Japanese in Phoenix
Showing 1 - 22 of 60
Look no further than Blue Wasabi Sushi and Martini Bar for upscale sushi paired with a classy drink. When the first location opened in Gilbert in 2004, its Japanese cuisine immediately won fans in the restaurant scene, scoring Blue Wasabi a Best New Restaurant award. Nearly a decade later, the restaurant is still serving its […]
Look no further than Blue Wasabi Sushi and Martini Bar for upscale sushi paired with a classy drink. When the first location opened in Gilbert in 2004, its Japanese cuisine immediately won fans in the restaurant scene, scoring Blue Wasabi a Best New Restaurant award. Nearly a decade later, the restaurant is still serving its […]
Daruma is fast-casual but chef-driven Japanese restaurant. Starters here are colorful and fun, including a dish called crispy rice with spicy tuna. The fried chicken chunks of karaage here were aromatic and soft, the crispiness peaking just shy of crunchiness. The Dobson Roll is a good-looking roll, topped with cilantro, shavings of red onion, and […]
Next time you’re in Glendale and have a hankering for fresh eel or a plate full of flying fish eggs, this is where you need to be. Never one to play it safe with a sushi menu, executive chef Andrew Nam has created a long list of soy-wrapped, Latin-influenced bundles. The Hotty Hamachi is a […]
advertisement
From capsule-like private karaoke rooms, to high-tech Toto toilets, to cartoonishly cute waitresses who look like they hang out in Harajuku, Geisha A Go Go brings trendy Japanese kitsch to Old Town. The menu runs the gamut from dumplings and hot rock dishes to seafood entrees, and while it won’t satisfy your craving for traditional […]
This busy family-owned operation north of Seventh and Missouri avenues is overseen by co-owners Lynn Becker and chef Lori Hashimoto, a true treasure of the Phoenix chef scene. The place is known for well-crafted sushi and sashimi – yellowtail, tuna, salmon, crab, albacore and whitefish. We like the squid maruyaki, scallop edamame kasane age, Hana […]
When it comes to sushi, the rice itself isn’t often the ingredient that stands out. That is, unless it’s exceptional. This is the case at the modern Glendale restaurant Haru Sushi & Grill. Here, the rice is tender and sweet, offering a perfect backdrop that does anything but blend into the background. It’s expertly wrapped […]
This small, buzzy restaurant is a solid pick for contemporary sushi and nigiri in downtown Phoenix. The first thing you’ll probably notice is the restaurant’s signature “purple” rice – Harumi uses nutrient-rich Forbidden black rice, which turns a burgundy-like color after being soaked and cooked. Highlights include the H3, a pleasantly snappy and creamy roll […]
It’s easy to love a mom-and-pop place that builds a following by consistent quality and word of mouth like North Scottsdale’s Hiro Sushi. There’s no flash here — of course it’s just a humble strip mall storefront — but the sheer beauty of glistening raw fish (try anything on the specials board behind the sushi […]
In the past few years, the East Valley has become somewhat of a mecca for Asian cuisine. There’s Mekong Plaza in Mesa, a supermarket that contains multiple restaurants, and Chandler has one of the best sushi happy hours in town, including $5 sake bombers. Mom-and-pop shop Hon Machi Sushi & Cocktails’ starters include oyster tempura, […]
advertisement
Don’t confuse this small, local restaurant with one of the many similarly named Japanese restaurants spread throughout the country. This central Phoenix spot has been open for years, mostly catering to the busy working lunch crowd in the area. Diners can score a great deal on a buffet-style sushi and seafood fest, or pick from […]
We’ve eaten our weight in cucumber sald, but none so fresh or tasty as the ones at Kabuki. We follow our salad with a feast on equally fresh sushi: an order of Ikura, a lotus roll, a sunset roll, and a spicy tuna roll. House specialties also get our attention every time, like the crunchy […]
Kaizen PHX serves Instagram-worthy sushi and sashimi from inside the modern red-brick Lawrence Building in the warehouse district of downtown Phoenix. The restaurant, complete with concrete floors, modern art, and windowed garage doors that open to a patio, is adjacent to Galvanize, a coworking space for tech entrepreneurs. But don’t let the seemingly corporate atmosphere […]
Mensho is a newcomer to the Valley, bringing with it hoards of fans and delicious steaming bowls of Japanese noodle soup. The ramen concept was introduced in Japan before expanding around the world. The Mesa restaurant, an immersive space centered around an open kitchen and surrounded by light wood walls, was the chain’s first in […]
advertisement
Moira’s the first sushi bar to crop up in downtown Phoenix in many years. And as Japanese restaurants go, it’s not going to put this area on the map for destination-worthy sushi. But it is an inviting place to hang out, grab a light bite, and meet with friends over a cucumber-infused cocktail or some […]
The uncomplicated, affordable Pan-Asian cuisine at Moto runs the gamut from rice bowls and sushi to krab puffs and wings. At happy hour – when drinks and nibbles are on special, and the rock music’s on full blast – the sleek bar area attracts hungry commuters fresh off the 51.
One of the surprise-hit openings of 2020, Nanaya pivoted from izakaya to comfort food right before pressing go. The menu is mostly Japanese with a few imaginative dishes that fuse old Southwestern dishes with Japanese. Fry bread with miso-yuzu marinated beef. Elote slick with Japanese mayo. Chef Spencer Shin cooks with precision and intention. Tempura-fried […]
Looking for a show featuring lots of slicing and dicing? Check out the teppanyaki fare here. The kitchen sends out first-rate raw materials – juicy sea scallops, fresh shrimp, butter-soft beef. The knife-twirling chef sizzles them on the grill, along with lots of fresh veggies. It’s hard not to have fun.