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    Zu Izakaya

    4.6 (27 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Zu Izakaya Takeout or Delivery

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    ZU IZAKAYA ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Zu Izakaya

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    Tofu Curry Karage Bowl
    Shayla D.

    What a gorgeous little place! The decor and vibe of the whole restaurant was so inviting and beautiful. The service was even better ! We came in a group and our server was so accommodating and patient as we waited for the rest of our party. Even when our other party didn't show and our group was smaller than expected, we were still treated just as kindly as when we walked in. In addition, the food was great! Big portions with tons of flavor! The smell form each dish made all of us wish we got each others dishes! Definitely will be coming back to try the rest of their delicious foods!

    Tofu Tempura roll with added avocado inside  Vegan Vegetarian
    Lori A.

    We had a great experience here! Such a nice, clean, new restaurant decorated to resemble the izakayas in Japan. Our server was Zachary and he was great - Super friendly and patiently answered all our questions. We ordered the spicy miso ramen with added mushrooms. I'm so glad we added the mushrooms because they are amazing! The broth had the perfect amount of spice. We also had the tofu tempura roll with added avocado inside. I love how you can customize the sushi rolls. And we were so glad there are so many vegan and vegetarian options. Prices were reasonable and the service was very prompt. Highly recommend!

    Angie M.

    Really enjoyed Zu Izakaya in Gilbert! It's definitely smaller than the Tempe location, but it has a cozy feel. The sushi was fresh, the ramen was delicious, and the customer service was excellent. I also loved the artwork throughout the restaurant it really added to the ambiance. We'll definitely be back!

    Skewers
    Kira D.

    3 stars for kind service, but GF knowledge improvement needed. Our server was nice and kind, but gave my husband inconsistent information about GF options. Their menu is limited. I wasn't in the mood for most items on their menu that day. I opted for the skewers and enjoyed them just fine! If they add more items to their menu, I may revisit and check it out!

    Nigiri! Salmon, and two flared nigiri options!
    Mac D.

    I had a somewhat mixed experience, but frustrating experience at Zu Izakaya. The restaurant is new and is a nice-looking space. It offers a welcoming and cozy ambiance. As a celiac, it can be challenging ordering at some restaurants. This was one of those times. Labeling menu items as gluten-free (or gluten-free optional/available) is not a huge ask and is always appreciated, but I understand that it's not top of mind for every restaurant owner/operator. Zu Izakaya does not provide those labels. Fine, no worries, I can just ask the server (who can then ask the chef, if needed, of ingredients in a particular menu item). There are not many as-is gluten-free menu items at Zu Izakaya, so I asked the server about a couple items I had questions about... and it was immediately clear that he did not know since he provided conflicting information a few times. That made it difficult to have much faith in what he said. I asked if they could remove an ingredient from one of their specialty rolls... and the server said he would have to ask the chef. Then he forgot. Ultimately I just settled on some nigiri (which were really good) and tried a few seared nigiri (that did not have much flavor). With the many excellent sushi spots nearby, I just don't see myself returning to Zu Izakaya. Overall rating: ***THREE STARS*** Gluten-free rating: *ONE STAR*

    seating
    Adriana L.

    good service and even better food! I usually go to the location in Scottsdale Road but decided to check out this one since it's closer to me. It's the same essentially but a little bit different this one is more small intimate with faster service and no bar area! food was good just didnt enjoy the cheese corn as much as i did at the other location.

    Menu
    Vanessa B.

    Zu Izakaya is a brand new place that had a soft opening on 3/1/26, it's worth a visit with exciting new dishes especially for all you ramen lovers! They also have a poke bowl option, and fun appetizers. There is not too many places that you can quickly get a takoyaki or agedashi tofu on the fly. The Creamy Tonkotsu Ramen was delish, I can't wait to try the seafood fire ramen and the spicy unagi avocado bowl. Sounds so good! Go visit them at Gilbert and Baseline next to The Baskin Robins and Cafe Rio before this place gets hoppin

    Pork Tonkotsu Ramen
    Arianna P.

    I'm a fan of their ASU location but this is def my new favorite. Love the menu, vibes were intimate with good music and lighting. Food was excellent. We got the pork tonkotsu ramen, Mozzo sticks, gyoza, corn cheese. Green tea cheese cake was delicious!! Our server was very attentive and friendly.

    A photo view of the kitchen
    Aaron B.

    The food was excellent, I got the Ramen and the Egg rolls. The customer service was amazing from the second I walked in. The atmosphere is stunning and VERY comfortable. I've lived right around the corner for a few years and wish I found this place sooner.

    Pork Gyoza, Miso Soup, Chili Garlic Edamame, Lollipop Roll, and In and Out Roll.

    This place is delicious! Their pork gyoza and ponzu sauce are the best I've ever had! Seriously so good!!!Not to mention the service was great and the inside was super cute! Will definitely be going back!

    Lunch time

    The atmosphere was very quaint and the food was delicious. We ordered the cucumber salad with crab, skewers, tempura shrimp sushi, eel cucumber sushi, karaage chicken, and creamy tonkotsu ramen.

    Bento Box with Cheese Katsu
    Sunny S.

    Our family had Spicy Miso Ramen, Bento Box with Cheese Katsu, Fiery Seafood Ramen, and Lollipop Roll. All were delicious and yummy Korean-inspired flavors -- chef also owns Busan Mart. Decor is neon pop Japanese with cool digital displays of Japanese characters in the Arizona Desert -- how fun and whimsical! Service was attentive and friendly. Close parking is limited but can park farther. But more importantly, so happy that it's close to home!

    Creamy Tonkotsu Ramen

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    2 months ago

    Fantastic food and service. Alisha was wonderful and kind. All suggested items were delicious. We will be back!

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    5 months ago

    Love this place, the food was so amazing, service very quick and nice, definitely be back.

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    Ask the Community - Zu Izakaya

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    DOZO Izakaya

    DOZO Izakaya

    4.2
    (395 reviews)
    9.4 mi
    $$

    The service was 20/10, the kindest people I've ever had waiting on us in the USA…read more We came late and didn't realize the closing time. They told us to please stay and we are so welcome and they were over the top accommodating. Everything was so good. The spicy miso wasn't my favorite flavor but that is just a personal preference. They gyozas were so delicious I will come back again. When we left the people who were working, were all enjoying dinner together like a home family vibe going on. It was so cute and they were some of the most kind people I've ever come across. Definitely give this place a try

    We had been craving ramen for days--it kept popping up on our social media feeds over and over…read moreagain--so we finally gave in and decided to try this spot. They offer a nice variety of Japanese dishes, but we were definitely here for the ramen. I ordered the spicy miso ramen, and it came out just right--perfectly spicy with fish cake, green onions, and all the toppings. It was delicious and hit the spot. The tonkotsu ramen had a nice creaminess to it, but it could've used a bit more depth of flavor. One thing I really liked is that you can order side appetizers along with your entrée, almost like building your own bento-style meal. We went with the deep-fried gyoza and gyudon. The gyudon was a standout--definitely five stars. The gyoza, however, was just okay for me. Breakdown:    *   Spicy miso ramen:    *   Tonkotsu ramen:    *   Gyudon:    *   Gyoza: Service was friendly, the restaurant was clean, and overall it definitely satisfied our ramen craving.

    Photos
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    Inside
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    Shimogamo - Chandler

    Shimogamo - Chandler

    4.3
    (921 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$

    My date and I experienced the Omakase at Chandler and the service by Grace was amazing!!…read more She is the amazing grace of the establishment. Alongside her great service, the ambiance was very welcoming. Our favorite dishes for the night for the both of us was between the scallops, the cod, and the amberjack. We absolutely loved the Kakigori as it reminded us of a cute childhood date night treat.

    Updated review-- still 5 stars for me :)…read more Tonight we went to dinner hosted by the Tasting Collective (a dining club I joined last year). The menu was 5 courses prix fixe designed by the head chef for this group. The restaurant was closed as a private event. Service was excellent, the food was also so delicious, and cocktails were great too. Shimogamo is one of the few Japanese restaurants in the valley that remind me of eating Japanese food in Japan. It's well prepared, fresh, and high quality. The cocktails are creative and nods to Japan with delicate flavors and unique ingredients. Our courses were: started with the truffle amberjack which is a flavor bomb, very rich and truffle forward. Which I don't always enjoy but when paired with amberjack, it was great. 2nd course was a nigiri plate- 4 choices: sea bream (which I love), a fancy type salmon, toro, and couple pieces of the wagyu roll. Next onto a darn near perfect crab croquet that was creamy with big pieces of crab and perfectly fried, and main course was K4 ranch Wagyu from Prescott. Very buttery and delicious. We ended with a matcha basque cheesecake. The chefs talked about the food, answered questions, and talked about their background. It was an enjoyable dinner and we will be back for the "oysters and cocktails" hour they were promoting. I love both of those things.

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    Full Moon Izakaya

    Full Moon Izakaya

    4.4
    (144 reviews)
    19.6 mi
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    amazing food - even better service…read more the past two times i've visited the two servers have been exceptional. incredible reverse happy hour too!

    Full Moon Izakaya was a fun little find! The atmosphere immediately caught our attention the place…read morewas clean, inviting, and the anime decor throughout was such a cool touch. Definitely a vibe for anime lovers! Food-wise, we started with the gyoza and they were delicious. Perfectly cooked and even better dipped in the ponzu sauce! We also tried the sushi flight, which was a great way to sample a few different flavors. Overall, I really enjoyed it, although the eel was probably my least favorite of the flight just personal preference. The crispy tuna rice was easily the star of the meal! Crispy, flavorful, and the textures worked so well together. I would 100% order that again. The ramen, however, was just okay for me. It wasn't bad or inedible, but the broth was lacking that rich, deep flavor I look for in a good bowl of ramen. A little more depth and seasoning would really take it to the next level. The service was honestly one of the highlights. Our waiter was super friendly, cool, and attentive without hovering, which I always appreciate. Overall, there were definitely more hits than misses. The great service, fun atmosphere, and crispy tuna rice are enough for me to give Full Moon Izakaya another try. Next time, I'll be exploring more of the menu!

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    Full Moon Izakaya 
Veggie Sushi Roll
    Full Moon Izakaya Veggie Sushi Roll
    Eclipse roll
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    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya

    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya

    4.2
    (438 reviews)
    7.9 mi
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    kuka sushi is my absolute favorite sushi restaurant in arizona!! the sushi, raw fish, and sashimi…read moreplates are absolutely heavenly and always so fresh. I've been countless times over the many years and I will always find myself coming back. I had it again recently after a while with 2 friends who've never been before and the seared tuna sashimi, sicilian hamachi, and surf n turf roll was delectable. the fish and sushi roll slices also seemed to be so much more bigger than I remembered, the portion sizes were hefty! I always love introducing my friends to kuka because of how good it is, and I have to tell them that after trying kuka no sushi restaurant will ever compare again lol sometimes the service is a little slow, so it's good to remember and get all your requests first thing in, or in the past I honestly have just gone up to the server myself and asked for whatever I needed. it's not super deterring for me though due to the amazing food that they have. I can't really speak for the quality of their non-sushi items however, as I do believe focusing on their sushi is the best way to eat here!

    I recently had dinner at Kuka Sushi & Izakaya and was immediately impressed by the modern, chic…read moreambience. The space feels stylish and contemporary, with a sleek atmosphere that makes it perfect for both a casual dinner and a special night out. The menu is truly avant-garde! Creative, innovative, and full of intriguing options. That said, I have to admit I felt a little overwhelmed at first and wasn't sure what to order because everything sounded so interesting. In the end, I chose the Omakase Dinner "Buzz," and I absolutely loved the concept. It includes miso soup, 9 pieces of nigiri, a mini poke, and a 5-piece roll -- such a fantastic idea if you're undecided and want to try a bit of everything! I think it's a splendid option, especially for first-timers or anyone who wants a complete tasting experience without having to choose individual items. If I could change one small thing, it would be the roll selection. I wish there were an option to choose from the specialty rolls instead of only the basic ones. That extra flexibility would make the experience even better. Overall, the quality of the food was very good, and the overall experience was enjoyable. It's definitely a place worth visiting, and I'll certainly be back to try the curry and ramen next time!

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    Zu Izakaya - ASU

    Zu Izakaya - ASU

    4.4
    (317 reviews)
    8.0 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Kitchen open late

    We had such a great experience at Zu Izakaya and will definitely be back! We started with the…read morejalapeño poppers and vegetable tempura, and we were pleasantly surprised by how generous the tempura portion was for the price. Everything came out hot, crispy, and fresh. For sushi, we ordered the Jalapeño Vegas Roll and the Baked Scallop Roll, and both were absolutely delicious. I also had the California, spicy tuna, and spicy yellowtail hand rolls, while my sister ordered the California and spicy yellowtail cut rolls. Every roll was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. The quality of the fish really stood out, and everything tasted fantastic. A special shoutout to our server, Chloe, who did an amazing job! She was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. Her recommendations and great service made an already wonderful dining experience even better. Between the fresh food, generous portions, excellent service, and reasonable prices, Zu Izakaya is an easy five stars. If you're near ASU and craving sushi or Japanese food, I highly recommend checking it out. We'll definitely be back!

    Ordered food for me and my coworkers to our site on a Tuesday night this week. It was absolutely…read moredelicious for one! As has been the case for every Zu Izakaya venue I've been to, but? What made this experience above par, was the fact that even though they forgot to include the Miso soup, they were able to make up for it immediately. No hassle on getting refunded for the missing item, wonderful phone service, and delicious eats~

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    Hotpot, Assorted Tempura, Galbi, Oysters, Chicken Skewers
    Hotpot, Assorted Tempura, Galbi, Oysters, Chicken Skewers
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    Shimogamo

    Shimogamo

    3.9
    (208 reviews)
    5.3 mi

    For months, this location has been on a radar based on seeing various Yelp friends post about this…read morelocation. I was intrigued for both their sushi selection and their cocktail menu. I figured a Sunday afternoon would be calm, so I decided to pop in for a solo lunch. What I Ordered: - Yuzu Mule: The drink was delicious and refreshing, so I ordered a second one. Definitely order if I return as well. - Hamachi Lime Roll: This roll had an odd texture to me, and ultimately, I grabbed the rest to go as it was a little off putting to me. The flavor was decent though I found myself wishing there was more crunch with tempura flakes or panko bread crumbs on top. - Crazy Roll: The winner between the two rolls in terms of flavor and preference. Though, I wish this roll had the spicy mayo the other one had. I'd definitely order again and ask for a side of spicy mayo that I could add to the roll. Love the soy paper option! As for ambiance? I thought country music was an incredibly odd choice for this establishment hence the 4 stars versus 5 star review. I'd prefer more traditional Japanese music, or heck, even some J-Rock over American country music. I'm guessing Sunday afternoon is a slower time, so it was employee choice. Overall, I'd visit again when in the area and recommend to friends/family.

    I came in again and this is is during Arizona Chef's week 8/8/2026. It was $66 for 4 courses. You…read morecan choose 1-2 items per each course. Course 1: Hamachi Peach Crudo peach amazu / pickled daikon/ smoked tomato oil / red pepper. This dish was right in my alley! I love Hamachi, and peach! And this is my first time having this combo in a crudo. It was many flavors all combined in one dish. 10/10 . **Please add this dish to your permanent menu! Course 2: Spicy Scallop Futomaki/hokkaido scallop / benishoga / chili crisp/ takuan / wasabi mayo. This roll tastes great, scallop tastes fresh and I love the way it was seasoned. However the rice around it was too much that I couldn't taste the scallop fully. I wouldn't get this dish again because of the rice around it was too much. Course 3: Ocean Trout Mi-Cuit/ okinawa potato croquette / citrus cream/fried capers / crispy salmon skin. I love the cream and the capers in this dish. The fish is seared. Although not much flavor in the fish itself but because of the sauce, it complements the dish well. Course 4: Dessert - Yuzu Lychee Sorbet/vanilla whisky hojicha granita. Oh my gosh, this is my favorite dish! It was so good and refreshing! The yuzu sorbet was tart and creamy. And the hojicha ice underneath was delicious! I would come back to the restaurant just for this dish and the first dish!

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    Crazy roll + Hamachi Lime Roll
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    Zu Izakaya - sushi - Updated August 2026

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