Hours
| Friday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Monday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 102 F St, Davis, CA 95616
Phone: (530) 746-5500
Website: http://www.showizakaya.com/
Menu Photos
Related Web Results
Show Izakaya | Japanese restaurant | 102 F Street, Davis, CA, USA
Show Izakaya (@showizakaya) • Instagram photos and videos
Show Izakaya, 102 F St, Davis, CA 95616, US – MapQuest
Reviews
I visited Show Izakaya, the new Japanese restaurant that has taken over the corner spot at 1st and F-Streets downtown, formerly home to Seasons. The food and presentation were excellent.
I’ll admit, I walked in skeptical. My first thought was: Does Davis really need another Japanese restaurant? We already have more than four, and I secretly hoped for something more unusual—say, a French-Vietnamese fusion spot. I was also disheartened that Show Izakaya had opened only a few doors down from Hikari Sushi & Omakase, a personal favorite. Still, I swallowed my prejudices and gave it a try.
The first impression is striking: marble counters, fresh flowers, flowing décor, and an attention to detail that extends to elegant serving dishes and fine chopsticks. This is a place suited to a date night or professional gathering. I immediately felt underdressed in my yoga pants and T-shirt, but the owner, Wendy, greeted me with warmth and ease—this is Davis, after all.
For my meal, I chose to test both ends of the menu: sushi and ramen. My uni (sea urchin) and unagi (eel) arrived first, beautifully presented. The uni was topped with salmon roe and a gleam of gold leaf, while the unagi came as two generous slices draped over the rice. I was pleased to discover they serve real wasabi—rare among Japanese restaurants here—rather than the dyed horseradish paste.
Uni is the true test of any Japanese establishment. Mishandled, it turns bitter in an instant. To my delight, the uni at Show Izakaya was fresh, creamy, sweet, and savory—I loved every bite. The unagi, likewise, was tender and flavorful, brushed lightly with kabayaki sauce rather than drowned in it. Their sushi alone will bring me back.
Then came my tonkatsu ramen, topped with three thick slices of perfectly charred, melt-in-your-mouth pork—so generous I couldn’t finish it all. The broth was rich and balanced, the noodles springy, and the bowl accented with corn, cabbage, tree-ear mushrooms, and a soft-sliced egg. The flavors rival, if not surpass, Davis’s dedicated ramen shop.
In conclusion: Show Izakaya is a welcome and worthy addition to the Davis dining scene. While I still wish it hadn’t set up just a stone’s throw from Hikari Sushi & Omakase—another gem I hope will continue to thrive—there’s no denying that Show Izakaya brings outstanding food, refined presentation, and a polished atmosphere. I’ll certainly be back—especially for the uni.
Originally I was worried about going here because of some of the reviews. But after reading through some of the 1 star reviews I noticed they were over some very minor issues, as someone with customer service experience I understand the nature of some reviews (Ifykyk). Glad I didn’t let that impact our decision. Highly recommend
At first I thought the last thing we need is another Japanese restaurant in a very crowded Davis district with Mikuni , Zen toros , Huku and many others. But we decided to come at their soft opening today..
What’s it aside izakaya is the incredible freshness of its fishes and other ingredients. We tried the sashimi combo and it was a delight and a celebration for our palate: the red tuna and the yellowtail were soft to the tooth and a celebration to our taste buds. All you need is a tiny dip in the fresh wasabi to bring an harmonious contrast of flavors (soy sauce not needed). Even the ginger was so fresh that it offered a completely new reference and could have a dish of its own. We then enjoyed the Dragon roll and the I 80 roll both at the opposite end of the spectrum between crispy and juicy. Both were well executed by chef Owen and his team. Again, we were pleasantly surprised by the freshness of the product and the strong flavors that emanated after the first bite. The presentation was exquisite and very sophisticated. We also tried their home brand wine Chardonnay, which paired extremely well with the dishes. If you look for sophisticated Japanese cuisine, we highly recommend the experience.