This is my 2nd time here and we tried some new things as well as stuff we have had before. The menu is expansive with a lot of options so we had some skewers as well as some main dishes all of which we shared. Some of the skewers are a little pricey for how much food you get and our server wasn't the clearest explaining it but everything we ordered was tasty. We really enjoyed the shishito peppers, hamachi collar and the chicken wings. Hands down our favorite was the beef curry cheese fries! Big chunks of beef, lots of sauce, cheesy and simply delicious! I'd go back just for this dish alone. The Yakinigiri was also delicious as well! Enjoyed our meal and definitely would go back again the next time I'm im town!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Nolan Gray
Delicious grilled meats. I highly recommend the liver and tail. (Trust me.) Good Japanese beer selection. The outdoor patio is nice. I thought the corn dogs were a bit overpriced considering what you're getting.
J. Doyle
One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Tons of variety on the menu so there is something for everyone. Very friendly service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Just “GkhanJ” J
I think it was very expensive for very little amount of food. It was decent but nothing mind-blowing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
G L
One of our family favorites, been here countless times. It really reminds me of being in Japan. Staff is always friendly and helpful, and the food is delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Abhishek Kona
The food all tasted the same. The yakitori could have some more char.
Overall decent not hitting the spot for yakitori
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Crystal Vue
Portions were super small & steak skewers did not have enough salt considering that’s all that was on there. 3 small pieces of steak for $8.50 on a skewer. Took 30 mins to make 2 skewers & 2 spam masubis. We were the only ones there at the time and they had plenty of staff on. $30 for what I got in the picture. My first time here because my son & I were on a walk & he wanted spam masubis. Needless to say, I won’t be back. Way better Japanese spots downtown with better value.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Eric King
This place is way too good. Order everything. Nothing will be bad.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Forrest Hansen
I love this place, and I think a lot of the poor reviews come from people misunderstanding it. While the prices are high for some dishes(e.g., $6 for 6 small pieces of marinated chicken and green onion), what is being misunderstood is this restaurant and all of its staff strive to create a wholesome and fine dining experience but with a whole in the wall feel and vibe. Ask your server about and of the ingredients used in your dishes, and you'll get a long explanation on how they either made it themselves or went to great lengths to source the best they could. They are also very creative with some of their dishes, taking the izzakaya principles to a fusionesque level (e.g., their mochi bacon). All around of my favorite restaurants in the Sacramento area. I find this restaurant overall to be unique while their dishes are very creative and tasty. I can't necessarily find the words to describe this fascinating menu, but I think that's why I love it so much.
Great sake collection, I also highly recommend trying the plum wines. Pro-tip: Ask for a small glass of plum wine to add to your sake if it's too dry and not sweet enough for your liking. Also, the sake by the glass is a better deal than the flights, and the bottles are the best deal. Both were recommended to me by my very knowledgeable server one time.
We have had several dinners here and we always have a great meal. Great variety of food options, something for everyone. Great for nice family get togethers or dates. The pacing is slow, enjoyable. We like eating in the outside space. The yakitori is incredible, the bacon wrapped mochi and mushrooms might be our favorites, but honestly love it all here. Highly recommend!
Chris Kostka
Made reservations, you would think the place was popping, but no. I assume they do that because they are so slow. I added a bowl of rice to go with my protein skewers, and they were nice enough to serve it about a half hour before I got the protein I wanted to eat with it. Yum, cold rice! Service is horrible at this place. Skewers come out about one every 10-15 minutes.
Nikki Yang
I made my reservation online a week ahead and we were assigned to the worst seat ever, right in front of the restroom! We were distracted by the people walking by us every 10 minutes.
We were charged TWENTY percent of gratuity for party of two and it is mandatory! The waiter stood by us to complete the transaction and there's no place for us to customize our tip.
The serving speed was extremely slow for ALL the items on the menu. While waiting, I saw the person who was grilling the rice ball used his hands to flip the rice ball. No gloves. No washing hands.
Their price doesn't not align with their food quality and service.
Daniel Wright
This place used to be one of my favorite spots—especially back when they had discounted oysters. Sadly, those days are long gone, and now it just feels like another overpriced, inconsistent spot that’s lost its spark.
We ordered from the izakaya skewer section, hoping for bold flavors, but everything came out bland and under-seasoned. We ask for extra seasoning on the side and were given salt on the side 🤷♂️which shouldn’t be necessary. Our order included a tempura assortment, seven different skewers (fish and meat), ramen, and another kitchen dish and nothing really stood out.
Service is extremely slow. I understand grilling takes time, but even the kitchen-prepared items took forever. And for a small establishment, they have way too big of a menu. I don’t know if that’s what’s bogging down their kitchen, but it’s definitely hurting them. A simpler, more focused menu might actually help with quality and speed.
One thing I couldn’t ignore—there was a large party seated near us, with both adults and kids. Their food came out super inconsistent, and I could tell the timing was frustrating. Sure, maybe the kids get served first, but the delay for the rest of the table was hard to miss. If I were hosting a big group, I honestly wouldn’t bring them here. I’d be too worried about having a bad experience in front of my guests.
Also, just a heads-up—they automatically add 20% gratuity to the bill, regardless of the service quality.
If you’re after solid flavor, good service, and a smooth dining experience, there are way better options nearby. This place might be okay for a one-time try, but it’s not somewhere I’d recommend.
Elisabeth Burnor
We ordered a bunch of different grilled items, everything was delicious!
Loved it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is my 2nd time here and we tried some new things as well as stuff we have had before. The menu is expansive with a lot of options so we had some skewers as well as some main dishes all of which we shared. Some of the skewers are a little pricey for how much food you get and our server wasn't the clearest explaining it but everything we ordered was tasty. We really enjoyed the shishito peppers, hamachi collar and the chicken wings. Hands down our favorite was the beef curry cheese fries! Big chunks of beef, lots of sauce, cheesy and simply delicious! I'd go back just for this dish alone. The Yakinigiri was also delicious as well! Enjoyed our meal and definitely would go back again the next time I'm im town!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Delicious grilled meats. I highly recommend the liver and tail. (Trust me.) Good Japanese beer selection. The outdoor patio is nice. I thought the corn dogs were a bit overpriced considering what you're getting.
One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Tons of variety on the menu so there is something for everyone. Very friendly service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
I think it was very expensive for very little amount of food. It was decent but nothing mind-blowing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
One of our family favorites, been here countless times. It really reminds me of being in Japan. Staff is always friendly and helpful, and the food is delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food all tasted the same. The yakitori could have some more char.
Overall decent not hitting the spot for yakitori
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Portions were super small & steak skewers did not have enough salt considering that’s all that was on there. 3 small pieces of steak for $8.50 on a skewer. Took 30 mins to make 2 skewers & 2 spam masubis. We were the only ones there at the time and they had plenty of staff on. $30 for what I got in the picture. My first time here because my son & I were on a walk & he wanted spam masubis. Needless to say, I won’t be back. Way better Japanese spots downtown with better value.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
This place is way too good. Order everything. Nothing will be bad.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I love this place, and I think a lot of the poor reviews come from people misunderstanding it. While the prices are high for some dishes(e.g., $6 for 6 small pieces of marinated chicken and green onion), what is being misunderstood is this restaurant and all of its staff strive to create a wholesome and fine dining experience but with a whole in the wall feel and vibe. Ask your server about and of the ingredients used in your dishes, and you'll get a long explanation on how they either made it themselves or went to great lengths to source the best they could. They are also very creative with some of their dishes, taking the izzakaya principles to a fusionesque level (e.g., their mochi bacon). All around of my favorite restaurants in the Sacramento area. I find this restaurant overall to be unique while their dishes are very creative and tasty. I can't necessarily find the words to describe this fascinating menu, but I think that's why I love it so much.
Great sake collection, I also highly recommend trying the plum wines. Pro-tip: Ask for a small glass of plum wine to add to your sake if it's too dry and not sweet enough for your liking. Also, the sake by the glass is a better deal than the flights, and the bottles are the best deal. Both were recommended to me by my very knowledgeable server one time.
Restaurantji Recommends
We have had several dinners here and we always have a great meal. Great variety of food options, something for everyone. Great for nice family get togethers or dates. The pacing is slow, enjoyable. We like eating in the outside space. The yakitori is incredible, the bacon wrapped mochi and mushrooms might be our favorites, but honestly love it all here. Highly recommend!
Made reservations, you would think the place was popping, but no. I assume they do that because they are so slow. I added a bowl of rice to go with my protein skewers, and they were nice enough to serve it about a half hour before I got the protein I wanted to eat with it. Yum, cold rice! Service is horrible at this place. Skewers come out about one every 10-15 minutes.
I made my reservation online a week ahead and we were assigned to the worst seat ever, right in front of the restroom! We were distracted by the people walking by us every 10 minutes.
We were charged TWENTY percent of gratuity for party of two and it is mandatory! The waiter stood by us to complete the transaction and there's no place for us to customize our tip.
The serving speed was extremely slow for ALL the items on the menu. While waiting, I saw the person who was grilling the rice ball used his hands to flip the rice ball. No gloves. No washing hands.
Their price doesn't not align with their food quality and service.
This place used to be one of my favorite spots—especially back when they had discounted oysters. Sadly, those days are long gone, and now it just feels like another overpriced, inconsistent spot that’s lost its spark.
We ordered from the izakaya skewer section, hoping for bold flavors, but everything came out bland and under-seasoned. We ask for extra seasoning on the side and were given salt on the side 🤷♂️which shouldn’t be necessary. Our order included a tempura assortment, seven different skewers (fish and meat), ramen, and another kitchen dish and nothing really stood out.
Service is extremely slow. I understand grilling takes time, but even the kitchen-prepared items took forever. And for a small establishment, they have way too big of a menu. I don’t know if that’s what’s bogging down their kitchen, but it’s definitely hurting them. A simpler, more focused menu might actually help with quality and speed.
One thing I couldn’t ignore—there was a large party seated near us, with both adults and kids. Their food came out super inconsistent, and I could tell the timing was frustrating. Sure, maybe the kids get served first, but the delay for the rest of the table was hard to miss. If I were hosting a big group, I honestly wouldn’t bring them here. I’d be too worried about having a bad experience in front of my guests.
Also, just a heads-up—they automatically add 20% gratuity to the bill, regardless of the service quality.
If you’re after solid flavor, good service, and a smooth dining experience, there are way better options nearby. This place might be okay for a one-time try, but it’s not somewhere I’d recommend.
We ordered a bunch of different grilled items, everything was delicious!
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