I really enjoyed my visit here for dinner. We sat outside since the weather was so nice and we had a great time. Although the food is a bit pricey, I think it was worth it. Not pictured, we also ordered the duck soba noodles and the scallops. Everything tasted delicious. I do wish that I had saved some of the soba for when the hamachi came out but I did order those later. I would have preferred the hamachi to come with a bit of rice on the side but my boyfriend didn't mind the salad. It's a great date spot and if we were to sit inside there's options for Japanese style floor seating. When you go inside they ask you to take off your shoes and provide slippers for the restroom. It feels very relaxing and home-y. read more

Izakaya Amu - Salmon Carpaccio - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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We decided to use yelps "surprise me" feature tonight while in boulder and landed on Izakaya Amu.. and what a recommendation it was!! Izakaya's are Japanese bars that have quick bites and snacks to choose from. I was excited to see we were heading in. Once arrived on Sunday night we were greeted and welcomed. Asked if we would like to take our shoes off and walk in as in Japanese culture this is very common. It really felt like I was in a Japanese izakaya in Japan We ordered - Tofu Steak - Baked Salmon w/ ikura & rice - Duck Skewers - Salmon Carpaccio Everything was delicious and cooked well. I could have ate 2 bowls of the salmon. Everything is nicely sized but a good size to not get too full to order more. This location is combined with another sushi restaurant and it's cool to see the sushi being made in front of you. Will be back!! read more

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Very interesting dishes and fantastic service. All fish was very good and prepared perfectly and the twice cooked eggplant with miso delivers a texture and suppleness to a vegetable not found in any other recipes I've had read more

Absolutely delicious. Food was very light, crisp, and fresh. More traditional Japanese restaurant, so there was an emphasis on small shareable plates and sashimi. A little on the pricier side. My girlfriend and I shared the chef's choice sashimi platter as well as the octopus salad, soft shell crab, duck skewers, and the onigiri. We finished all of this with ease and were very satisfied. Our waiter was a little on the slower side but the service was still good. He did screw our order up slightly but it was no big deal. Overall a great hidden gem. Highly recommend for anyone that loves Japanese and is looking to try a new place! read more

Usually the food is amazing especially the okonmiyaki. However, on our last visit, the okonomiyaki was just mediocre, it was lacking in flavor and there was way too much pancake to make up for lack or seafood/meat I hope that is just the cook having a bad day read more

Loved that we had to take our shoes off. The sashimi was delicious and I can't wait to go back! Service was excellent. read more

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Soba 10/10 I came here specifically for soba, and it didn't disappoint me. 10/10 would come back again Ambiance 10/10 The section by the bar requires to take off your shoes, just like the Japanese restaurant. It just made the experience so much better Service 10/10 It wasn't as busy when I came on Thursday night, there's only one person serving the food and it was plenty. She did a great job read more

Izakaya Amu - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Very mellow place. Good service and authentic food. Will be back. Had the dinner combo (chicken teriyaki and shrimp and vegetables tempura) and kid had two agadashi tofu and a sushi roll. read more

Love the traditional Japanese Izakaya feel, including taking shoes off at the main portion of the restaurant! I miss my go-to Izakaya place in San Jose after moving to Denver a year ago, and Amu filled that void. Came here with 3 others and we all opted for omakase so that we could have our server decide our dishes and portions for us. Instead of it being served as individual courses, they served it family style and then charged prices a la carte, which I appreciated the transparency of. We had a total of 10 dishes (they brought out two portions of the soba) including 2 desserts, so I won't list everything we got but I will list the dishes that were stand outs: Dipping soba with duck - amazing! Broth was light but flavorful. Noodles were cooked perfectly. Sashimi - we had salmon, hamachi, bonito, albacore. All were super fresh. Seared duck breast - perfectly cooked with some pink and lightly seasoned Sesame ice cream - strong sesame flavor and a light touch of sweetness We also ordered a full bottle of cold sake to go with our meal. Our entire meal was nicely paced and we were full but not overly stuffed. They add an automatic 20% tip, but the entire check still came out to be reasonable overall. Will definitely be back and maybe to try their sister restaurant next door! read more

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I haven't been here recently, but plan on visiting again soon. It's small and unique for Denver metro area in that it actually has good food and one can sit down without reservations (granted only if you're there at opening times). It's next door to a sushi restaurant (same owner) and so the quality of food is great and it's more creative than just a sushi spot by serving all sorts of Japanese food that's not ramen. Just delish. read more

Great sushi and great location! This was my first choice place but they did not have reservations available so I made a reservation somewhere else hoping to stop here first and get a table. Soo happy we did! Was busy for a Saturday night. They were able to seat us in the traditional tea room- Not recommended if you have bad knees though . My girls had a craving for sushi and I am always happy to partake! The rolls were great and we all enjoyed the meals. I always love agedashi tofu so I was happy to see this as an option. Sushi tasted fresh and well done! We all devoured the salmon skin hand roll! Feels very authentic for a Japanese restaurant in the middle of Boulder! Thanks Yelp community for steering us here! read more

Izakaya Amu - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Favorite restaurant in my hometown, I always get the omakase which is always a great deal of traditional foods that you won't get at other Japanese restaurants read more

FAB Japanese restaurant near Pearl St in Boulder. Wear clean socks because you'll be leaving your shoes at the door. We sat at the community table in the back. It's a bit of a challenge to get seated if you aren't flexible, but comfy once you are settled in. The menu is amazing. Come with a group that likes to share and order a few plates at a time. Even though the restaurant was busy, the food comes out pretty fast. Sake flights are a fun way to try lots of things on the menu. A few dishes we loved: Ebi Shumai (steamed shrimp dumplings), Tsukemono (pickled veggies), Tako Sumiso-ae (sliced octopus with sweet miso), Amu Salad, Kaisou Salad, Maguro Avocado (tuna sashimi), Gindara Kasuzuke (grilled black cod). The daikon salad and scallops from the special menu were also very good. The only one that I didn't love was the Yaki Onigiri (grilled rice balls); good, but a little dry. Other than that, every dish was a winner. Recommend! read more

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Amazing sake selection, great food, excellent service from our sever Avery. We sat outside on a beautiful evening in Boulder.

Was visiting from Los Angeles city. The best thing about this place was the service! The staff was extremely friendly and had great recommendations. Overall the food was good but the dessert was the better. I'd come back here for the experience again. Jack the sushi chef is dope!! Remy our waitress was great too!! read more

A lot of areas for improvement for this sushi restaurant, but I'll start with the good. First, the service staff was attentive and friendly and helped answer questions quickly. Next, the music was on point especially if you're a fan of deep/melodic house or just someone who can appreciate it I give 5 stars for this. NOW THE FOOD.... Confused about the current rating. Seems like most people don't know how to distinguish good from bad sushi. Sushi rice was bland, could use more vinegar. Salmon did not taste fresh. And please consider filtering or improving your water filtration. The tap water tastes awful. Our hot seafood dish came out with overcooked fish. But I do have to give it up to the kitchen for the matcha crème brûlée. That was delicious read more

We went here on a date night recently. The service was fantastic (we sat at the bar). We loved the ambiance and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our dinner. We got great recommendations for sake and food. It was pricey, but we expected that. The food was outstanding. We will be back. read more

Izakaya Amu - Baked mussels - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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It was so amazing to enter into a restaurant with traditional Japanese traditions. Taking your shoes off took me back to actually eating in Japan. The tables you step into. The food was delicious and served family style. We got several courses, which made us keep wanting more. The chili shrimp was spicy & delicious. The miso soup had a variety of seaweed. We also got the Kamo Soba as well. The broth was delicious. It's traditionally eaten with the noodles and broth separately. The blackened cod was delicate with exceptional flavor. Really, you can't go wrong with anything here! I'd definitely go back. read more

Izakaya Amu - Kamo Soba - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Really good food! We are used to going to a Japanese sushi restaurant. We decided to try something new and loved it. Service was great. We sat outside and enjoyed a beautiful night. If you go into the bar/restaurant area, you have to remove your shoes.... not really our thing. We ordered the tuna hamachi, mussels, eggplant, and shrimp dumplings. We loved all of it. Mussels were our favorite, followed by the eggplant. I've never had eggplant that creamy before. Must try! read more

Izakaya Amu - Eggplant - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

We were here for Valentine's Day dinner!! I am a big seafood lover, AMU is my No.1 now!!!! It's a amazing place, amazing food!!! UNI are so fresh! Everything is perfect. We had reservations at 7pm. And finished at 9:30pm, it's a long and great dinner experience. read more

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Although the restaurant is tiny, it is very authentic and the food is absolutely delicious. The staff is knowledgeable and packed about Japanese food and can guide you through the menu. Definitely will need to take off your shoes. Recommend a reservation because it's so small. read more

They had lost our reservation but ended up able to seat us next door restaurant, which they own and gave us 15% off the bill since, they didn't seat us in the tea room where we initially reserved. The restaurant next door was so loud being small and they had TVs on for the game. The food was really good when it finally came. I say that because everything we ordered came out one at a time, which was awkward for our travel group (9). One person would get their sushi order but then no one else. Orders came at one at a time the entire time we were seated, with 15 to thirty minutes between servings. The last orders literally stretched out for so long we thought the kitchen had forgotten us. The staff was nice, not knocking them at all, just the kitchen didn't do them any favors. I do not think we'd go back, even though the food was good. I just do not feel it is worth that bad of an experience for a return visit. read more

Foods and ambience were great. The chef told us some "off the menu" items and they were authentic Japanese items. It is not a typical "roll-heavy" Japanese restaurant which is not easy to find. read more

Incredible dining experience. Took wife here for anniversary and it was well worth it. Take your shoes off at the entry and enjoy an authentic high quality Japanese meal. We sat the bar and were nicely greeted by the chef/server. Looked over the menu and created the plan of our dining experience with the chef. From appetizers to several of the entrees to the dessert. Everything was incredible quality, presentation, and pure deliciousness. We are lucky to have a restaurant like this here in this city and will continue to support it. Pricing is high but it's well worth the quality of what you are receiving. This place is an art piece. read more

Sukiyaki is good but not served as cooking on the table. Bit overpriced to consider the size read more

Izakaya Amu - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

A unique place in Boulder for Japanese food. A bit tiny, not sure how big it is from behind we were seated at the bar. The place doesn't take a reservations so not sure how bad the waiting on weekends. We were seated right away on a Thursday around 8:30pm although we got the last two bar seats. I might have really high expectations but thought the place was just ok. The seared duck was by far the best dish we had while the eggplants come on second. The Kobe meat with onions from the main dish was below average and the lobster tempura roll was also way below our expectations. read more

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Amazing sushi in Boulder! Fresh and flavorful! It is always busy so get there earlier; you won't be disappointed! I can't wait to return again and again. read more

The sashimi was really quality and tasty. Everything else we ordered from the menu was subpar. Half of our steamed edamame was still cold and the other non-seafood dishes were just okay. Not worth the price we paid. The service is very friendly, but the overall vibe of the restaurant felt off. They say "traditional japanese bistro" but the place feels unfinished and is not an otherwise noteworthy experience from any other japanese spot. read more

Wowe was that a good meal. We let our waitress choose for us with a little direction and she did a hell of a job. Everything from the sashimi to the steak was amazing. There were 4 of us and we all loved it. One of the best meals I've had in a while. read more

The entire experience was phenomenal. From the first step through the door to dessert. I tasted so many novel flavors and combinations. Seated at the bar I was entertained by the chef. I left the dinner choices to him. A true taste of Japan in Boulder. read more

Impressive izakaya. Plenty of sochu and sake to go around. They even feature a sake flight and knew their stuff. They lined up my drink from dry to sweet. You will have to take off your shoes. So be aware before coming. I sat at the bar and let Yuki-san take control of the order. I started with some awesome Kinpira, followed by Seabream, duck with special miso and hamachi kama. Portions are good sized. I only wished I could eat more. The seabream was aged in kombu and was torced prior to service. I liked the concetrated flavor of the sea bream. The duck in special miso was heavenly. Just so savory and the miso brought the complexity. Hamachi kama is prepared the traditional way. Over a grill and fire. It was huge. I will be back and I will bring friends. This place knows their stuff. Expect a good meal and authentic japanese fare in an izakaya. read more

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Amu provide the best Japanese food in Boulder, tempuras are tasty, with some super fresh sashimi gona make your dinner fantastic. Best Japanese restaurant ever seem! read more

Izakaya Amu - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Came here a few weeks ago for a special occasion. Very cool ambiance. Shoes off when entering (thank goodness they provide flip flops for using the restroom!). Excellent service! Pricing was a bit high for the small portions which is okay if the ingredients and quailty are worth it. I'd say, for the most part, it was worth it but a few things weren't as balanced flavor wise for the high prices. Definitely a nice place for a special occasion read more

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My partner got us a pickup order for my birthday, and it was simply AMAZING. Every single dish was exceptional, and the service was great. Appreciate how attentive and professional the servers were, even though we were getting takeout. Thank you!! read more

This was an amazing experience top to bottom. I loved the tradition of taking your shoes off. It made it quite comfortable. But then again, that could have been the staff who were so kind. You can tell that they love what they do and that they are like a family. Oh! And the food. Do yourself a favor and get the eggplant. No lie. Best eggplant I've ever eaten. Everything else was amazing too so, yes, get everything on the menu . read more

Sushi Zanmai is a Boulder staple and has amazing food, so naturally Amu, the Japanese restaurant adjacent to it is just as excellent. Went there tonight and ordered the muscles under starters. It was topped with some creamy sauce they often put on sushi rolls, and it was delicious, also only $5 for four well sized muscles. Everything else we ordered was delicious, but the housemade sesame ice cream took the cake. read more

Sister restaurant to Sushi Zanmai, Amu serves up Japanese comfort food, and really well! You are expected to take off your shoes when entering, so wear sandals or shoes that are easily removed. The plates are meant to be shared, but some are so good, you might not want to. This trip, we opted for the sashimi moriawase. It's an assortment of the sashimi available for the day. It was a really great choice to sample the fish offerings! We also had the okonomiyaki. We prefer ours to have more cabbage, but it was still great nonetheless. It had squid and pork, both of which were very prevalent tastes in the dish. My miso soup was fantastic. It is made to order and it has a great savory taste. I couldn't stop eating it. The complimentary pumpkin appetizer was different but very tasty! Overall, highly recommended. read more

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Boy has the red headed manager ran this place into the ground. Sad I've been a regular for 20 years. A lot of times there's spoiled fish. They just gave up on freshness! read more

I don't really have the words to describe how delicious every dish is here. I was in Boulder for the weekend and went there twice, one dinner better than the next. The atmosphere is causal and friendly, but you really go here for the food. My favorite dishes were: Grilled eel in sauce Fried salmon skin Eggplant in miso Soba noodles with duck broth Sukiyaki The food was so good it actually made me want to cry. Please don't tell your friends about this small wonderful restaurant, I want to be able to get a table the next time I'm in town. read more

Izakaya Amu - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

First off, Amu is totally worth the drive from Denver to Boulder if that's what you're weighing. Three of us girls drove to Boulder just to eat here, and while we knew the wait would be long, we waited wayyy more than we were quoted or expected (I think about 2.5 hours)! That was our one complaint, mostly because we were all starving! Once seated, we tried a flight of sake and ordered Omakase style where the server brings things out based on dietary restrictions, preferences, hunger level, etc. (this is the only way to go - the three of us ate/drank like Queens for about $100!). I normally hate sake (or so I thought before this visit), but 2 of the 3 sakes were amazing! The one that tastes like melted snow is divine. Each dish we tried was amazing and unlike anything I've had before! Most notably was the eggplant dish...I practically licked the cast iron skillet...glad I didn't...ouch! Once you step in, you are no longer in hippy Boulder, you are in Japan...I think they said employees have to know Japanese or have lived in Japan to work here. Having visited Japan before, I know that this place creates a great authentic Japanese experience, and it brought back my awesome vacation memories. read more

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