Royal Sushi & Izakaya

Many izakayas buckle under the weight and scale of their own menus, struggling to balance variety with quality. This isn’t one of those places. People dash to the door of this windowless, walk-in only hangout hoping to find an empty booth or a spare seat at the bar. Find a range of fried, steamed, seared and raw dishes. Think hamachi turbocharged with ponzu, cucumbers fortified with miso and buckwheat, and cod grilled until the skin is crisp as a chip. There’s more, like fried chicken thigh sandos or grand chirashi bowls festooned with Japanese fish, caviar and Ikura. All of it is carefully sourced, handled and seasoned in a relaxed setting. Longtime regulars have their sights on the exclusive omakase counter hidden away in the back.