Icho Izakaya Sushi & Grill

I’ve driven by so many times lately, so I had to give it a try. Very glad I did. Small and cozy with an attentive staff. The miso was tastier than most places. The nigiri was fresh and delightful. We really enjoyed the Firecracker Roll and the Spicy Rainbow Roll. We can’t wait to go back.

Me and my partner arrived for an early dinner, right when they opened. No one was there besides us and the staff, which was quite nice considering how intimate and tight the space seems. Our service was nice and they certainly were patient with our indecisiveness. The fish was incredibly fresh and everything was delicious! We had the Tempura Shrimp, Vegas Roll, Lollipop Roll, and some smaller items. For the price the portions on the roll were incredibly generous and delicious! Although the rolls were on the larger size making them messy, we enjoyed our meal. We will definitely be back next time we're in Phoenix.

I dined here with my manager on June 13th and our experience was interesting. It was later in the evening when we arrived, around 8pm and the restaurant was decently full (it’s an intimate & small place). We ordered the sea bream, veggie tempura, shrimp tempura roll and loliopops. Our sea bream and veggie tempura arrived within the first 30 minutes. Our two other rolls never arrived to our table. We sat for over 45 minutes waiting for two rolls while our sever Cat/Kat plus the busser continued to come and apologize about the wait. Why continue to patronize us? My manger and I ended up eating veggie tempura and the whole kitchen’s worth of ginger for the time we were there. We ended up taking our rolls to go because we had waited for so long and it was LATE. When I arrived home and opened up my roll, I was shocked to see how messy and uneven my roll slices were. On the menu it states that the rolls have 8 pieces and mine did not. After waiting for so long, I received a half-assed roll but couldn’t say anything because we had already left. I inserted the picture of the end piece of my roll which was very thick and again, messy. Strangely enough, I would absolutely come and try this place again because the fish was amazing. I am slightly terrified of raw fish but Cat had recommended to Sea Bream and I loved it!

This sushi restaurant offers an enjoyable dining experience, particularly for those seeking well-executed, traditional dishes. Although the space is small, and the seating can feel a bit cramped, the focus here is undoubtedly on the food. The calamari stood out for its freshness and unique presentation, departing from the standard ring format. The sushi rolls were both creative and true to classic styles, offering distinct flavors that cater to traditional preferences. Service was efficient, with dishes arriving promptly. While the menu may not feature an abundance of unique options, it is an excellent choice for those who appreciate high-quality, classic sushi.

Went for our anniversary and ordered Chef's Special Miso Chilean Sea Bass and Prime Ribeye Steak both were excellent. We'll be eating at this place again. That's they're right around the corner from where we live.

Amazing quality!! Small & intimate vibes just like a traditional Japanese Izakaya. Beautiful sake list to complement all the food. Must try!!

​My friends and I had a fantastic time at Icho Izakaya Sushi & Grill, enjoying a delicious meal of sushi and chef's specials, along with drinks, that totaled over $200. However, the positive experience soured the moment we paid our bill. We were immediately pressured to leave so they could seat another party that had arrived early. The staff seemed to care more about turning our table than about our dining experience. The feeling of being rushed and harassed completely ruined the evening. A restaurant that prioritizes new customers over loyal patrons who have just paid a large bill doesn't deserve my hard-earned money. I'll be going to Shimogamo from now on.

This used to be one of my go-to sushi spots, but the quality seems to decline with each visit. The dish in the photo is missing ingredients that are clearly listed on the website, and the sushi itself had such a strong fishy taste that I ended up throwing half of it away. Extremely disappointing experience.

A small cute sushi restaurant. There's about 8 seats at the sushi bar and maybe 7 dining tables. The chef was amazing at picking out our sashimi as I don't usually eat raw sushi. Everything was fresh and the fish melted in your mouth. Waitresses were all friendly & attentive.

My husband and I both love Japanese food. Since moving to Arizona, we've tried different Japanese restaurants. Although we know Arizona is not near the ocean and we can't expect too much when it comes to seafood, the restaurants we tried before--while tasty--were just okay in terms of overall food quality. Today, we visited ICHO and ordered a variety of nigiri sushi and oyster shooter (which was incredibly fresh --we should've ordered more!). We were pleasantly surprised by how high-quality and fresh the ingredients were! The ama ebi and uni sushi were my favorites. Although the Kitchen was a bit slow today, we were 100% satisfied with the food . Can't wait to go back again!!

If you're all about quality sushi, this low-key spot way overdelivers. Icho Izakaya Sushi & Grill dishes up big flavors in Mesa! It's a little cramped inside (think cozy, not claustrophobic), but the food totally makes up for it. We kicked things off with some takoyaki and shishito peppers--because obviously--and then dove into the real star of the show: their sushi. Even though it's an Izakaya and they've got way more than just rolls on the menu, their sushi game is stronger than most of the "sushi-only" spots in Phoenix. Seriously. We went for the chef's choice sashimi platter and every single bite tasted like it swam straight from the ocean to our plate. The fish is super fresh, and they offer more variety than most places around here. My fave from the platter? The Toro. It's the Wagyu of the sea--melty, buttery, and basically luxury in bite-size form. For more good eats give me a like and follow @lidia4thewin

Love this place. The miso Chilean sea bass is incredible as are many of the dishes. It's no thrills. It's warm inside, there may be a little wait, but the beverages are cold and the food is worth it.

This place is small, super intimate, and welcoming! Locally owned and operated Japanese restaurant. But they can speak Chinese. They have a little bit of everything for everyone: Yakitori, Japanese BBQ, sushi, ramen, tempura, sashimi, and specials. My friend wanted sushi for her bday, I am not a sushi fan, so I am thankful for all the other selections. They want to town on sushi and sashimi. Below are the things that I ate, but I took pics of most of the dishes that came to the table. Service was friendly and perfect. They even bought out homemade lychee ice cream in the end. That was so so good! I tasted all these dishes and they were perfect!!!! Karaage Fried Chicken Agedashi Tofu Chicken Yakitori Duck Yakitori Chef's wall special fried fish dinner Thank you for the great food, great atmosphere, and great service!

Sushi in Arizona? Regardless of your apprehensions, you should try Icho Izakaya because they serve up really good sushi in the middle of nowhere. We showed up early to the dinner seating and checked out the specials. The standouts included pumpkin tempura and yellowtail serrano. The nigiri sushi was high quality, and the miso sea bass was fantastic. Attentive staff in a tiny space with the appropriate decorations, this is the real deal. A full meal with all the flavors - raw, pickled, fermented, cooked. If you order correctly, Icho Izakaya will satisfy your sushi craving, even in the middle of the desert!

Absolutely delighted, the ambiance was amazing, staff was super nice, BUT... It's the food, WOW, the sushi was great but the beef soup, not what it's called, but their soup made my heart sing!! Thank you so much Sam

When you come here and eat the food, you'll understand what it means to put love and care into cooking.

I was disappointed during the first visit. However, the second visit was definitely a much better experience. A group of us went for a birthday celebration. They do accept reservation. This restaurant is a small place with very limited seating at the sushi bar. You can easily miss the restaurant if you don't look up at the main signage on top from the parking lot as there was no signage on the front door or window. We ordered a bunch of items. Everything was fresh and delicious. The portion size was small for the high prices. The apps were definitely overpriced! The lack of ambiance doesn't fit with the high prices for sure. The service was superb. A must try was their Lychee ice cream dessert.

I have been wanting to try this place for months but just never got the chance to go. We decided to give it a try since we were already out and about in Mesa. Our uber had a difficult time finding this place. The restaurant does have a big sign above but the sign was not on and the plaza was a bit dark. I had to call the restaurant to find them and the person on the phone actually came outside to look for us. Thank you! They are located right across the street from International Market in the Whataburger plaza. Our order: Icho Sashimi platter (medium) $60 Fire Yellowtail roll $19 Soft Shell Crab Maki $16 Uni Sushi $24 Sake Bomber w/ Large Sapporo $8 It was not what I expected walking in. Different from what I had imagined. Sushi was good but not the best I've had. Maybe because I feel like sushi/sashimi should come out cold. Usually why I prefer sushi during the cooler months than during summer. The sashimi platter was okay. The yellowtail and salmon seemed the most fresh. The other 4 (tuna, sea bream, amberjack & halibut) were okay. Some were a bit tough. One of them had a strong fish taste. My yellowtail roll was good. My uni was delicious and fresh! Very pricy though here. I don't eat soft shell crab so I didn't try that. I like that they automatically give fresh wasabi and not just regular. Total was about $160. Doesn't look like they charged my friend for her sake. My portion alone was $74! I would come back and try again when it's cooler

A hidden gem with a tiny space set up with good food! The first time, we didn't get a table, the second time we got a table right away as they were not so busy! We went with chicken and pork yakitori, miso soup, Chicken Karage, a few rolls, and fried baby ! Everything was good! I want to try other items in the future as most of the things we ordered were fried, so felt like we missed out on the taste of the pallet. Service is slightly slow but nice folks! Give it a try, it's worth it!

All the food was extremely delicious. Very fresh, delicious and right on point. Seriously, one of the best sushi places I've tried. The chef uses Yuzu, which is not common in a lot of places. Everything is made in-house. Definitely recommend this place. Service was great as well. Lychee sorbet (with pieces of lychee) was as amazing as freshly fruit cut off the tree.

Delicious sushi. Best for variety and price in Arizona. Chefs firing on all cylinders. We got a ton and it was all great. All staff is friendly. Ambiance is very laid back.

I've seen this place a few times as I went to AZ International Market, so I decided to pick up some food for dinner. This is a small establishment with only 6 tables (4 seats each) and a small bar you can sit at as well, with 6 seats available. I opted to order the Hamachi Kama, Karage Chicken, Mackerel nigiri & salmon nigiri. Everything that needed to be cooked was seasoned well and prepared well. The nigiri was good and I like that they offered fresh wasabi in the container. Everything appears to be clean inside as well and all their sushi ingredients are stored properly since I could see them bringing things out and unwrapping them and then re-wrapping them and placing back in their refrigerators at the sushi bar. The gentleman (I believe is the owner) was friendly and professional. I look forward to trying other things.

I enjoyed my omakase (small) . All the nigiri tasted fresh and it wasn't fishy at all. I enjoyed it with some rice and soy sauce and I can't believe I haven't had toro yet but it's now my favorite. For sure next time I'll get the toro omakase! We had it as takeout and it was done in a timely order. The vibes here is very cozy. However the katsu tasted lil sour to us and the breading didn't stick to the chicken. I'm not very picky but to some that might be an off, it tasted much better with the sauce!

We came after a nice spa day for lunch. This is likely one of my new favorite local izakaya serving delish dishes. We got the pork belly and scallop skewers as well as the agedashi tofu! It was so yummy and flavorful. Then we ordered sashimi (Amberjack and yellowtail), octopus tempura, lobster baked roll and miso sea bass. The service was fine but be patient as they are a bit short staffed it seems. I highly recommend the appetizers above I also recommend the sashimi and miso sea bass. The sashimi tasted very very fresh and the sea bass was one of the best we ever had! Ambiance is laid back, low key, small but functional, as if it eating at a friend's house. Our bill came out to $135 plus tips not bad at all. I am looking forward to trying out more of their menu. I overheard their omakase is really good

Half of our dishes I would say were pretty good, other half were too saucy or not flavored as preferred. Service was very slow on a Sunday evening and had to remind them a few times of our orders that were forgotten. Found the rainbow roll and some of the sashimi appetizers pretty good. Thick cuts of fish with light seasoning. The soft shell crab roll and ahi tuna tataki rolls were pretty good too. There were some other rolls that were just too saucy that took away from the dishes. You don't need any soy sauce to dip for many of the rolls. We also ordered a miso cod that tasted more like texmex or taco seasoning than miso which was a bit odd. Fish itself was tender and well cooked though. For the service and very casual ambiance, I felt like the price point could have been lower. They gave us some ice cream to make up for it which was nice. Yuzu ice cream was great.

This is a small place with cute interior. I have not been too impressed with sushi in Arizona, so I did not expect to find good sushi here but it was really good. Service was good too, we got complimentary lychee ice cream at the end of our meal. We got the Small Sashimi Platter, very fresh fish with good texture. The salmon was silky and the amberjack was plump. They were not fishy. We got the Yellowtail Negi Hama Maki Roll which came with a fresh, tangy sauce that paired well with the yellowtail. The Toro Maki Roll was my favorite though, so fresh and soft. There were good, decently sized fish pieces inside. The crunchy, vinegary radish inside paired well with the toro. We tried a seasonal sushi, Golden Eye Snapper. It had a soft yet slightly springy texture and smokiness from the torch. The Big Eye Diver was very good as well, the scallop inside was so silky, soft, and fresh. The Serrano pepper on top was a nice kick. A nice, fresh roll. I think the prices are very fair for what you get, I would definitely come back here.

A word of advice Just go here. Best sushi in Arizona. Not a Nobu vibe where broke 24 year olds on bad powder go to have a spicy tuna roll and pretend they're sushi connoisseurs. No, this place is legitimate and the chef has talent. Toro was out of control, just the sushi rice alone was incredible and you realize they know what they're doing. Will be returning and HIGHLY RECOMMEND

We absolutely love the food here! It was delicious beyond words. Icho is a small restaurant but hands down the best sushi I've ever had. Everything is made fresh and is worth the wait. My favorite is the salmon skin roll. It is delicious !

Fresh, Delicious, super friendly environment. They did well to add variety of flavor and textures without trying to reinvent the wheel. The location is a tight space so probably better for a max of 4 people. This was my second time. During the day, my husband and I were the only ones there. This time, on a Friday night, the place was full and behind. We waited a really long time! I'm still giving 5 stars anyways tho because the food and service was still wonderful and their rating doesn't deserve to go down because of my one experience. Either go during the week/day or plan for a wait in the evening(mainly weekends). If you go during a busy time, order an appetizer!!

Tried the Mother's Day Omakase and I was absolutely blown away. The quality and craft of the fish was outstanding as always! I saw the Mother's Day omakase special on the menu and knew I had to come back to try it the next day! It definitely did not disappoint... Icho never disappoints!!! Couldn't recommend Icho Izakaya enough!! Everyone who works there is so nice, shoutout to Carolyn for always being so sweet and accommodating!

The quality of the fish is outstanding. The chef creates quality dishes that are unparalleled - if not the valley, certainly in Mesa.

First, I'll say give them some grace. They are newer and are short staffed. The food may take a bit. I wanted to order more fresh fish as that is what I'd heard great things about but my family wanted rolls. I dod get the snapper nigiri, very good. I also had the miso chilean sea bass which was wonderful. The veggies with it were not cooked and it was not plated beautifully so they can improve upon that. We did have an issue during dining, one big and one small, but they fixed it. They have a nice saki menu. I will return. The Fish is good quality. I will advise to be careful if you have severe allergies.

My husband and I have been wanting to try Icho Izakaya for a while since we saw it driving past a few months ago. Finally got a chance to stop in tonight and we had a great time! Food was delicious. High quality sushi, Sashimi and rolls with beautiful presentation. Also with great staff greeting us with kind smiles and great service overall. Will definitely be back. One of the best sushi places we've had in Arizona.

Highest quality sushi in the valley. Fine dining quality food with a comfortable and relaxing ambiance. You can find me at Icho most days of the week as it has very quickly become my favorite restaurant in Arizona.

The goyza appetizer was very delicious and I could definitely appreciate that they were fresh made. The star of the show was the sushi lollipops which were nothing short of amazing. The curry udon seemed a bit off the grid like it belongs in a Caribbean restaurant but was in need of more flavor pop. The Katsu pork was part of the curry udon noodles dish, but I'm not drawing a connection of them being together as a dish. We were disappointed in the seafood fried rice. This dish had no seasoning to it and very little vegetables and the only seafood we saw was shrimp and the artificial crab meat pressed stars I think is what those are. This restaurant is very quaint and intimate as it seats maybe 25 people max. The tables are small and the setting is more like a casual couples dinner date night. This menu is designed for sharing dishes, which are rather small portions. Most people in the restaurant got 4-5 items to share. The customer service was very friendly and knowledgeable. We would definitely go back for the sushi lollipops and gyoza. We would not recommend the fried rice or curry udon. It taste like a beef stew that had udon noodles mixed into it and they missed the mark on the shrimp fried rice.

Checked into this restaurant for dinner because we were craving sushi and ramen. My husband and I shared the ramen and sushi, also got to try the crispy rice tuna and takoyaki. Very filling. Our ramen came with scallops, shrimp and salmon-something different than what were used to but it turned out to be quit delicious. Both sushi dishes were suppose to be spicy but I didn't taste much of the spice. The takoyaki was good also-the batter was just right. Service was a bit slow due to short staff. Overall we enjoyed our dinner.

This place is amazing. It's small and intimate. Cozy. The food though? Incredible. Honestly, the best sushi I've had in the last 10 years in the valley. Top notch. I love shishito peppers. They were cooked perfectly and seasoned amazingly. I've never had such good shishito peppers. I was blown away. But it just gets better. The spicy yellow tail roll was fresh and delicious. Usually I dip, add spicy mayo, little soy sauce. Not these. They needed nothing else. Same for the crispy rice with spicy tuna. Delicious. And the yellowtail Serrano - the chef cut it fresh and served it. Amazing. The chef and the host both checked in regularly - super attentive service. After finishing the meal - just sat and savored the amazing experience. I realize I'm gushing about the place - check my reviews. It's rarely gushing. This place was outstanding. Already planning a return. The high scores are merited. This is probably now my favorite place to eat in the valley.

Tried Icho for the first time last week for an early dinner with my girlfriend and it did not disappoint. The staff was overly attentive (in a good way), very welcoming, and made sure they were available to explain any of the menu items and specials if we needed them to. The restaurant itself is on the small side, typical of an Izakaya, and it brought back memories of similar spots I ventured into during my several trips to the Shinjuku area of Tokyo. I indulged in some of the better cuts of nigiri and was not disappointed by how fresh the fish selection was. You can tell the owner took his time to select a solid fish distributor for his restaurant. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu items and indulge in the buttery Toro.

This is a hidden gem! We enjoyed the sushi, soba, and yakatori during our visit. It reminded me of the small restaurants in Tokyo and is now on our "must return often" list. :-)

This is a very quaint little place in Mesa and I don't care where you come from Phoenix, Arizona, or maybe you are visiting this is the best place I have ever traveled to throughout the United States. I took my son-in-law, daughter and I WhatsApp my friend from Melbourne to a special dinner. This server, Quyn and David were so amazing!

Icho is such a hidden gem in the East Valley. Great ownership and always great food. Definitely recommend sitting at the bar and letting the chef choose your courses with the Omakase set. They can come up with a course based on your price point, and it will never be the same twice.

200% would recommend this restaurant to those who are looking for fresh, delicious sushi. Food 5/5 - Everything we ordered was delicious. Freshness of the fish was better than Nobu and very speedy service! Service 5/5 - Our server was prompt, knowledgeable, and kind. The sushi chef ran one of our dishes and explained the dish himself which was awesome! Ambiance 5/5 - It was small, intimate, and clean. It wasn't "dark and clubby" like some other Izakaya tend to be. We enjoyed the casual ambiance!

This restaurant is the epitome of excellence. Delicious food, all fresh and not processed at all. We had the ramen, the duck skewers, and the sashimi plate and all were phenomenal! As far as ambiance goes, very cozy and relaxing in there, you feel like you are visiting family, like you are home. And the service was sooo good! Our waitress was one of the sweetest and most helpful people I've ever met. 10/10 in every possible way.

Amazing! Come here for the fish quality. The fish is above any other restaurant level in Az. The chef flies in A quality fish at least twice per week from Japan. Everything else does not even compare and we have been to all of the sushi restaurants in AZ. While there are a few high-quality sushi restaurants, they have all disappointed us on some level. The quality here is amazing, and having been twice now, the consistency is excellent. You won't find this quality in AZ. Everything else is average. If you want to elevate your sushi experience and you don't want to drive to California or fly to Japan then come here! Not fancy but you don't need fancy when the fish melts in your mouth. Grateful for this restaurant.

What a cozy sushi spot! Delicious sushi rolls and fantastic portions. The food took a bit since there was only one sushi chef when I went, but the wait was so worth it and everything was made to order! I recommend the firecracker roll - nice textures with the tempura and masago with balanced spicy and smoked flavors.

We were driving by from out of town and decided to give this place a try and we are so so glad we did !! Literally every single items we tried were 10/10! Inside is a small intimate setting which we loved . Our service was 10/10 as well. Now let's talk about food ! Otoro : so fresh and so delicious 10/10. Miso soup : loaded with seaweed and tofu 10/10, beef tongue : so tender and flavored perfectly 10/10, miso sea bass : the best sea bass I have ever had , just melts in my tongue :10/10, sweet shrimp :10/10, we also tried a sushi roll but can't remember the name but it was 10/10 . We will definitely be back again to try more items on the menu. Over all this place exceeded our expectations. Definitely would recommend this place to everyone .

Amazing food and Amazing service will definitely be back. Paul selected most of our dishes for us and everything was spot on.

Had a wonderful experience yesterday. All the food we ate were amazing! The sashimi were fresh, sliced perfectly, taste so buttery, & curated carefully by the chef. We were mesmerized by how the chef made the orders, such great knife skill! The service was friendly and personalized. The ambiance was like you were transported to Japan. Try the uni, it takes you back to Southeast Asia, I can smell & taste the ocean. We ordered sashimi plate, yakitori, soft shell crab, & THE uni. The lychee ice cream was perfect to end our meal! I want to come back and have their toro & wagyu next time!

Hidden gem! Amazing fresh fish and incredibly friendly staff. The space is small but clean and cute, cozy vibe. We tried several rolls and nigiri. You really can't go wrong with anything on this menu. The Krispy K roll is a must! Plus they have kizami , which I love on nigiri

Small quiet space. Never clean and has a local feeling to it. It's a strip mall but the food presentation and menu options is that of a private restaurant at the top of a hill! It's wonderful! Service is excellent from servers and the owner comes by and says hello and makes sure you're enjoying yourself. Came here one late night after a hard work day and left so encouraged that I wanted to tell my friends about it! They didn't make me feel rushed even though I got the closing times wrong. It was a great experience and the food was amazing I kept thinking I stumbled upon a hidden gem! They constantly making things better. High quality food at a great price. They also have cooking experiences for holidays which sell out quickly. If you know of this place then you know what they bring! Check them out!

Shaun the owner knows his stuff! My husband and I always love sushi and we had to try this place when it opened. Needless to say we're in there weekly. Shaun gets stuff fresh from Japan too, so you're in good hands. If you ever need a good sushi place, do yourself a favor and get over here!

I haven't written a review in years, but we are completely wowed by this place. I was in the mood for ramen and we happened to be in the area, so we feel lucky to have stumbled on this gem of a place. The ingredients are so fresh and everything was so flavorful and beautifully presented. It is a TINY place (5 tables), but we were able to get right in at the dinner hour on a Saturday. Great service - a big cold carafe of water right away! We ordered Garlic soy edamame, a rainbow roll, beef yakisoba, and Nagasaki ramen. The ramen in particular was outstanding - so much flavor and lots of huge shrimp, salmon and scallops. We only remembered to take pictures of two of the dishes because we were enjoying ourselves so much. High compliments to the chef. We hope this place does really well!

I ordered this off of DoorDash and THIS IS NOBU without the prices !!! I am so happy I found a place in mesa . This is absolutely amazing with yuzu juice . Thank you again !!

My friend and I come here all the time for sushi and the food and service are immaculate! Highly recommend the spicy tuna crispy rice and the firecracker roll.

Wow wow wow...By far my new favorite sushi place...outstanding quality of fish...oysters may be best iv ever had. I think I ate my entire dinner with my eyes closed.

Icho Izakaya surpassed my high expectations based on reading of review. I have spent my adult life seeking great sushi experiences. This place delivers.... ambiance (small, intimate, not noisy, attractive), great attentive service, chef is a master and watching him work is living art. The omakase was well timed, balanced and delicious. I am now obsessed with the fermented wasabi... I want to smear it on everything. This was a special occasion and the staff made it more so. I give congratulations to chef and staff. Thank you!

Excellent sushi creations. We ordered the Omakase special. Basically chefs selection of various dishes. Every dish was spectacular and very fresh. Presentation was excellent. Chef has a excellent selection of quality cold sake. All Junmail Dai Ginjo the best selection of cold sake. If you want quality sushi dishes this is the place.