Ima Izakaya
Modern izakaya restaurant · Briggs
2100 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
Highlights
Izakaya with robata grill, sushi & ramen; floor-to-ceiling stained glass
Izakaya with robata grill, sushi & ramen; floor-to-ceiling stained glass
"Mike Ransom, founder of the Eater Award-winning Ima, is now flexing his background in fine dining at Ima Izakaya down the road from his original location. Guests can expect many of the growing chain’s casual favorites, such as its popular udon, pho, rice bowls, shrimp dumplings, and chicken karaage. In addition, Ransom adds a touch of creativity with new arrivals like hamachi crudo made with yellowtail, yuzu-lemon confit, jalapeño, micro cilantro, and black sea salt; robata grilled skewers; and a more robust bar menu. The $5 happy hour takes place from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Online ordering is also available, and reservations are booked on Tock." - Courtney Burk
"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 available indoor and outdoor seating. Ransom brings his vision full circle with Ima Izakaya in the former Gold Cash Gold restaurant just west of the original Corktown spot on Michigan Avenue. Expect a 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. Vibe Check: As far as happy hour goes in Detroit, the one at Ima Izakaya is a sleeper hit. Between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, visitors are given a reliably strong offering of snacks like dry-aged ribeye skewers or karaage chicken bites, carafes of house sake, draft beer, wine by the glass, and a few cocktails — all for $5." - Serena Maria Daniels
"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
