on a Friday night at 8pm. Interior has many small tables and I very intimate. John was really helpful at recommending us different dishes. We ordered edamame, fried wings, duck breast, beef tongue, grape tomatoes, corn, chicken heart, and matcha creme brulee- fantastic crust on the sugar. All the dishes tasted wonderful. I really liked the wings that were recommended. Service was very fast. Happy to have found this new spot read more

Ichiro Izakaya Yakitori - Japanese Near Me - Fort Worth, Texas

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We stopped by on a Friday night, it was packed (it's a small seating space) and were told a 45 min wait. We opted not to stay. If you are planning on going get there early on the weekends. Didn't get to try the food but it looked good. They didn't ask our name and I have no idea how they managed the waitlist. read more

This is a cool new yakitori spot in the Near Southside area, off of S Main. The food is great, lots of little plays, great for sharing. The resturant is small, so plan accordingly, especially on the weekends (they do take reservations). The service is great, everyone was super nice. Overall, it was a good time and great good. read more

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Everything we tried was super delicious! We shared small plates and each one was different and tasty. read more

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I paid $13 for a small portion of soggy French fries and undercooked bacon... Egg rolls were edible and fine. Nothing special. The rice with butter had no butter or flavor until you got to the very bottom of it where it looked like it had touched something dirty with other seasonings. Not to mention it was literally a single spoonful of rice. It took two bites to finish it. When they say small plates they're not joking around. read more

Saw this place on TikTok and then Insta and had to come finally try it out. Everything we got was SO GOOD. From the wings..to sirloin skewers.. to the matcha crème brûlée! 10/10 read more

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I shall start by saying my wife and I really like(d) Ichiro. Now we have visited three times, April 26, May 10, and recently June 14. We spent $100+, $77+, and $90+ (including tips) coinciding with these dates. So, we have really dived into the menu, which we find overall a very good experience and would give that aspect 5-stars. In visits one and two we had excellent bar side service from Karissa and Nick. We arrived virtually at their opening hour on these first two dates and the restaurant was mostly empty. Again, I would give 5-stars to Karissa and Nick for their service. However, in our June visit we arrived a bit later and the place was hopping and thus we had a short wait, which was no problem. What happened next is apparently their routine in that we were seated with complete strangers at one of the bench tables. It seemed to come as much a surprise to our table sharers as it did to us, but we were game for this unusual arrangement. Perhaps this approach is due to the restaurant size and popularity, but it would have been nice for this to have been explained in advance. Maybe they do not explain upfront because most people would pass and they figure once you are seated it might seem rude to extricate yourself. But be warned this is their 'policy', I guess. Fortunately, we met a great couple and who were from our hometown and had a great time. But I could also see this being awkward. Now for server #3 on June 14, Lawrence. To be accurately blunt, Lawrence is curt. I think he picked the wrong profession as customer service and hospitality are not his forte. Avoid him if possible. He also sped-spewed the menu structure and offerings, which was quite off putting to the couple we shared the table as they were first timers. He also overemphasized (in tone and repeatedly) that we should put in our entire order up front because if not and when he comes back to take subsequent orders that it could be upwards of 30-minutes! None of us were worried about that but in retrospect it smacked of wanting to rush us through our meal. Our table colleagues ended their meal before us and thus we were finally left all alone at our 4-6 seat bench table. But no, alas, Mr. Congeniality swept in and asked us to pick up and move to another bench table and yet another stranger couple. While our new table partners were delightful, asking us to move is just plain rude. An associated sidebar is that when we arrived, I spoke with Karissa and asked if we could have her be our server and she said sure and to just ask for me when seated. Upon being seated Mr. Happy Face said no that Karissa had too many tables. OK then! And upon reseating and waiting for a second food order it only took at most 10-minutes for it to arrive. You decide if my theory has legs. Lastly and not necessarily a restaurant matter, there was a degenerate street guy hanging outside at the entrance. Note here the restaurant has covered outside seating at the entrance if you want to brave the heat. The street creep harassed people for money as they departed and otherwise stood leering into the entrance dining spot waiting for the next patron to depart. We also witnessed him flipping door handles of vehicles on Bryan right outside the restaurant as we drove up looking for parking! Hmmm, was he looking to make a quick score from a vehicle that might not have locked their doors? Anyway, as much as our first two experience at Ichiro were outstanding this last once has left us likely not returning. Sorry Karissa because you are a real gem. read more

Food was delicious and service impeccable. It's a small, quaint restaurant and totally worth it if you have to wait to be seated. Don't miss out and try the matcha crème brûlée. read more

Ichiro Izakaya Yakitori - Matcha Crème Brûlée - Japanese Near Me - Fort Worth, Texas

Fun and well decorated Japanese decor. Delicious grilled yakitori items. Happy there's a new yakitori spot in DFW! Small portions gives you an opportunity to taste the entire menu. Our favorite piece was the grilled mushroom. Can't wait to come back. read more

Love the food, atmosphere, n service!! I'm going back. Everything is fresh n delicious. You won't be disappointed.

THE FOOD AND SERVICE IS AMAZING! The ambience is unmatched, and prices aren't that bad! you neeeeeed a watermelon soda read more

Love love and love. Highly recommend. I just love the vibe in here so so much. We got so much food and everything is so delicious read more

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Cute little place, y'all, but everything kinda tastes the same. It's like they grill everything with the same basic seasoning. A bit overpriced for what you get. I wish they'd bring out chopsticks as soon as you sit down. The lamb chops were super fatty and chewy, and the fish skin was tough to eat -- especially since they didn't even provide a proper knife at the start. Honestly, all the dishes just ended up tasting alike -- different proteins, same flavor. read more

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Love the concept, and similar to places I've been in Japan, service was slow, they got my order wrong the first time, and all the skewers were extremely salty, didn't have the flavor profiles you would expect, the edamame was good but everything else was a miss, including the rice read more

Having travelled in Japan many many times, I have always been looking for something similar to the true Izakaya and Robota style establishments common in Japan. While the DFW area has a huge number of sushi restaurants, there are only a handful (3-4??) that step out of that mold and enter what Ichiro has. Not a single instance of sushi is on the menu (don't get me wrong, I love sushi too), but rather a large selection of Japanese grilled small plates. Its the Japanese equivalent of Spanish tapas, and it is amazing. Service was very good (small parties might have to share large oversized tables) and food arrives hot and clearly freshly made. If you are looking for Japanese, but want a change from sushi for a night, I highly recommend Ichiro. read more

Very good food and drink selection, quality on everything was great. Service was amazing, food came out quickly, server was very attentive.

Seriously so good. Very different concept from anything else in Fort Worth and they nail it - they yakitori is so good. Great variety in the menu, and the staff were all knowledgeable and had perfect suggestions. Will definitely be back, and I hope this restaurant gets a lot of business! read more

I took my Hubby out Wednesday night to celebrate his birthday at a new Japanese tapas restaurant, Ichiro Izakaya Yakitori Grill & Bar, located at 401 Bryan Ave., just one street over from Main St. We were warmly greeted by our server, David, who seated us at the counter in front of the two grill chefs. They are open Tuesday - Sunday, 4:30 - 9:30 and 10:30 on Friday & Saturday. This night started out great and I knew the food would be absolutely fantastic! ATMOSPHERE & AMBIANCE: Guests can choose to sit at the counter, in a booth, or in the back area, which offers several four-top tables. The booths are spacious and could easily seat six adults comfortably. The back wall features a beautiful Japanese mural depicting two workers on a log raft riding large waves--very striking and artistic. There are two grill chefs--one specializing in chicken and the other in fish--working alongside the kitchen chefs. The chicken grill chef (sorry I didn't catch his name) showed us the Binchotan charcoal they use, also known as "white charcoal." Made from Japanese holm oak, these long black logs have a hole down the center and are prized for being high-density, long-lasting, and capable of producing high heat with minimal smoke. Most importantly, they enhance the natural flavors of the food. (I definitely need some of this for my Big Green Egg!) Adding to the charm, anime-style figurines are scattered throughout the restaurant--a cute playful touch. FOOD: David, our waiter, started us off with drinks. My husband ordered the Japanese Carbonated Hojun--a strong, white peach-flavored soda--while I enjoyed the Yamato Junmai Sake. We decided to sample a variety of small plates, beginning with the Takoyaki Octopus Puffs ($8.00). These six golf ball-sized bites were crispy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside, with tender bits of octopus. Excellent! Next came five Pan-Seared Shumai Dumplings ($6.50) with a savory dipping sauce--absolutely delicious. The Beef Yakiniku ($8.00) was melt-in-your-mouth tenderloin slices served with a flavorful sauce--simple and so tasty. Then we shared three Pan-Seared Scallops ($8.75), rich and buttery with a garlic ponzu glaze. Each of us also ordered the Sweet Soy-Marinated Ribeye Skewers with Yellow Bell Pepper ($6.75), which were juicy and perfectly seasoned. For our final dishes, I had the Unadon Grilled Eel over Sushi Rice ($12.75). This was my favorite of the night: a generous smoked eel filet with a delightful sauce, topped with a fried egg. The rice was the best I've ever had--fluffy, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. My husband chose the Duck Tsukesoba Dipping Noodles ($8.75). This dish was incredible: soba noodles served separately, paired with a rich, umami-packed broth filled with duck, green onions, and shiitake mushrooms. You take a spoonful of noodles, dip them into the broth, and--wow. It was so good that I could eat it every single day. Every dish we ordered was a hit. STAFF: We were thoroughly impressed by the warmth and friendliness of the entire team. David was an outstanding server--attentive, knowledgeable, and personable. The grill chefs were equally welcoming, and we enjoyed chatting with them throughout the evening, which made the experience even more engaging and fun. SUGGESTION: If I could offer one suggestion, it would be to provide chopstick rests or stands, so guests don't have to place their used chopsticks directly on the table. FINAL THOUGHTS: Please spread the word and support this amazing restaurant--we'll definitely be back to try more dishes from the menu! Overall, Ichiro Izakaya Yakitori Grill & Bar is a true hidden gem in Fort Worth--delicious food, warm hospitality, and a fun atmosphere that makes you want to come back again and again. read more