Robatayaki Asai

Upon arriving in Suzu, our friendly host suggested dining at his favorite restaurant, Robatayaki Asai. Hidden in a residential neighborhood, this place is truly a local gem, and the family that runs it is friendly, talented and willing to go out of their way to accommodate requests. On our first vis...it, the neighborhood was quiet, but upon entering, we were greeted by a mostly packed house of boisterous guests celebrating after work. While there is an English menu available--with excellent options--we decided to point at incredible-looking dishes being enjoyed by our neighbors at the sushi bar and order that way. It worked like a charm, as we feasted on a sweet soy sea bream dish that we'd never have ordered otherwise. The Noto Peninsula is known for its seafood of course, and the oysters here are phenomenal; larger size, salty and cucumbery. Definitely try them here!! Tempura, sashimi, grilled mushrooms and hamachi kama were all delicious, and when we requested uni and ikura, the owner said they weren't available, but if we came back, he could arrange it. So we made a reservation for the next night, when once again, the comfortable dining room was full. Asai-San served us a beautiful platter of uni and ikura and another fantastic meal followed. Service included friendly smiles and great patience with our numerous questions. Prices were definitely fair for the quality and quantity, and with a few sakes and cocktails, I'd say $50 per person gets you a very satisfying experience. I highly recommend visiting Robatayaki Asai and spending time with the welcoming family that works together to deliver unforgettable hospitality.

Visited March 2020

This was recommended by the owner of our guesthouse. He phoned ahead and made a reservation for us. The owner speaks great English and there is a really detailed English menu available. We sat at the bar and loved watching the interaction between the staff who cooked all the orders. Our food was ex...cellent. The menu is vast with a great choice of meat, seafood and vegetarian. The atmosphere was excellent, lots of locals. The only downside is people are allowed to smoke inside and everyone was smoking during the evening!

Visited October 2019