Izakaya Fishtown

Portions sizes, especially of the ramen was quite large, enough for two to three people. The sushi was really flavorful and fresh, prices were reasonable.

Visited 4 months ago

I ordered delivery and the driver completely screwed it up. But the staff, food and atmosphere were incredible. I drove there to correct it, and everyone was awesome. They got my food together quickly and made sure I was taken care of. EXCELLENT staff. Never been in here until now, but I'll definitely be coming back.

Visited a month ago

The pictures tell all re: food. The cocktails were very very heavy on the syrup and light on the alcohol. The service was slow and unfriendly as well on the night we were there. Spider-Man was playing on the single tv and I asked if it would be possible to watch the game playing that night and they said a flat out “no”.

Visited 2 months ago

I visited Izakaya last week for the first time with friends for happy hour. We ordered small plates and I got two vegetarian options, Brussels sprouts and California vegetable rolls. Both were very good. But the bartender, Kevin, made a nice cocktail but I can’t remember the name but it is served in this great little vessel. Thanks!

Visited 10 months ago

I’ve given this a place a few tries but each time I’ve gone for happy hour, it’s been a disappointment. Service isn’t the friendliest and often have to check in on wine/beer that I’ve ordered. Food is average at best but it’s not “good” enough to rave about. Sushi rolls are inconsistent (there were times that the rolls were bigger and other times when it’s super tiny). I wanted to like this place but the combination of lackluster service and average food isn’t worth spending your money on. There are so many other great food options in the area and this one isn’t it.

Visited 4 months ago

The food was delicious and the ambience was very nice. I visited this restaurant during the afternoon of a weekday. It wasn’t busy, and the waitress was very attentive. The only thing that i would suggest is for the waitress i had to try more items on the menu, so that indecisive guests (like myself) could know what food items to try. Next time, I will be visiting during happy hour!

Visited 10 months ago

My server and bar tender was amazing! Very knowledgeable about the food and attentive to my needs. The food was delicious. Unless you’re eating the Waygu Robata, don’t worry about making it for happy hour. Happy hour menu is basically smaller portions of the regularly priced stuff. Food came out promptly and hit the spot for what you’ll be looking for. I’ll be back for HH because I enjoy the smaller portions.
Summary:
Service: 6/5 stars
Food quality: 5/5 stars
Price to quality: 4/5 stars

Visited 2 years ago

Worst service I have ever received at a restaurant. Did not receive an order that was ordered early. Basically gaslighted us into thinking our friend ate the sushi when she left hungry. Didn’t provide forks, spicy mayo and charged us for it. Gave us meat ramen that was labeled Vegan and told us “it’s just a garnish”. Didn’t provide another meal we ordered. Called for the manager, and she said you can go to the bar to speak with her. Manager eventually came by when she had a chance and after giving her our complaints, she said “what do you want” instead of an apology. Not once did they take ownership for any of the mistakes, just made excuses and absolutely no apology. WILL NEVER COME HERE AGAIN.

Visited 4 months ago

I ordered delivery and the driver completely screwed it up. But the staff, food and atmosphere were incredible. I drove there to correct it, and everyone was awesome. They got my food together quickly and made sure I was taken care of. EXCELLENT staff. Never been in here until now, but I'll definitely be coming back.

Visited a month ago

The pictures tell all re: food. The cocktails were very very heavy on the syrup and light on the alcohol. The service was slow and unfriendly as well on the night we were there. Spider-Man was playing on the single tv and I asked if it would be possible to watch the game playing that night and they said a flat out “no”.

Visited 2 months ago

I have literally NEVER written a review on google before but this was truly the worst service I have ever experienced. Rudest bar tender and wait staff… the couple next us at a separate table literally told us that they felt uncomfortable because the staff were giving me & my friend dirty looks for asking for soy sauce. This was so weird!!!

Visited 2 months ago

This has to be a joke. Service and management is TERRIBLE!

I tried to take this offline and email management (email address listed on their website) privately but the email bounced back.

I visited Izakaya Fishtown tonight and placed a takeout order at the bar (around 6 PM). I ordered at least 8 rolls, but after waiting over 30 minutes and returning home in the snow, I realized I had only received about half my order...

Specifically, I did not receive the salmon roll, salmon and avocado roll, or jalapeño and yellowtail roll. There may be more missing because it was a large order. Instead, my order only contained the shrimp tempura roll, spicy salmon roll, philly roll and my appetizers. I also called at least five times right when this happened to address this issue, but I was sent to a voicemail that was disabled. This was extremely frustrating.

I just moved into the neighborhood and live right around the corner from Izakaya. I was so excited to have a close sushi spot, but I’m extremely disappointed. I spent over $70 and expected to receive my full order. Please find a way to fix this or at least give me a refund.

Visited 2 months ago

Great food but they hate the laughter of women, we were shushed.

Visited 3 months ago

Blake was an excellent host and helped recommend some great food and drinks during my time here. I got the tuna rice crisps and they were just as good as advertised. I highly recommend coming here, especially if Blake is bartending with his great conversation and hospitality!

Visited 3 months ago

I was reading another persons review and that’s what made me write it, and the reason I most likely won’t be coming back. The food is good but the SERVICE is terrible it’s the bartenders do not want to be there or not really good with social skills it made me feel nervous.

Visited 3 months ago

Sushi was expensive and so mid. Did not taste fresh at all. Shrimp tempura was soggy. Honestly comparable to Shop rite sushi.

Visited 3 months ago

BEWARE ; I ordered almost $40 worth of food, picked it up and the whole bag broke and lost everything on the way home.

Visited 3 months ago

Great dinner and time at Izakaya last Friday night. Thank you kindly!

Visited 3 months ago

Visited 3 months ago

Visited 3 months ago

Food was good but pricey. Would probably go just during HH. I don’t know if service was having an off night, but they seemed a disorganized and hard to get a hold of. One of our main items arrived 30 mins later than the rest of the food and it was not acknowledged that it was late or explained why it was late. The music was too loud to have a conversation without yelling. Also be aware of the 3% surcharge for paying with credit card.

Visited 4 months ago

The service was absolutely terrible, we ordered the veggie roll at 6:30 and it never came, after asking our waitress and 2 other servers multiple times. The food listings are also not accurate, the veggie shoyu ramen is labeled as vegetarian, but it came with fish in it so we had to send it back. We ordered another veggie miso ramen and it came over an hour late. We talked to the manager about our problems and instead of being kind and apologetic she was very rude and gas lighting us saying they gave the veggie roll, which they never did. My girlfriend left hungry and very upset. The manager basically said we lied and got confused instead of apologizing. I don’t know her name but we went on October 26 at 6:30. She only gave us a 10% discount and charged us 20% large party gratuity fee and a 3% credit card fee. I will never go there again and tell all my friends to not go because of such terrible service. Just horrible and unacceptable!

Visited 4 months ago

Worst service I have ever received at a restaurant. Did not receive an order that was ordered early. Basically gaslighted us into thinking our friend ate the sushi when she left hungry. Didn’t provide forks, spicy mayo and charged us for it. Gave us meat ramen that was labeled Vegan and told us “it’s just a garnish”. Didn’t provide another meal we ordered. Called for the manager, and she said you can go to the bar to speak with her. Manager eventually came by when she had a chance and after giving her our complaints, she said “what do you want” instead of an apology. Not once did they take ownership for any of the mistakes, just made excuses and absolutely no apology. WILL NEVER COME HERE AGAIN.

Visited 4 months ago

I’ve given this a place a few tries but each time I’ve gone for happy hour, it’s been a disappointment. Service isn’t the friendliest and often have to check in on wine/beer that I’ve ordered. Food is average at best but it’s not “good” enough to rave about. Sushi rolls are inconsistent (there were times that the rolls were bigger and other times when it’s super tiny). I wanted to like this place but the combination of lackluster service and average food isn’t worth spending your money on. There are so many other great food options in the area and this one isn’t it.

Visited 4 months ago

Had a horrible experience with manager Blake. After finishing a lovely Omakase experience at Sushi by Bou, we wanted to sit at the bar at Izakaya and order some more drinks and sushi. Even though there were two seats available at the bar, he told us no, those seats were reserved for new customers who were going to spend money. Excuse me? I will not be returning to this location. Blake needs manager training. Very rude and dismissive. It felt like there were some assumptions made about me and my guest.

Visited 4 months ago

tbh kinda bad

Visited 4 months ago

Portions sizes, especially of the ramen was quite large, enough for two to three people. The sushi was really flavorful and fresh, prices were reasonable.

Visited 4 months ago

Visited 4 months ago

Had an absolutely terrible dining experience here. The food was mediocre but the service was absolutely the worst I’ve had in years. They were staffed by one comically overwhelmed server (on a Friday night) who completely ignored a serious food allergy at our table. Now mistakes happen, and maybe there were supposed to be more servers on the floor, but after we literally followed him around the restaurant to get his attention (otherwise we never saw him after taking our order) the restaurant did absolutely nothing about the mistake. After the meal when he came over to ask if we wanted anything else we mentioned the mistake again, and he left for another 20 minutes, so we got up again to just ask for the check, which of course still had the mistake. I asked to see the manager, which is something I don’t think I’ve ever done before. Where the server was overwhelmed and incompetent, the manager was dismissive and incredibly rude and acted like our entire problem was an attitude issue. I’ve never been treated that poorly at a restaurant. There was a 20% autograt on the bill so we couldn’t express our disappointment there, so here I am, writing a bad review which I’ve also never done before. I felt so completely disrespected I seriously considered leaving without paying the bill or at least demanding they remove the autograt, but we just decided to pay the thing and leave so we could get on with our night.

There are so many great restaurants in fishtown, even other great sushi places. There is absolutely no reason to eat here.

Visited 5 months ago

Visited 5 months ago

Visited 6 months ago

Absolutely horrible experience with delivery. How do you take two hours and you’re still preparing the sushi. I’ve never wrote a negative review in my life. Never ever ordering here again. Please don’t waste your money

Visited 6 months ago

Super fresh sushi.

Visited 6 months ago

Blake was pretty amazing. I sat at the bar and ordered the tuna rice crisps and fried rice with chicken. His hospitality really made my first time feel welcomed. He made a few recommendations from his personal favorites. I will be back!

Visited 6 months ago

I was expecting a lot from here and it totally delivered. The rolls were great and the donburi bowls were phenomenal.

The green tea fried ice cream was pretty great too! Our party of 5 left satisfied.

Definitely coming back to try the ramen!

Visited 6 months ago

Visited 6 months ago

5/5 food
4/5 service
1/5 restaurant (smelled of wet hay and barn animals???)

Visited 6 months ago

Very kind staff. Helpful with showing us gluten free options

Visited 7 months ago

Visited 7 months ago

Very kind staff! Came in asking for water on a hot day and they gave me 2 massive tupperwares. Thanks!

Visited 7 months ago

the food was great but the music was too loud and was charged someone’s else’s order at the end

Visited 8 months ago

Visited 8 months ago

Visited 8 months ago

Best sushi spot in Philly!! Our favorite happy hour spot!

Visited 8 months ago

Hands down best sushi place (and probably food) I had in Philly. I went for the 17-course omakase and as soon as I met the chef I knew I was in for a treat. You could see the passion and how he happily introduced every piece of sushi down to the detail.
I missed some other japanese cuisine than sushi (eg a tartar) and would love to have more than a 1hr setting!

Visited 8 months ago

Overpriced ugly good. This was $22. Would not go again. You feel bad for the employees.

Visited 8 months ago

Visited 8 months ago

Wow has this place changed since its grand opening... And not for the better. Went in after a few months hiatus after having some bad experiences to find a totally new vibe in the restaurant with neon lights and games on the bar and Samurai Jack on the tv--looks like they're trying to be a mash up between Royal Izakaya and a 2000s club.

The new neon, dark lighting in the restaurant has the unfortunate effect of making the raw fish look off color; when salmon is under a neon light it looks yellow and gross.

Sushi rice has too much vinegar so it didn't hold when touched with chopsticks.

Ordered a bowl with ikura and were given a bowl with cheaper masago. There weren't enough people working and we felt bad enough for them that we didn't bother to bring it up.

This spot is not for a sushi enthusiast, instead it now gives "second Tinder date" vibes. It's what Applebee's would do if they added a sushi menu.

Such a shame because when they opened they were great for both experienced sushi lovers and folks who just wanted a nice spot with good Asian fusion food, locals grabbing a bit and special occasions diners alike. I hope Izakaya gets their quality up or rebrands into whatever this new neon vibe is to better find their true audience to avoid reviews like this one... I'd rather see them successful than another dead storefront.

Visited 8 months ago

Visited 8 months ago

Visited 9 months ago

Can’t say we’d ever go back.

We tried several menu items and all we can say is the poke bowl was alright.

We ordered hand rolls and got sushi tacos smothered in spicy mayo, we didn’t ask for, that were super hard to eat, I ended up picking mine apart with my chop sticks.
The other sushi we ordered was okay but nothing special for the price.

Our service was also subpar. Our server didn’t bring soy sauce or dishes for it, so I walked up to the bar to ask, since us looking around wasn’t a sign to any of the other staff around that we needed something. So I waited and waited for the bartender. He gave me a glass of water and said he would be right back, I finally gave up and took my water back to the table.
When we did get the server’s attention, she brought us pre-poured dishes of soy. Never have I ever seen that before.
I will say the server did ask if we had any dietary restrictions which I did like.

The atmosphere seemed alright when we sat down, but the music was a bit loud and made it hard to talk quietly to my partner. So instead we listened to our neighbors conversation which was super fun.

Visited 9 months ago

Drinks and service were pretty good. Food was mediocre at best. Sushi was giving grocery store.
The restaurant seemed kind of dirty (seats, dishes, etc.). Probably will not be back.

Visited 9 months ago

Food was okay, I got the crispy rice and some other small plates. Unfortunately there was music playing so so loudly, as if the restaurant was a club. The music was so loud that guests were either 1) sitting in silence at their tables to avoid having to repeat themselves to one another 2) yelling. Hard to justify the prices when there’s zero ambiance.

Very strange atmosphere, I did go on a Saturday so perhaps they used the loud music as a device to have guests eat quickly so they could sit more tables.

I’ll try it again during the week for happy hour.

Visited 9 months ago

Visited 9 months ago

Service was great and I loved the set up of the place. Music was a bit loud but that’s just a personal preference. The food was absolutely incredible, one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. I’d highly recommend their ramen and the mochi was the best I’ve ever had. Definitely going again.

Edit: Went a second time a week or so later and the menu had changed. We got ramen and mochi again and it was different, definitely not as good. Not sure if the change was because of the menu or if we just came on a really good night the first time?

The spicy tuna roll always hits though

Visited 10 months ago

Really bad quality sushi, would not recommend this place. Sushi was wet and tasteless.

Visited 10 months ago

Visited 10 months ago

I visited Izakaya last week for the first time with friends for happy hour. We ordered small plates and I got two vegetarian options, Brussels sprouts and California vegetable rolls. Both were very good. But the bartender, Kevin, made a nice cocktail but I can’t remember the name but it is served in this great little vessel. Thanks!

Visited 10 months ago

The food was delicious and the ambience was very nice. I visited this restaurant during the afternoon of a weekday. It wasn’t busy, and the waitress was very attentive. The only thing that i would suggest is for the waitress i had to try more items on the menu, so that indecisive guests (like myself) could know what food items to try. Next time, I will be visiting during happy hour!

Visited 10 months ago

Really solid place with a good value chef tasting menu

Visited 10 months ago

Awesome food, Drinks and vibes!!

Visited a year ago

They had one server for the entire place on a Saturday night. Karaage was just half fat and totally soft and mushy literally inedible. Sushi was so average I’ve had better sushi at places less than 1/2 the price. Bill was ridiculous for the food and service we received. Ended up being there for 2 hours because of the slow service. For this price we could have just gone to double knot and had an amazing meal. don’t waste your time or money here

Visited a year ago

Awesome customer service!!!

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Ugh. Bizarre experience. Never had a waiter (who was great given the circumstances) come over with more bad news than good - again and again. I wanted to love this local spot but rice cooker allegedly went down, then the Fryer was not available because it was too late after delayed service. Not a whole lot to eat at a sushi restaurant when they don’t have rice and can’t fry any alternative option. We were left with a bunch of sashimi which was very fresh and delightful except for the bone in one bite. Drinks were average at best. I’d love to give them another try on a better night but probably won’t be going back.

Visited a year ago

Unfortunate experience as a repeat customer. I used to really like this place and am sad I won’t be returning!! Before this, I had several great HH experiences. Went for dinner: A lukewarm ramen entree was served before the apps/other entrees. A poke bowl was served instead of a chirashi bowl—server claimed she’s never seen chirashi or any sushi in sliced form served there..we were speechless. She talked to the kitchen and came back with the correct dish/acknowledged we were right/apologized—they took it off the bill and gave us the poke bowl. Chirashi bowl was missing Uni—server said they ran out of Uni. Beer was served warm— server said their tap was having issues. We should have been informed when ordering. They over-charged us for one dish by $5 (hand roll) but we let it go, paid the overcharge, and left. Other than the food and service, the ambiance is good.

Visited a year ago

We had 3 people come to our table and all of them did not get our food order names right. Very amateur staff. Food was very below average.

Visited a year ago

Moved to fishtown 4 months ago and ate here every couple days- would get happy hour take out almost twice a week. They updated menu and changed prices. I ordered a take out order like I always have and this time was awful and one of the worst experiences I’ve had in a restaurant in philly. Placed order on the phone SPECIFICALLY asked to pay over phone. Person told me that was too much for them work pay when I get there. I got there a bill was DOUBLE the price listen online. I told the person who took my order it wasn’t the price and different then online. She took my card and processed the FULL payment without my permission when I specifically asked why the price was that high. Just got back and the order is wrong also. Went from my favorite place on my street to eat at to someone that I felt like just stole from me and that’s not okay. Really sad to see the change in owners has now caused such a change in service. This is not right and fraud.

Visited a year ago

the food, drinks, and service are always incredible, definitely my favorite japanese spot in philly, Greta was our server Nd she was so knowledgeable and friendly, 10/10 everytime

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

This place has seen a fall from grace.
$20 for a bowl of average ramen. Terrible value.
They have also joined the disturbing trend of adding a credit card fee. A completely different establishment from the grand opening.

Visited a year ago

Incredibly understaffed, only one server for whole restaurant. Saw the one server ask for help from management (who was lounging with friends at the time) and got yelled at for it

Visited a year ago

Ordered veggie miso ramen and felt very underwhelmed :(

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Food has been great in the past, but can’t get takeout. Only sushi and ramen are available on Toasttab and you can’t order small plates. I tried calling them 5 times to order (while they were open) and they do not answer the phone.

Visited a year ago

Super friendly staff… Food was so amazing and everything was a hit. The server actually sent out some additions for us to try. That were amazing.

Visited a year ago

야, 나가.

Visited a year ago

A good friend brought me here for a birthday dinner, and I was impressed. The customer service and ambiance of the place were great. The food presentation, taste, quality/quantity was just right. The tuna rice crisp is a must try. I will be back for more.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Quaint restaurant with tasty seafood. They were busy with NYE but the fact that they were on the move hustling was great.

Visited a year ago

So I came here for my birthday and was a little disappointed about the service especially considering I am in the industry myself. I didn’t realize the kitchen closed at 9 which is fine I completely understood that and got my order in asap. And the server did recommend a sake that I really enjoyed. Most restaurant I work at the desserts stay open till the last person is on desert and plus the desert that had was mochi which I’m assuming is already prepped. Which maybe is my fault but my birthday was noted in the reservation so I assumed they would have told me pastry was closing. Never told us it was last call for drinks or if I wanted anything else just dropped off the check. And our server was sitting at the bar drinking and talking while we were finishing up which to me is really unprofessional and made me feel bad and rushed especially at a place I thought was suppose to be a little bit more upscale considering the bill for two was 160 and would of spent more if I knew it she was just gonna drop the check to try to get us out. I understand we were the last table of the night and they all wanted to get out but I’ve dealt with that so many times and I still offers desert coffee and don’t sit down on my phone at the bar while one of my tables were still here or even drop off a check without asking if they wanted anything else. Maybe I’m dramatic but I don’t get to go out often and just wanted to have a good experience and service for my birthday

Visited a year ago

Brought a group here for a birthday several months ago after multiple call attempts at a reservation and I still feel strongly enough to go out of my way to write a review. We all opted to leave after a round of overpriced drinks and apps to go elsewhere, it was kind of embarrassing. The chicken karaage was by far the worst I've ever had, "gyoza" that were like awkward pierogies, sauces that just didn't make sense, a gin highball machine instead of whiskey? This place was not cheeky fusion and it certainly wasn't authentic so I can't find a reason to recommend it to anyone.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

The interior looks like a dive bar variant of morimoto (Iron Chef's establishment), if you know your Japanese places in the city. Cool but a homey hole in the wall.

The food is great, but my partner has a seaweed allergy, and Chef Yanaga's Izakaya refused to accommodate (apparently he is no longer there?), instead our waitress suggested my partner order the hibachi fried rice and karange chicken— we did not go there for a kids meal. Oh and most of the menu was off limits to him; they refused to accommodate. No Maki? Fair enough, but he couldn't even enjoy the ramen because they make the broth with seaweed in it and refused to accommodate.

This issue also meant we could not do the Okonomni tasting; they refused to accommodate or swap out non-seaweed dishes for him; we had to both do it.

They have Japanese whisky too, but they are not on any menu. You'll have to ask the bartender for info. Some are inexpensive, some are pricey, if you know your whisky.

The chicken was delicious, as was the spicy sauce that came with it. We got an order to go it was so good.

The hibachi rice was gross. By that I mean it was so wet it was almost porridge.

I had a salmon avocado Maki, it was clearly homemade and delicious. Would recommend.

We had the snowcrab wonton tacos too, which were decent. And 2 orders of wagyu robata. You only get 2 skewers with 4 cubes of steak on them, but they were good.

Our total was about $140 without tip. Portions were small for the price, also we had to order more to compensate for the had rice and no okonomni.

Anyway if you have no food allergy, recommend. If you do, steer clear, as they refused to accommodate us beyond telling us what has seaweed in it. Considering we reserved a week in advance, I hoped they'd at least accommodate with the ramen. But alas.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Very good looking and delicious chirashi bowl! Lots of creative ingredients and a good portion for a fair price.

Visited a year ago

This used to be a really excellent spot when it was called "Izakaya by Yanaga" but Mr. Yanaga left to be a chef at a Stephen Starr restaurant in another part of town. Since then the food quality has gone down, which is particularly tragic for the ramen which used to be one of the best in town. Now the ramen has very little flavor and just tastes oily. The happy hour portions are also cut down so you're not getting a real "deal" compared to regular service. Real bummer because when this place opened it was awesome.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Birthday party ruined by disappointing service. We had a reservation for eight people at 7:30, we were not seated until 8:15. Ramen, sushi, and plates all arrived at wildly different times over the hour and a half we were there. Birthday girl got her food after most of the party had finished eating - we had to ask for it twice! One carafe comped, but that does not make this right. If making and delivering food for a large party is something your kitchen cannot handle, please don't accept the reservation.

Visited a year ago

First time here with my husband. We waited at the bar for our table and had a GREAT bartender. Once we were at our table our waitress came and took our order immediately - then it took at least 45 mins-1hour to actually get our food (other than small order of seaweed salad) (and only after I asked multiple times). When I asked our waitress what the wait was from with our food, she said there are a lot of orders in the kitchen…she seemed like I was bothering her for even asking her a question. She did not try to change our experience to make it a positive one at all. Honestly, I even would’ve been ok with her just letting us know there was going to be a delay. The food was pretty good but the whole experience was ruined by the staff (other than the bartender) - and spent almost $200. Would not come here again unfortunately.

Visited a year ago

Who are these people leaving 5 stars for this place? For real, I wanted Izakaya to be a great addition to the neighborhood but I’ve been here multiple times and the sushi rolls are 100% pre prepared and refrigerated before served. Mind boggled at the amount of people throwing their hard earned money away at this place when you can prob get equal quality at a CVS or gas station. It’s that bad. Be better to your customers and your community Izakaya - we deserve better, and you do too.

Visited a year ago

Food: we liked it very much, especially the classic sushi options. I don’t understand why some people give a below-average rating on the food because this is certainly well above average for Asian/Japanese.
Service: knowledgable, but a bit with a tendency to need a reminder.
Atmosphere: definitely a place without any sound proofing and very loud - it’s hard to understand the person in front of you. Everybody here needs to talk at maximum voice. They certainly need to try to get the noise down to provide a relaxing atmosphere.

Visited a year ago

Best place good service❤️❤️❤️❤️

Visited a year ago

We had omakase at the sushi suite with Chef Mitsu and it was amazing! Chef Mitsu was super nice and created such an amazing menu that I would go back again. Definitely would recommend the omakase with Chef Mitsu!

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Would steer clear of this spot. Had dinner here earlier this week and unfortunately it was some of the worst sushi I’ve had. We had the tuna crispy rice, miso soup, pickled cukes and pickled veg for starters. Pickled veg was barely pickled, more like just shredded carrots. The rest were average at best. We then ordered a few rolls which were all salty, smothered in sauce, and the fish overall off and simply inedible. Even the rice was super cold/hard and wasabi crumbly and off balance. We each tried one piece of each roll and did not touch the rest - our server didn’t even ask if there was anything wrong after coming to clear our nearly still full dinner. We were excited to try this place given the reviews but definitely won’t be coming back - would not waste your money here.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Food was absolutely delicious! Would totally recommend. The atmosphere wasn’t so great, though. The staff could have done a better job about controlling the volume of the table next to us. Practically screaming.

Visited a year ago

So my husband a friend and I ended coming here for the first time and we have lived in the neighborhood for 8 years and they have been open for about 2/3 years and I am upset I have never came in until last Monday. Our server was a trainee and she was super sweet and clearly still nervous but she was AMAZING! The restaurant had a huge party at the back which of course required a lot from the staff but they still made up for it in sooo many ways ! We randomly ended up bumping into friends who ended up having a reservation right next to our table and the staff let us push our tables together so we could catch up and enjoy each other’s company. Izakaya in Zulu means come home and that’s how the whole staff made us feel, like we were at home! 10/10 for everything! Thank You , we will be back again and again!

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Worst sushi in fishtown the fish was not fresh and the spicy scallop was hard and rubbery

Visited a year ago

Nick is a great bartender and had good recommendations and was very attentive.

Visited a year ago

Amazing service and friendly staff and great food !

Visited a year ago

Amazing sushi spot in Fishtown. Great cocktail selection to pair with a super good menu that you can’t go wrong with.

Visited a year ago

Visited 2 years ago

Izakaya is first class. One of the finest sushi restaurants in the city. Jada, the manager / bartender is a delight to be around and the food is out of this world. Never had any issues here and love when we have the opportunity to dine at Izakaya.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

We learned about Japanese Sochu not Korean Soju. Knowledgeable bar and friendly service staff. The food was on point as well.

Visited 2 years ago

Amazing sushi. Always a good experience at IBY.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Good food Thank you 😊

Visited 2 years ago

Bof
Pas de choix dans le gin
Le Mali était pimenté alors que j’avais expressément demandé sans piment

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

The blistered shishito peppers really exceeded our expectations - my fave thing on the menu.

Visited 2 years ago

Bao buns and lettuce wraps were so good. Service and drinks were excellent!!!

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

GREAT staff, excellent happy hour, and delicious food and drinks. 10/10 would go again. Which I do regularly

Visited 2 years ago

We had an amazing meal at Izakaya! The cocktail special, Summer Blossom, was fantastic, as was the Tea-Time. We also had the Kaarage chicken, Spider Roll, Citrus Bomb Roll, and the Tantan Ramen. Everything was delicious!! Especially the ramen, chicken, and citrus bomb. Our server Jaida was so kind and helpful. We’d love to come back soon!

Visited 2 years ago

Went for dinner a while back and it was just ok. Our waiter that night was quite rude to us which soured the night. But we did really enjoy the duck onigiri in particular, that was a delicious dish. They had a fun cocktail menu as well.

Visited 2 years ago

Izakaya by Yanaga is a great place to go for a delicious Japanese meal with friends or family. The staff is friendly and attentive, and the food is always fresh and delicious. I recently went there with a group of friends and we had the okonomi 4 course meal. It was a great way to try a variety of different dishes, and everything was cooked perfectly. We also had the peach drink with boba, which was refreshing and flavorful.

The only downside to Izakaya by Yanaga is that parking can be challenging. I parked on the street, but it fills up quickly. We ended up parking on the street, which was a bit of a walk. However, it was worth it for the delicious food!

Overall, I would highly recommend Izakaya by Yanaga to anyone looking for a great Japanese meal. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is fun and lively.

Visited 2 years ago

Update: The uni made me sick. One star.

Cute neighborhood spot. Nothing to travel to Philly (or even out your neighborhood if you don't live in Fishtown) for, but the food is really good. I've been going since they opened and I've always had a good experience. Except tonight, I saw that uni was on their rotating fish menu and the uni was NOT fresh. I had the otoro which was good, and their portion was generous. The two stars off this review is honestly just about their uni. I'm disappointed.

Visited 2 years ago

This restaurant is great. Good service and happy hour sushi was delicious

Visited 2 years ago

Amazing restaurant with some of the freshest and most delicious sushi I’ve ever tried!!!

Visited 2 years ago

My family came here for lunch and had a great experience! We came in on a weekend at 2:00 and it was a very chill vibe. The staff went above and beyond. We felt welcomed and comfortable. The Ramen was for sure the star of the show and was so rich and filling our group of 5 could all could share. We also liked the fried rice roll thing with eel on top, exciting textures!
The sushi was excellent and innovative. We loved our servers and my mother fell in love with the food runner.
The only dish I do not recommend is the Japanese poke bowl thing, you can basically get the same ingredients of the bowl in one of the rolls BUT more flavorful/better.

Visited 2 years ago

Izakaya is an awesome restaurant with great food.

Visited 2 years ago

Super polite staff and very clean. Best sushi around !

Visited 2 years ago

Food, atmosphere, service was amazing. Must try

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

been meaning to check this place out. All I can say is WOW. I stopped in for a couple drinks and apps and was literally blown away. I can’t wait to come back. Very high quality experience all around.

Visited 2 years ago

Sadly will not be ordering from here again. The rolls were much smaller than expected and overpriced. The spicy tuna roll had no flavor and tasted a bit off, and the “citrus bomb roll” had zero citrus present, despite the photo on DoorDash clearly showing lemon slices on top of the roll. Fortunately I was able to receive a refund from DoorDash, since the spicy tuna roll in particular was not edible.

Visited 2 years ago

Great food that's tasty, affordable, and fun. Wonderful drink specials with a memorable happy hour.

Visited 2 years ago

My server and bar tender was amazing! Very knowledgeable about the food and attentive to my needs. The food was delicious. Unless you’re eating the Waygu Robata, don’t worry about making it for happy hour. Happy hour menu is basically smaller portions of the regularly priced stuff. Food came out promptly and hit the spot for what you’ll be looking for. I’ll be back for HH because I enjoy the smaller portions.
Summary:
Service: 6/5 stars
Food quality: 5/5 stars
Price to quality: 4/5 stars

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

The food exceeded all of my expectations

Visited 2 years ago

+ Wagyu beef wraps were great
+ Pork ramen with pork belly also solid
+ Nice ambience, good service
+ Reasonable prices, some portions small

Visited 2 years ago

Honestly one of the best meals we've had in a bit.
Great flavor
Good drinks

Will be back 🌻

Visited 2 years ago

Went in for some small plates. Everything was well prepared, and tasted delicious

Visited 2 years ago

The food was absolutely disappointing, especially when I ate here before 2 months ago and there were some amazing highlights. Well, I reordered those highlights (tuna rice crisps & crab baos) with some other food I haven't tried out yet and the food quality absolutely dropped. Bitter, lukewarm, soggy, just barely edible.

Our service was attentive and nice. Atmosphere was pleasant too.

Visited 2 years ago

The Omakase here is serious. Definitely among the best in the city. Every single one of the 25 courses was 🤌🤌!

Make sure you add the Sake pairing. It’s perfectly paired to the flavors of the dishes.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Omakase experience was amazing. Expensive but well worth the price. Give it a try

Visited 2 years ago

So delish and so much food. We loved it.

Visited 2 years ago

I’m annoying and had to call in a special order (vegetarian w soy paper) but they accommodated and were very friendly about it. Supposedly the spicy tuna roll was quite delicious as well. Veggies were fresh and it came with quite an adequate supply of soy sauce and other fixins. Food was ready quickly for pickup on a busy Saturday night. Definitely gonna be getting some impromptu sushi from here again.

Visited 2 years ago

Amazing food! The highball is definitely the highlight of the drinks! Maria went above and beyond to make sure my experience was top notch! Highly recommend!

Visited 2 years ago

I got the duck onigiri, seabass sushi, bao buns and the chicken bites. The onigiri was unlike any i have had before, mixed into the rice and crispy on the outside- delicious. The seabass sushi was way fishier than I thought it would be, it was unexpected but I did enjoy it. The bao buns were EVERYTHING

Visited 2 years ago

great music, great vibes!

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Beautiful spot! The interior is very cozy. The staff are so attentive and friendly. Got a "thank the boiler man" mocktail. It was delicious, kinda like a ginger ale type of tea without bubbly fizz. Got tuna rice crisps, curry short rib bao, duck onigiri, sashimi appetizer, and citrus bomb speciality roll. The bao, onigiri and sashimi are must haves! So delicious. The fish was so fresh and almost sweet! Bao and onirigi were so flavorful. The appetizers were larger than I was expecting. The roll and sashimi was exactly size I thought it was going to be for a pricey resturant. Tuna rice crisps are exactly what you think it'd be like. The citrus bomb would be a pass for next time.

Visited 2 years ago

Absolutely killer food and drinks. Went here for a friends birthday and the staff made us feel so welcome and at home! Service was great, food came out fast, everything tasted fresh! Definitely would recommend the citrus bomb and soft shell bao!

Visited 2 years ago

The food is ok but pricey. What drove me crazy was how the “happy hour menu” is misleading. First of all, there is no price on the happy hour menu. We took a cocktail on …and it ended up being $19! We asked if it was a mistake, it was not. It’s just an expensive cocktail on an happy hour menu.
--
Following the owner's comment: I want to re-iterate that:
1. There was no price on the physical drink menu
2. It was introduced to us as the Happy hour menu by the waitress

An idea would be to: add the prices or to have 2 menus - Happy hour and specials (or 2 sides). It was misleading and disappointing.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Izakaya by Yanaga used to be my favorite place to eat with my partner until they turned the happy hour menu into bar snacks. This place was an absolute gem when they offered smaller portions of their dinner menu during happy hour— it was a way to experience top notch food while still being budget-friendly. We recommended this place to everyone who would listen, but sadly, as prices have gone up and the menu has changed significantly (e.g., wagyu beef *tripled* in price from when they were on the happy hour menu, fried rice now only available as entree, $10 ramen bowl removed from happy hour menu), I am not very likely to recommend this place over a local competitor that offers similar dishes. My partner and I remain hopeful that the things we loved so much about this place will return, but the disappointment we feel looking at the menu each time we’ve walked by lately still stings.

Visited 2 years ago

Recommend getting the sake flight. The sashimi platter was a bit expensive but it was good.

Visited 2 years ago

日本食で評判がよさそうなところだったので中心街から地下鉄に乗って行きました。正式なディナー時間より少し時間が早かったのと、シェフが代わった直後とのことで選べるメニューが少なくちょっと残念でした。お料理は期待が高かったのですが、選択肢が少なかったのもあってまあアメリカのごく普通の日本食って感じでした。店員さんはみな感じが良かったです。地下鉄の雰囲気が異常に悪い＆お店の周りも閑散としてて暗くなるとヤバいなと思ったので正式なディナーメニュー時間を待たずに早々に退散しました。お隣がヤバいことで有名なケンジントンって地区だったんですね…どおりで地下鉄が激ヤバな雰囲気なわけで…ということで地下鉄使う日本人旅行者の方にはあえてお勧めはしないなあ…という感じです。

Visited 2 years ago

4 stars for the service and nice ambiance. The food was mediocre. Ordered about 6 different plates and not one was delicious. Would go back only for drinks

Visited 2 years ago

They serve food like tapas for sharing. They come in small plates.

The sushi and sashimi is below average for the price they charge. The 50+ sashimi deluxe is below average for the price they charge. The cooked food all have way too much sauce. You don’t get that with traditional Japanese food. If you like sauce covering the fish, beef or pork then you’ll like it. That’s just not my cup of tea.

The fish and meats we ordered were over cooked.

Overall- below average food and way too much sauce on cooked foods. I tend to agree with the others who say food was mediocre aka below average. If I’m spending over $100 a person for food and drinks I expected better quality and flavors.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi is not bad, but not necessarily great. Not too impressed with the food, but one of the only few sushi places in fishtown area. The service however is great and seating is fairly easy to get whether that be a table or the bar.

Visited 2 years ago

Service was excellent, food was alright, prices were a bit ridiculous, even for happy hour items.

Visited 2 years ago

Great cocktails and the best Pork belly I've ever had.

Visited 2 years ago

Creative cocktails, fresh sushi, tasty apps, and hearty ramen can be found here. The staff is always very sweet and attentive too.

Visited 2 years ago

The ramen was really good. Thick consistency, great flavor. Service was really good too, and the ambience was not pretentious at all.

Visited 2 years ago

I visited some time ago but I was happy with the food and service. The Baos were exceptional, among others. I want to visit again for a more wholesome sushi experience.

Visited 2 years ago

We ordered 2 miso soups and 2 rolls. The food tasted so bad that we were afraid of eating it. The miso soups had dry pieces of tofu and a slummy brown ingredient. We were not able to eat it. The fish in the rolls didn’t taste good. I don’t recommend this restaurant.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

It was a tight dining room but very intimate and classy. I liked the diversity of patrons in the room the night we visited. The service was spot on. She knew when we needed more time, when we needed the check, how many times to check on us. She wasn't overly friendly but she was also just perfectly attentive. The food was good and solid but nothing to write home about. In fact the sushi rolls were kind of small for the price point and selection. They were good. The brussel sprouts were awesome and enjoyed the tuna rice crisps. Overall wouldn't mind coming back but wouldn't go out of my way to do it.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

fish was extremely mediocre and the fish selection for sashimi was basically 3 kinds of tuna and salmon... pretty boring and not worth $25

Visited 2 years ago

The food was very good. The atmosphere was also very nice. We were the only people there so the food came very fast.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

The sushi and overall food here is incredible! The combination of flavors and and how fresh the fish is, is just amazing. There’s a wait to get reservations that is well worth it! Highly suggest to put your name on the list and make those reservations. You will not be disappointed!

Visited 2 years ago

Hands down, the BEST sushi spot in philadelphia! Super fresh and melts in your mouth good. Highly recommend Izakaya by Yanaga to everyone! Great atmosphere, impeccable service and amazing drinks!

Visited 2 years ago

Amazing food

Visited 2 years ago

This place has a good vibe, Great food, and a friendly staff. Would highly recommend.

Visited 2 years ago

Excellent Sushi and Asian Fusion spot with great specialty cocktails located right in Fishtown. Would highly recommend.

Visited 2 years ago

My partner went for taco Tuesday & brought home the veggie mazeman for me. She didn’t love her meal but I won’t get into that bc this review is about my meal. My mazeman was good the first few bites. Was surprisingly pleased with the initial first 2 bites of the spicy peanut noodle flavor but the mushroom tofu mixture made everything too salty afterwards. Would have loved the tofu more if it were small packages of yummy fried tofu instead of puréed baby food. 😑 Skip the sprinkle of pickled carrots (doesn’t go well with peanut butter profile) & add more than 1 bok choy to cut through the heaviness of the peanut sauce. Less salt please! 😭

Visited 2 years ago

The omakase was good, but I don’t think it was worth the price given that some of the other omakase options in Philly are much better, in my opinion.

Visited 2 years ago

I went here the first time for my partner's bday. I put in notes section for the reservation on their site that it was her birthday. No one said happy birthday or did anything different during our meal for the occasion. Why have a notes section? Wasn't ticked and still tipped high but it was a let down tbh.
We got a lot of stuff to try. Nothing wowed me or stood out as being noticeably better than other similarly billed restaurants in the city that I've been to, so I'd say it's your average pretty good sushi spot.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Soy sesame pickles. Get them. You are welcome.

Visited 2 years ago

Awesome, authentic, handmade. Some of the best Tantanmen I've had outside of Tokyo. Handmade dumplings too! Quality food, pricey but worth it. Also pretty fast in coming out with dishes. Parking is tricky around there.

Visited 2 years ago

First time trying this place and it was absolutely delicious! The drinks, food and staff were amazing!

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Food was delicious but the waiter Mr tude mad it horrible. Restaurant was less than half way full of people, he had me wait 30minutes for house cocktail I ordered when we was seated! Standing at the bar staring made me incredibly uncomfortable and I found it considerably difficult because a couple next to us was seated right after us! Placed there order after us! The table next to us!had there salad and entrees, sushi then started ordering dessert within those 30 mins..never in my life waited 45 mins for r This made me incredibly uncomfortable and I found it considerably difficult aw oysters lol but the manager or owner noticed and timidly try to assist. Patience and Respect and 7% tip saw the bad review in there eyes

Visited 2 years ago

This place is NOT veggie/vegan friendly unless you’re looking for just a bunch of maitake mushrooms and cucumber rolls (the peppers were delicious). Even the only whiskey drink on the menu was with a duck fat wash. Pretty disappointing since it’s a cool spot with great bartenders. Can chefs please stop phoning in veggie meals? Please?! Be creative. We eat more than mushrooms, I promise you.

Update:
Five months later and message from the owner and all they’ve added vegetarian wise is edamame. My husband loves this place, can you please add vegetarian options that are not mushroom based? You would probably have weekly regulars out of us if you tried just a little bit.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi and small plates are very good - the ingredients are fresh, and the dishes are well prepared. Service is quick and relatively friendly. The ambiance of the restaurant could use a lot of work - the acoustics are terrible, so it's hard to hear a dining companion or your server. Some seats are cozily lit, but others are under a spotlight. And the chairs are extremely uncomfortable.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Definition of eh.

Great service, loved the menu, and food came out super quick, but tbh it was super average tasting, and the raw fish wasn’t great quality. All the hype is about $195/pp tasting experience, which we didn’t do, but just imo there are better sushi spots in the area that are more authentic

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 3 years ago

2 people, 8 small plates, $86. Food is high quality and tasty -but not for a “I’m starving moment”. Highlights: octopus robata, umami cuke, and oysters. Ordered two drinks which were late but were not included in the check, so ok. Will come back. PS. FYI, it’s not traditional, more fusion.

Visited 3 years ago

Visited 3 years ago

Visited 3 years ago

Visited 3 years ago

Excellent service with amazing sushi

Visited 3 years ago

We went for happy hour and sushi was not fresh. I had stomach bugs afterwards.

Visited 3 years ago