My partner and I originally chose this place because we heard they light one of the sushi rolls on…read morefire, which immediately sounded like something fun we had to try. Funny enough, this actually wasn't even the exact restaurant my partner had been thinking of when he brought it up, but honestly I'm so glad we ended up here anyway because the food was REALLY good. We ordered the flaming ohmygod sushi roll, and man... it was amazing. Not only was the presentation fun, but the sushi itself actually tasted incredible too, which sometimes isn't the case with more "gimmicky" menu items. It was so good that I literally ordered another roll to-go and took it on the plane back home with me because I already knew I'd be craving it later. That alone should say enough about how much I liked it. I also tried the matcha martini, and it was honestly one of the best cocktails I've had in a while. It had the perfect balance of matcha flavor and alcohol where neither one overpowered the other. Sometimes matcha drinks either taste way too earthy or completely lose the matcha flavor under the alcohol, but this one was super smooth, flavorful, and really well done. The restaurant itself also has a really nice atmosphere. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, and the indoor area definitely has a more upscale vibe than your usual sushi spot and that makes the experience feel a little more elevated and perfect for a date night. On top of all that, the servers were super friendly and provided genuinely great service throughout the meal. Everyone was attentive, welcoming, and made the experience feel really comfortable and enjoyable. Overall, this place completely exceeded my expectations. Great sushi, fun presentation, amazing drinks, friendly service, and a really nice atmosphere. I'd absolutely come back again.

Great sushi at pretty good prices. There was a bit of a wait since it was a weekend. I don't…read morebelieve they take reservations so it's a good idea to get there early. The cocktails were unique, but the sushi stole the show. The interior is trendy, lively, and young. The only other complaint was they only had 2 individual bathrooms so it was a 20 minute wait just to use the restroom.

As mentioned before, greeted immediately & very welcoming. No intimidation for new sushi/japanese…read morefood peeps. Very simple menu & selections. We had the sizzling salmon entree. I had the sashimi salad w/ponzu dressing & a bowl of rice. I didnt eat the salad part, just the sashimi w/my hot rice! Next time, tempura udon. I can't ever resist. The bowls aren't as big as what you get in japan, but large for US (Ramen & Udon)

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I haven't had sushi in a while, so I suggested this spot to meet up with my boba sistah. We got…read morethere a few minutes after they opened at 11am and had the place to ourselves. They have a table or two outside but they're not setup for outdoor seating, fyi. The restaurant is nicely decorated and dark, which took some getting used to. We were greeted warmly and chose a booth towards the right. I had noticed their lunch specials offered M-F 11-2pm so we both ordered from that menu. I got the L/Cali+Shrimp Tempura Combo: California Roll (Half Size), Shrimp Tempura Roll (Half Size), Gyoga(3PCS), Miso Soup. My companion got the L/Rainbow+Dynamite Combo: Rainbow Roll (Half Size), Dynamite Roll (Half Size), 2PCS Nigiri (Chef Choice), Miso Soup. Our soups were brought out pretty quickly and our food not long after. For the price point ($12) and quantity, my lunch special was definitely worth it. It came with 10 California rolls, 5 shrimp tempura rolls, and 3 gyozas. I was pleased to see their gyozas have chicken in them, usually they have pork so I can't eat them. I love their purple rice - so unique. I don't think I'd tried it before and it was good. All of the items I tried were fresh and flavorful. Service was great and I was surprised it wasn't busier during their lunch hour. Maybe later on or dinner gets more of a crowd. I'm glad we tried out this spot and I'd love to come back!

Mediocre but I'd be willing to try it again now that I know what I'm getting into…read more The salmon sashimi I ordered was spot on, and really good. 8 slices for $15 is also the best pricing I have found in all of Scottsdale. I also ordered salmon skin and here is where the star deduction came into play. The salmon skin was served to me the way I asked - no rice, no sauce, no vegetables - BUT, it was burnt. So if I do go back, I would probably request them NOT to cook it so long. I ordered my husband a spicy tuna roll and a spicy salmon roll to go. He said the spicy tuna was good but the spicy salmon wasn't - it was as if the salmon quality that was used was poor.

Popped into this place for our last meal before leaving AZ and it did not disappoint! We were the…read morefirst 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!

On a Sunday evening, after checking out the Desert Botanical Garden, I was looking for some food in…read morethe area. I came across Zu Izakaya and it's great reviews as one of the options. I love Japanese food so my decision was made. I drove over and parked in their complimentary lot. Ambiance (3.5/5): I've been to Japan and there are plenty of izakayas there. Think of them as small bars which often serve solid food. Zu fits that bit. It's a relatively small restaurant, probably seats about 30 people. and it's pretty no frills for a Japanese spot. I was seated at a booth in the corner of the restaurant. They have free WiFi which is always a good touch. Service (3/5): Service was friendly, though a bit inconsistent. My waitress wasn't as attentive as I would have liked. The type of service where you have to flag them down to get what you want and to close out. Drinks (4/5): Zu has a nice menu of Japanese and Korean beverages, including sake, soju, Japanese beer, and more. With that being said, I just had an iced green tea. Food (4/5): I got a nice variety. I went with the Japanese sausage off of the grill menu, the OBI mayo roll off of the sushi menu, and the cheese corn off of the appetizer menu. Let's start with the sausage. It's a small item, two small sausages, but absolutely delicious. The sausage was bursting with flavor and basted in a sweet sauce. Minus the portion size, perfection. The cheese corn also hit the spot, but the execution was off. The corn is served on a hot platter, and unfortunately some of the corn on the edges was badly burnt. The type of situation where they should start over. Which they didn't. Lastly, the OBI mayo roll is essentially a California roll with marinated warm shrimp on top in a mayo sauce. I didn't love the hot and cold combo (shrimp and sushi), but outside of the temperature, it was a delicious roll. All in all, a very food meal. My only gripe with Japanese food is that it can get expensive quick. Given that Zu is in Tempe, I was hoping that prices would be a little cheaper. With that being said, they do have a solid happy hour (and reverse happy hour) with both food and drink specials. Next time I stop by, I'd like to check out some of their Korean options. I focused on the Japanese stuff this time (which makes the majority of the menu). Next time around, the bulgogi is calling my name!

We had Sora from the crew help us out and she's the nicest person, she made sure to inform us about…read morethe food items with the dietary restrictions I had! Wonderful experience, wonderful food and out of the world service. Highly recommend!

Our server was so nice, the food was delicious, and fast! We were never left without food on the…read moretable and we definitely ate all we could possibly eat!

Let's get the most important thing out of the way:…read more You need the crispy rice with spicy tuna. It's not a want. It's a need. I pop in here probably once a month. I'm assuming it's a family-owned joint because the one and only guy working front of house always takes care of me. He's awesome. The place is cute. It's tastefully decorated, and they have a very-on-brand, ginormous full moon light on the wall that's illuminated from behind. It's super cool. I've only ever seen a couple other diners in there with me at any time. The food comes out super fast, which is great, because I'm hungry as soon as i step in the place. The prices are reasonable, the portions are generous, and the food is always good. If you're in the area, this place is a must-stop.

We found this place by accident. My daughter and I arrived around 6pm on a Saturday. There were no…read morepeople there. Slowly others started to arrive about half hour later. I ordered hot sake and it did not disappoint. My daughter got a Ramune, miso soup, and shrimp tempura roll. No complaints! Miso soup was missing tofu that day. Apparently they were all out. Nevertheless the soup was very nice! I got two specialty rolls. The names escape me at the moment. The menu doesn't have a huge selection of rolls but I found what I like and both were VERY good! Good amount of fish vs rice. Everyone is very attentive. Service is very good. The ambiance is interesting :) nothing fancy but not too bland either. There are full moon/moon related decorations. The rolls are also named with the Moon theme in mind. Overall very nice and we will be back to try their ramen !

Met up with a friend here for light snacks and drinks and the ambiance of the time start was ver…read moremuch calm, fun and eccentric in a good way. Service was great and the quality of the food was simply amazing. We ordered orange blossom which was salmon and another tuna one that I don't recall the name. Both tasted very fresh and the sear on the tuna was amazing

The ambience here is incredible and the food was genuinely excellent. The space alone makes you…read morewant to come back. That said, the service didn't match the experience. Our server (female, thick square glasses) came off pretty rude and inattentive throughout most of the night. The only time the energy really shifted was when the bill came, which felt a bit disappointing. It was also noticeable that her demeanor toward us felt different compared to other tables. Not sure why, but it did affect the overall experience. I'd still recommend this place for the food and atmosphere, but I do hope the service becomes more consistent.

Nice place for dinner! We got the spicy edamame, salmon and yellowtail sashimi, and Atkins roll…read morewhich was my fave and really nice. It came with sushi pieces on a toothpick(!) and some of the sushis, although they had all the normal delicious seafood like crab meat, salmon, and yellowtail, were placed inside of a cut-out cucumber type piece! So it was like a "diet sushi" type dish which was really fun to eat. They also have amazing hot sake here, would recommend :) Layout's a bit atypical it's a long room, some other people in groups but not too crowded, and I feel like closes maybe earlier than midnight (more like 9-10pm?)

What a great place! Hidden Gem.!!! Super nice staff, really…read moregood food and fair prices. Casual dining... some kids, although more adult oriented. Noise level was moderate, and we were able to have a conversation without volume. I will totally go back!!!

I like this place because they offer vegan options, the vegan sushi is seasoned to perfection. I…read morealso love the yummy fries (seasoned sweet potatoes). The drinks are cute and satisfying. Upon entering I got this relaxing effect from the openness of the large patio and the beautifully decorated space with live tropical plants and contemporary seating. The hostess was accommodating even though we didn't make reservations. This place provided a truly enjoyable time.

Palma in downtown Phoenix brings a youthful, high-energy vibe--especially on weekends. The crowd is…read morea mix of large and small groups, so it works for different types of outings, with a steady flow of people coming in from all over town (plus plenty of tourists). The weekend atmosphere is a big draw: upbeat music, a lively crowd, and a fun, social energy. That said, the logistics can be a bit of a grind. Our group of six waited quite a while to be seated, which isn't surprising given the night and the fact that two large sections were reserved for private parties. During the wait, seating was a challenge--we were asked to move around a few times, which got a little frustrating. Service is good overall, but during peak rush it can be tough to flag someone down when you need help. On the plus side, the happy hour menu is strong and definitely worth taking advantage of. Once you're settled in, the vibe carries the experience. Great energy and a fun scene--just be ready for a bit of a wait and some crowd management on busy nights.

Bingo and I did happy hour at Bisutoro Sushi Bar and Grill in Biltmore Fashion Plaza. The patio…read morespace is small but dog friendly. The happy hour menu had some great selections and the happy hour prices were very reasonable. The best were the waiters and chef. They were so nice to prepare this salmon cut roll especially for Bingo, so he could have something to eat too. Bingo enjoyed it. I definitely want to go back and try their Argentine Sizzling Ribeye. The table across from us had ordered it and it smelled delicious.

Had a great early evening experience at Obon. It was the…read moreweekend before Thanksgiving and the last full rainy day we had in Phx. After coming from the mall and running through the parking lot in the rain, we cozied up at the bar. It was a pretty intimate experience considering that there weren't many ppl inside. Our bartender gave some great suggestions, as it was my first visit. And we unknowingly came in during happy hour, WIN. I had the watermelon sake and my friend had the thaigers blood. For food we ordered the charred shishitos(the dipping sauce is SO GOOD), scallop crispy rice, maki, and the gyoza. I was thoroughly impressed and cannot wait to return.