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!

Even though we went during a busy Sat lunchtime, we found a seat pretty quickly…read more Food came out pretty quickly about 10-15min after ordering. Cold Soba was a good portion, tasty & super cold just like the Korean Mul-naengmyeon. Chicken Katsu was fried. Perfectly but still moist & juicy inside. Pork Katsu satiated my craving. Big portion, fried perfectly & still juicy inside. Served on a metal rack to keep it crusty with a scoop of white rice & shredded cabbage. I didn't taste much sesame in the mayo based dressing, but it help cut the heavyiness of the fried food. Also came with pickled veggies & bowl of warm soba soup base.

Maiden Katsu is located inside HMart food court. Very popular place as we came on a Saturday and…read morethe place was mobbed. Saw these gigantic disks the size of dinner plates of pork and chicken katsu. I ordered the chicken katsu + soba noodle combo. Soba noodles were done in a Korean style with ice cold tsuyu broth along with shredded cabbage and other vegetables. Was so cold I got a brain freeze from drinking the soup. That in itself would've been a full meal but the chicken katsu was delicious. It was golden and crispy along with a scoop of rice, shredded cabbage with dressing, and jalapeño daikon pickles. We waited about 10 for our food. It was longer to try and position yourself to wait for a table to open up then pounce on the empty table. Overall great food

I may not be able to eat sushi anywhere else after this!…read more I came for the Restaurant Week lunch deal and am so glad I finally made it here. Everything from service to ambiance to food was excellent. And I love that they brought lunch service back to this location! Friday, Saturday, Sunday only and still make a reservation! It was busy! I wanted something fun to drink but non-alcoholic, so the bartender stopped by to help me decide. I got the Miso Sour and it was so good! This had a nice balance of flavors. I started with the Hamachi Crudo which has grapefruit ponzu, lemon mayo, Serrano pepper, and thin cucumber slices. This was so good! Refreshing with just the right amount of spice. Next I enjoyed chopped salad and miso. The salad was very fresh and had a variety of goodies including edamame, purple cabbage, and avocado. The miso is so good!! It was delicate and yet so flavorful. I chose the Yuzu tuna roll option which has spicy tuna and avocado inside, with big eye tuna on top, garnished with micro cilantro, red onion, and yuzu. This was so good! I also thought their ginger stood out - I would bet they make this in house. I can see why this always has such great reviews!

I'm writing this review more as feedback for the owner because I'd hate to see a restaurant with so…read moremuch potential decline in quality and service. My boyfriend and I came to Shimogamo for Mother's Day and ordered the five-course meal. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing compared to our previous visit. The biggest issue was the service. Our waitress, an older woman, came across as dismissive and unnecessarily rude throughout the evening. When we were seated, she offered complimentary rosé. I accepted a glass, but my boyfriend does not drink alcohol, so he politely asked if he could order a mocktail instead. Before he could even finish, she abruptly responded, "No, you can wait to place an order for that," as if he was trying to substitute the complimentary drink, which he was not. He was simply trying to order a beverage. Later, when the braised beef course was served, my boyfriend politely asked if he could have a spoon or fork. The waitress loudly repeated "A SPOON?" in a mocking tone in front of nearby guests, which made the interaction uncomfortable and embarrassing. As for the food, the five-course menu was average at best and far below what we expected from Shimogamo. The salmon tartare and sushi course were both excellent and showed the quality we remembered from our first visit. However, the remaining courses fell flat. The fried branzino was dry and seemed poorly prepared, despite the promising flavors of capers and cream sauce. The braised short rib felt completely out of place on the menu and lacked refinement it was dry, heavy, and more reminiscent of a chain steakhouse meal than an upscale dining experience. The entire dinner also felt rushed, with little attention to pacing or hospitality. What makes this especially disappointing is that we dined here back in November on a double date and had an incredible experience. We spent over $600 that evening, and the service and food were exceptional. Our waitress at that time was knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely enthusiastic about the menu. She guided us through recommendations, and every dish impressed us. That's why this visit was so surprising. Shimogamo clearly has the ability to provide an outstanding dining experience, which makes the decline in both service and execution even more concerning. I sincerely hope management takes this feedback seriously because this restaurant was once one of our favorites.

Located inside the Asian market, this spot is a quick and affordable way to enjoy Japanese cuisine…read more The cashier was friendly, and the food was prepared quickly. The ramen had great flavor, and I really enjoyed the roasted garlic. The noodles were perfectly cooked--bouncy and satisfying--and the broth was smooth and rich. While it wasn't spicy enough for my personal taste, it definitely didn't lack flavor. There's plenty of seating available, making it a comfortable place to sit down and enjoy a meal before or after shopping.

The owner is so sweet and the food is amazing. This place is located inside Asiana and is worth…read moretrying. The fish are always so fresh for the price you are paying. Definitely recommend just getting their sashimi.

Great spot. I believe this was my first time having soba, and I couldn't get enough. This was a…read morecold dish, and came with a chicken yakitori skewer, veggie and shrimp tempura, and chicken gyoza. The noodles were great texture, the broth was super flavorful, and the sides were quite nice. I've been thinking about this meal every day since. It is a small spot, almost looks closed from the outside. There was just one server who appears to be the owner, and he was very nice and attentive. He checked in to make sure we knew how to eat the noodles properly and gently let us know when the kitchen and restaurant were closing. The croquettes were very nice, and I normally am not a huge fan of takoyaki but the octopus texture in these was nice and soft. There was not too much octopus in them though, so if that's important to you... :( Would definitely come back and probably order the exact same thing...

This is a gem! When we first pulled up, was not sure if this place was opened. They had tinted…read morewindows and could barely see in. But when we went in, we were greeted right away by the server. He sat us down (choose your own seats). It's simple decor. But inviting. Very clean. I ordered the Tenzaru soba. It is buckwheat noodles served cold with a dipping sauce and a generous amount of shrimp and veggie tempura. The tempura was vey hot and crispy coating. They also gave us 2 gyoza and a breaded chicken on a skewer with a drizzle of Teri sauce. I enjoyed all of it. Hubby had Tempura udon. The tempura was served on the side so as not to get soggy in the udon. The broth had a good umami flavor. Noodles are thick and just right. We also ordered shrimp tempura roll, it comes with Japanese mayo on top, which we told them to not add it. Tempura was hot. It was rolled with slivers of fresh cucumber. We enjoyed and ordered another roll. All and all the flavors are authentic Japanese cooking. By the time we were done. The place did fill up. I was glad to see that. Lots of parking as it is surrounded office buildings and a pickle/fitness center.

Went after seeing a movie at az mills. Rarely on that side of town so wanted to check this off the…read morebookmark list. It didn't disappoint. Greeted upon entry and seated right away. The place is narrow and long with bar seating to view kitchen. We started with the potstickers and they were very well cooked and full of flavor. Then came our ramens. Both had a terrific broth base. My extra spicy was a 6.5/10 on spice so it just looks like lava but is totally edible. My wife's spicy miso was terrific and I'd totally go that way next time. This spot is up there in places I'd recommend for ramen in phoenix.

Tampopo is good, so consistent and always worth it…read more Plus, they take extra care to package everything in to go orders perfectly so it doesn't leak.

Food is great 10/10! I used to work close by and I miss them so much. I used to go for lunch…read moreeveryday.

I ordered Chicken Katsu. This wasn't katsu. It is more like fried chicken. Batter was broken down…read moreand Sauce isn't katsu sauce. I couldn't eat

WOW! I've been waiting for a good Japanese curry spot to pop up in Arizona. JT's Curry Wagon not…read moreonly fits the bill but also offers an excellent Taiwanese dish, amazing drinks, and exceptional service. My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this stand at Uptown Market a couple weeks ago, and were so impressed by the 50/50. The dish is half curry -- deliciously thick and made from scratch -- and half lu rou fan, which includes the softest, flavorful pork belly. It also includes a few delicious pickled cucumbers and a perfectly jammy marinated egg. Lao gan ma always available to top!! The owner, Jonny, is so welcoming and enthusiastic. He was so happy to have us sample his unique drinks (a frozen thai tea and a lychee lemonade with jellies), and we were so thrilled to honestly say they were delicious! The thai tea flavor was really strong and aromatic. The price is super fair for how much you get. Our dish was packed to the brim, and they really don't skimp on the pork belly. Will 1000% make this out go-to farmer's market meal.

We came across JT's Curry Wagon when we were at the Mesa Night Market. Hubby was intrigued at the…read morecowboy curry. The owner happened to have samples (without meat) and hubby was immediately sold! However we left the booth to see what the other options were and hubby not even 5 minutes later wanted to return to JT's. The flavors were seriously on point! And the portion size was generous. It fed myself, hubby, and our teenager while we waited in the lecon line. LOL I'm so impressed that I'm already eyeballing where i can catch JTs this Saturday! Definitely want to have this again!

Nishikawa Ramen is a small little ramen shop decorated with anime posters from Naruto, One Piece,…read moreand Dragon Ball. There were also cute little trinkets of My Neighbor Totoro. Upon entering, we were free to seat ourselves and chose a booth by the wall. It was not busy at all and the service was quick and friendly. We started off with a large sake bomb paired with a Kirin Light ($15). We then ordered two Tonkotsu Ramens, one medium spice and one hot spice ($15.99 each). Honestly, the hot spice level did not taste spicy at all, so I would recommend going extra hot if you like spice. They also provide chili powder on the table if you want to add more spice yourself. The ramen broth itself could have used a tad more flavor. I lightly added some soy sauce to the broth which is something I often do to add a little kick. I loved all of the toppings included, from the green onions to the kikurage (wood ear mushroom). My favorite part was the pork chashu, which was really tender and delicious. I also appreciated that the ramen came with a full soft boiled egg rather than half an egg, and the egg was perfectly runny. Before leaving, we ordered their tea special that was buy one get one. We got a matcha milk tea and a cafe latte which I forgot to take a photo of. I felt like the cafe latte could have used a little more sweetness to balance it. Also, I found it neat that Nishikawa offers a rewards program, not something I see often at ramen shops. My true rating would be 4.5 due to some of the criticisms I mentioned above, but overall I still had a good experience. Thank you for serving us. Visited 5/2/26

This place was good but the service could use some work. I went in during the mid afternoon for an…read moreearly dinner and was seated right away but the waitress didn't give me a menu. I sat there for several minutes and when she came back, she asked if I was ready to order. I asked for a menu and then she tapped this little sign on the table that had a QR code on it. I guess they want you to use your phone to look up the menu but then she brought me a printed menu and a glass of water. I had about a minute to look at the menu before the waitress came back and asked what I wanted. I ordered the small portion of the chicken karaage appetizer and the Nishikawa Black Ramen. Both items came out at about the same time. The chicken was good and there was a lot which somewhat surprised me because I thought they had given me a large portion by mistake. The only downside was that the plate was really small so the chicken kept tumbling onto the table. The ramen was just ok. It came in a really big bowl and there was a lot of broth and toppings but relatively little noodles in comparison. It was more like a bowl of soup. The slice of pork was huge but a little bit chewy when I was expecting it to be tender. The egg wasn't sliced so it was difficult to pick up the entire piece with my chopsticks. The chicken was $7 and the ramen was $18. I would have been ok just getting the chicken, perhaps a large portion for $12. I wouldn't get this particular ramen again. With tax and a tip my total was a little over $31 which isn't the most I've spent at a ramen restaurant, but it wasn't cheap either. I wasn't offered a refill on my drink until after I had paid and was ready to leave. In fact, I only saw the waitress once after my food was brought out, and that was when she brought me the bill. The rest of the time she was somewhere in the kitchen.

To celebrate our wedding anniversary my wife and I enjoyed lunch @ Sushi Sen in Scottsdale. The…read moreatmosphere inside/out had a relaxed and welcoming feeling. Not a huge space but it felt larger because of the high expansive ceilings. When we entered we were warmly greeted and seated. The menu was expansive so we were happy we previewed the menu at home. We both settled on the Bento Combination. You get to pick one item from each of the three categories (Sashimi, Sushi, and A la Carte). I selected the Sashimi - Maguro, Sushi - Spicy Hamachi, and À la carte - Chicken Katsu. My wife selected the Sashimi - Hamachi, Sushi - California Roll, and À la carte - Chicken Teriyaki. A delicious Miso soup accompanied the Bento Box, not too salty or heavy feeling. Our Bento Boxes came out relatively quick, the presentation was excellent, every item was fresh (sashimi melted in our mouths), and perfectly prepared. The portions were perfect (no leftovers and we didn't walk away hungry). The service was exactly as I had imagined it should be, welcoming, attentive, and courteous. Overall, I highly recommend Sushi Sen for the quality, service, and ambiance. Notes/Tips: you could easily miss this location as the only indication of its location is a sign posted high above on an archway (see one of my photos). Another well known dining venue is right next door, the "Alma" to help you with location. Parking is free and plentiful. The walk from the parking lot to the entrance is not too far.

Sushi Sen is our go-to restaurant when we're craving Japanese food. We come here a lot because the…read morefood is great, the prices are reasonable, and it never disappoints. This time, we ordered the sushi boat, chirashi bowl, uni nigiri, and o-toro nigiri. Everything was fresh and tasted amazing. The uni and o-toro were definitely our favorites. The chirashi bowl was also a favorite, yes, we have a lot of favorites here! The staff here are always nice and friendly, which is another reason we keep coming back.