Izakaya

Book Izakaya Before Word Spreads Further

The practical tip first: Izakaya at Selska cesta 90b is running on a Michelin Bib Gourmand credential and a 4.9 Google rating across 3,421 reviews, yet it sits in the single-euro price tier. That combination does not last forever. If you have been watching this one, the time to book is now, not after the next round of press coverage lands. Booking difficulty is rated near impossible, so contact the venue directly and plan at least two to three weeks ahead. Arriving early in the evening gives you the leading chance of securing a seat; later in the night the room fills with a second wave of diners who discovered you can extend a Zagreb evening here well past standard dinner hours.

Why Izakaya Has Earned Its Recognition

Zagreb is not a city you would historically associate with Japanese dining, which is part of what makes Izakaya's trajectory so notable. Chef Num Samuay (Weerawat Triyasenawat) is running a contemporary Japanese kitchen that has picked up back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmand awards in 2024 and 2025, and the venue appeared at rank 34 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants MENA 2024 list. Two consecutive Bib Gourmands signal consistent kitchen execution, not a one-season spike. The World's 50 Best placement, while a MENA-category ranking rather than a global one, is an independent data point that puts Izakaya in international conversation. Together, these credentials confirm the kitchen is performing at a level that justifies the trip from anywhere in Croatia, and from outside it too.

The cuisine classification is Japanese Contemporary, which in practice means the cooking draws on Japanese technique and flavor architecture while allowing the kitchen some latitude in sourcing and presentation. This is not a venue selling nostalgia for a Tokyo that visitors have seen on television. It is a working kitchen producing food that external judges have found worth recognizing twice in as many years. If your frame of reference for Japanese Contemporary dining is venues like The Japanese Restaurant in Andermatt or Eika in Taipei, you will arrive at Izakaya with calibrated expectations: precision-led cooking, restrained plating, flavors that favor balance over aggression.

The Late-Night Case for Izakaya

Zagreb's dining culture runs late, and Izakaya fits that rhythm. The izakaya format in Japan is specifically designed for extended evenings: smaller dishes, good drink pairings, a pace that is social rather than transactional. That format transfers well to a night that does not have a hard stop. If you have already eaten somewhere like Bekal for an earlier meal, Izakaya works as a later destination for drinks and additional plates. For special occasions where the evening needs to last and feel considered rather than rushed, the format here rewards lingering. The Bib Gourmand pricing means running up a longer table bill does not require the mental accounting you would do at a four-euro venue.

For date nights or celebration dinners, the combination of recognizable international credentials and accessible pricing is the pitch: you can walk in with a guest who trusts Michelin judgment and walk out without the bill anxiety that attaches to the city's higher-end options. That is a genuinely useful combination for Zagreb, where the top-tier restaurants are few and the gap between budget and fine dining can feel abrupt.

Practical Details

Izakaya is located at Selska cesta 90b, Zagreb. The cuisine is Japanese Contemporary. The price tier is single euro, which by Zagreb standards represents accessible pricing even for a full evening. Awards on record: Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024 and 2025, and World's 50 Best Restaurants MENA 2024 at rank 34. Google rating: 4.9 from 3,421 reviews. Booking difficulty is near impossible, so plan ahead and contact the venue directly. No hours, booking method, phone, or website are confirmed in our data; verify current details before you travel.

For more on where to eat, drink, and stay while you are in Zagreb, see our full Zagreb restaurants guide, our full Zagreb hotels guide, our full Zagreb bars guide, our full Zagreb wineries guide, and our full Zagreb experiences guide. If you are travelling broader across Croatia, Agli Amici Rovinj, Alfred Keller in Mali Lošinj, Boskinac in Novalja, Korak in Jastrebarsko, Krug in Split, and LD Restaurant in Korčula are all worth your time.

Quick reference: Japanese Contemporary, Zagreb, single-euro tier, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024 & 2025, booking near impossible.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is Izakaya worth the price? Yes, with little qualification. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands and a rank-34 World's 50 Best MENA placement at a single-euro price tier is a strong value proposition by any measure. The Bib Gourmand designation specifically recognizes quality cooking at accessible prices, so the award is directly relevant to the value question. At this price point, there is no comparable Japanese Contemporary option in Zagreb with the same external validation. Book it.
• What should a first-timer know about Izakaya? Come expecting Japanese Contemporary cooking from a kitchen with serious credentials, not a casual noodle bar. The izakaya format favors sharing plates and an unhurried pace, so this works better as a two-hour evening than a thirty-minute stopover. Booking is near impossible by our rating, so first-timers who show up without a reservation may not get in, especially later in the evening. If you are new to Zagreb dining more broadly, this is one of the city's few venues with internationally verified credentials, alongside options like Noel and Dubravkin Put.
• What are alternatives to Izakaya in Zagreb? For different cuisines at the leading of Zagreb's dining options: Noel (Modern Cuisine, four-euro tier) is the city's most formal dining option and suits occasions where the room and service matter as much as the food. Dubravkin Put (Mediterranean, three-euro tier) is the choice if you want a terrace setting with solid cooking. Bekal (Croatian, two-euro tier) is the accessible Croatian option if you want local cooking without the bill. Balon offers Mediterranean cooking at a mid-range price. None of these replicate the Japanese Contemporary format, so if the cuisine is your reason for booking, there is no direct substitute in Zagreb.
• Can Izakaya accommodate groups? Group bookings at a venue with near-impossible booking difficulty require direct contact and significant lead time. Given the format and the demand, larger groups should expect to need more planning than a standard reservation. We do not have confirmed capacity data, so contact the venue directly to ask about group minimums or private arrangements before committing.
• Does Izakaya handle dietary restrictions? Japanese Contemporary kitchens can be accommodating, but the precise sauces and fermented components common in this cuisine style mean dietary restrictions are leading communicated at the time of booking, not on arrival. We do not have confirmed menu or allergen data for Izakaya. Contact the venue directly when you book, state your requirements clearly, and confirm they can accommodate you. Do not assume flexibility without checking first.