According to Wikipedia, An izakaya (居酒屋) is a common kind of Japanese bar or restaurant, also found in cosmopolitan cities throughout the world, popular in Japan for after-work drinking. A definitive feature of an izakaya is that it serves food as well as drink. Patrons typically sit on tatami mats and dine from low tables in the traditional Japanese style. (MORE)

Well, they seem to be popping up all over Vancouver as of recent:

Sonomama on Granville Street

Very clean decor – you can tell they’re a nascent operation. I enjoyed having dinner there (especially the wasabi steak) and will be back to check them out for lunch. Accessible to business and they’ll probably do very well due to their proximity to the Granville Strip (and my office).

Sonomama Bar & Grill
980 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L2 (MAP)
TEL: 604.662.3770
FAX: 604.329.7942
WEB: http://www.sonomama.ca

Yutaka on Jervis Street

I had a quick stop into this restaurant on Friday. It’s a large restaurant with an open plan. Just off Robson, I can see alot of potential here. The food was okay, sushi was quite fresh but where they can excel is possibly looking at doing something inventive with their drink menu. No plans for that right now, though – they haven’t received their liquor license yet.

Yutaka Bistro Izakaya
793 Jervis Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 2B1 (MAP)
TEL: 604-633-9118
FAX: 604-633-9129

On another note, it seems someone in Japan has gone great lengths to open up an Izakaya in my honour:

If you’re ever in Setagaya-ku, keep an eye open for it.