It's always such a unique experience at Izanami. The food is fantastic, and so different than the usual Santa Fe offerings. The service is always A+, very friendly. This is such a fun way to eat, small plates, lots of options to try new things. If you're visiting the tubs, do yours of a favor and make some time for a meal here. read more

One of the best meals I've had. The food and sake selections are incredible and the location is beautiful. I make it a point to go here anytime I'm in Santa Fe. read more

Stayed at Ten Thousand Waves for an amazing 5 nights and found our izanami experience a HUGE disappointment. We had packed up and planned to have a leisurely lunch as a treat for our last hours on the property. We got seated quickly in the lovely outdoor pavilion, which was about half full. Our server, Victor, eventually sidled up to us and took our order of a sake sampler and iced green tea. It took awhile for them to arrive, though within reason - we didn't have any sense of the delay to come. Victor forgot which one of us had ordered the sake and placed it on the table with no introduction and backwards. But I can turn a tray and read, so that was OK, though when you are in a luxury restaurant that touts its sake selection I'd have thought some discussion/explantation might be in order? We ordered two bibimbap bowls. No appetizers or anything else. We enjoyed our sake and tea for about half an hour while playing cards. By this point the other tables had filled up, and people who had arrived long after us were receiving their food - in some cases their second courses. We'd finished our drinks; nobody asked how they were or if we wanted anything else. Finally I flagged down Victor to ask about our food. He muttered that he would check. About ten minutes later he emerged and said the bowls would be "right out." Fifteen minutes later the meal had still not arrived. I had to get up and speak to the hostess. Still no meal. By now we were starved, fuming, stressed, and out of time - we had to be in downtown Albuquerque in an hour and a half. Finally my girlfriend got up and told the hostess to cancel the meal. At this point, some person other than Victor brought out our bowls, but because we didn't want to scarf them down in a rush we didn't even take a bite. The restaurant didn't charge us for the meal or drinks, but we left very upset, not to mention hungry. What an unfortunate way to end our stay. It's worth noting that we had eaten from izanami in our room a couple of times, and the restaurant's food quality was excellent -- but sadly, those who say that the abominable service makes izanami a stain on Ten Thousand Waves are 100% correct. read more

Food poisoning - Beware My fiancé and I came here after spending the day at 10,000 waves spa. We had a wonderful time at the spa spent about $500 on the treatments ect. We then went to have dinner at Izanami and wishing 4 hrs of eating the meal we both got food poisoning and were sick for several days. read more

I guess we expected more from the lovely Ten Thousand Waves. Mostly underwhelming food. The "pick your kebab" menu for $22 was meh. Since we were staying at the spa, we felt like we were a captive audience. (I wonder if any good pizza/takeout places in Santa Fe will deliver to the spa?) The dessert (a popcorn/peanut bread pudding) did a lot to redeem the experience, but we probably wouldn't pop down money here again. And our waitress gave some unnecessary attitude when I asked if they had any sushi. Like, yeah, I've never heard of an izakaya. read more

After enjoying the ten thousand waves spa, we had the best dinner of our trip at izanami. The hostess was very accommodating when we arrived early and seated us on the patio, which has incredible views of the surrounding hills. Our server was amazing and gave great recommendations. We enjoyed the wagyu beef, gyoza, risotto, and fried chicken dish. All of the food was wonderful. We also took the server's recommendation for sake, which was great as well. I would definitely recommend izanami! read more

izanami - View from the patio - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

The most decent place in Santa Fe for Asian cuisine. That is not much to say and is really sad. I wonder what other people's taste buds are like. The ambiance is nice. Lightning not over baring. The view is romantic, but the dishes are small plates and extremely costly. I get it, they are wanting high end customers, which is fine, but really this is only a place for special occasions. But to eat here regularly is a fail. I miss Seattle and the food. Santa Fe is just plain boring and over priced. Bored read more

The most puzzling thing about Izanami is how the setting and interior are so gorgeous and the food is so mediocre! I know the place styles itself as an "upscale Japanese pub" (izakaya) but most of the offerings fall short (with some exceptions like the winter nabe dishes) of anything resembling good Japanese food. Putting things on "small plates" does not make them Japanese! Izanami receives many glowing reviews about the food but anyone who has dined in Japan would be disappointed in most of the offerings. The flavors and combinations are all off like pretending to be Japanese food. I would fall over laughing if ever encountering these menu offerings in Japan! The new seasonal menu seems to cover some of what are claimed to be popular dishes and well as many dinner entrees - try eating that 32 oz Wagyu tomahawk steak with your chopsticks - haha! Throw in some flavors like yuzu, miso, wasabe, ponzu, goma, and hey! It's Japanese! Sorry Chef Kiko, but this hybrid Japanese/Tapas thing doesn't work for me. read more

This was quite possibly the most disappointing dining experience I have had to date. I understand it is COVID, and that they are providing a "casual atmosphere" but I have never felt so unwelcome in a restaurant before. We made out reservations for 9pm for the patio. We are from out-of-town and heard that this would be a fantastic place to visit - I didn't feel like that once. Not only did the hostess completely ignore my specific reservation outside and stuffed us in a far off corner inside, I physically heard an exchange between a chef and the hostess of the "relief" they felt that the last reservation was in, i.e ME. Right in front of them. To which the server didn't greet us until five-ten minutes in. Brought us our sake, and then never offered us another glass after we had clearly finished them, ten minutes into dinner. We were cut off and told it was "last call in the kitchen" the same ten minutes into dining. The restaurant closes at 10. We were completely ignored the rest of the time, none of the dishes were explained to us. Not even the do-it-yourself wagyu beef plate on a hot rock. No explanations, no cautions. To which we had to go and physically find someone who worked there to get our check. Our server no-where to be found. Needless to say, did not meet my expectations. Izanami, do better. read more

Nice fun ambience. Great food with a variety of meat and vegetarian options, hot and cold. Interesting Wide selection of sakes.

I have been to Izanami many times and dinner last night was better than ever. The restaurant has set up two open air tents for safe dining, complete with views of the spectacular summer flower garden and an almost full moon rising over the mountains. The food was delicious, perfectly portioned, and seasoned and cooked to perfection. Started with a sake flight and then moved on to our groups favorite for a bottle. Service was attentive, very safe, formal yet friendly. As always. You can feel the love the owners have for this very special and unique property. Completely satisfying and relaxing. read more

$$$$ and good. Had a deliciously soft melt in your mouth tuna and fantastic steak. Good roast vegetables. Was not a huge fan of the pickled veggies. Waiter made great beer and sake suggestions for our meal. Good for a happy hour or allow extra time for a nice meal. Menu rotates maybe quarterly and is posted online. Reservations recommended on the weekend. read more

This place is classy all the way. The people that work here exude a friendly, positive attitude. When we first arrived our table wasn't ready. There was a slight wait of 10 mins past our reservation time. However, to show sincere apologies for the wait the host brought us 2 glasses of champagne. For dinner we ordered the chefs choice and the sake flights. I was thoroughly delighted with each and every course. It was fantastic! This dining experience by far exceeded my expectations. read more

After spending a lovely evening at Ten Thousand Waves Spa, I was encouraged to end the night with dinner at Izanami. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with both the food and the service. The food was bland and way over priced and the service was just okay. My friend and I were ready to get the heck out of there after the first 2 dishes were served. I would not recommend dining at this restaurant. There are plenty of other awesome places to eat in Santa Fe! read more

Gorgeous views, especially after a snowfall. Post-spa experience, this is a great choice for lunch. I had the Nami burger and fries, which were delicious. read more

In Japanese mythology, Izanami is a goddess of both creation and death. Unfortunately, we received much more of the later. They say "never say never", but I am saying never. I'll never go back there. I hope you read this review and don't go here, saving you from a calamitous experience of the highest degree. It is painfully obvious that this restaurant would not exist if were not attached to Ten Thousand Waves. First of all, don't bother making a reservation, because they are not honored. Despite arriving on time for our reservation, several people without reservations were seated before us. So as the clueless hostess ushered us towards "the table I saved for you outside" she rounded the corner only to realize she had already seated people there...a group without a reservation whom she seated before us...no more outdoor tables we were informed. Then, the waitress assigned to the inside table we finally received refused to serve us because she was "too busy." To the rescue came Tony, who we assumed to be the manager. He proceeded to take our order. Yet, thirty minutes later, we still had no food because, apparently, "certain foods take longer." We assume this is the reason why our food arrived cold and in haphazard order. Enter the lovely Mariel, who had refused to be our waitress, but thought it incumbent upon herself to come to our table seeking kudos for the food. When asked if the chef cared what the patrons thought about the food, she responded in the affirmative, so we advised her of what we thought she wanted to know -- that the food was cold. Her attitude became toxic. After one round of rudeness and post entrees, she finally brought out the rib appetizer we had ordered and announced snidely "I hope this makes you happy," and promptly dropped the appetizer in the middle of the table. The portions were ridiculously small and over-priced. One of our diners wished he had gone to Teriyaki Boy at the mall instead. At least he would have been treated with some respect...and not left hungry. I started this review with a Japanese word, "Izanami, and I will end it with a Japanese word -- "yokeru," which means "to avoid.", heed my warning! read more

I have been here twice this month. The service and the food is amazing. Last night I brought two guests. Every dish we ordered was divine. Izanami also has an excellent sake menu. I highly recommend this place. read more

Pay no mind to the ignorant negative reviews. Plenty of Japanese restaurants don't serve sushi. Complaining of such is like going to a fine Italian restaurant and complaining they don't offer a pepperoni pizza. How culturally ignorant. And complaining of small portions in an izakaya? Did you not know what kind of restaurant you were going to? Google is your friend! ;-) Ok, enough ranting about ignorant reviewers. Izanami is a refreshing and excellent addition to the Santa Fe dining scene. Go! read more

My husband and I came for dinner and we had a wonderful experience. I am really surprised by the negative reviews of this restaurant. Yes people, there are Japanese restaurants THAT DO NOT SERVE SUSHI!!!! OMG!!! It's true!! They serve tapas style dishes and they are very tasty. I am also shocked that people think the servings are small. They are the opposite of small! I guess if you're used to super size meals, you would think the dishes are small. But trust me, they are plentiful and will keep you full. We ordered the following: -Homemade gyoza -Bok choy -Green salad w/sesame dressing -Tebesaki (2 chicken wings) -Pork belly -Shichimi fries -Fried sweet potato -Banana katsu (dessert) Everything was delicious! I especially loved the sweet potato, bok choy, and salad. All dishes were fresh and came out quickly. We waited maybe 5 minutes before the first dish arrived. The service was also amazing.... our waiter was attentive and kind. He checked in on us often, refilled our waters, and answered all of our questions. Everyone who worked there was great! We sat outside and they have a lovely deck. I would say they had about 10 tables outside and a really pretty indoor area as well. The views of the mountains are so pretty when you are eating there. I cannot wait to return! The restaurant is a nice compliment to the spa area. A+! read more

We're hoping we just had a bummer experience. I ordered the bento box and the meat option they described was not what came out (like the difference of crab to small chicken wings). They did offer to make something else and comp the wrong which made us want to give it another try. The ramen was good, not awesome. There were several other appealing things we wanted to try so we'll give it another go. Highlight: the ricotta cheese cake with lemon curd dollops. read more

A very disappointing and dismal experience. We left early after being ignored and waiting forever when the restaurant was not in the least bit busy. We had a reservation so that wasn't the issue. While waiting for our table it was taking so long we decided to try and purchase some chopsticks and holders but that never happened since the hostess couldn't locate the prices. Finally we were seated then waited literally 15 min for our sake. Server indicated the gyoza was steamed and it certainly was not, it was pan fried, they were oily and rubbery as well. Menu was disjointed...who is interested in eating a burger at a resort style restaurant? Soup was velvety smooth, but again, we jumped the shark and went somewhere else. read more

Izanami was an obvious ending to a luxurious day of relaxation at ten thousand waves. Our affinity toward dining there was sparked and fueled by the 50.00 vouchers we received from the spa as part of our treatment package. We ordered a heavy survey of the menu. The Wagu Burger, fried avocado, gyoza, and black sesame panna cotta, and sake flights were the highlights of meal. The sake selection was made animated by Gordon, likely the most knowledgable expert on sake in the US. Do not hesitate to request to speak with Gordon, provided you visit prior to November (he is the apprentice of a sake maker and lives in Japan 5 months out of the year during sake season). read more

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I'm standing in the cold outside izanami. They took my reservation for 4pm. But they are keeping everyone in the cold until 4pm. No doubt they would be unhappy if I showed up 15 minutes late for my reservation. What sense is it that we have to stay outside until no earlier than exactly 4pm. Rude. read more

So we're staying at the Ten Thousand Waves resort and just had to try the on-site Japanese restaurant, Izanami. Made the reservations online and decided to go for the Japanese-style floor-seating dining ala authentic Japanese style. They seated us right next to where all the patrons who opted for floor-seating dining left their discarded shoes. When I say 'next to the shoes', I'm talking two feet away since you gotta remember that we're sitting on the floor. Not something you'd see in a real tatami room in a restaurant in Japan. Yes, I've been to one several times. We asked to be seated elsewhere, and we're given the option to take one of the tables, but only if we're out in one hour fifteen minutes since it's reserved. We took it but sat for fifteen minutes without anybody taking our order. At this point, we just decided to walk out since there was no way we would've had a decent meal at this point without rushing. It definitely tainted our stay at the resort. read more

After a blissful few hours at Ten Thousand Waves, we were in the mood for a light dinner. (A few heavy New Mexican meals in a row will also induce that feeling!) Our meal at Izanami was pretty darn good. The grilled onigiri were a huge standout, as were the tofu skewers. My husband, who objects to tofu on some moral grounds I don't really understand, ate it up happily. I can't remember what else we had, but it was all fresh and delicious. The environment is modern and clean in a pleasant way that complements the spa quite nicely. I'm glad there wasn't any fish. It's New Mexico, for pete's sake. Who wants to eat fish that far from the water anyway? I would leave off one star only because I've had better Japanese food elsewhere in North America. But I had no disappointment about the meal, and I'm sure for New Mexico, it's the best izakaya food available. read more

Wow...a gorgeous Japanese restaurant overlooking Santa Fe, next to one of the best spas around... How could you mess this up? Well they did! Here's any idea...Let's build a Japanese style restaurant complete with sushi bar and "sitting on the floor" room...BUT SERVE NO SUSHI. No Sushi? No Sushi! Who decided that? Hello? This is a major let down folks. Ok, so we decided to stay and try this Japanese restaurant, with no sushi, and ordered appetizers, salads and entrees. The entrees came out first ( the chicken breast was dry), followed by the salad ( 3 bites..really) and then appetizers came...dead last. The edamame came at the end of the meal, a full 60 minutes after we sat down! Portions are very very small...I guess since it's a spa they don't want to fill you up. Service was ok, but the server didn't even mention anything when the edamame came last out of the kitchen. I'm still trying to figure out why they built a sushi style bar with NO SUSHI. Maybe to watch them cut carrots. Yeah that was neat. Anyway, this party of four won't be dining again at this Japanese restaurant, that doesn't serve sushi. Sayōnara folks! read more

We took a wonderfully scenic drive through a winter wonderland and wound up at Izanami for lunch. The walk from the parking lot up to the restaurant itself was beautiful, as we were surrounded by snow covered evergreens, and each step up brought us farther away from the city below and deeper into a tranquil state of being. The waterfall and pond outside the restaurant somehow seemed to complete this process of leaving the city behind. Izanami is full of woodwork from a local woodworker, and takes full advantage of the gorgeous views that surround the location. We were seated a window table, and thoroughly enjoyed the views. Our server was very helpful, knowledgable and efficient. I was quite impressed by the sake list, which seems to be unrivaled in our state. Again, our server was super helpful in terms of helping us navigate through the sake selections. Since Izanami is an izakaya, the dishes, as expected, were small and meant to be shared. We stuck to vegetarian dishes, and were quite happy with the variety of vegetarian dishes available on the menu. The onigiri was expertly prepared. The tofu was perfectly cooked. The sauce of the sautéed mushrooms was delectable when sopped up with the afore-mentioned onigiri. The avocado "sashimi" came with real wasabi, and just a drop of the artisanal soy sauce was an explosion of umami goodness in my mouth! Finally, the ginger ice cream was full of fresh grated ginger, and paired quite well with the green chai. And yes, as others have pointed out, the bathrooms are a must-visit! I think Izanami is a wonderful addition to the Santa Fe dining scene, and I certainly will be returning. read more

Izanami is a very special place. You can sense the passion that went into everything! Restaurant is a work of art. I could not believe such a place is in New Mexico. Even the walk from the lower parking to the restaurant is a wonderful experience. In my opinion, the food selection could to improve a little to match the amazing sake selection. However, Izanami is now my base to which I compare all restaurants to. This is World Class! read more

This place was such an enormous disappointment that we finished our food and went straight to the square to have another. For being at one of the most famous spa's in the world, they had only four gluten free items on the menu. remember, this is a place that serves SMALL plates (and they are seriously small). They even had dishes that should have been simple to modify to be gluten free but were not. And at the bottom of their menu the explicit state that "requests for substitutions are politely declined." The Brussels sprouts were fantastic. The fried chicken was tasteless and completely uninteresting. The rainbow salad was very fresh and had a nice Wasabi taste to it but was mostly a bore too. Their tea, however, should not be missed. The setting is beautiful although we were seated next to the window which, on that row, felt like we were back in the kitchen. Waiters and staff stood there talking to each other and making quite a clamor as if we were back in the kitchen. there were even stacks of supplies lined on the bar which made it unsightly. They even had a photo shoot going on a few tables away from us - couldn't that have waited to be done during off hours or not when you had guests seated near you? You must go see the restrooms however. I didn't personally go in but my friend said that it almost made the bad and overly priced food completely worth it. I'm giving this place two stars because the food was fresh and and not bad tasting. But, just to be clear, I would never go back to this place (despite the delightful staff and bathrooms) read more

Izanami is a restaurant sits within a traditional Japanese spa/resort. The waterfall greets you upon entering along with the pleasant staff. We were seated near the window overlooking beautiful rain drenched mountainside. Parking is tricky so be sure to read the instructions on their website. A small plate menu was presented to us and explained. We ordered the pea croquettes and crispy chicken as appetizers and both were yummy as were the sauces. As main courses hubby ordered the bento box that featured pieces of perfectly cooked rib steak, broccolini, and salads, and he enjoyed everything, even though he was a picky eater and was presented some new items. My vegetarian bowl was brought to me sizzling at 500 degrees with a raw egg on top, which I promptly cooked and mixed into the sizzling bowl of rice and vegetables. A little miso and chili paste stopped off the perfect dish. My bulgar tea was a nice change of pace as far as teas go. They also have a very large selection of sake that you can order flights of should you wish. Service was excellent. An overall great experience! read more

First a disclaimer....I can't say I am an expert on Japanese cuisine. Even worse, when I think about Japanese dining I think Sushi, Sashimi, Donburi, Yakisoba, and the like. I can say that I do like great service, atmosphere, views, and creative delicious offerings. The structure of offerings built around small plates allow for diners to try so many distinct flavors. In addition, the food is pickled, cold, hot, grilled, or deep friend. Each style of cooking/presentation provides something new and exhilarating, even when at times the ingredients are similar or the same. I loved the pickles, the buttery glazed carrots, the sublime mushrooms, the grilled chicken, the fried gyoza....well, you get the idea....the list goes on an on. Although, I really wish I had tried the cucumber miso sake soup.....oh well. And of course, would be amiss to not discuss the fun of the saki flights and the way we were able to go from no idea to a clear picture of the style of saki we would enjoy. The views from the dining area and the aesthetics of the dining area itself are quite pleasant, and the team who works here all about making sure you have a positive and memorable time. Definitely be open minded in the land of New Mexican fare to try this Japanese gem. And don't worry about the lack of sushi...you won't miss it! I will not visit Sante Fe without making the time to get to Izanami! it is that good. read more

Having tried Japanese and Japanese-inspired omakases on various occasions, we have learned to judge an omakase meal not by good or bad, but "impressed" or "less impressed". The omakase menu at Izanami was "impressed". And the omakase flight sake pairing was excellent. At 12 courses, the menu showcased a variety of cooking techniques. It was not an artistic performance, but a dedicated execution. Fish sashimi with green chili (we were in NM) was our favorite. Accompaniments are the make-or-break for an ankimo (monkfish liver) dish. They did it right at Izanami. Cold and hot dishes were served alternately to keep a balance on our taste buds. Trent was our server. He was busy. Most dishes were served by the hostess, the manager or other servers. But he checked on us regularly and had a nice chat with us at the end of the meal. Wanted to thank the hardworking kitchen crew for delivering the continuously coursed meal, we voluntarily added - our first ever - "6 Pack for the Kitchen" to our bill. read more

Service is questionable--waited for 30mins and didn't get our dish. Asked server, she said that she just checked with the kitchen and it's coming (with a pale face). Oh really?? Then why we waited for another 10 mins? Dishes taste very American Japanese, not authentic. Some are indeed tasteless. The pieces sometimes are strange--for example, two people are getting 5 pieces of fish... I understand the idea of sharing, but sharing everything unevenly made us felt uncomfortable. Btw, bad WiFi, easily getting disconnected and didn't send anything out successfully. Everything related to the hotel service is spectacular, so two stars for Ten Thousand Waves, not Izanami read more

Delicious food. Would be a five star place if the service were more professional. I mean, it's good by Santa Fe standards, but that's like being the valedictorian of summer school. read more

The food here isn't bad, and the *pork belly* is YUM-O (although unfortunately only served at dinner now, which was a huge disappointment when I last went there). It's solid, and the presentation is good, but nothing special, which is problematic, considering that the ingredients are top-notch and the restaurant has been nominated for a James Beard award. Considering that 10,000 Waves (though a fantastic spa, which I have reviewed as a fantastic spa) is marketed towards upscale tourism and, for lack of a better term, more bougie locals, Izanami's prices actually aren't bad. However, the current lunch fare is simplistic, and is better-executed at less expensive restaurants like Magkoro and O-Ramen in Albuquerque. I appreciate that 10,000 Waves now has a restaurant, so that when you're at the spa, you can eat more than overpriced pre-prepared sandwiches and mochi, but after giving this place three tries, I just don't see any reason to travel all the way out here just to go to the restaurant. read more

There were so many good items on the menu it was hard to chose. I ordered the Nami Ramen, despite being concerned about ramen noodles being a cheap noodle sold in grocery stores. This dish was amazing the flavor was incredible. The onsen egg was better than any egg I've ever had in my life. The chef actually gave me the recipe to make the eggs. Wish I could have tried other dishes. read more

Everything was going perfect till we decide to order shabu shabu hot pot for 2! .. the dish is advertised as "have fun: cook it yourself!". They poured the "shoyu broth" in our pot and we started to add all ingredients. The broth was extremely salty like if it was soy sauce. We ate a little but we could not continue eating it, cause the broth was so salty . We called our server to ask if the soup supposed to taste like that "salty", we told her we can not eat it, it was disgusting, a second person came to our table, not sure if it was the manager, she asked -"what do you want to do ? - do you want us to add water ?"... - honestly I did not think that soup could be fixed by just adding more water, all our ingredients absorbed the salty flavor. so I asked one of the server, can u please taste it ? while he removed the pot from out table. He came back and said its really bad, then they apologize for that, they agree it was a mistake. The chef came to our table and explains that is not really a japanesse version of shabu shabu that is modified to American taste, and he brings a clear broth. We decided to give a second chance and try it... sadly my palate still had the salty flavor of the previous broth.. its was late and what supposed to be an experience to have fun, turned to be a terrible disaster. we cooked the soup for second time, we had to wait another 15 min to let all ingredients absorb the flavor of the new broth, i did not like it... so all I wanted was to leave. So we paid and left. My lesson learned, don't go to a restaurant to cook it yourself!! its not fun. let them cook it for you!. read more

My boyfriend and I ate dinner here after a soak at the waves the other night, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The design and atmosphere is awesome, the service was fabulous, and the food was delicious. It was a perfect way to unwind after our soak and gently re-enter the real world. read more

izanami - Frozen waterfall outside Izanami - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We had one of the top 3 meals of our month-long cross country road trip at Izanami. We had purchased the "lunch special" inclusive of massages and a hot tub over at 10,000 Waves, that also included 30 dollars each to lunch at Izanami. For a 30 dollar lunch, we were not disappointed at all- the opening pickles dish was super yummy, the agedashi tofu was the best I've ever had, and the carrot and red pepper cold soup is something I still dream about. My partner said that the tonkatsu pork was spectacular, and the kobe burger was phenomenally cooked. We were fighting about which dish was the most spectacular when the wonderful server brought out a berry panna cotta that blew our minds. Each thing was better than the last, and it was the perfect end to our spa morning! Yes, it's spendy- so save it for a special treat! Another trip to Santa Fe could be in our future... read more

First, let me not allow this review to reflect the fantastic establishment that is Ten Thousand Waves. I had a wonderfully relaxing experience there and would rate it highly. My issue is with the restaurant only. Izanami is overhyped and therefore, priced accordingly. The $16 ramen was filled with tasty, al dente noodles and lots of fresh veggies but the broth was surprisingly bland and lacking the rich, salty flavor that draws us to ramen in the first place. The seasonal pickle dish was pretty tasty and nice to snack on after a good soak and the Panko fried avocado and zucchini was quite good. We also ordered from their extensive saki list, which I would describe as tedious and off-putting. They have flights that aren't on the menu that they describe in an almost annoying lack of detail, despite our follow up questions and if you want to buy a bottle, they actually charge for a sample taste if you want one in order to make a decision. We landed on an unfiltered and asked for a bottle. The bottle was larger than we expected and so we didn't drink much of it. When the bill came, out bottle was nearly $40 higher than menu price and when we asked about it, the server indicated that the screwy menu had caused confusion in the past and that the menu indicated the glass and the carafe price, not the bottle price. Perplexed, we asked for an explanation and we were told that bottle prices aren't listed, to which we pointed out several sakis that had a bottle price listed. They offered us a meager discount and indicated that we were getting a good deal since we had drank 3/4 of the bottle (which was incorrect- there's well over half the 750 ml bottle left after our light lunch.) The attitude from our server was unapologetic but quick to point out that we weren't the first to be dismayed by the menu confusion. Hey- here's an idea: FIX IT! A word to the wise from a conspiracy theorist like myself- I have an inkling that a lot of people get screwed over by this deceptive practice and are none the wiser and I don't think management minds that at all! Check your bill, folks! read more