Ima Izakaya — Restaurant in Detroit

Okay... Their Pork Tonkotsu Ramen is out of this world. Dined here 3/27/25. The broth is incredibly rich and flavorful and the smoked pork belly has the tastiest smoky char. It melts in your mouth like none other pork belly I've ever had. Incredibly delicious. My only critique (mainly from my partner) is the egg, if it's supposed to be a marinated soy sauce egg, it could use more time. It's basically just a pale soft boil egg otherwise. But it's almost forgiveable because everything else is drenched in so much flavor, I could see why you'd want to back it off here with the plainer egg. The broth and the pork belly are definitely the stars of this dish. One of the best ramen I've had the pleasure of eating in Michigan.

Not to be overlooked are the drinks. My partner got the Midori Colada, according to him, it was bomb. And I wanted to keep it light and go for the mocktail and got the Purple Monsoon. 💜 Absolutely delicious. I really appreciate it when effort is put into the mocktail, visually the drinks are both stunning. I can appreciate the presentation and little accoutrements. The only other place that offers mocktails of a similar high grade comes from Max's South Seas Hideaway.

Next time we're in Detroit and in the mood for ramen, this'll be one of our top picks.

We also had a few items from their Happy Hour Robata Grill Skewers. The Dry-Aged Ribeye, Chicken & Scallion, and Tsukune Meatball. The Chicken & Scallion was very underwhelming and our least favorite, pretty bland and dry. Wouldn't recommend. The other two were delicious however, particularly the Dry-Aged Ribeye. I'd also swap the Tsukune Meatball for the Smoked Pork Belly next time knowing how delicious it is in the ramen!

Seating is very tight on the benches, the 2-person tables could be spread farther apart and less packed... But I get it, you want to utilize as many butts in seats as possible, but it was not great getting in and out without having your bum in someone's face especially if you're still wearing winter coats. Hardly anywhere to place or hang a bag and coat. Probably less of an issue as the...

We visited Ima Izakaya this past Friday with our 1-year-old daughter and took full advantage of the $5 Happy Hour — what a win!

Service: From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel welcome. The host stand even opened the door as we approached, greeted us with smiles, and seated us immediately for our reservation. Our server, Maddie, was outstanding — friendly, attentive, and great with our daughter. She offered thoughtful suggestions and made sure we had a comfortable experience from start to finish.

Ambiance: The atmosphere is fantastic both inside and out. We especially loved the heated patio, which felt relaxed and family-friendly. It was great to see other families dining with kids, which made us feel right at home.

Food & Drinks: The $5 Happy Hour was a big hit — we tried the Beer & Shot special and a Ginger Buck, and both were excellent. For food, we ordered the Chicken & Scallion Tsukune (so good we ordered a second round since our daughter loved it too), Spicy Tuna Hand Roll, Shishito Peppers, Umami Thicc Fries, Tofu Bites, Salmon Caviar Min Don, and butter noodles for our little one. Favorites of the night were definitely the Tsukune and the fries — we couldn’t resist getting two orders of them.

Highlights for Families:

$5 Happy Hour with mocktail options + kid-friendly food

Space for strollers and high chairs

Changing table in the bathroom

Relaxed, family-friendly vibe

Heated patio

Kids menu available

We give Ima Izakaya a solid 5/5 ⭐️. Amazing food, welcoming service, and a laid-back atmosphere that works for both adults and kids. This spot has officially earned a spot in our...

I've been wanting to come here for awhile, and finally made it in yesterday! The food was super satisfying. It was quiet and not busy at all! I went in looked at the menu, the lady at the counter politely offered menu assistance, which I ended up not using. The tables are already situated with self-serve water pitchers, chop sticks, napkins, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. I ordered the House Smoked Salmon (salmon fillet, salmon roe, cucumber, slaw, shiso, dried seaweed, green onion, & pickled ginger all on top of white rice with yuzu sesame sauce on the side) and the Beef Pho (vegan pho broth, rice noodles, ginger beef broth, bean sprout, white onion, Thai basil, jalapeno, lime, schmaltz). Ginger Beer for the drink!

The House Smoke Salmon was interesting! IN A GOOD WAY!! It was my first time eating fish eggs, and it surprisingly did not disappoint.The slaw tasted as if it had been soaked in vinegar, and paired really well with the rice, salmon, green onion, and seaweed. It tasted even more enthusing when I added the broth from the Beef Pho to it!

The Beef Pho was quite a unique dish! Very aromatic indeed!! The beef had a slighty sweet floral undertone, and caused a taste bud explosion when eaten with what I presume to be bok choi (or some food relative of it) and rice noodles. Although I'm not a fan of black licorice, which is what the "bok choi" tasted like, it amazingly tasted good with when mixed with the rest of the ingredients. When I first tasted the licorice my taste buds wanted to be angry, but the taste flowed into the medley of the other flavors....Impressive. I will be back to try other menu...