Izakaya Wa perfectly encapsulates izakaya dining, a casual, low-key style of Japanese dining known for light bites, like grilled or fried skewers, and drinks such as Kirin Ichiban, a type of Japanese light beer. It’s basically the Japanese version of tapas. Crowd favorites at Izakaya Wa include the gyu kushiyaki (beef tenderloin) skewers and the beef udon. Owned and operated by Akira Asano and Hajime Kubokawa, known as Chef Kubo, this is your Houston go-to for exploring traditional and Americanized Japanese fare.