I sure did have high hopes when I went to Ichiza. The atmosphere was authentic as far as izakaya goes. Service was quick and prompt, but the overall execution of dishes felt flat. We ordered the basics: yakitori, tsukune, sunagimo. They were good but not exactly memorable. Ordered the beef tataki, tongue, grilled smelt and a couple more grilled veggies. Nothing special. I remember telling my husband he can cook those better at home. We also tried the honey toast which was also just okay. I thought it was all hype no substance. We were hoping to catch ankimo or a decent sashimi on their specials, unfortunately they ran out. I wouldn't scratch Ichiza just yet on my list. Meanwhile I'm hoping Yelp can point me to another izakaya in town that serves more flavorful food.