Izanami
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the great izakaya restaurant at ten thousand waves serving japanese-inspired seasonal small plates. It's an izakaya--serving upscale Japanese bar food.
izanami satisfies, whether for a quick snack between treatments at Ten Thousand Waves, lunch, dinner, or after a trip up Hyde Park Road to the mountains. With over 40 cold artisanal sakes, ten Japanese micro-brews--bottled and on tap, and a select group of wines by the glass, it's the perfect place to unwind, especially after treatments or a tub at the spa. Open until 10 pm every night. CURRENTLY WE ARE ASKING ALL PATRONS & STAFF TO WEAR MASKS WHEN NOT EATING/DRINKING.
thank you all for joining us for W**E VS SAKE! even after thirteen years this event gets more and more fun each year! it was a close match but w**e stole the crown this year š·šš
til next year, mark your calendars for september 2027 for our most fun event of the year š„
š¶ thank you all for joining our third annual SAKE DAY! we had an absolute blast with the 190 pound bluefin tuna carving, dozens of sakes, sashimi & maki rolls, chef kikoās japanese street food & so much more!
š¶ thank you to BluefinĆ” Blake Ito Russ King the floating world SIPT and our incredible team for making this all happen!
š¶ KANPAI, till next year!
09/19/2026
izanamiās michelin guide has officially arrived! thank you again to all of our incredible guests for your support and our hard working team for making this all possible!
a message from chef kiko
āHard work always leaves a mark. As a chef and a leader, I know that no success is achieved alone. I am deeply grateful for every person who has been part of the journeyāespecially those who, like me, started at the bottom, washing dishes and learning the value of hard work.
Never forget where you came from, because your beginnings shape who you become. What may look like luck from the outside is often years of dedication, sacrifice, perseverance, and love for what you do.
I am grateful for the journey, proud of how far weāve come, and even more grateful for the team that continues to walk beside me.ā Jose Kiko Rodriguez
we asked our master sake sommelier how he chose his sake selection for W**E VS SAKE!
āHi, Iām Russ, Master Sake Sommelier at Izanami. As you can imagine - W**e vs Sake is very much on my mind. While getting ready for the event I was asked a provocative question: āWhy these sake?ā
As you know, last year I was on the other side of the table. My friend Chris Melton, from JOTO, got to represent sake while I stepped out of my comfort zone to champion w**e. And youāll remember I fought for w**e.
Well, this year, I got to choose the sake. Giving me four places to fill, for team sake, and asking me to be competitive is a dangerous combination.
Iāve chosen some outstanding sakes, all making their New Mexico debut, to sit across the table from four incredible w**es. I know we call this friendly competition, but Iāve put thought into selecting winners.
So, have I assembled a team of world-class sake champions? I think so. Whether they can win you over is another question.
Each has a different way of making its case. One might quietly steal your attention. Another might charm you before youāve even taken a bite. And two come from the same brewery, which means Iāve used half my team on a family resemblance I think youāll want to explore.
I chose them for their personalities, for the possibilities they offered Chef Kiko, and for the pleasure of putting something unexpected in your glass.
Will they wrestle their way to victory? Seduce you with elegance? Or will the deciding moment come with a bite of food, when you reach for the sake again without even thinking about it?
Thatās what Iām betting on. Let me introduce the team.ā
Russ King
-continued in comments
izanamiās 11thĀ annual w**e vs.Ā sakeĀ challenge!
š· Wednesday, September 23th
š¶ Floating World Sake vs.Ā The Great W**es of France
š· A 4-courseĀ pairing dinnerĀ byĀ ChefĀ KikoĀ Rodriguez: each course is paired with one sake and one w**e
š The winner is decided by popular vote at the end
š¶Includes pre-event cocktailsĀ & mocktails, assigned seating, passed hors dāoeuvresĀ & live mariachi music
š·Groups must purchase tickets togetherĀ in order toĀ be seated together.
09/05/2026
the menu and pairings have been set for our 11th annual w**e vs sake challenge dinner: tickets still available!
https://tickets.holdmyticket.com/tickets/465459
09/04/2026
š·š¶ w**e vs sake menu is live! š¶š·
š¶izanamiās 11thĀ annual w**e vs.Ā sakeĀ challenge!
š· wednesday, september 23th
š¶ Floating World Sake vs.Ā The Great W**es of France
š· a 4-courseĀ pairing dinnerĀ byĀ ChefĀ KikoĀ Rodriguez: each course is paired with one sake and one w**e
š the winner is decided by popular vote at the end
š¶includes pre-event cocktailsĀ & mocktails, assigned seating, passed hors dāoeuvresĀ & live mariachi music
š·groups must purchase tickets togetherĀ in order toĀ be seated together
š¶ link in bio
08/27/2026
We are incredibly honored to share that Izanami has been selected for the MICHELIN guide! MICHELIN Guide (official)
We couldnāt have done it without our hardworking team, our incredible guests, and our beautiful new mexico community! KANPAI! š¶š„°š¶
08/27/2026
in the words of chef kiko:
We made it into the Guide! š
We feel incredibly grateful to receive this recognition. It is a true honor and a reflection of the passion and dedication that goes into what we do every day.
A huge thank you to our amazing team, who gives everything in the kitchen every day to ensure the quality, consistency, and care behind every dish we serve to our guests. We couldnāt do it without you.
We love and appreciate you all, and we are truly grateful for your continued support.
Congratulations to all of our colleagues who also received this recognition. What an incredible achievement for everyone!
New Mexico MICHELIN Restaurants - the MICHELIN Guide USA Starred restaurants, Bib Gourmand, all the MICHELIN restaurants. Find the best restaurants in New Mexico on the MICHELIN Guide's official website. MICHELIN inspector reviews and insights
08/22/2026
thanks to all for a kind article. holy guacamole, japanese style!
This traditional Japanese dish is warm, creamy, and one of Izanamiās most popular items. When soaring avocado prices forced the Santa Fe restaurant to temporarily remove it from their menu a few years ago, a revolt nearly ensued, says co-owner Deborah Fleig. āItās a very simple recipe,ā says chef Kiko Rodriguez. āBut it comes down to using the best avocado at its peak ripeness.ā
Rodriguez recommends using Hass avocados and fresh wasabi when available because it āoffers a cleaner, more nuanced heat than prepared wasabi paste.ā Serve the smoky and citrusy appetizer alongside grilled seafood, yakitori, or a chilled sake pairing.
See the full recipe: https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/grilled-avocado-recipe/
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21 Ten Thousand Waves Way
Santa Fe, NM
87501
Opening Hours
| Monday | 12pm - 10pm |
| Tuesday | 5pm - 10pm |
| Wednesday | 12pm - 10pm |
| Thursday | 12pm - 10pm |
| Friday | 12pm - 10pm |
| Saturday | 12pm - 10pm |
| Sunday | 12pm - 10pm |
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