Nanaya Japanese Kitchen

Boyfriend and I found this gem and we loved the food here. Very chill vibes and employees are very nice. We usually order the pork belly skewers. Which are our favorite. And dessert we had the The ice cream trio.

This place is a must! The food was amazing and the specialty drinks were spot on. The staff was also very kind and treated us well. It did take a while to get our drinks, but worth the wait. After dinner we walked over to Century Grand and enjoyed a 90-minute experience at the Under Tow. This restaurant was a perfect dinner before drinks or a night on the town.

Nanaya website states, “To us, Nanaya represents family-centered culture to be shared with the community. Our philosophy reflects a passion driven by seasonality, balance and creativity with a Japanese twist. Respecting the cultural heritage of Japan while recognizing the amazingly modern methods with which they have evolved, Nanaya Japanese Kitchen welcomes you to experience a taste of Japan.”

Experiencing life, history, and culture is always best understood by tasting. And, the other day, We had the esteemed opportunity to finally try a Japanese restaurant that I’ve had on my “want to go list” for a long while.

Located in Phoenix/Arcadia area on 36st and Indian School next to a CrossFit gym and The Market. Nanaya is ambitious but dedicated to their craft. Every dish placed in front of us including the cocktails and dessert was well crafted with love and detailed attention.

“Yea yea yea, Will. That’s sounds nice but how was the food?!” Dang! I was getting there hehe 🙃. With the guidance of our bartender, Kristine, we were accurately advise to try the squid ink pasta and the beef short rib. We did heeded her advice and we also got the tuna lover roll. OMG! The food was exquisite!

Food was DELICIOUS. 😋 Perfectly cooked, great sauces, and gorgeous presentation. I didn't love the Moshi Moshi cocktail, I think it just wasn't my drink, but the staff were generous and replaced it with a lovely house sake.

First time was great ( over a year ago)
Second time was good. ( About 3 months ago)
Third time was insulting ( today Jan 2022)

The chicken karage was over battered and the batter had no seasoning. The chunks were huge and batter to meat was gel like in texture while the outside crispy. The thighs were super fatty. Just was really heavy without relief and was served with a Mayo dip that just added. There was only one slice of lemon not enough and no salt anywhere.

Ramen was also very heavy. The broth had a high viscosity and the pork was very fatty. The noodles had a nice flavor and pops of corn with bamboo were welcome but wow this wasn't enjoyable.

I think the part that killed me the most was where we were sat, an empty restaurant and right next to a bar fridge. Crammed into a tiny two top. Not even offered to sit outside ( one party went out there) otherwise it was dead. Honestly felt like we were second rate.

I had been here under a different menu and it was really good. The previous time I had a sando and it was nice with the pickle. I'm not sure what happened this last time but I'm super turned off from this place. I didn't say anything while I was there because I had a guest but going to car we both stated how disappointed we were and agreed it s not with it.