Izakaya Restaurant & Lounge Bar 21 Grape Lane, York YO1 7HU

"Wow! Izakaya you did not disappoint. Been wanting to try this place for a while and we were blown away. I came here for a weekend lunch with my partner. We were greeted with a warm welcome upon arrival and our coats were taken and hung for us. The service was second to none all the way through. We ordered 6 small plates. The first dish we tried was the karage chicken with yuzu and honey - wow this was amazing! Strips of battered chicken with the most delicious sticky glaze, and a tasty dip to accompany. We’d just about mastered using the chopsticks at this point and this definitely gave us something to talk about and we enjoyed embracing the use of traditional utensils. Next, I tucked into the sesame noodles, a generous portion garnished with sesame seeds and sliced spring onion. Initially sceptical about them being served cold, this was quickly dismissed when I tasted them, delicious! Soon followed was the chicken meatball skewer and the chicken thigh skewer, served with an egg dip. Both were delicious, tender and full of flavour. Lastly, we tried the beef cheek bao bun. The beef was tender like pulled melt-in-the-mouth beef and the bun, perfectly soft. The black garlic and oyster emulsion just kicked it up another notch. The ambience of the restaurant was relaxed and zen with quiet music playing. I was in awe of the earthy interior decor too! Contemporary with an eclectic mix of Japanese touches like the bamboo light shades and willow. We will certainly be back. Thank you Izakaya, for such a lovely dining experience."

"Wow! A truly awesome tasting menu with every single course being unique, well put together and above all absolutely delicious! A nice relaxed vibe, friendly, approachable and knowledgeable staff. A great find for us as just took a punt as it ‘looked nice’ and we weren’t disappointed. Just about tips the scales as the best meal we have ever eaten. Will be coming back!"

"Everything about this place was amazing. All the staff were really friendly and knowledgeable, the setting is cosy but stylish. All the food was incredible - we ordered one of each vegetarian option to share between two, which was plenty. Every dish was exceptional, full of flavour, and we tried ingredients we'd never heard of before. Reasonably priced considering the quality. Cannot recommend enough!"

"My partner and I had dinner at Izakaya during their soft launch and we were completely blown away. All of the staff were really friendly and helpful, answering all our questions about the food and cocktails throughout the evening. The food itself was some of the best I've had in York, from the bao buns to the yuzu lemon meringue. We are already planning when we can go back!"

"The tasting menu was absolutely divine; excellent presentation and the ingredients carefully considered in every dish. The staff were very friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Cannot wait to try the rest of the menu and cocktail selection. A new, wonderful place to eat in York with a great twist on authentic Japanese cuisine."