Everybody knows that Sao Paulo is the best city to eat great Japanese food outside Japan. I always…read morehad great experiences eating at Izakaya Issa, one of the best Japanese food I have already had (different from te sushi-sashimi we are use to). I have never been in Japan, but I heard that Izakaya Issa is very authentic and traditional. The ladies working there are always very friendly, and Dona Margarida Haraguchi, the owner, is so sweet and conversationist! The star dishes from the place is the octopus balls (really creamy and well-flavored) and the ramen!

An Izakaya is first and foremost a neighborhood bar that serves drinks and bar food. This place did…read morea great job making me feel welcome, offering me a menu in English as we greeted. There were certainly plenty of Japanese speaking customers mixed in with Portuguese. And I, the odd tourist, felt right at home. The bamboo shoot and shitake mushroom appetizers were delectable. The chicken broth ramen was insipid. The Gyukatsu Kare (breaded fried beef with curry sauce over rice) was better, but not the ultra crispy panko planks I've had in some places. Maybe it was because I ordered it at the end of the night. The Brazilian brewed cold sake was really good. Could hardly tell the difference from Japanese sake. But, the highlight of the dinner of Sanma Shio--grilled pike mackerel with sea salt. Inexpensive for Sanma, uber fresh, grilled crispy so that you could crunch up the head and tail! The service was prompt, efficient and very warm. Even the owner came by to chat several times. Arigato gozaimasu! Obrigado! Thank you.

Great ramen worth coming back to. The broth is deeply savory and balanced, they cook the noodles to…read morehave the perfect chew, and the chashu and toppings are thoughtfully executed. Nothing on the menu has disappointed me; their gyoza and karaage are especially great for sharing. There can be a crowd at peak times which makes things a little warm, but service moves briskly, and the energy feels appropriate for the quality and turnover. Ótimo ramen. O caldo é bem saboroso, eles cozinham o macarrão perfeitamente. Todo do cardápio é bom, especialmente os gyoza e o karaage. As vezes, tem muita gente, mas o atendimento é rápido com energia boa.

Giving this place four stars because the food was delicious. The service could've been a little bit…read morebetter, but that could be because of a language barrier. Highly recommend this it tasted like legit Ramen and the food was salted. It wasn't bland. Server was amazing but the bartender seemed a little snarky.

Loved the ambiance and the service. The fish was very fresh!…read more I got a miso soup and noodle dish to start. The miso soup had tempura in it. Yum! I got a combination plate with various sashimi and a choice of a side. I got the gyōza. They were very generous with the portions. This was super fresh. Staff were very kind. I thought the fish and flavors were great!

As visitors, we rolled through Liberdade during the Sunday street fair and didn't have time to eat…read morein one of the restaurants. It was likely that we were only going to get to try one Japanese restaurant in Sao Paulo on our trip. Sushi or dinner plates? Luckily Yamaga has both. And both are delicious. They have an English menu! :) Although it was nice to see a Japanese menu in Portuguese. The salmon on salmon roll was fresh and so delicious. The beer hella (San Francisco Bay area slang for "very") cold, the sake delicious. The tempura generous and artistically plated. The OyakoDon comforting and delicately balanced. The okonomiyaki was crispy and the mushroom was good with beer. Everything was good. We ordered so much because we wanted to try it all, I wish I could eat here again.

A nice little spot! We ordered the caipirinha's, Sushi de Atum, the Niku, Gyozas, and the Yakisoba…read more Environment: It was pretty empty when we want around 7pm on a weekday. The wit staff was very friendly, even for us two foreigners who spoke very little to no Portuguese. As we left, the chef bowed, and the two hostess downstairs tried to engage us in conversation despite the language barrier. There was regular seating here, but we decided to try the floor seating, which was much harder than we thought it would be. I think I lost circulation in my legs a few times. Food: The caips were solid. Not sugary, but more like a calm lime juice. I tried one of my friends sushi, which tasted pretty fresh. The Niku was delicious! There was a smoky-like seasoning/sauce on it. The Yakisoba was smothered in sauce. The sauce meshed well with the noodles (which had some delicious crispy parts) but was a little overwhelming. warning: this is a HUGE dish. Definitely made for 3-4 people for sharing. Overall, this was a pretty affordable place, with great service, and a chill ambiance. It's just 3 stars compared to other, more tasty restaurants I tried while in SP.

Authentic Japanese restaurant with different areas per type of service: in front of the grill, in…read morefront of the sushiman, seating in the floor, etc. Good for going in group and has average price for excellent food. I recommend seating in front of the sushiman. He seems to be cold but is a nice person. I hope you enjoy.