IZZA POCHA

Went here thinking they would have sushi and they are going through a menu change so heads up that is in the works. Overall the service was great I had John who was so kind and attentive. The place has parking too so if you don’t find anything on the street try going into their lot. I ordered the fried tofu appetizer and fried beef sandwich. The tofu was delicious and the beef was perfectly crispy. Only issue was the sauce on the beef was super salty. I usually like salt and when I gave feedback John was so receptive and offered to take it off my bill even when I declined he insisted. Overall I’ll be back when they have updates to the menu!

This is my second time coming here and the first time was really great. However this time could have been better. The vibe felt a little off and the staff was not as warming. But they are getting three stars this time primarily because the presentation of the black garlic ramen was definitely not what I was expecting. Normally there would be way better presentation but I felt that the ramen was not presented in the best way it could have. Just look at the picture. It came out like that. But aside from that the skewers were great. Although the chicken heart is kind of weird normally there would be a few hearts on a skewer but it really feels like one skewer had a few chopped up pieces of a heart maybe not even a whole heart. But yes three stars just because of the ramen all the other skewers were delicious. I hope the next time I go there it's better. I would normally give this place four stars

I really love this place. The food is just well made and the ingredients compliment the food so well. The teas are really good if you’re into sweet teas, they’re almost like a dessert. The Yakitori is juicy and seems like good quality. I really like the crispy tofu appetizer. The staff are all really friendly too, it’s one of the rare instances where I can easily tell that they go the extra mile. On top of everything being great, they’re even quite quick and efficient. On a super busy night they were so very quick with our food, it was impressive.

A few years ago, I went to Japan and when everyone and their mother found out, they all told me I need to " go here" or " go there"🤣 I ate so much ramen in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and I can't seriously tell you which one was the "Best"! With the temperatures dropping, I wanted some ramen and izakaya. The grilled meat and vegetables was absolutely delicious. Hey, it made me eat my veggies! Izza (Oakland) does a great job w/Ramen and it had bursting great flavors. Can it be one of the best? Best for that night😄 Ramen for the soul.

Great food, very professional staff (Sue was also extremely attentive!) We ordered Veggie Ramen (original) with bonito broth, sashimi platter (yuzu marinated salmon was incredible), and Yakitori skewers (chicken hearts, beef tongue, unagi and chicken). Everything tasted delicious. The outdoor space is cozy, warm and welcoming. We'll be back

I didn’t take a picture of all the food we got, but all of it was so good. Even the starter salad was so delicious! I appreciate that the hours are long, perfect for a late night snack. The waitress even boxed up our leftovers for us.

I had the black garlic pork ramen and my wife had the pork tonkotsu. We also ordered some other appetizers and they were all great. Well priced and great service as well. No more sushi on the menu though.

ATMOSPHERE: The outdoor tent in the parking lot gives Izza a nice atmosphere in the evening. Located right in the heart of the trendy Temescal area, Izza feels lively and gives a good vibe. FOOD: We opted to order more of the izakaya style food (grilled meats) since this seemed like Izza's specialty. And given that Marufuku ramen is just a couple blocks away, I felt like we should really try more of the items you can't get elsewhere. Skewer Sampler (4 out of 5): The waiter made it sound like which skewers you get in the sampler varies from table to table. The best one of the bunch was actually the eggplant, which had some creamy sauce on top that was really delicious. Next best were the chicken skewers, really tender and had that grilled flavor. I was less of a fan of the beef one, it was a bit too chewy for my liking (as beef skewers are in general). Quail skewer (3.5 out of 5): Really good flavor. I enjoyed it a lot, but as somebody else on Yelp mentioned, it was a little bit on the firm side, and I think it would have been so much better if it was cooked to be a bit softer. Pork Sando (4 out of 5): Really good Tonkatsu with pickled cabbage served in the crispiest bread to make a perfectly shaped and cut sandwich. Tuna Tartare (5 out of 5): Seaweed fried with tempura batter that serves as a chip for putting on tuna tartare. But what really made this dish a 5 was this guacamole topping that added some citrus and acidity that really made this a hit. OVERALL: A solid spot if you're in the mood for grilled meats.