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    Zu Izakaya

    4.5 (1.9k reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Order Zu Izakaya Takeout or Delivery

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    ZU IZAKAYA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Zu Izakaya

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    Unagi
    Paula D.

    We were not impressed. Everything was mediocre. Sent the yellowtail collar back because of no flavor. The bulgogi was dry. Sushi and tempura was good. We won't return. There are better restaurants.

    Entrance to the restaurant
    Christa R.

    We have gone many times to the other location in Paradise Valley but we found ourselves in the Tempe area so we decided to give this place a try. First, the building is a good size but it is split between the bar and restaurant with the kitchen in between. There is no sushi bar which was surprising. Anisty, our server, was not only amazing and prompt but she immediately removed our dirty plates as soon as we were finished something I truely appreciate. My husband ordered a hot pot and I ordered sushi and both were great! Definitely we will return!

    I lost track of everything we ordered!  We went a tad bit overboard, but EVERYTHING was amazing!!!
    Jon H.

    We were out in the Scottsdale area and starving for some sushi. After consulting my very extensive book mark collection "Funny thing about that...." list, Zu Izakaya was channeling its inner goodness straight to my stomach and I wasn't able to deny the connection. We were greeted immediately and everyone was extremely nice and pleasant. After sitting down, we had our drinks order with a couple minutes. The hostess walked us through the menu and recommended a few different options based on our likings. Everything was delicious and amazing! We may or may not have gone a bit overboard :) It was worth it!! We definitely left full and completely satisfied. On a scale of 1 - 10, this place has such a great vibe and the food is down right fantastic! Hit it up, smash it, do all the things...you won't regret it!

    Melissa C.

    Small, cozy eatery with friendly staff. The food was good, we tried a bit of everything. My group dined in later at night, so most of what we ordered was happy hour prices - starts at 9pm. The squid salad, seaweed salad and rolls were tasty but the ramen broth was a bit salty for my liking. I forgot the brand of soju they serve here, but it had a weird after taste for me. All things considered, it's a enjoyable restaurant to grab a quick bite.

    CHICKEN KARRAGE SKEWER, GARLIC SPICY TUNA ROLL & LAS VEGAS ROLL
    Erika N.

    My husband and I came to Zu for a quick happy hour meal before our flight back home. It wasn't too busy so we were easily able to grab a table. I like that the menu featured not only sushi but some great apps too. Everything came out very quickly & prices were great. I enjoyed the food and bonus points for them having fresh wasabi. I'd definitely come back again.

    JJAMBBONG POT
    Aisha W.

    what a GEM to stumble upon when I was in the area!! Dark & cool vibe. Came for a late night dinner with a group & enjoyed some selections from their late night happy hour. Nigiri salmon & yellowtail quality was incredible and fresh. The hot pot was a hearty portion for $20 and filled with seafood. Service was fast & our server Tanya was very thorough in asking just the right questions.

    Mackerel nigiri. 5/5 - not overly fishy, surprisingly enough!
    Nick K. W.

    ( This is the first of five reviews I've prepared for describing some of the food I ate while I was out in Phoenix, Arizona. ) So this is going to be an unusual review for me in the sense I'm not reviewing a local spot -- over the last few days, I had to fly over to Phoenix for work-related events. While I was worried about becoming homesick, I also realized that I had a prime opportunity to check out some of Phoenix's food scene! The next five reviews will thus focus on some of the restaurants and joints I tried while I was in Phoenix -- call it a foodie's travel log and diary if you will! When I flew in late on Tuesday evening, most of the restaurants close to my hotel were closed... needless to say, aside from cursing my late flight, I was about ready to go to bed without dinner. Then, I saw that Zu Izakaya was open! A short drive from the airport and located on Scottsdale Road, Zu Izakaya was listed as one of the best sushi restaurants in Phoenix -- and with its late hours, it was a perfect place for me to go and grab some much-needed late night sushi and dinner! It looks like a Mexican restaurant on the outside, but don't let it fool you -- it's one of the most unique izakaya restaurants I've seen, enough so that this would easily be at home back in Vegas. It looks like it's fairly popular with the late night crowd, too, since this place was fairly packed at 10 PM, long after most places in Phoenix have closed for the night. Food-wise, they offer quite the unique menu -- along with traditional Japanese dishes, they also serve Korean-style jjigaes and grill items that are popular among the late night crowd! Of course, for the sake of my review I tried mostly the Japanese menu -- though you better believe that if and when I'm back in Phoenix next time I'll come back to try the rest of their menu! As this was my first time in, my server, Tanja, was nice enough to provide me with recommendations on what to try at Zu -- and needless to say, I enjoyed everything! See the attached photos for examples of what I had -- of course, my favorites were all the sushi, but the miso soup, tempura, and their skewers were also amazing. Shout-out to Tanja for helping make my first meal in Phoenix be this memorable! Despite my frustrations with flight delays, my experience at Zu redeemed that night -- enough that I'm already planning to go back to Zu if and when I return to Phoenix next time! I can't think of any better way to make a great first impression. Here's to hoping I'm able to come back sooner rather than later!

    Agedeshi tofu
    Elsie M.

    A friend and I were in the mood for sushi and decided to choose this spot for our monthly group get together recently. We came in on a Monday night for a party of six and we were seated relatively quickly. We decided to go family style and share everything. After looking over the menu we ordered, butter corn, agedeshi tofu, shrimp tempura roll, eel cucumber roll, spicy scallop roll, siracha shrimp roll, spider roll, baked scallop roll, crunch salmon roll, tofu tempura roll, salmon uni ikura don, and a chicken katsu for the kids in our group. The dishes that stood out the most during our meal were the spider roll, crunch salmon roll, tofu tempura roll and the agedeshi tofu. The only dish we didn't end up caring for much, was surprisingly the salmon uni ikura don. The style of the salmon wasn't what we were expecting, and the rice was a bit mushier than we would've liked. Overall, the service was fast and friendly. I would say the ambiance was casual yet cozy. It's a solid spot all around for all sorts, a date night, a meet up with a group of friends, or a family meal with the parents and or the kids. The quality of the sushi isn't top tier, but it was decently good for the prices. We really liked how extensive their menu was and how it offered much more than just sushi, a little something for everyone's taste buds and preferences in the group.

    Poki
    Kelly S.

    I have a perfect seafood spicy pot pot My daughter enjoyed the pookie. I arrive early. It's a quaint small restaurant. The servers are lovely.

    Heaven R.

    The food here was phenomenal. Everything!! The fried food was fried to perfection! Delish. The sushi was fresh. Small place, I couldn't see if they have area to accommodate large parties. Tables and booths sat 4-5 people. All the staff were nice. The music was our vibe. Great prices! It's not listed on the drinks menu but they also have a full bar. For a double jack and coke was $14! Even better!! We really loved the smaller portions of the food we ordered to be able to try other things. We will be returning! This is a place we show our friends or family who visit us

    Omakase

    The food was sooooo good! We went before the Suns game, It was so good I tried to go back after the game but it had closed already. We ordered Omakase and the sushi just melted in your mouth. The presentation was beautiful. I attached a photo.. The service was great.

    YAKI UDON

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    3 months ago

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    19 days ago

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    22 days ago

    Great happy hour and excellent service! Quiet atmosphere and the sushi was delicious.

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    3 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Excellent food and service! Seated quickly and the food came out fast. Highly recommend!

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    2 months ago

    Food was great, drinks also. Cute robot wiater. Late dinner but got great service. Hosted grated with the best smile.

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    11 days ago

    I love this place the service was amazing and everything that we ordered was very testy this is our new spot I love it

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    Page 1 of 49

    Zu Izakaya Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Zu Izakaya

    Do they have an outdoor area? If so, Do they allow dogs?

    Yes!

    We came here and had the green tea soju. I regret not taking a picture of the bottle because I don't know what it was called. Does anyone know the full name of the green tea soju?

    Sayamacha Umeshu! Ran into the same issue and did a lot of detective work.

    View All 5 Questions

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    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya - Sashimi Deluxe

    Kuka Sushi & Izakaya

    4.2(437 reviews)
    2.7 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.

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    Zu Izakaya - ASU - Inside atmosphere

    Zu Izakaya - ASU

    4.5(307 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Kitchen open late

    My first time at Zu Izakaya was a blast! I came in with a group of 5 and were seated quickly. Our…read morewaitress Tiana was very attentive and helpful as we decided our orders. Overall, the place has a fun vibe with lots of string lights and Japanese decorations. They have happy hour twice a day. We came during their 9-11PM happy hour (we love a late night happy hour!) Lots of options for sushi, drinks, and appetizers on the happy hour menu. The spicy tuna roll was a refreshing roll with just the spicy tuna, cucumber and rice. A simple roll that still has a good spicy flavor but not too overpowering that it takes over your meal. The Vegas roll is a classic if you like fried rolls! Can't go wrong with this one. The nigiri was top notch. The yellowtail nigiri quite literally melts in your mouth and the flavors are buttery and soft. It's my personal favorite whenever I want nigiri. The salmon nigiri was also very good. Slights sweet but if you add soy sauce it balances it out. The jjambong pot was so filling. We ate this after the sushi. It's enough to be shared with 2-3 people and includes a mix of some seafoods, enoki mushrooms, onions, and ramyeon with a spicy broth. The noodles were good, the broth was delicious and not too spicy if you're not a person that handles spice well. My only complaint is that we had about 6-7 mussels but only 2 pieces of shrimp. It would've been nice to have a more even distribution of the seafood but other than that the taste was amazing. With the happy hour it was incredibly affordable. Even without the happy hour I would definitely come here again. 10/10!!

    I absolutely love this place! The details, especially down to the gold chopsticks is amazing. It's…read morea fantastic date spot!

    Photos
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    Hotpot, Assorted Tempura, Galbi, Oysters, Chicken Skewers

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    Full Moon Izakaya - Best Ramen in Phoenix 
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    Full Moon Izakaya

    4.4(135 reviews)
    10.1 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 !

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    Ramen Dozo - Spicy edamame

    Ramen Dozo

    4.3(374 reviews)
    4.3 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.

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

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