This is NOT your tired Sushi restaurant down the street. Zu Izakaya is an innovative Asian restaurant with excellent sushi, hot pots, skewers and more. We started with a sushi Burrito featuring crab, shrimp tempora and cook crispy celery. Its wrapped in a green wrapper. It was outstanding. Same for the veggie sushi, the fried goyza and the shrimp skewers. You may have a bit of a wait to get seated, and their parking lot is small. But it's worth it read more

Decided to give this place a try after reading all the reviews and it definitely did not disappoint. One of the great things is the late night hours since mkay other spots were closed by 9pm. They have a ton of traditional rolls, hand rolls and specialty rolls. But the Japanese tapas were also a great addition! If you can't handle spice definitely pay attention to the ingredients on the rolls because they are not shy with their flavoring. Our service was great and they spaced out our food so we had time to eat and enjoy before the next course. They have a shared seating space right in the middle of the room and then tables all along the edge. They also have fresh made mochi ice cream sandwiches to finish off the night. They also have a great happy hour menu! read more

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Been here 3 times and every time the service is excellent! It's a fun ambiance, especially during their happy hour service from 4-7 PM every day. Lots of people come in and it's an energetic atmosphere. They serve good quality sushi for the price! The fire dragon roll and course of sashimi are my favorite (outside of happy hour menu). My girl and I were more than full for only $45 pre-tip from just the happy hour menu. Also, came here to write about leaving my $300 pair of sunglasses at their restaurant last night, which was recovered the next day. Thank you to the server who found my sunglasses and Nick, the GM! Please come in and try their place out if you want good quality sushi with great service!!! read more

This will be our 3rd time coming here and the service has been amazing every time. The bartender is very welcoming and patient with your order. The atmosphere is very relaxed and layed back. Definitely a good place for a first date or somewhere to stop in and have some amazing sushi. read more

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I still love Zu frequently dine there or get takeout. Their salmon sushi and sashimi is INCREDIBLE. The reason for the 4 star is because I have felt their quality of tuna has gone down a bit. The past few times I got it, it was super fishy. I've had tuna from other sushi spots around here and did not get a fishy flavor so it's pretty specific to them. Also, I ordered a house salad...granted it's like $3 but usually it's like spring mix and carrots maybe a little cherry tomato...no this is AWFUL! It's just shredded iceberg and WHOLE sliced tomatoes (see picture). I can't believe they have the audacity to sell this item. I've had many sushi house salads and it's safe to say this is the worst one I've ever had. The dressing was much more of a slightly ginger vinagarerte but overall I'm not eating these burger toppings in a takeout container. Anyways, stick to their salmon sushi...it's FIRE! They also do good happy hour but not as good as Sushiholic lol read more

Zu Izakaya - SALMON SASHIMI - Asian Fusion Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Service was great, staff was very friendly and quick. The food was very good, I stared with a spicy yellowtail roll and it was delicious and for my main course I had bulgogi which was also very tasty. I would for sure come back here. read more

Giving this place a 4 due to the fact that the food is pretty cheap and they have a good happy hour. Other than that, this place did not impress me much. The sushi was decent but nothing spectacular. The edamame was DRENCHED in the chili oil and the shell deteriorated when eating it. The miso was decent but extremely salty. As for the service, there was no host working so the server did not greet us for about 15 minutes. I'm assuming they were understaffed as it took a long time to get refills, put in our order, get the check, etc. However, the music is good and creates a fun environment to drink sake bombs with friends! read more

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Always a great experience - huge menu if you want to try everything you ever dreamed of this US the prefect place for it. Service has always been awesome and portions and pricing are excellent. read more

I came here on a while traveling in the area and I was not disappointed. The fish was super fresh and delicious. They were they biggest slices of sashimi that they put on the nigiri and the rice was amazing. Did not fall apart when you picked up the nigiri. The kimchi jjigae was also ask delicious and flavorful. The portion size was also a lot larger than I expected. Staff are super friendly and are happy to answer any questions. I'd love to come back next time I'm in the area. read more

Zu Izakaya - Asian Fusion Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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It was my first time and the reviews were good. Their prices are very reasonable amd theor service is fasr and good, but the food was ok. I guess they cater to college kids and it makes sense. However, if you Re looking for really good sushi, I only give it a three star. The ambiance is nice and they have a bar in the back whwrw you csn wash sports and beer on tap. read more

This place is super yummy. I was impressed with the happy hour too. The curry soup was delicious. The waiter at the bar was excellent too. Also it's worth the $4 for the fresh wasabi. I'll be back, chill vibes. The back bar is similar to a dive bar. The inside restaurant is always super busy. The roll that has the flakes and salmon on the happy hour was delicious!! read more

I've been here a few times. The food is always really good. They're open until midnight but they do last call at about 1130. There was only one server on today so the service was very slow. I'm highly recommend. read more

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I've been here a handful of times because my girlfriend likes to come here for the sweet potato roll. The times I've been, it's been decent , but nothing that stands out. The past 2 times I've been, something felt off with the quality. And sure enough, this last visit I ended up with the WORST food poisoning. It was either the super dry spicy tuna roll or the miso soup that tasted soapy. These are the only things I didn't share with the table. My girlfriend also said the California roll was spicy but I couldn't tell because my roll was spicy too. Not worth going thru this sickness again, I will never come here again. read more

This has been my go-to spot the last few months as I've been craving some good classic Japanese & Korean dishes along with some fusion items that I just luv. No matter the occasion, it works... Daddy-daughter dinner & after she had a killer match... let's celebrate... causal midweek getaway... let's celebrate... late night date night... time to celebrate! No matter the occasion the food here is great. Not a lot of seating so make sure you join the waitlist before heading over to help minimize the wait. Everything we had was great... Happy Hour is key, but I like it reverse so coming in late is just as good. Not gonna lie, I request the same server (JoJo) because she simply "gets me". Her personality is great, her service is awesome and she makes it all feel personal & unique no matter who comes with me. The entire team is great but Jojo has been exceptional & it's appreciated! Classic items that we had and exceeded expectations... Pork Gyoza, Egg Roll, Edamame (check-in via Yelp for a free one) & Crunch Salmon Roll Favorites, Banzai, Fire Dragon, Jalapeno Hamachi (jalapeno hot), & EBI Mayo Roll....Bulgogi Grilled beef and a variety of Skewers are great and one of my favorites, sashimi carpaccio (yellowtail) Lollipop roll is fun looking and good, but that was only for my daughter For alcohol, classic and Korean beers along with Sake, Sjoju & wine. I'm a big fan of Soju so I had the passion fruit flavored the last go round and I kept shooting throughout the meal. This place is in my heavy rotation. read more

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Gyoza was deep fried and was so greasy I could have used it to change the oil in my car. I ate two pieces and sent it back. Told waitresses and still charged... no big deal. Teriyaki chicken was way too salty but the white rice was good. All in all disappointed but you don't know until you try. Two people 65.00. Waitress was very good so respectfully tipped 15% read more

P/U some takeout, they still have a great Happy Hour menu (doesn't apply for takeout, I believe). But still so worth it. I ordered their Salmon Kama & Chili/Garlic Edamame. The Salmon was cooked to perfection and seasoned well, it also held up well from the drive home (still crispy). The chili/garlic edamame generally has the right amount of spicy seasoning and garlic; however, this order was a little less spicy sauce, but still a good amount of garlic. Still all good and the lady was very courteous and professional that went to check on my order. Haven't had a bad experience here yet. read more

Zu Izakaya - CHILI GARLIC EDAMAME - Asian Fusion Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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I love this place the service was amazing and everything that we ordered was very testy this is our new spot I love it

First time trying this place! The sushi wasn't bad, but the garlic tuna roll was not my favorite, and the banzai roll (salmon & shrimp tempura) was really salty for some reason but it was alright. Not my favorite sushi but I've heard a lot about it so couldn't wait to try it. Their menu has a ton of options though besides sushi so I would definitely come back and try other options! The server was friendly, but he did forget my friends drink so we had to ask for it again, but was knowledgeable about the menu and gave some good recommendations. The restaurant was nice and clean, and wasn't busy when we went. They have happy hour until 7pm and again from 9-11pm but we just missed it. Overall prices are pretty good though! read more

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Great happy hour, the sushi was pretty good. Great service. Would definitely come back

My favorite sushi spot to go to. The spicy pork quesadilla is amazing! I also really like their corn.

My husband and I are visiting from out of town and were looking forward to trying Zu Izakaya--it looked good and had great reviews. We got there around 8:15pm, and it's a Wednesday night. It wasn't busy, we waited a few minutes to be seated while they cleared a table--no big deal. Once we were seated, no one came to our table. I noticed the host, watching who we figured was our server, chatting with another table and didn't seem in a hurry to stop (he was talking to this table when we walked in). After a few minutes the host went up to the server and pointed out that he had a new table (us), but he just kept talking. We waited over 10 minutes and still hadn't been acknowledged, so we decided to leave. I was a server for over five years, so I get food services. We were being completely ignored, and his conversation with his table must have been much more important (it wasn't we could hear it). We ended up going to another sushi spot nearby instead. read more

Good food. The bar has a good atmosphere and the female bartender is solid. We've been may times and no complaints.

We just made it with 2 seconds to spare for the happy hour deals. Nothing fancy, but the food was tasty!

I highly recommend Zu Izakaya in Paradise Valley! I tried the Garlic Spicy Tuna Roll and the Baked Scallop Roll. Both were tasty, but I highly recommend the scallop. The combination of flavors was amazing! The wait staff were also friendly and attentive. read more

Came in the evening, called ahead earlier in the week to see if they were able to accommodate a party of 8 as we were celebrating my daughter's birthday. She is a huge fan of Asian/Asian Fusion, and a family member suggested this restaurant. Granted, this was not the location originally suggested, so maybe that's why my expectations were higher. The service left a lot to be desired from walking in and shortly after being seated. In order to avoid ruining a celebration, I decided to request a new server, as the one that initially started our orders came in hot with the micro aggressions. We had a better experience with our new hostess. Sushi rolls were subpar, the appetizers were good for what they are, and the ramen did not taste like fresh ramen to me. It seemed to be awfully similar to cheap dry ramen; whereas we prefer fresh noodles, fresh broth, toppings/meat, etc. As someone who is very experienced with Asian food and as it is also part of my heritage and culture, I was not impressed. I should not have to request a new server for an experience that I am paying for. Maybe try the paradise valley location and stick to drinks and appetizers at this location. read more

We visited the Paradise Valley location today and had a wonderful experience. We were greeted by Gavin who made us feel as if we were walking into his home. Kaitlyn was our server and she was very welcoming and knowledgeable about the menu. The food was amazing and hands down, some of the best sushi we have had , probably THE BEST ... We are looking forward to becoming regulars. The Korean dishes look so good. We'll try one of those items in the future. It is dangerous for us to have such a delicious experience so close to our house. Kudos to Gavin and Kaitlyn. Thanks for being so welcoming. read more

Got off the flight, found that this place is close by and reviews were pretty much "highly recommended".. so we decided to try it out. Late night happy hour was the cherry on top. Between two people the bill was $39 ish. Price was shockingly cheap compared to our state. Taste wise, don't have too much expectation. Service is great, friendly and welcoming. Jalapeños Hamachi Roll: this was pretty good, but the crab (inside) made the whole experience taste like a wet roll.. every time I take a bite, the word "soggy" comes to mind Garlic Spicy Tuna Roll: sliced fried garlic on top, garlicky but almost bitter, with the eel sauce..lots of mix textures and tastes Shrimp skewers/Quail Eggs: decent, not much to say Recommend: The only happy hour item we ordered was the chicken Karaage skewers. Chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. (But) the sauce on top was sad and weak. read more

Zu Izakaya - JALEPENO HAMACHI ROLL - Asian Fusion Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Happy hour was amazing and the flame broiled sushi is fantastic! AaaaaaaaaaA++++++++ read more

This place is a dive and the bar is worse! I do not recommend this place. It's needs repairs and a good cleaning!

Friday night party of 5 we just waited 10mins. Service was quick, food was good, and ambiance was a bit dark. With the price overall would recommend this location. read more

Such fresh sushi wow!!!!!! I will definitely be back. The nigiri's melt in your mouth. Come for happy hour sooo worth it. Fast service and chill vibes. We wore workout clothes and fit right in read more

forgot to take a pic of my sushi but it was delicious!! their menu is very big with a lot of different options, including rolls, nigiri, hotpot soups, great appetizers, plates, and more. also worth noting that they do have a full bar, even if it isn't present on said menu. it's a casual place for a late night stop with very friendly service and a chill, dimly lit environment. i really enjoyed the seared albacore onion roll!! i'll need to come back with a bigger appetite so that i can try more items lol read more

Zu Izakaya - Asian Fusion Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Sushi is my favorite! I have loved everything that I have tried here in specialty rolls... and of course the spicy tuna rolls ... seriously delicious!!!! read more