Ima Izakaya offers an inviting escape in Corktown with its stunning stained glass, robata grill delights, and a flavor-packed menu that excites every palate.
"Ima’s $5 happy hour has been going strong for years, and it’s an occasion not to be missed. Every Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at each of its three locations, guests can choose from a long list of options for dine-in. Each item on the happy hour menu is just $5, making it a breeze to put together a great meal. From the bar, beer-and-shot specials, wine, and even martinis are on offer. Small plates like blistered shishito peppers and karaagi chicken bites are available as well as sushi hand rolls and robata grill skewers, including dry-aged rib-eye and chile-garlic shrimp. Hours: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday." - Mickey Lyons
"There’s a reason families frequent this noodle bar mini-chain. Ima’s lively atmosphere is kid-friendly and offers a list of slurp-worthy fare geared towards children, including butter udon noodles with root veggies, slurp-worthy ramen and pho, steamed rice with veggies, and a menu of robata-grilled meats and veggies — good for sharing with the little ones." - Serena Maria Daniels
"Ima made a name for itself for its soothing bowls of udon noodle, pho, ramen, and rice but when the growing restaurant group relocated its original Michigan Avenue spot a few blocks west, they added a raw bar menu featuring hamachi or ahi tuna crudos, spicy tuna dip, marinated octopus, squid salad, yuzu shrimp cocktails, and a selection of sushi hand rolls. Guests can also opt for full entrees like Chilean sea bass pan-seared in a miso-yuzu glaze, teriyaki salmon, or shareable skewers of chili garlic shrimp. Round out the meal with a cocktail, wine, or select from a variety of ABV-free drinks." - Serena Maria Daniels
"Ima is already famous for its restorative udon soups, pho, and rice bowls. The Michigan Avenue izakaya is also low-key a legit spot to satisfy one’s sushi hand roll cravings. Join a group of friends and dig in on a handful of skewered veggies or meats and throw in a few hand rolls for good measure. The sprawling kitchen includes a cold prep station and the spot’s chef de cuisine Kiyo Miura has more than a decade of experience working in sushi establishments throughout the region. This gives Ima a chance to offer a number of delicious hand rolls, hamachi crudo, ahi tuna tartare, an exquisite poke bowl, and other raw delicacies. Each roll comes with sushi rice, scallion, pickled ginger, wasabi, and yuzu ponzu sauce and is available gluten-free upon request." - Serena Maria Daniels
"Chef Mike Ransom’s Eater Award-winning restaurants in Corktown, Midtown, and Madison Heights are known for their udon noodles swimming in rich, earthy broths, and karaage fried chicken or tofu sandwiches — all set in a casual, bright space with indoor and outdoor seating. Now Ransom is bringing his vision full circle with newly expanded digs in the former Gold Cash Gold restaurant just west of the original Corktown spot on Michigan Avenue. Expect a more robust cocktail menu, meaty skewers from the robata grill, like the soy-glazed tsukune chicken meatballs, raw fish dishes like the velvety hamachi tuna crudo and ahi tuna tartare, panko-fried chicken katsu, and many other favorites." - Serena Maria Daniels
