Fodor's Expert Review Ichiza

Modest little Ichiza has developed a cult following for serving sublimely delicious, authentic Japanese food and drink in a casual social environment that borders on controlled chaos. Located on the second floor of a shopping center in the city's Chinatown section, this boisterous Izakaya-style pub is crammed with tourists, students, and local hipsters who love a good value and the chance to chow down on a variety of tasty small-plate offerings (aka "Japa tapas") until the wee hours. Forget the menu and study the walls instead, where dozens of haphazardly taped signs list the daily specials, or ask your server for suggestions, which might include black cod with grated white radish; stir-fried calamari with ginger butter; a seaweed or salmon-skin salad; and deep-fried, breaded quail eggs. From dinner to dessert, it's best to order with a sense of adventure. A second location offering private dining rooms is a little further West ( 5300 W. Spring Mountain Rd.).