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    Zu Izakaya - ASU

    4.5 (307 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars, Izakaya
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

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    ZU IZAKAYA - ASU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Trendy

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    LOLLIPOP ROLL
    Justin T.

    I'd been here before the ownership change and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, after the change, it felt pretty average. Nothing stood out like it used to. The service was good and the ambiance was nice, but the restaurant itself didn't smell great. Ultimately, this place just isn't for me -- I won't be back.

    BULGOGI GRILL & AVOCADO ROLL @ CUCUMBER ROLL
    Joseph M.

    The restaurant had a clean atmosphere with nice décor. I went here with two of my friends, and they both ended up wanting to go back. Our server, Josh, was amazing--a very friendly guy with top-notch customer service. I ordered the bulgogi grill, an avocado roll, and a cucumber roll, along with yuzu sake to wash it down. We split everything, and it was enough for all of us to enjoy. We will definitely be returning to try their hotpot.

    Sonya P.

    So yummy!! And the service is superb!! The edamame pictured is garlic and red pepper, a MUST try!! Sweet and spicy

    Sabrina H.

    What I got: Bulgogi with side rice Seaweed salad Miso soup Wasn't a lot of meat on my Bulgogi dish was a small square skillet and I was mostly of onions and some zucchini pieces. I decided to try their miso soup which was not bad tasted like the packets you get from the grocery store, but at least they had seaweed and tofu in it compared to other places, the seaweed salad tasted pretty fresh they don't give you too much of it they put a bunch of lettuce underneath it so it makes it seem like there's more at first my friend got the plate and some parts kinda tasted raw, but he didn't care much since he likes it either way but then again I was supposed to be a cooked dish so. I had gotten a draft beer to start with and for some reason it was warm so that was very un appetizing but then I got a bottled beer and it was cold. I don't recommend draft. This place has gone through a name change in the last few months and have removed a lot of of the stuff from the old menu went to see the difference was told that they kept the same quality as it is the same owner as before, but honestly to me the only thing that seems like the quality stayed the same was the oysters. Everything else seems that gone down a bit and the portion seems really small now some things are priced decently and some things are overpriced and we can't forget to mention how bad it smells in here like sewage. There's so many restaurants like this which is the problem like I don't need to come here and there was nothing memorable about it and it's a pretty far drive from me so I probably won't be coming back

    SAMGYEOPSAL BOARD
    Winnie L.

    Pro-tip: They have such a generous happy hour where it goes until 7 PM and it's every day even on the weekends. Highlights: I don't know why more people aren't talking about this place. I haven't been in a few years and after our last experience, we are going to throw it in into our regular sushi rotation. I love their nigiri portions, the fish is really fresh and well prepared. With the happy hour pricing, it's definitely a great value. You can even order seared aburi style nigiris. It's not a huge variety of fish, but it has the staples covered. Lowlights: Personally I was not a fan of all the hot foods we got. The Korean fried chicken had too much breading and the pork belly platter was not the traditional style with the way the meat was prepared and they gave us romaine instead of Napa.

    Avinaba C.

    Came here for the first time the other day and I'd probably have to give this place a 3.75 out of 5. We came for a late dinner on Thursday night around 9pm and when we walked in, the restaurant was fairly empty. Restaurant had a fancy but cozy feel to it. A place where you could take a date and have a romantic dinner but also somewhere you could go with a group of friends. Our waiter was very nice and attentive and gave some decent recommendations. In terms of food, this is where I would say the rating took a bit of a hit. To start off, their menu is gigantic. They have so many different options ranging from sushi, ramen, meat off the grill, and skewers. We ordered their chicken karage skewer, Korean mini corn dogs, yellowtail roll, truffle japchae, kimchi fried rice, and their bulgogi off the grill. Everything was tasty and had decent flavor. I think the only thing that really hurt the food was that we tasted a lot of oil and grease in the food to the point where it messed with our stomachs a bit. I would say food wise, the food is decent especially for the portions and price. Just too much oil and grease for our liking. Overall decent spot and would recommend if you're okay with food that's a bit heavier and richer due to the amount of oil.

    KIMCHI FRIED RICE
    Adannaya I.

    Needed a late night good stop and one thing about me, I'm always going to love a late night Japanese happy hour. The vibe is definitely casual but cute! It was just me so I was seated at the bar and like I said it was happy hour so I tried quite a few things. - Lychee soju $10 I love soju because it is sweet and lowkey strong. About halfway into the bottle and you should be feeling something!! So I loved it. - Shrimp & beef skewers $3.95 each Tasty sauce. Only 3 pieces of meat so not too worth it but very tasty. Was a nice way to add protein to my rice. - Las Vegas roll $7.95 Fried with 6 pieces but I really enjoyed. It's a fired roll so that's a first for me but it was good! - Kimchi fried rice $12 (not happy hour) My favorite part of the meal. Came with lemon and I love a little drizzle of. Lemon on everything so I loved that. But even without it is super flavorful

    Kelsey N.

    This was such a good spot to come a share apps and the vibes inside are so cute! All the wait staff were so friendly even the little robots. I ordered pork belly and some sushi and all was delicious. Overall I think this a fun Korean spot in Tempe!

    CREAM CARBONARA
    Jennifer A.

    I would like to start off by saying the atmosphere was incredible. I loved the darkness of the restaurant, it makes it so much better when you eat. It looked pretty fancy inside and very organized. All the workers there were so friendly and helpful, like when I say all I mean all. There wasn't a single worker who was rude or not helpful. They made you feel very welcomed. The food was great but I just feel like the pasta needed a little extra flavor. When they brought out the food it was very hot but that just meant it was freshly made and wasn't just sitting there. The fries were amazing, they had little garlic chips that added so much flavor.

    Mel Y.

    This place is absolutely amazing! I'm a bit picky when it comes to sushi (Hawaii transplant) however this place not only was good price wise but also quality. They have a ton of nice drink options too. The staff were super friendly and there's a cool vibe in the restaurant. We sat at the booth table and had a ton of extra space. I highly recommend, especially for happy hour!

    SOY GARLIC WINGS
    Rafael J.

    I was traveling through town and made a stop here based on a friends recommendation. This restaurant hit all the marks. The interior of the restaurant felt busy with out being cramped, had a great design and set up for a fun atmosphere. The menu itself gave a ton of options and it makes it great for repeatability, and really makes you want to come back to try more. The wait staff was friendly, definitely made great recommendations and stayed attentive. The meal itself was fantastic . I loved the u e cheesecake for dessert, but the bulgogi tteokbokki and wings were incredible and full of flavor. I will definitely put it on my list for the next time I find myself in this part of the desert.

    My dinner: salmon kama, side of rice and a side of kimchi. Just like home deliciousness!
    Mina R.

    Your service is amazing and even though they changed their manual slightly, everything was delicious as I remembered

    Sophie K.

    Finally got to try Zu & Pocha! It's such a cute place. However, came here on a Friday evening, it was pretty hot inside. Ordered this and that from Happy Hour menu, food was good- nothing exceptional, but I was surprised that they are pricey for the portion. And people were friendly, yet it took them a while to come check on us. But I think it's a cute spot for a drink or two!

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    Page 1 of 8

    Zu Izakaya - ASU Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Zu Izakaya - ASU

    Zu Izakaya

    Zu Izakaya

    4.5(1.9k reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    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!

    Photos
    Zu Izakaya - Lots of inside seating options

    Lots of inside seating options

    Zu Izakaya - JJAMBBONG POT

    JJAMBBONG POT

    Zu Izakaya - NIGIRI OMAKASE

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    NIGIRI OMAKASE

    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya - Sashimi Deluxe

    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya

    4.2(437 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I recently had dinner at Kuka Sushi & Izakaya and was immediately impressed by the modern, chic…read moreambience. The space feels stylish and contemporary, with a sleek atmosphere that makes it perfect for both a casual dinner and a special night out. The menu is truly avant-garde! Creative, innovative, and full of intriguing options. That said, I have to admit I felt a little overwhelmed at first and wasn't sure what to order because everything sounded so interesting. In the end, I chose the Omakase Dinner "Buzz," and I absolutely loved the concept. It includes miso soup, 9 pieces of nigiri, a mini poke, and a 5-piece roll -- such a fantastic idea if you're undecided and want to try a bit of everything! I think it's a splendid option, especially for first-timers or anyone who wants a complete tasting experience without having to choose individual items. If I could change one small thing, it would be the roll selection. I wish there were an option to choose from the specialty rolls instead of only the basic ones. That extra flexibility would make the experience even better. Overall, the quality of the food was very good, and the overall experience was enjoyable. It's definitely a place worth visiting, and I'll certainly be back to try the curry and ramen next time!

    Made a reservation for 7pm on a Friday night. The location is kind of hard to get to if you've…read morenever been before. Our uber dropped us off in the back of an apartment building and we walked a short distance to the restaurant. The restaurant is very loud, we were sat at a high top table and it was kind of awkward being elevated in the middle of the restaurant with lights beaming directly on you. Ordered a bottle of Sauvignon blanc. It was nice that it arrived in an ice bucket, but was disappointed by the stemless glasses. The service was extremely slow. Had to ask for soy sauce, wasabi and ginger. When someone that was not our server gave it to us, it was basically empty. The sushi was just alright. For the price I would've rather gone somewhere nicer. My roommate and friend did not like their rolls at all (avocado roll and spicy salmon) the spicy tuna was good, pretty hard to mess that up. I would not get the soft shell crab roll again, the roll was big and falling apart immediately. Nobody in our party of 7 finished the food they ordered. Overall not great service or sushi, I wouldn't come back here.

    Photos
    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya
    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya - Beef brisket nigiri

    Beef brisket nigiri

    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya - Miso pork belly

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    Miso pork belly

    Full Moon Izakaya - Best Ramen in Phoenix 
Eats & Drinks

    Full Moon Izakaya

    4.4(135 reviews)
    12.3 mi
    $$

    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 !

    Photos
    Full Moon Izakaya - Full Moon Izakaya 
Veggie Sushi Roll

    Full Moon Izakaya Veggie Sushi Roll

    Full Moon Izakaya - Eclipse roll

    Eclipse roll

    Full Moon Izakaya - Bar

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    Bar

    Ramen Dozo - Spicy edamame

    Ramen Dozo

    4.3(374 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    A neat little ramen shop that offers sushi and more!…read more It was pretty busy when I visited, but my partner and I were greeted and seated right away near a half booth by the door. The music set a fun vibe, and the service was nice and attentive. We ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen ($12.50) and sake bombs with House Sake ($3) and Kirin Light ($7.50). I loved that the sake came in a clear tokkuri. The ramen was soo delicious. I added some chili oil to my broth to give it some spice. The spice is one of those that slowly creeps up on you, but doesn't linger too long. The chashu pork was thin and savory. I usually don't enjoy bean sprouts, but here they were subtle and added a pleasant texture to the ramen. I also love that they included the naruto fish cake. I think what makes this place stand out is that at this price point, quality ramen like this is rare to find nowadays. I would consider this place a hidden gem and definitely recommend it if you are near the area. I look forward to eating it again!

    The food was so good! My boyfriend and I loved it. Service was really fast and we got seated right…read moreaway even if there's a lot of people waiting. The ambience was really good and the people serving are really friendly specially the people who cook the food. Master chef gave us this wonderful hot chili oil that if you add to the ramen- makes it more delicious. We will definitely go back and we're looking forward to eating there again! We had tonkatsu, california roll, shumai and we are so full! Food is so cheap too.

    Photos
    Ramen Dozo - Open door to the restrooms, seriously! It was stinking.

    Open door to the restrooms, seriously! It was stinking.

    Ramen Dozo - Spicy gyoza, tuna roll and California roll

    Spicy gyoza, tuna roll and California roll

    Ramen Dozo - Spicy Miso Ramen

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    Spicy Miso Ramen

    Zu Izakaya - ASU - sushi - Updated May 2026

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