Ichi Ban Japanese Restaurant & Sushi

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 the menu selection that runs the gamut of Japanese cuisine. With about 20 options that rotate regularly, there’s plenty of sushi to choose from, including super spicy varieties like the Phoenix Suns roll with tuna and unagi. Teriyaki chicken is a favorite option, especially as an easy to-go meal for desk jockeys. Other dishes include shrimp tempura, Oh! My God spicy tuna dip with fried wonton chips, hirashi wakame (seaweed salad), yook-gae jang (spicy sup with shredded beef and sweet potato noodles), and seafood udon. And this place doesn’t skimp on the fresh catch, which is often flown in from prime seafood destinations like Hawaii.