Zu Izakaya
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We were not impressed. Everything was mediocre. Sent the yellowtail collar back because of no flavor. The bulgogi was dry. Sushi and tempura was good. We won't return. There are better restaurants.
Food was okay! Sushi roll was good we got the Philly roll. I would avoid the hot pot, a lot of people mentioned it tasted like instant ramen and I wanted to give it a try still but I agree it does taste like a pack of ramen. It was too expensive for it to taste like that. Service was decent!
We have gone many times to the other location in Paradise Valley but we found ourselves in the Tempe area so we decided to give this place a try. First, the building is a good size but it is split between the bar and restaurant with the kitchen in between. There is no sushi bar which was surprising. Anisty, our server, was not only amazing and prompt but she immediately removed our dirty plates as soon as we were finished something I truely appreciate. My husband ordered a hot pot and I ordered sushi and both were great! Definitely we will return!
We were out in the Scottsdale area and starving for some sushi. After consulting my very extensive book mark collection "Funny thing about that...." list, Zu Izakaya was channeling its inner goodness straight to my stomach and I wasn't able to deny the connection. We were greeted immediately and everyone was extremely nice and pleasant. After sitting down, we had our drinks order with a couple minutes. The hostess walked us through the menu and recommended a few different options based on our likings. Everything was delicious and amazing! We may or may not have gone a bit overboard :) It was worth it!! We definitely left full and completely satisfied. On a scale of 1 - 10, this place has such a great vibe and the food is down right fantastic! Hit it up, smash it, do all the things...you won't regret it!
Small, cozy eatery with friendly staff. The food was good, we tried a bit of everything. My group dined in later at night, so most of what we ordered was happy hour prices - starts at 9pm. The squid salad, seaweed salad and rolls were tasty but the ramen broth was a bit salty for my liking. I forgot the brand of soju they serve here, but it had a weird after taste for me. All things considered, it's a enjoyable restaurant to grab a quick bite.
Popped into this place for our last meal before leaving AZ and it did not disappoint! We were the first people in. When we walked in it had a very fishy smell, so it kind of made us second guess our choice. But we went for it anyhow. The greeter/server was very pleasant and sat us. It was very clean inside with ample space between seat. We browsed through the menu and started with our usual edamame and pot stickers. The edamame was salted well throughout where a lot of places just put the salt on top only. We ordered a couple varieties of sake which were both good. Out of all of the things we ordered the karange skewer was just a little more oily than were use to, but still good. The spicy salmon roll had really great flavor and the lollipop roll was probably one of the better versions that we have had. The musubi was giant to say the least, it was good, but offered a bit too much rice. Overall the food and service was great and we were very happy that we ended up here!
My husband and I came to Zu for a quick happy hour meal before our flight back home. It wasn't too busy so we were easily able to grab a table. I like that the menu featured not only sushi but some great apps too. Everything came out very quickly & prices were great. I enjoyed the food and bonus points for them having fresh wasabi. I'd definitely come back again.
( This is the first of five reviews I've prepared for describing some of the food I ate while I was out in Phoenix, Arizona. ) So this is going to be an unusual review for me in the sense I'm not reviewing a local spot -- over the last few days, I had to fly over to Phoenix for work-related events. While I was worried about becoming homesick, I also realized that I had a prime opportunity to check out some of Phoenix's food scene! The next five reviews will thus focus on some of the restaurants and joints I tried while I was in Phoenix -- call it a foodie's travel log and diary if you will! When I flew in late on Tuesday evening, most of the restaurants close to my hotel were closed... needless to say, aside from cursing my late flight, I was about ready to go to bed without dinner. Then, I saw that Zu Izakaya was open! A short drive from the airport and located on Scottsdale Road, Zu Izakaya was listed as one of the best sushi restaurants in Phoenix -- and with its late hours, it was a perfect place for me to go and grab some much-needed late night sushi and dinner! It looks like a Mexican restaurant on the outside, but don't let it fool you -- it's one of the most unique izakaya restaurants I've seen, enough so that this would easily be at home back in Vegas. It looks like it's fairly popular with the late night crowd, too, since this place was fairly packed at 10 PM, long after most places in Phoenix have closed for the night. Food-wise, they offer quite the unique menu -- along with traditional Japanese dishes, they also serve Korean-style jjigaes and grill items that are popular among the late night crowd! Of course, for the sake of my review I tried mostly the Japanese menu -- though you better believe that if and when I'm back in Phoenix next time I'll come back to try the rest of their menu! As this was my first time in, my server, Tanja, was nice enough to provide me with recommendations on what to try at Zu -- and needless to say, I enjoyed everything! See the attached photos for examples of what I had -- of course, my favorites were all the sushi, but the miso soup, tempura, and their skewers were also amazing. Shout-out to Tanja for helping make my first meal in Phoenix be this memorable! Despite my frustrations with flight delays, my experience at Zu redeemed that night -- enough that I'm already planning to go back to Zu if and when I return to Phoenix next time! I can't think of any better way to make a great first impression. Here's to hoping I'm able to come back sooner rather than later!
A friend and I were in the mood for sushi and decided to choose this spot for our monthly group get together recently. We came in on a Monday night for a party of six and we were seated relatively quickly. We decided to go family style and share everything. After looking over the menu we ordered, butter corn, agedeshi tofu, shrimp tempura roll, eel cucumber roll, spicy scallop roll, siracha shrimp roll, spider roll, baked scallop roll, crunch salmon roll, tofu tempura roll, salmon uni ikura don, and a chicken katsu for the kids in our group. The dishes that stood out the most during our meal were the spider roll, crunch salmon roll, tofu tempura roll and the agedeshi tofu. The only dish we didn't end up caring for much, was surprisingly the salmon uni ikura don. The style of the salmon wasn't what we were expecting, and the rice was a bit mushier than we would've liked. Overall, the service was fast and friendly. I would say the ambiance was casual yet cozy. It's a solid spot all around for all sorts, a date night, a meet up with a group of friends, or a family meal with the parents and or the kids. The quality of the sushi isn't top tier, but it was decently good for the prices. We really liked how extensive their menu was and how it offered much more than just sushi, a little something for everyone's taste buds and preferences in the group.
I have a perfect seafood spicy pot pot My daughter enjoyed the pookie. I arrive early. It's a quaint small restaurant. The servers are lovely.
The food here was phenomenal. Everything!! The fried food was fried to perfection! Delish. The sushi was fresh. Small place, I couldn't see if they have area to accommodate large parties. Tables and booths sat 4-5 people. All the staff were nice. The music was our vibe. Great prices! It's not listed on the drinks menu but they also have a full bar. For a double jack and coke was $14! Even better!! We really loved the smaller portions of the food we ordered to be able to try other things. We will be returning! This is a place we show our friends or family who visit us
I fear we went in with high hopes to unfortunately be severely let down! Disclaimer, the service was 100/10, our server was so being kind and accommodating, and I personally loved that she was so knowledgeable about the food (answered all the questions we had). We were excited to see such a highly reviewed restaurant with ramen/noodle options, of course being wary with the few negative ones - especially the one who mentioned that the noodles tasted like maruchan ramen lol. Much to our dismay, that comment was 100% true, all the noodle dishes we ordered tasted EXACTLY like the at home ramen packets to the point they were unappetizing at almost $20 each. My biggest issue was that there aren't actually a lot of seafood/vegetarian, even though it looks like it on the menu. A lot of the items listed as seafood centric or vegetarian have a beef ingredient in them so it REALLY limits your options down to just a few. Other than that, the other items like the corn and egg rolls were good, and the miso soup was good too.
3 years ago
Pretty awesome place. Only thing is seating can be a bit tough in busy times. The spicy crab roll is delicious. I don't recommend the quail egg skewer. Soft shell crab was okay. The skillets are good. Sushi is generally good across the board. read more
3 years ago
Had my eye on this place for a few months. Just never seem to be in that part of town while hungry. Zu Izakaya did not disappoint! Small, slightly aged building with plenty of party. The place was crowded but there was no wait and the service staff seemed to be timing everyone's dishes perfectly. Started out with Saki Bombs. There were a few different types on the menu. There were so many food options. Since we were first timers, we asked our server Dylan for suggestions. We finally decided on a few different vegetable skewers, beef bulgogi, curry ramen hot pot and some of the most delicious sushi ever tasted- the jalapeño hamachi roll. Can't say enough about the quality, taste of food and Dylan's service. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and will be back again very soon. read more
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We got seated fast without a reservation and sat at the back bar through the restaurant. It's pretty dark inside at night. The shrimp tempura roll was okay but nothing crazy. I love the butter corn and the chicken katsu was really good. Great flavor, crunchy, and not too big of a portion it also came with a side of rice. The service was attentive and nice. Prices are very good so I'll definitely be back here during happy hour read more
PROS: the food is so great CONS: is it the best sushi I've ever had? No. Zu is good. Great. Excellent! It is not a fancy sushi experience, and that's okay. There is absolutely a place for solid food at decent prices in a low-key environment. Not to mention they have some top-notch offerings. Let's break it down. Gyoza - perfectly fried, flavorful, delicious. Order this for sure. Rolls/Fish - everything is so fresh and flavorful. I really have no complaints. Tempura - light batter and fried perfectly. Anything from the grill - so delicious and flavorful! And the hot pots? Mind blowing! I dream about the bulgogi mushroom pot. VERDICT: This is an excellent spot that is absolutely worth checking out! read more
2 years ago
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3 years ago
What can I say? I've searched a LONG time to find this level of quality and attention to detail in AZ. While there are many "good" sushi/Japanese spots here... this place is exceptional. I can't wait to come back. read more
So I come here a lot. Because the food is great. So I'd not know why I haven't posted about this place to shoot the hype. When I'm craving hot pot, some sushi and all kinds of other good shit. I usually almost always come here. And I have been for years. So I swung by last night and was like, "why haven't I reviewed this place"? I'll just start by saying the food is good. Really good depending on how you order but they never have disappointed me ever. I've never sat down and had a bad meal here. So here's what I had. I started with the Agedashi Tofu and the Seaweed Salad. No photos but the Seaweed Salad is legit. I promise. The Agedashi Tofu is fried tofu in a bed of Sweet Tempura Sauce topped with Shredded Seaweed and Green Onion. Fire Dragon Roll - Spicy Crab Mix, Shrimp Tempura & Cucumber with Baked Eel, Avocado, Eel Sauce and Masago. Pretty good. Jalapeño Vegas Roll - This is my go to roll. I love a good Vegas Roll but you add Tempura'd Jalepenos and Spicy Crab Mix on top! Yoooo. Flames! Seafood Egg Pot - Japanese style Egg Drop Soup/Broth with Vegetables and Udon Noodles. I order Mine with the Dashi Broth. But it's legit. Actually, I've had almost every hot pot and haven't had a bad one yet. But this one's legit. Next time you have a soup and sushi craving, give them a go. I doubt you'll be disappointed. In the food at least. Cheers. read more
4 years ago
We wanted to get some sushi close to our hotel. We choose this place and so glad we did! We arrived around 6:20pm and the place was packed! Come to find out they had a happy hour on drinks and sushi until 7pm. The wait was 25min or she mentioned we could sit at the bar. We went to the bar and found a table outside. The sushi was very good and we tried sake too. The prices were excellent. read more
Our server Angela B was phenomenal! Super sweet, attentive, and helpful with the menu. Thank you to the manager Kevin for coming over to check on us. Wish I would have taken pictures of everything we got... but unfortunately, this time.. Instagram didn't eat first lol. Ive tried several different sushi places and the Banzai roll I think is now my all time favorite sushi roll... MmmmHmmm... Yummy! We also got the Salmon nigiri and the golden California rolls on happy hour! Thank you Zu Izakaya!! read more
2 years ago
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6 years ago
Grabbed some sushi here tonight to give it a try, as I'd remembered liking some of their other food years ago. Overall I can't say it's the best yakitori or sushi around, which you'd hope for from a place that is called an izakaya. I got some mackerel and yellowtail. Unfortunately both fish were not very good, seemed a bit old, quite fishy (not in a great way lol) and dry which really disappointed me. The acidity in the rice was also not well balanced and left a lot of bitterness. We also tried a pork skewer and some chicken wings which helped to redeem the experience. Sadly I won't be ordering the sushi here again, and I can't say I'd recommend it. I'd love to come back and try some of the non-sushi dishes to see how they stack up, as I do remember enjoying this spot once before. I'll update when I do! Service was fast, friendly, and contactless per COVID-19. read more
What a nice find for izakaya food in the Phoenix food! We ordered a bunch of skewers (see photos), which were good, but maybe could have been a bit more flavorful. I like spam musubi since I first tried it in Hawaii. This one was very good, but I think it needs something to cut the salt from the spam. The soft shell crab was also very good, though I would have preferred if the tempura batter on it was a little lighter. We went there to pick up our takeout order and it looked busy inside - I don't know if I would feel comfortable enough to eat there yet, so I'm glad we got takeout. read more
I would like to start with the highlight of my meal and that was the Jalapeño Hamachi Roll, which is normally my goto at other sushi spots. The other dish I really liked was the Salmon Sashimi Carpaccio; fair warning if you are not good with spice I would take off the jalapeño on the salmon because it did have a bit of a kick. I liked both the Salmon and Yellowtail Sushi, but the Albacore sushi fell a bit short for me. I would order the banzai roll because I thought it was pretty good as well. Other items that we ordered that I would not order again would be the Tuna Tartare and the chicken skewer. The sauce for the tuna tartare was pretty good, but I got bored of it pretty quickly. Overall, I had a pretty good experience, service was good and fish was fresh. read more
4 years ago
I was told Sushi Rice was Mushy because they use vinegar really! Thats your best answer, I was given hot rice with sashimi for the replacement??? I guess I'm too picky with my sushi rice with sashimi, I take pride in my rice not everyone does anymore...also Sashimi Luke warm... Restaurant atmosphere/temperature just hair above starting to sweat again luke warm.. Beer also Luke warm just a hair above cool.. read more
We came here for my a birthday dinner and there was about 8 of us in our group. They have a few booths that sit around the restaurant and then two tables on the side where bigger groups around 8 to 10 can sit and then in the middle there is a table that has beer bottles in the center of it so it acts as a shared table. We ordered some apps and tried the flavored sake which was pretty good. We also got a few different rolls like the garlic spicy tuna roll and the fire dragon roll. I am picky when it comes to my sushi, so I would come back here again but just not my first choice if I had to choose. read more
This place is such a treat. We decided to stop by for the happy hour to try it out. Happy hour occurs daily which is always a plus. The prices that you skewers and sushi rolls for are a steal. We started our escapades off with chicken wings, edamame, and two chicken skewers. Everything was cooked to perfection and season perfectly. I also noticed they had soju on the menu. I've only been able to find soju at one other Phoenix restaurant so this was a huge treat! On the happy hour menu you can get a soju bottle for $10. If you're like me one bottle is ample. They have all the traditional flavors including pineapple, plum, and green grape. After our starters we decided to get the spicy crab and Las Vegas rolls. They tasted great! The sushi was fresh and very visually appealing. I can see this easily being one of our go-to happy hour spots! read more
I went during happy hour and will probably be back again for another happy hour sometime soon. I ordered to-go and I was impressed with the presentation and quality of the food despite it being to-go. I got two rolls, a chicken skewer and the jalapeño poppers for $21. You really can't beat that kind of price. The chicken skewer was amazing and gone in two seconds. The poppers were fresh and had great flavor. The California tempura roll was fresh, nothing special... just your ordinary California roll but that's exactly what I wanted. The spicy crab roll had great flavor and consistency. Overall I'm very happy with this place and will be back soon! read more
2 years ago
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2 years ago
Lived in south Scottsdale for 20 years and never knew of this place! They have an AMAZING happy hour menu and we absolutely loved the spam musubi. This will definitely be a regular spot for us now! read more
1 year ago
Fortunate to be staying just across the street from Zu Izakaya and just had to check it out. For a Saturday night it was surprisingly not busy but that didn't deter me away. The ambiance is very comfortable and relaxed, very clean space. Their happy hour is a must to check out, we were able to try a ton of rolls for such a great price. The pineapple Soju was SO good! I needed 2 more bottles to take home. My husband ordered the Korean fried chicken which was delicious, but the show stopper of the night was my mushroom hotpot. The flavor was beefy and full of umami. I wish I could have taken it home! Our meal was a soooo delicious and I'll definitely suggest this place to others. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Zu Izakaya provides a great neighborhood experience when it comes to sushi in the Valley! With friendly yet efficient servers Zu Izakaya provides an all around solid dining experience. The ambiance is perfect for a quick Japanese fix or for some sake bombs with friends and family! I would recommend this place to anyone who is an enjoyer of Sushi. read more
3 years ago
I recommend this spot to anyone. The only place I know in Scottsdale that has a happy hour on a Saturday. Not only is the food great but the service is the reason I keep coming back. Thank you Justin and nick and everyone else that has served us. You guys rock read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Excellent! Can't wait to try more! The lollipop roll is to die for. Everything we had was delicious and fresh.... it was so good, we took the 45 min drive again three days later so that we could try other items on the menu! All of it is fantastic, including the service! And they have great sake! This place gets busy, but it's worth the wait... as long as you can find parking. The lot fills up quickly! read more
We ate at Zu Izakaya tonight for dinner. Our waiter Shean was super friendly and quite knowledgeable. He recommended albacore sushi which was excellent. They made the best squid salad ever. My husband really liked the salmon salad. The appetizers were very good too. We came before 7 pm so all these appetizers were discounted. We enjoyed the food and highly recommend this restaurant! read more
4 years ago
I had Jjigae pot which is Korean food and some Japanese food . They were pretty good . It's a Korean , Japanese , American fusion bar , I guess . A waitress was nice and pretty . read more
4 years ago
More info about Zu Izakaya
2210 N Scottsdale Rd
Tempe, AZ 85281
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(480) 625-4372
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http://www.zuizakaya.com
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Ask the Community - Zu Izakaya
We came here and had the green tea soju. I regret not taking a picture of the bottle because I don't know what it was called. Does anyone know the full name of the green tea soju?
Sayamacha Umeshu! Ran into the same issue and did a lot of detective work.
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Zu Izakaya - asianfusion - Updated August 2026
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