Izakaya 88,

293 Executive Parkway, Rockford, IL 61107

"We needed a private party room for a Celebration of Life within a week's notice. Shogun/Izakaya was her favorite place. Addison, Alexis, and staff were absolutely hospitable and wonderful hosts. They worked with us on a sushi buffet, a toast, and using their screen for a slide show. They thought of all the details and worked with us on seating arrangements and made sure all of our needs were met. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect celebration. A million thanks! -Family of Rita Welch"

"I was visiting Rockford and looking for a place to eat. I found a restaurant called Shogun online. The menu looked good, so I decided to give it a try. It was a little bit confusing at first, as there appeared to be two restaurants inside the same space. One was Shogun and the other was Izakaya 88. Both had open seating signs posted. I asked at the counter, and it was explained that it's not really two separate restaurants and that it's just a matter of preference as to which "restaurant" atmosphere one prefers. The Shogun side was bright, more basic in terms of decor, and more communal in its layout. The Izakaya 88 side was dim, had lovely modern decor, and was more private. I opted for Izakaya. I ordered the shrimp tacos, vegan ramen, and a sushi dragon roll. Although more Tex-Mex than Asian, the tacos were quite tasty and the amount of shrimp included was generous. The vegan ramen was also good. The broth and noodles were flavorful. Both the tacos and ramen were good values for the price charged. As far as the sushi dragon roll, it was just okay. Not bad, but I imagine that if I were trying sushi for the first time, I'd think to myself it's okay but not something I'd go out of my way for. Which is unfortunate, because I'm quite fond of sushi and, in particular, this style of roll. As to what made the roll just okay, I think it was a few things. The tempura had gotten soggy and didn't hold up well. There was actually a lot of tempura batter that overpowered the flavor of the other ingredients. As for the other ingredients, I feel like the proportions were off (and too little for the price of the roll). Also, the eel sauce wasn't as good as others I've tried, but this might just be a subjective preference. As far as service, it was good. The server was friendly. The food came out all at once (I hadn't specified an order) and was brought out by bus persons. When the server came to check on how everything was, it was just after the food had arrived. So, I think another stop further into my meal would have been nice. Overall, I had a good experience and would recommend this restaurant. Maybe don't get the dragon roll though."

"Been here dozens of times and they usually knock it out of the park with the food. Always 5 stars. Not so much this time. My wife decided to try the salmon with the fried rice, steak, shrimp, veggies, and udon noodle hibachi. It was beyond fishy. I got a few appetizers and the tonkatsu ramen. The ramen broth was over the top salty. No bueno"

"Restaurant has two seperate space, one for live chefs cooking on hot oven and the other part is standard restaurant style that you order from Menu. We enjoyed having our cook prepared front of us with lots of fun with the chef entertaining actions and also having our meal cooked! The portions are generous and delicious but there is some room for improving food quality to become perfect! But all togher food and atmosphere are great! Go for it"

"I've always had a great experience. Food and service are great on the Teppan side. Izakaya side is either hit or miss depending on your server. As long as the food is delicious everything is usually good in my opinion."