“ Issain is a hidden gem stellar happy hour. I highly recommend it if you're looking for quality Japanese food at an Izakaya style restaurant. They're fast as friendly and the mood is just right. My friend said it felt like they were in Japan! They have a huge selection of small plates so it's easy to share and try out lots of things. My personal favorite was the crispy chicken wings. ”

“ Walk-in only! We (lady and I) showed up at 7pm on a Friday night. There were 5 groups in front of us, but we still somehow sat down and place an order before 8pm. We ordered 10 skewers (2 of each of the chicken), kushikatsu, squid okonomiyaki, two uni handrolls, uni udon, jfc don, and.... I don't remember what else. There's a QR code which hosts the website menu, and daily specials for sushi (today was fatty tuna, bluefin otoro). When you walk in you know it's a Japanese izakaya (plus sushi? So not "completely" izakaya but hey it's still Japanese). Also, for peanut allergy folks - NO PEANUTS HERE! WOOOOOOO The vibe in here has a soundtrack playing (80s tunes?) but it's not too loud. The noise of the food being made and chatter is definitely louder than the ambient sound. If you look up towards the light, you can tell this place doesn't have the best ventilation - even on a cold winter day, the smoke still hangs around the ceiling. The air is a bit stuffy? Not terrible but I wouldn't come here if you need the PNW "fresh air" feeling. The first thing that came out was on a paddle, above the sushi bar (we're at the counter), was the uni handroll. Very fresh! Next up was the kushikatsu, delicious! Then the flood of food - uni udon, jfc Don at the same time... Then the okonomiyaki and the skewers. All in all - decent service. Food all came out within 30 min, we were so stuffed, and all-in it was only $120 with tax (before tip) for 2 people. Definitely higher quality than Shinya Shokudo, which is the only other yakitori place in Seattle I know of (at the moment). ”

“ We went to Issian for Happy Hour last night after many years of staying away due to the pandemic. It was so nice getting some of our old favorites - mine are the crispy chicken wings, the croquettes, and the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers). My family ordered the mackerel, kalbi beef ribs, gyoza, chicken kushikatsu, and pork skewers. All delicious - but we were sad to see some things we used to love, no longer offered. The Drunken Clams and one of the salads we used to order were missing from the menu. Service was friendly and quick. They kept our water glasses full and never kept us waiting for long. It wasn't very busy when we got there, but that didn't last long. By the time we left, lots of people started arriving. It's a lively spot to meet up with friends and share a lot of small plates. ”

“ Immediately upon entry to Issian, you're hit with an incoming wave of happiness. The scents of fried and grilled food flood your nostrils and get stuck on your clothes. The sounds of friends sharing food and laughing. You can tell you're in the right place. Sit down and grab yourself a glass (or maybe a pitcher) of Sapporo, you're in for a treat. There's a reason why Issian is incredibly popular, and it's because it's not only a fun and delicious experience, but very reasonably priced for Seattle. Each skewer is around $2 and has a few decently sized morsels of the meat of your choosing. Go for the chicken hearts, don't be scared. I couldn't recommend the Japanese Fried Chicken highly enough. It comes with around 6 huge pieces of chicken, and some fantastic dipping sauce if you ask for it. I would come back for this alone. The sushi here is also very high quality. The best part is that you can try a wide variety of dishes to share without breaking the bank. I came here with a group of 4, and we all left incredibly full for under $40 each with drinks. I still decided to get Molly Moon's afterwards though, which was a bad idea (great ice cream, I was just too full for it). This will be a staple in Wallingford for years to come. ”

“ Flavorful yakitori and really great food! We came here for a birthday and it was really nice they were able to accommodate such a large party! Service was friendly and were working hard to make sure we all got our food and drinks. Ambiance is casual. You can see them making the yakitori and it gets a little smoky and toasty inside. Food: + yakitori scallop - sooo good! + yakitori beef sticks - very flavorful and perfectly cooked + okonomiyaki - I devoured this! + assorted sushi rolls - all were pretty solid and fresh tasting Overall, huge fan of the smoky yakitori flavor and the prices seemed pretty reasonable! ”