Zu Izakaya
Zu Izakaya in Tempe keeps things casual and compact, with a menu that jumps between Japanese standbys and some unexpected fusion moves. The spicy pork quesadilla is a genuine standout here, not just a novelty. Chicken yakitori and the corn are regulars worth ordering. The room is small and the staff is friendly, making it an easy choice for a low-key dinner. There is a second location in Paradise Valley if the Tempe lot is not convenient.
What to orderSpicy Tuna RollChicken YakitoriTonkotsu Ramen Call DirectionsFull review & visiting detailsRead the full review & visiting details
Tempe's Izakaya with a Sonoran Detour
The spicy tuna roll is the entry point to the sushi side of an Asian fusion menu that moves across several registers.
Chicken yakitori anchors the izakaya half of the menu, the kind of skewered, simply prepared protein the format is built around.
Tonkotsu ramen rounds out a room that spans Japanese-style street food and sushi under one roof, a natural order for a full table.
Zu Izakaya operates as a casual Japanese izakaya in Tempe, but the menu reads wider than the name implies. The kitchen runs Asian fusion in the izakaya format, which means the list spans sushi rolls and grilled skewers alongside items that have nothing to do with Japan. That range is part of the draw. The spicy tuna roll holds its place as the signature, a clean, properly seasoned piece of work that anchors the sushi side of the menu. Chicken yakitori gives the room its izakaya credibility, the skewers coming out as the kind of thing that moves well late into the evening when the kitchen is still running. Tonkotsu ramen rounds out the Japanese column.
Then there is the spicy pork quesadilla. It is not a wink at fusion or a concept exercise; it is a menu item that repeat customers specifically seek out, and the corn alongside it draws the same loyalty. The kitchen holds both without apology, and the regulars have sorted out what to order across the range. That operational flexibility, Japanese framework with room for departures, is what the izakaya format was built for.
The room itself is small, which keeps service immediate and the atmosphere informal. Staff works the room at a pace that fits the late-evening crowd the space tends to attract. Zu has a second location in Paradise Valley, and Tempe regulars from that side of the Valley find the experience consistent between the two. At moderate prices, the room functions as a neighborhood anchor rather than a destination, the kind of spot that holds a regular table in rotation for a reason. For Tempe diners who want flexibility across a menu without a formal occasion framing it, Zu Izakaya delivers the range.
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The spicy pork quesadilla is a legitimate order alongside the sushi, not an afterthought. The room runs late, so arriving toward the end of the evening still gets a full menu.
