Izumi Sake Bar Lounge - Metro Manila

We have dined at this restaurant about 5-6 times the last 6 months. The hallmark has been the freshness of the food, the clean flavors, the menu and the service. Regrettably, everything has gone down hill besides the service !We hadn't dined there for about 2 months and when we arrived tonight we were surprised by some new additions to the menu ... "Japanese style pasta" ?, that's an oxymoron in itself, and "Curry". We chose not to try either and that may have been a wise move.We opted for some dishes that we were familiar with.. ie. Chicken Gyoza, Spicy Edamame, Miso Soup, USDA Rib Eye (Medium Rare), Sashimi Tuna and Grilled Salmon Steak.The Gyoza came out within seconds of being ordered which made me suspect they were microwaved however, by all accounts the texture and flavors were fine.The Edamame was bad. It lacked seasoning and was dripping in a buttery sauce. You could not pick them up as they were wet and greasy. They are meant to be like a bar snack, crisp, plain and fresh.The Miso was fine, but nothing special. FYI, the miso soup had no tofu... which is a first. Every other example I've tried globally had tofu.The Tuna Sashimi looked to be poor quality and had a suspect grey color to it. I think it was either old, or had been defrosted. Either way it was poorly executed and we weren't game to try one slice.The USDA Rib Eye was a disgrace. There is not a better way to describe it. The meat was an extremely poor cut and I suspect it was local beef, not imported. The beef was EXTREMELY fatty and grissly (refer to the pic where cubes of pure fat were evident). It was inedible. It was also cooked "well done", and was priced at the princely sum of 750 Php (USD $18)The Salmon was watery in texture and so-so in flavor, clearly it was frozen not fresh, but who would know. I think the fact we didn't eat the 3 pieces of salmon is testament in itself.The beer was cold which is a plus.The staff were obliging and very apologetic when they noticed 5/6 dishes were returned barely touched. We asked if the chef had changed and they insisted that wasn't the case. That surprises me as the new menu and poor food indicates "change" to me.In summary, we won't be going back. Not recommended. Keep away. Spend your money elsewhere.

Was in a rush, but the kitchen and waiter were obliging to get my order done speedily. Went for Japanese pasta as it sounds novel. The taste was good, and I was enjoying it until the oil at the bottom began to solidify, which then...More

We bought 6 coupons last Nov 2012 in a group buying site. I was thinking that it can be a good chance to have a dinner with my friends and also have my advance bday celebration there. The deal costs P330 that is good for 3 people. We chose the food—set A which consists of Tonkatsu, 5-pieces Soy chicken Gyoza, 5-pieces Japanese meatballs, Tori Karaage, 3 Rice cups, 3 Miso soups, Potato salad, and Coleslaw. My friend called at the restaurant and reserved 5 coupons on Dec 8, 2012. Two days before our reservation, we decided to reserve also the left coupon. My friend asked one of the staff in Izumi if the reservation is already settled, and the girl staff replied yes. We had our reservation at 7pm. My other friends came there at 6:55pm, but I and the others are late and we arrived there at 7:45pm. Since we're late, we have seen that the waiters already prepared the foods on the table. My friend who holds the vouchers tried to ask the waiters if they can wait us before they prepare the foods, but they didn't grant my friend's favor. Aside from that, they didn’t even consider the voucher that we added to our reservation. They said that it was a late reservation, but my friend said that she called two days before our reservation, so how come our reservation was late? The waiter said that they will look if they can do something about it, but it ends to nothing so we just let things go through. We just hope that it won’t happen again to other customers.In terms of the restaurant, I can say that they have a good place. It is not actually big as we expected but they have a beautiful interior design, the ambience is really great. The foods are good, enough to fill the tummy. What I like most is their Tonkatsu and Tori karaage, perfect for Gohan rice!

Whenever I feel bummed out from work or whenever I feel like going out in general, Izumi is the first thing that comes to mind. There are several reasons why I love Izumi, the first of which would be its relative inexpensiveness considering that it is located in the bustling and booming Central Business District in Taguig where people park their Ferraris, Audi R8s, Lamborghinis, Posrches, etc (I'm not a car enthusiast but I definitely know if a car is expensive or not), where gents wear their expensive suits and ladies where their nice dresses - you get the picture. To be clearer, local beers are priced at an eye-popping $1.55! BUT what will really get your eyes rolling out of your sockets is that this $1.55 is good for 2 beers! 2 Beers for that price?? That's insane! That's even cheaper than most of the bars in areas such as Ortigas or the overly congested Makati. When it comes to drinking in the Fort, nothing beats their price.Second reason for loving this place is the ambience. I love the design of the place (though I'm not an expert on this either). I love how one minute you could sit back, relax and have a couple of cold ones with your friends, colleagues and clients and the next you could have a slam-banging party! It all depends on the mood that you're in. If you're in the mood for some quiet Japanese dinner and a few drinks, the first floor would suffice - this is usually where all the business meetings happen. Getting bored? Climb up a few steps and you're in for a wild party! They even have a pole if you feel you could rock it! Bottomline - this place knows how to have FUN!Third, I love their food and their menu in general. I love the gyoza and the spicy tuna maki which are also relatively inexpensive. I've tried their other items and they're not bad as well. However I'm sticking with the gyoza and the maki - they're priced at roughly $4 each. I'm always shocked at how much I saved by drinking and partying in Izumi. They have a cool selection of sake which is again cheap compared to other sake bars. The same goes with their hard drinks - they have the staples: Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, Absolut, again all priced realtively cheaper than other bars around the area.Lastly, I love their service. I'm a regular and they know and treat me well. But even first timers will be treated with the same courtesy and kindness as the regulars.Overall, what keeps me coming back is the experience (the fun), the inexpensiveness of the food and the service. Enjoy and see you in Izumi!

This is my go-to spot for Japanese cuisine. While it may be on the pricier side, the quality and taste remind me of homemade dishes from my grandma's kitchen.