Featured Reviews


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  • 1/5 Berry H. 2 years ago on Google
    Don’t go if you’re from places where there are better Japanese restaurant. I really don’t understand why this restaurant can be rated as 4.6???!!! This sukiyaki is 26 dollars and it’s said on the menu it’s for 2-4 people and it’s not even bigger than my palm. Couldn’t finish the kushiage, it doesn’t qualify to show up in a restaurant table. I can make better ones at home!! There are only handful udon noodles and it’s really soggy and salty. Please make the dish quality and size deserve the price, thanks.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Christy L. 6 years ago on Google
    I'd give 10 stars if I could because this place seriously deserves that. I've searched all over USA for an authentic izakaya like this - a place that would not compromise its values so that the customer will get the most authentic experience. The team who works here is very passionate and serious about what they do. When you walk into this place, you can feel the essence of Japan. You're greeted with fluent Japanese (and not the mispronounced broken words a lot of restaurants try to pass off as Japanese). You'll be asked if it was your first visit to izakaya. Then shoes off and you're seated. The food was incredible. So much care and thought put into preparing and cooking your food to absolute perfection. Quality ingredients. I've had so much Japanese around the world and can say some dishes were the best I've had of that type of dish. E.g. buckwheat noodles and onigiri was hands down the best I've ever had anywhere - dishes that look so simple yet so hard to get just right. Even their miso soup was properly made from scratch and is none of that "just add water to paste" that so many other Japanese restaurants are guilty for. Anyway, if you're looking for a casual Japanese sushi place, this is not for you. Sushi Zanmai next door already fulfills that. Only come here if you desire a true izakaya experience. Oh, as you can guess, this place is not cheap but honestly is well worth paying for. Remember to tip well (>25%) because the level of attention and thoughtfulness they put into serving you definitely deserves it.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Stetson D. 2 years ago on Google
    The best eating experience I’ve ever had. The waitress hand-picked menu items for us. All of them were delectable. 100% recommend. We left with full bellies and smiles of contentment :)
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Aidee M. 2 years ago on Google
    This is a “traditional Japanese restaurant”, Japanese pride themselves on being punctual, respectful and accurate. This restaurant cannot deliver on any of these standards. My family had a terrible experience in this restaurant, We came here to have a wonderful Valentine’s day dinner with my husband, but it turned into a mess and a bad experience. We waited 2.5 hours and didn’t get what we ordered. My husband got his order within 20 minutes but all that was right was his soup and appetizer, all the rest of us got was the wrong orders. The waitresses was nice and helpful but kept bringing dishes that we didn’t order. Eventually we had to escalate the situation to the manager, after two and a half hours of wondering where our food was, she said it would be just 7 mins to get our food. 30 mins later we still didn’t have our main entrees. We asked the manager to just charge us for what we have eaten since its gotten to the point my wife and I are so furious we have lost our appetite. As it turns out, once the manager reviewed our bill, we were still being charged for meals we never ordered along with the rest of our party. Unbelievable.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kei I. 1 year ago on Google
    Izakaya implies a more popular setting but this place has great selection of craft sake and Japanese tapas at a much more sophisticated level. It is difficult to replicate what Japan has to offer but Amu comes very close to your special place in Japan. Japanese dishes but with some amazing twists. If you love Japanese food, a must place to visit in Boulder.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Neil R. 2 years ago on Google
    I love the atmosphere of this little place. It felt like I was back in the 90's. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. I really wanted to try the ramen but it is only made on Monday. The waitress recommended the udon and it was amazing! I couldn't believe how good the broth was. The noodles and egg were cooked perfectly. The sushi I got was pretty good but not amazing. I was excited to try the yuzu margarita and it was good but a little pricey.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Michaela W. 2 years ago on Google
    A must visit dining experience in Boulder. It's expensive, but worth it. I personally prefer to order Omakase where the server will pick the dishes for you. They take your dietary needs and preferences into consideration, and you get to try dishes you may not have picked for yourself.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kiyomi F. 2 years ago on Google
    As a half Japanese person, I am very picky with Japanese food in Colorado. I kept getting disappointed going to various Japanese restaurants until I came to Amu. Not only was the food phenomenal but the atmosphere felt like I was in Japan again. It's pricey but it's ABSOLUTELY worth it. 10/10 recommend. It's authentic and it felt like home.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Morteza K. 1 year ago on Google
    Izakaya is a style of Japanese serving and this restaurant does it well. Primarily a bar setup with only one or two table settings. Narrow space and pretty informal. Service is great, food and drink are even better. They’d make sure to great you in Japanese. Some posted pictures of interiors are not accurate, make sure to search them on internet to have a sense of the vibe. I’d leave a few pictures here from Internet. Note: you have to take off your shoes to enter. 😉
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jordan C. 5 years ago on Google
    Bottom line: Amazingly Unique and delicious food - highly recommend going Omakase. First time in Boulder and I was looking for a solid place for dinner, which is tough when there's so many to choose from. I ended up reading other reviews on this place and decided to give it a chance. Having read the reviews, I expected to wait and/or not be able to get a seat at all. I lucked out and got a seat right away. The server, Adrian, was absolutely fantastic. After talking with him for a bit and reading the menu, I decided to go Omakase style and let him choose the dishes. Adrian's menu expertise paid off and he chose dishes that fit my tastes but also borderlined on things that I would never have ordered. This place has amazing food and is not your typical Americanized "Japanese" food, very little sushi. That alone was worth five stars but the service on top of that was worth another star if I could give it.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Stefan L. 1 year ago on Google
    Hands down one of the best meals we had the entire year. Sabrina was an absolute gem and recommended some mind boggling dishes. 11/10 would recommend.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 DanDan 1 year ago on Google
    Freshest and best sashimi in Boulder. Try the chef’s sake recs. Dish arrangement is simplistic but pretty. The chopsticks are so high quality even though they’re single usage. Be prepared to drop $150 on a single meal, but definitely THE place to go
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 GlutenFreeSTEMgal 1 year ago on Google
    The food here is amazing. If you are looking for sushi go to the sister restaurant next door. The wait staff was incredible and walked us through all the fish options and the sustainability of the fish and where it was caught and processed from. The chef also gave us recommendations for other Japanese restaurants in New York. Highly recommend getting Sake and the eggplant. This is a traditional place so no shoes.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 scott l. 1 year ago on Google
    We go here every year for my wife's birthday - fantastic food, great folks, and laid back atmosphere! I highly recommend just sitting at the bar and asking the chef to get creative!

  • 4/5 J.M. S. 2 years ago on Google
    The vibe and aesthetic is absolutely perfect. The food and drinks were top quality. The staff were really nice with our party. I can see myself coming here again whenever I am in Boulder

  • 3/5 Eugene F. 6 years ago on Google
    I really loved the clams even though a little too big and maybe a tad over cooked - great spice. The ambience was fantastic! The croquets were just too rich and needed something to break down some of the fat yet they serve with a tar tar sauce... no! Had to modify. The sashimi was pretty good but nothing exciting. The service was fantastic and loved the mood of this place. The sake was really good!

  • 1/5 Dr PAULINE TORREY, DACM, L. 1 year ago on Google
    Unfortunately our family had the worse dining experience their on a Thursday night. It took over 90 minute before we got one dish of spinach on the table and an additional hour to get the next dish. To eat 5 expensive small plates which cost $350 it took 3h! The sushi was not worth the cost. A total disaster. We tried our best to keep our spirits up, but sure walked out really frustrated and hungry! So, not okay. Oh! And the bill included a 20% tip that was not even our choice!

  • 5/5 Chaese S. 1 year ago on Google
    I’ve dined here 4 times over the last 6 months and each visit has been consistently outstanding. The service, hospitality, execution of the dishes, and ambience are all on-point. Be aware that this is an izakaya, not a sushi restaurant. Think Japanese gastropub. While they tend to offer some sashimi specials, the emphasis is on cooked dishes from the kitchen. On more than one occasion I overheard guests dismayed over the fact that sushi wasn’t available. Look at the menu before you go in and don’t be that person who just assumes that all Japanese restaurants are the same. Keep up the good work, Amu!

  • 5/5 Anatoliy S. 2 years ago on Google
    It's not a cheap place, but worth it. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Probably most authentic Japanese I ate and it was really great. I definitely will visit this restaurant again. Long list of sake


Call +1 303-440-0807 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Organic dishes
    • ✓️ Healthy options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Kerbside pickup

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