Zu Izakaya - Tempe

My husband and I had a date night here and it was incredible! We ordered two apps - cheesy spam katsu, and vegetable tempura. The spam dish was delicious and the dipping sauce with it was perfect. I told my husband that the next time I drink, I will be craving that! The vegetable tempura was perfectly crispy as well. Then we got the grilled eel and gyoza hotpot. The hotpot is MASSIVE! I asked for some chili oil and the server also brought me some spicy powder which made the hotpot even better. The eel was well prepared, too! All that and two sodas under $80 seemed like a great deal to us. We cannot wait to return!

Wow. Come here. Happy hours from 4-7pm AND 9-11pm. Such good food, every time. I've never been disappointed, and when I was, it was promptly fixed. Can fill up fast so late happy hour, so don't wait. Ask for the FRESH Wasabi

The worst sushi in Arizona.. if you don’t know what Alaskan rolls is , you should not be a server at a sushi restaurant.. sushi is the most mediocre food in my opinion yet it is popular and I understand that but if you think what I am going post is sushi, I think you need to change your profession.

Zu Izakaya in Tempe is a mixed bag - great food, good vibes, but a not-so-great surprise: the infamous "Large Party Tax". I mean, 20% extra on a table of 4+? That's like telling friends not to come with you 😐. The Fried Sushi was a highlight (crispy, perfection!) with crab and jalapeños, and the egg roll was deliciously flaky. Chicken Karage was so good that we ended up ordering twice. Tofu was great as well. However, the veggie gyoza was a letdown - dry and oily. Server was knowledgeable and friendly, but that tax still stings 🤑. Ambiance was lively. Overall, 3/5 stars - good food, but that tax is a major drawback. Would I go back? Yeah, for the Fried Sushi 🤤.

Went for the first a couple of nights ago with 40 min of happy hour left, and we were in and out in less than an hour. Everything came out quickly, the service was amazing, and the atmosphere was so chill. Definitely recommend! We got two sushi rolls, spam musubi, two sake bombs from happy hour, and the bulgogi, and our total was $60 with some bulgogi leftover.