Ichiza Original — Restaurant in Spring Valley

If I could get some objective, sober eyed perspective on this place, I would probably give it four stars, but I go here about once a week and it gets that extra star for being old reliable. In spite of the fact that I haven't tried most of the items on this giant menu that literally covers the walls, I feel real confident in my familiarity with this place. If it's after 10 and I want to hit all teh* food groups but don't want to gorge myself or drain my wallet, this is where I go.

Pro tip 1 Don't come here for ramen. It costs just as much here as it does at places that specialize in ramen. If you want ramen, go to a ramen spot. This place is about skewers and smallbig shareable dishes. Miss me with those ichiza ramen reviews.

Pro tip 2. Everything (other than the skewers and the high end items i.e. salmon belly, sashimi, etc.) is better shared. I can totally kill a bacon and spinach omelette (I feel like I always misspell that word) by myself and it's delicious and I love it, but it's better to get that split that, split some baby bok choy, split some spicy fried chicken soft bone (which is really like a more fun-to-eat version of popcorn chicken. Your boy loves that cartilage. And it's a small portion BUT I still say splitting it with one other person is the way to go), etc.

Tldr version of tip 2: If it's not a skewer or something fancy smancy, splitting it with ONE (just one) other person will enhance your dining experience. And if something looks or sounds more exotic than you're used to (like the grilled squid or the garlic chicken gizzards), then split it with more ppl so everyone can get a taste and feel like they did their Bourdain impression for the day.

Oh, Pro-tip 3 - the omelette, either say no ketchup, no mayo or have it on the side. Mayo doesn't enhance my omelette experience and I prefer hot chili garlic sauce over ketchup.

My recommendations:

1. bacon and spinach omelette no mayo or ketchup - also its super cheesy. I'm typically not a fan of overly cheesy omelettes but I'm hooked on theirs. Definitely cheese pull photo op worthy.
2. skewers - chicken meatball, pork and onion. The chicken meatball is an easy rec. I wouldn't recommend the pork and onion to a picky eater. It's chewy, juicy porky goodness. 3)garlic baby bok choy soup - tasty, feels like you're eating something healthy and you could add the broth to your side of steamed rice to really enhance your experience (that's pro tip four)
3. side of steamed rice with your order
4. kinda contradicts 4, but, if you're in a group, and you and one other person likes spicy stuff, split a jalapeño fried rice. I'm a fan but it's OD for a solo visit.
5. the beef bowl is tasty but it's hard to enthusiastically recommend because, with all the food you'll be eating, this will likely stop your eating momentum. It's a super filling dish. And tasty. And it's tempting cuz not a lot of places seem to offer it at such a low price but maybe if you have a monster eater among you, you could slow them down by recommending this.
6. corn - I like plain, flame grilled corn, no cheese, no seasoning, just grill it up, babeee. I don't think most ppl will be drawn to the corn but if you like plain, flame grilled corn as much as I do. And get the itch while you're in ichiza. This will scratch that itch.
7. get the grilled chicken soft bone skewer. It's on my regular rotation now
8. the gizzard is tasty but more chopped up than I like. I like full, alien looking gizzards. You could probably get a picky eater to try these

Bonus: the honey toast. The reason I forgot to mention the honey toast is because, while the honey toast is good, there is a place called IS Sweet that sets the bar for honey toast and it's about five minutes down the...

My partners and I went on a date tonight, and both of them recommended this place so highly, I had to give it a try. My partners had been only once before, and the chef recognized them on sight, which is always a good sign. Both my partners and I are all autistic, and the environment is extremely friendly towards autism. My boyfriend stimmed openly throughout the meal, and not only did no one comment or call attention to it, the chef seemed delighted by how much he enjoyed the food.

My partners both had Mikan Sunrises, which were so masterfully crafted that it wasn't until the alcohol hit that it became clear they were high proof.

We had some of the best skewers we've ever had, the okura, the asparagus bacon, the shishito peppers, and the chicken gizzards.

The okura is a triumph. I'm from the South and that was the best damn okra I've ever eaten. I had to have a second skewer just for myself.

The asparagus bacon was three huge chunks of the freshest, sweetest asparagus wrapped in thick cut bacon and grilled to perfection.

The shishito peppers alternated between deliciously spicy and startlingly sweet, with a wonderful flame roasted skin that pumped up the flavor.

The chicken gizzards were amazing, and again, I'm from the South. I've eaten chicken gizzards all my life, and the skewer was amazing. Richly flavored, perfectly grilled, lightly dusted with bonito flakes. It was gone within a minute of hitting the table, cause I just couldn't put it down.

I also had the garlic chicken gizzard hot dish which was a deliciously sauced, finely diced gizzard mixed with garlic scapes. It tasted almost like good steak, and the scapes added a wonderful vegetal quality to the dish.

The final thing I tasted myself was the homemade kimchi. It was a perfect balance of fresh veg, spice, and a hint of sweetness. I ordered it for the table, but have to admit I ate most of it myself!

My boyfriend had the mini eel bowl, and described it as perfectly fatty, with just the right amount of grilling to make them crisp, but fork (or chopstick!) tender. He danced as he ate cause it tasted so good.

My girlfriend had the Wagyu Beef Bowl, and while she's a serious foodie, she loved it so much she couldn't stop long enough to describe it. She's a master chef though, so "indescribably good" and "can't stop eating" is the highest praise from someone that can break down a spice profile by smell.

Last but not least, they had a mini honey toast apiece and that one I have to suggest you share between two people. It's so rich, so decadent, and so satisfying that you may not be able to finish it.

The atmosphere was incredible, lots of people laughing and having fun without it ever feeling overwhelming or loud. We could talk normally and hear each other just fine, and the lighting was subtle and welcoming. The place is beautifully decorated in a simple style.

One thing to be aware of is that the food comes out as it's ready, so don't be afriad to dig in when your dish arrives instead of waiting for everyone to get what they ordered. Another is that the prices are premium, but so is the quality, so treat yourself accordingly.

Finally, our waiter Kyle was a delight. He was attentive but didn't hover, had a joke for every occasion, and gave us the highest quality service I've had in a long time.

I cannot recommend Ichiza 1 enough. Great food, excellent service, and food that's a steal...

This place is cheap. That's it. However, the food is ho-hum and the experience is bleh nonexistent.

Vegas takes strip mall hell to a whole nother level. This restaurant is on the 2nd floor of a super generic strip mall on a generic street with a plethora of other generic strip malls. The parking was all full and we were forced to park in another generic shopping center. This is not a big deal except to emphasize the low quality of life one can expect in Vegas outside the strip. Walking through other parking lots on your way to a generic restaurant on the 2nd floor of a generic strip of shops is not living.

My biggest problem with this restaurant is the menu which seems to have been printed out on a dot matrix printer from 1996. There are pictures on the menu but you can't make any of them out. The menu is further convoluted by the fact that they have a ton of specials on a separate sheet that the waitress didn't mention and seemingly a bunch of dishes listed all over the wall that I had my back to.

Overall the atmosphere here is weak. The tables and chairs are poor quality. It still feels more like a location for a sub shop than a sit down restaurant. That being said they did add a few details to the interior to make it feel like a Japanese Restaurant..but still not nearly enough.

The one plus was the staff. Service was a bit slow, perhaps due to business but the workers were all very friendly. The food isn't bad but isn't spectacular by any means. I don't understand how one could give this place anything higher...