Shimogamo Japanese Restaurant

The 14 Hottest New Restaurants in Phoenix Right Now

"Yoshio and Sanae Otomo opened this neighborhood Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in 2003, and while it’s always been better-than-good, it’s now — 20 years later — categorically great. Credit goes to the Otomo’s daughter Mika, a certified sommelier who met and married chef Daisuke Itagaki when they were both working at an international steakhouse in Tokyo. The two moved back to Chandler to help run her parents’ restaurant, bringing a level of playfulness and sophistication that puts Shimogamo near the top of the local heap. Itagaki sources an ever-changing selection of top-quality Japanese fish and three types of Wagyu beef (two of them hard to come by in the States). Cocktails and an excellent sake selection enrich the experience." - Nikki Buchanan