Izzy Pub & Sushi — Restaurant in Tallahassee

Very small for indoor seating, so dress appropriately. They were very busy but service was very good considering and an owner/manager filled in to make that happen which was very commendable. Recommended ipa from a beer list I was unfamiliar with was very tasty. The $3 side salads were basic and mainly iceberg lettuce, but very fresh and crispy and the Wasabi ranch (not the miso dressing that was like sweet mayo and they were out of ginger dressing) was very good and so a total win. Korean bbq beef app was fatty, tender, and somewhat zippy all in the best of ways, although overpriced for the amount of food. Cold smoked salmon and lightly pickled mackerel sashimi were excellent and the rest of the fish was very good to great. My son loved the Big Easy and smoked salmon that we brought home for him. I would not have expected tamagoyaki in a sashimi platter, think that including that was wrong, and hope that, even with chef's choice, I can order without that, as it went uneaten. The pickled ginger had aspartame in it, which I hate the aftertaste of, but pretty much every sushi place here uses it and they were honest and surprised about it after checking ingredients, so I can't ding them on that. If not for the tamago I'd give the actual meal 5 stars (3 with it cuz inappropriate for a sashimi platter, it was not good, and no offer of substitution after pointing that out), and the ambience was having to sit outside on cold metal chairs. If not clear, I will definitely eat here again and wish I'd tried it sooner, but I would be prepared to sit outside and will make sure that they don't give me sweet eggs in...

I've lived in tally for nearly 5 years now and have been completely dissatisfied with the sushi restaurants in town until this place. I'm from sarasota where we have some very high quality fish. I just haven't been able to find that in tally until now. Sakura is overpriced and the fish is usually not very fresh or tender, yet it is still probably one of the best in town. Masa is more or less the same. But the sushi I had at Izzy is far above and beyond. I've been twice now already since it opened a few weeks ago. The tuna, salmon, and yellowtail were all incredibly fresh, tender and juicy. It melts in your mouth the way good sushi should. You shouldn't have to chew hard through the fish like at some of these other restaurants. Also, not as important but still to a degree, the rice was of great quality as well. The rice at Sakura tastes stale to me most of the time. As far as the aesthetics go, I like the way it's been renovated a lot. It has a very authentic atmosphere like may be typical of a small sushi restaurant in Japan. The pub adds a unique element as well. Some of the appetizers seem a bit pricey but I won't knock them for it. You will have to accept paying what is probably the highest price in town for the nigiri or sashimi orders. To me it's worth it to pay an extra dollar per order to get excellent, succulent fish versus paying less and getting unfresh fish that leaves you wanting better. Probably most of the folks in town with less developed tastes will be content with places like Sakura, masa, or Siam Sushi, but if you want the 'good stuff' you have to come here...

Had the opportunity to have dinner at Izzy with my wife last Saturday. I made a reservation through open table for 6:00 pm, not certain how busy it would be, but when we got there, there were plenty of open tables and we were seated immediately. The menu is diverse and interesting, and even folks who do not like fish are likely to find something tasty to eat. We had the Korean Chicken Bites as a starter, and the flavors were fantastic. Not too spicey, but definitely a bit of heat and very flavorful. My wife ordered one of the specialty rolls featuring eel and soft crab, while I ordered Club Izzy, a.k.a. sushi for the meat lover. While I do enjoy sushi, this dish sounded too good to pass up, and I was not disappointed. The pork belly was cooked perfectly, and the fried egg and kimchi accompanying the roll were the perfect complement. For dessert, we shared a Thai Tea Creme Brulee, which I can also recommend. Izzy offers a nice selection of hot and cold sakes, and the house sake is very smooth. I'd also like to comment on our waitress, Taylor: She was absolutely outstanding, attentive but never disruptive, quite knowledgable about the menu and the beverage selections, and a genuinely pleasant person.

As were were finishing our meal, the place quickly filled up, and by the time we left it bustled with friendly activity and a pleasant, warm vibe. I am looking forward to coming back soon to check out the...