Last meal with my daughter before she moves into her dorm at UO... Chicken Hearts, Rainbow Roll, Ika Sugatayaki (grilled calamari), big skewered mushrooms, and chicken/green onion yakitori... All fantastic and so much better than your average izakaya fare down in California. Made for a memorable last meal together. Portions are also very generous and satisfying. Just jealous that she'll be able to come here often but not me!! read more

The food looked and smelled amazing but what really stands out above everything else is the friendliness of the staff. The staff is so helpful kind welcoming and friendly you won't go wrong stopping in. The restaurant smells so good. The choices of drinks is amazing for the area. Ali felt very welcomed and loved they made space for her to sit wherever she needed. It even stepped out to get a better picture with her. read more

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We're driving back home to Bay Area and we found this place.. we order 4 different bento box with big portion, sides and miso soup is so tasty/delicious. We added yellow tail, dragon rolls, calamari, shrimp tempura and shrimp rolls for appetizer everything is perfect! Customer Service is 5 star rating, Their very attentive and helpful. All food is very well made and fresh made to order. I will let my family & friends knows about this gem place to be our stop. read more

Yeah! I get to change my review! A year later, this place has worked on and improved their service significantly. It is still trying to find its rhythm, which is great to watch happen, since I know it will get there. As for food- it is fantastic. The choices are a bit much, but for Eugene that is a must- so many tastes and dietary restrictions here! Regardless, the food is different and delicious and worth exploring. I'm so happy I gave this place another chance. Looking forward to them getting their sake menu in full swing! read more

Izakaya Jinsei - Garlic skewers! Tastes and feels like little nuggets of garlic potato. - Japanese Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

Wish I could give 3.5 stars but will err on the side of a higher score Good late night eatery, loved their dumplings and their skewered shitake and garlic. However their rainbow roll was more of rice and less of fish and huge size to take in the mouth at once..lol! What would do justice is halving the size of the roll and reducing the rice as sure its flavorful, but more for rice than the fish flavor. Chicken karaage was nothing more than friend chicken wings and didnt have the flavors of traditional Japanese seasoning. I know another place which does red snapper karaage so well that this one here really falls flat and is a bit disappointing. The dipping sauce does come to some rescue. The yakisoba noodles were decent. Loved their cocktails for sure. Will be back when I'm bored of checking out other places. read more

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Salmon kick bowl, unagi don, oden soup, grilled pork belly and mushrooms. Lychee lemonade. The service is great and my partner and I enjoyed the dinner. read more

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So glad I found a good sushi/japanese place in town!! By far the best. Fresh fish, awesome options from your traditional teriyaki chicken type stuff to chicken hearts and lots of daily deals. They use black rice too (or purple rice?) which is delicious! Staff is friendly, honest, and attentive. It's also just a cool place with cool seating options in these cool "underground" booths or upstairs or by the mirrors or fish tank. read more

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Background: I'm a Eugene native, lived in Japan 5 years, wife is Japanese born and raised. We were looking for some good Japanese soul food. Ambiance: This place is relatively close to what I know as being a Japanese Izakaya. The booths and manekineko by the doors, the (kind of cheesy) Star Wars hanga-style draperies separating the lower and higher areas, the lighting, the sliding doors (nice touch for privacy/kitchen separation), and the place wasn't too loud nor too quiet. We went on a Sunday, so it was pretty quiet, but there was this one U of O kid who - my god - was going on about the most innocuous bullsh** I've ever heard in my life. This is nothing against the restaurant, but keep in mind that you might sit next to a table of three with one guy who just keeps rambling about incredibly uninteresting topics that everyone is obviously just putting up with - no dude, you don't need to look up the seven deadly sins and explain why jealousy is the one you're afflicted with and how all the other sins incorporate some form of jealousy and all the things you're jealous of in your life. Christ almighty. Food: I had the gyoza and an order of the bacon-wrapped asparagus, my wife had the wakame salad and the edamame. Edamame was perfect, salted and hot. My wife said the wakame salad wasn't soaked long enough so the inside was a little chewy, not soft enough. The gyoza were great, not sure if they were fresh or not, but they tasted like it, dipping sauce ponzu with sesame seeds was on point. But what the heck? No karaage??? Come on! That's like 60% of what Japanese izakayas sell! The server apologized and said they used to have it and it was supposedly coming back. Damn right. But what's up with selling the spam onigiri up front? I mean, they're good, don't get me wrong, but I've never seen that at a real izakaya before. Service: Good timing, nice server (guy with the beard, kind of a 50's greased lightning vibe, definitely an Elvis guy (as opposed to a Beatles guy)), not too hover-y but also didn't take long to get to us. Knowing the menu and what was and was coming back (karaage!!) was nice to see he was keeping up-to-date on what was happening at the restaurant, good on you man. Everything was clean, no complaints at all there. I think I saw one of the staff eating a boxed/take out meal at one of the tables up front, maybe after her shift ended? Or dinner break? - Still, not something you'd ever see at a real izakaya. Either go home or go in the back and eat - not trying to nitpick, but it's unprofessional and you'd never see it in a Japanese restaurant, ever ever ever. After trying both of the izakayas in town, I can say I definitely prefer Jinsei. And no, I'm not some paid shill for this one or something, I just want more options for my wife and I when it comes to Japanese food in Eugene. Once the karaage returns to the menu, my wife and I will probably be coming back here any time we want some Japanese fare. A solid place overall. read more

My mouth is watering now just thinking about everything that I ate at Izakaya Oyazi. I've been to a lot of izakayas in Japan and around the NW, and this is a good one for sure! The ambience is chill, service was great, and the food was fantastic! Next time I am in Eugene I will be back! read more

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First time to Eugene and we wanted Japanese. We arrived ten minutes before closing and were encouraged to come in. We ordered the pork belly and chicken skewers, tempura, pork belly fried rice, and salmon poke. The food was delicious. It had just the right amount heat (spice) and flavor. We ordered too much food. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

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I reserved the private room for my sister's birthday dinner and it was wonderful. There was 12 people and we weren't all squished together or anything. The server was very attentive and sweet. We all had separate checks and a baby with us and she was happy to accommodate us. It was like having our own restaurant to ourselves. I definitely recommend reserving the room for you next event. It's important to note that you will be sitting on the floor on comfy cushions so a short dress may not be the best idea. You also have to take your shoes off before you step on the mat. read more

Izakaya Jinsei - Soft shell crap salad. $13.99.....so so yummy! - Japanese Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

Great food at a great price! We were seated in a nice elevated booth. The space is a little small and the turn around is a little slow, but the service and atmosphere make this a great place for dinner. read more

We stopped by this restaurant on our road trip back to California, after picking it based on the great Yelp reviews and menu variety. The food is fantastic!! We ordered the Carpaccio, Rainbow Roll, Spicy Miso Ramen, Japanese Curry with Chicken Katsu, and Shioyaki Saba (Broiled Mackerel), and the whole family agreed that everything was delicious and cooked extremely well. The food also wasn't too heavy either, and had just the right portion sizes. It was a perfect spot for us to visit on our trip, and we noticed that there seemed to be a ton of locals in the restaurant as well. Seems like a great hangout spot or place to grab a late night meal! Our waiter (Brandon is the name we remember) was also super friendly and provided awesome service. Highly recommend this place! read more

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This place is adorable! I was in the mood for soup and the vegetable udon was delicious! The flavors were on point, noodles cooked perfectly and the tofu was steamed and soft. The service was great and my server was very attentive. I did have to take my food to go and they didn't put utensils in the bag. I had the nigori flight and I look forward to trying more sake! I'll be going here again and trying something new. read more

Izakaya Jinsei - Japanese Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

Having lived in Japan for a year, I really appreciate going to Izakayas for yakitori and a drink. This place totally delivered on that experience. Yakitori, if you don't know, is a Japanese chicken skewer that is grilled. Between each piece of chicken is scallion. When properly marinated, this is really a tasty dish. Izakaya Oyazi delivered on this authentic taste. We enjoyed other items on their menu too. Went for reverse happy hour and appreciated the food and prices. Our server, a Japanese speaking guy from Korea, was extremely welcoming and executed service in a very well-done Japanese style. Only issue- some of the young neighboring tables were very loud. And, one girl at the bar had a voice that filled the room. I don't know why establishments don't more persistently police the acoustic experience- all the bartender would need to say is "people are looking at us from the other side of the restaurant- we must be too loud. Let's take the volume down." That would save the rest of us. read more

We stopped by Eugene on a road trip through Oregon (visiting from Colorado), and this place was the cherry on a cake that said "stay here forever". The ambiance of this place is really cool-- you walk in, and it feels like the lower deck of a Japanese pirate ship. There are tables tucked away in nooks against one wall, and other tables throughout the central area, and a bar on the end by the door. There's also an upstairs, which is where the kitchen is located, but I'm not sure if there is seating up there or not. The staff were all incredibly friendly, and also very knowledgeable about the food, and practical with their suggestions. We ordered way too much food, and loved every bite we stuffed into our faces! The poke bowl was especially delicious, and I loved their black rice!!! Unfortunately, we didn't have room for dessert this time, but Izakaya will definitely be on my list for next time we're around Eugene! read more

The food here is like what the three stars says, "A-OK." Me and my friend came here a total of two times. The first time I came I got fried rice and he got Udon noodles. He liked his food but I absolutely did not like mine. It was flavorless and the only thing I got was oil and a spicy tingle in my mouth. Second time we came was about the same. He ordered the squid which tasted like old squid that had been left to dry. No chewy texture but texture like hard beef jerky and a weird fishy taste. I got the Oyako don which was decent but not anything to give a five star review. Mediocre food for a expensive price and a relatively long wait. May come again then will update review. read more

Love it, love it, LOVE it. Food for everyone in our family, including the picky, non-fish eater. Everything was fresh and delicious and beautiful to look at. Wait staff was patient and informative and gave excellent suggestions. Looking forward to our next trip to Eugene so we can try more menu items. read more

Giving this a 5 because overall had such a great experience. Love the atmosphere, great decorations and had a live jazz band that was so fun yet still relaxing. I loved the food and that it's not all sushi based but home style Japanese. Had the takoyaki which I loved and the unagi don read more

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The food here is so yummy. Izakaya Jinsei is my favorite restaurant in Eugene by far. The owners and staff are so nice and the food really is delicious. I recommend the veggie gyoza, the tuna with crispy rice, and the umeboshi onigiri! This is the only Japanese restaurant in America I've ever been to that has umeboshi and it's sooooooo good. read more

Beware! They do not close at 9:30 like they say they do, they close at 9. Apparently they are "open" until 9:30, but if you don't place your order before 9, you won't eat..... I've been eating at restaurants for a long time and I've never heard of "last call" 30 minutes before "close." read more

Really Great. Our table ordered a wide range of items and nothing was a disappointment. The highlights were the Fried Rice with kimchi, rice cakes, and the fried prawns with cheese. I also really enjoyed the Unagidon as it was very authentic and well seasoned. The Crab Croquetts were light and delicious as well. Cocktails were inventive and and on-point. Service was friendly and well executed and they also had live music! So far my favorite Izakaya in town. I will go back for sure! Check 'em out! read more

They just opened at this location and had a limited menu, and it was very good. The atmosphere was kind of a cool and darker vibe. Great apps and entrees, and a bar with a friendly bar tender. read more

We ordered the crispy spicy tuna, miso ramen, takoyaki, and spicy tuna tempura roll. If i am completely honest, the takoyaki tasted microwaved. The ramen had no flavor, and the condiments were severely lacking. The texture of the noodles were unpleasant, a bit slimy. The pork tasted old and the egg crumbled like a 12 year old giving a speech to a class for the first time. (Ex. Feta cheese). The spicy tuna tempura roll, ordered by my girlfriend, was soggy and watery. For ~$50 we left a bit disappointed. I am leaving 2 stars because of the satisfactory service. read more

I wish I could give this place more stars but I simply can't because I was disappointed to find that most items on their menu are deep fried! Don't get me wrong, I love a good fried calamari, veggie tempura and crab croquette as much as the next fried food lover does but I don't want to only eat fried food at a nice restaurant. I came in here on a Saturday night and was greeted by a hostess who barely said anything to us and showed us to our seats. We had the option to sit in the sake bar or dining area but we chose the dining area since there was no one in the sake bar. This place has a modern and nice look to it as well as a huge downstairs that they will soon be using to host live music. We were seated and greeted by our awesome server Bryce. He's the main reason I'm giving this place 3 stars. He was kind, funny, helpful and patient with us which made our experience very pleasant. I ordered a blackberry mojito and it was very fresh and not too sweet. They also have sake flights here which I want to try sometime. We tried: Crab croquettes: lots of crab inside very delicious Beef golbi: very tasty and love the presentation Edamame: standard and a little overpriced Fried baby octopus: tasted great with a delicious sauce Pork belly kimchi fried rice: tasty but really rich and again, fried. Chicken thigh and green onion skewer: 4$ for a couple small bites of chicken? Raw ahi tuna- tasty and fresh but they give you half an avocado on the side. They should chop it up to make it easier to eat with chopsticks. I wish they had more vegetable dishes on their menu. I know they have some sushi options but when the waiter described it as being pressed into a brick it didn't sound very appetizing. I like that this place is trying to stick to the traditions when it comes to taste and presentation and for the most part it worked but for the price I think having more options that aren't fried would be more appealing. Maybe next time I'll just come for an appetizer and drinks and not a whole dinner. read more

Service was okay, but my chicken in my bowl was super dry and over seasoned. Wouldn't recommend other than for the art on the wall which is anime related. read more

Good , seating is not that comfortable but food and staff are nice . Has an old style feel

I'm from out of town and me and my dad came here for dinner after watching a movie. I was so impressed! The service was excellent and very fast and the food was delicious. The decor also felt very authentic and the atmosphere felt quite lively. I highly recommend the rainbow roll and the agedashi tofu. read more

We were waitlisted at Mame but nothing opened up, so we saw the latest reviews here and decided to see if we could get in since we were craving Japanese food. Food was amazing- beautifully presented and very fresh!! We had several things and all were excellent- Teriyaki Bento Box, skewered chicken thigh, veggie tempura (light and crispy) veggie Maki sushi, rainbow roll (very interesting presentation- not huge pieces of fish but delicate and lots of flavor). I had the Spicy Ramen soup and it hit the spot on a cold night , with lightly battered tempura onion slices to mix in!!! If they keep up the quality this place will be hard to get in to in the future. Lastly the young and hip waitstaff were super nice and extremely efficient. And the prices were very reasonable! read more

This is some super tasty stuff. I'm glad someone good moved into the old Jo Feds/Grainery building and did something good with it...it's a beautiful spot and I like what they've done with it. I loved the saki options, but the cocktails were the thing I really dug; the ginger Manhattan was delicious. Octopus balls were delicious...I love the undulating fish flakes on the outside. The poke was really flavorful and the steamed potstickers were perfect. I've had better chicken hearts though. When they're done right they're like little balls of steak but these didn't quite have the right texture. Regardless it's always fun to get chicken hearts on a stick. Anyway, I'm glad this place is here. Well be going back soon. read more

I've eaten here a few times and keep coming back. It's such a nice environment and the staff is very friendly. It's one of my favorite restaurants here in Eugene and the food has such great flavors and is​ reasonably priced. I always order the spicy tuna onigiri as it's one of the best I've​ eaten in Eugene. I come from Hawaii which is well known for its seafood and local food, and Izakaya satisfies my cravings when I want sushi and good food. I highly recommend trying this restaurant out. They have happy hour too and you can try different appetizers for cheaper. If I​ still lived in Eugene I would go as often as I could. It is in my top 5 restaurants that i've been to while living in Eugene. read more

Came in with the family. Ordered pork belly fried rice, yakisoba, miso soup, musubis, galbi ribs, agedashi tofu. I'd say about half of our selections were really good while the others were ok. I would not order the agedashi tofu again, I didn't like the way it was prepared and was way too sweet. Good ambience and great service! read more

While dining at Izakaya Jinsei for lunch this week I not only thoroughly enjoyed the delicious and authentic Japanese cuisine, but I was astonished at the service! I didn't catch the name of our waiter but he was very helpful, continued to check in with us and make sure we had everything we needed. He also brought out a free appetizer for our table! If you haven't tried this place for lunch yet you must! Will be back for dinner and more great service! 5 stars! read more

The food is ridiculously delicious, the drinks too! Their bartenders are obviously experienced and talented. If you like sweet cocktails try the Nama Citrus, the bar manager recommended it to me and its dangerously AMAZING. They're still in their soft-opening, so I understand that the food service is a little slower for the time being, but our server, the bartender, and the floor manager was diligent to check up on us while we waited and was happy to answer any of our questions. The food is definitely worth the wait. The atmosphere is super cool too, a good place to bring people that you'd like to impress, or to catch up with family and friends over appetizers and drinks. I've been in 3 times now and will keep coming back, I love introducing people to this place especially because it hasn't had its grand opening yet. Good job Oyazi!! read more

The food was great!! But the service was poor especially the waitress with the blond hair the brunette had pick up all her slack. The blonde one didn't clear our table and had just seemed so unimpressed with everything and seemed miserable. But the kitchen did and amazing job!!! read more

Pretty good, prices are decent. Recommend their original miso ramen. The wait wasn't long for lunch and I didn't have to wait too long for the food. Waiter was nice and very helpful with the menu. read more

Good food, but Izakaya Meiji definitely trumps this place. As far as izakayas go, there isn't much competition in Eugene, so unfortunately this may be as good as it gets with more traditional izakaya fare. Service was not horrible, but not good. Good place for late night though, so probably will end up being a bar and late night scene..with ok overpriced food. *sigh* read more

Food is pretty good but service is very slow. Went there for lunch and the service was very slow even though there weren't that many people. Last time I went there, it took 10 minutes to get seated, 15 mins for someone to check on us, 45 minutes to get our food, 15 to get out check. We were there for an hour and a half. My friend didn't even get the right order. Like i said food is great but service could be better read more

I actually really like this place. The food is always good and nice drink selection. Open late. Dark and cozy. Service has always been good. I just wish the menu was a bit more extensive. But you have to try the wasabi margarita at least once! read more

Tried for the first time last night. The ramen was very good- perfect for a chilly Oregon night! Would definitely come back.